Fanfiction: what is it?

Fanfiction is a fictional story that contains or is inspired by an original story, that’s usually a TV show, a movie, a book, a comic, a game, etc.

Fans of a media can take that media’s characters or story, and make scenarios and scenes, either containing the media’s already existing plot, or entirely making a new one.

What types of fanfiction is there?

There are many kinds of fanfiction: ships, AUs, self inserts, crossovers, darkfics, fix-it fics, slowburn.

Of course there are many more that would take days to list here, but these are some of the basics.

Ships

Ships are some of the most common things found in fanfiction. A ship is a pairing, often romantic, of two or more characters. The said pairing can be in the original work, or could be something the fans of the media created.

While some ships can be seen very often in fanfiction, some ships are very rare to find. Their name is rarepairs, appropriately named after them being rarely seen.

AUs

AUs, also known as Alternate Universes, are, as the name suggests, an alternate universe where either the plot is changed (such as heros and villains switching roles) or the characters are taken in another setting (such as a coffee shop or a college).

Self inserts

Self inserts are an insert of you, the reader, in a media. Instead of a name for the reader that’s inserted, writers of fanfiction use Y/N (your name), [name] or simply don’t mention your name. Self inserts are also usually known as “x readers”.

Crossovers

Crossovers are a cross-over between two different media, in which their characters may meet and one of the two participants have to adapt to the other world’s rules.

Darkfics

Darkfic is fan fiction that deals with intentionally disturbing material, such as physical and emotional violence. Darkfics aren’t known to have happy endings.

Fix-it fics

Fix-it fics, also known as “fix fics” is fanfiction that changes something about the original media that the fan writing the fic wasn’t happy with. It can be anything: plot holes, character’s death, etc.

Slowburn

Slowburn is a popular trope in fanfic where the characters of the main pairing don’t start off in a  relationship, but it focuses on the slow development of a romantic pairing.

Fanfic genres

Just like a book, fanfiction has genres. Fanfiction genres are different that book genres, I’ve listed the three main genres below. These are most commonly used to show what kind of fanfiction you will be reading.

Angst or Hurt/No Comfort

Angst, or Hurt/No Comfort is often used in fanfic to characterize things which are intended to provoke the feeling of sadness in readers.

Hurt/Comfort

Hurt/comfort is a fanfiction genre that involves the physical pain or emotional distress of one character, who is cared for by another character.

Fluff

Fluff is often used in fanfiction to characterize any pleasant feelings. Fluff may lack plot, but it displays affection between two or more characters, whether their relationship is romantic or not.

So, is fanfiction a valid form of writing?

Yes, fanfiction is still writing, even if you’re not writing a book, you’re still very much working on and writing something.

While at a first glance it seems as though fanfiction is mostly targeted to a small community of people, fanfiction is very popular among kids, teens and adults. Any fan of a movie, a book, a game, a TV show, or any media can find a fanfiction fitting their needs.

Eva Sur- Clasa 6-D