Fanfiction. When one hears this word, whatever do they think of? Fans? Fiction? Ceiling fans and fiction? Personally, when I hear someone say fanfiction, I automatically think of the word "life", mainly because it is my life. Fanfiction is a great way to find escape when you're really stressed out about the things going on in you're life. It is also a good way to help you escape the reality of the next three essays you need to write without feeling bad about it (because even though you're procrastinating, you're technically still "writing" something).
Fanfiction is great when you are not satisfied with the way your favorite book/show is going. It gives you the ability to read stories with the characters you love and a story-line you find better than the original. Fanfiction pulls you into an alternate universe where your favorite characters become new ones, go on their very own adventures, and even get paired up with someone they originally wouldn't be with. It is a never-ending pool of stories filled with characters from our favorite shows and books, as well as a nice outlet to relieve stress or whatever is on your mind.
Still not convinced? Here is a list of reasons why Fanfiction is life.
For many people, Fanfiction also serves as an escape of sorts. People want to get lost in the stories of the characters they love so much, but sometimes, this is a problem because the orginal show doesn't focus on a specific character or go the way you want it to. Characters die. Other characters get together when they seriously don't belong. With fanfiction, you can look for a summary of a story that is similar to the one you want to actually happen.
You don't have to be a writer to write Fanfiction. Actually...you don't even have to be anything. All you really need is to have an idea and a love for a show/book/movie. The rest will just take care of itself. Even though you don't exactly get paid to write fanfiction, there are plenty of fanfiction stories that have become Best Selling Books due to the author changing character's names and traits enough to make it original. In a way, it is possible to make a living out of fanfiction, and you can obviously make a salary from it if you do choose to publish it as a book.
Fanfiction is still FAN-fiction. Although the plot might be yours, the characters of your story aren't. It is important to give the creater and/or owner of whatever you're writing fanfiction for credit. If you're taking some things from another fanfiction author's story, you should PM them on that site and ask them if they'll let you use some of their things to avoid any Online-quarells.
With that in mind, I hope you were able to learn a little bit about why Fanfiction is life. Now go forth, dear peasant, and get lost in the land of Fanfics. If you need me, I will most likely be binging/crying over stories in the Criminal Minds
Fanfiction Archive (while eating icecream.)
