For me, fanfiction is entirely self-serving. I write what I love, and I love to write.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I write when I find time, adding chapter after chapter to my beloved seven-part book series that has reached over one million views across three platforms. I started it because I was bored in lockdown and wanted to read about a character in a TV show I was watching. Not because anyone asked or because it was trending at the time. Back then, I wrote for me<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It wasn\u2019t a coincidence that other people saw it. I uploaded the books to Wattpad, Tumblr, and AO3 as I needed an archive, somewhere to store my X Reader without using 30GB of storage on my phone. I got views quickly, and every time someone commented, I chased the high of becoming an authority in a very niche fandom – ranking first out of thousands of stories with the same tags.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Five years later, my updates have slowed down despite my best efforts. I had oodles of free time in college when I started my fic, but during university, I realised I don\u2019t have spare afternoons to devote to tapping on my laptop. I have to work. I want to see friends. Life got in the way. <\/p>\n\n\n\n I\u2019m grateful for every click, comment, and kudos. The idea that people actively want to read what I write in my bedroom makes my heart feel all fuzzy. Thank you<\/em> to those who do. But to those who flood my comment section and inbox with \u2018please update\u2019<\/em>, \u2018next chapter\u2019<\/em>, \u2018are you dead?\u2019<\/em>, back the fuck off<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Unfortunately, being a functioning human being with responsibilities and hobbies outside of my online persona isn\u2019t a good enough excuse for some of my readers. I want to stress that the vast majority are sweethearts, sending their love and appreciation from America to Nigeria to Australia, and even Mongolia. But there are a few bad apples spoiling the rest, and I\u2019m getting fed up with their incessant spam.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I appreciate that my writing is apparently so good that people are beside themselves with anticipation for what happens next. It\u2019s every author\u2019s ambition to draw that sort of reaction, but there\u2019s an etiquette to fanfiction – an unspoken rule of give<\/em> and return<\/em>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n I give you the fanfiction. You return engagement. Thus, the author and reader are both fed to continue the story.<\/p>\n\n\n\n However, I feel like this rule has been forgotten. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Gone are the days when someone would finish the first arc of my series and gush about what made them feel joy, what made them feel sad\u2013how they hope my pillow is cool on both sides at night and how they can\u2019t wait to read more<\/em>. I welcome those kinds of comments with open arms. Now I\u2019m lucky if I get a push of the kudos button, let alone a message. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Some people seem to think it\u2019s their God-given right to receive an update if they ask for one. They take the time to type \u2018more, please. Now\u2019,<\/em> and think that will inspire me to keep going. Let me tell you, it doesn\u2019t<\/em>. Fanfiction starts to feel like a chore when you\u2019re working to other people\u2019s deadlines. <\/p>\n\n\n\n I didn\u2019t start writing to please others, but now that I\u2019ve found a community, I want to talk to those in it. I don\u2019t want to fling chapter after chapter into the aether, only to receive nothing back. Tell me what you liked. Tell me what you didn\u2019t like. Show me a sign of life beyond your greed for my time and creativity. <\/p>\n\n\n\n It takes hours to finish a chapter. I still work, and I still want to see my friends. I\u2019m trying to fit fanfiction in between, but I\u2019m not going to put in all the effort if all you can be bothered to reply with is\u2026 \u201cyou need to post more\u201d.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n As a fanfiction author, I don\u2019t owe you, the reader, anything. This is my hobby. My series. Something I love to do – for free<\/em>. I<\/em> decide when to write, what I will write, and who gets the pleasure of reading it. For me, fanfiction is entirely self-serving. I write what I love, and I love to write. I write when I find time, adding chapter after chapter to my beloved seven-part book series that has reached over one million views across three platforms. I started it because I was bored in lockdown and wanted to read […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":110,"featured_media":1127,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"off","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[37,23,57,81,63,79],"class_list":["post-1125","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-kudos-posts","tag-ao3","tag-fanfic","tag-fanfiction","tag-reading","tag-wattpad","tag-writing"],"yoast_head":"\n
So, dearest reader<\/em>, take what you\u2019re given, when you\u2019re given it, and be grateful. Take the time to like<\/em>, share<\/em>, and comment<\/em>. Draw me some fan-art or create a moodboard. Send a DM about your theories about my ship. If you ask nicely and renew my energy and excitement for the fandom we share, you\u2019ll get that update you so desperately crave.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"