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When a story is written, it inevitably cannot go on forever or fans of the novel/series will decide they don't like what a character does or what happens to them. This also extends to people thinking that a particular story needs to go in a different direction and of course, people can just become plain bored while reading. These are the main reasons behind fan fiction, but these aren't the only reasons people write fan fiction. Some also write fan fiction (mostly when starting out) because it gives them a ready-made world with which to set their story in, replete with already established characters.

Below is a further explanation of the reasons.

1) Story continuation

There are points in time when an author will get fed up of writing about the same characters or worlds and that is understandable even if the writers are in love with them. Or there comes a time when there is simply nothing more to tell about a story, world or a set of characters.

This is where fan fiction can come in, regardless of whether it is endorsed by the authors of the original work or not. And let's face it, there isn't much authors can do to stop people writing fan fiction as long as it isn't sold.

2) Fans disagree on certain events or interpret characters etc. differently or they simply want to make elements of a book different:

When a fan reads a book, they must inevitably be hooked when they start reading. But what happens after they've gotten far into a book or series? They can start to become disillusioned or just plain disagree with what happens because they have different thoughts on what should happen.

This is where fans will start writing fan fiction and where they will rewrite the story and characters to fit their own imaginings. When reading, you are after-all using your imagination to try and capture an image that the words on the page or screen you are reading from try to convey.

Naturally, fan fiction for this very reason can often be far from what the original author intended. A lot of it can be very badly written as well. There are some gems out there however, regardless of whether the fans have received permission to write a story with another author's story or world.

3) Beginning writers use another's characters/world/story for practice:

For new writers, the idea of using another's work without the intent to try and profit from it can be great. What does it give them?

They have the basic framework of a story already established without ever needing to put pen to paper or rather, do any typing. They don't even need to give too much thought to the story before starting because again, they have a strong foundation of work to draw upon already for ideas. It is a great way for beginning writers to just dive into writing.

While the reasons why one might write fan fiction have been explained, there is one question left to be answered. The question is as follows:

Should I write fan fiction?

The answer is both yes and no. You should write it when starting out and getting to grips with style, grammar etc. but should you write fan fiction for a long time? The answer is a definite no. In fact, I'd recommend spending as little time as possible on it.

Bottom line:

As soon as you feel ready, you should start doing your best to develop your own ideas. It is after-all what writing is about and your creativity will benefit from it. Plus, you should also find it enjoyable. There's nothing as great as putting a lot of effort into your own original work (if there is such a thing as a totally original work anymore) and having it all come together. You can feel a great sense of pride in creating something that is truly your own work.

Learn more about this author, Dan Cartwright.
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