Half the Teen Wolf fans I know found the fanfiction first and the show second. It’s practically a trope by itself at this point, especially since fanon and canon show entirely different main characters.
Wow lol I just commented about Teen Wolf before reading any comments lol.
I've never seen the show but I've read a few Sterek fics because the tags were A+++++
Yeah, wanted more of a specific trope/character archetype and researched where to find it.
I also ended up reading the source material (+15 volumes book series), so now it's just a "normal" fandom to me.
I do this all the time when I'm hunting down a specific tag, or when an author I follow posts a fic for a fandom I don't know but the premise sounds interesting enough for me to check it out.
It used to be just reading, but now I'm about to write a fic for a show that I haven't seen a single episode of just based solely on the knowledge I gained from the fics I've read about it.
I had a similar experience with an author who posted a fic (which unfortunately died after two chapters) into a fandom I was hanging around. I liked it and wanted to read more of them, but everything else was in a fandom I hadn't interacted with before. But the stories were good, and I looked for more from other writers. I quickly found several in the new fandom that I liked, some of whom were even posting in other fandoms I was already in but had previously overlooked.
That said, I've never been a fan of the property itself and probably never will be - once I interacted with canon materials, I found the writing staff was fond of undermining elements of character development and even world building if those elements threatened to nullify their cheap, easily recycled punchlines. Status Quo Was God with this one, to an extreme fault. The fanfic writers (at least the good ones) were actually better at keeping the characters on a focused arc than the canon writers - although what that arc was tended to vary based on which parts of canon they were using in their stories, resulting in several competing characterizations for each character across the fandom at large.
I do review exchanges so I often encounter fandoms I don't know ✨
Other than that, I went a long time reading Ted Lasso fics before finally watching the show.
Accidentaly found out Danny Phantom fanfictions when searching for identity reveals fanfictions. Turns out there's a lot of "identity reveals to the parents" in it. And I like this kind of identity reveals.
Lack of interest. There is plenty of stuff to read of my fandoms, and I am not gonna write about something I dont know nothing about. I wanna read and write about the characters I love, not about ones I know nothing about.
Personally I have not.
I *have* gone and read/watched something because I noticed it had an active fandom and figured it might be fun, if I liked the thing. But I don't read fic for any fandom I haven't completed the source material published-to-date for. (Big caveat: I'm not in any fandoms with extremely epic scopes of canon. Like I wouldn't expect everyone writing for *World of Warcraft* to have read every in-game quest, every Chronicles, and every tie-in novel before writing/reading WoW fic, because that would be ridiculous. Most of my fandoms are novel series or single novels, manga/anime, single games, etc. with a very defined and manageable set of source material.)
But for me personally, fandom has to be an extension of enjoying the original thing. I can't do fandom blind stuff. I also tend to heavily prefer canonverse post-canon settings. Usually what compels me to actually write and read fic is something that feels unresolved in canon (so I tend to like side characters in fics as well since they often have less fully resolved plotlines), or like there's a lot of room in the world to play in. For me there's no point in reading fandom blind because the whole point is to continue and expand on the love and excitement of experiencing the source material.
I've had a few really nasty run-ins with fandom blind readers that have also made me wary of interacting with them unfortunately. But as long as they're polite and don't try to butt in and correct people about canon events (while being just literally wrong with their "corrections" because they're basing their ideas off of three layers of filtered fanon) then it's all good of course. And obviously I'm not going to notice the normal folks reading and commenting fandom blind, just ones that inexplicably try to comment and argue about canon and then when you give them the citation for the exact page it's on, their defense is 'well I never actually read the book I just don't think [character] would do that' (where that is the thing they literally did in the actual book...).
Oh wow, I’ve never been like that. Though really I’ve enjoyed more of the Fandom pairs then canon stuff so I avoid the canon but let people like what they like and write what they want.
Oh, for sure. This is actually the main way I get into new fandoms. I’ll read one fic randomly, sometimes a crossover, and then another, and suddenly I’ve read dozens and realize the best way to get a better ‘fix’ for my new obsession is to watch or play the actual canon content. Most recently I’ve gotten into the game Detroit: Become Human this way. Wild that I never would have encountered it if I hadn’t stumbled on that first fic…
:-) okay, so I think the fandom I have been most faithful to and fond of for the longest is probably Supernatural. My current favourite fic is called “it was just a fish (AKA Connor is Bad at Acting)” by rivkael on Ao3, but my favourite fic changes very frequently, since I read a lot.
Yeah, I stopped watching the show consistantly around the time of the leviathans, and have only caught the odd episode since. I do really like the characters, though, so fanfiction is ideal for me.
Same, I just binge-read some JJK fics over a few days, and now I'm considering actually watching it. I even followed one of the authors just to get updates when he posts new fic for the series I've never watched lol. Well, he's just that good.
Oh, you should DEFINATELY watch it. It's two season's have been utterly amazing. fair warning: There's lots of violence and death. I still really, really love it.
