Cool Marketing Idea and How To Do It

FAN FICTION

Encouraging fan fiction based on your book is a great way to engage your audience and build a vibrant community around your work. Want to know how?

Create a Friendly Environment

Set Guidelines: Lay down the law—but make it fun! Think “Pirates of the Caribbean” code of conduct. Clear, simple, and not actually written in blood.

Encourage Creativity: Let your fans know they can go wild (within reason). No idea is too crazy—unless it involves turning your protagonist into a literal banana and maybe not even that.

Use Your Platforms

Social Media: Announce your fan fiction initiative like you just discovered unicorns are real. Excitement is contagious!

Author Website: Roll out the red carpet on your website for fan fiction submissions. Write back to everyone.

Newsletters:  Slip in the fan fiction invite between book updates. 

Host Contests and Challenges

Writing Contests: Start epic writing battles. The prize? Eternal glory (and maybe some signed books).

Prompts and Challenges: Throw out prompts like “What if your main character had to babysit a dragon?” 

Feature and Share Fan Fiction

Highlight Submissions: Shine the spotlight on fan fiction like it’s the next big Broadway hit.

   Fan Fiction Spotlights: Introduce a fan fiction story of the month with the same fanfare as a new superhero movie.

Engage with the Fan Community

Read and Comment: Dive into fan fiction and leave comments that are more encouraging than a motivational calendar.

Interact with Writers: Host Q&A sessions where no question is too silly. Yes, even “What’s your favorite pizza topping?”

Collaborative Projects

Anthologies: Compile an anthology of fan fiction.    

Community Projects: Get fans to build a universe together. It’s like a LEGO set, but with words.

Legal and Copyright Considerations

Non-Commercial Use: Gently remind fans that their creations are for fun.

Rights Retention: Ensure fans know they own their stories but can’t turn them into blockbuster movies without your okay (unless they cast you in a cameo role).

Partner with Fan Fiction Platforms

Collaborations: Team up with fan fiction platforms like Wattpad or AO3.

Encourage Reviews and Feedback   

Peer Reviews: Encourage fans to review each other’s work like a supportive book club.

Constructive Feedback: Offer tips on giving feedback.

By taking these steps, you’ll create a fan fiction community so lively and engaging, it might just inspire your next book—or at least make for some very entertaining reading!

Remember, these books started as fan fiction:

1. "Fifty Shades of Grey" by E.L. James

Originally a "Twilight" fan fiction titled "Master of the Universe," this story gained immense popularity and was later rewritten to become the best-selling erotic romance novel "Fifty Shades of Grey."

2. "After" by Anna Todd

This series began as a One Direction fan fiction on Wattpad, with the main character based on Harry Styles. It was eventually published as an original series and even adapted into a film series.

3. "Beautiful Bastard" by Christina Lauren

Starting as "The Office," a fan fiction inspired by "Twilight," this story was reworked and published as "Beautiful Bastard," kicking off a successful romance series.

4. "Gabriel's Inferno" by Sylvain Reynard

Initially a "Twilight" fan fiction titled "The University of Edward Masen," this story was reimagined and published as "Gabriel's Inferno," becoming a popular romance novel.

5. "The Mortal Instruments" series by Cassandra Clare

Though not a direct rework of her fan fiction, Cassandra Clare gained a following through her "Harry Potter" fan fiction before creating her own successful urban fantasy series, "The Mortal Instruments."

6. "Fangirl" by Rainbow Rowell

While not exactly fan fiction turned into a novel, "Fangirl" features a protagonist who writes fan fiction. The author, Rainbow Rowell, later expanded on the fan fiction within the story to create the novel "Carry On."

7. "Wallbanger" by Alice Clayton

This contemporary romance novel started as "The Office," a popular fan fiction in the "Twilight" fandom, before being reworked and published.

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AND NOW A FICTION BREAK

The Son-In-Law

By

Liz Dubelman

The taxi let Samantha off in front of 1129 Wellesley Avenue.  Sam had written that address on countless envelopes and packages containing birthday and anniversary wishes. She hadn’t been to the house for years, since Kelly and Keith bought it after they had been married a few years. Back then Sam hadn’t thought it was such a good idea for the kids to buy. Keith wanted to be a writer and Kelly was mainly supporting them.  Sam hated the idea of her daughter supporting a man.They had put off having children because Keith wasn’t ready, even though Sam knew Kelly wanted them.    

Nonetheless, Elise Hazel Sheridan was born this morning at 6:02 am. Sam went straight from the airport to the hospital. The baby was beautiful but the labor and the C-section had taken its toll on Kelly. Sam thought Kelly looked terrible and she couldn’t help wanting to blame Keith. 

Sam didn’t much like Keith at all. She didn’t see what Kelly saw in him. Kelly was smart, funny, and pretty. She could have had anyone but she picked Keith. Sam found Keith distant. She didn’t think he treated her daughter well. Everything seemed to aggravate him and he was never supportive of Kelly and what she wanted. 

Sam walked up the path wheeling her luggage behind. Keith had given her his keys. He would be staying at the hospital with his wife and baby daughter. Sam got to the door and looked down at the mess of keys. She sighed. Keith hadn’t given her any hint about which one to use. Fortunately, luck was with her today and she got it on the second try. 

The house was warm and inviting. They had really fixed it up since her last visit.  The rooms were painted in soft blues and yellows.  Sam put a kettle on for tea.  She was so mixed up because of the time difference and the excitement of being a grandmother.  She should go to sleep but she was wide awake. 

While she waited for the water to boil, Sam wandered around the house.  There were fresh-cut flowers on the table.  The house was clean and neat.  She couldn’t help thinking that Kelly, even in her ninth month, had slaved to make the house a home for Keith.  Sam went into the small office off the kitchen – Keith’s office.  It was true that he was doing a bit better financially.  He was writing the animated series, Bob The Builder.  Sam had no idea what that was, except that it was aimed at the pre-school set.  

She sat down at his desk. It was piled impossibly high with books and papers. There were framed photos scattered about-- one of Keith and Kelly taken in the mirror. Kelly is holding the camera just to the side of her face and Keith is behind her. They’re both grinning. The one in the green wood frame was just a photo strip that you get from one of those booths at a fair.  In one pose they’re kissing, in another, they’re smiling, and in another, they’re sticking their tongues out at each other. 

As she continued to survey the desk, Sam noticed a manuscript entitled, “Love Of My Life,” by Keith Sheridan. 

Woooooooooooooooooo! The kettle whistled. Sam took the manuscript with her back to the kitchen. She made a cup of tea with lots of lemon and sugar and sat down to read.

The book was an impossibly beautiful tale of a man who searches his whole life for his soul mate. He has many unsatisfying relationships, one after another. When he is in his late forties, he finds a woman twelve years younger than him who seems to speak the same language as him but she’s married. Eventually, they get together. Life seems perfect. The woman wants to have a child. The man thinks this is what he’s waited for his whole life but his behavior is mean and erratic. He pushes the woman away through his actions. Together they come to realize that now that he has found the love of his life, he’s afraid that he will lose her. It’s not that he doesn’t want children. He’s scared that she will die in childbirth. Through their love, he is able to tolerate his fear and they have a beautiful baby girl. 

By the time Sam finished the manuscript she had tears streaming down her face. It was such a soulful and touching story.  Sam walked back to the office to return the manuscript. As she placed it back on the desk she noticed a silver box engraved with the words: “To Kelly, Love Of My Life.”  Sam opened the box.  Inside was an exquisite heart-shaped ruby necklace. 

Sam was starting to feel sleepy. Tonight she would sleep well and the next morning her family would come home.