fan fiction

literature

Also known as: fanfic

Written by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last updated

July 16, 2026

Quick Summary

Fan fiction, often shortened to fanfic, refers to stories written by fans that feature existing fictional characters or real-life celebrities. This practice has a long history, with early examples dating back to the 18th century, predating the internet.123

Fan fiction is typically posted online on dedicated websites like Archive of Our Own, Fanfiction.net, and Wattpad, attracting millions of readers. While some fan fiction is created for enjoyment and shared within communities, it has also served as a platform for aspiring authors to hone their writing skills, with some eventually achieving traditional publishing success. The genre encompasses a wide range of styles and themes, from exploring alternative endings to existing narratives to creating entirely new adventures for beloved characters.2

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

3 Britannica Sources

Ask Britannica AI about this topic

Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.

content community
…extensions of existing stories (fan fiction), producing self-made videos (scenes or video logs: vlogs) or video montages (fanvids), and creating costumes (cosplays). These authors are gathered in informal online groups and spread their creation (or representations of their creations, i.e., photographs of their costumes) within content communities and so…
Read More
…extensions of existing stories (fan fiction), producing self-made videos (scenes or video logs: vlogs) or video montages (fanvids), and creating costumes (cosplays). These authors are gathered in informal online groups and spread their creation (or representations of their creations, i.e., photographs of their costumes) within content communities and so…
Read More

Famous Literary Fandoms
10 Notable Works of Fan Fiction
…yes, the solution could be fan fiction: stories written and read by fans, typically featuring preexisting fictional characters or real-life celebrities. Many successful traditionally published authors honed their craft writing fan fiction, including Meg Cabot and Neil Gaiman. Even famous writers who profess to hate fan fiction, such as Orson…
Read More
…yes, the solution could be fan fiction: stories written and read by fans, typically featuring preexisting fictional characters or real-life celebrities. Many successful traditionally published authors honed their craft writing fan fiction, including Meg Cabot and Neil Gaiman. Even famous writers who profess to hate fan fiction, such as Orson…
Read More