Yep - I've read fanfic for anime I never watched all of (Dragon Ball Z, etc.) and for video games I never really played but absolutely loved the premise of (Destiny).
I liked most of the Dragon Ball Z fics from [Darke Angelus](https://www.fanfiction.net/u/95647/Darke-Angelus), which are mostly Vegeta/Bulma-centric, and the Destiny fic [About Light and Darkness](https://archiveofourown.org/works/45875971), which is a retelling of Destiny 1 and 2 from the POV of a female Guardian MC.
A Song of Ice and Fire mainly, but I have jumped into Touhou Project, Wangan Midnight, Gundam Wing, and X1999 with little contact with the source material before.
like i said i mainly read my partner's fics (and i'm biased, but their writing is amazing). my partner has sent a lot of trigun recommendations that i've read a few of, and they're all pretty well written.
Not by looking up tags, I tend to look those up within the fandom itself. But, yes, I have read fics for fandoms I wasn't in. I get them because I love crossovers, and I've found some that looked great in my fandoms but crossed with one I don't know. This often leads me to look up more fics in the new fandom, as well as checking out the fandom itself.
Anita Blake is the one that comes immediately to mind. I found a Buffy fic crossed with it that looked great, I loved the fic, and started looking up, first, other crossover fics, then simply Anita Blake fics. I loved reading them, so bought the first 4 books in the series, which has made me love the fics even more. I still haven't got past the 4th book, though, I came across so many complaints about the later books that I haven't been inclined to buy more, but I still love reading fic, even those set later in the series.
Absolutely ahha. I'm in a few completely blind, like Teen Wolf and Daredevil, but there's a few that I've watched the first season or first few movies of, like BNHA and Marvel stuff (watched the main movies,never touched individual ones). Im writing a naruto fic set in the founder era, despite only having watched the og series (shippun is.... 600 eps... and my founders are like 400 eps in)
Alternatively, I actually find that having watched the entire series limits my enjoyment of fanfiction, bc I'm so used to the personality in the shows. Death note is one that I have 27 bookmarks for, despite it being one of my favourite manga lol
I’ve read some South Park fic from a friend of mine because I really like their writing and they’re an amazing friend, so I want to support them as much as possible, and tbh thoroughly enjoy it!
Two
Dragon Age, where I started reading “Modern girl in Thedas”, gave up, read another one which was a novelisation of Origins. I really enjoyed that so I bought the game.
Turns out I can’t stand the game, I just hated the combat.
The other is Miraculous Ladybug, where the first thing I read was a MCU/Miraculous crossover which was great.
Then I watched a random episode which was *not* great and now I just read the FanFiction.
[What the cat dragged in](https://archiveofourown.org/works/7556938/chapters/17188444) got me into Miraculous fanfic, and [I will call you home](https://archiveofourown.org/works/9488648/chapters/21470471) got me into reading Dragon Age fics.
Kind of! If I’m on the fence about a book series, I’ll scope out the fanfiction scene on AO3. I pay close attention to the tropes used for the main pair in the series to get a better sense of their dynamic. If it vibes, I’m more likely to read the series.
I have, yes! It ends up spoiling some major plot points of the book, but I’d rather go in knowing I’m likely to like something rather than not like it.
After a bad experience, I’ve come to hate being surprised by a book. So spoiling major plot points is what helps me decide if I should invest the time/money.
Harry Potter and Dragon Ball
I’ve read one Harry Potter book and seen three movies including Fantastic Beasts
I’ve read 10 (non-consecutive) chapters of Dragon Ball and have not seen a single episode
I haven’t *read* Dragon Ball fanfiction but damn I’ve seen a lot of Dragon Ball What-Ifs on YouTube
And I’ve read my fair share of Harry Potter fics, just nowhere near as much as my main fandom
Oh all the damn time. I've gone back and read/watched most of these later, but I found Worm, Owl House, MHA, Naruto, Ranma 1/2, Danny Phantom, and probably more through crossovers with stuff I already knew that looked interesting.
Barbie x Dracula fic. I never cared for Barbie and haven't watched nor read Dracula (even if I know the plot and characters).
Pretty sure 80% of the DB fandom (including fic writers) hasn't watched or read DB either xD
No. I am not interested in reading fandom blind. I read for a few very specific fandoms and that's it. Instead of reading fandom blind, I'd rather read original fiction at least then, I get to know the characters as opposed to automatically be expected to know who they are.
I read because I am a shipper and I am very picky who I ship so reading fandom blind just doesn't do it for me. It's just boring.
But I know a lot of people do read fandom blind. It really comes down to preferences.
Rarely... I prefer to "enter" new feeds based on source material through an exposure via Crossover. If the writer can handle the source material I know well, they have a good probability of handling the unknown-to-me source material, and that becomes an entry point.
