The Weird World of Fan Fiction

They're amateur writers—with millions of readers. After years in the shadows, they're starting to break into the mainstream. 

From a long fun piece in the Wall Street Journal...

What if Edward Cullen, the moody vampire heartthrob in Stephenie Meyer's best-selling "Twilight" series, was an undercover cop? Or a baker who specializes in bachelor-party cakes? Or a kidnapper who takes Bella hostage?

It may sound like heresy to some "Twilight" fans. But those stories, published online, have thousands of dedicated readers. They were written by Randi Flanagan, a 35-year-old sales manager for a trade publishing company in Toronto. 

Ms. Flanagan writes fan fiction—amateur works based on the characters and settings from novels, movies, television shows, plays, videogames or pop songs. Such stories, which take place in fictional worlds created by professional writers, are flourishing online and attracting millions of readers.