Fan-Fiction

=What Is Fanfiction?=

Adapted from []

Fan fiction (also known as fanfiction, fanfic, FF or ffic) is a loosely defined term for fiction about characters or settings, written by admirers of the original work. Fanfics are not commissioned by the owner and creator and are very rarely published professionally. Most fan fiction writers assume that their readers have knowledge of the canon (original) universe in which their works are based. More on Wikipedia...]

According to some sources, fanfiction existed as far back as the 17th century, but it's becoming very popular nowadays, when we have so many forms of entertainment. Particularly impressive is the Harry Potter fanfiction phenomenon. There are so many fics written by the fans of the series, that you could say J. K. Rowling awakened the generation of children not only to reading, but creative writing as well! 

Tips For Writing Your First Fanfiction

 * Spelling and grammar are important. If you think those are your weak points, get someone to proof-read your story if possible ("beta" in fanfiction slang), or at least run a spell-checker.
 * Try to understand the feelings and motives of the characters in the original work. Explain the changes they experience in your fic. There's nothing stopping your fantasy and getting crazy with the characters, but in that case people usually tag their stories as AU (Alternate Universe).
 * It's an excellent idea to have a rough draft of the whole fic before starting to post chapters online, or at least an outline.
 * Do not give in to the pressure of readers. Don't get discouraged by the negative comments, but pay attention to constructive criticism. Sometimes your readers might give you good ideas to improve the story, but always remember that you are the author.
 * Your story should make sense. Yes, once again, you can write whatever you want, however, it's usually a good idea to think of a nice plot.
 * Finally, the specifics of fanfiction aside, it's really like writing any other kind of story. You still need to have some writing skills (and there are tons of information online how to improve them). Fanfiction is actually a good way to start writing, and should be much easier than creating an original work from scratch, because you already have characters and world created for you. All you have to do is play around with them!

A few things to remember and consider.
Why would you even write a fanfic? There are many benefits, such as improving your writing skills and stimulating your fantasy, and giving your favorite story a "better" ending or a spin-off you always wanted to see in the original work.

The Internet lets you publish your story instantly, getting a lot of readers to post reviews and comments that will help you improve. Plus, it feels really great to get positive reviews from people saying that they loved your work!