By Doug Bookey
Schools out warm weather is here and Fan Fiction goes quiet for the most part. If there was an off season for Fan Fic, Summer would be it. The whole hobby slows down and writers and editors find themselves at a place where they let things drift to the wayside in favor of activities involving the sun, the opposite sex or just something that doesn't remotely remind them of school.
Those who are involved in Fan Fiction are normally College age students with exceptions of course and there lies the explanation behind the lull, these guys and select gals return home or get jobs and that in turn affects how much time they want to spend online or can. I know that when I was traversing back and forth between school in Nevada and home in Alaska, I had to work and at the end of the day I was pooped and didn't really feel like sitting down for an hour or two and writing, now this is just me of course but I suspect there are many out there that are the same way. Another factor is seeing people that you haven't seen in awhile. This includes friends family significant others. All of the these people are bidding for your time and this normally leaves you with none. I think this is why we see a good surge of activity towards the end of summer as you are all friend and familied out and need the escape that Fan Fic is supposed to give.
Fall is a great time for Fan Fic because it seems that after the summer break we are all reinvigorated and ready again to dive head first back into our virtual worlds and give it our best effort. Then as life starts to takes it toll again and classes start to be heavier and heavier with assignments and stress we retreat away to our real life priorities that overwhelm us. Then another reprieve in the form of Winter Break, much like summer but not as resting for the brain.
So this summer when you are looking for your fix and not finding it of your favorite writer or series remember that these well crafted tales are coming back and will be refreshing when they do so. Again sometimes the summer only intensifies the desire to do something else, but for the most part it is a time to recharge and refocus on why we are doing what we are doing in the first place.
Now go out and read some Fan Fic
-Doug Bookey
June 2007