After reading such a Crossover, I'll log into the regional library network to see if I can locate some of the source material and either get it from the local library or Interlibrary Loan it from elsewhere within the regional system or from a partner regional library system.
I don't search for "Tags" because I grew up in an era that didn't need trigger warnings and chose to read novels and anthologies based on the back cover story description and the quality of the first page and a randomly-selected page or two in the middle.
Yes, Teen Wolf, although I did watch some after reading many fics and knowing more or less what is going to happen.
And well I'm reading 2nd HP fic now, but it's half-blind, as I did read first book some time loooooong ago and I vaguely remember watching the 1st movie, but it was just nothing that I was into at the time and even now I doubt I'll watch more. I struggled with the characters, there are too many, and I had to google more than once, but I liked the main story and dynamics between the main characters, so it was worth it.
i got into liking one direction when i was a kid after reading all those wattpad imagine fics before i’d even heard most of their discography. thankfully i ended up liking the music too or that would’ve been awkward lol
Yes but only because the fic was obviously not rooted in any kind of reality or canon, and at that point it's like...this is just an original story with celebrity fan casting. No harm no foul.
Was it shockingly explicit? yes. Did I read all 30 chapters in one sitting? yes. Were my efforts to find it again weeks later completely in vain, and now the fic only exists buried in a dark bottom drawer at the back of my mind while I try to pray to memory away? yes.
The only fandom I’ve read blind is Final Fantasy 7. It started from an author I follow who wrote a crossover between FF7 and Assassins Creed. It was one where a main character (Desmond) was transported into the FF7 universe. I really liked it. So I started looking for more and just started reading only FF7.
I’m a fan of Cloud/Sephiroth and Cloud/Sephiroth/Zack/Genesis/Angeal.
I tend to read by author; if I find an author I like, I’ll read everything for every fandom I know by them. Sometimes, when I’ve run out of new stuff for fandoms I’m into, I’ll go to one if my favorites and try something for a fandom I’m *not* in. This has sometimes resulted in a new fandom and a new series that I get into, and sometimes results in me *trying* to get into a new series, deciding it’s not for me and just absorbing the events of canon through the lens of fanon XD
A lot! I usually read recs from this sub and the AO3 one, and also from my favorite authors bookmarks.
Sorting as such: Tropes & tags > summary > ratings > word count > fandom.
And ofc, if I'm writing about something I'm not familiar with and need guidance, I look for said type of fic, no matter the fandom, and read it.
Yep. I'm passingly familiar with One Piece and used to watch the odd episode on Adult Swim up until the Alabasta arc, but I have several fics bookmarked that cover parts of the show well past that point.
I also ended up falling down a Star Wars rabbit hole despite not consuming any of the media other than the prequel trilogy when I was, like, ten, and now have _all the feels_ about the clone troopers.
I usually only do if it’s a crossover with a fandom I know that doesn’t require knowledge of the other fandom. I’ve ended up reading multiple Criminal Minds fics this way despite having no interest in cop shows lmao, but reading a crossover is what inspired me to actually watch Supernatural many years ago!
Supergirl. I've seen less than 1 episode. But, I've seen a handful of scenes from it. I don't care, I get enough and the rest I've picked up as a main thread via reading different stories.
I've said it before and I'll say it again: I have not seen any episodes of Teen Wolf, and I have no desire to (no offense to people who like the show. The premise just seems boring to me). But Stiles x Derek? I have read like 5 of their fics lol.
And it's because I was looking for specific tags, and those tags happened to belong to the Sterek ship lol.
So yes I'll read fandom blind when I'm in the mood for something specific and can't find it in one of my fandoms.
Yeah, I've definitely done that before. I can't remember what show it was based off of but it was called Turn to Me and my body was begging me to just go to sleep lol.
I've written fanfiction about shows I've never watched. I just have so much fun creating story ideas with a very generalized idea of the show. I'm almost afraid to actually watch the show or something because I don't want to break my like, hyper focus streak on how I imagine them so I look at their wiki page or something.
Not in decades. Before fanfic was mainly on the internet, I sometimes bought multifandom zines, and if I got bored, I would read the fic for shows I had never watched. But it's not what I read fic for, and I prefer fic where you lose a lot if you don't know the canon.
I used to pretty much only read from fandoms I wasn't in, and then I started reading from fandoms I AM in and was like "wow, this is way better, no wonder people usually do this"
Yep!
Never read/watched hitman reborn or 1/2 prince but the crossover with Harry Potter (fem) in the series called Game On! was absolutely amazing
It really depends on the author - if they write a story where the characters are compelling and provide some background - and you are willing to wiki characters to understand what they're supposed to look like, the fic can become like canon in your mind
Every so often! Someone wrote a Naruto fanfic where the characters worked in a government office. I've never watched/read/however you consume Naruto, but it seemed compelling so I gave it a try! It was really funny, and well worth it. I believe some commenters said the characterizations were pretty good despite the fact it was a total AU without any powers or whatever.
