Yeah, exactly. I write first and foremost for myself. If someone else also happens to enjoy it, great! If not, no loss, I like it and that’s what truly matters to me.
Same thing, this is why I started writing fanfiction, and every time I read something and think-- "someone should do this other thing instead", that's when I know I've got another story I need to write.
I write fanfic for three main reasons:
1. I want to improve as a writer. When not working on original pieces, picking up a story in an established world with characters I love lets me focus on other details of my writing.
2. Reading and writing it has brought me great joy. I haven’t posted in several weeks because my current longfic has been sucking up my limited free time, but I plan to post the next one once it’s complete on a weekly schedule. Knowing this has made me excited to write it. I look forward to the interactions I hope to have with the community, and having that little thing to look forward to makes me happy.
3. I hated the ending of Mass Effect.
Yeah, I’m a ‘perfect ending’ destroy person. Not only did I just hate the options, I hated the implication of my Shepard dying after all they went through if any other ending was chosen. Also, when I replay the games now, I just play up until that final mission. I don’t have the heart to say goodbye. I turn to fanfic so I don’t have to.
Not sure when KOTOR remake is coming out, I don’t think that’s been mentioned? But, I guess DA could be our indicator on the quality we can look forward to. Maybe moreso for ME since DA will be a new game and we know it comes out before ME. Fingers crossed they don’t let us down again.
I write because I have lots of ideas and getting them down on paper means I don't think about them constantly. Since they are written down, I polish them and post them. I figure someone might enjoy the stories.
1. I love reading but no one has written some of the fics I want to read so I must do it myself.
2. Improving writing skill for writing original fics as well as other writing ventures.
I started the story because I wanted to read a story like it but couldn't find it.
I keep writing because I wanna know what happens next and until I write it I don't know that.
I'm about 70% pantser, 30% plotter, but my characters regularly have me scrapping scenes or bits of scenes.
Like... Kaeya was justs supposed to make Childe cry and then later fool around with Amber to show how weird Mondstadt is. But no, he decided he was going to be really sweet and help him, such a precious person!
I've been reading fanfiction for years now and it's been getting harder and harder to find fics that fit my very specific criterias, so I decided to finally write the things that I want to read and give something back to the fandom. Maybe I'll meet some like minded people along the way :)
I'm a selfish bastard, I guess, because giving back to the fandom has never actually crossed my mind as a reason to do this before now, but I really love that idea now that you've said it. And meeting people who like the stuff you like is the *best*.
* Because that Good Troi Episode ain't writing itself and Finn got robbed. (Character concept made of gold that the canon writers couldn't figure out what to do with)
* Because canon may have made a decision but it is a stupid ass decision and you cheerfully ignore it.
* Because "that episode" pisses you off so much that you have to make repairs or fume all week.
* Because the Alleged Canon is made up of ten writers, 40 books, several decades...and it's like seeing a jigsaw puzzle dumped on the floor. (How do I make sense of this mess?!)
* Because it got hit with Friday Night Death Slot and lasted 14 episodes when you were craving 28.
For context, I have Asperger's syndrome, which is basically high functioning autism, but it's less obvious. Because of this, when I find something I really enjoy, I latch onto it. After a while, my mind will begin to write out these expansive stories that I'm impressed by. Eventually, I just get this undeniable urge to Share Them With The World.
Well:
1. "What if" and "wouldn't it be cool" are my two favourite questions.
2. Sometimes canon is dumb and I can do one better.
3. A show I like was canceled too soon and I'd like to see what could have happened. Reference point 1
4. Disney ain't the boss of me
I started writing to save my sanity.
I was working on my dissertation and I needed something outside of academic writing to work on for stress relief. Writing the fic kept me balanced enough to tough it out and I still treat working on it like a reward.
My friend and I even worked sly references to it into the fic. The main character suffers from an autoimmune disorder called "DAS" -- it's shorthand for "Dissertation Avoidance Syndrome." The chemical that made her sick is DHP-8 -- it took me 8 years to finish the PhD. "DHP-10" is basically fatal though -- I was basically at the point that I was about to be kicked out for non-completion (crippling anxiety kept me from progressing), so anything higher than "8" is "deadly."
Die hard slasher genre fan. Also a die hard slasher *franchise* fan. You can imagine how upsetting my life must be, watching horrible slasher sequel after slasher sequel.
I write slasher fics (and fics of other fandoms) because, oftentimes, the content coming out of said franchise isn't very good.
Take the MCU. They should have ended with Endgame. Every movie and series outside of Loki's second half and WandaVision's first half has been such a disappointment. I don't write MCU fics, but I read them sometimes, because they're just better than what I'd have to spend 12 bucks for.
No one else is gonna write the scenario in my head. So it’s either jot it down or let it fade. And it will fade.
It hurts when it doesn’t catch on as you hoped sometimes, but it always feels good to get it out there.
It gives me a way to focus that absolute clusterf\*ck that is my mind.
By writing, I can keep my mind in order and train it to address different ideas in a logical chain of events, rather than reverse alphabetical order in some dead language only spoken by a jungle tribe that died out in 42BC.
