10 Things I Learned From Fan Fiction

Over the past couple of years, I took a creative leap into the world of fan fiction. (To be honest, it was a second leap, but the first for an audience. In the sixth grade, I embarked upon a sequel to Gone With The Wind. I made it to about 24 pages before putting it aside. That said, I still have it.) Still never pegging myself as creative enough for fiction writing, fan fiction provided the perfect opportunity to toe-dip into the kiddie pool. 

Characters. Check.

Backstory. Check.

The delightful crutch of a built-in audience intimately engaged with both items above… check.

With that, on Jan. 1, 2012, into the shallow water I went. With two years only a short distance on the horizon, the original project continues, complemented by some one-shot stories along the way. More than 100,000 words in, I’m astounded to be 100,000 words in. Seriously, 100,000 words, strung together and still making sense… with people out there who want to read them… Blows. My. Mind.

During these past two years, I’ve learned some things about myself, some about writing, some about reading in my fan fic world that I had never anticipated on Jan. 1, 2012.

1. Fanfic.net will not accept stories written in screenplay format. Seriously, Fanfic.net, what the hell? Are you snobbishly rejecting all of the writing on television, in movies, on theatrical stages because it’s incompatible with your site? Really? Fail. 
2.  Fanfic.net notwithstanding, if you write about characters people love and are invested in, your audience is guaranteed, you need only find the right fan board.
3.  If you write well, readers will come. There are some amazingly good writers out there with day jobs far from the world of writing.
4. If you write poorly, readers will come. Never underestimate the hunger of readers for ever more stories revolving around the characters they love. Subject/verb agreement… it’s your friend, I swear. Try it.
5. There are some fairly bad writers out there with interesting and creative story ideas. In collaboration with a better writer, they might make magic.
6.  If you write smut, your audience will increase exponentially. I haven’t yet dipped my toes into that much deeper pool. Sometimes I wonder how the water is though. Seems like it must be warm, right?
7.  I’m a view whore. Seriously, the number of times I’ll check to see who is reading after I’ve posted a new chapter is borderline embarrassing. I have to almost physically restrain myself from playing games that I know will make that number increase. (Restraining oneself physically is an all but impossible task. Just saying.)
8. See number 6. My view whorishness has not yet overcome some latent Puritan sensibility that keeps me and my writing out of the Smut Hut.
9. I will never, ever cease to be delighted in the fact that someone might choose to read something I’ve written, and even better, to ask for more. Again. Blows. My. Mind.
10. That you’ve made it to number 10 on this list delights me as well. Thank you.