You know, that one pirate guy! When I was seven (or a bit younger) I decided to invent a "personal superhero" after I heard the term used in Sunday school. I have no clue what they were talking about, because I immediately zoned out to invent such a person. Whether after my cousin Leah or the girl in "Signing Time" with the same name, I decided Lea would be a cool name for my superhero. Child that I was, I actually decided to pronounce it Lee, which has caused vast confusion to my friends. "That one pirate guy" that I knew absolutely nothing about (turns out his name is Jack Sparrow) became her dad, and she proceeded to grow up in various phases. At one time she had a twin sister and rode a lion around, at a different moment I'm pretty sure she was a Native American. As she grew and solidified, she had three brothers - Mowgli (yup, stole him from The Jungle Book), Brian and the third one whose name started with C. I've been putting her into fanfiction stories years and years before I knew fanfiction existed.
Now? Lea grew up, had a family, died, and lives on in the memory of her children and grandchildren. I still tell stories with 16-year-old Lea and her brothers, but those are more for my personal maladaptive daydreams than anyone else. This Saga is my primary thread detailing her mistakes and her joys. I can't not share this story, and I'm glad that I have this site.
What Harry Potter did for me:
I believe that there's a reason there's more fanfiction for Harry Potter than any other story, and it's not just the popularity. Something about those books and movies begs to be played with, begs to be twisted and molded into a new creation.
Harry Potter revolutionized my fanfiction world from the moment I watched Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them in theaters with my friend. It was something that immediately called to me, trapped me, and wouldn't let me go. It has left an unerasable mark on my story, and I'm thankful for what J.K. Rowling has given me and so many others.
Shakespeare
I owe a lot to the Bard. Right now I don't have time to go into detail, but I will soon!