Showing posts with label AO3. Show all posts
Showing posts with label AO3. Show all posts

Thursday, 7 August 2025

Is fan fiction the new slush pile? What editors are really looking for

With publishers actively scouting Archive of Our Own and Wattpad, fan fiction is no longer the literary underdog. Here’s why fanfic is becoming publishing’s secret weapon—and what makes a story stand out.

There was a time when fan fiction lived in the shadows, tucked into forums, buried in tags, dismissed as derivative, and looked down upon. It wasn’t writing. It was adoration as typing. 

Not anymore. Now, it’s edging toward centre stage, commanding the attention of publishers, agents, and readers alike.