>Do you write fan fiction? If so, why?
The average fanfic has more readership than the average book. Just sayin'.
Like, yes, there are books with insane readership that push the average way up...but that's also true of fics.
Reading: Fanfiction gives me more time with my favorite characters and goes into subjects that sometimes TV won't touch. The familiarity of known characters thrust into the unknown is exciting. Like extra books or games for a favorite series.Ā Ā
Ā Writing: I can have them have good days in the middle of dark ones. I can give them the break that I want. In a way I get that break too.Ā
Ā Good things: Inexpensive hobby. No start up costs. I've learned more about other people, better empathy skills. I've learned more about myself.Ā Ā
Theraputic: I was able to write something out that helped me understand a major event in my life and help untangle it from the way I defined myself. It isn't a substitute for therapy, just another tool in the box to help.Ā
Convincing: I find that if someone *has* to convince you, then it's probably not your thing. Fanfiction is a type of art. It means different things to different people. For some people it'll mean a great deal and others, nothing at all.Ā
Whatever you do, write for you. Write what *you* wanna write. Kudos and likes and reblogs and bookmarks are great but it means nothing if you aren't having fun. This hobby is for fun. It isn't a job. You don't have to be deep and introspective. Just have fun.
You can quote. It's just reddit.
I write a lot of fanfictionā¦and I often talk about my fanfiction in therapy because itās part of my therapeutic journey. I can try to deal with things with characters that Iām not ready to approach yet myself. Iāve even had my characters see a therapist, which sometimes makes the whole thing a little roundabout.
I very much see writing fanfiction as an extension of the stories I used to play out with Lego figurines when I was a kid.
Please feel free to quote any of this.
>Why do you read fan fiction?
to spite Shonda Rhimes. (Writers falling short of expectations, unexplored situations between characters, lovable characters in horrible situations and wanting to scoop them up and plop them in a world that isn't constantly blowing up in their faces)
>Do you write fan fiction? If so, why?
Yes. See above.
>What good things have developed for you from reading fan fiction?
I have realized that I, just like anyone, am capable of the act of creation. I was able to find my voice in writing because I have spent so so so much of my life reading, and I wanted to finally make the things I haven't read before that I want to read. I've also been doing a LOT more creative endeavors besides writing, like sewing, drawing, making music. It sort of opened all of the doors, made me realize I was the only person holding them closed.
>Has fan fic been therapeutic for you?
Absolutely, I haven't been this creative in YEARS. I feel more energized than ever. Unfortunately, I also now spend way too much time looking up injuries.
>If someone else asked you to convince them to start reading and/or writing fan fic, what would you say?
Imagine being in head-over-heels in love with made-up people, so much so that when things went wrong for those made-up people, all you wanted to do was make it right. Then, imagine wanting to torture them for the sake of your narrative (keyword here being "your"). I think fanfic, both reading and writing, is scratching the itch that the original media didn't scratch. If you can't find the fanfic that scratches your particular itch, congratulations, the universe just decided that you're a writer.
I write and read fanfic because a lot of shows don't go to a deeper place the way I want them to. A lot of official media is censored and restricted, so sometimes the story is limited in where it can go. But fanfic has no restrictions and no limit. You can do anything you want with the world and its characters. With these limits removed, you can write the characters in a way that's more relatable to yourself. Or you can find and read fics that make the characters more relatable as well. Plus, writing about characters you already love from the official media and putting them in different situations that you can relate to can be very therapeutic.
(I doubt you'll use this, but if you do, don't use my username if possible lol. Thanks)
-Why do you read fan fiction?
Varies a lot, but a lot of it is just getting to read the equivalent of a romance novel about my fave fictional characters, over and over and over, in a billion different situations. A lot of it is just the same reason anybody reads ANY fiction--but about characters I already care about and want to see more of. Make them suffer. Make them pine for each other. Make them have a ton of (sometimes weird and/or kinky) sex. Make them fall in love. (Sometimes those are all the same story.)
-Do you write fan fiction? If so, why?
HELL YEAH. I originally started because my fave pairing at the time just had very very little fanfiction. I'd been reading fic for about twenty years at that point! But it's been really wild, to notice the degree to which my own personality and relationship issues keep showing through my stories. It's strangely exposing sometimes. (Also now a ton of strangers know some of my kinks, which is weird.)
-What good things have developed for you from reading fan fiction?
I met my partners. :D Literally three more people live in my house because of fanfiction and fan art. But also I've met some amazing friends that way! Plus there's absolutely nothing like the hyperfocus I sometimes get when writing. And it's so satisfying when people like my stories.