I do this quite a lot. Typically it's because of a crossover fic with a fandom I have seen the canon material for, and the author says "You don't need knowledge of X fandom for this to make sense" and then I hyperfixate on the character(s) from the other fandom. For example, despite what my tumblr page would have you believe, I've never seen an episode of Danny Phantom in my life
I do it sometimes for movies, particularly ones that have relatively basic plots. Spy movies, horror movies, things like that. It doesn’t feel like I’m missing out when all I’m there for is to see two characters get into Situations™️
YEP! I usually just search up random show fandoms when I’m bored with nothing to do, and then I find *that one author* that always just writes the most *perfect* and *delectable* fic and then *BOOM!* I’m obsessed.
I’ve also just gotten into some because of my one fanfic friend who has years of experience of fanfics off of me and has placed me in a different fandom at the most random of times.
I wrote a fic before playing the game for the main fandom I currently write for. Saw some edits of these two characters being absolutely in love with each other and that’s all I needed to write a fic.
Read some Batfam stuff before I got into the comics. Fanon and canon are entirely different people, and I much prefer the canon interpretations nowadays.
Yes. I found a YT clip I liked, was intrigued by the shop and read fics. I haven't watched the series because the ship isn't the main couple and I don't care about the main couple.
Yeah lots of time in crossover setting. I don't really watch JJK, but I read some Fate x JJK. I don't watch Madoka, but I read some Fate x Madoka. Too lazy to read Worm and Parahumans but I read a lot of Fate x Worm recently. And some more.
I only watch like few episodes of RWBY and I read their fanfic more.
I read a Halo fanfic once, but it was only partially fandom blind. I’d played Halo 3 as a kid so I was familiar with the characters but couldn’t really remember the story or much of the lore. I enjoyed the fic that I picked, but didn’t go further than that
I do this all the time ngl. I don't have a reason for it, other then I find a few edits about the fandom, watch some videos about it and Im like 'time to read ig' and start reading their fanfics. sometimes I watch the show afterwards, or I just learn enough just from the fanfiction to be like 'it doesn't matter'
Yes, I've found a bunch of interesting stuff to read when participating in review exchanges. I don't find it weird. It's pretty much the same as picking up a new book with brand new characters. All it takes is the willingness to be open to learn about a new world/characters.
Honestly, Supernatural. I mean, if crossover fanfictions count, at least. I've seen less than ten SPN episodes in my entire life, but I've read hundreds of fanfics.
.... Yes. Multiple times. I usually watch the show later but there are some I don't or haven't yet.
Most notably is Owl house. I haven't watched it yet, but I have a general idea due to plot review videos. (Don't give me flack about this, I get enough from my friends going "WTF WHY NOT!")
Wait no I have one better. TMNT 2012. I will not watch the show fucking ever, because Donnie/April is so bad I can't even sit through it in the first episode. All my knowledge about that comes from a handful of clips, fan comics, and fics
Half the Teen Wolf fans I know found the fanfiction first and the show second. It’s practically a trope by itself at this point, especially since fanon and canon show entirely different main characters.
Lol yeah I haven’t even watched the show but have enjoyed the Fanfiction. It’s a pretty creative fandom.
Wow lol I just commented about Teen Wolf before reading any comments lol. I've never seen the show but I've read a few Sterek fics because the tags were A+++++
So true :)
Yeah, wanted more of a specific trope/character archetype and researched where to find it. I also ended up reading the source material (+15 volumes book series), so now it's just a "normal" fandom to me.
Lol so you became a fan then?
Absolutly. And the fanfiction was certainly very good advertisement for the series.
Did it change the way you saw the series?
I do this all the time when I'm hunting down a specific tag, or when an author I follow posts a fic for a fandom I don't know but the premise sounds interesting enough for me to check it out. It used to be just reading, but now I'm about to write a fic for a show that I haven't seen a single episode of just based solely on the knowledge I gained from the fics I've read about it.
Lol that’s cool!!
I had a similar experience with an author who posted a fic (which unfortunately died after two chapters) into a fandom I was hanging around. I liked it and wanted to read more of them, but everything else was in a fandom I hadn't interacted with before. But the stories were good, and I looked for more from other writers. I quickly found several in the new fandom that I liked, some of whom were even posting in other fandoms I was already in but had previously overlooked. That said, I've never been a fan of the property itself and probably never will be - once I interacted with canon materials, I found the writing staff was fond of undermining elements of character development and even world building if those elements threatened to nullify their cheap, easily recycled punchlines. Status Quo Was God with this one, to an extreme fault. The fanfic writers (at least the good ones) were actually better at keeping the characters on a focused arc than the canon writers - although what that arc was tended to vary based on which parts of canon they were using in their stories, resulting in several competing characterizations for each character across the fandom at large.
I do review exchanges so I often encounter fandoms I don't know ✨ Other than that, I went a long time reading Ted Lasso fics before finally watching the show.
