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Using the control that being a writer affords to create a story that addresses one or more outcomes that the author wishes would come about; that is wish fulfillment. [[Administrivia/TropesAreTools There is nothing at all wrong with this, in and of itself]]. If RealLife fulfilled every psychological need we human beings have, we probably would not want to write fiction at all. Nor is there anything ''inherently'' unhealthy about using fantasy to compensate for a deficiency in RealLife; as long as one avoids becoming a DaydreamBeliever, {{Escapism}} and fantasy and Wish Fulfillment are healthy ways a human psyche can deal with dissatisfaction.

Human beings have needs, and some of these needs are psychological in nature. This is an undeniable fact. When a person's RealLife does not provide all of these psychological needs, they can turn to fiction in order to provide for these needs. For instance, someone lives a very boring life going to an utterly mundane job and has no excitement at all. Said person's need for variation and stimulation is not being catered for. Thus, this person might feel very attracted towards stories where an [[EscapistCharacter otherwise-normal person they can easily relate to suddenly becomes an extraordinarily powerful being and is thrust into a wild and thrilling series of events]].

This, in turn, is why people sometimes defend fictional characters [[DaydreamBeliever as if they were real]], because they are not defending the character but idealized versions of themselves and/or embodiments of their values. An attack on the character is seen as an attack on traits they (the real person) ''personally possess and/or admire''.

While it's a neutral term and an undeniable part of fiction in general, wish fulfilment is rarely mentioned in a positive light in reviews. Usually, bringing up the term suggests that the author sacrificed quality in plotting, pacing, characterization, etc. in order to facilitate their '''own''' wishes. However, it is entirely possible to have Wish Fulfillment stories that are still fluid and well-written; but '''be careful'''- do it too much, and it stops improving the story and just becomes indulgent instead. The conclusion being: don't worry too much about using these tropes as long as you pay particular care to that balance.

It is also possible for a work to be WishFulfillment for the audience either, instead of, or as well as the author. People whom the work targets will be more willing (to a point) to suspend their disbelief over [[AcceptableBreaksFromReality certain aspects]] of the work if it means that the [[RuleOfCool goal]] [[RuleOfFun of]] [[RuleOfFunny the]] [[RuleOfCute work]] [[RuleOfGlamorous is]] [[RuleOfScary achieved]]. The most blatant form of wish fulfillment for the audience is ReaderInsertFic, which is literally about the reader. However, this can be a double-edged sword too, as aiming for a too-specific demographic can limit the amount of people that the work appeals to.

Contrast with SourGrapesTropes and TrueArtIsAngsty.

Not to be confused with WishingTropes, which is about literal wishes being granted for characters in-story.

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!!Tropes generally accepted to be interrelated (if not a direct cause-effect relation) to wish fulfillment:

[[index]]
* AscendedFanboy
* AudienceSurrogate
* AuthorAppeal
* AuthorAvatar
* AuthorFilibuster
* AuthorPowers
* AuthorTract
* BackFromTheDead
* BeCarefulWhatYouWishFor
* BeautifulAllAlong
* BecomeARealBoy
* BornLucky
* BornWinner
* BullyHunter
* CameBackStrong
* CatharsisFactor
* ChangelingFantasy
* ChickMagnet
* CinderellaPlot
* CompetencePorn: A fictional work revolving around characters working together to solve an issue, highlighting cleverness and effort.
* CursedWithAwesome
* DaydreamBeliever
* DevotedToYou
* DeusExMachina
* DiedHappilyEverAfter
* {{Escapism}}
** EscapistCharacter
* EvenTheGirlsWantHer
* EvenTheGuysWantHim
* EverybodyWantsTheHermaphrodite
* ExpectationLowerer
* TheExtremistWasRight
* FairyGodmother
* {{Fanservice}}
* {{Fantasy}}
* FeministFantasy
* Fiction500
* TheFourLoves
* GettingMyOwnRoomPlot
* GhostReunionEnding
* TheGift
* AGodAmI
* GodhoodSeeker
* TheGoodGuysAlwaysWin
* GuardianAngel
* HappyPlace
* HaremGenre
* HealthyInHeaven
* {{Heaven}}
* HeavenSeeker
* HesJustHiding
* HumanityIsAdvanced
* HumanityIsSuperior
* HumansAdvanceSwiftly
* HumansAreSpecial
* HumansAreWarriors
* HumongousMecha
* TheIdolsBlessing
* I Just Want to Be X
** IJustWantToBeBadass
** IJustWantToBeBeautiful
** IJustWantToBeFree
** IJustWantToBeLoved
** IJustWantToBeNormal
** IJustWantToBeSpecial
** IJustWantToBeYou
** IJustWantToHaveFriends
* IntrepidFictioneer
%%** Introverted Chick Magnet was rogue launched and unlaunched.
* InvincibleHero
* IWantToBeARealMan
* IWishItWereReal
* JoinsToFitIn
* LaserGuidedKarma: Because RealLife feels no necessity to incinerate evil people with lightning.
* LittleSisterHeroine
%%* LivingOutAChildhoodDream has been cut/unlaunched
* LongingForFictionland
* MadDreamer
* MagicalGirl
* MagicalGirlfriend
* ManicPixieDreamGirl
* MarySue and all its associated subtypes (well, except for ParodySue).
** AntiSue
** BlackHoleSue
** CanonSue
** DreamSue
** EinsteinSue
** GodModeSue
** MartyStu
** MarySueClassic
** MaryTzu
** PuritySue
** RelationshipSue
* {{Moe}}
* {{Mon}}
* NewLifeInAnotherWorldBonus
* NeverGetsFat
* NextLifeAsAFictionalCharacter
* NoAnimosityInTheAfterlife
* NoPoverty
* NostalgiaHeaven
* NotDisabledInVR
* NudeNatureDance
* TheOneWhoMadeItOut
* OnlyHasSameSexAdmirers
* PalsWithJesus
* PowerFantasy
* ThePromisedLand
* ProudBeauty
* RagsToRiches
* RagsToRoyalty
* RandomlyGifted
* RealWorldEpisode
* RevengeIsSweet
* RightMakesMight
* RomanceNovel
* SailorEarth
* ScrewTheRulesImBeautiful
* ScrewTheRulesIHaveSupernaturalPowers
* SelfInsertFic
* SoBeautifulItsACurse
* SpecialSnowflakeSyndrome
* SuperHero
* SupernaturallyValidatedTransPerson
* SuperPowersForADay
* TogetherInDeath
* TokenMiniMoe
* TransformationComic
* TransformationFiction
* TrappedInAnotherWorld
* TrappedInTVLand
* {{Tsundere}}
* UnwantedHarem
* {{Utopia}}
* VengeanceFeelsEmpty
* WantingIsBetterThanHaving
* WithGreatPowerComesGreatHotness
* WithGreatPowerComesGreatPerks
* WorldsBestCharacter
** WorldsBestWarrior
** WorldsMostBeautifulWoman
** WorldsSmartestMan
** WorldsStrongestMan
* YamatoNadeshiko
* YouAreBetterThanYouThinkYouAre
* YouAreNotAlone
* YoungestChildWins
[[/index]]

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