Cheat’s guide …TO WRITING FAN FIC
First stop: reading this article. Second stop: famous fanfic writer!
W writer, for her tips!
DON’T TAKE CRITICISM TO HEART
e hit up Claudia Gray, author of the Spellcaster trilogy, and ex-fanfic
Especially if it’s thoughtful, constructive stuff. “It might hurt to behind with, but you will learn a lot from it in the end. I definitely did!” says Claudia. Mean stuff though – that’s not cool. Just recognise that everyone has an
WORK WITHIN YOUR FANDOM’S PARAMETERS
WORDS JENNA GUILLAUME PHOTOGRAPHY GETTY IMAGES
“Some fanfic sites, everyone publishes their stories chapter by chapter, and in others, members won’t even start a story until the final chapter is finished,” says Claudia. Learning these kind of unwritten rules within your fandom will help you get interaction from other members..
BE A GOOD COMMUNITY MEMBER It’s important to remember that fanfic forums are like a big community, so being kind, commenting and reviewing others work when you can, and interacting with respect is important. “Also, don’t publish under your real name. If you want to claim it later, you always can”, says Claudia. It just
CHOOSE YOUR FIC! What type of fanfic do you wanna write? “The names for styles of fanfic vary from fandom to fandom, but here are a few significant terms you ought to know”, says Claudia. Au: Alternate Universe. The characters and perhaps some of the story elements of your source material are the same, but you’ve placed them in another setting. Like if Hunger Games was set in space, instead of Panem. What-if: Changes one core element of the source material, to see how the story could have been different. Like, what if Tris fell in love with Eric, not Four? Fluff: A story that is sweet and/or funny, and doesn’t deal with more upsetting events. Like, Professor X welcomes Magneto to school for Chanukah, and no one cares that he tried to kill everyone multiple times. Crackfic: Deliberately bizarre. Like, what if Katniss and Peeta were turned into puppies? What kind of dog would Haymitch be? Hurt/Comfort: Fic that’s all about one character experiencing something terrible, and being comforted by another character.
DON’T PLAGIARISE Plagiarism is the act of taking credit for someone else’s work, so basically, don’t copy and paste someone’s story from one fanfic, and post in another thinking no one will notice! “This is always found out, but it’s also considered one of the rudest
KEEP TO YOUR POINT Authors notes and song lyrics littered through your story will virtually always pull readers out of what’s going on without adding anything,” says Claudia.
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GET THE VIBE OF YOUR SOURCE
“Many fanfic stories are criticized for sounding generic, or having the characters not behave like themselves” says Claudia. Think about
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