A Defense of Fan Fiction
A little while back, there was a debate on Twitter about fanfiction and whether it was a worthy medium for writers to cut their teeth on. The entire thread is worth reading, if only to see what assumptions were out there, but you can skip it if you don’t feel like raging out. The essence of the thread is that there is no literary merit in fanfiction, and it’s a waste of time for all involved.
If you can’t tell already, my opinion on this matter is very much in defense of fanfiction. I wrote and consumed my own throughout middle and high school, and after a long break, I’ve found myself back in the thick of things. In terms of creativity, you’re working with prefabbed characters in a sandbox environment. You can do just about anything you want. And that particular aspect is incredibly appealing for people who don’t see themselves reflected in mainstream literature. Do you need more queer content? Maybe you want to work through something via a character you see yourself in. Maybe you don’t have access to creative writing classes, but desperately want to learn. Maybe you just really want to read smut with your favorite characters paired together. You can even designate your favorite character neurodivergent. Whatever combination you want! There are all sorts of situations where fanfiction can help fill voids that you might not have even been aware existing. Make it yourself within the fandom, or find other like-minded individuals to communicate and read with. It’s free content, to boot, so if you’re unable to purchase books or are too far from a library, you can at least be reading something that holds your interest and lets your imagination soar.
I’m very deep in the Hades fandom these days, but the quality of writing has increased so much from when I was first into fanfiction. The following stories don’t require much background knowledge of the Hades videogame at all, and the prose is such that it could probably bodyslam several books off your shelf.
Do you have any fanfiction that you feel has merit of any kind? By all means, share them with us!
We’re open to any and all fandoms and will gladly support the amazing sandbox that is fanfiction and the writers and readers that encapsulate the community.
Regi’s Picks:
Watch the Tide Come In - Easily one of the best things I’ve read in 2021. Hermes is sent to a small beach town to recover after a car accident, stuck in a hotel run by his uncle Hades, and is weirdly drawn to the general store owner. 1970s alternate universe, but to be honest it’s so much more than that summary.
https://archiveofourown.org/works/28098792/chapters/68846121
The Inherent Eroticism of Peccadillo - Why stay in Greece when you could have a Hermes and Charon Western Bounty Hunter alternate universe that reads like Terry Pratchett?
https://archiveofourown.org/works/27888205/chapters/68288209
From Then To Here - A full backstory of how Charon and Hermes began working together as it relates to the building, maintenance, and evolution of the Underworld
https://archiveofourown.org/works/28191423/chapters/69079911
Midnight Ocean - Inspired by the story of Eros and Psyche, a marriage of convenience tale between Zagreus and Thanatos, complete with secret identity antics and gorgeous imagery
https://archiveofourown.org/works/29384892/chapters/72186894
Achilles, the Relationship Counselor - Achilles is a war veteran with PTSD, and Zagreus seeks his help. There’s a lot of hurt in this one, so really mind the content warnings. I consistently have to stop and breathe after some chapters. A modern alternate universe that combines Hades with The Song of Achilles
https://archiveofourown.org/works/27600791/chapters/67522283
Essay by Regi
Twitter: @IgnatiaStrigha
