Writers Of Ao3 - Tumblr Posts
“Oh my god you’re a writer? Can I read your stuff?”
Keep Writing Fanfics
I don't know who needs to hear this but, THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH YOUR FANFICTION! Don't get me wrong there's ups and downs— but that can be said for anything.
The Author & The Reader
When we tell our tales, we impart our messages and beliefs through carefully crafted stories. As a writer, there is no better reward than knowing your story touched the heart of someone, and really made them think about its meaning, the characters, and your world.
All Stories Are Selfish!
Now tell me, is there any greater immersion than someone taking your world and your characters, and using words to creatively articulate their interpretation? Is it not transformative?
Sure, it might be selfish, but aren't all stories? We write to express ourselves. It's about what YOU think, what YOU feel, and what YOU want. The only aspect contrary to that fact is that, we want to impart those feelings and share them. A fanfiction is no different. If anything, it's less selfish— there's an innate connection to someone else's feelings, ideas, and writing. It's collaborative in a sense.
Fanfiction: Good & Bad
Fanfiction is nothing more than a fictional work derived from existing fictional works. For example, Dragon Ball Kakkumei (a Dragon Ball Super fan manga), Long Road (an Undertale fan story), and All the Young Dudes (an LGBTQIA+ Harry Potter fan story).
These projects are all fanfiction because they tell stories that fundamentally rely on characters, worlds, or, even entire stories, authored by another writer. Despite that, they remain transformative in addition something new— despite that they are rarely (if ever) considered canon.
Why Is It Bad?
Fanfiction itself isn't innately bad, but some fanfics can contain morally questionable or rather taboo content. The most common being particular relationship dynamics we would not permit in mainstream media.
Beyond that particular issues. I don't see many problems with fanfics, safe for that some fanfic authors may disregard or contradict aspects of the source material, or fail to credit it cite the source material. In some ways, this can lead some readers to falsely associate a fan with the world of another writer (in the case of smaller fandoms and works).
Why Is It Good?
First and foremost, fan fiction is a large communal aspect of almost all fictional fandoms, one that unites young and old members alike.
Plus, writing (good) fanfiction requires an author to develop certain skills. You must learn to understand each character, develop a working understanding of the setting and its mechanics, and create new/original characters that fit within the world.
Those aren't skills you naturally possess. You have to read, respect, and truly grasp an existing work. When you produce fanfiction, having attained those skills, it demonstrates your commitment and admiration of the source material, while creating something new and beautiful for others to enjoy.
Writing a fan fiction can serve as a quick and easy way to develop a portfolio for your writing capabilities while you learn how to apply your skills as a writer. People generally have lower standards for fan-fics, making them a more casual and light hearted way to get feedback on your writing.
Lastly, fanfictions are tied to a fandom you already know and love, so it's easier to get engaged and motivated— rather than spending a year infrequently trying to build a world while you bounce between 6 projects.
The AO3 Predicament
OP's asker likely feels proud about addressing AO3's less reputable content. AO3 appeals to absolute free speech and thus allows content that may be deemed morally condemnable, outright absurd, or just plain offensive. But what's important to remember is that AO3 IS JUST A PLATFORM.
Sharing your work on AO3 doesn't make you a bad person. People shared HORRIBLE things via mega links on Twitter— but we don't claim every Twitter user is a pedo. Likewise, we don't claim every Wattpad author wants their demographic to be queer teens reading gay smut.
Judge an author by the content of their works, not the platform you found it on.
just so you know, you have some followers who enjoy/write fanfiction. not saying their urls rn bc i don’t wanna air out dirty laundry in public but if you want them so you can block and report, just say the word and i’ll dm you a list
