Some thoughts on Fanfiction (Or, why Star Wars is to blame for it all)

Fanfiction.
When you see the word it probably brings certain things to mind. And if you're not an avid reader, then you're still probably not too far off base. Yeah, you'll find smut, you'll be introduced to weird things and there will be pairings you hadn't even imagined. It's a place where people can play, where there are no rules and anything is possible. All those things you ever-so wished would happen can come true. And it's wonderful.

I honestly don't see how any writer out there didn't start without writing FF on some level or another. It's really where creativity beings, where your passion for characters and stories and relationships starts, with things you already know about. It's also, I think, one of the most tempting things to do. We can't help but ship when we watch something, or read something. And sooner or later, you have an OTP, and then you're down the rabbit hole.

I have been, and always will be, an avid Star Wars fan. I started out pretty young (about 4) and it wasn't very long after my first viewing that I was already creating stories and adventures for Luke and Darth Vader and my own characters I made up in my head. I continued writing Star Wars stories--unfortunately, none of them were "published" because AO3  and such wonderful websites didn't exist back then (and I doubt they were very good!) and when shows like The Clone Wars came out, managed to write a 100,000 word story starring Ahsoka, Obi-Wan, Anakin, and others. All for nothing more than the pleasure of writing it. Nothing more than wanting to spend time with those characters and play in their universe.
That's really the most fantastic thing about fanfiction. People aren't paid. They simply have a love and they want to share it with others. For free.
And writing FF is where I started to enjoy writing. It was fun creating stories, it was fun thinking out plots and getting into the heads of characters I loved so very much. Honestly, the only reason I ever started writing my own things was because of an interview with...I can't remember which Star Wars author it was, but he mentioned that you won't be able to write Star Wars books without being an author to begin with. Well! That started that. I had to become an author.
Do I ever think I'll write a SW book? Oh, probably not. But it got me started in writing, because it was a passion of mine, I wanted to have fanfiction for a career and that drove me to do other things. And that interview I will always have it to thank.

I don't really have time to write FF anymore. The few I've written are out there, under TaylorLeighWrites, and I always hope to write more, there are so many fandoms that I'd love to play in, things to make my own, but for now those will have to stay in my head, or those few moments I have time to jot down a few sentences. Maybe it will happen. For now, I'll stick with filling up my kindle with other peoples' work and devouring it ravenously.

So, good people, go out and read, find wonderful authors--for there are many, and many of them are better than most real authors I've read--and write. Enjoy it all. And welcome to the madness.