Recently I’ve been going back and forth on whether or not I should continue drawing art for fanfictions. Because of my internal struggle I decided to write out all of the positives that come with drawing fanfiction art as a reminder to myself, and maybe even convince some of you artists out there to consider it in the process.
1.) They deserve it
Fanfiction writers create some amazing stories, sometimes they even create characters or worlds. These things take some serious time and skill! They spend their personal time to create free stories for your enjoyment. Creating art for them is a great kindness to fanfiction writers who have given you ten times that kindness back.
I don’t really give reviews of fanfictions. Mainly because I never know how to explain what I like about a fanfiction without giving them a ten page paper or ending up sounding like a pterodactyl. Drawing art is a great way to show your appreciation without screaming in their faces!
2.) It is great practice
Very rarely do I have something that allows me to draw demonic dolls, blushing demons, a man whose slowly breaking apart and going to space, ghost gangsters, robots with electricity sparking from them, a boy with a bloody knee blaming it on parkour, desperate hugs, two men fighting off ice cold oceans waves, the list goes on and on!
Fanfiction provides some great scenarios for art, that let me branch out and try new things. It’s a great challenge!
3.) It gives them a reason to keep writing
Do you enjoy this fanfiction writers work? Want to keep them excited about writing so that way you can see more great, high quality, work? Well boy oh boy do I have the solution for you! Fanfiction art!
Fanfiction art, at least to me, is a big way to show you care. Writers put time and effort into their pieces and you have given back something that also has time and effort put into it. Seeing that kind of support can really encourage a fanfiction writer! With fanfiction art you are showing that you deeply care about their work, that you are inspired by what they’ve done.
If that’s not a big thumbs up, I don’t know what is!
4.) Positive response
I’ve seen some fanfiction writers response to my art and let me tell you, it’s positively heart warming. The writers who I have drawn for have been so excited with the art! I don’t know about you but seeing someone who deserves something get it is super satisfying. Of all the reactions to my art, fanfiction writers reactions have been the ones I remember the most. There responses kept me smiling for days on end, it’s truly moving.
Don’t be afraid to show them your art!! Let me tell you my art is not perfect but I worked hard on those pieces that I gave those talented writers, and that is enough. It’s the thought that counts, and fanfiction writers deserve as many supportive thoughts as they can get!
As a fanfiction writer, I’ve been very fortunate to receive some beautiful pieces, and some funny pieces, from readers who spent their valuable time creating art of my story, especially my OC.
There are not enough words to express the feeling I get when I see that someone enjoyed my writing enough to create art about it. It’s the ultimate compliment and should never be taken for granted. It’s inspiring and it’s refreshing to see your characters and your story through someone else’s eyes. Sometimes these pieces influence your writing and influence the creation of new scenes.
If you create something based off of a fanfic you’ve read I highly recommend that you share it with the author. Rough, sketched, polished…doesn’t matter. Your piece of work may be the only compliment, comment, or positive reinforcement they’ve received in a while. Trust me, your writer loves it. And sometimes, they need it.
The stages of someone sending me unexpected art based on my fic:
Cry (no really; actual tears from my eyes–THIS ALWAYS HAPPENS).
Internally freak out. Externally freak out (usually involves a lot of bouncing in chair.)
Show someone. Usually husband. Often cat. You know that picture of Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith where he’s like “LOOK AT MY BEAUTIFUL WIFE?” – I’m like that. Only “LOOK AT WHAT SOME BEAUTIFUL PERSON HAS DONE.”
Reblog art usually accompanied by excessive use of caps lock and/or exclamation points. (!!!)
Have exceedingly warm happy feeling for days, renewed up every time art is remembered.
Save on computer; look at art every time sad, discouraged, in need of inspiration.
Basically never stop being amazed at how wonderful people are.
Whenever people have made art of my fanfics I’ve just… completely lost the ability to think for the rest of the day. It’s so incredibly overwhelming that someone to take the time to put effort and talent – their amazing, glorious talent – into making something based off things that I, stupid little me, wrote.
Truly, fanart of fanfic is the best gift.
THIIIISSS^^^^
This!
(I love anything people want to do based on my stuff, of course – podfic, remixes (with permission/credit), art, translations: YES YES YES OH WOW YOU LIKED IT THAT MUCH LET ME ADORE YOU)
so very true, i have cried literal tears and squealed. it’s an amazing delightful gift. ❤
i fucking love fanfiction like it literally caters for every need, whether you’re wanting 2k of cute couples snuggling on the sofa, a thing of epic length with an awesome plot or a piece of writing that is literally just pages of your favourite characters banging each other whoever invented fanfiction is my fave
Pandora wondered at how un-hurt her eyes were after staring
into the fire so closely for so long. She remembered as a human staring at the
fires so hard, so lost in the thoughts that they fueled, that she had cried. Now
she was extremely close to the fires of the open hearth and had already been
running her fingers over the licking flams unburnt, even though Marius had
several times forbid her to do so. He hadn’t seen her doing it, he hadn’t looked
her way all morning. She turned to him now, sitting in one of his chairs,
staring down at a book but not reading it. He was trying to not go down before
the parents. He had shut himself away in the crypt of the Mother and Father so
long and so often now, that he hardly did anything else. They had already had
several fights about it. She told him how she understood unconditionally, but
also warned him that it could be not healthy, it could turn dark on him like quicksand
so undetectable and nearly inescapable. It depended on what he was thinking down
there, what he was feeling. And since he had the mind to keep all these sacred
and pleading thoughts to himself she had no way of helping him. She had wept at
his misunderstandings and his lack of trust in her. But still he went down to
be alone with Akasha and Enkil.
The alcohol swirling in my glass was rather off-putting–I raised it to my lips every few minutes to blend, but Lestat left his drink untouched.
“Louis,” he whispered into my ear. “That one.”
I followed Lestat’s line of vision. He was gorgeous, skin flushed from dancing, and his heart nearly sang, even in the din of the club. He had long, well-cared-for chestnut hair and a lithe frame, perfect for weaving in and out of the gyrating bodies. He wore almost no clothing, choosing instead to parade around in slick, wet-look shorts and a vinyl chest harness. I curled my lip in distaste–part of the fun with Lestat was making him work for his meals.
I-want-my-IWTV 