Fanfiction is one of those things people either love deeply or get annoyed by instantly. Personally, I think it sits in a gray area. It’s not bad, and it’s not exactly good either. It really depends on how you look at it and what you expect from writing in the first place. At its core, fanfiction exists largely because of writing practice. Most fans of anime, TV shows, or games write fanfiction to test their ability to build plots. It’s easier because the world already exists. If you’re borrowing Naruto’s universe or Pokémon’s logic, you already understand how that world works. You don’t need to invent rules from scratch—you just apply them. That, in itself, is a huge advantage. Another advantage is readers. Fanfiction gives you instant visibility. You’re borrowing from something that already has a massive fanbase, so people are naturally curious. Sometimes readers weren’t satisfied with a certain part of the original plot. Sometimes they wanted two characters to end up together. Sometimes they just want to see an alternate universe, a different version, or more of the story they already love. Fanfiction feeds that hunger. And the people who write fanfiction are passionate. That’s literally what it means—you’re a fan writing fiction. There’s nothing fake about that passion. But fanfiction isn’t officially accepted, and there’s a reason for it. Most people already understand why. If you created an entire world from scratch—characters, rules, history, emotions—and someone else comes in, alters the plot slightly, and starts earning money from it, that’s a problem. The effort was yours. The foundation was yours. What they’re using is your creation, your work, your imagination. That’s why monetization is where things get complicated. I don’t think fanfiction writers are villains. If anything, they’re like critics or assistants. They point out what could have been done better. They rewrite things in a way that they feel would have worked better. In that sense, fanfiction can even educate creators. It shows what readers want more of, what they didn’t like, and what resonated. But monetizing it? That’s where I personally draw the line. Fanfiction, to me, should be driven by passion, not profit. Patreon exists, yes, but even then it feels questionable. You’re essentially correcting or reworking someone else’s draft. You’re saying, “This could have been better.” That’s fine. But earning directly from someone else’s universe doesn’t sit right with me. That’s also why I don’t prefer writing fanfiction myself. I like freedom. I don’t like relying on someone else’s characters or rules. When you write fanfiction, that freedom is gone. Your story can never truly be adapted. It will always exist only for readers who already know the source. On top of that, fanfiction is extremely competitive. Ten writers can write ten completely different versions of the same story, all contradicting each other. There’s no single truth. With original fiction, the world is yours. It can’t be altered by others. Naruto and One Piece can never be the same universe—and that’s exactly the point. Each world stands on its own. Original fiction is harder. You have to build everything—plot, characters, logic, themes—from nothing. And once you try doing that, you’ll understand fanfiction writers better. You’ll also understand why creators get protective of their work. Imagine pouring everything into a story and then seeing someone else rewrite it, get more popular, and claim attention. Anyone would be fuming just observing that. Fanfiction also has the potential to become better than the original. That’s true in many cases. But at that point, it’s essentially a polished version of someone else’s famous draft. Naturally, readers might gravitate toward that instead of the original creator—and that’s exactly why it’s treated cautiously. Even alternate universes still rely on existing characters, and that’s why they’re still classified as fanfiction. Inspiration is fine. Direct usage isn’t. When it comes to original fiction, inspiration is everywhere. Tropes exist for a reason—the anti-hero, the antagonist, the bully, the morally gray character. You can take inspiration from anime, shows, games, anything. That’s the fun part. You’re taking pieces from many worlds and shaping something that belongs only to you. That sense of ownership matters. You might have fewer readers at first, but the pride hits differently. If your original work gains traction, the joy feels real. That’s something I don’t personally feel with fanfiction. That said, fanfiction is a great starting point for beginners. If you’re not confident in your skills, it’s a good way to learn structure, pacing, and audience response. It gives you feedback quickly. And if you transition into original fiction later, that experience helps a lot. I’ve imagined fanfiction myself. Pokémon, especially. I once imagined a darker version of Kanto—a more demonic twist where Pokémon and demons coexisted, balance was maintained, but the tone was much darker. It felt original to me. But Pokémon were still involved, so technically it was fanfiction. That realization is exactly why I’m saying fanfiction isn’t bad—it’s passionate, and it comes naturally to fans. I just personally choose original fiction. At the end of the day, it’s all about preference. What you enjoy writing. What kind of satisfaction you’re looking for. Neither path is wrong—but they aren’t the same either. That’s all I wanted to say.