How does it relate to fanfiction?

You know there maybe a tutorial lurking in these scattered thoughts.

Now having covered the benefits of fiction, I had to ask myself why bother writing fanfiction. You can't sell it, some owners get down right snarly about it, and it seems on the surface such a waste of time.

Something created is never a waste of time.

And the readers who enjoy it are getting the same benefits that were listed for original fiction.

If nothing else, fanfictions make good practice. Many have gone from fanfiction writing to book publishing (and I can't wait till my name is on that list). Hell, Peter David has made a lucrative career out of book publishing fanfictions. (Paramount does not consider any Star Trek books canon, FYI.) Looking at my writings, I started by rewriting books I had enjoyed reading. Fanfictions are hardly any different. For many people it's their first foray into writing; they could make things more difficult without using the established characters, settings, situations; but don't they have enough just learning to put together a coherent story?

At this point, fanfiction writing for me is practice and a source of pride. I love the stuff I chose to write about (I have to get the stories out of my head regardless) and I have readers I make happy.

And really that is what it boils down to, making your readers happy. Even if you totally upset them with what happens in the story, they'll respect you for doing it. And that somehow transfer to readers' happiness. *Shrug* I don't understand it either. But I do know I absolutely hated what happened in Mostly Harmless, but I'm going to get and read the sixth Hitchhiker someday.

Read Free!
The BookWorm