Fan fiction should be encouraged, not dismissed

If you were lucky enough (or unlucky, depending on what you saw) to have discovered the wonders of websites like Wattpad or Tumblr in your tween-to-teen years, you will have experienced the vast range of fan fiction on offer. From boy bands to Harry Potter and everything in between, there will have been fan fiction written about it all, albeit varying in quality.

However, the question is, do these fan-made stories have a place on our bookshelves alongside the literature of the mainstream, or do they not count as ‘proper’ literature and should therefore remain in the depths of the internet? I wrote a number of (painfully embarrassing and poorly written) fan fictions back in the day and although I’ve ensured that they’ve been erased from the surface of the earth for the good of mankind, I would argue that the basis of fan fiction is positive and should be encouraged instead of dismissed.

For those of you who aren’t sure what fan fiction actually is, the basic concept is a piece of fiction based on something a fan enjoys. The most common choices would be books, musicians (the amount of One Direction fan fiction on offer is astounding) and other celebrities, but fan fiction can be written about virtually anything. They often take inspiration from the existing events of books, for example, and offer a new take on it: a look from the perspective of a different character, an alternative ending or even a complete spin-off story featuring a minor character.

The predominant group that write and consume these stories are teenagers, who are only just setting out on the journey of figuring out how to be an effective writer

While the quality of writing may not be the highest generally, this form of fiction ultimately allows fans to engage with the things they’re passionate about and encourages them to produce a creative expression of their interests. The predominant group that write and consume these stories are teenagers, who are only just setting out on the journey of figuring out how to be an effective writer; the many clichés may make us cringe but these are common mistakes made on the way to developing their own style of writing.

People often cite Fifty Shades of Grey when they talk of the place of fan fiction in the mainstream and although this is a very questionable example, it’s a testament to how fan fiction can actually be consumed by a mass public. The basis of the Fifty Shades books famously began as a Twilight fan fiction (I know I’m arguing that any interpretations should be legitimate but this is really pushing the limits…) and while I recognise many problematic aspects of the books and films, it goes to show that a fan fiction story can stand its ground alongside the more mainstream forms of literature.

More recently, a Harry Styles new-adult fanfic entitled After which originated on Wattpad has been made into a film to be released later this year, with a few adaptations to the story to presumably avoid a Harry Styles lawsuit. Many more stories written within online communities have gained professional publication, which makes it clear that the industry of fan fiction is a more lucrative one than perhaps people realise.

The very nature of literature relies on flexibility and there’s no strict definition to rule on what ‘counts’ as literature and what doesn’t

Ultimately, if a readership exists for it and people enjoy both creating and reading the piece, then it shouldn’t be dismissed, as long as the content doesn’t surpass basic boundaries of decency. The very nature of literature relies on flexibility and there’s no strict definition to rule on what ‘counts’ as literature and what doesn’t.

The adaptability of the medium has ensured its longevity through the years as people have always written about things they’re passionate about. Fan fiction just happens to be another form of that. Young people taking inspiration from their own interests to express ideas through writing doesn’t threaten its legitimacy as literature.

On the contrary, fanfiction builds up communities who support each other and provides a space for them to gain positive and constructive feedback on their writing. It’s a space within which their writing, for perhaps the first time, isn’t being graded by an adult but instead appreciated by like-minded fans. In my opinion, anything that encourages young people to cultivate a passion for writing and allows them to enjoy reading, no matter how cliché or bizarre the storyline, has to be a good thing.