Today, we answer Anna’s query!

Solution 1: Fifty Shades of Grey is an example of fanfiction that became published as a standalone series.

Serialization & Fifty Shades of Grey: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qzk9N7dJBec

Solution 2: Some writers start in fanfiction, but have to leave that world behind so that it doesn’t influence their own, cannon writing (and accidentally steal ideas)

How Tamsyn Muir* had to leave the fanfic community behind to avoid being influenced by the fic about HER story: https://www.thisamericanlife.org/811/the-one-place-i-cant-go/act-three-6

*Apologies, I crediting Nerdette for this one but it was actually This American Life

Solution 3: Melissa Good was a fanfic writer who ended up writing a few episodes of Xena

Interview with Melissa Good about going from a fanfic writer, to a show writer: https://www.ausxip.com/interviews/mgood.html

The reddit thread of more examples: https://www.reddit.com/r/FanFiction/comments/st2lsf/has_any_fanfiction_writers_ever_became/?rdt=62907

Solution 4: And we SHOULD have more fanfic writers writing for TV!

Fansplaining, Episode 17: on understanding how shows get made in Hollywood: https://www.fansplaining.com/episodes/17-the-powers-that-be

Thanks to Fansplaining’s Elizabeth & Flourish for letting me sample just a tiny bit of their fascinating conversation!

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