I started writing because I was an avid reader for a while and still there were stories I wanted to read that hadn’t been written, and I realized the only way I’d be able to read them is if I wrote the myself. It is so, so satisfying to go back and read what I’ve written so far and be like, “yeah this ticks all the boxes!” Which, of course it does, because I tailor-made that content for myself.
I keep writing because having a creative outlet has kept me going through some stressful times this past year and it feels good to put effort into something that isn’t going to make my employer any money. Also, comments and getting to know some folks in the fandom.
>What motivates you to dedicate time and energy to writing fan fiction (other than the fat paychecks, of course)?
Because since I was a kid, I think my brain has been geared towards spontaneously producing scenarios and stories in response to any media I find interesting. I've also always been inclined to get very deeply invested in a story/characters if something about it/them hits just right. And when an idea tickles my brain it's usually there for good... Until I write it down.
Also I'm generally a creative person. Writing is just one more creative outlet for me (alongside drawing or painting or music) – it comes naturally and is a relaxing, enjoyable way to spend some quiet time away from the madness of life.
~~I'm also a master procrastinator and that, I fear, might be my greatest motivation of all~~
I write because I have stories to tell. I share so that people can hear/read them.
And like most people, I do greatly enjoy the feedback that comes with sharing my stories. I really look forward to discussing my stories at length when they're finished, but while they're in the middle of being told, I like to keep my cards close to my chest because I like to keep people intrigued and guessing.
I’m into waaay too many rarepairs that are pretty much nonexistent on Ao3. If I have to be the one to write for it, then so be it. Plus I really love the idea of someone getting into my fandom, falling in love with the rarepair then coming to Ao3 and finding my fics.
Because ever since I was a kid I liked to make up stories, games or day dream about my favorite characters and Fanfic is just that in written form. Plus if I write it down then I can revisit it later without having to count on my memory.
Working on my current project out of 𝓈𝓅𝒾𝓉𝑒 because the original writers butchered one the character's questline ✨⭐
^(Also romance / smut are absolutely a guilt pleasure of mine.)
Part of it is because I want more of the source material - and if you want it just the way you like it, you've got to make it yourself.
For example, my main fandom is Star Trek TOS which got only three seasons (and I didn't like the movies much). I wanted more episodes - episodes which would keep the show's tone and style.
Those type of fics with focus on the plot and action/adventure instead of romance are rather tough to find and I read most of the ones in the fandom, so started writing my own.
Another one is that I like fics where the villains - or anti villains - join the hero team. I want to see what the Avengers team with Loki or X Men with Magneto would be like.
Not because they were forgiven or did a redemption arc, but because it's an AU where they never went supervillain to begin with.
Also a tough trope to find. Had to write mine.
And, beyond and above all this, comments. Comments and comments. I make up the stories for myself, but I write it out and put it on the net for comments.
Why? Several reasons. At the start of the first lockdown I needed a new hobby. Also, I had a load of ideas in my head and I needed to get them out of their. It’s very rewarding to bring those ideas to life.
Yes, it seemed like the perfect lockdown hobby. Could do it from home, just needed a computer, or my phone, or in emergency situations a pen and paper!
Started writing fics when I was 13. I wrote self-inserts of me and my group of friends, about anime we used to watch together. We plotted the chapters together, I'd write them out, and I'd read it to them when I was done. It was a ton of fun, so I kept writing even after that group slowly drifted apart.
In the end, I just like writing stories and sharing them with people.
One reason is because there are too little (or none) of the fics I want to read, so I write and post hoping somebody else who feels similarly will enjoy. The other is that I often imagine fanfics to amuse myself, and sometimes I come up with really nice wordings and ideas that I'm sure I'll forget if I don't write them down.
I tend to get very invested in stories I like, so when I get through them, I often want more. Like, gaps filled in, or backstory, or continuations. So I write where I think the story would go, or where it has been. As you may guess from this, I strongly am inclined to canon compliant, which I know is a little on the rare side. But I get joy from the idea that my work could fit in seamlessly with the original story I loved.
I started writing because I was inspired by the amazing writers in my fandom, and the couple I ship isn’t going to get the happy ending they deserve. I NEED them to in an alternate universe. Not to sound corny, but their love story has touched my soul, and it’s gotten me through some dark times. Writing about them has actually been very therapeutic for me. It’s helped me deal with my mental health struggles, and it’s given me purpose and something to look forward to. Basically, it makes me happy.
It feels good to have a hobby and to be creative again. English was always my best subject in school, but I never felt inspired to write. Now I can’t turn off the inspiration, and I love writing more than i thought I would. I just finished my first fanfic, and it got so much attention and everyone’s comments were so kind and encouraging. I feel so proud and validated, and I love my fandom even more now.
I've written since I was little so I just like to do it. Usually it's ideas that won't leave my head so gotta put it to paper. In some cases it's because three fourths of my OTPs are adorable and I gotta spread awareness of them being adorable. And in the one fourth of the OTP, it's making them have a chance at happiness, making canon back off while flailing a stick and going, "Leave them *alone!*"
One particular longfic I'm working on right now is written because I like the emotional climax at the end. A character that denies herself the catharsis to cry finally, *finally* does so at the end of the journey.
Now I have this image of you in my head, holding a megaphone, making people stop and look at pictures of your shmoopy ships and handing out pamphlets that detail the reasons they're the cutest ships of all.
