I love that there are fans who still love and appreciate MJ Fanfic. Back in the day, I used to write on forums but never any full stories til 2018. While I understand that not all fans care for MJ Fanfic for it is an acquired taste—I feel just as any other famous celeb who has fanfic, MJ should have it too because it's a fan-type thing to do! Lol. One that has been happening for ages. And as Michael once stated, "There’s a whole new world in books. If you can’t afford to travel, you travel mentally through reading."
P.S. Cringe is in the eye of the reader, lol. I love all the lovey-dovey romance stories. I mean, Michael was that guy who always saved the woman and was a prince charming in his real-life actions and short films! Sings: "I'll be your story hero, a serenading rhyme." However, I also love AU stories of Michael as well, which isn't really far-fetched if one writes him as one of his short-film personalities. Heck, I've written him as a detective but I still included elements of his personality. But I also write stories that include his love for music, kids, and humanitarianism. Fanfics are all about fantasy and escapism! As Michael believed in escapism through his music, the same can be done through fanfic.
I'm glad you have found a way to express your emotions. I too write because it's very therapeutic and relaxing for me. It warms my heart when readers say that fanfics make them feel as if MJ is still here with them or they had a rough day and needed to unwind with a story. Though fanfics are fiction, they can indeed allow one to feel MJ is still with them and that can be very comforting. There are many reasons why people read and write fanfics—some for entertainment and some for deeper reasons. I encourage all those who want to write! Write to your heart's content! As long as it's not an illegal trope (because sigh's there are some but I'm trying to keep this positive) I say be creative and write. Give folks a synopsis of the story and genre so they know what they are getting into, lol and all should be well. However, with everything, every story isn't for everyone but trust, you will find your readers!
After not writing for many years, I returned to writing on Wattpad but I have since moved on (I'm writing elsewhere). Although I have my own reservations about Wattpad, it's definitely a great place to build an audience if you like reader interactions such as comments, votes, and banter. I also like Ao3, I actually prefer it, tbh in terms of apps. Additionally, there is still a dedicated MJ spot to write and read stories (not sure I can mention the name here due to forum rules. P.S. I used to be a mod here back in the day. So, gotta be respectful. I adore this forum and glad its still around). And there is Inkitt and Commaful. However, the first three I mentioned are better in terms of having your story seen and read. The writing apps took me a while to get used to because I'm old school and remember when writers had their own websites!
Anyhoo! I wish you well on your writing journey! You sound quite eager to write MJ fanfic. I hope you will write many wonderful stories that readers will enjoy and get lost in the many worlds you'll create for Michael, keeping his spirit alive through those who love MJ Fanfic.
This post was a story within itself, but hey, That's what writers do! Lol.