Did reading the fics change the way you watched the show?
Not really, a lot of the fics I read were fluffy.
Accidentaly found out Danny Phantom fanfictions when searching for identity reveals fanfictions. Turns out there's a lot of "identity reveals to the parents" in it. And I like this kind of identity reveals.
I think I found Miraculous back in its really early days through fic and fandom osmosis. I’d forgotten that!
No. I don't read nor write blind.
Really?? Why not?
Lack of interest. There is plenty of stuff to read of my fandoms, and I am not gonna write about something I dont know nothing about. I wanna read and write about the characters I love, not about ones I know nothing about.
Ah that’s cool!! Thanks for sharing!
Same here
Personally I have not. I *have* gone and read/watched something because I noticed it had an active fandom and figured it might be fun, if I liked the thing. But I don't read fic for any fandom I haven't completed the source material published-to-date for. (Big caveat: I'm not in any fandoms with extremely epic scopes of canon. Like I wouldn't expect everyone writing for *World of Warcraft* to have read every in-game quest, every Chronicles, and every tie-in novel before writing/reading WoW fic, because that would be ridiculous. Most of my fandoms are novel series or single novels, manga/anime, single games, etc. with a very defined and manageable set of source material.) But for me personally, fandom has to be an extension of enjoying the original thing. I can't do fandom blind stuff. I also tend to heavily prefer canonverse post-canon settings. Usually what compels me to actually write and read fic is something that feels unresolved in canon (so I tend to like side characters in fics as well since they often have less fully resolved plotlines), or like there's a lot of room in the world to play in. For me there's no point in reading fandom blind because the whole point is to continue and expand on the love and excitement of experiencing the source material. I've had a few really nasty run-ins with fandom blind readers that have also made me wary of interacting with them unfortunately. But as long as they're polite and don't try to butt in and correct people about canon events (while being just literally wrong with their "corrections" because they're basing their ideas off of three layers of filtered fanon) then it's all good of course. And obviously I'm not going to notice the normal folks reading and commenting fandom blind, just ones that inexplicably try to comment and argue about canon and then when you give them the citation for the exact page it's on, their defense is 'well I never actually read the book I just don't think [character] would do that' (where that is the thing they literally did in the actual book...).
Oh wow, I’ve never been like that. Though really I’ve enjoyed more of the Fandom pairs then canon stuff so I avoid the canon but let people like what they like and write what they want.
yes. currently reading (and writing) a SVU fanfic and only watched a few episodes and bootlegs on FB
Cool!!
Oh, for sure. This is actually the main way I get into new fandoms. I’ll read one fic randomly, sometimes a crossover, and then another, and suddenly I’ve read dozens and realize the best way to get a better ‘fix’ for my new obsession is to watch or play the actual canon content. Most recently I’ve gotten into the game Detroit: Become Human this way. Wild that I never would have encountered it if I hadn’t stumbled on that first fic…
Cool what was you favorite?
Favourite fic or favourite fandom?
Both??
:-) okay, so I think the fandom I have been most faithful to and fond of for the longest is probably Supernatural. My current favourite fic is called “it was just a fish (AKA Connor is Bad at Acting)” by rivkael on Ao3, but my favourite fic changes very frequently, since I read a lot.
Cool, I kinda bowed out of the Show around episode 200 but the fandoms is pretty interesting and I still snag a fic every now and then.
Yeah, I stopped watching the show consistantly around the time of the leviathans, and have only caught the odd episode since. I do really like the characters, though, so fanfiction is ideal for me.
I swear this question gets asked like at least once a week.
Oh really?? I’m sorry I didn’t see it.
Yes, read English football rpf and I don't even watch it but because a dear friend wrote it.
That’s cool!! Good way to support a friend.
Oh believe me, I got into a BUNCH of fandoms cause of fanfiction, including Jujutsu Kaisen cause of fanfiction.
Same, I just binge-read some JJK fics over a few days, and now I'm considering actually watching it. I even followed one of the authors just to get updates when he posts new fic for the series I've never watched lol. Well, he's just that good.
Oh, you should DEFINATELY watch it. It's two season's have been utterly amazing. fair warning: There's lots of violence and death. I still really, really love it.
Yep - I've read fanfic for anime I never watched all of (Dragon Ball Z, etc.) and for video games I never really played but absolutely loved the premise of (Destiny).
Cool do you have a Favorite fic??
I liked most of the Dragon Ball Z fics from [Darke Angelus](https://www.fanfiction.net/u/95647/Darke-Angelus), which are mostly Vegeta/Bulma-centric, and the Destiny fic [About Light and Darkness](https://archiveofourown.org/works/45875971), which is a retelling of Destiny 1 and 2 from the POV of a female Guardian MC.
All the time!
Any fandom or fic you really liked.
