Diksia.com - Harry Potter is one of the most beloved and influential book series of all time, with millions of fans around the world. The story of the boy wizard and his friends has inspired countless readers to imagine and create their own stories set in the magical world of Hogwarts and beyond. These stories are known as Harry Potter fanfic, or fanfiction, and they are a form of creative writing that uses the characters, settings, and themes of the original work as a basis for new and original stories.
Harry Potter fanfic is a popular and diverse genre of fanfiction, with hundreds of thousands of stories available online on platforms such as Archive of Our Own, Wattpad, and FanFiction.Net. Harry Potter fanfic covers a wide range of topics, genres, and styles, from romance and comedy to adventure and horror, from canon-compliant and alternate universe to crossover and time travel. Harry Potter fanfic also features a variety of pairings, ships, and relationships, from canon ones such as Harry/Ginny and Ron/Hermione, to non-canon ones such as Draco/Harry and Sirius/Remus, to rare and crack ones such as Voldemort/Dobby and Hagrid/Umbrella.
Harry Potter fanfic is not only a source of entertainment and enjoyment for fans, but also a way of expressing their creativity, identity, and passion. Harry Potter fanfic allows fans to explore the aspects of the Harry Potter universe that interest them, to fill in the gaps and answer the questions that the original work left unanswered, to challenge and critique the canon and offer alternative perspectives, to experiment with different genres, formats, and techniques, and to connect and communicate with other fans who share their interests and views. Harry Potter fanfic is also a form of learning and development, as fans improve their writing skills, expand their vocabulary, and discover new ideas and information through their fanfic.
In this article, we will explore the history, types, and benefits of Harry Potter fanfic, and provide some tips and resources for writing and reading Harry Potter fanfic.
History of Harry Potter Fanfic
Harry Potter fanfic has a long and rich history, dating back to the early days of the Harry Potter fandom. The first Harry Potter book, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, was published in 1997, and soon attracted a large and enthusiastic fan base. The first Harry Potter fanfic was posted online in 1998, on a website called Sugar Quill, which was dedicated to Harry Potter fanfic and fan art. Sugar Quill was one of the first and most influential Harry Potter fanfic websites, and it established some of the conventions and standards of Harry Potter fanfic, such as the rating system, the beta-reading process, and the ship names.
As the Harry Potter fandom grew, so did the number and variety of Harry Potter fanfic websites. Some of the most popular and prominent ones were FictionAlley, which was founded in 2001 and hosted over 60,000 stories, The Leaky Cauldron, which was founded in 2000 and featured news, podcasts, and forums, and MuggleNet, which was founded in 1999 and offered quizzes, games, and interviews. These websites not only provided a platform for Harry Potter fanfic, but also fostered a sense of community and culture among Harry Potter fans, who discussed, debated, and celebrated their fanfic and fandom.
The Harry Potter fanfic scene also expanded and diversified with the advent of social media and other online platforms. Harry Potter fans used blogs, livejournal, tumblr, twitter, and other sites to share and promote their fanfic, as well as to interact and collaborate with other fans. Harry Potter fans also created and participated in various fanfic events and challenges, such as The Harry Potter Big Bang, which was a yearly event that required writers to produce a long and original fanfic, and The Yuletide Exchange, which was a secret santa-style gift exchange that involved writing fanfic for a randomly assigned recipient. Harry Potter fans also organized and attended fanfic conventions and festivals, such as LeakyCon, which was a multi-day event that featured panels, workshops, and performances related to Harry Potter fanfic and fandom.
The Harry Potter fanfic phenomenon also attracted the attention and recognition of the mainstream media and the academic world. Harry Potter fanfic was featured and discussed in various newspapers, magazines, podcasts, and documentaries, such as The New York Times, The Guardian, PotterCast, and We Are Wizards. Harry Potter fanfic was also the subject of numerous studies, books, and courses, such as Fan Fiction and Fan Communities in the Age of the Internet, The Fanfiction Reader, and The Literary Uses of Harry Potter. Harry Potter fanfic was also acknowledged and appreciated by the original author, J.K. Rowling, who expressed her support and gratitude for the fanfic community in several interviews and statements.
