I've been reading fanfiction for a while now (like 2 years?) and while it's been fun, it's almost like eating potato chips (crisps) for dinner. I feel almost as if I should have donated the time spent on fanfiction on other works, and recently I've stopped searching for new stories, just focusing on whatever updates. I've read some good stuff outside the PotterFanFic universe in this time too; The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test, Notes of a Dirty Old Man, and a lot of other beat stuff.

I'm not flaming the potter verse at all, as I am still a fairly avid reader, but one question burns at me: has anyone gone from the potter verse into actual writing? Has anyone actually written original work and sought to get it published?

I'm thinking primarily of Tinn, and others of her calibre, when i write this. It seems almost a waste for people with obviously great writing styles and original ideas, to squander it on a story that's already been told. It sounds like I'm flaming the fandom, or fan fiction in general, but that's not at all the case. I'm merely curious to see if any have tried their hands professionally.

And if nobody has, someone should, because there are some incredibly talented authers (in this fandom especially) that could move onto something bigger.

Edit: Sorry Tinn! Does it help that i really like your writing?

 

Jbern, I believe is writing a couple of Original Pieces to have published.

 

You better correct Tin to Tinn or she'll kill you.

Seriously, she will.

I'm pretty sure a few people have moved on, though that's usually kind of awful, because it usually means they abandon whatever project of theirs I've been reading.

 

Uh... Yes, a lot?

Thanks very much for the praise. To answer your question, I've thought of writing original fiction (and I know of a couple of fanfiction authors who do more than just think about it), and I've got a couple of ideas, but... yeah, not much time for that right now. I should hurry up before my studies become really overwhelming, I guess... Or I'll write once they're over.

Ten years from now.

*is late for her training in hospital*

 

I've written a few alternate histories, but that's it.

Most of them were shit.

 

I've had a few epic ideas here and there for original pieces, but I've never made an attempt to plot them out yet.

 

Yes, some people do successfully make the transition over. One I can think of off the top of my head is the (in?)famous Cassandra Claire, she has a series of her own out. Sarah Rhees Brennan, who has published a young adults' fantasy novel, also used to write Harry Potter fanfiction.

I can think of a few others, but most of the ones I've heard of regrettably wrote slash in HP fandom, so those two examples shall suffice.

 

Yes actually, I've submitted to Asimov's Science Fiction and Analog Science Fiction and Fact a few times. I've never gotten anything published with either of them but the letters I've got back tell me that at least someone human read it and it wasn't just a form rejection letter as the last few have had suggestions for how to improve those specific stories into something they would buy.

I've got no dreams of becoming a real live author but I've got a definite goal to sell at least one piece so I can join the SFWA. Why do I want to get into the SFWA? Because they publish a directory of their members. Ever read a good book and think to yourself "I wonder why they did it that way?", well if you've got a list of authors and their home addresses you just might get your questions answered...

Not to mention that while I may fail at many other things in life, for that one month/issue, I'll actually be successful. Is the $150 I'd get for a story really worth the effort? Hell no, I've put so much time into pursuing this one dream it'd be laughable to consider it a wage, but to have a goal, work towards it, and finally achieve something worthwhile... That's priceless. There's only a few things in life I've really been proud of myself for earning, but my name on the cover of a respected magazine like Asimov's? That's something.

 

I have definatly had the idea's for novel's, when I was younger I used to write notebook's full of 'novel's'. Which now look like a ten year old wrote them, well a ten year old did write them. Anyway the main thing is, someday I hope to be an author, but not until after I graduate from college with my Nursing degree. Hopefully writing fanfiction will help me out with any writing I plan to do in the future.