People’s opinions differ as to whether or not fan fiction should be taken seriously, despite some convincing arguments against entertaining fiction, I side with those who believe that it should be considered as serious literature.
There are several reason why people contend that fan fiction should not be related to literature. Firstly, proponents of this view assume that this type of fiction is of low quality, for instance, due to plot holes or absurd plot devices. Secondly, people highlight lack of depth as one of the most important drawbacks. In their opinion, these works are often superficial and do not convey characters’ feelings as they are supposed to.
However, these minor negative sides can be neglected in favour of positive ones. First of all, fan fiction is the best opportunity to start a writing career. I am aware that a story, written by a girl who is not a professional writer, was read by 12,9 million people, and it drew attention of a publishing house. The story was published successfully then. Another benefit of entertaining fiction is that it allows fans to continue the story of film characters they are attached to. There is a tendency to write stories about our favourite movie characters that have grown on us. It is well-known how popular Harry Potter universe is. In fact the fiction based on this universe seems to be even more widely spread. The films have already stopped coming out, but admirers do not want to part with their beloved characters.
In conclusion, although fan fiction has some disadvantages, it is an essential part of contemporary literature. Therefore, I believe that it should be taken seriously.