Fan Fiction Encourages Writing​

I have had success with reluctant writers time and again when I ask them to write fan fiction. Fan fiction is generally defined as fiction written in worlds already created by other authors. An entire culture has been built online around fan fiction (the Harry Potter and Marvel universes are two examples), and if they choose, students can join these online communities to share their work and build community. But many students write fan fiction just for themselves.

Something about being able to immerse themselves in the world of their favorite characters helps them step back from their usual dislike of writing. They don't have to build everything from scratch, and they can use worlds and characters they already know and love to craft their own story.

Students of mine have written fan fiction based on Minecraft, Monster High, their favorite anime characters, and the Hatchet series. Another popular favorite is for students to write their own Choose Your Own Adventure style story.

Writing their own fan fiction can also inspire a love of reading others' fan fiction, which can be helpful for reluctant readers who would shun other types of reading materials.

If you have a reluctant writer (or reader) in your house, try introducing them to fan fiction. 

Photo by Les Anderson on Unsplash

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