A Guide to Fanfiction

Okay, I'm a regular over at Fanfiction.net and throughout many years of reading fanfiction, I've learned what makes a good fanfiction and what makes a bad one. So, if you don't mind a bit of ranting, I'm going to share it. Because I feel there are people out there who need to know this.

Definition

Look, I'm sick and tired of fanbrats whining, "It's fanFICTION." You have to stop putting the emphasis on the last part of the word. It's as I told someone else earlier who whined about it. If you don't want people nitpicking you and telling you your doing it wrong, DON'T WRITE FANFICTION! Seriously, if you want to do whatever you damn please, write your own damn story. There's even a place for you to post it--Fictionpress.com. If you're still up to fanfiction, remember that the emphasis goes on the first part: FANfiction. It is stories written by fans for fans. You must respect the work at all times. Readers are coming so that they can be pulled back into their favorite book/television/movie/etc and not because you are such an OMG! Amazing writer.

Characters

There are two parts to this. First, the established canon characters. These are the real reason why someone clicks on a fanfiction story. They want to see the characters they love in a new scenario. So please respect the characterizations the authors or writers have established for their characters. Study their personalities, their quirks, their strengths, their weaknesses. Don't just write about them because their actors are hot. Hermione from Harry Potter is an average looking studious young woman with bushy brown hair and slightly big teeth who isn't lusted over by every boy in the school. She is not suddenly going to return from summer vacation as bombshell blonde with big breasts, a perfect figure, a sudden focus on getting into someone's (Harry/Ron/Draco/Fred/George/Snape/Remus) pants nor is the entire male population (including those that haven't hit puberty) going to start chasing after her. Also, Erik from the Phantom of the Opera isn't some misunderstood sexy man who was wrongfully scorned by Christine. He's an ugly, twisted, murderous, obsessed man who also happens to be a genius with the voice of an angel. In other words, don't change the characters to suit the story. Change the story to suit the characters.

Since long post is long, I will continue this probably Monday as tomorrow (err, today) is the Tony Awards. And that will probably be another long post.

Next: Mary Sues, Tenth Walkers, Setting, Canon, Romance, Alternate Universe and others. Hmm, this might take longer than I thought...