Indeed, I am partial to a bit of Jbern. Even bought his published novel .

The first fanfic I ever read was "The Seventh Horcrux" by Melindaleo. I only stumbled across fanfiction because this was being touted as an early leak to Deathly Hallows. As a matter of fact it isn't far off, or as so I recall. Those two by Abraxen weren't too bad back in 2007 either.

 

The Psychic Serpent series.

Just because.

 

My recommendation for introducing someone to fanfiction is to have them read the Blood series by ShadeDancer, here are the fics in order: Blood Prince, Heir of Blood, Blood's Sacrifice and Blood Dance.

I have used these fics to introduce people to fanfiction before and they are generally well received.

 

I recommend checking the works of these authors if you're new to Fanfiction.

Nuhuh
dellacouer
leave this world
Rorschach's Blot
Shezza88
Taliath

By then after you've finished reading their works, it will severely spoil your future reads and leave you utterly disappointed.

 

What I do, is find out what other worlds people are familiar with. If they've watched Firefly, I start them out with nonjon's Browncoat book. If they've read the Dresden series, I toss shezza's crossover their way. If neither, normally light hearted comedy - Make a Wish, maybe. If they like the concept, I'll just make a list of 10-15 stories, and write a short description by each, and they can pick through what their mood prefers.

I've introduced a few people to fanfiction in this manner, and it works relatively well, I suppose.

 

Nonjon is defnitely a good place to start. The only time I introduced someone to fanfiction I linked This Means War (she's an eternal Jeco fangirl now), personally I stumbled on the Psychic Serpent - both great stories, at the time.

Which makes me wonder if it matters that much - to get hooked by fanfiction, you need to have a certain thirst to see the characters and the universe be explored thouroughly.

Linking the best auhtors definitely wouldn't work on a lot of people. Something accessible, with a decent hook and a bit of humour - Browncoat being ideal, if they're familiar with Firefly.

 

I'd probably point them to stories that are meaty, technically sound, and not huge departures from canon.

Nightmares of Futures Past by S'TarKan would top my list--it's basic cultural literacy for those who read Harry Potter fanfiction. Also, Backward with Purpose by Ella/Deadwoodpecker. Inverarity's Alexandra Quick and the ... novels would be another. All three are long, complex, close enough to canon (or, as with the last, don't overlap the Harry Potter 'verse) that they don't require a big change in how the characters sit in one's head. The quality of writing in each is very high as well, which won't turn people off.

Nonjon's Where in the World is Harry Potter trilogy is a good read after that, in part because it's funny as hell and also because it lampoons so much of the fandom. (Gay Draco, mpreg, sex-kitten Luna, etc.)

Much as I'd like to, I probably wouldn't start someone off with A Mother-In-Law's Love. (It takes a certain jaded eye for someone to be willing to wrap her mind around the Harry/Molly ship).

 

I have tried to get all my friends into fanfiction, but only one of them went for it. I can't even remember what fic I showed him first, but knowing me, it would have been a long, serious work.

If I got another friend to give it a go, I'd have them read A Stranger in an Unholy Land. Sequel may have been abandoned, but it remains one of the best, in my opinion. Wastelands of Time would be my second recommendation. While a oneshot might be a good idea, since it require less commitment on the reader's behalf, I don't know any good ones.

 

I forget how, but I got my sister into fanfiction some years ago. I don't know if I recommended her a specific story or what, but she got pretty into it and then started recommending me fics.

One of the ones she was all about and tried to get me to read (although I had already read some of it) was Lightning on the Wave's ginormous 7 part story.

Fail...

 

Link them to Oedipus Flower and sit back. Best intro to Fanfiction ever. Seriously.

 

The only story that has worked with everyone for me is "Path of Decision" by lulu42

 

:awesome

Why, no, I can't think of any better cherry-popper than Oedipus Flower.

... At least not if your idea of a cherry-popper is "Oh good God, it hurts!"

Not to imply that Oedipus Flower is a bad fic... Just a bad cherry-popper. Kinda like being dragged up the slopes of mt. Everest is a bad introduction to mountain climbing.

 

The fact that there simply is no cherry to pop is a major point of Oedipus in my opinion.

 

Did the sister not have a cherry either?

 

Anyone who cites Oedipus Flower as their gateway fic, is a person to stay the fuck away from. Even you would agree, Vash - don't lie.

 

LMFAO. Yeah. I do agree. Wife of an IRL friend of mine actually found Oedipus and mentioned it to me one day when the lot of us were sitting out at Olive Garden or something. Never laughed quite that hard over that awkward conversation.

And Vlad... came here because of one of my stories... Im not sure it was OF though. Think Amer might have too... Surprisingly avoidable individuals? I fink so. :3

 

If the person is a major HP fan, I'd probably recommend a redo fic like NoFP, a What-If like On The Way To Greatness, or give a link to a Post-DH C2 since that's definitely a genre that I've neglected.

If the person disliked some of the later books, I'd try to find a fic that addresses the peeves in question, or a total replacement like Power of Awakening.

I probably wouldn't try to get someone into HP fanfiction who didn't like the universe after giving the books a fair chance, might throw a crossover out there for the heck of it though.

 

I introduced a whole dorm at UNC Asheville to the wonders of Browncoat, Green Eyes. They absolutely ate it up and now they read most of DLP's fanfiction.

 

The first fanfic I ever read was reccomended to me by my mum Harry Potter and the Psychic Serpent. At the time I thought that that actually was cannon, it wasn't on a fanfiction site but on Wattpad, atleast untill I got to the lemon parts. No before that actually.

But anyway, I think that would be a perfect fic for a first-timer. It has mystery, romance it's not the best out there but good enough for a first read and it's been completed. Which is a must for anyones first story.

Then again there are some who don't like romance or mystery. For them I might reccomend something by Rorshachs Blot or Nonjon or something with a bit of action.

I recently recomended By the Divining Light by Enembee to someone on an IM. I don't think she's read it, if she has she hasn't commented, yet but I think that it would also be a good fic for someone new. Then again I'm probably wrong there.

For anyone you can't place maybe send them to that jo888 persons fic. The one that I tried to read was horrible but it seemed to have been well recieved.

 

A goddamn funny oneshot.