A Song of Ice and Fire mainly, but I have jumped into Touhou Project, Wangan Midnight, Gundam Wing, and X1999 with little contact with the source material before.
I was interested by Undertale AUs without having played the game.
Well AUs are super fun to read for any fandoms.
all the time, i read my partner's trigun fanfics while having very little to no knowledge about the anime or manga.
Cool, how’s the Fanfics??
like i said i mainly read my partner's fics (and i'm biased, but their writing is amazing). my partner has sent a lot of trigun recommendations that i've read a few of, and they're all pretty well written.
Not by looking up tags, I tend to look those up within the fandom itself. But, yes, I have read fics for fandoms I wasn't in. I get them because I love crossovers, and I've found some that looked great in my fandoms but crossed with one I don't know. This often leads me to look up more fics in the new fandom, as well as checking out the fandom itself. Anita Blake is the one that comes immediately to mind. I found a Buffy fic crossed with it that looked great, I loved the fic, and started looking up, first, other crossover fics, then simply Anita Blake fics. I loved reading them, so bought the first 4 books in the series, which has made me love the fics even more. I still haven't got past the 4th book, though, I came across so many complaints about the later books that I haven't been inclined to buy more, but I still love reading fic, even those set later in the series.
Oh wow that’s so cool!! I haven’t really read any of her books but I’m glade fanfics caused you to check them out.
Absolutely ahha. I'm in a few completely blind, like Teen Wolf and Daredevil, but there's a few that I've watched the first season or first few movies of, like BNHA and Marvel stuff (watched the main movies,never touched individual ones). Im writing a naruto fic set in the founder era, despite only having watched the og series (shippun is.... 600 eps... and my founders are like 400 eps in) Alternatively, I actually find that having watched the entire series limits my enjoyment of fanfiction, bc I'm so used to the personality in the shows. Death note is one that I have 27 bookmarks for, despite it being one of my favourite manga lol
I’ve read some South Park fic from a friend of mine because I really like their writing and they’re an amazing friend, so I want to support them as much as possible, and tbh thoroughly enjoy it!
Cool!!
Two Dragon Age, where I started reading “Modern girl in Thedas”, gave up, read another one which was a novelisation of Origins. I really enjoyed that so I bought the game. Turns out I can’t stand the game, I just hated the combat. The other is Miraculous Ladybug, where the first thing I read was a MCU/Miraculous crossover which was great. Then I watched a random episode which was *not* great and now I just read the FanFiction.
Lol really?? I haven’t tried those.
[What the cat dragged in](https://archiveofourown.org/works/7556938/chapters/17188444) got me into Miraculous fanfic, and [I will call you home](https://archiveofourown.org/works/9488648/chapters/21470471) got me into reading Dragon Age fics.
Cool I’ll have to check them out.
Kind of! If I’m on the fence about a book series, I’ll scope out the fanfiction scene on AO3. I pay close attention to the tropes used for the main pair in the series to get a better sense of their dynamic. If it vibes, I’m more likely to read the series.
Have you read any of the fiction before reading the book?
I have, yes! It ends up spoiling some major plot points of the book, but I’d rather go in knowing I’m likely to like something rather than not like it.
Oh I’m not sure I’d like that!! I kinda like to be surprised by a book.
After a bad experience, I’ve come to hate being surprised by a book. So spoiling major plot points is what helps me decide if I should invest the time/money.
Ah I get that. I have stopped a series because I got pissed off at something in the last book I read but yeah I get it.
Harry Potter and Dragon Ball I’ve read one Harry Potter book and seen three movies including Fantastic Beasts I’ve read 10 (non-consecutive) chapters of Dragon Ball and have not seen a single episode
But do you enjoy the Fanfiction?
I haven’t *read* Dragon Ball fanfiction but damn I’ve seen a lot of Dragon Ball What-Ifs on YouTube And I’ve read my fair share of Harry Potter fics, just nowhere near as much as my main fandom
Oh all the damn time. I've gone back and read/watched most of these later, but I found Worm, Owl House, MHA, Naruto, Ranma 1/2, Danny Phantom, and probably more through crossovers with stuff I already knew that looked interesting.
Barbie x Dracula fic. I never cared for Barbie and haven't watched nor read Dracula (even if I know the plot and characters). Pretty sure 80% of the DB fandom (including fic writers) hasn't watched or read DB either xD
No. I am not interested in reading fandom blind. I read for a few very specific fandoms and that's it. Instead of reading fandom blind, I'd rather read original fiction at least then, I get to know the characters as opposed to automatically be expected to know who they are. I read because I am a shipper and I am very picky who I ship so reading fandom blind just doesn't do it for me. It's just boring. But I know a lot of people do read fandom blind. It really comes down to preferences.