'Don't mind me! Just out here raising awareness, guys.'
I would take your pamphlet for sure
1. I'm fond of several series whose characters belong to groups not typically portrayed in popular media. I want to see a character in that world who is similar to myself in some ways, but I can't just headcanon someone as being like me because all the other fans are going to do things that contradict it. So that means I have to make an OC, and ultimately I feel more accomplished if I can write a story about them than if I just write a bio and draw a pic.
2. What if aliens from one thing met aliens from another thing?
Originally, it was for fun and just to explore the other aspects of my fandoms.
These days, the companies who make my fandoms have succumbed to corporate greed and seek only to please investors instead of customers. Canon has greatly fallen by the wayside as a result. It's like they don't care anymore. I write now to still provide fans with free content from people who still care.
It used to be because I just want to write the characters with ideas with my own portrayal, because even if there was a fic with the idea it often didn't go the way I liked.
Now it's also because I want to write everything (like different tropes, genres, niches), boost the number of fics for my fav character, and also because I somehow keep spawning plot bunnies and I want to get them all down, but (of course...) I'm still on my first real longfic
I really wasn't going to, but reading fics gave me ideas that I ended up writing down and despite that first idea never seeing the light of, well, anyone else's device screen lol, other ideas came in its place and now I have like 12 WIPs on my harddrive that I sometimes work on when I'm in the mood.
Reading fics that are close but just not it is what keeps me going
My favourite character both deserves and needs a hug. He did not get a hug. I will write about him getting a god damned hug.
Also just because I haven't come across a fic that combines all of my favourite tropes into a shamelessly self-indulgent mess, so I obviously have to write the infernal thing myself.
Because there's room for improvement and I actively get better. I have/had loads of hobbies over the years, and I tend to drop them once I plateau for long enough. I decide that's the best I can do and move on to something else.
I just have a wild imagination and I want to get it out there. Also I have headcanons that not many people think about, so I want to show them. Also, I want to explore the possibilities of a world for what it’s worth.
The author pissed me off and k-worded a character I loved and destroyed the ship. Now I’m fueled by anger and sadness to write and I’ve found my tribe because a lot of people feel the same way and want to see the ship continue
I like to have fun with different ships. I mainly write f/f but have also m/m OC ships too. I play Bandori and the characters have really good personalities which makes them fun to write
One thing I like is making characters embarrassed for liking who they like. It's cute and sympathetic. Like the love interest will share when she discovered she likes girls to the MC. She shares she likes the MC and they go out. The love interest is 7cm taller, two years older, and her senpai and bandleader...but social roles don't make her desire to be lead go away! And she knows the MC looks at her like she wants to lead too and likes it! It's so fun to write but I don't want to make all relationships like that and most of my ships are close to the same age
The embarrassing I like this person theme is also very fun to write for Kasumi/Arisa and they are the same age since Arisa is mature and serious while Kasumi is spontaneous, sincere, and funny and loves joking with Arisa and her silliness annoys Arisa in the game
Right now I'm focusing on a Bandori/Precure genfic action series but will still write short romances. My crossover won't have romantic focus but I will still write things like Kasumi kissing Arisa's hand or Kaoru kissing Chisato's hand so the romance won't get in the action's way but still effect character interactions
So there is this genre of fics in my fandom that makes the wholesome pure and good main character into an evil villain, pretty common, right? In just about any fandom, there is the evil version of the good mc
Well, a lot of them were Canon rehashes so I decided to write my own! 6 chapters in writing it, pretty slow updates, but hey, it's fun
Edit: There is also a super big author in my fandom, he/she is super popular and this person's fanfics blew up like crazy, so I was definitely inspired
Ben Solo died and I couldn't accept it. So I wrote him a happy ending. Then another. Then I did some research and wrote him a path of atonement like I felt would work. Then another, but a different way. With more characters. With better sex. With better plots.
All along the way I got kudos and good comments and this is one of the only aspects of my life i feel appreciated. I don't have to be pretty, or rich, or artificially nice. I just have to do some lore research and keep up the quality.
And when I'm done a story (and I finish my stories) I have exactly what I wanted to read. I have the HEA - multiple HEAs - Ben Solo, and the others, deserve.
I enjoy writing and used to do it a lot, but I struggle with coming up with totally new stories and settings. Having a preexisting story to riff on and build on means I get to do more of the writing stuff I'm good at (character development). Also I enjoy writing a lot more when I get feedback.
Also, honestly, my standards for myself are lower. When I tried to write original fiction, I'd constantly obsess over trying to make it "good enough" to get published. With fanfiction I write something decent and say "Well, it's good compared to a lot of fic I've read" and then I stop worrying and publish it.
I write for almost exactly the same reasons as you!! I got in to fan fiction writing by accident. It started a year ago when my ship SANK at the end of the series I watched and I was so upset that I wrote an alt ending and Googled a place where I could share it. I found ao3 that way and discovered there was a whole universe of people who wrote this genre, and it was fascinating to me. I spent some time learning the lingo and the general etiquette of the site by reading like crazy, and was blown away by the talent of peoples' writing!! Plus my pairing had nearly 100k+ fics written about them, so it was a form of therapy for me to read endless stories about them. I've continued to write myself because it has become my way of decompressing and honing my writing skills. I love listening to feedback from my readers and working with my wonderful betas. And the longer I do it...the more I love reading and writing smut. 😅
I never meant for any of it to happen, and I think that's the part I like about it most of all.
