the vampire diaries fanfic writing tips

✧ fanfic help #1

so i decided to post the request of someone who had asked for help. here it is:

from fannie09:

it's an Elena Gilbert fic and I want to figure out how to give her and my Oc development without getting rid of what she had with Stefan and also how I could change up the storyline because it's a slight AU

While also having room for other OC's and it not getting too cluttered.

That's a very difficult fanfic to write I am not going to lie because a huge part of Elena's story is about Stefan and also Damon, who you also should pay attention to. You don't mention him but I'm assuming you want to stay true to the story in which case you'll have to bring him in.

I do not remember exactly what was said, but I believe one of the writers said that they had to introduce the delena side bond because it would take years for Elena and Stefan to pull away. If you were doing a complete AU where Stelena was together and and both were vampires and wanted to wait a century, this wouldn't be a problem, but my guess is that you aren't writing it that way.

So there is a few ways you could go about this.

The easy way is for Elena to be turned by your oc if they're a vampire and tweak the sire bond storyline. But I personally wouldn't go that route. For one, a lot of fans did think it ruined stelena and delena because it didn't happen naturally.

Since your oc is already friends with Elena, that's both helpful and challenging. They already have a bond and know each other but now you need to think of a moment when Elena would realize that she loved your OC. Personally, I think that the best way to do this is to set it around season 3 because this is where Stelena wasn't really together. But your timeline is up to you.

Something that would be helpful to think about is having Elena and your OC together before her parents die instead of Matt. Or maybe they just liked each other and were too scared to do anything because Elena was Bonnie's best friend and your OC is Bonnie's brother. But then Elena's life gets thrown upside down as her parents pass away and she meets Stefan. If you want to stay true to Stelena then you'd have to leave this the same. Stefan is the one that made her feel alive again or something like that.

If you also want to stay true to Stelena, I'd recommend them not being in love while she's with Stefan or while she's in love with him. It brings down the relationship in my opinion.

But they could still be very good friends. I don't know whether or not your OC is human, but if they are that could be an advantage because Elena has little connection to her life before she met Stefan. Caroline, Bonnie, and Tyler are all supernatural and Matt was her ex so it was awkward. Your OC could be the person she goes to when she wants to feel "normal".

And so while Stefan is missing, she goes to him for comfort.

However, Damon is also there. And around this time, they're starting to care for each other. I wouldn't ignore this and it comes down to your OC's personality. Are they pushy? Would they cling to Elena and get in the way of Damon and Elena? Would they step to the side, too afraid to say anything?

Personally, to make it easier, I would try removing Damon from the equation. It will make it easier if you only have Stefan to deal with. A big part of why Elena fell for Damon was because Stefan was gone and he was helping her look for him. You could just replace Damon's help with your OC. This would help if your OC doesn't get along with Damon because then there's a reason for them to be kept apart.

But there is more of a major way you could remove Damon which is by not turning Elena into a vampire.

Elena was in the car that went over the bridge because Matt and Jeremy were trying to get her out of town. Your OC could easily stop this. She's not on the bridge, still at home, Rebekah can't kill her, or at least not in time before Stefan, Damon, Caroline, or Bonnie get back. Or even Elijah since he promised not to hurt her. Then she doesn't turn, no sire bond, and easily no delena.

The issue with this is then you have to find some other way to stop Alaric because he's still out there trying to kill the originals. A suggestion? Elena willingly sacrifices herself. Maybe she gets Caroline or Elijah or even Rebekah too give her their blood. She wouldn't be sired to any of them and Elena's been willing to sacrifice her life before. Or Rebekah or Elijah or even Kol just decided to turn her.

Could you argue that delena would still be together if it weren't for the sire bond? You could. But it would probably take a lot longer and that's enough time for her feelings to transfer onto your OC.

But now Elena's still human and still very in love with Stefan.

But a lot changes at this point.

Elena's human. She doesn't try to look for the cure. No one does. They don't awake Silas. The professor guy would still probably try and my memory of this season is fuzzy but considering Elena doesn't want the cure, Stefan and Caroline probably wouldn't look for it. Klaus and Rebekah might, but Kol would bring up Silas. Now that Elena doesn't want the cure she might be more inclined to listen to him. He also wouldn't die.

I also don't think Klaus and Rebekah could force Jeremy to kill vampires. He only did that so that Elena could get the cure. But Elena doesn't need the cure and hunters can't be compelled. If anything it would start up the feud between the mystic falls crew and the Mikaelsons, but I highly doubt it would end in them getting the cure.

But because none of that happens, Elena's life begins to wind down. She becomes more "human" again and looks forward to that mortal life that ultimately Stefan can't give her. It can lead to the two pulling away from each other and pushes Elena towards your OC.

You of course don't have to do any of this. I just thought it would be helpful to give an example.

Elena is so connected to the Salvatores that pulling her away is almost impossible if you don't make a major change. Something will have to change, when and where is up to you, but I recommend season 3 because that is where a shift does occur and for a moment Elena is with neither of them.

But I would really place emphasis on your OC being a connection to her humanity. Because it is one thing that neither Salvatore can give her. He doesn't have to be human, but he is someone from her past. And I think that would make a difference.

Another thing to think about is how Elena's friends do try to make decisions for her.

For example, when it came to Katherine, they were all plotting to trap Katherine and none of them wanted Elena involved. They hid it from her. When Elena wanted to handle the Elijah situation, they tried to undermine the deal she made. Your OC could be the only person who doesn't try to control her or make decisions for her. That could be something that brings them together because even Stefan who always says he respects her choices sometimes doesn't. For example, he got angry with her when she made the deal with Elijah.

Now for other OC's, it does depend on how close your OC is with other characters and what role these OCs would play. For example, your OC is Bonnie's brother and friends with Elena. I'm guessing that means he's also friends with Tyler, Jeremy, Matt etc (maybe, just guessing). If he is, then chances are he doesn't have room for a whole new set of friends or just people that he knows. I personally don't recommend having more than two.

But if he's not friends with them then he has his own life you can bring in more. However, you don't want your OCs to outnumber the characters on the show. Unless you're specifically going for that, it does come off as a different show in my opinion.

For AUs, I already have a chapter on when to break from canon. But in this case, I think you have to break from canon quite often as I've said above because Elena is so connected to the Salvatore brothers and does need to break that connection. But assuming you want to stay true to the story, you need to still give it the same feel. Don't change things just to change them, make sure that what you have in mind is completely possible. Whatever you do, make sure that you justify it.

Those are just my thoughts. I hope this helps. Let me know if you have questions.