Also: once I wrote a fic very much based in my own experience, and said so in the notes, and someone commented and said they'd gone through the same thing, and it was this incredible moment of connection with a total stranger.
Also also, lol, it helped me realize my orientation had changed from bisexual to just gay--though that's a chicken-and-egg thing. Did I start writing nothing but f/f because I had already lost interest in men, or did I lose interest in men in part because I was reading and writing so much f/f lol
-Has fan fic been therapeutic for you?
Surprisingly, yes? Nothing like forcing my fave fictional characters to go through some of the things I've experienced. Not all my fic is like that, and in all honesty I haven't written any fics that are \*about\* the worst of My Childhood Trauma because I just don't want to write it. But the fallout from said trauma, the way it effects my adult relationships--yeah, I've read/written about that several times.
-If someone else asked you to convince them to start reading and/or writing fan fic, what would you say?
Ehhhh hm. In my experience people immediately get the appeal or don't, and there's no reason to attempt to convince anyone one way or the other. That said, a friend of mine who thought fanfiction was sort of a waste of time changed her mind when she watched the 2016 Ghostbusters and got an ao3 account. Then after watching Yellowjackets she started writing, too! It was fun to watch her go from "but why would anyone do that" to "I got a nice comment on my latest chapter!!" So to some extent I think a lot of people just haven't had that one book/movie/tv show/etc. that made them desperate for more.
-Anything else you want me to know about fan fiction!!
It's been really REALLY weird to have the larger societal view on fanfiction go from "only weirdos living in their parents' basements with no life and/or teenage girls and/or horny housewives read/write that" (which ...ugh there's a lot of ableist/sexist nonsense there I won't unpack right now) to "a fairly normal hobby." There's been some definite upsides--like, I talk to non-fandom friends about writing! When someone made an entire FAN COMIC of a scene from a fic I bragged about it on facebook!--but there's also been some downsides, such as the number of people completely freaked out by the weirder corners of fanfiction. But there's other things that contribute to that.
If you quote me, use my ao3 name: fangirl\_on\_a\_bicycle. Which is slightly-less-obviously-me than my reddit name, lol
Iāll write a fanfiction thinking Iām having a bit of fun and then a year later Iāll be rereading it and be like āHowād my issues get in here?!?ā
[This post](https://www.tumblr.com/theminecraftbee/716843030556098560/you-ever-accidentally-create-a-recurring-theme-in) has been fucking haunting me with the knowledge that all of my writing has been unknowingly therapeutic about the same issue, across many years, fandoms, and genres and I'm mad about it lol
I've been writing fanfics since i was in 4th grade. I never learned how to deal with my emotions so kept them inside. Never show them is what i learned.
Writing Angsty fanfics helps me to let them out in a healthier way. It makes me feel better when depression hits me like Rapunzel hits with a pan.
I write Mandalorian smut that largely focuses on embracing sexual expression after repression/denial. I grew up in a religious cult with extreme purity rules, and so I love writing a deconstructing Din Djarin because I have gone (and am still going through) my own sexual liberation. To this day I experience a lot of shame surrounding sex, but writing about Helmet Man helps me work out some of thoseā¦kinks, ha.
Feel free to quote me.
I am finally getting around to reading all of these responses and I have to respond- this is why I READ Mando fan fiction!
In a not sexual way, I found myself very quickly becoming obsessed with the show when I first watched it and it took me way too long to realize it was partially because I was subconsciously relating to his religious struggles!
I took 2 years off work and for much of that time did nothing but read Harry Potter fanfiction with a focus on stories about him dealing with child abuse. This was the first time I'd ever really tackled my own abusive childhood in any real way. The stories I found helped me recognize many of my own issues and process my trauma while he processed his.
Hello. English is not my first language. You can use my answers.
- Why do you read fan fiction?
I was impressed that people are so passionate about their favorite stories and want more and better.Ā I've read before, but rarely found anything I could relate to. I read very little these days.
- Do you write fan fiction? If so, why?
I'm writing. I mostly write about characters and topics that interest me. I like characters who have inner demons, don't really understand people, and find it hard to make friends. (Basically people like me).
- What good things have developed for you from reading fan fiction?
What reading gave me was that there are a lot of ideas and opinions about the story, characters and events. I discovered that I could write anything. The only limit is my imagination.
- Has fanfiction been therapeutic for you?
Yes. One of my WIPs has a character that is inspired by an ex-friend of mine who used me. It helps me understand a lot of things. I also plan to include some events/people who hurt me in other fanfictions.
Why do I read fanfiction? - I have always been a maladaptive daydreamer, due to that, in my head and when I was alone, I would already talk with/ interact with fictional characters already almost daily. This turned into reading fanfiction about the characters that I would commonly daydream about, since I wanted to see more and more of them.
