Paulette Marie Gautreau

Professor Colombo Russell

ENG 101- Freshman Composition.

October 13th, 2025.

Reading Fan Fiction Increased My Literacy

I never understood the appeal of sitting down and reading for hours on end; it was a concept that was foreign to me. I remember thinking, “Why would I just sit down and look at words for hours? That’s boring”. It was hard to focus on something I had minimal interest in, thus leading to me constantly lying on my reading reports throughout my time in elementary school, claiming I read 25 pages that week, when, in actuality, I had “read” (more like skimmed) 15 pages max, while simultaneously watching TV.. I just hated being told what to do, especially when I had no interest in it in the first place. I wasn’t gonna conform to my teacher’s (completely valid) expectations and read; I was gonna do my own thing.

This consistent behavior led to my reading and writing skills ranging from my teacher writing on my report card, “needs improvement” to “right on track”. I recall being in my classroom, our tables divided into sections, a rainbow-patterned rug in the center of the room, a seemingly giant whiteboard, the colorful array of posters, and my (concerningly) messy brown desk. We all sat down, working on an assignment that required critical thinking on an excerpt from a poem. The teacher divided us into groups, claiming that in each group there would be someone who really gets it, and those who need help. I could always tell I was the one who needed help, especially when I was one of the few students who was not praised in her class. I remember the expression she would make haunted me; her pale face framed by her straight, thin, light brown hair, her thin lips frowning slightly as her light blue eyes stared deep into my soul with a hint of disappointment.

That day, I went home, not feeling like one of her “best students” in the slightest bit. To cheer myself up, I decided to watch one of my favorite shows when I got home: Assassination Classroom, a beautiful science-fiction series that comforted me from the daily stresses. When I was watching that, I began to think to myself, “What if fans made stories about this show?”, and from there, for the first time in my life, I was actually fascinated by the idea of reading. It was as if a part of my brain that was supposed to like reading was slowly lighting up.

Once I got online and began reading fanfiction, it felt like the book was a siren, tempting me further and further into reading. For the first time in my short existence, I was actually into reading. No one had to force me this time; I just had to get inspired. I quickly became obsessed with what I was reading, spending about four hours straight reading, a stark contrast to my 15-minute “reading” sessions. I didn’t care about how long the story was; I just wanted to read it and find out what happens next ASAP.

This started a trend of me, every day, going home, stuffing my face with peanut butter sandwiches, and opening up my laptop to an array of stories with colorful, self-made covers, created by fans, and getting engrossed in whatever I chose to read that day. My mind was no longer my only escape; reading became another escape from the stresses of the day, making me feel as if I was transported to a new, fun, exciting world.

Slowly, over time, I began to excel in English. I was able to not only read better, but write better as well. It was no longer a struggle for me, because I had found an outlet that finally made reading exciting. Even my teachers and parents began to notice. I will never forget my teacher looking impressed, her light blue eyes lighting up, smiling at me, and telling me “good job”, a comment I NEVER used to get during ELA lessons. It was as if a switch was flipped on in my brain; I was exposed to the colorful world of reading. This led me to reading other types of stories that I was genuinely interested in, meaning that reading was now something I could control, not someone else.

I’ve learned that the joy of reading doesn’t have to be one way or the other. Reading is better than reading nothing at all, and there are various types of literature to enjoy, such as comics, fanfiction, physical books, and so much more. Different forms of literature expand our minds, transport us to new worlds, and spark creativity. There is no “right way to read”, and others’ opinions about what your reading choices matter way less than the fact that you are actually going out of your way to read, and are learning and growing each day.