Fanfictions: What is the Point?

Ah, fanfictions. An incredible world where you, the beloved fan, can actually control the actions of your favorite characters. You can rewrite the wrongs, take them on new adventures, or create that sequel you’ve been dying to see. You can cross fandoms and have Batman meet Ironman, Spiderman end up in the world of Jurassic Park, Darth Vader in a Hallmark movie… you are only limited by your imagination.

For me, I’m a mega fan of fanfics. It takes a certain story to draw me into the world so strongly that I just have to write a fanfiction of it.

But some people I’ve met have asked me what the point is. Really, it can never be published (that would be illegal) and it does nothing but clog up your word processor. What’s the point of a writing project that can never go any farther than just a story?

I’ve been asked this a couple times, and as someone who has finished eleven fanfic projects, let me tell you– there is certainly a point to it. As sharp as a pencil’s lead.

The point of fanfictions is all in one word: PRACTICE.

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How Fanfictions Helped Me

You may be wondering what on earth practice has to do with writing fanfictions. Depending on the level of writer you are, you may consider practice in writing as either unnecessary (you’re born a writer or you’re not) or something like writing novel after novel and getting into the consistent habit of finishing what you start.

Well, for those of you who believe the lie that you have to be born with talent to write, I can say whole-heartedly that it is NOT true. I hated writing as a little kid except for shopping lists, so my mom had me write all of the shopping lists, and I learned to love to write.

Fanfictions are the equivalent of practice novels. It’s not quite the same, since you aren’t making an entire world and cast of characters from scratch, but it’s an excellent practice in finishing what you start.

I spent six months just writing Ninjago fanfics (I used to be quite obsessed with the show) and recently some Extension Squad fanfics. From the first fanfic that I wrote to the very last, I have a tangible timeline of how much better my writing got. A certain OC even got transplanted into the world of my WIP as a main character.

Fanfiction teaches you good writing habits, and can be a tool to strengthening skills you lack in. They are also really great to write if you’re just feeling burnt out and don’t have the energy to pull off a whole novel.

What are some specific skills that you can learn from writing fanfics? Here were a few that I improved in:

• Dialogue. Because you already know the character’s voice, fanfics are an excellent outlet for practicing writing dialogue and unique voice patterns.
• Character development/arcs. You’ve watched the shows– you know exactly what the character needs to improve on. Writing fanfics with such knowledge helps practice creating strong character arcs.
• Plotting. Plotting does take some practice to really master it, and for me, I’ve used fanfics to practice my plotting skills so I can nail down what works best for me. Plots are also usually my weak point, so I try to emphasize plotting in my fanfiction.
• Internal character voice. If you know the voice already, you can more easily learn how to write it, and then pass that on to your non-fanfic characters.
• Lots of finished words! I’ve got eleven novella’s worth of fanfics, and one 53k project. Over 250k of words that all strengthened my writing a LOT.

Fanfics are also just fun, especially if you find other fans to share it with. Fanfics help me rediscover why I love to write when I’m burnt out.

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How Fanfics Can Be Harmful

Every rose has its thorns, and fanfics are no different. While fanfics can be helpful to your writing and be an amazing tool, they can also be harmful.

I tend to get so sucked into a fanfic idea that I abandon my other writing projects. Especially when it involves the dreaded word editing— I absolutely love love love drafting, but I despise the editing, so when editing comes around I shove the project to the side, reach for a fanfic, and throw myself full throttle.

Now, in some cases this isn’t necessarily bad. You do need some space from a novel before editing it. My problem would be that I get so sucked into the fanfic I shove the other project to the side altogether… and then never get back to it.

(And yes, I am writing a fanfic right now, but I am taking a longer break from my WIP including a no-writing month in December with the pledge that in January, I buckle down and edit. I am putting more boundaries on myself this time)

So just be careful with how much time you spend on fanfics.

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How to Use Fanfics As a Tool

The best way to use fanfics is as a learning tool. This means getting gritty with your writing and identifying your faults.

What are your biggest struggles in writing? For me, its plotting. For this new fanfic, I’m plotting it out before I work on it and I’m trying to stick as closely as possible to it. Identify the biggest problems in your writing.

Then, take a fanfic idea and tackle that problem. Having trouble with character dialogue? Write a short snippet where two characters get into an argument over something silly– or serious. Want to work on describing setting? Throw a bunch of fanfic characters into a totally strange new world that they have to navigate.

Not sure what you’re writing faults are? Ask some of your friends who have read your writing. You can also take a quiz at Story Embers that will identify your writing strengths and weaknesses.

Using fanfics to shore up areas in your writing that you are weak in will turn them into a viable tool for your writing resources.

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What are your opinions on fanfics? Have you ever written a fanfic before? What are some of your writing weaknesses that you can work on through fanfics?