Y/N

An essay written for my Media Arts Culture program application. 

For as long as I can remember, I have lived with one foot in this reality and the other in fictional universes. Since then, I have traded my Junie B. Jones and Magic Tree House novels for Elena Ferrante and Ayn Rand. But, there has been one constant in my media consumption journey that has been unrelenting, and that is fanfiction. Many people are quick to dismiss fanfiction as a phony form of literature, but the truth is, fanfiction has more depth and complexities to it than just tropes and Harry Styles as a love interest. Fanfiction offers a safe place for diverse voices who want to experiment with their writing at any age without the pressures and criticisms of the masses. It’s a form of media that explores representation and challenges social stigmas that we may not see in books and written work that are currently accessible to the public. Fanfiction is influenced by the environment, the upbringings, the culture, and the identities of its writers; it’s a place where creativity and inclusivity thrive. 

Fanfiction is a vessel for expression for writers, whether amateurs or professionals. Writing in itself is a great outlet for conceptualizing emotions and simply put, it’s an art form. Why would fanfiction be any different? Fanfiction offers a place for writers to create without constraints, a space for them to flex their creative muscles without having to worry about cohesive worldbuilding or detailed character developments. Additionally, authors of fanfiction write to engage in a world, whether fictional or real, that they love and can create narratives from the media they love. In the same way people read as a form of escapism, writing offers the same solution. With fanfiction, writers are heavily influenced by what they consume, whether it be a TV show, the music they listen to, celebrities they follow, or just a character from a book. 

Even when you take away the writing aspect of fanfiction and boil it down to what every person chooses to base their stories on, it’s all impacted by their environment, their heritage, and a plethora of external factors that make up one’s identity. Obviously this is true for any writer, not just fanfiction authors. But unlike the world of published literature, fanfiction is dominated by diverse creators. More often than not, we see queer and ethnic minorities who utilize this online space to not only fulfill their passion for writing but to find that safe haven and create a balance for their under-representation in modern media. Fanfiction is more than just the plot and the characters, it’s also about the person behind the screen. These authors offer a new and refreshing perspective from the white-dominated voices in the world of published literature. Additionally, fanfiction provides writers with the choice of anonymity, which for some people is pivotal in exploring their ideas and identities through storytelling, with a lack of restrictions and complete control over their creative process. Though times are progressing and people are continuing to push for more diverse voices in books, fanfiction is still a powerful way to consume media by people who have faced unique hardships and adversities, straight from the horse’s mouth.

 Speaking to the actual content of fiction, these narratives make more room for realistic representations within fiction. Fanfiction is heavily popular because writers can insert their own identities, take inspiration from personal experiences, and insert them into their characters. This isn’t to say we don’t see any representation in media today, but fanfiction as literature reflects the ever-changing diversity of the modern world through storytelling without the pressure of popularity or having to appeal to the masses. We see time and time again “token diverse characters” that attempt to provide representation to minorities, but in reality, it’s all just a facade. If you place a character in a story just for the sake of being diverse, it completely negates the purpose of representation if all of their storylines revolve around them being queer or not white, etc. These token identities create a false impression of inclusivity and can perpetuate stereotypes which is harmful to people who consume this sort of media in search of representation. With fanfiction, authors aren’t driven by money or self-serving interests of publication. They write legitimately diverse characters and narratives to fill those inaccuracies we often see in media today. 

We also can’t talk about identity without discussing community. Fanfiction has given many people, if not everyone who creates or consumes it, a sense of community. There’s the baseline level of just being a part of a fandom and finding people who have the same interests as you. That in itself is extremely rewarding. But going one step further, because of the diverse landscape of fanfiction, writers and readers can find community on even deeper levels. The Internet is an obvious way to bring people together and connect people without geographic barriers, and fanfiction is an easy way for people to do that. Fanfiction readers can bond simply over the fact that they love a specific piece of work, but they can also find community in the fact that they both relate to a queer character or the struggles of a minority in the narrative. As someone who has grown up on fanfiction and still continues to find joy in reading it, I find there is nothing like the feeling of bonding over written work and characters where there is no judgment and apprehension about what type of media you like. 

I truly believe fanfiction will never be a dying art form. As we continue to consume media and find love in their specific pockets of the Internet, we will also continue to create and find inspiration in what we spend time on. Fanfiction is a first foray into writing for many authors. It’s a great way for people who want to expand their writing skills and storytelling without the constraints of the publishing world. It’s an important creative outlet for most people who choose to do so. But on a more fundamental basis, fanfiction creates a safe space for diverse voices. It offers a place of minimal to no judgment, and it provides many people with the representation they so desperately seek in the media that is prevalent today. Even in a perfect world where inclusivity and representation are accurately portrayed, fanfiction will always prevail because people will continue to pursue their passion for consuming, for finding community, and for writing.