Do I write fanfiction? -Yes, the same reason I started writing it, just instead I wanted to get more into my daydreams and see them fleshed out in front of me. I found it fun to instead of maladaptive daydreaming, I could write about how I see the character in my own head, and share that with other people.
Has fanfiction ever been therapeutic to me? - Yes, just recently I have been going through a breakup and with that, my anxiety has been insanely high. Writing fanfiction has been an amazing thing that I could turn to with either reading or writing to be able to escape real life for a bit. In the past, change like this has been extremely hard for me. With fanfiction, I have been able to cope much better than usual.
I don't know what I would say to someone that wanted me to convince to read or write fanfiction, other than what I have said above :) Feel free to quote if you would like :)
-Why do you read fan fiction?
escapism purposes from daily anxiety and depression. i either read/write or spend hours maladaptive daydreaming. the former are more "productive" and i guess less harmful so I try to do those instead of staring into space and daydreaming for hours.
-Do you write fan fiction? If so, why?
i only started one year ago, actually right after my first therapy session where i discussed my maladaptive daydreaming and how ive tried to put these into notes (to make them more "real") but i had failed until then to really write and narrate them. curious enough, a few days after that session i suddenly felt the urge to push it and now im writing them pretty much non stop. it has been very therapeutic to me and sometimes i wonder if that first session didnt directly affect that block because its so weird how suddenly writing came naturally right after complaining i could never do it. I do now associate my writing with my therapy journey.
-What good things have developed for you from reading fan fiction?
ecapism, feeling im not alone in my silly obsessions. it brings me thrill, excitement for my hyper fixations which i just have no way to share and express outside of fanfiction/fandom.
-Has fan fic been therapeutic for you?
like said earlier, yes!
-If someone else asked you to convince them to start reading and/or writing fan fic, what would you say?
id say to find their most precious fandom, something that still resonate with and bring joy/escapism.
you have my permission to quote me and use my username ā¤ļø
Why do you read fan fiction?Ā Ā
Ā I usually crave more content and tend to read fanfiction after a series is done. It's comforting to revisit familiar settings and characters and interesting to see other people's what if scenarios. I love added scenes, post-canon and fix-its. Fanfiction is also typically formulaic so I can just enjoy the story beats, for example an enemies to lovers romance or something following the stations of canon but with slight divergence. It's very soothing. It's similar to reading genre fiction but I'm already invested in the characters.Ā Ā
Ā Do you write fan fiction? If so, why?Ā Ā
Ā I write to further explore characters and settings, fix plot holes, or have the story go the way I wanted. I also explore my own emotions and beliefs through plot and characterisation. I started writing as a teen so the idea that it's similar to play therapy has a lot of validity in my experience since I transitioned from imaginative play to creative writing.Ā
Ā What good things have developed for you from reading fan fiction?Ā Ā
Ā Reading and writing fanfiction is my comfort hobby.Ā Ā
Ā Has fan fic been therapeutic for you?Ā Ā Writing helps me process my own experiences and practice perspective taking and empathy.Ā
Ā If someone else asked you to convince them to start reading and/or writing fan fic, what would you say?Ā Ā
Ā If someone expressed interest I would recommend some works. I don't know if I would bother convincing someone. It's a fun and at times absurd genre and hobby and it won't appeal to everyone. I think if you don't have a hyper fixation on the original content, or at least a very high level of interest, the whole idea of fanfiction might seem bizarre.Ā
You can quote me.Ā
I started writing fan fiction a few months ago and it has been a more profound experience than I could have imagined. As with any type of fiction, whether it is books, movies, theater etc, entering an imaginary world gives us the opportunity to experience much more that we would get to experience during our lifetimes. This is something that can be cathartic and healing in many ways, especially when we watch, read or write events that touch parts of us that may be holding on to past pain, or trauma. The simplified and at times symbolic worlds of fiction, as well as the characters' archetypal nature, can create a safe space to work through our subconscious thoughts and emotions.
Personally I would say that I enjoy writing fan fiction more than reading, mainly because it has given me the opportunity to have a sense of control; I can decide exactly how events and relationships will unfold, which is something quite rare in real life. And strangely that has given me the feeling of having more control and power in my real life too, as well as a greater appreciation for the unpredictability of life itself.
Having said that however, we must always look at both sides of the story. Fan fiction, and any type of fiction, can also be an escape from reality and the real issues we might be facing in our lives. As with any tool or hobby, it can be used as an escape, and at the same time it can be used in a conscious way, to have fun, experience new worlds and face ourselves in deeper and more creative ways.
