History Main / Fanfic

It should probably be noted that several big-name authors are ''themselves'' writers of fan fic. Both Creator/StephenKing and Creator/NeilGaiman have written (for example) stories dealing with Cthulhu, Dracula, and Sherlock Holmes, and label these stories fan fic.

One famous example of this is the manga/anime ''Manga/RanmaOneHalf'', released well before the Internet became ubiquitous and when many fans had no easy access to the original source material. All manner of details (including the explanation of Akane's mallet as either a [[KiAttacks ki attack]] or as residing in a [[HyperspaceMallet hyperdimensional pocket]], her {{Flanderization}} into a "psychobitch", her [[LethalChef lethal cooking]] (rather than being just bad), and the names and fates of the many [[ParentalAbandonment missing mothers]]) were never touched on in the show but became standardized in ''Ranma'' fan fiction over the course of approximately a decade. The process was accelerated and exacerbated by the appearance of fanfiction written by people who had never actually seen the show itself and whose only exposure to ''Ranma'' was other fanfiction.

* Creator/KasperAVestergaard

Fan Fiction is a form of Alternate or Expanded Universe created by the fans of a work, rather than the work's original creator. Fan Fiction, or "Fan Fics" as they are often called, are written for several reasons: [[ContinuationFic To continue a story that ended prematurely,]] [[AlternateUniverseFic to see what would happen if certain characters are placed in unusual situations]], [[{{Crossover}}to see what happens when the characters of one franchise encounter the characters of another franchise.]] [[{{Shipping}} Or sometimes to get the characters to have mad passionate (or occasionally just mad) sex with each other.]]

[[quoteright:250:[[Website/FanFictionDotNet http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/logo_strawberry_1149.gif]]]]

One famous example of this is the anime ''[[Manga/{{RanmaOneHalf}} Ranma 1/2]]'', released well before the Internet became ubiquitous and when many fans had no easy access to the original source material. All manner of details (including the explanation of Akane's mallet as either a [[KiAttacks ki attack]] or as residing in a [[HyperspaceMallet hyperdimensional pocket]], her {{Flanderization}} into a "psychobitch", her [[LethalChef lethal cooking]] (rather than being just bad), and the names and fates of the many [[ParentalAbandonment missing mothers]]) were never touched on in the show but became standardized in ''Ranma'' fan fiction over the course of approximately a decade. The process was accelerated and exacerbated by the appearance of fanfiction written by people who had never actually ''seen'' the show itself and whose only exposure to ''Ranma'' was other fanfiction.

Currently, the [[NotableFanfictionArchives largest source of fanfiction on the Net]] (and probably anywhere else) is the [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin aptly named]] Website/FanFictionDotNet, which as of 2013, offers approximately nine million stories across all but a select few canons (which were banned due to creator request) and an automated system for posting. A newer site called an Website/ArchiveOfOurOwn is starting to nip at Website/FanFictionDotNet's heels though with over 1.7 million stories and less restrictions on what can and can not be posted. And to top it all off, in mid 2013 Amazon joined in the act with its Kindle Worlds program, which allows for the publication and sale (!) of fan fiction from specific 'verses.

See also MemeticMutation and {{Shipping}}. Compare with other FanWork forms, such as {{Fanart}}, {{Fanvid}}, and {{Fanime}}. See also the latest SubTrope LiteraryMashUps.

For fanfic-specific tropes see FanficTropes. Of course, [[FanFicRecommendations the hive mind have a few favorites.]] [[SoBadItsGood/{{Fanfic}} There are also a few favorite unfavorites]], if that doesn't [[LogicBomb confuse you too much]]. [[TroperWorks Some here have even written a few.]] [[FanFic/FanFics And here are some that people took the time to make a page for.]]

One problem with fanfiction is sometimes writers don't do their research even when it is very simple. A common occurrence is when an author from a country other than the original work's country of origin writes characters as if they are from their own country. An example is Harry Potter where non-British writers (particularly American) make characters act and think like an American would; this also happens vice versa as seen in Fifty Shades of Grey.

For the Eastern equivalent, see {{Doujinshi}}.

