On Sept. 10, Legendary reportedly paid more than three million dollars to adapt the novel “Alchemised” by SenLin Yu. The novel evolved from the author’s “Handmaid’s Tale” meets “Harry Potter” Dramione fanfiction, “Manacled,” originally published on AO3 in 2018.
After “Manacled” rose to prominence on the open-source website that hosts fanworks, Yu made the difficult decision to remove it following numerous illegal sales of her work. “During the last several years, there has been a growing issue with illegal sales of ‘Manacled,’ putting both me and the incredible community that shares fanfiction freely in legal jeopardy,” Yu wrote on her Tumblr. In the same post, she officially announced her book “Alchemised,” which closely followed the plot of “Manacled” but featured original characters.
Despite fanfiction’s influence on mainstream media projects, it remains a taboo subject in many literary circles. Many authors, including George R.R. Martin, creator of “Game of Thrones,” and Stephenie Meyer, author of “Twilight,” have publicly opposed fanfiction of their works.
Still, for many readers and writers, fanfiction holds undeniable merit. It provides representation that mainstream media often lacks. “Critics have commented on fanfiction’s function as a safe space to explore personal trauma, sexual identity, gender identity, kink and other social taboos which would be difficult to embrace within other contexts,” writes Grace Kwan, a student of Sociology and Professional Writing & Communication at the University of Toronto.
Fanfiction also functions as a platform for marginalized communities to claim narrative space. “The mainstream media is trying to appeal to the largest audience, they often overlook their marginalized characters, leaving those communities feeling left out and without representation,” said senior and regular fanfiction reader Eva Vargas. “In fanfiction, authors can focus on these characters, or even make it so that a character who is not originally of a marginalized group is in their story. I speak from experience when I say that it is extremely healing and refreshing to see yourself in a character, not as a stereotype or as a diversity hire side character, but as the lead.”
Beyond representation, fanfiction can be a way to revitalize the original media. Readers change their perspective on different characters and view stories through new lenses. Fanworks also play a part in keeping the fandom alive. New content from fans can keep a culture alive. “Fanfiction allows people to stay engaged and curious, rather than only sticking to a 15th rewatch of a show that stopped running 20 years ago,” said senior Whitney Cozad.
Fanfiction has cemented itself as a safe place for exploration for readers over generations. The line of fanfiction works can be traced back to Virgil when he picked up where Homer left off with the story of Aeneas. Now, the online accessibility of fanfiction through free sites like AO3 and Fanfiction.net makes these works both enticing and economically accessible. “I think fanfiction is more enticing than official content because there is such a wide range of content that I can filter it to exactly what I would like to read. I also prefer it because the stories are almost entirely focused on the characters, their emotions and relationships, which is what often interests me in media more than external plot factors,” said Cozad.
Sites that host fanfiction run almost entirely on donations yet maintain streamlined tagging systems that allow readers to curate their experience. These content warnings and filtering options often make fanfiction more accessible than mainstream publishing, particularly for readers who need to avoid triggering content or seek specific representation.
The “Manacled” to “Alchemised” trajectory reveals a changing landscape in the mainstream entertainment industry. While traditional publishing may deny fanfiction, the genre has engaged an astounding number of fans that industries can no longer ignore. The multi-million dollar deal is beginning to show what many readers have known for years: the stories that matter most are the ones communities create for themselves.