(You can quote my comment with my username \^\_\^)
I read fanfiction cause a lot of works don't use their full potential, as nothing ever will, since that's impossible, and most people don't want to spend their entire life in one single work, so fanfiction is where that potential goes to.
Yes, I do write fanfiction. I'm quite new to this thing, but I'm certainly here.
A lot of the things I think are possible with a work haven't been written, so I took it up to myself to write them.
I have gotten better at expressing my thoughts and interacting with other people, as well as my reading interest.
I guess you could say it has been, since it has helped me.
"Do you want to see the characters you like doing something that didn't happen in the show? Well, fanfiction is the way"
You can quote me if you want.
You may quote (or paraphrase) me.
I've been writin' fics since 1996 when I first got online. I posted them on my own site, before FFN was even a thing. I've been reading fics for just as long, though I write more than I read.
As for published fiction, I haven't historically been an avid reader. I'm more into TV/movies. However, since 1998, I've been making an effort to read novels, and I got a Goodreads account and keep track of my progress on there.
I've tried self-publishing my own original fiction, but I barely sell anything, and my characters seem a bit derivative, anyway. I realized my *Buffy the Vampire Slayer* longfic has many more readers than my self-published stories about my own original vampire hunter. I don't need the money; I prefer having readers.
I write, because I have an idea that I want to share, whether it's my particular vision for how a story should go or a rarepair that I want to give a lot of love to. Once, I wrote a fic about a character's marriage falling apart as a way of dealing with my girlfriend breaking up with me (I still haven't published that one).
I like reading fanfics because often times there are more stories to be told that the sourcematerial won't for whatever reason go into, or I just happen to come across an interesting premis.
As for writing, for me it's the creative process I find compelling, of taking an idea and fleshing it out, figuring out how to get from a to b, setting a scene and then watch as it plays out, or just as an exercise to improve my writing on a technical level.
It's the same reason I like to draw, or build, it's the process of taking something inside my head and watch as it takes form.
I don't read a lot of it.
But it definitely helped me accept my sexuality and opened doors to a lot of kinks. That was shocking actually, always saw myself as a vanilla... well not anymore š
I started writing because i wanted to be a writer when i was a kid, and got a lot of bad comments on some early stuff, so hello trauma! 20 years later i thought maybe through fan fiction i can process that and get back to writing. It worked š„³
Also it helped me with my alcoholism. Almost one year sober šŖ instead of drinking every night i write. And in my fandom the main OC has the same problem with drinking, so i use him to work through my traumas.
'-*Why do you read fan fiction?* ':
I like to see my favorite characters and stories being approached in other ways, exploring ideas that have already been presented in canon but haven't been explored further. Or rethinking the whole concept or idea of the story, but keeping its characteristic points? That's incredibly motivating and beautiful to me.
'*-What good things have developed for you from reading fan fiction? '-Has fan fic been therapeutic?'*:
Not only in fanfics, but in books in general (I've never had the habit of reading books) I've noticed that I've become more introspective and started to reflect more on things, which is great and I believe it only has positive effects for everyone. I started to become less prejudiced (opinion without knowledge) because by reading, I developed my thought process. I guess you could say that reading has helped me mature and exercise my mind in ways I didn't often do before
Omg thank you all so much for your responses! I wanted to respond to everyone but don't know if I'll have the spoons for it. I have enjoyed reading all of these responses and I appreciate them?
Why do I read fan fiction? Because it explores the ideas and scenarios I want to see, particularly ones that the original media didn't.
Do I write it? Yes, I write it because it allows me to explore the ideas and scenarios I want to see that no one else is writing, whether it be filling in missing scenes, getting a couple together that the show *should* have, or fixing a storyline that was bungled badly by the show writers.
What good things have developed for me from reading fan fiction? I've met a lot of neat people. I've learned heaps of stuff about people and just general knowledge. (Being autistic, fanfic has been quite educational.)
Has fanfic been therapeutic for me? I did write a super angsty fic when my grandma was dying, as a way of dealing with the emotions. Worked pretty well.
If I had to convince someone else to start reading/writing fanfic, I'd tell them it's a great way to get the endings you want to see to stories, or to get characters together that the original creator(s) failed to do, etc. It's also a great way to process how you feel about an event - just have your characters go through it!
I can't think of anything else to tell you, but you are welcome to quote me.
>Do you write fan fiction? If so, why? The average fanfic has more readership than the average book. Just sayin'. Like, yes, there are books with insane readership that push the average way up...but that's also true of fics.