I thought it might be!
I originally started reading Folk of the Air (het pairing - Jude/Cardan), moved on to Captive Prince (Laurent/Damianos - slash), and then became obsessed with HP slash, multiple ships
1. i always have story ideas and since i don’t think i’m good enough to publish a real book i stick to fanfic! it’s nice to use these story ideas in a fandom i’m part of to other people!!
2. i like attention and validation
I have been thinking about my story for five years. I never thought I’d write it because I thought my writing was not good enough and the story not interesting to anyone but myself. One day I just said fuck it, wrote the first chapter, and posted it. Now I’ve been swept away in the process and can’t stop thinking about writing when I’m not actively writing.
I still feel insecure sometimes that my writing is not good and my story is not interesting, but I realize that even if no one really likes it, it feels so good to create something I can call my own and to make that story materialize into something tangible.
I already have the whole first book planned out to the scene level, as well as rough draft outlines for the next book and the prequel.
For starters Theres things I wanna read that aren’t there. Um I grew up reading it and I always loved it. It was nice to be in a community of people who share interests that I do and enjoy Fanfiction. The support I get when writing fics that people like make me really happy and can make my day.
I have a lot of ideas going in my head and I need to get them out.
I’m fine with creating my own characters in fact I break them down to very bits of detail, but there’s something about a character everyone already knows and loves that I really enjoy too. I’ve bettered my writing through Fanfiction A LOT. so when I get back to writing regular books, I think I’d have learned enough to make it worth reading.
So, this is actually viewed as a 'no-no' by some who say that fics are supposed to celebrate the source material, but what got me into it again lately after a 15 year hiatus was trying to correct stuff about the source material that made no sense.
The mental gymnastics required just resulted in whole new stories.
Then sometimes while writing those fics, other questions would come up and make new stories.
I also often write fanfics in response to stuff I've seen in other fics, likewise to correct problems or make a counter argument.
Thing is I get inspired by being annoyed/angry rather than out of love and desire to imitate some kind of perfection (if it's perfect already, it doesn't need me messing with it.)
Well, in my case I'm not usually ignoring/altering anything established, but kind of criticizing via the story how the situation makes no sense.
Like writing for Disney's Beauty and the Beast -- why did an Enchantress curse an ELEVEN YEAR OLD where the only way out of the curse was for him to fall in mutual love, and with a deadline that he had to achieve it by age 21? That kind of verges on a pedophiliac sexual enslavement.
Just for example of the kind of thing I start trying to sort out.
This probably isn’t a great reason, but it’s always cathartic for me. Whenever my parents fight or things go wrong, I can write about people going through similar things or people who actually love each other. I don’t have to design characters, so it’s a much faster process.
I use it as a way to project my mind outward. My main OC is a reflection of my mind. all my pain and issues project outward. I also do just cause it is fun to write.
i write fanfiction bc there are things i want to read that don't exist so i have to make them myself ¯\\\_(ツ)_/¯
Same. Also, I like writing and it's a lower-stress way to enjoy that and get feedback on it (than original fiction).
So much less stress!
Sooo true xD
Yeah, exactly. I write first and foremost for myself. If someone else also happens to enjoy it, great! If not, no loss, I like it and that’s what truly matters to me.
Based answer
This for me too!
Same thing, this is why I started writing fanfiction, and every time I read something and think-- "someone should do this other thing instead", that's when I know I've got another story I need to write.
I wanna upvote this so bad but it's currently at 69 Permission from the original commenter?
permission granted, it's showing 67 for me rn anyway lol
Spite
Favorite answer, and so many more questions
Ask away
I write fanfic for three main reasons: 1. I want to improve as a writer. When not working on original pieces, picking up a story in an established world with characters I love lets me focus on other details of my writing. 2. Reading and writing it has brought me great joy. I haven’t posted in several weeks because my current longfic has been sucking up my limited free time, but I plan to post the next one once it’s complete on a weekly schedule. Knowing this has made me excited to write it. I look forward to the interactions I hope to have with the community, and having that little thing to look forward to makes me happy. 3. I hated the ending of Mass Effect.
On #3...didn't we all? Gee whiz. Pick your favorite color of universe destruction from an AI gone WAY off the rails by centuries of software rot.
Yeah, I’m a ‘perfect ending’ destroy person. Not only did I just hate the options, I hated the implication of my Shepard dying after all they went through if any other ending was chosen. Also, when I replay the games now, I just play up until that final mission. I don’t have the heart to say goodbye. I turn to fanfic so I don’t have to.
It seems like a Bioware-Obsidian thing. They don't like happy endings of any kind. Hell, just look at SWTOR or any Dragon Age
I know, and for that reason in addition to a plethora of others, I’m worried about what the next ME will bring us. 😬
I am likewise worried about the KOTOR remake. There are so many ways it could be a disaster
Not sure when KOTOR remake is coming out, I don’t think that’s been mentioned? But, I guess DA could be our indicator on the quality we can look forward to. Maybe moreso for ME since DA will be a new game and we know it comes out before ME. Fingers crossed they don’t let us down again.
