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Fanfiction is fiction written by a fan, featuring elements (usually characters or settings) from another story. Since the advent of copyright law, fanfiction is often created to circumvent copyright laws because it is free to write, publish and read. Nobody gains any profit from other authors’ ideas. 

Fanfiction is an increasingly popular medium for storytelling. It is thriving despite the copyright restrictions, offering a way for amateurs to practice writing and fans disgruntled at subpar conclusions or lacking representation to fix certain aspects of the stories they love. 

Are you disappointed with the ending of a story? Are you unsatisfied with the main couple? Are you starved of strong women and protagonists of color? Fanfiction is the way to go. 

Archive of Our Own, often called AO3, hosts millions of stories. All of the stories on AO3 are free and have tags that tell you what you are getting into before reading a specific work.

Here is a selection of eight fanfictions I recommend reading over summer break:

“Masks and Ducklings” (Star Wars: The Clone Wars)

Clone Commander Fox finds a group of lost troopers roaming Coruscant and sets out to return them to their commanding officers before they get into any trouble. They witness Fox impersonate a Jedi, but unfortunately, no one will ever believe them.  

This is a perfect start to a series about Fox pretending to be a Jedi. I love how Fox is characterized.

About 3,000 words long. The series as a whole is about 20,000 words.

“Professor Strife’s Two Rules of Science” by AimeeLouWrites (Final Fantasy 7)

Cloud Strife finds himself in the past and somehow gets a job as a college professor. He teaches students such as Hollander, Hojo and Lucretia Crescent about the rules and ethics of science.

Strife is out of character as a science teacher, but that doesn’t make it any less hilarious. The time travel is never directly stated but is obviously and frequently implied throughout the story. 

All 3,500 words are told in a third-person narration, enhancing the mystery of how Cloud became Professor Strife.

“The Art of Pretence” by WitchFlame (Good Omens)

A vengeful, amateur witch summons the demon Crowley and he runs rings around her with rhetoric (and acting that would win him an Academy Award).

About 2,300 words long.

“Across the River of Stars” by Argentee (Star Wars: The Clone Wars)

It turns out that “Star Wars” didn’t occur a long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away. Earth exists in the same galaxy as Coruscant, Tatooine, Naboo and Alderaan, but it is Wild Space. Angeline escapes from Zygerrian slavers only to find herself on Coruscant during the Clone War. Luckily, she knows a bit of Mando’a. 

This is a world where George Lucas had Force visions, and Jedi are real. It features a strong and nurturing female protagonist, exciting uses of the Force and the power of song in trying times (aka using songs to pass messages under the noses of slavers). 

This is a terrific story and the first of a series.

About 12,000 words long. You must have an account on AO3 to read.

“An Undertow of Sand” by Shujin1 (Percy Jackson)

Whoever said that Zeus, Hades and Poseidon were the eldest gods? There are older gods. There are Elder Gods. They are watching. In this story, Percy is the son of a primordial god, much more powerful and eldritch than a paltry Olympian. 

This story is about two novels long and is heavy on worldbuilding. It may take the whole summer to read, but I promise it’s worth it. 

“Back Then, I Was Dauntless” by Night_Fury (Star Wars: The Clone Wars)

Obi-Wan Kenobi’s stay on Melida/Daan went differently than in the “Jedi Apprentice” books. This had consequences. One of these consequences is that Obi-Wan has a unique connection to the Force. 

This is the first installment in a series focused on setup. The second installment starts on the main plot of the series: Obi-Wan is captured, tortured and thought dead.

This is one of my favorite “Star Wars” series. It features gems such as a Jedi funeral, Obi-Wan’s unique Force connection and the clones’ small gods (which are exclusive to this series).

While the series is quite dark and full of angst, hope and healing are consistent themes. I wouldn’t recommend it if you’re squeamish, but otherwise, it is an amazing story.

The entire series is about two novels long. 

Written By The Victors by DragonflyxParodies (Winx Club)

Bloom is new to Alfea and the Magix realm. She has questions that no one will answer, and no one will tell her what makes a witch different from a fairy.

She’s a product of the American public school system; she knows that textbook censorship exists and that history is written by the victors. She used to have the Internet for stuff like this. When she stumbles upon one of the Trix at a coffee shop, she resorts to asking. She uncovers a realms-wide conspiracy.

Featuring an Alfea that is actually a college, consequences for Brandon and Sky switching places, racism and prejudice against witches, a genuinely benevolent AI and more. 

This is the first installment in a series. The series is about a novel long collectively.

“Fairytale of Doom” by CrimsonStarbird (Fairy Tail) 

Mavis messes up a spell and traps herself, Zeref and some of Fairy Tail’s strongest fighters in a book of fairytales. They are each assigned roles and go through significant character development while trying to escape their narrative confinement—basically, it’s a character study of almost all the trapped mages. 

The story’s portrayal of Jellal is powerful and poignant. Lucy discovers pride in a part of herself long reviled, Juvia exits her stalking phase and Zeref can live without his curse for a time.

Other than the ending few chapters rushing to tie up romantic loose ends, this is one of my favorite fanfics of the last year. 

This story is about two novels long.

I hope you enjoy my recommendations. If you want more, please check out my spring break recommendations.

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