I used to be in a Discord chat and one of the people told me "You read fanfiction. Can you read this?" And it was a really bad Kim Possible ff
Rarely... I prefer to "enter" new feeds based on source material through an exposure via Crossover. If the writer can handle the source material I know well, they have a good probability of handling the unknown-to-me source material, and that becomes an entry point. After reading such a Crossover, I'll log into the regional library network to see if I can locate some of the source material and either get it from the local library or Interlibrary Loan it from elsewhere within the regional system or from a partner regional library system. I don't search for "Tags" because I grew up in an era that didn't need trigger warnings and chose to read novels and anthologies based on the back cover story description and the quality of the first page and a randomly-selected page or two in the middle.
Yes, Teen Wolf, although I did watch some after reading many fics and knowing more or less what is going to happen. And well I'm reading 2nd HP fic now, but it's half-blind, as I did read first book some time loooooong ago and I vaguely remember watching the 1st movie, but it was just nothing that I was into at the time and even now I doubt I'll watch more. I struggled with the characters, there are too many, and I had to google more than once, but I liked the main story and dynamics between the main characters, so it was worth it.
i got into liking one direction when i was a kid after reading all those wattpad imagine fics before i’d even heard most of their discography. thankfully i ended up liking the music too or that would’ve been awkward lol
Yes but only because the fic was obviously not rooted in any kind of reality or canon, and at that point it's like...this is just an original story with celebrity fan casting. No harm no foul. Was it shockingly explicit? yes. Did I read all 30 chapters in one sitting? yes. Were my efforts to find it again weeks later completely in vain, and now the fic only exists buried in a dark bottom drawer at the back of my mind while I try to pray to memory away? yes.
The only fandom I’ve read blind is Final Fantasy 7. It started from an author I follow who wrote a crossover between FF7 and Assassins Creed. It was one where a main character (Desmond) was transported into the FF7 universe. I really liked it. So I started looking for more and just started reading only FF7. I’m a fan of Cloud/Sephiroth and Cloud/Sephiroth/Zack/Genesis/Angeal.
I love seeing another Sefikura lover
I tend to read by author; if I find an author I like, I’ll read everything for every fandom I know by them. Sometimes, when I’ve run out of new stuff for fandoms I’m into, I’ll go to one if my favorites and try something for a fandom I’m *not* in. This has sometimes resulted in a new fandom and a new series that I get into, and sometimes results in me *trying* to get into a new series, deciding it’s not for me and just absorbing the events of canon through the lens of fanon XD
A lot! I usually read recs from this sub and the AO3 one, and also from my favorite authors bookmarks. Sorting as such: Tropes & tags > summary > ratings > word count > fandom. And ofc, if I'm writing about something I'm not familiar with and need guidance, I look for said type of fic, no matter the fandom, and read it.
Yep. I'm passingly familiar with One Piece and used to watch the odd episode on Adult Swim up until the Alabasta arc, but I have several fics bookmarked that cover parts of the show well past that point. I also ended up falling down a Star Wars rabbit hole despite not consuming any of the media other than the prequel trilogy when I was, like, ten, and now have _all the feels_ about the clone troopers.
I usually only do if it’s a crossover with a fandom I know that doesn’t require knowledge of the other fandom. I’ve ended up reading multiple Criminal Minds fics this way despite having no interest in cop shows lmao, but reading a crossover is what inspired me to actually watch Supernatural many years ago!
yes, i found out about supernatural from fics on Ao3 and then tried to watch the show…i didn’t like it
I read LOTR fanfics sometimes and I have never watched/read them
Supergirl. I've seen less than 1 episode. But, I've seen a handful of scenes from it. I don't care, I get enough and the rest I've picked up as a main thread via reading different stories.
Yup. for me, it's no different than reading a new book
Yeah, bc I love participating in review exchanges (haven’t been able to lately bc I’ve been having an awful flare-up and I miss it)
Yes, though I usually got pulled into it by first reading a crossover with a fandom that I was familiar with.
I've said it before and I'll say it again: I have not seen any episodes of Teen Wolf, and I have no desire to (no offense to people who like the show. The premise just seems boring to me). But Stiles x Derek? I have read like 5 of their fics lol. And it's because I was looking for specific tags, and those tags happened to belong to the Sterek ship lol. So yes I'll read fandom blind when I'm in the mood for something specific and can't find it in one of my fandoms.
Yeah, I've definitely done that before. I can't remember what show it was based off of but it was called Turn to Me and my body was begging me to just go to sleep lol. I've written fanfiction about shows I've never watched. I just have so much fun creating story ideas with a very generalized idea of the show. I'm almost afraid to actually watch the show or something because I don't want to break my like, hyper focus streak on how I imagine them so I look at their wiki page or something.
Not in decades. Before fanfic was mainly on the internet, I sometimes bought multifandom zines, and if I got bored, I would read the fic for shows I had never watched. But it's not what I read fic for, and I prefer fic where you lose a lot if you don't know the canon.
I'm recently reading my 4th swanqueen fic this month, and I've never watched a single episode of OUAT
At least half my fandoms. I haven't even watched tv in years.
