Q&A with a Tumblr fanfiction writer

I interviewed Tumblr user and fanfiction writer @ananbeth to get a better perspective about what the Tumblr fanfiction/specific fandom community is like.

Q: How did you find Tumblr and how long have you been on it?

A: I joined in September 2012 which was actually the year I started university and was feeling generally a bit lost and lonely because I had moved away from family and friends and was trying to find new friends in a new city. I stumbled across Burdge’s art of harry potter characters on deviant art and then found her percy jackson ones, which took me to fanfiction.net and then tumblr and only then did i read the books — a very late joiner. I think reading these books and finding this online community was just really comforting when my “real life” was so strange and at times, lonely. I’ve been on there (with only one URL change) ever since, which means it’s been eight years…

Q: What made you want to start writing fanfiction? How long have you been writing?

A: Same as my answer to the first question really. I started reading fic after stumbling into the percy jackson fandom and felt motivated to write some myself (it was truly terrible). I enjoyed writing in English language lessons when I was about 15/16 but didn’t have the option to study it afterwards so I was happy to rediscover it when I was 18 in a really fun and interactive environment.

Q: Do you write content with original characters? And/or do you do a lot of writing in other mediums outside of fanfic? Why?

A: I’ve started a few stories with original characters but have never really followed through on them. I think i’ve come to realise that i really enjoy writing fic because it’s so carefree and easy to have fun with. I enjoy playing around with characters who have already been established, draw parallels to the “canon” stories, and not worrying too much about writing a groundbreaking story but just being able to have fun with it. I love that I can have it as a hobby rather than anything more serious or stressful.

Q: How would you describe fandom communities on Tumblr?

A: They can be both brilliant and very toxic, I’ve realised. I’ve found a niche which I enjoy and feel comfortable in now and that is managed by following people who’s content I enjoy and using the filtering option fairly extensively. I’ve both received and seen people receive some crazy and sometimes malicious anon asks which obviously not nice, but I’ve also seen some hilarious, clever, beautiful posts which include meta, jokes, gifsets, fic, and art. It’s one of the most creative spaces to be in.

Q: Does fandom come up often in your personal/”outside the internet” life?

A: Not really. I like to keep it pretty separate. I treat tumblr and fic as a bit of an escape.

Q: What has it been like to make personal connections through Tumblr/fanfic/fandom?

A: Honestly, it’s been amazing. I’ve had a really negative experience which affected me quite deeply, but I’ve also met one of my best friends who I believe will remain my best friend for a very long time. I’ve got to visit her and have her visit me and gone on holiday together, which has been amazing. She’s someone I speak to everyday about fandom stuff but also just about each other’s lives and the world at large. She’s someone who has helped me grow a lot as a person, and i never would have met her if tumblr didn’t exist, so I’m very grateful for that.

Q: What keeps you involved in these communities?

A: My aforementioned friend is the one who inspires me most when it comes to writing and we create most things together. But in general, I think it’s the constant creation of new things despite the source material not having provided new content for several years.