Have you read Fifty Shades of Grey? 

I haven’t. 

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But the only time I was seriously tempted to, was when I discovered that E. L. James’ global sexy-times phenomenon, started off as a piece of Twilight Fanfiction. Fanfiction is nothing new. The earliest works that can definitively be identified at fanfics date back to the 1700s, way before Star Wars became a thing. And that’s just the Euro-centric version of things. And since the very beginning, they have been tools for self-expression and subversion, especially for historically marginalized communities, genders and sexualities. 

I am proud that I write fanfiction. Some of the most painstaking illustration work I have done, has been fanart. For reasons we shall not be discussing, I also tend to fall into relatively unknown fandoms (Psycho-Pass, I am looking at you) and do a lot of queer, transmedia storytelling while I am at it. I do put my work up on AO3 (if you haven’t been there yet, do yourself a massive and click on the link) but I get to have more fun with it here. Fanfiction is also a great way for me to practice the creation of characters (I do OC work, deal with it) and apply the principles of world-building by expanding already known universes. I use a lot of it when I work with writers. 

So, go ahead. Have some fun.