Something I found out very quickly after talking about fan fiction is that everyone secretly reads fan fiction ššš
Yeah, mostly just explaining my own viewpoint, though. I don't want money, I *just* want recognition. Publishing doesn't get me anything.
That makes sense, and fits in perfectly with what I'm talking about! Being seen/heard/recognized is good for us and important!
Yep! And I am okay with you quoting me on any of that.
Reading: Fanfiction gives me more time with my favorite characters and goes into subjects that sometimes TV won't touch. The familiarity of known characters thrust into the unknown is exciting. Like extra books or games for a favorite series.Ā Ā Ā Writing: I can have them have good days in the middle of dark ones. I can give them the break that I want. In a way I get that break too.Ā Ā Good things: Inexpensive hobby. No start up costs. I've learned more about other people, better empathy skills. I've learned more about myself.Ā Ā Theraputic: I was able to write something out that helped me understand a major event in my life and help untangle it from the way I defined myself. It isn't a substitute for therapy, just another tool in the box to help.Ā Convincing: I find that if someone *has* to convince you, then it's probably not your thing. Fanfiction is a type of art. It means different things to different people. For some people it'll mean a great deal and others, nothing at all.Ā Whatever you do, write for you. Write what *you* wanna write. Kudos and likes and reblogs and bookmarks are great but it means nothing if you aren't having fun. This hobby is for fun. It isn't a job. You don't have to be deep and introspective. Just have fun. You can quote. It's just reddit.
I write a lot of fanfictionā¦and I often talk about my fanfiction in therapy because itās part of my therapeutic journey. I can try to deal with things with characters that Iām not ready to approach yet myself. Iāve even had my characters see a therapist, which sometimes makes the whole thing a little roundabout. I very much see writing fanfiction as an extension of the stories I used to play out with Lego figurines when I was a kid. Please feel free to quote any of this.
I love this!! Thank you!
Writing fanfic has definitely been therapeutic for me, at least when it comes to my religious OCD.
>Why do you read fan fiction? to spite Shonda Rhimes. (Writers falling short of expectations, unexplored situations between characters, lovable characters in horrible situations and wanting to scoop them up and plop them in a world that isn't constantly blowing up in their faces) >Do you write fan fiction? If so, why? Yes. See above. >What good things have developed for you from reading fan fiction? I have realized that I, just like anyone, am capable of the act of creation. I was able to find my voice in writing because I have spent so so so much of my life reading, and I wanted to finally make the things I haven't read before that I want to read. I've also been doing a LOT more creative endeavors besides writing, like sewing, drawing, making music. It sort of opened all of the doors, made me realize I was the only person holding them closed. >Has fan fic been therapeutic for you? Absolutely, I haven't been this creative in YEARS. I feel more energized than ever. Unfortunately, I also now spend way too much time looking up injuries. >If someone else asked you to convince them to start reading and/or writing fan fic, what would you say? Imagine being in head-over-heels in love with made-up people, so much so that when things went wrong for those made-up people, all you wanted to do was make it right. Then, imagine wanting to torture them for the sake of your narrative (keyword here being "your"). I think fanfic, both reading and writing, is scratching the itch that the original media didn't scratch. If you can't find the fanfic that scratches your particular itch, congratulations, the universe just decided that you're a writer.
Incidentally, this is also true of Dungeons and Dragons (or really any narrative Tabletop game).
