One of the things that I know many people like to do in their free time is write fan fiction. Fanfics as they are called otherwise are defined as 'a litterature piece that is based off of a book, television show, video game, or a comic'. What makes a good fanfic is not defined in that definition. I'm going to give a few tips for those who are beginning or are trying to become better at fanfic writing.

The important things to keep in mind:

OC: Original characters; ones that YOU make, and are not part of the original piece that your fanfic is based off of. These are going to be probably both the easiest and the most difficult parts of the fanfic. Firstly, making them and their traits, not a big deal. Their history, however is. Their history, what they do, and their abilities all rely on their personality, and their personality could be dependent on these things in return. For example, a character could not have divorced parents, and an abusive one, yet still be happy-go-lucky. No, they'd be more pessimistic, more defensive, and might be one of the bullies at school. You need to keep these things in mind when making your character.
Also keep a reign on their abilities. For every Superman, let there be Kryptonite. Everyone has a weakness. If your character is a vampire, it could be sunlight, or if your character is a child, they might get sick easily or be afraid of spiders. But there is a weakness to everyone. A good thing to try to do when making a character is to write a list, at the top of the list put the character's name, then on one side, list their abilities. On the other, list the weaknesses. If they have two to five more strengths to weaknesses, then you are good. Try to keep it in that range, or around it.

Plot bunnies: Fanfic plot ideas. Pretty simple, until you get writer's block. No big thing, and can be easily dodged. Many people, if you ask them for a plot bunny, can come up with one easily. These are very important, but there isn't much to write on them. When you pick a plot bunny to work on, however, ask yourself if your characters fit it. If not, and you aren't willing to make another character, then go and see if you can get another one.

The plot: Not as easy as a plot bunny. Think only as if you are making a single book, not a whole series. The sequels will come after the first book, as well as the prequels. Planning the plot can be thought of as putting popcorn on a string. It looks pretty long at first, but you work at it little by little, and not worry about the next string until you get there. There is first introducing your characters. I saw that when writing fics, that if you introduce the characters slowly at first, giving a bunch of details, that people will know who you are talking about. Slowly introduce the action and problem as well.
When reading the fanfics of others, I have but one pet-peeve: script. What script looks like is this:

Person 1: HI!
Person 2: What happened to your plane?
Person 1: What plane? I don't have one! *scratches head*

Pretty annoying, when you do not know what the characters look like.
Another thing is the pairings in the fic. After a bit of fanfic writing, you might decide to do a fanfic with a pairing in them. Good, you are expanding your writing genres. However, when you are writing a fanfic of a cannon coupling, such as Sonamy or UsagixMamo, do not bash the opposing coupling. It makes the main coupling look stupid. Bashing would also hurt the feelings of the fans of the other couplings, who decide to try the coupling mentioned. If you want people to read your fics, do not bash, or flame the other coupling. Readers, do the same. Have respect for the couplings mentioned in the fic. You might actually enjoy it more than you think.

The conclusion: Seems simple, how your story ends. It could be an ever-wondering cliff-hanger, giving you means to do a sequel, or it could be a happy ending. Make sure it matches the plot.


Using other people's characters: This is probably the biggest way of people saying they trust you. They trust that you will not bash their characters, and make them look stupid. You need to respect this trust, and actually do some research. This means, yes, more work. But doing research means that you can be able to understand the character's past and present. But whenever you use the characters, make sure you give credit, and get permission beforehand. If it isn't yours, you give a disclaimer, giving the credit.

Research: I mentioned this before, and I will say, that this will help a lot in fanfiction writing. Everyone knows about the story of Dracula, right? Well, the author of that did research. A story so powerful, it is still read today, and had much research done, it only adds to my point. Research everything you can, from the language for extra words to use, to the dark mysteries to the supernatural, to the everyday life, do research. Some of it will not be hard, as that is what school and college is for, other research is only as far as the computer or the library. But you need to know about your topic before you can write on it. Research for writing in particular, is the nearest book away, so be sure to have a good library read before you start.


I think I covered everything about a fanfic, and so, I hope this helps people write fanfics a little better.