How TikTok Creators Are Using Fan Fiction to Build Brands

Lucas: You ever watch a TikTok and think, 'I could write a better ending than that'? Luna: All the time. Especially with those dramatic storytelling accounts. Lucas: Right. And some creators are actually encouraging that impulse. They're treating fan fiction not as a legal headache but as a marketing engine. Luna: Wait — fan fiction? Like the stuff that used to get cease and desist letters from publishers? Lucas: Exactly that. But now, on TikTok, it's becoming a deliberate strategy. Let's look at one case: the author Alex Aster. She wrote a fantasy novel called 'Lightlark' — came out in 2022, hit the New York Times bestseller list. But before the book even launched, she was on TikTok building a universe. Luna: I remember the #Lightlark hashtag — it was everywhere on BookTok. She had these cinematic teaser videos with rain sounds and sword fights. Lucas: Right. But what's interesting is what happened after. Fans started writing alternative scenes, drawing characters, even rewriting the ending. And instead of shutting it down, Aster engaged with it. She'd duet a fan's version and say things like, 'Ooh, I like that twist.' Luna: So she was basically crowdsourcing the narrative. Wasn't she afraid of losing control of her story? Lucas: That's the key tension. But her argument — and I think it works — is that fan fiction is free passion. It's people so invested they want to play in your world. That's literally the definition of brand loyalty. And on TikTok, that engagement feeds the algorithm. Luna: So it's not just about the book sales. It's about keeping the conversation going months after launch. Lucas: Exactly. Aster's team tracked that the highest engagement days on her profile weren't when she posted new content — they were when a fan's alternate scene went viral. One fan's video, where they rewrote the love interest's backstory, got 2 million views. That drove a spike in 'Lightlark' sales on Amazon. Luna: Okay, so what's the strategy for a brand or creator who wants to do this intentionally? Do you just say 'go ahead, remix my stuff'? Lucas: You need a framework. I think it breaks down into three moves. First, leave narrative gaps. Don't explain everything in your videos. Leave room for fans to fill in the blanks. Second, encourage remix culture explicitly — use the duet and stitch features, maybe host a weekly 'fan rewrite' prompt. Third, treat fan creations as free focus-group data. Luna: What do you mean by focus-group data? Lucas: Pay attention to which characters fans write about most, which plotlines they change. That tells you what your audience actually wants. For a brand, that could be product features. For a creator, it could be the direction of a series. Luna: So it's like a feedback loop. But what about the risk of negative fan fiction? What if someone writes something that goes against your brand values? Lucas: That's the downside. You have to set boundaries. Some creators post a 'fan fiction code of conduct' — no hate speech, no shipping real people, no monetizing derivative works. And they enforce it through moderation. But mostly, it's about trusting your community. Luna: It sounds a lot like what some fashion brands do with #OOTD challenges — letting customers style their clothes their own way. Same principle. Lucas: Completely. And it works across categories. There's a fitness creator I follow who posts workout snippets and asks fans to write their own 'alternative ending' — like, what if you did a different finisher? People love it. It makes them feel like co-creators. Luna: But doesn't that dilute the original creator's authority? If anyone can rewrite your story, why follow you? Lucas: Good question. The answer is: because the original creator sets the world. The fan fiction exists within that world. The more people play in it, the more they want to come back to the source. It's like how 'Star Wars' fan films didn't hurt the franchise — they kept it alive between movies. Luna: So it's a retention play. Keep people engaged even when you're not posting. Lucas: Right. And there's a data angle too. One creator I spoke to — a sci-fi writer — told me she uses fan comments to decide which side characters to develop. If fans are writing about a minor character, she knows to give them more screen time in the sequel. It's smarter than any survey. Luna: That's actually brilliant. You're letting your audience tell you what they want without them even realizing it. Lucas: Exactly. But the legal side matters. Make sure your terms of service allow fan creations, or at least don't discourage them. And if you're a brand, work with your legal team to set guidelines. You want to encourage creativity without losing trademark control. Luna: Speaking of which, I saw a cool example from a small skincare brand. They asked fans to write 'product origin stories' — like, imagine this moisturizer was discovered in an ancient temple. The winning entries got featured on the product page. Lucas: That's perfect. It's fan fiction applied to a non-narrative product. And it generated hundreds of user submissions because the prompt was fun. The brand got free content and a community that felt invested. Luna: So the key takeaway is: give people a sandbox, not just a finished castle. Lucas: Exactly. And if they build something you love, amplify it. That's how you turn casual viewers into loyal fans. Luna: I think a lot of marketers are scared of losing control. But this flips the script — control isn't the goal, connection is. Lucas: Honestly, if today's conversation sparked something you want to try — maybe a fan fiction prompt for your own brand — consider supporting the show. It's what keeps these conversations ad-free. You can find us at buy me a coffee dot com slash fexingo. Luna: Yeah, even a small gesture helps us keep digging into these strategies. And we appreciate it. Lucas: Back to the topic — I think the next frontier is official 'fan fiction kits' from brands. Imagine a brand releasing a 'story starter pack' with characters, settings, and conflict prompts. It's almost like a game. Luna: I could see that working for a gaming company especially. They already have lore to draw from. Lucas: Right. And on TikTok, where attention is short, giving people something to create with is a powerful hook. The question is: are you willing to share the spotlight? Luna: For the marketers listening: start small. Pick one product or story element, leave a gap, and invite your audience to fill it. See what happens. Lucas: And maybe you'll discover that your fans are better writers than you think. Luna: Or at least more passionate. And that's a resource no algorithm can replicate. Lucas: Alright. Next episode, we'll look at how creators are using 'choose your own adventure' formats on TikTok to boost watch time.