Types of Harry Potter Fanfic
Harry Potter fanfic is a diverse and dynamic genre, with many different types and categories. Some of the most common and popular types of Harry Potter fanfic are:
Canon-compliant
These are fanfic that follow the events and rules of the original work, and do not contradict or change anything that happened in the books or movies. Canon-compliant fanfic can be set before, during, or after the canon timeline, and can focus on the main characters or the minor or background characters. Canon-compliant fanfic can also explore the details and aspects of the Harry Potter universe that were not fully explained or explored in the canon, such as the history, culture, and politics of the wizarding world, the magic system and the spells, and the lives and personalities of the characters.
Some examples of canon-compliant fanfic are The Life and Times, which is a fanfic that tells the story of James and Lily Potter’s relationship at Hogwarts, and The Shoebox Project, which is a fanfic that depicts the friendship and romance of Sirius Black and Remus Lupin during their school years.
Alternate Universe (AU)
These are fanfic that change or diverge from the canon in some way, creating a different scenario or outcome for the characters and the story. AU fanfic can be based on a single point of divergence, such as a character making a different choice or a different event happening, or they can be based on a completely different premise or setting, such as a different genre or time period. AU fanfic can also mix and match elements from different sources, such as other books, movies, or fandoms, creating a crossover or a fusion.
Some examples of AU fanfic are Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality, which is a fanfic that reimagines Harry Potter as a genius and a scientist, and The Changeling, which is a fanfic that swaps the roles of Ginny Weasley and Hermione Granger, making Ginny a muggle-born and Hermione a pure-blood.
Missing Moment
These are fanfic that fill in the gaps or the blanks of the canon, providing additional scenes or perspectives that were not shown or told in the original work. Missing moment fanfic can be based on the canon events, such as the battles, the holidays, or the epilogue, or they can be based on the off-screen or off-page events, such as the characters’ thoughts, feelings, or actions that were not revealed or described in the canon. Missing moment fanfic can also provide insight or backstory for the characters, such as their motivations, relationships, or secrets.
Some examples of missing moment fanfic are The First Day, which is a fanfic that shows Harry Potter’s first day at Hogwarts from different points of view, and The Prince’s Tale, which is a fanfic that expands and elaborates on Severus Snape’s memories and emotions in the final book.
Fix-it
These are fanfic that attempt to correct or improve something that the fans disliked or disagreed with in the canon, such as a plot hole, a character death, or a pairing. Fix-it fanfic can rewrite or undo the canon events, or they can provide an alternative or a continuation to the canon ending. Fix-it fanfic can also address or resolve the issues or the conflicts that the fans felt were not handled well or satisfactorily in the canon, such as the character development, the representation, or the morality.
Some examples of fix-it fanfic are Backward With Purpose Part I: Always and Always, which is a fanfic that sends Harry, Ginny, and Ron back in time to prevent the deaths and the losses of the war, and The Sum of Their Parts, which is a fanfic that explores the consequences and the challenges of Harry Potter becoming a dark lord after the war.
Benefits of Harry Potter Fanfic
Harry Potter fanfic is not only a fun and enjoyable hobby, but also a beneficial and rewarding activity, with many positive effects and outcomes. Some of the benefits of Harry Potter fanfic are:
- Creativity: Harry Potter fanfic stimulates and enhances the creativity of the fans, as they use their imagination and originality to create new and unique stories based on the Harry Potter universe. Harry Potter fanfic also encourages and challenges the fans to experiment with different genres, formats, and techniques, and to explore different ideas and possibilities. Harry Potter fanfic also helps the fans to express their creativity, identity, and passion through their fanfic.
- Learning: Harry Potter fanfic facilitates and supports the learning and development of the fans, as they improve their writing skills, expand their vocabulary, and discover new knowledge and information through their fanfic. Harry Potter fanfic also exposes and introduces the fans to different perspectives, cultures, and experiences, and to different sources of inspiration and reference, such as other books, movies, or fandoms.