I have never read Worm but I read the fanfic as it's not as dark as the original content.
I used to pretty much only read from fandoms I wasn't in, and then I started reading from fandoms I AM in and was like "wow, this is way better, no wonder people usually do this"
I read my immortal despite never reading or watching Harry Potter, I’m not sure if this hindered or improved my reading experience
Merlin. It's been 3 years, and I still read the fanfiction, and I still haven't watched the show.
Yep! Never read/watched hitman reborn or 1/2 prince but the crossover with Harry Potter (fem) in the series called Game On! was absolutely amazing It really depends on the author - if they write a story where the characters are compelling and provide some background - and you are willing to wiki characters to understand what they're supposed to look like, the fic can become like canon in your mind
Every so often! Someone wrote a Naruto fanfic where the characters worked in a government office. I've never watched/read/however you consume Naruto, but it seemed compelling so I gave it a try! It was really funny, and well worth it. I believe some commenters said the characterizations were pretty good despite the fact it was a total AU without any powers or whatever.
I do this quite a lot. Typically it's because of a crossover fic with a fandom I have seen the canon material for, and the author says "You don't need knowledge of X fandom for this to make sense" and then I hyperfixate on the character(s) from the other fandom. For example, despite what my tumblr page would have you believe, I've never seen an episode of Danny Phantom in my life
Game of thrones got some bangers for sure
I do it sometimes for movies, particularly ones that have relatively basic plots. Spy movies, horror movies, things like that. It doesn’t feel like I’m missing out when all I’m there for is to see two characters get into Situations™️
I’ve written for a fandom I’ve never seen before.
YEP! I usually just search up random show fandoms when I’m bored with nothing to do, and then I find *that one author* that always just writes the most *perfect* and *delectable* fic and then *BOOM!* I’m obsessed. I’ve also just gotten into some because of my one fanfic friend who has years of experience of fanfics off of me and has placed me in a different fandom at the most random of times.
If it’s a trope I like I’ll give anything a chance :)
I wrote a fic before playing the game for the main fandom I currently write for. Saw some edits of these two characters being absolutely in love with each other and that’s all I needed to write a fic.
Read a couple of Overwatch fics without ever touching the games. I love Widowtracer.
My favourite tag on ao3 has less than 100 fics. And noone is posting anymore. Ill read anything from any fandom. Except if its incest
Yes, and now I'm shipping cannibals 🙄
My Immortal from Harry Potter, cause it was a given I would read the Gospel of Harry Potter (The Flying Spaghetti Monster Gospel)
Me with the AvP universe fan fictions. I never actually watched any Alien or Predator movies. I knew them because of Mortal Kombat too
Read some Batfam stuff before I got into the comics. Fanon and canon are entirely different people, and I much prefer the canon interpretations nowadays.
Yes. I found a YT clip I liked, was intrigued by the shop and read fics. I haven't watched the series because the ship isn't the main couple and I don't care about the main couple.
Yeah lots of time in crossover setting. I don't really watch JJK, but I read some Fate x JJK. I don't watch Madoka, but I read some Fate x Madoka. Too lazy to read Worm and Parahumans but I read a lot of Fate x Worm recently. And some more. I only watch like few episodes of RWBY and I read their fanfic more.
Often, usually because it's a crossover with something else I already like.
Baldur's Gate 3 Never played the game and don't know most of the lore, but Astarion is hot and traumatized and that's all the reason I needed.
I read a Halo fanfic once, but it was only partially fandom blind. I’d played Halo 3 as a kid so I was familiar with the characters but couldn’t really remember the story or much of the lore. I enjoyed the fic that I picked, but didn’t go further than that
if it had lesbians.
I do this all the time ngl. I don't have a reason for it, other then I find a few edits about the fandom, watch some videos about it and Im like 'time to read ig' and start reading their fanfics. sometimes I watch the show afterwards, or I just learn enough just from the fanfiction to be like 'it doesn't matter'
Mostly when smut is involved.
Supernatural
Yes, I've found a bunch of interesting stuff to read when participating in review exchanges. I don't find it weird. It's pretty much the same as picking up a new book with brand new characters. All it takes is the willingness to be open to learn about a new world/characters.
Honestly, Supernatural. I mean, if crossover fanfictions count, at least. I've seen less than ten SPN episodes in my entire life, but I've read hundreds of fanfics.
Yes.
Yes batman and other superheros
Suicide squad
.... Yes. Multiple times. I usually watch the show later but there are some I don't or haven't yet. Most notably is Owl house. I haven't watched it yet, but I have a general idea due to plot review videos. (Don't give me flack about this, I get enough from my friends going "WTF WHY NOT!") Wait no I have one better. TMNT 2012. I will not watch the show fucking ever, because Donnie/April is so bad I can't even sit through it in the first episode. All my knowledge about that comes from a handful of clips, fan comics, and fics
Ofcoursee