How to write fanfiction

2 ✽ Altered Universe

Altered Universe or AU is where you alter the already existing universe. This is being applied to make up some rules so your story makes sense within the setting of said universe. However, AU is not restricted to anime. Multiple fandoms have AU next to their title and extra mentioned in the description to make sure everyone knows that things will be a little different.

So far, I've seen those two letters in stories about Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, Naruto, Yugioh, Vampire Knight, Kuroko no Basket, Hunter x Hunter, DC and Marvel, and so on. 

But when do you use the famous AU? When you want to incorporate something that doesn't exist in the already created universe. Quick question, why the need to change this? Is the already existing universe boring to you? No, of course not, why else would you write about them, right? 

Researching about mentioned topic, I found out there are different types, and I'll go over them. I won't go all too deep into this so it will be a summary . Allow me to refresh your memory or teach you something you haven't even heard of. 

1 Alternative timelines

Stories with alternative timelines follow the established canon before veering away at a crucial moment like the Marvel Marvel Comics "What If" series and DC Comics "Elseworlds" series. Some alternative timeline stories are called "fix-it fiction" because they rewrite the story so that the consequences of certain events are undone, although beginning events are the same. Another example of a sub genre of the alternative timeline story is called a "do-over fiction", similar to "fix-it fiction" in which consequences of an event are undone, but in "do-over fictions particularly the entire story is reset to the beginning, and the author creates an alternate timeline that diverges from the original canon of the work. 

2 Plot switch

Plot switch stories take the characters from a series and place them in another time, place, or situation. A subset of this type called "familiar plot switch" takes the characters from a series and places them in a setting more familiar to the author. This type of context shift is one of the main sources of "high school fiction" in which all the characters are written going to high school.

3 Reality-swap

In a reality-swap alternative universe the actors in a movie or television show may find themselves in the fictional universe or the fictional characters may find themselves in the "real" universe. This type of AU has appeared in mainstream publications as well. Fiction using real characters and borrowing from the 19th century include Sherlock Holmes versus Jack the Ripper.

In Star Trek short stories written in the early 1970s, the actors from the Desilu set were swapped with the "real life" Starfleet officers via the transporter ("Visit To A Weird Planet"; "Visit To A Weird Planet, Revisited"). These fan fiction stories were later published in official Star Trek books.

This concept was also used in an episode of Supernatural, "The French Mistake" (S6, E15). In the episode, the main characters Sam and Dean are transported to an alternative universe where they are actors named Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles, respectively, on a television show called Supernatural. 

4 Crossover 

This type of alternative universe places two fictional universes in a situation where they interact, similar to reality swaps (which mix a fictional universe with the real world). Such stories sometimes involve "comparisons or conflict" between the combat prowess of the two universes, often involving the various strengths and weaknesses of the technology/magic of each world. This genre of fan fiction is distinct from plot switch in the fact that it usually involves characters from at least two separate series interacting with one another. Sometimes these stories involve the substitution of characters from one universe for those of another. 

I do have to say something about crossovers when it's about characters that move to another setting. An example would be the vampires from Diabolik Lovers visiting or clashing with the vampires of Vampire Knight. Or go crazy and have them meet the classic Dracula. Let's be real and think if it would work or not. I can see a link between Diabolik Lovers and Vampire Knight because it's both anime and from Japan. However, to link it to Dracula, and you officially lost me that I will go look for something else to read. 

5 Predictive fiction

Alternative universes can arise inadvertently in fan fiction when the source material is released in a serial form (such as a multi-season television series or a book trilogy) so that fan works are written before further canonical information arrives. For instance, much Harry Potter fan fiction written in the nearly three years between the publication of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire and Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix was written as "continuation" fan fiction, but became AU as soon as the new canonical material appeared.

That's all on Altered Universe, if you have any questions, feel free to ask in the common section. The next chapter will be about technique and paragraphs.