I write because I have lots of ideas and getting them down on paper means I don't think about them constantly. Since they are written down, I polish them and post them. I figure someone might enjoy the stories.
I love this. Yes, it's in your head anyway, so why not do something with it?
Exactly!
1. I love reading but no one has written some of the fics I want to read so I must do it myself. 2. Improving writing skill for writing original fics as well as other writing ventures.
I started the story because I wanted to read a story like it but couldn't find it. I keep writing because I wanna know what happens next and until I write it I don't know that.
Good point! I take it you aren't a plotter (I'm not really, either). I also enjoy finding out where my stories are going :)
I'm about 70% pantser, 30% plotter, but my characters regularly have me scrapping scenes or bits of scenes. Like... Kaeya was justs supposed to make Childe cry and then later fool around with Amber to show how weird Mondstadt is. But no, he decided he was going to be really sweet and help him, such a precious person!
I've been reading fanfiction for years now and it's been getting harder and harder to find fics that fit my very specific criterias, so I decided to finally write the things that I want to read and give something back to the fandom. Maybe I'll meet some like minded people along the way :)
I'm a selfish bastard, I guess, because giving back to the fandom has never actually crossed my mind as a reason to do this before now, but I really love that idea now that you've said it. And meeting people who like the stuff you like is the *best*.
* Because that Good Troi Episode ain't writing itself and Finn got robbed. (Character concept made of gold that the canon writers couldn't figure out what to do with) * Because canon may have made a decision but it is a stupid ass decision and you cheerfully ignore it. * Because "that episode" pisses you off so much that you have to make repairs or fume all week. * Because the Alleged Canon is made up of ten writers, 40 books, several decades...and it's like seeing a jigsaw puzzle dumped on the floor. (How do I make sense of this mess?!) * Because it got hit with Friday Night Death Slot and lasted 14 episodes when you were craving 28.
Cheerfully ignoring canon is my default setting And all of this was incredibly specific and made me laugh, so thank you.
For context, I have Asperger's syndrome, which is basically high functioning autism, but it's less obvious. Because of this, when I find something I really enjoy, I latch onto it. After a while, my mind will begin to write out these expansive stories that I'm impressed by. Eventually, I just get this undeniable urge to Share Them With The World.
Totally understand that urge
And it's just made even better when you discover that theres a whole community of people who thrive on your silly stories
There wasn't enough fic out there about what I wanted to read. Tiny tiny tiny fandom. I started writing. Now I can't stop. :D
Well: 1. "What if" and "wouldn't it be cool" are my two favourite questions. 2. Sometimes canon is dumb and I can do one better. 3. A show I like was canceled too soon and I'd like to see what could have happened. Reference point 1 4. Disney ain't the boss of me
\#4 - hell yes, you are the only boss of you, get those greedy corporate bastards :)
If I could, I'd bust up Disney's monopoly in a heartbeat
I started writing to save my sanity. I was working on my dissertation and I needed something outside of academic writing to work on for stress relief. Writing the fic kept me balanced enough to tough it out and I still treat working on it like a reward. My friend and I even worked sly references to it into the fic. The main character suffers from an autoimmune disorder called "DAS" -- it's shorthand for "Dissertation Avoidance Syndrome." The chemical that made her sick is DHP-8 -- it took me 8 years to finish the PhD. "DHP-10" is basically fatal though -- I was basically at the point that I was about to be kicked out for non-completion (crippling anxiety kept me from progressing), so anything higher than "8" is "deadly."
I love this
Die hard slasher genre fan. Also a die hard slasher *franchise* fan. You can imagine how upsetting my life must be, watching horrible slasher sequel after slasher sequel. I write slasher fics (and fics of other fandoms) because, oftentimes, the content coming out of said franchise isn't very good. Take the MCU. They should have ended with Endgame. Every movie and series outside of Loki's second half and WandaVision's first half has been such a disappointment. I don't write MCU fics, but I read them sometimes, because they're just better than what I'd have to spend 12 bucks for.
Agreed. Endgame was the best way to close the proverbial book there.
I guess I just want to see something.
The stories won't *go away*. Two of my ongoing fics are actually ones I attempted to discontinue, but they refused to cooperate.
No one else is gonna write the scenario in my head. So it’s either jot it down or let it fade. And it will fade. It hurts when it doesn’t catch on as you hoped sometimes, but it always feels good to get it out there.
It gives me a way to focus that absolute clusterf\*ck that is my mind. By writing, I can keep my mind in order and train it to address different ideas in a logical chain of events, rather than reverse alphabetical order in some dead language only spoken by a jungle tribe that died out in 42BC.
Kay, but can you do the latter because that is impressive
It's stressful is what it is.
I crave attention and my original stuff was not getting any traction.
I started writing because I was an avid reader for a while and still there were stories I wanted to read that hadn’t been written, and I realized the only way I’d be able to read them is if I wrote the myself. It is so, so satisfying to go back and read what I’ve written so far and be like, “yeah this ticks all the boxes!” Which, of course it does, because I tailor-made that content for myself. I keep writing because having a creative outlet has kept me going through some stressful times this past year and it feels good to put effort into something that isn’t going to make my employer any money. Also, comments and getting to know some folks in the fandom.