- Community: Harry Potter fanfic fosters and strengthens the sense of community and culture among the fans, as they share and enjoy their fanfic, and as they interact and collaborate with other fans who share their interests and views. Harry Potter fanfic also provides a platform and a medium for the fans to communicate and connect with each other, and to form friendships and relationships based on their fanfic and fandom.
- Enjoyment: Harry Potter fanfic provides a source of entertainment and enjoyment for the fans, as they read and write their fanfic, and as they immerse themselves in the magical world of Harry Potter. Harry Potter fanfic also offers a way of escapism and relaxation for the fans, as they cope with the stress and the challenges of their real lives, and as they find comfort and happiness in their fanfic.
Tips and Resources for Harry Potter Fanfic
If you are interested in writing or reading Harry Potter fanfic, here are some tips and resources that might help you:
Writing tips
Some of the tips for writing Harry Potter fanfic are:
- Know your canon: Before you write your fanfic, make sure you are familiar with the canon, and that you have a clear and consistent understanding of the characters, the settings, and the events of the Harry Potter universe. You can use the Harry Potter Wiki or the Pottermore website as references for the canon information and details.
- Choose your type: Decide what type of fanfic you want to write, and what you want to achieve with your fanfic. Do you want to follow the canon or change it? Do you want to focus on the main characters or the minor ones? Do you want to write a romance or a horror? Do you want to write a short story or a novel? Do you want to write a crossover or a fusion? These choices will affect the tone, the style, and the structure of your fanfic, and they will also determine the expectations and the preferences of your readers.
- Plan your plot: Before you start writing your fanfic, it is a good idea to have a general outline or a plan of your plot, and to know where you want to start and end your fanfic. This will help you to organize your ideas, to avoid plot holes and inconsistencies, and to maintain the flow and the pace of your fanfic. You can use tools such as Plot Generator or Story Planner to help you with your plot.
- Develop your characters: One of the most important and challenging aspects of writing Harry Potter fanfic is to develop your characters, and to make them believable and relatable. You can use the canon characters as a basis, but you can also add your own twist and interpretation to them, as long as you keep them in character and consistent. You can also create your own original characters, but you have to make sure they fit in the Harry Potter universe, and that they do not overshadow or contradict the canon characters. You can use tools such as Character Generator or Character Profile to help you with your characters.
- Edit and revise your fanfic: After you finish writing your fanfic, it is important to edit and revise your fanfic, and to check for spelling, grammar, punctuation, and formatting errors. You can use tools such as Grammarly or Hemingway to help you with your editing. You can also ask for feedback and suggestions from other fans or writers, and you can use a beta-reader, which is a person who reads and reviews your fanfic before you publish it. You can find beta-readers on websites such as Beta Finder or Fanfic Beta.
Reading tips
Some of the tips for reading Harry Potter fanfic are:
- Know your preferences: Before you read a fanfic, make sure you know what you are looking for, and what you like and dislike in a fanfic. Do you prefer canon-compliant or AU fanfic? Do you prefer a certain genre or style? Do you prefer a certain pairing or ship? Do you have any triggers or squicks that you want to avoid? These preferences will help you to narrow down your search, and to find the fanfic that suit your taste and mood.
- Use filters and tags: When you browse or search for a fanfic, you can use filters and tags to help you find the fanfic that match your criteria and preferences. Filters and tags are words or phrases that describe the fanfic, such as the rating, the genre, the characters, the pairings, the warnings, and the keywords. You can use filters and tags to include or exclude certain fanfic, and to sort and rank the fanfic according to your preferences. You can find filters and tags on the fanfic websites, or you can use tools such as [Fanfic Filter] or [Fanfic Tag Explorer] to help you with your filters and tags.
