Fanfiction arises from natural human curiosity.

When authors build a world to tell their story in, by neccessity, they must leave out areas of that world which are irrelevant to that story. In the same vein that has driven great minds to discover the how and why of the universe, particularly creative fans feel compelled to flesh out what is only hinted at or even omitted entirely. From minor characters whom little is known about to absolute throw-away characters who are included for atmosphere and nothing more, the established world does not lack for writing material. There are triumphs and tragedies that occur beyond the scope of the written or filmed story, and it is the self-appointed task of these fans to share them.

One must also consider the famous question, "And then?" There will always be those who are not satisfied with the way a book or movie or television show ends. Either too much is left unsolved or the ending is just plain unsatisfactory. Fans who feel strongly enough will be motivated to write and share their own interpretation of how things should have happened. In this case, the major characters see even more time in the public eye. This sort of writing can also come into play to feed the hunger and cravings when there is an excessive delay between publications (Case in point is the Harry Potter series; book 4 published July 2000 [US], book 5 published June 21, 2003).

Those who have never had the urge to write things their way look at fanfic writers as though we have two heads and both of them need professional psychiatric help. As a reader for the past eight years, I know that following the tale that has been told, often told better than the original material (this is more noticable with television-based fandoms), can strike a chord inside the heart and mind that screams out "This is good! This is great!" A well-told tale can put readers through the emotional wringer and leave them hungry for more. As a writer for the past six years, I can say that there's little reward in the buisness of fanfiction. Most people hate what you write or worse, are indifferent. The joy that comes from the first review or e-mail saying, "I really enjoyed this. Thank you." is indescribable. But we don't do it for the glory, we don't do it for the praise. We certainly don't do it because we get paid. We write because, damn it, we've got a story that needs to be told. Whether it's read by a thousand people or no one at all, my Muse has spoken and she will not be denied.

An editorial by Dethryl, published and © MMII