Interview with Winston Crutchfield, the winner of the inaugural 2025 Lucasverse Fanfiction Contest

Last year, Winston Crutchfield won the 2025 Lucasverse Fanfiction Contest with his story, “Wannabe Villain.” His funny, heartfelt take on the Lucasverse explored a simple but memorable question: What happens when someone wants the reputation of a supervillain without actually wanting to hurt anybody?

Since then, Winston’s story has become part of the Lucasverse—and with the 2026 contest now underway, I thought it would be fun to sit down with him and talk about the experience.

In this interview, Winston shares what inspired him to enter the contest, where the idea for “Wannabe Villain” came from, his favorite Lucasverse stories, and his advice for anyone considering submitting an entry this year.

Whether you are an experienced writer or someone who has never shared a story before, I hope Winston’s experience encourages you to give it a shot. You never know where one idea might lead.

INTERVIEW WITH WINSTON CRUTCHFILED, 2025 CONTEST WINNER AND AUTHOR OF ‘WANNABE VILLAIN’

1 What inspired you to enter the Lucasverse Fanfiction Contest last year?

Honestly, it was your persistence in calling for entries and promoting the contest that finally persuaded me to submit an entry. Your weekly interactive questions on the Discord ground are something I find entertaining and thought provoking. I’m very much a lurker when it comes to social media, very subject to the idea that “someone else” will answer a particular call to action. This time around, it turned out that someone was me.

2 Where did the idea for your story “Wannabe Villain” come from?

I’m a huge fan of the The Tick comics by originally Ben Edlund, and later written by Eli Stone. The spin-offs in particular (Paul the Samurai, The Man-Eating Cow, and The Chainsaw Vigilante, all written by other authors) provide a ludicrously lucid view of a world that cannot itself perceive the pomposity of its situation. When I decided to submit an entry, I knew this was the route I wanted to take. The MWS-verse is my favorite of the settings, and Doctor Mind is my favorite hero. He does want to be a hero, he just doesn’t want to take on any of the risk or sacrifice that goes with that role – at least, no more than is absolutely necessary. I took that same dynamic and spun it a little bit. What if I had a villain who wants the notoriety and respect of infamy but doesn’t want to actually hurt anyone in the process? What if his failure to achieve that notoriety was equal parts self-sabotage and ridiculously improbable bad luck? Wouldn’t he just be a wannabe villain? What would he finally do when he realizes that fact?

3 What was the writing process like for you?

My process varies, but I always start with the ending and work my way backwards to the beginning. I build an outline so I have a roadmap of all of the important beats and reveals, and so I always know where I’m going. It needs to be strict enough to keep me on track, so that every passage serves a purpose, but flexible enough to allow me some creative flow. I have two designated writing times – one at the keyboard with no distractions, and one during the time I spend walking my dog when I take advantage of a text-to-speech app for dictation. Writing, like anything worth doing, is both discipline and exercise.

4 How did it feel when you found out you had won the contest?

I was surprised and pleased, certainly! I’ve had such fun reading your superhero books, it felt really good to be able to give back some of that enjoyment.

5 What advice would you give to someone thinking about entering this year?

Remember that you are writing fan fiction – essentially playing with someone else’s toys. Be as knowledgeable as you can about the setting, the internal rules of the setting, and the characters that you wish to use. You will show respect for the author and the material by not contradicting, reinterpreting, or changing anything that will affect the status quo, nor should you introduce elements that ought to have far-reaching or long-term ramifications. Remember that you are writing for the enjoyment of the author and of other fans. You will show respect for your readers and their time by not requiring them to be closely familiar with elements from outside of your story. If there is something the reader needs to know, find a way to tell them within your story. Finally, remember that this is YOUR turn to tell a story. Don’t try to write like another author, write like yourself and don’t worry that your words don’t sound like some bestselling author – that’s what it means to be genuine.

6 What do you enjoy most about the Lucasverse?

The variety of settings and approachability of the materials is what draws me in the most. There’s a setting for most every kind of superhero story. I love absurdist comedy, so I was drawn to Fake Superhero and Minimum Wage Sidekick. But I love generational hero stories in a setting that takes itself seriously – the Neoverse provides exactly that. And of course, I’ve got a cyberpunk streak, so I’m looking forward to working my way through the COverse. And then of course like any responsible superhero creator, everything gets mashed together in the crossover series. And of course, the characters are memorable and sympathetic, so they stay with me. Doctor Mind, Ashley Jason, and Alex (Beams) Fry are my favorites, but Kevin (Bolt) Jason is an enduring and beloved archetype as well.

7 What is your favorite Lucasverse book or series?

The absurdity of the MWS-verse is what drew me in to begin with, but it’s the grounded consequences and delightful characters that keep me coming back to it. The setting is ever so slightly self-aware of what it is without actually breaking the fourth wall, and I really appreciate that. I don’t need my heroes to be grim, angsty, hyperviolent, morally ambiguous, or secretly depraved. I need them to be good people who are trying to do the right thing, even and especially when it means they fail and fail hard. I need them to be human, and that’s what I’ve found here. It’s why I’m a fan.

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And that’s the interview! Hopefully you found it interesting, informative, and, above all else, inspiring. If Winston’s story inspires YOU to try to enter, then check out the rules HERE (all entrants get a free exclusive short story, Aeno Writes a Fanfic, just for submitting a story, even if you don’t win!).

Want to read (or listen) to Winston’s story, Wannabe Villain? You can watch it on my YouTube channel from last year or read it via BookFunnel for free HERE.

Thanks and happy writing,

Lucas Flint