Fanfiction is a hot topic right now. Not only on fanfic websites like A03, but all across publishing and media. So let’s talk about why fanfic is booming: the pros, the controversies, the what ifs. Maybe by the end of this you’ll know how much you want to get involved in fanfic writing.
From Reylo to Rom-Coms
When looking at the start of this trend, many are pointing to Ali Hazelwood’s debut, The Love Hypothesis. This book began as a Reylo fanfic (Kylo Ren and Rey from Star Wars). Not only is this a best-selling rom-com, it’s also headed to the big screen. But the fanfic-to-trad pipeline is older than that. Fifty Shades of Grey was famously Twilight fanfiction, for instance. (And that’s not the first with a fanfic past.) Granted, I would agree that the recent surge began with Reylo fanfics after Ben Solo and Rey didn’t get their happily ever after. And that’s what fanfiction has always been about: giving fans closure when canon lets them down.
So why are certain “ships” popular?
Popular fandoms have nearly always exploded when something in the story leaves fans dissatisfied. (Like the ending of KPop Demon Hunters. BOO. At least we’re getting two more movies.) Anyway, these feelings can be so powerful that, suddenly, you’ll take a look at bookshelves and see a myriad of Reylo lookalikes donning the covers. Now, we’re starting to see Dramione: the relationship (or “ship”) name for Draco and Hermione from Harry Potter. This ship has been huge for decades despite its controversies (both because of how Draco treats Hermione in the books and due to J.K. Rowling’s harmful actions against the LGBTQIA+ community). Julie Soto’s Rose in Chains, which began as Dramione fanfiction, is a recent high-profile example. But it can be traced back to older books, too, like Cassandra Clare’s Mortal Instruments series. (Though some would argue that hers were more “inspired by” than literal fanfiction. That’s to say that even fanfic readers themselves can have a hard time defining what, exactly, counts.)
So here’s the one big question I keep hearing: Does the original author benefit? As far as I know, there’s no direct monetary compensation. There is, however, argument that these books reignite interest in the original work; therefore, boosting monetary gain.
But how does fanfic get published?
Here’s the technical side: when fanfiction is up for traditional publication, a lot has to change. Authors can’t just lift characters and worlds for monetary gain. They have to remove or rewrite all references to the original source. That means reshaping the world building and making the characters legally distinct. That’s why a book like Rose in Chains can be published. On A03, fanfic thrives because it’s non-monetized, shared freely with fans. But the moment money enters the equation, legal lines matter. This is why you won’t see publishers using “Draco” or “Harry Potter” in marketing materials. J.K. Rowling could theoretically sue. However, she doesn’t own the term “Dramione.” That was created outside of her work…and publishers trust the readers to put the pieces together on their own. Also, quite frankly, someone on J.K. Rowling’s team has to care enough to begin a lawsuit for one to happen.
So what are we gaining? And what’s at risk?
On one hand, fanfic getting published is exciting. To me, fanfiction has always been a playground for marginalized voices. Many of us first found queer romance through AO3, long before we could find it on bookstore shelves. (And I hope trad publishing starts lifting those voices up more.) On the other hand, I worry about A03’s original spirit. Fanfic wasn’t built to be a “backdoor” into traditional publishing. Fanfiction is supposed to be indulgent, exploratory, and community-driven. It’s about feelings more than polished structure and commercial viability. If too many people start posting fanfic as a way to land book deals, I fear we’re going to lose what made fanfic so magical in the first place.
Now, where’s it headed?
Overall, I suspect traditional publishers will continue courting fanfiction writers, especially in romance. The real question is this: Will they only scoop up massive A03 names, or will they actively nurture new voices? And will we see more queer and POC pairings make it big-time? (Because we absolutely should.) I think we may even see a surge of fanfiction-adjacent materials. Meaning, the way authors pitch their books could lean more toward fanfic pairings than comp titles.
No matter what happens, fanfiction has already started shaking up publishing. What started as for-fun stories in hidden corners of the internet is now influencing best-seller lists and Hollywood. And I think we’re just at the beginning.
What do you think?
Do you have a “ship” you want to see go viral? How do you see the industry changing?
~SAT
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I can speak to this as someone who wrote Pern fan fiction for over a decade. We had a club that published a quarterly newsletter from the early1990s to the mid 2000s. I also wrote Elfquest and Star Trek fan fiction for different clubs.
There was limited communication from some of the originators, and a general understanding that our work wasn’t to be sold in competition with the originators. There were also some authors who weren’t open to fan writing and would issue statements or even threats to fan writers. I guess they felt they had to defend their copyright at the expense of fan activity.
To me, the draw of fan fiction was how the authors had created such a vivid and compelling world. The kind of place you would want to go and live there. At least for our club, the emphasis was on continued storytelling in the world of Pern.
This seems different from the emphasis on “ships.” Not saying the more romantic or erotic emphasis is bad, just not the way our club was oriented.
Great insight! There’s lots of different ways to engage with fanfiction, so I love that you shared your experience with everyone. It’s definitely not *only* romance ships. But I do this that’s what we’ll mostly see crossover into trad publishing (at least at first) since romance tends to make the most money. But who knows! It’s anyone’s guess how it’ll continue to unfold.
~SAT