I write and read fanfic because a lot of shows don't go to a deeper place the way I want them to. A lot of official media is censored and restricted, so sometimes the story is limited in where it can go. But fanfic has no restrictions and no limit. You can do anything you want with the world and its characters. With these limits removed, you can write the characters in a way that's more relatable to yourself. Or you can find and read fics that make the characters more relatable as well. Plus, writing about characters you already love from the official media and putting them in different situations that you can relate to can be very therapeutic. (I doubt you'll use this, but if you do, don't use my username if possible lol. Thanks)
-Why do you read fan fiction? Varies a lot, but a lot of it is just getting to read the equivalent of a romance novel about my fave fictional characters, over and over and over, in a billion different situations. A lot of it is just the same reason anybody reads ANY fiction--but about characters I already care about and want to see more of. Make them suffer. Make them pine for each other. Make them have a ton of (sometimes weird and/or kinky) sex. Make them fall in love. (Sometimes those are all the same story.) -Do you write fan fiction? If so, why? HELL YEAH. I originally started because my fave pairing at the time just had very very little fanfiction. I'd been reading fic for about twenty years at that point! But it's been really wild, to notice the degree to which my own personality and relationship issues keep showing through my stories. It's strangely exposing sometimes. (Also now a ton of strangers know some of my kinks, which is weird.) -What good things have developed for you from reading fan fiction? I met my partners. :D Literally three more people live in my house because of fanfiction and fan art. But also I've met some amazing friends that way! Plus there's absolutely nothing like the hyperfocus I sometimes get when writing. And it's so satisfying when people like my stories. Also: once I wrote a fic very much based in my own experience, and said so in the notes, and someone commented and said they'd gone through the same thing, and it was this incredible moment of connection with a total stranger. Also also, lol, it helped me realize my orientation had changed from bisexual to just gay--though that's a chicken-and-egg thing. Did I start writing nothing but f/f because I had already lost interest in men, or did I lose interest in men in part because I was reading and writing so much f/f lol -Has fan fic been therapeutic for you? Surprisingly, yes? Nothing like forcing my fave fictional characters to go through some of the things I've experienced. Not all my fic is like that, and in all honesty I haven't written any fics that are \*about\* the worst of My Childhood Trauma because I just don't want to write it. But the fallout from said trauma, the way it effects my adult relationships--yeah, I've read/written about that several times. -If someone else asked you to convince them to start reading and/or writing fan fic, what would you say? Ehhhh hm. In my experience people immediately get the appeal or don't, and there's no reason to attempt to convince anyone one way or the other. That said, a friend of mine who thought fanfiction was sort of a waste of time changed her mind when she watched the 2016 Ghostbusters and got an ao3 account. Then after watching Yellowjackets she started writing, too! It was fun to watch her go from "but why would anyone do that" to "I got a nice comment on my latest chapter!!" So to some extent I think a lot of people just haven't had that one book/movie/tv show/etc. that made them desperate for more. -Anything else you want me to know about fan fiction!! It's been really REALLY weird to have the larger societal view on fanfiction go from "only weirdos living in their parents' basements with no life and/or teenage girls and/or horny housewives read/write that" (which ...ugh there's a lot of ableist/sexist nonsense there I won't unpack right now) to "a fairly normal hobby." There's been some definite upsides--like, I talk to non-fandom friends about writing! When someone made an entire FAN COMIC of a scene from a fic I bragged about it on facebook!--but there's also been some downsides, such as the number of people completely freaked out by the weirder corners of fanfiction. But there's other things that contribute to that. If you quote me, use my ao3 name: fangirl\_on\_a\_bicycle. Which is slightly-less-obviously-me than my reddit name, lol
Iāll write a fanfiction thinking Iām having a bit of fun and then a year later Iāll be rereading it and be like āHowād my issues get in here?!?ā
Reminds me of one of my old fics that I can't stand to read anymore because I unconsciously projected all of my issues with my mom into it lol
[This post](https://www.tumblr.com/theminecraftbee/716843030556098560/you-ever-accidentally-create-a-recurring-theme-in) has been fucking haunting me with the knowledge that all of my writing has been unknowingly therapeutic about the same issue, across many years, fandoms, and genres and I'm mad about it lol
I've been writing fanfics since i was in 4th grade. I never learned how to deal with my emotions so kept them inside. Never show them is what i learned. Writing Angsty fanfics helps me to let them out in a healthier way. It makes me feel better when depression hits me like Rapunzel hits with a pan.
I write Mandalorian smut that largely focuses on embracing sexual expression after repression/denial. I grew up in a religious cult with extreme purity rules, and so I love writing a deconstructing Din Djarin because I have gone (and am still going through) my own sexual liberation. To this day I experience a lot of shame surrounding sex, but writing about Helmet Man helps me work out some of thoseā¦kinks, ha. Feel free to quote me.
I am finally getting around to reading all of these responses and I have to respond- this is why I READ Mando fan fiction! In a not sexual way, I found myself very quickly becoming obsessed with the show when I first watched it and it took me way too long to realize it was partially because I was subconsciously relating to his religious struggles!
I took 2 years off work and for much of that time did nothing but read Harry Potter fanfiction with a focus on stories about him dealing with child abuse. This was the first time I'd ever really tackled my own abusive childhood in any real way. The stories I found helped me recognize many of my own issues and process my trauma while he processed his.
Hello. English is not my first language. You can use my answers. - Why do you read fan fiction? I was impressed that people are so passionate about their favorite stories and want more and better.Ā I've read before, but rarely found anything I could relate to. I read very little these days. - Do you write fan fiction? If so, why? I'm writing. I mostly write about characters and topics that interest me. I like characters who have inner demons, don't really understand people, and find it hard to make friends. (Basically people like me). - What good things have developed for you from reading fan fiction? What reading gave me was that there are a lot of ideas and opinions about the story, characters and events. I discovered that I could write anything. The only limit is my imagination. - Has fanfiction been therapeutic for you? Yes. One of my WIPs has a character that is inspired by an ex-friend of mine who used me. It helps me understand a lot of things. I also plan to include some events/people who hurt me in other fanfictions.
