Everyone who has read these two books fan fiction Know that there are significant differences in reading speed. While a 500-page book might take a week to read, reading at “fanfiction speed” allows readers to finish a similarly sized novel in an evening.how fan fiction Are you often able to overcome the limitations of eye strain and sleep needs?
This is possible because fan fiction is one of the best pieces of writing out there today that excels at captivating readers and keeping them hooked. Given that this is the goal of any writer who wants to gather and cultivate an audience, studying fan fiction and how it accomplishes this special magic can help unlock the secrets of telling stories that captivate fans. I’ve read a lot of fan fiction over the years, and I think these novels differ from many traditionally published stories in three ways—all of which are lessons that SFF authors can use to deepen their connections with their audiences.
First, fan fiction is not afraid to unabashedly satisfy the reader’s desires. In fact, I think the main reason most fan fiction is created is because the author has an idea they can’t let go of, and they want to see it in the property. Sometimes, these relationships—especially queer relationships—never make it onto the screen or page. Other times, it’s an exploration of marginalized identities and the ways in which marginalized individuals fit into the world. But most of all, fan writers like to play in the trope sandbox. While many authors may fear being labeled “tropes” or “predictable,” fan fiction writers and readers actively create and seek out novels that feature popular tropes.
Readers can use tag filtering to easily find specific needs on Ao3 (Archive of Our Own, a project of Transformative Works), one of the most popular fan hosting sites. There are nearly 150,000 stories on the site tagged “Chosen Family,” 133,000 tagged “Enemies of Lovers,” 195,000 tagged “Mutual Desires,” and 133,000 tagged “Idiots in Love.” There are a whopping 310,000 stories on Ao3 tagged “emotional trauma/comfort,” a style of fiction in which characters help each other cope with emotional trauma. With this demand, I think when SFF writers embrace tropes, they can easily attract a large audience who will happily consume anything that can easily be crafted into a trope map.
Second, fan fiction emphasizes different elements of the craft—focusing on dialogue, character development (rather than plot), and deep world-building and atmosphere. For example, there are currently over 51,000 works tagged “joke” on Ao3, and readers of fan fiction often rave about writers who can produce the kind of energetic, light-hearted witticisms that fan fiction is known for. Crafting engaging dialogue is difficult—which is why authors should research how well fan writers are doing in this area. Part of this is due to a good understanding of the characters, which is combined with the fanfic’s emphasis on character development and interaction rather than adhering to plot-driven narratives. Some of the most gut-wrenching novels I’ve read have almost no plot – for example, they take place over one night, or are entirely dialogue. The best fan fiction makes readers feel like they know and love the characters better, creating an emotional connection. It often benefits from special attention to world-building and atmosphere, explaining and structuring the details of the existing world so that readers can more fully imagine it and immerse themselves in the all-important atmosphere.
Third, due to the craft techniques mentioned above, fan fiction is driven by the emotional resonance that authors and readers have with the work in question. For writers, fan fiction allowed a generation to hone their writing skills and complete stories over the course of weeks, months, or years. Not only did it teach a generation of writers how to write good stories, it taught them that their stories mattered and were valued by readers, and that there was a marketplace for content that disrupted the overwhelmingly white, cis, heteronormative paradigm of books, films, movies, and more. and television shows from the early 2000s. Not everyone is a fan writer – I’m not, just an avid consumer – but seeing the kudos, bookmarks, and reviews pile up on stories about Quiet, Queer, or whatever has an undeniable impact . They prove that there is an audience for the stories we want to write and share with the world. Now, some fanfiction writers and readers, myself included, have embraced these insights and gone on to publish—my debut adult fantasy, Sin in their bonesreleased on May 7, 2024, features banter, melancholy, hurt/comfort, and every one of my favorite tropes (lovers vs. enemies/friends vs. lovers, anyone?).
For readers, fan fiction provides the connection everyone wants to have with a favorite book—a deep and lasting resonance that can lead to rereading. Readers of fan fiction want to cry and scream over imaginary romantic pairings, Feel When they consume stories. The best fan fiction writers know this, and they evoke exactly those emotions in their work and make it a driving goal. It makes for great stories that readers won’t want to put down—and what author doesn’t want to know that what they’re writing will produce real human tears?
My hope is that the writing community can take the lessons of fan fiction—craft, content, etc.—and use them to continue changing the publishing industry. In the best sense of transformative work, fan fiction inspiration can give readers what they want to read, leading to more traditional books that speak to readers. Then maybe things will come full circle and these books will inspire a new generation of creators to create their own fan fiction.
Laura R. Samotin Sin in their bones release May 7; you can pre-order a signed, personalized copy from Ripped Bodice Bookstore in Brooklyn here.
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