YA Material Review - Fanfiction.net

Fanfiction.net is an internet place where people can post their fiction writing as well as read posts by other people for free. With the slogan “Unleash your Imagination” the site allows people to exercise their creative skills as well as learn from other people.
The site claims to have the world's largest archive of fanfiction as people from around the world can gather to share their passion. As there is no payment required to access the site, it provides people the chance to distribute their writing without going through a publisher or paying user fees. However, the drawback of no user fees is that there is a lot of advertising throughout the site.

The site divides the stories into many categories, starting with anime/manga, books, cartoons, comics, games, movies, plays/musicals, TV shows and miscellaneous. There is also a section for crossover categories. From there the user can choose the specific title under which their writing or reading interests will fit best. The database allows the user the option to choose the genre, characters, length, and language to aid in finding the best stories to meet their interests. An additional useful tool is the option to choose the stories according to a rating system (where the author assigns the rating). A ratings guide gives a detailed description of the ages and reasons for the ratings. For example, “T” is a rating that is suitable for teens 13 years and older, and may contain some violence, minor coarse language, and minor suggestive adult themes. Obviously the rating system is not a complete substitute for supervision, but it gives a useful guide as a starting point. The interface is simple and easy to use. There are no cartoons or pictures as that would likely take away from the emphasis on writing.

Other users of Fanfiction.net also have the ability to comment and provide feedback to the authors who post their stories on the site. This is a nice way to receive support and feedback from your writing peers. There is an option for authors to only allow posts from registered users of the site, and the monitors of the site try to stop unsuitable or “flames” (rude comments). In my experience, they are very diligent as I have not seen inappropriate comments on the boards.

This site can encourage young adults to read and write by using other mediums that they likely already enjoy. For example, if a person really enjoys a television show like Glee, they can go to the boards and read stories with the same characters as the television show. I find that the authors on the site try hard to keep the essence of the character true to the original, which allows the reader to connect more to the story. Additionally, the site gives young adults the opportunity to post stories that they write which can help them to develop their own writing and literacy skills in a fun and informal environment.