What Would We Do Without Our Fictional Characters?

[cuddyclothes]

I just said that to a fellow fan. And then I thought, what would we do without our fictional characters?

Which also made me think, what sort of comfort or coping mechanism do you get from your characters/pairings?

For myself I find writing fanfic (lately only in my head) helps me escape from the hellscape that is America these days. And reading fanfic about my favorite pairing is soothing in a way TV and other forms of reading aren't. It's like getting my emotions massaged.

How do other people feel?

Comments

[rionaleonhart]

I really don't know what I'd do without fictional characters! I've made so many friends through fandom, one of whom I lived with for several years; it's hard to imagine the shape of my life without those connections.

I also really love writing fanfiction. It's absorbing in a way nothing else is, and in a way I feel it gives me a sense of purpose. If I write something, and twenty people kudos it, that means that in some way I brought a bit of enjoyment into the days of twenty people. It may not seem like much, but I think there's value in that, particularly at times like this, when things are rough and people need distractions.

[suncani]

Twenty people you've affected and had an impact on AND in a way that's tangible is pretty impressive when you think about it. Doing in that in meatspace is pretty rare so valuing it when it happens is definitely a good thing