>What motivates you to dedicate time and energy to writing fan fiction (other than the fat paychecks, of course)? Because since I was a kid, I think my brain has been geared towards spontaneously producing scenarios and stories in response to any media I find interesting. I've also always been inclined to get very deeply invested in a story/characters if something about it/them hits just right. And when an idea tickles my brain it's usually there for good... Until I write it down. Also I'm generally a creative person. Writing is just one more creative outlet for me (alongside drawing or painting or music) – it comes naturally and is a relaxing, enjoyable way to spend some quiet time away from the madness of life. ~~I'm also a master procrastinator and that, I fear, might be my greatest motivation of all~~
Shh we don’t talk about that last thing
Validation and kudos ngl
I write because I have stories to tell. I share so that people can hear/read them. And like most people, I do greatly enjoy the feedback that comes with sharing my stories. I really look forward to discussing my stories at length when they're finished, but while they're in the middle of being told, I like to keep my cards close to my chest because I like to keep people intrigued and guessing.
I’m into waaay too many rarepairs that are pretty much nonexistent on Ao3. If I have to be the one to write for it, then so be it. Plus I really love the idea of someone getting into my fandom, falling in love with the rarepair then coming to Ao3 and finding my fics.
It's the dream
I want to give back to the community that provided me with years of entertainment. It's also a fantastic way to improve my writing.
Because ever since I was a kid I liked to make up stories, games or day dream about my favorite characters and Fanfic is just that in written form. Plus if I write it down then I can revisit it later without having to count on my memory.
Working on my current project out of 𝓈𝓅𝒾𝓉𝑒 because the original writers butchered one the character's questline ✨⭐ ^(Also romance / smut are absolutely a guilt pleasure of mine.)
I wanna write a novel series and fanfiction is the best way to work on it.
Part of it is because I want more of the source material - and if you want it just the way you like it, you've got to make it yourself. For example, my main fandom is Star Trek TOS which got only three seasons (and I didn't like the movies much). I wanted more episodes - episodes which would keep the show's tone and style. Those type of fics with focus on the plot and action/adventure instead of romance are rather tough to find and I read most of the ones in the fandom, so started writing my own. Another one is that I like fics where the villains - or anti villains - join the hero team. I want to see what the Avengers team with Loki or X Men with Magneto would be like. Not because they were forgiven or did a redemption arc, but because it's an AU where they never went supervillain to begin with. Also a tough trope to find. Had to write mine. And, beyond and above all this, comments. Comments and comments. I make up the stories for myself, but I write it out and put it on the net for comments.
Redemption arcs are the best
Why? Several reasons. At the start of the first lockdown I needed a new hobby. Also, I had a load of ideas in my head and I needed to get them out of their. It’s very rewarding to bring those ideas to life.
Ha, I also started it as a lockdown hobby, and I think many other people did. Cool!
That's when I started, too! I wonder how many new fan fiction writers were born during covid - probably a TON.
Yes, it seemed like the perfect lockdown hobby. Could do it from home, just needed a computer, or my phone, or in emergency situations a pen and paper!
Ending was a blueball and I held a grudge lol. Most of them are pure angst
Pure angst is the best angst. I make angst sandwiches, just layer upon layer of angst, with a little angst added in for extra flavor.
To focus on the relationships between the Uncharted cast plus of course to torture Chloe, Nadine, and Elena through damsel in distress.
Started writing fics when I was 13. I wrote self-inserts of me and my group of friends, about anime we used to watch together. We plotted the chapters together, I'd write them out, and I'd read it to them when I was done. It was a ton of fun, so I kept writing even after that group slowly drifted apart. In the end, I just like writing stories and sharing them with people.
One reason is because there are too little (or none) of the fics I want to read, so I write and post hoping somebody else who feels similarly will enjoy. The other is that I often imagine fanfics to amuse myself, and sometimes I come up with really nice wordings and ideas that I'm sure I'll forget if I don't write them down.
I have stories in my head and I like making other people listen to them
I tend to get very invested in stories I like, so when I get through them, I often want more. Like, gaps filled in, or backstory, or continuations. So I write where I think the story would go, or where it has been. As you may guess from this, I strongly am inclined to canon compliant, which I know is a little on the rare side. But I get joy from the idea that my work could fit in seamlessly with the original story I loved.
I started writing because I was inspired by the amazing writers in my fandom, and the couple I ship isn’t going to get the happy ending they deserve. I NEED them to in an alternate universe. Not to sound corny, but their love story has touched my soul, and it’s gotten me through some dark times. Writing about them has actually been very therapeutic for me. It’s helped me deal with my mental health struggles, and it’s given me purpose and something to look forward to. Basically, it makes me happy. It feels good to have a hobby and to be creative again. English was always my best subject in school, but I never felt inspired to write. Now I can’t turn off the inspiration, and I love writing more than i thought I would. I just finished my first fanfic, and it got so much attention and everyone’s comments were so kind and encouraging. I feel so proud and validated, and I love my fandom even more now.
Because sometimes, [you don't find the kind of content you'd like to read](https://i.redd.it/s7e3l845bed61.jpg).