''See also'':

[[/index]]

* HogwartsFic

Authors often have conflicted reactions to fan fiction set in "their" universe, which sometimes leads to the aforementioned FanworkBan. Creator/JKRowling has largely embraced Franchise/HarryPotter fan fic, albeit with certain limitations, for example, and Creator/TamoraPierce [[http://tamora-pierce.com/faq.html#fanfic advises aspiring writers]] that fan fiction can be a good way to hone one's writing skills. By contrast, Sir Creator/{{Terry Pratchett}} acknowledges it exists and is cool about it, pointing out that ''everything works so long as people are sensible about it.'' He adds two caveats: anyone doing Literature/{{Discworld}} fanfic shouldn't even ''think'' of doing it for money, and authors should take care not to put it where he might see it. Creator/GeorgeRRMartin, author of the epic fantasy series ''Literature/ASongOfIceAndFire'', [[http://grrm.livejournal.com/151914.html expressed his disdain for the practice]], saying that "creating your own characters is a part of writing." He's even gone so far as to threaten legal action should he become aware of any fan fiction set in the Westeros universe. In contrast, writer/journalist James Bow [[http://bowjamesbow.ca/2010/05/07/in-defence-of-f.shtml makes a rather firm case]] for supporting fan fic, pointing out that it forms a stepping stone ''towards'' creating your own characters and setting. As far as media businesses are concerned, reactions have ranged from Franchise/ArchieComics demanding immediate removal to ParamountPictures taking some of the better ''Franchise/StarTrek'' fanfics and having them published in print books.

Due to the inexperience of many fan fic writers, fan fiction has gained a reputation for being a source of [[SoBadItsGood horrible, ''horrible'' writing]]. However there are fan fics out there that are [[FanFicRecommendations INCREDIBLY]] [[SturgeonsLaw good]]. Sometimes being just as good as, if not better than, the original work.

Due to the inexperience of many fan fic writers, fan fiction has gained a reputation for being a source of [[SoBadItsGood horrible, ''horrible'' writing]]. However there are fan fics out there that are [[FanFicRecommendations INCREDIBLY good]]. Sometimes being just as good as, if not better than, the original work.

* {{MST}} (verb form of [[MysteryScienceTheater3000 Mystery Science Theater]])

Currently, the [[NotableFanfictionArchives largest source of fanfiction on the Net]] (and probably anywhere else) is the [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin aptly named]] Website/FanFictionDotNet, which as of 2013, offers approximately nine million stories across all but a select few canons (which were banned due to creator request) and an automated system for posting. A newer site called an Website/ArchiveOfOurOwn is starting to nip at Website/FanFictionDotNet's heels though with over half a million stories and less restrictions on what can and can not be posted. And to top it all off, in mid 2013 Amazon joined in the act with its Kindle Worlds program, which allows for the publication and sale (!) of fan fiction from specific 'verses.

(Fun fact: Website/KnowYourMeme considers fanfiction a meme, even though it clearly is not.)

* PornWithoutPlot

* VideogameFic

''By format'':

Authors do have non-emotional reasons to worry: as Creator/MercedesLackey had long taken pains to point out on her website, a fan writer was once able to wrest control (via a successful lawsuit) of part of ''Literature/{{Darkover}}'' away from its creator, Creator/MarionZimmerBradley. This is the ultimate nightmare of ''any'' writer, fan or professional, and drives some of the more draconian efforts to suppress fan creativity. (Lackey herself was once infamously on the draconian side of the divide in part because of this event, but in early 2010 reversed her stand on fanfiction thanks to an association with Creator/CoryDoctorow.)

No statement on the legality of fanfic has ever been given in American formal law or in its courts. Some argue that it's a form of copyright infringement; however, see [[http://digitalcommons.lmu.edu/elr/vol17/iss3/8/ "Legal Fictions: Copyright, Fan Fiction, and a New Common Law"]], and note the above precedents.

Authors often have conflicted reactions to fan fiction set in "their" universe, which sometimes leads to a FanworkBan. Creator/JKRowling has largely embraced Franchise/HarryPotter fan fic, albeit with certain limitations, for example, and Creator/TamoraPierce [[http://tamora-pierce.com/faq.html#fanfic advises aspiring writers]] that fan fiction can be a good way to hone one's writing skills. By contrast, Sir Creator/{{Terry Pratchett}} acknowledges it exists and is cool about it, pointing out that ''everything works so long as people are sensible about it.'' He adds two caveats: anyone doing Literature/{{Discworld}} fanfic shouldn't even ''think'' of doing it for money, and authors should take care not to put it where he might see it. Creator/GeorgeRRMartin, author of the epic fantasy series ''Literature/ASongOfIceAndFire'', [[http://grrm.livejournal.com/151914.html expressed his disdain for the practice]], saying that "creating your own characters is a part of writing." He's even gone so far as to threaten legal action should he become aware of any fan fiction set in the Westeros universe. In contrast, writer/journalist James Bow [[http://bowjamesbow.ca/2010/05/07/in-defence-of-f.shtml makes a rather firm case]] for supporting fan fic, pointing out that it forms a stepping stone ''towards'' creating your own characters and setting. As far as media businesses are concerned, reactions have ranged from Franchise/ArchieComics demanding immediate removal to ParamountPictures taking some of the better ''Franchise/StarTrek'' fanfics and having them published in print books.