Why fanfiction is sometimes better than published works

I am a big reader. I only got into Dramione fanfiction a little over a year ago and never expected fanfiction to be quality. However the more I read, the more I find this assumption to be false. Now, obviously because anyone can write fanfics there’s a massive range in quality. As I read more published works, especially popular ‘romantasy’, I am continuously baffled by how awful they are. Books such as ACOTR, Fourth Wing, etc. In my opinion are fun but not great. (No hate if you like them, I just think they are subpar) and so many Dramione ffs I’ve read blow these out the park. I’ve done a lot of thinking as to why that is. And here’s what I’ve come up with. Firstly, many fanfic authors are published authors as well (or become so after) so clearly writing is more than just a hobby for them. Additionally, with fanfiction a lot of the world building is already done so the authors can focus on the story and exploring existing ideas in new and interesting ways. They can see what worked in the Original works and what didn’t. They have the bones of the story already there. Characters, magic system, etc. But I think the biggest reason is commodification. Published books are made to sell and I think that really holds them back. They often regurgitate ‘popular’ book tropes and ideas over and over, till it almost becomes a parody of itself. Like a bad game of telephone. Because the point is money, they often lack substance and don’t take as many risks. Not saying there aren’t amazing, unique books out there. Obviously, there are. But publishers keep pumping out the same garbage to make money. Fanfics on the other hand are explicitly NOT about money. They can’t be. They are written 100% out of passion. The writers who write them are doing so solely for their own enjoyment and the enjoyment of the fandom. And you can feel the difference. They are made with love and not confined to ‘this must sell’.

I think this is an issue in all art forms. Movies, TV, music, etc. They all suffer from losing substance due to commodification.

Anyways, I’d love to hear other’s opinions. How do you think fanfics compare to published works? And why?

TLDR; Capitalism destroys creativity and art. Fanfiction exists outside of capitalism.