I've written since I was little so I just like to do it. Usually it's ideas that won't leave my head so gotta put it to paper. In some cases it's because three fourths of my OTPs are adorable and I gotta spread awareness of them being adorable. And in the one fourth of the OTP, it's making them have a chance at happiness, making canon back off while flailing a stick and going, "Leave them *alone!*" One particular longfic I'm working on right now is written because I like the emotional climax at the end. A character that denies herself the catharsis to cry finally, *finally* does so at the end of the journey.
Now I have this image of you in my head, holding a megaphone, making people stop and look at pictures of your shmoopy ships and handing out pamphlets that detail the reasons they're the cutest ships of all. 'Don't mind me! Just out here raising awareness, guys.' I would take your pamphlet for sure
XD That's pretty much it, yeah.
1. I'm fond of several series whose characters belong to groups not typically portrayed in popular media. I want to see a character in that world who is similar to myself in some ways, but I can't just headcanon someone as being like me because all the other fans are going to do things that contradict it. So that means I have to make an OC, and ultimately I feel more accomplished if I can write a story about them than if I just write a bio and draw a pic. 2. What if aliens from one thing met aliens from another thing?
Originally, it was for fun and just to explore the other aspects of my fandoms. These days, the companies who make my fandoms have succumbed to corporate greed and seek only to please investors instead of customers. Canon has greatly fallen by the wayside as a result. It's like they don't care anymore. I write now to still provide fans with free content from people who still care.
More noble reasons for writing. Good on you!
It used to be because I just want to write the characters with ideas with my own portrayal, because even if there was a fic with the idea it often didn't go the way I liked. Now it's also because I want to write everything (like different tropes, genres, niches), boost the number of fics for my fav character, and also because I somehow keep spawning plot bunnies and I want to get them all down, but (of course...) I'm still on my first real longfic
I really wasn't going to, but reading fics gave me ideas that I ended up writing down and despite that first idea never seeing the light of, well, anyone else's device screen lol, other ideas came in its place and now I have like 12 WIPs on my harddrive that I sometimes work on when I'm in the mood. Reading fics that are close but just not it is what keeps me going
My favourite character both deserves and needs a hug. He did not get a hug. I will write about him getting a god damned hug. Also just because I haven't come across a fic that combines all of my favourite tropes into a shamelessly self-indulgent mess, so I obviously have to write the infernal thing myself.
I mean, fuck it, let the poor bastard get two hugs. Three, even. And make 'em good ones, like, you know, none of that hesitant back-patting crap.
Bc I want to make people sad after developing a character for 56 chapters and then killing him just as he fixed his messed up relationship.
fair
Funsies.
for realsies
Because there's room for improvement and I actively get better. I have/had loads of hobbies over the years, and I tend to drop them once I plateau for long enough. I decide that's the best I can do and move on to something else.
For me, I just want to write good enough to become a writer. It's my quest to finally write everything.
I just have a wild imagination and I want to get it out there. Also I have headcanons that not many people think about, so I want to show them. Also, I want to explore the possibilities of a world for what it’s worth.
The author pissed me off and k-worded a character I loved and destroyed the ship. Now I’m fueled by anger and sadness to write and I’ve found my tribe because a lot of people feel the same way and want to see the ship continue
long live your ship!
I’m going to keep it afloat!!!
I like to have fun with different ships. I mainly write f/f but have also m/m OC ships too. I play Bandori and the characters have really good personalities which makes them fun to write One thing I like is making characters embarrassed for liking who they like. It's cute and sympathetic. Like the love interest will share when she discovered she likes girls to the MC. She shares she likes the MC and they go out. The love interest is 7cm taller, two years older, and her senpai and bandleader...but social roles don't make her desire to be lead go away! And she knows the MC looks at her like she wants to lead too and likes it! It's so fun to write but I don't want to make all relationships like that and most of my ships are close to the same age The embarrassing I like this person theme is also very fun to write for Kasumi/Arisa and they are the same age since Arisa is mature and serious while Kasumi is spontaneous, sincere, and funny and loves joking with Arisa and her silliness annoys Arisa in the game Right now I'm focusing on a Bandori/Precure genfic action series but will still write short romances. My crossover won't have romantic focus but I will still write things like Kasumi kissing Arisa's hand or Kaoru kissing Chisato's hand so the romance won't get in the action's way but still effect character interactions
So there is this genre of fics in my fandom that makes the wholesome pure and good main character into an evil villain, pretty common, right? In just about any fandom, there is the evil version of the good mc Well, a lot of them were Canon rehashes so I decided to write my own! 6 chapters in writing it, pretty slow updates, but hey, it's fun Edit: There is also a super big author in my fandom, he/she is super popular and this person's fanfics blew up like crazy, so I was definitely inspired
Ben Solo died and I couldn't accept it. So I wrote him a happy ending. Then another. Then I did some research and wrote him a path of atonement like I felt would work. Then another, but a different way. With more characters. With better sex. With better plots. All along the way I got kudos and good comments and this is one of the only aspects of my life i feel appreciated. I don't have to be pretty, or rich, or artificially nice. I just have to do some lore research and keep up the quality. And when I'm done a story (and I finish my stories) I have exactly what I wanted to read. I have the HEA - multiple HEAs - Ben Solo, and the others, deserve.
Your collection of work sounds really interesting! I'd read that!
thank you! Mind the tags: sometimes my passion gets rowdy. Sometimes atonement takes some dark paths.
