If you’re like us and love to read, then click here to score tons of free and discounted ebooks.
Many talented authors got their start in the world of Harry Potter fan fiction, using the platform to hone their writing skills, experiment with storytelling, and connect with passionate readers. Fan fiction serves as an incredible training ground for aspiring writers, allowing them to explore character development, world-building, and narrative structure in a supportive and engaged community.
Some authors use fan fiction as a stepping stone, refining their craft before moving on to completely original works, while others find ways to rework their most beloved fanfic stories into something fresh and unique enough to publish. No matter the path they take, fan fiction has played a significant role in shaping the careers of many successful authors—some of whom you may not have even realized had roots in the Harry Potter fandom.
Popular Authors and Books with Roots in Fan Fiction Writing
1. Cassandra Clare
Cassandra Clare, born Judith Rumelt, is best known for her Mortal Instruments series. Before she was known for this though, she was a very popular Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings fan fiction writer writing under the pen name, Cassandra Clare.
One of her best known works was the Draco Trilogy, which inspired what we now know as the Mortal Instruments. It was a Ginny and Draco based fan fiction, and some people still feel like the main characters of the series, Jace and Clary, share many qualities with these characters. Other character parallels from the novel are that Simon is similar to Harry. Dumbledore is the professor. Isabelle is inspired by Blaise Zabinin. Luke is a combination of Remus & Sirius.
2. Olivie Blake
Olivie Blake, a pseudonym for Alexene Farol Follmuth, initially made waves with her Harry Potter fan fiction before venturing into original works. Her novel The Atlas Six, originally self-published, gained immense popularity on platforms like TikTok, leading to a traditional publishing deal. Her transition showcases the potential for fan fiction authors to successfully cross into mainstream publishing.
Writing fan fiction under the name Olivie Blake. She was known for writing Dramione fan fiction (Hermione and Draco romance). She has been open about the fact that her Dramione fan fiction inspired the Atlas Six and the characters within it.
3. L. Stoddard Handcock
L. Stoddard Handcock’s Cruel and Beautiful World trilogy was originally the Dramione fan fiction A Cruel and Beautiful World by pen name Lena Phoria, which was pretty popular among fan fiction readers. It was an alternate universe based fan fiction where Voldemort won the war. Draco is supposed to capture and turn Hermione in, but he chooses to hide her instead. Broken Wings is the first book of this published series.
4. Rainbow Rowell
Rainbow Rowell, acclaimed for novels like Fangirl and Eleanor & Park, drew inspiration from fan fiction culture. Fangirl centers on a college student deeply immersed in writing fan fiction for a popular series, which is heavily Harry Potter inspired and reflects Rowell’s appreciation for fandom communities. She later penned Carry On, a novel expanding on the fictional fan fiction depicted in Fangirl, blending her original storytelling with fan fiction elements.
5. Naomi Novak
Naomi Novik, author of the Temeraire series and Uprooted, has roots in fan fiction, including contributions to the Harry Potter fandom. She is also a co-founder of the Organization for Transformative Works, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting and preserving fan works, highlighting her commitment to the legitimacy and value of fan-created content. She also is a founder of A03, a popular fan fiction website.
6. Sarah Rees Brennan
Before her professional debut, Sarah Rees Brennan was active in the Harry Potter fan fiction community, writing under the pen name Maya. Her stories, such as Underwater Light, were well-regarded for their depth and character exploration. She transitioned to original fiction with The Demon’s Lexicon series, maintaining her flair for intricate plots and dynamic characters.
7. Lev Grossman
Lev Grossman, known for The Magicians trilogy, has acknowledged the influence of Harry Potter on his work but does not have a documented history of writing fan fiction within the fandom. His series offers a darker, more adult perspective on magical education, often seen as a response to the themes explored in Harry Potter.
He is said to have previously written Harry Potter, Adventure Time, and How to Train Your Dragon fan fiction. This involvement reflects Grossman’s appreciation for fan communities and his belief in the creative value of fan fiction.
