A guide to writing HP fan fiction

Avoiding stereotypical plot points

As a writer, the most important thing to do is keep your readers guessing what could happen next. This becomes increasingly difficult if the plot points are cliche and stereotypical. Below, I will list a number of plot points I've seen frequently.

1. Draco Malfoy: Enemies to lovers.
Whenever I see a story like this, the main character in this story starts off hating Draco and by the end, she's in love with him. Now I've read some amazing enemies to lovers stories, but if your main plot line is their relationship it will more than likely be easy to guess the ending. Draco's canon character seems to be forgotten, and he ends up being extremely 'mushy' and romantic. Whenever I am writing my fan fiction, I always make sure the character I am using retains the original qualities that the author gave to them. Overall, these type of stories are often overdone. If you want to write something like this, I would only make it one element of the story.

2. Harry Potter has a twin
This type of plot, if not planned carefully, can seem a little confusing when you think of the canon story. Of course, you can do absolutely anything when it comes to your plot, but in my fan fiction I use the canon timeline as it makes sense in the story. After Harry finds out he has a twin, the story dwindles a bit as it feels like that's the only real plot line established. If you're writing a story like this, I would definitely consider a few plot twists for character development. For example, everyone could think Harry has a twin, but really it's just a figment of his imagination or his sibling died, and this is the only way he can cope with the pain.

3. The marauders being five and not four.
Adding a fifth marauder to the story is such a good idea, and I recently finished reading one that left me completely gobsmacked. However, I find that some of these stories completely replace Peter Pettigrew as a character which is unfair as he was an important part of the story. The main character normally ends up start some type of romance with either James, Sirius, Peter or Remus which quickly becomes the pinnacle of the plot. This can often get boring quite easily, as we expect the type of dynamic the couple will share.

4. Hermione and Ron go back for their seventh year at Hogwarts.

Personally, I liked how the books finished up with the Epilogue. In these types of stories, the plot can be a bit bland at times. The only real focus of the story is their relationship and how they're dealing with life in the aftermath of the second wizarding war. If you are going to write these type of stories, I would put a personal light on the effects it has on each of the characters. For example, Hermione could be dealing with anxiety after being tortured by Bellatrix Lestrange or Harry could have PTSD after the final showdown with Voldemort. This type of story could work fantastically, but you need to be able to balance the emotions and the plot just right. Making it too optimistic wouldn't fully make sense to the story.

Making stereotypical plot lines better/ adding original twists.

In the wonderful world that is writing, it is very hard to come up with a brand new original idea especially considering how many written texts there are out there. However, that doesn't mean it's impossible to do so.

If you are in the middle of writing a fan fiction and you're concerned that your story is becoming stereotypical, don't worry - I'm here to help you out! Here is a list of things that I would do:

1. Add in a new character
If you feel that your plot is submerging into something that the reader thinks they can guess, throw a spanner in the works and add in a new character. This will allow to flesh out new possible plot twists that your reader will be left perplexed: trust me, that's a good thing!

2. Include something that interests you
If you want to do a crossover with Harry Potter and your favourite show, it will give you a refreshing break and allow you to flesh out your story even more. In my story 'endgame', Emma Swan has a small role in my story and it gave me a chance to develop an idea that I liked from that fandom.

3. Use minor characters to your advantage
If there is a character from Harry Potter that you think didn't get enough development (shout out to Regulus Black and Andromeda Tonks, y'all deserved better) use that as a plot point in your story. For example, I was able to develop Andromeda's backstory in 'endgame' in order for her to enable the main character in her quest to find out the truth about herself. It serves as a nice twist, and gives them their moment to shine.

4. Include flashbacks
Flashbacks can be a way to foreshadow something later in the plot and are a good way to keep the reader enthralled in your story. It also fleshes out your plot, and is a way for your to develop more characters.

5. Pick out something you don't like from the original story

Whether that's Molly and Ginny's treatment of Fleur or the way that Fred and George weren't staple characters in the series, make it your duty to analyse that through your story. Fred and George, although jokers, deserved to be shown as more than that. That's why I decided to make them both main characters in the story.

All of these ideas truly helped me whenever I was writing Endgame, and if you have any ideas please put them in the comments and I'll add them into this chapter.