I'm don't entirely agree with you on the fanfiction thing if only because plenty of people have gotten their literary fame from writing and publishing fanfiction novels, for fan kingdoms like Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Star Wars, Star Trek, Stargate, Dungeons and Dragons, etc. So I think it's a legitimate trade, and if people want to try their hand at making it big writing it, I say go for it.

Also, I've been writing original work for a lot longer than fanfiction and I think there are facets of fanfiction that are a lot more challenging than writing in my own worlds.

But I might be an anomaly. *shrugs*