Engaging in Fan Fiction

Drawing from transnational media, Chinese fan fiction is simultaneously embedded in the local digital landscape and cultural industries; it represents global cultural homogeneity with local heterogeneity. Drawing on Appadurai’s theorization of globalization and the concept of imagination as a collective practice, I examine Chinese women’s motivations, creativity, and identities when engaging in fan fiction. The social dimension of fan fiction is central to its appeal, with the Internet transforming individual hobbies into a collective practice by connecting like-minded individuals across regions. Emotional connections to cultural products motivate fans to reinterpret and challenge canonical narratives. Fan fiction also reflects broader aspects of participants’ lives: the desire to overcome real-world challenges can be projected onto their creative practices; the preference to engage with fan fiction in their native language rather than English suggests their cultural identities. Ultimately, fan fiction serves as a space where collective imagination and emotional expression converge, allowing people to negotiate identities, get cultural resonance, and contribute to diverse narratives within a global-local framework.