User blog:Thebookthief/What Makes a Fanfic Super Popular

Fanfiction is very popular in the iCarly community, especially (or so I think) among shippers. Now, I'm not here to say one ship is better than another, becuase that's way off topic from the point of this blog. So, back to my point: what makes a fanfic super popular?

There are certain fanfics that are musch more popular than the rest, whether they're well known to all of the iCarly fans or just to those who belong to a certain ship, the fact that some are very famous while others wallow in anonymity is a fact.

1. Word gets around. When someone reads a fanfic they love, they'll often share their findings, whether on this wiki, through Twitter, etc. Curious people will then go read the fic, and maybe share it themselves. So, the more people that share a story, the more well known the stoy becomes.

2. Grammar. This may sound like a very boring topic, and that's why I'm confused. Some of the most popular fics are well written, while others leave my brain painfully reeling from the lack of consitency and proper grammar. Not that I'm great at grammar, because I'm certainly not, but I've started fics that were at the top of the popularity chain that I couldn't finish because my mind simply couldn't wrap itself around what was going on due to the poor structure. What makes these fics so popular if they're so hard to read? That brings us to my next point.

3. Story/plot. Some stories have the best plot lines. Whether they're original and creative, or overused but well done, the plot is often what draws a reader in. What makes certain plots better than others? Some are so over used that I don't know how someone can rank one above the other with the exception of the quality of writing. I love creative new fanfic ideas, beacause they're so interesting to read - you don't have any idea where the story'll go.

4. Timing. Fanfics written and released right before or after an important new episode generally get more readers/word spread. Since everyone is excited and hyped up about the episode, they're looking for something iCarly to fill their time before it comes or to keep their enthusiasm going while they're still on new episode high.

5. Length. I may be wrong, but I feel like length is an important factor in a fic's popularity. Some people will read any fic, some will as long as it goes with the certain ship they want, but others want one-shots, short stories, or (figuratively) novel-length fics. I personally don't care for one-shots, so I know that I only look out for those longer than about 5 chapters for the most part, but some people live for one-shots. I don't know what length has a larger following, but that may also play a part in a fic's popularity.

Those are the main reasons I can think of that can contribute to a fic's renowndness, but I still don't understand. There are so many great fics that are so unknown, and remain that way. I'm the author of a fanfic (in case you want to read it, My List of Firsts: http://www.fanfiction.net/s/6906732/1/My_List_of_Firsts), and I have, what I consider to be, a medium sized by very loyal following of readers, and I gain more quite frequently. To me, the amount of people who read my story is not important (though I would love for everyone to read my story), as much as the loyalness and love from those who do read it. I am very happy having a "medium-sized" amount of readers because they constantly read my new chapters, review, and stick with my story even when I forget to/can't update for longer than usual. That's what I find most important. Anyway, this blog is not about my story, so moving on...

Overall, I am just very curious as to why the most popular fics are as popular as they are. What do you think? What are your favorite fics? Why?

Thank you for reading, and I would love to hear your thoughts! :)