Hi, I’m Lindsey. I love helping people discover their superpower, create compelling content, and feel excited about pitching and networking. I teach people how to pitch like a boss, network like a VIP, and write like an Oscar winner. Subscribe to my weekly newsletter for actionable creativity and career tips.
How Fandom Becomes Big Money
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Hi What is Fan Fiction?Fan fiction, aka fanfic, is unauthorized fiction written by fans based on an existing work (movies, TV, and books). It is a hobby. Fan fiction authors cannot officially publish and make money off of their work legally, because they do not own the IP (intellectual property). Think of it as a creative gym where you build craft and community—no membership required except love of the source material. Outsiders often look down on fan fiction because of stereotypes that it is “not real,” fake, unskilled work. How did Fanfic Start?Fan storytelling is older than the internet. It began with men writing their own Sherlock Holmes stories (called pastiches) in the 1880s. Even today there are scores of people writing and publishing their own Sherlock stories, which are versions of fan fiction. (Sherlock stories can be published because the character Sherlock Holmes is in the public domain.) Today’s fan fiction culture started in the 1970s at Star Trek conventions in fan-produced magazines that people would make and pass out for free. Fanfic really took off in the 1990s with the start of internet culture and online forums. Where do you Post?There are lots of fan fiction sites. Here are the three most popular:
What do People Write?Everything. But here are fan-favorite zones:
Why Write Fan Fiction?
How to PublishIf you want to publish for pay, you’ll need to transform it into an original work. Fan fiction writers call this “filing off the serial numbers.” This is the industry term for transforming your fiction into a legally distinct novel with new names, new world building, altered dynamics, fresh plots, so it’s no longer tied to the source IP. E.L. James famously did this with Fifty Shades of Grey, which began as Twilight fanfic. Fifty Shades’ breakout status brought new attention to the possibilities of fanfic. Inspiration for ScreenplaysReworked fan fiction is a wonderful way to generate screenplay ideas. Think of your favorite story universes as another place to mine for templates. High-engagement stories show audience appetite (Tropes! Love! Angst!)—and when reworked into fresh IP, they’re pitch-ready for adaptation. Takeaways
Books that Started as FanFicAlchemised by SenLin Yo – Dramione – epic fantasy* The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood – Star Wars: Kylo & Rey (Reylo) – scientists in love* Forget Me Not by Julie Soto – Dramione – Flower Shop romance The Hurricane Wars by Thea Guanzon – Rylo – epic fantasy Knives, Seasonings, and a Dash of Love by Katrina Kwan – Rylo – romance among chefs After by Anna Todd – One Direction – romance* *optioned for film Learn MoreThe Creative Penn, Writing Fan Fiction with KimBoo York – podcast Out from Fanfic: Transforming Creative Freedom by Kimboo York Legendary Pays 7 Figures for Alchemised, Book that Began as Harry Potter Fan Fiction From Friends to Lovers: The Fanfic to Romance Pipeline Goes Mainstream How Fan Fiction Went From Dirty Little Secret to Money Machine If this newsletter adds a little spark to your writing week, would you consider buying me a coffee? Your support helps me keep creating practical, joyful resources for writers. PS: Totally no pressure! Reading, sharing, and replying are also wonderful support. In Case You Missed ItSelling Your Books at Live Events: Where to Sell and Table Tricks Selling Your Books at Live Events: How to Talk to Customers Selling Your Books at Live Events: Dealing with Money Cheers, Lindsey Thanks for reading! You can share this article here. Was this week's newsletter useful? Help me to improve! Click on a link to vote: 👍Super! - 😐 Meh - 👎 Not my jam |
Hi I'm Lindsey Hughes
Hi, I’m Lindsey. I love helping people discover their superpower, create compelling content, and feel excited about pitching and networking. I teach people how to pitch like a boss, network like a VIP, and write like an Oscar winner. Subscribe to my weekly newsletter for actionable creativity and career tips.
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