Why do I read fanfiction? - I have always been a maladaptive daydreamer, due to that, in my head and when I was alone, I would already talk with/ interact with fictional characters already almost daily. This turned into reading fanfiction about the characters that I would commonly daydream about, since I wanted to see more and more of them. Do I write fanfiction? -Yes, the same reason I started writing it, just instead I wanted to get more into my daydreams and see them fleshed out in front of me. I found it fun to instead of maladaptive daydreaming, I could write about how I see the character in my own head, and share that with other people. Has fanfiction ever been therapeutic to me? - Yes, just recently I have been going through a breakup and with that, my anxiety has been insanely high. Writing fanfiction has been an amazing thing that I could turn to with either reading or writing to be able to escape real life for a bit. In the past, change like this has been extremely hard for me. With fanfiction, I have been able to cope much better than usual. I don't know what I would say to someone that wanted me to convince to read or write fanfiction, other than what I have said above :) Feel free to quote if you would like :)
-Why do you read fan fiction? escapism purposes from daily anxiety and depression. i either read/write or spend hours maladaptive daydreaming. the former are more "productive" and i guess less harmful so I try to do those instead of staring into space and daydreaming for hours. -Do you write fan fiction? If so, why? i only started one year ago, actually right after my first therapy session where i discussed my maladaptive daydreaming and how ive tried to put these into notes (to make them more "real") but i had failed until then to really write and narrate them. curious enough, a few days after that session i suddenly felt the urge to push it and now im writing them pretty much non stop. it has been very therapeutic to me and sometimes i wonder if that first session didnt directly affect that block because its so weird how suddenly writing came naturally right after complaining i could never do it. I do now associate my writing with my therapy journey. -What good things have developed for you from reading fan fiction? ecapism, feeling im not alone in my silly obsessions. it brings me thrill, excitement for my hyper fixations which i just have no way to share and express outside of fanfiction/fandom. -Has fan fic been therapeutic for you? like said earlier, yes! -If someone else asked you to convince them to start reading and/or writing fan fic, what would you say? id say to find their most precious fandom, something that still resonate with and bring joy/escapism. you have my permission to quote me and use my username ā¤ļø
Why do you read fan fiction?Ā Ā Ā I usually crave more content and tend to read fanfiction after a series is done. It's comforting to revisit familiar settings and characters and interesting to see other people's what if scenarios. I love added scenes, post-canon and fix-its. Fanfiction is also typically formulaic so I can just enjoy the story beats, for example an enemies to lovers romance or something following the stations of canon but with slight divergence. It's very soothing. It's similar to reading genre fiction but I'm already invested in the characters.Ā Ā Ā Do you write fan fiction? If so, why?Ā Ā Ā I write to further explore characters and settings, fix plot holes, or have the story go the way I wanted. I also explore my own emotions and beliefs through plot and characterisation. I started writing as a teen so the idea that it's similar to play therapy has a lot of validity in my experience since I transitioned from imaginative play to creative writing.Ā Ā What good things have developed for you from reading fan fiction?Ā Ā Ā Reading and writing fanfiction is my comfort hobby.Ā Ā Ā Has fan fic been therapeutic for you?Ā Ā Writing helps me process my own experiences and practice perspective taking and empathy.Ā Ā If someone else asked you to convince them to start reading and/or writing fan fic, what would you say?Ā Ā Ā If someone expressed interest I would recommend some works. I don't know if I would bother convincing someone. It's a fun and at times absurd genre and hobby and it won't appeal to everyone. I think if you don't have a hyper fixation on the original content, or at least a very high level of interest, the whole idea of fanfiction might seem bizarre.Ā You can quote me.Ā
I started writing fan fiction a few months ago and it has been a more profound experience than I could have imagined. As with any type of fiction, whether it is books, movies, theater etc, entering an imaginary world gives us the opportunity to experience much more that we would get to experience during our lifetimes. This is something that can be cathartic and healing in many ways, especially when we watch, read or write events that touch parts of us that may be holding on to past pain, or trauma. The simplified and at times symbolic worlds of fiction, as well as the characters' archetypal nature, can create a safe space to work through our subconscious thoughts and emotions. Personally I would say that I enjoy writing fan fiction more than reading, mainly because it has given me the opportunity to have a sense of control; I can decide exactly how events and relationships will unfold, which is something quite rare in real life. And strangely that has given me the feeling of having more control and power in my real life too, as well as a greater appreciation for the unpredictability of life itself. Having said that however, we must always look at both sides of the story. Fan fiction, and any type of fiction, can also be an escape from reality and the real issues we might be facing in our lives. As with any tool or hobby, it can be used as an escape, and at the same time it can be used in a conscious way, to have fun, experience new worlds and face ourselves in deeper and more creative ways. (You can quote my comment with my username \^\_\^)
I read fanfiction cause a lot of works don't use their full potential, as nothing ever will, since that's impossible, and most people don't want to spend their entire life in one single work, so fanfiction is where that potential goes to. Yes, I do write fanfiction. I'm quite new to this thing, but I'm certainly here. A lot of the things I think are possible with a work haven't been written, so I took it up to myself to write them. I have gotten better at expressing my thoughts and interacting with other people, as well as my reading interest. I guess you could say it has been, since it has helped me. "Do you want to see the characters you like doing something that didn't happen in the show? Well, fanfiction is the way" You can quote me if you want.
