What is fanfiction? Many of you readers may have heard of it before, but some of you may be unclear on what exactly it involves. Fanfiction is any work of literature based off of a work of a previously published and acknowledged work of fiction. This does not just involve books - movies, songs, TV shows, comics, video games, manga, operas, plays, and more. Any officially recognized source of media can be an inspiration for fanfiction.
Where is fanfiction found? Fanfiction can be found almost anywhere. People write fanfiction in their notebooks and hide it in their rooms. People post stories to dedicated sites, like Fanfiction.net, or archiveofourown.org. Writers post on LiveJournal, on Fiction Press, on Wattpad, even on sites not meant for literature like Youtube. Fanfiction can be found in a lot of ways, but the safest is to go to a site that is known and recognized widely in multiple communities to hold a wide variety of fanfiction for others to read. Sites like fanfiction.net and archiveofourown.org are fanfiction giants and they are both safer and more likely to contain the stories you want to find.
How do I find the category I want? Most websites have their fanfiction split up into categories by type, and a menu somewhere near the top of the page which will help the reader find the correct category. Not all sites will be this convenient, but some will and with a little effort, most sites are easy to navigate.
Isn’t Fanfiction inappropriate? This is a misconception expressed often by people who hear their friends talking about the horrific things they’ve read over the weekend. Clarification: The problem is with your friends. Fanfiction is not by definition one thing or another. It varies wildly based on the author and the source material. You may recall the types of books that have been read in your recent English classes. Most fanfiction will not be worse than that, because most people aren’t taking the time out of their busy lives to write something that awful. There are a few people who do, but the use of tags and warnings helps readers avoid stories they will not be comfortable with.
I don’t understand the terms used in the description! Well, You’re in luck, because you can look at the Glossary: Click here to see the complete guide with an extensive Glossary.
Rachel is a member of the Bryn Mawr Class of 2016. She completed her Senior Project in the Edith Hamilton Library.
