Fanfiction, an intriguing phenomenon of popular culture, is a manifestation of passionate enthusiasts or fans expressing their love for a particular fandom by creating and sharing their own re-imaginings or interpretations of the original work. In this article, we will delve into the vast world of fanfiction to explore the question: "how many fanfictions are there in the world?"

Definitions and Genres

Fanfiction is characterized by the use of original characters, plotlines, and settings from an original work of media like books, movies, TV shows, etc., by fans to create new stories. These can span a range of genres such as romance, adventure, mystery, and horror, among others. The number of fanfictions in a specific genre tends to reflect the preferences and interests of the fandom at large.

In the realm of fanfiction, some genres also have subgenres, which further increases the content quantity. For instance, within romance, one could find 'fluff', 'smut', 'angst', and more. Many fanfictions may cross over multiple genres and can lead to a broad spectrum of narratives.

Fanfiction Websites

An important criterion in determining the number of fanfictions is understanding the scope of available platforms that host this form of creative writing. Some popular fanfiction websites include FanFiction.Net, Archive of Our Own (AO3), and Wattpad. They provide a space for millions of fanfiction works for various fandoms.

FanFiction.Net, established in 1998, boasts over 2 million users and hosts millions of stories from various categories. AO3, on the other hand, was launched in 2008 and until now, has grown to host over 7 million fanfictions. Lastly, Wattpad, although not exclusively dedicated to fanfiction, has an estimated 400 million stories overall, some portion of which is contributed by fanfiction works.

Size of Fandoms

The number of fanfictions also varies by size and activity level of the fan community. Large fandoms like 'Harry Potter', 'Star Wars', or 'Marvel' are known to generate copious amounts of fanfictions. Each of these fandoms has hundreds of thousands of fanfictions on FF.net and AO3. Smaller fandoms may only have a few hundred or thousand works.

Sizes of fandoms fluctuate over time, corresponding with the release of new content, anniversaries, or other significant events. For instance, a new season of a television series or a sequel to a popular movie can inspire a surge of new fanfictions.

Language and Cultural Influence

Fanfictions are written worldwide, contributing to an increase in the overall count. Besides English, fanfictions are also published in a variety of languages like Spanish, French, German, Chinese, and many more. These contribute significantly to the multilingual plethora of fanfictions all over the globe.

Different cultures have different takes on fanfiction as well. Japanese 'doujinshi', or self-published works, often border on fanfiction, creating unofficial manga based on popular anime or manga series. Doujinshi is a huge market in Japan, and its numbers contribute to the global count of fanfiction.

Trends and Popularity

Social media trends also influence fanfiction numbers. Viral tweets or posts can generate ideas for fanfictions, leading to an increase in content. Years after the original work’s release, a resurgence in popularity due to social media can stimulate a sudden burst of fanfictions.

Trending pairings or 'ships' within a fandom may also result in a spike in fanfictions centered around them. Prominent examples would be the "Johnlock" (Sherlock Holmes and John Watson) fandom, and "Destiel" (Dean Winchester and Castiel) from Supernatural. The bevy of 'ships' across various fandoms significantly contributes to the voluminous production of fanfictions.

Archived and Lost Fanfictions

Considering the phenomenon of fanfiction dates back to the 60s, it's important to acknowledge the mystery of lost fanfictions. Many early fanfictions, originally published in fanzines or personal blogs and websites, might be untraceable now, contributing to the unknown segment of the total count.

Moreover, many website servers have crashed and been restored, causing an unintentional loss of numerous fanfictions. While some are re-uploaded by the authors, others remain lost in the digital void. Thus, even though these cannot add to the measurable count of existing fanfictions, they are a crucial part of fanfiction history and folklore.

Conclusion

Quantifying the exact number of fanfictions worldwide is a nearly impossible task due to the ever-changing and expanding fan communities. The number is clearly in the millions range, perhaps even billions, if one includes all languages, websites, and platforms, even the hard-to-track ones such as blogs, personal sites, and forums. It's a testament to the creativity, passion, and dedication of fans all over the world.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is the most popular fandom in fanfiction? A: 'Harry Potter' has consistently been the most popular fandom with millions of fanfictions across platforms. 'Supernatural' and 'Marvel' are other prominent fandoms.

Q: Which platform has the most fanfiction? A: Archive of Our Own (AO3) currently hosts the highest number, with over 7 million fanfictions.

Q: How long has fanfiction been around? A: Fanfiction dates back to the late 1960s, with Star Trek fans creating and distributing their own stories.

References

[1] Tosenberger, C. (2008). Homosexuality at the Online Hogwarts: Harry Potter Slash Fanfiction. Children's Literature, 36, 185�07.

[2] Hellekson, K., & Busse, K. (2006). Fan Fiction and Fan Communities in the Age of the Internet. McFarland.

[3] Jenkins, H. (2013). Textual Poachers: Television Fans and Participatory Culture. Routledge.

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