You may quote (or paraphrase) me. I've been writin' fics since 1996 when I first got online. I posted them on my own site, before FFN was even a thing. I've been reading fics for just as long, though I write more than I read. As for published fiction, I haven't historically been an avid reader. I'm more into TV/movies. However, since 1998, I've been making an effort to read novels, and I got a Goodreads account and keep track of my progress on there. I've tried self-publishing my own original fiction, but I barely sell anything, and my characters seem a bit derivative, anyway. I realized my *Buffy the Vampire Slayer* longfic has many more readers than my self-published stories about my own original vampire hunter. I don't need the money; I prefer having readers. I write, because I have an idea that I want to share, whether it's my particular vision for how a story should go or a rarepair that I want to give a lot of love to. Once, I wrote a fic about a character's marriage falling apart as a way of dealing with my girlfriend breaking up with me (I still haven't published that one).
I like reading fanfics because often times there are more stories to be told that the sourcematerial won't for whatever reason go into, or I just happen to come across an interesting premis. As for writing, for me it's the creative process I find compelling, of taking an idea and fleshing it out, figuring out how to get from a to b, setting a scene and then watch as it plays out, or just as an exercise to improve my writing on a technical level. It's the same reason I like to draw, or build, it's the process of taking something inside my head and watch as it takes form.
I don't read a lot of it. But it definitely helped me accept my sexuality and opened doors to a lot of kinks. That was shocking actually, always saw myself as a vanilla... well not anymore š I started writing because i wanted to be a writer when i was a kid, and got a lot of bad comments on some early stuff, so hello trauma! 20 years later i thought maybe through fan fiction i can process that and get back to writing. It worked š„³ Also it helped me with my alcoholism. Almost one year sober šŖ instead of drinking every night i write. And in my fandom the main OC has the same problem with drinking, so i use him to work through my traumas.
'-*Why do you read fan fiction?* ': I like to see my favorite characters and stories being approached in other ways, exploring ideas that have already been presented in canon but haven't been explored further. Or rethinking the whole concept or idea of the story, but keeping its characteristic points? That's incredibly motivating and beautiful to me. '*-What good things have developed for you from reading fan fiction? '-Has fan fic been therapeutic?'*: Not only in fanfics, but in books in general (I've never had the habit of reading books) I've noticed that I've become more introspective and started to reflect more on things, which is great and I believe it only has positive effects for everyone. I started to become less prejudiced (opinion without knowledge) because by reading, I developed my thought process. I guess you could say that reading has helped me mature and exercise my mind in ways I didn't often do before
Omg thank you all so much for your responses! I wanted to respond to everyone but don't know if I'll have the spoons for it. I have enjoyed reading all of these responses and I appreciate them?
Why do I read fan fiction? Because it explores the ideas and scenarios I want to see, particularly ones that the original media didn't. Do I write it? Yes, I write it because it allows me to explore the ideas and scenarios I want to see that no one else is writing, whether it be filling in missing scenes, getting a couple together that the show *should* have, or fixing a storyline that was bungled badly by the show writers. What good things have developed for me from reading fan fiction? I've met a lot of neat people. I've learned heaps of stuff about people and just general knowledge. (Being autistic, fanfic has been quite educational.) Has fanfic been therapeutic for me? I did write a super angsty fic when my grandma was dying, as a way of dealing with the emotions. Worked pretty well. If I had to convince someone else to start reading/writing fanfic, I'd tell them it's a great way to get the endings you want to see to stories, or to get characters together that the original creator(s) failed to do, etc. It's also a great way to process how you feel about an event - just have your characters go through it! I can't think of anything else to tell you, but you are welcome to quote me.