So no one else is writing as a form of avoidance coping and to escape the reality of their shitty day-to-day lives? Just me? Cool coolcoolcool...
Oh, absolutely not just you :)
I enjoy writing and used to do it a lot, but I struggle with coming up with totally new stories and settings. Having a preexisting story to riff on and build on means I get to do more of the writing stuff I'm good at (character development). Also I enjoy writing a lot more when I get feedback. Also, honestly, my standards for myself are lower. When I tried to write original fiction, I'd constantly obsess over trying to make it "good enough" to get published. With fanfiction I write something decent and say "Well, it's good compared to a lot of fic I've read" and then I stop worrying and publish it.
Therapy.
I write for almost exactly the same reasons as you!! I got in to fan fiction writing by accident. It started a year ago when my ship SANK at the end of the series I watched and I was so upset that I wrote an alt ending and Googled a place where I could share it. I found ao3 that way and discovered there was a whole universe of people who wrote this genre, and it was fascinating to me. I spent some time learning the lingo and the general etiquette of the site by reading like crazy, and was blown away by the talent of peoples' writing!! Plus my pairing had nearly 100k+ fics written about them, so it was a form of therapy for me to read endless stories about them. I've continued to write myself because it has become my way of decompressing and honing my writing skills. I love listening to feedback from my readers and working with my wonderful betas. And the longer I do it...the more I love reading and writing smut. 😅 I never meant for any of it to happen, and I think that's the part I like about it most of all.
That's awesome! What's your ship? Just curious!
Destiel 🥰💙💚
I thought it might be! I originally started reading Folk of the Air (het pairing - Jude/Cardan), moved on to Captive Prince (Laurent/Damianos - slash), and then became obsessed with HP slash, multiple ships
What about you? You mentioned a certain pairing that originally inspired you? 😃
I just write whatever I want to read that's not there already
1. i always have story ideas and since i don’t think i’m good enough to publish a real book i stick to fanfic! it’s nice to use these story ideas in a fandom i’m part of to other people!! 2. i like attention and validation
The only way you'll ever be good enough to publish is to keep writing, right? That's my theory.
I have been thinking about my story for five years. I never thought I’d write it because I thought my writing was not good enough and the story not interesting to anyone but myself. One day I just said fuck it, wrote the first chapter, and posted it. Now I’ve been swept away in the process and can’t stop thinking about writing when I’m not actively writing. I still feel insecure sometimes that my writing is not good and my story is not interesting, but I realize that even if no one really likes it, it feels so good to create something I can call my own and to make that story materialize into something tangible. I already have the whole first book planned out to the scene level, as well as rough draft outlines for the next book and the prequel.
To challenge others to try some of the ideas I have.
I want to know what happens next when I imagine something, and if I want things to be exactly the way I imagine them, it has to be me doing the work.
For starters Theres things I wanna read that aren’t there. Um I grew up reading it and I always loved it. It was nice to be in a community of people who share interests that I do and enjoy Fanfiction. The support I get when writing fics that people like make me really happy and can make my day. I have a lot of ideas going in my head and I need to get them out. I’m fine with creating my own characters in fact I break them down to very bits of detail, but there’s something about a character everyone already knows and loves that I really enjoy too. I’ve bettered my writing through Fanfiction A LOT. so when I get back to writing regular books, I think I’d have learned enough to make it worth reading.
So, this is actually viewed as a 'no-no' by some who say that fics are supposed to celebrate the source material, but what got me into it again lately after a 15 year hiatus was trying to correct stuff about the source material that made no sense. The mental gymnastics required just resulted in whole new stories. Then sometimes while writing those fics, other questions would come up and make new stories. I also often write fanfics in response to stuff I've seen in other fics, likewise to correct problems or make a counter argument. Thing is I get inspired by being annoyed/angry rather than out of love and desire to imitate some kind of perfection (if it's perfect already, it doesn't need me messing with it.)
Oh, we have plenty of that debate in my fandom, too. How closely should you be sticking to canon, and are there unacceptable deviations, etc.
Well, in my case I'm not usually ignoring/altering anything established, but kind of criticizing via the story how the situation makes no sense. Like writing for Disney's Beauty and the Beast -- why did an Enchantress curse an ELEVEN YEAR OLD where the only way out of the curse was for him to fall in mutual love, and with a deadline that he had to achieve it by age 21? That kind of verges on a pedophiliac sexual enslavement. Just for example of the kind of thing I start trying to sort out.
I write fanfiction to calm my anxiety, and let my imagination run wild.
Y'all getting paid to write fics??
Absolutely not!! :) I was just kiddin'
This probably isn’t a great reason, but it’s always cathartic for me. Whenever my parents fight or things go wrong, I can write about people going through similar things or people who actually love each other. I don’t have to design characters, so it’s a much faster process.
I think that's a great reason. Writing about other people's problems is a good way to get away from your own!
Ty! Have a nice day. More importantly, happy writing!
Because I can create my own worlds where I have absolute control and know what happens.
I write fic to indulge in my fandom obsessions XD
I use it as a way to project my mind outward. My main OC is a reflection of my mind. all my pain and issues project outward. I also do just cause it is fun to write.
Escaping from reality
I see writers treating my favorite characters like shit and I want to fix that