- Read the summary and the notes: Before you start reading a fanfic, it is a good idea to read the summary and the notes of the fanfic, and to get a general idea of what the fanfic is about, and what to expect from the fanfic. The summary and the notes are usually written by the author, and they provide a brief and concise overview of the fanfic, such as the plot, the characters, the pairings, the warnings, and the author’s comments. The summary and the notes can help you to decide whether you want to read the fanfic or not, and they can also prepare you for the fanfic.
- Leave a comment and a kudos: After you finish reading a fanfic, it is a nice gesture to leave a comment and a kudos for the fanfic, and to show your appreciation and support for the author. A comment and a kudos are feedbacks that you can give to the fanfic, and they can express your thoughts, feelings, opinions, and reactions to the fanfic. A comment and a kudos can also encourage and motivate the author to continue writing and improving their fanfic, and they can also help other readers to find and enjoy the fanfic.
Resources
Some of the resources for Harry Potter fanfic are:
Websites
There are many websites that host and archive Harry Potter fanfic, and that provide a platform and a community for Harry Potter fanfic writers and readers. Some of the most popular and prominent ones are:
- Archive of Our Own: Archive of Our Own, or AO3, is a fan-created and fan-run website that hosts over 7 million fanfic, including over 300,000 Harry Potter fanfic. AO3 is known for its user-friendly and customizable interface, its comprehensive and flexible filtering and tagging system, and its inclusive and diverse fanfic collection.
- Wattpad: Wattpad is a website and an app that hosts over 90 million stories, including over 200,000 Harry Potter fanfic. Wattpad is known for its social and interactive features, such as voting, commenting, messaging, and following, and its original and creative fanfic collection.
- FanFiction.Net: FanFiction.Net, or FFN, is one of the oldest and largest fanfic websites, with over 12 million fanfic, including over 800,000 Harry Potter fanfic. FFN is known for its simple and classic interface, its wide and varied fanfic collection, and its loyal and active fanfic community.
Podcasts
There are many podcasts that discuss and review Harry Potter fanfic, and that provide entertainment and information for Harry Potter fanfic fans. Some of the most popular and prominent ones are:
- PotterFicWeekly: PotterFicWeekly, or PFW, is a podcast that features a group of Harry Potter fanfic fans who read and review a selected Harry Potter fanfic each week, and who share their opinions, insights, and humor on the fanfic and the fandom.
- Fanatical Fics and Where to Find Them: Fanatical Fics and Where to Find Them, or FFWTFT, is a podcast that features two Harry Potter fanfic fans who read and comment on a random Harry Potter fanfic each episode, and who explore the weird and wonderful world of Harry Potter fanfic.
- The Real Weird Sisters: The Real Weird Sisters, or TRWS, is a podcast that features two sisters who are Harry Potter fans, and who read and analyze the Harry Potter books chapter by chapter, and who also read and react to Harry Potter fanfic on their bonus episodes.
Blogs
There are many blogs that write and recommend Harry Potter fanfic, and that provide tips and resources for Harry Potter fanfic writers and readers. Some of the most popular and prominent ones are:
- The Fanfic Recs: The Fanfic Recs, or TFR, is a blog that curates and recommends high-quality Harry Potter fanfic, and that provides detailed and helpful reviews and ratings for each fanfic.
- The Fanfic Lounge: The Fanfic Lounge, or TFL, is a blog that offers advice and guidance for Harry Potter fanfic writers, and that covers topics such as plot, character, dialogue, grammar, and style.
- The Fanfic Trope: The Fanfic Trope, or TFT, is a blog that explores and explains the common and popular tropes and themes of Harry Potter fanfic, and that provides examples and analysis for each trope.
Conclusion
Harry Potter fanfic is a magical world of creativity and possibility, where fans can create and enjoy their own stories based on the Harry Potter universe. Harry Potter fanfic has a long and rich history, a diverse and dynamic genre, and a beneficial and rewarding activity. Harry Potter fanfic also has many tips and resources that can help fans to write and read their fanfic. Harry Potter fanfic is a way of celebrating and honoring the Harry Potter fandom, and of expressing and sharing the love and passion for the Harry Potter story.
