Confession time: I both read and write (or have written) fanfiction. When I find something that I just can't get enough of—be it a book or a TV show or a movie—I often delve into that world's fanfic (and videos and art) to keep the obsession love alive.
I read more than I write, in part because I just don't have enough time to sit down and do it, and also because I'm terrible at following through on writing ideas. But I think fanfic can be an awesome creative outlet, and I've stumbled across quite a few fics that are really fantastic, both for their unique plots and their author's grasp of the written word. (As an editor, it can be really hard for me to read some stories. The idea might be awesome, but I just can't deal with terrible grammar and mechanics. I try to overlook some of it, but my good graces only extend so far.)
I'm pretty bad about saving fanfics when I find them, so these might not be my favorites, favorites, but they're fun, regardless.
Five Favorite Fanfics
5 | My Brother's Best Friend, Twilight
Seven years later, living with your older brother no longer held its charms. When she really thought about it, she only had herself to blame,. When she was a teenager, she idolized Emmett. Everyone did. In high school, he was popular, one of the best linemen on the football team, and all the girls wanted to be his girlfriend.
Well, either Emmett or him.
She let out a short breath.
Edward.
She could now think his name without any heightened emotions.
During my Twilight fandom days, I found myself gravitating toward stories in which Emmet was Bella's older brother. This story, a contemporary AU, has this trope plus Edward being his best friend. growing up, I often thought about how awesome it would have been to have an older brother with hot friends. Sadly, as an only child, I had to turn to fantasy to find out what that was like. This story is complete.
4 | Simon Snow: True Love's Kiss, Fangirl
None of this is helpful, Baz told himself sternly. None of it was waking Simon. He had to try something, but he was afraid. Afraid he would make things worse. And there wasn't a lot of leeway for worse here. He put his fingers over Simon's mouth, feeling for breath (it was still there, wasn't it? just faintly? it was, it had to be). He didn't even know exactly which spell he was trying to counteract. Living death, living death ... there were many variations of this, a whole subset that involved apples, though manifestly not this one ... Baz stopped. Oh, Bill Bulter and the Golden Dawn, I am such an idiot. The counter-spell was obvious. He shifter nervously, looking around, though of course no one was there. He looked at Simon's pale face. He has to at least try it.
Baz pulled out his wand and touched Simon's mouth with the tip. Quietly, he said, "True love's kiss." The wand end glowed slightly, and Baz waited, but nothing else happened. Baz closed his eyes. Not unexpected, but still. He leaned over, held his breath a moment, and then kissed Simon softly.
I worked on a post about Fangirl fan "stuff" for FYA last year and found this story in my search. If you've never read Fangirl, you might not know that Simon Snow is a character in a fictional novel in the world of Fangirl that the main character of Fangirl (Cath) writes fanfiction about. (Phew!) This story reminded me of something Cath might write. The story is complete; I'm curious to see if there's any similarities between it and real Simon Snow book coming out this fall.
3 | Let's Go to the Mall, The 100
Clarke Griffin loved her job. Really, she did.
Two months ago when her favorite art supply store in the local mall had posted job offerings for the summer she’d been one of the first to hand in an application. She’d landed the job two days later.
No, Clarke Griffin loved her job. What she didn’t love was the hot (wait, she didn’t really just think that, did she?) asshole who worked in the bookstore right across the aisle.
Because Bellamy Blake was an asshole. A nicely dressed, dark-haired, freckled, sarcastic asshole. And Clarke hated him.
Really.
One of the reasons I love the relationship between the characters of Clarke and Bellamy on The 100 is how it's grown and changed over the course of two seasons. At the start, they despise each other—yay enemistry!—but they slowly learn to trust and rely on each other. By the end of the second season, they are co-leaders and friends. (I want them to be so much more than that, but we shall see ...) This story, a contemporary AU, follows a similar path. It isn't completed yet, but is 10 chapters in.
2 | Hey Bartender, The 100
Bellamy just rolls his eyes and moves over closer to her side of the bar. He is moving like a man who has mapped this course enough times to do it in his sleep until Clarke tries to take a quick turn to the register and collides right into his chest.
Fortunately they had both just put their respective orders down and the mess is minimal, but the force of the hit nearly sends Clarke to the floor. Bellamy instinctively reaches out to grab around her waist and it’s the first time he actually sees the blonde who’s taken over part of his bar.
She’s striking and her blue eyes flash with a passion he’s never seen. Unfortunately that passion seems to be playing itself out as anger in his direction and he’s too annoyed by her mere presence to actually appreciate anything she has to offer.
“Watch where you’re going.” She bites out, pushing past him quickly.
I found the first chapter of this story on Tumblr—the mecca of fandoms—and immediately loved the enemistry within. The story is a contemporary AU in which Clarke and Bellamy are co-bartenders at a bar in a college town, and they do not get along at first. But, of course, that's what makes it so much fun. This story isn't complete yet, but does have 7 chapters with which to whet your whistle. *wink, wink, nudge, nudge*
1 | The Feel-Good Hit of the Summer, The 100
I'm sent by Rolling Stone to shadow The 100 for two weeks to document a very precise moment in time for their careers. They're about to be pushed over the edge into superstardom, and I’m lucky enough to catch them at the moment when their fingertips are just starting to slip from the precipice.
We meet in neutral territory in a private room at ARK headquarters in LA. They’re spread out around a vegan-leather couch like a NYLON photoshoot. Blake the Elder is sprawled on the sofa, legs spread wide, arms comfortably extended across the back of the couch, studiedly relaxed in a way that suggests he’s anything but. Clarke Griffin is seated next to him with a tight, polite smile, back ram-rod straight. Jasper Jordan is on the floor by their feet, mouth slightly open (I’ve interrupted an intense game of Flappy Bird). Monty Green is perched on an arm rest looking uncomfortable and about twelve years old. Raven Reyes is standing behind them all, arms crossed, looking like she’s got about a thousand more useful things she could be doing with her time and also kind of like she wants to beat me up.
They’re just kids.
This is one of the first The 100 fanfics I stumbled across in my hunt, and it felt like fate. This story is SO GOOD. It falls into the genre of "rock band AU," which really fits the aesthetic of the show. This story is also complete, so no having towait with bated breath on the next chapter. If you only read one off this list—definitely choose this one.
P.S.—Because some of you might be wondering—and because I have no shame:
- I've written/co-written two alternate universe (AU) stories for the Twilight Saga: one a contemporary piece and the other, a noir-ish story set in the 1920s;
- One set in the Harry Potter universe;
- One about Simon Snow from Fangirl;
- And I started an AU contemporary story for The 100, because I just can't get enough Bellarke.
Learn more about 5 Fandom Friday and check out the prompts for August.
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