8. Kit Coltrane
Kit Coltrane’s novel, All the Way Happy, has its origins in Harry Potter fan fiction, specifically focusing on the “Drarry” pairing—romantic stories involving Draco Malfoy and Harry Potter. The novel reimagines these characters in a contemporary setting, with Jack and Theo reflecting traits reminiscent of Harry and Draco. Jack is portrayed as having dark hair and piercing eyes, while Theo is depicted as a posh individual with platinum blond hair and an aristocratic demeanor.
9. Jaida Jones
Before co-authoring the fantasy novel Havemercy with Danielle Bennett, Jones co-wrote a Harry Potter fan fiction story called The Shoebox Project with co-writer Rave, which gained a massive following online. The Shoebox Project, was a renowned Harry Potter fan fiction focusing on the Marauders era, particularly the relationship between Remus Lupin and Sirius Black. This work gained a massive following online.
10. Senlinyu
Senlinyu’s very popular Manacled fan fiction, which is similar to a Harry Potter and Handmaid’s Tale cross over, has gained a lot of popularity on fan fiction sites. Readers love its Dramione (Draco and Hermione) dynamic. And, while not published yet, Senlinyu has announced that she will be reworking and publishing this work as Alchemised, which will be releasing later this year. Unlike many published authors, she has decided to keep her fan fiction pen name when publishing.
Alchemised has gained such a massive following, that is it set to have special editions with sprayed edges available during release.
11. Julie Soto
Julie Soto, known in the fan fiction community as Lovesbitca8, is a celebrated author who has transitioned from writing fan fiction to publishing original works. Her fan fiction, particularly within the Harry Potter and Star Wars fandoms, has garnered a substantial following. Notably, her Dramione (Draco Malfoy and Hermione Granger) fan fiction, The Auction, has been highly acclaimed for its intricate plot and character development.
Her debut novel, Forget Me Not is not based on a previous fan fiction work, although was greatly anticipated and enjoyed by the fans she gained from her fan fiction writing. So much so, that it is set to be adapted into a television series by Universal International Studios.
Her next novel, Rose in Chains, is said to be a reworking of a previous fan fiction, The Auction.
12. Brigitte Knightley
Brigitte Knightley gained prominence in the Harry Potter fan fiction community under the pen name isthisselfcare, notably for her work Draco Malfoy and the Mortifying Ordeal of Being in Love. This Dramione fanfic garnered significant attention for its engaging narrative and character development. Knightley’s transition to original fiction culminated in her debut novel, The Irresistible Urge to Fall for Your Enemy, set for publication in 2025. This work has already amassed a substantial following, with over 2 million reads prior to its official release.
13. Chloe Cullen
Chloe Cullen’s fan fiction Meet Me at Midnight is being adapted into At The Mercy of Midnight. The new fic is said to be inspired by the fan fiction, but not a rewrite, so fans of the previous novel can expect some new and exciting developments. This book is set to be published in 2025.
14. Isabella Hood
Isabella Hood’s dramione fan fiction, A Lamb to the Slaughter, is being adapted into Cold & Most Cunning. While this has been recently announce, it is expected to be published later this year.
Harry Potter Is a Global Phenomenon; Why Aren’t There More Published Fan Fictions?
The phenomenon of Harry Potter fan fiction being widely created yet rarely adapted into published original works (compared to fandoms like Twilight) has several fascinating explanations.
First, this may be partly due to the fact that JK Rowling and Warner Bros. enforce their copyright more strictly, while Twilight and Star Wars creators have been more lenient and perhaps even supportive of fan fiction. It could also be due to the fact that Harry Potter is a closed, specific world, while Twilight and “Reylo” are a simple romance that can easily be reshaped in an alternate universe. The final contributing factor may be that the Twilight publishing boom happened right as self-publishing and digital platforms like Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) were taking off. This allowed a wave of former fan fiction writers to quickly turn their stories into books without needing traditional publishers.
So, while Harry Potter fan fiction is still one of the larger and most active fandoms online, its legal restrictions, strong ties to its world-building, and a different fandom culture have made it harder for its fan fiction stories to transition into published books.
Did you know all of these authors had connections to Harry Potter fan fiction? Did any of them surprise you? Let us know in the comments below!
Happy reading,
Comments