Tips & Tricks to Writing on Wattpad

5 Tips on Fanfics

5 TIPS ON FANFICS

Okay, so I just finished writing my first 'media' fanfic [Over Again], so I figured I would do this tip.
Now, I'm aware there are two types of fanfics- traditional, and [what I call] 'media'. Traditional fanfics are fanfictions based off a novel/book. Media fanfics are fanfictions involving a celebrity, or someone that exists in real life [ie. One Direction]. I have written both. The tips I'll give you more or less apply for both, sometimes one more than the other, but usually both.


1) The characters should be realistic

Okay, two things can happen when you write characters from the book you're writing a fanfic on, or the celebrity you're using.

The first thing is, you make them perfect. Absolutely, and stunningly perfect. This sounds stupid, but it is actually very easy to do. You're writing a fanfic because, [if it's a media fanfic] you idolize the celebrity you're writing, or [if it's traditional] you love the characters in the book you're basing your fanfic off. The characters should not be perfect. Everyone has flaws. Nobody's perfect [I gotta work it- 'kay I'm done]. Your argument about how Leeyum Payyyyne is flawless is invalid. [by the way, for all Directioners reading this, I don't hate One Direction or Directioners, it's just a joke]
So give them flaws. You might not know a lot about them, so you'll have to kinda assume stuff and guess, but do give them flaws. Don't just have them make the occasional mistake, give them REAL FLAWS. Make them have a short temper, an annoying habit, a quiet personality, whatever.

STORY/EXPERIENCE TIME: So, as I said, I finished writing a fanfic, for my friend's birthday. It was a One Direction fanfic [told you I don't hate One Direction]. Anyway, I'm not a Directioner, so I don't know that much about them, only the basics. That Liam's usually the responsible one, that Zayn's the quiet one, the Louis's the sassy one, that Harry's the flirty one and that Niall loves food. Since they're celebrities, no one, other than themselves and the people closest to them know how they really act. Even if you're their biggest fan, you only know a side, maybe two, of them. They might be a little different when people aren't watching, and cameras aren't rolling.
Anyway, so if you're writing a media fanfic, you're lucky. You have more freedom in which way you want your characters to go. For flaws, I kind of drew from what I knew, and what you would usually assume.
Louis's sassy? He probably has a bit of a short temper, is a very loyal friend, can hold a grudge, and is very honest.
Zayn's quiet? Maybe it's because he doesn't trust new people as much, but is a great friend and listener once you get to know him.
Etc, etc, etc.

Don't be afraid to make them imperfect. It makes the fanfic more real.

The second thing you could do, is exaggerate what you do know about the character/celebrity.
This happens most in media fanfics, because like I said, we don't know everything about them. It happens in traditional fanfic too, though not as much because in a book, it shows more of characters and their flaws.
Anyway, to compensate for not knowing too much, people exaggerate what they do know.

Characters who are a little perverted to to the point where it's creepy. Food loving characters *cough* NiallHoran *cough* eat the whole freaking world. Characters who make jokes turn insane. Like Batman's Joker insane.
Don't do that. It's so unrealistic, it's not even funny. Come on, be logical, who really, actually acts like that? I hope your answer is no one because if it isn't I'm worried about the people you know.

STORY/EXPERIENCE: When I first started writing, I wrote Twilight fanfics. [Don't judge me, I was in, like, fourth grade and I adored the series] Anyway, obviously I was a dweeb-ish little amateur, and my characters turned out like crap. Emmett was dumb to the point where you're worried that he was dropped on his head when he was a baby. Onto concrete. From a fifteen story building. Jasper overreacted so much that he seemed bi-polar, same with Rosalie. Esme was so accepting that you would probably worry that she would accept a child rapist with open arms. And they all came from small things, like Emmett being a little slow in the books, and Rosalie and Jasper not liking Bella and Esme being nice.
So yeah, don't make the same mistakes I made.
If you're a writing a One Direction fanfic, Zayn does not walk around with a mirror glued to his hand. Niall does not eat a whole restaurant out of business. Louis does not instantly love or hate you depending on whether or not you like carrots. Harry does not flirt with every woman over thirty. Liam does not run away screaming from spoons.
Or at least I hope they don't. Otherwise, I'll be a little... Concerned.


2) Do NOT make yourself the main character

You shouldn't be doing this anyway, but I cannot stress it enough in fanfics. If you make yourself the MC, you will be easy on the MC and I will end up killing my computer and filing a lawsuit against you for making me do that. Not actually. Probably.
Anyway, if you make yourself the MC you'll want to give yourself everything. A tragic, heart-breaking past for the other characters to help you move on for. A stunning array of comebacks for those little bishs who to steal yo' man [obviously I can't be getto, 'kay then]. A natural aura that makes everyone and everything trip over to fall in love with you and sing to you [Snow White, anyone?]. The most beautiful voice that you never knew about. Etc, etc.
You will, nine chances out of ten, ruin your story.

That's one thing about fanfics especially, the characters or celebrities always, always, ALWAYS, adore the main character. She can go run over a dozen puppies and babies and they would still worship the ground she walks on. Okay, I'm exaggerating, but you know what I mean. All of them are either in love with her, or her BFF and go-to for 'oh-no-who-do-I-pick' advice. They have nothing to do but spend long days with her, taking her shopping and buying her things, or going out in public and showing her off.

I'm sorry, but that's not always gonna happen. You might get along with all of them, but they won't all love you, or be in love with you. Some of them might even be on the evil, slutty, bitchy, gold-digging ex's side [*gasp*]. You know, that would probably make more sense since they've known her for longer. Some people might just not like you. Your personalities might clash or something.


3) Have a plot

No shit, you say, what story doesn't have a plot?
My answer: A WHOLE LOT
If it's a short story, like a cute moment, then fine, you might not really need a plot, but if it's a thirty chapter novel, think of something.
A 'picking-between-two-guys' and throwing in random stuff to keep the drama going isn't a plot. A plot should have a start, a climax, and a solution. It doesn't have to be right in your face, 'I AM THE PLOT' kind of thing, but the events in your story should connect to each other in one way or another.
Even if you're making stuff up as you go, you should have a general idea of where you want to end up and where the main problem should be.

A lot of fanfics seem like a bunch of fantasies strung together, kept together by one loose string- the MC [aka the new and improved author 2.0]. I've seen a lot of fanfics where they meet in a coffee shop, fall in love, then OH NO! Another guys comes in and the MC doesn't know who to pick now. She ends up picking the first guy, of course. Then the author's like 'OH NO! I don't know what to do next!' and throws in a pregnancy, cheating, getting famous, the ex coming back, or bad parent twist. Or all of them. If you wanna use that, fine. But mention that they didn't use protection, or that he's been distant, or that she has a good voice, or that he has an ex he's still cares about or whatever in the book. Put a good amount if emphasis on it. SET IT UP. And please, if you're gonna go through all that trouble, use a plot twist that hasn't showed up in dozens of fanfics already.


4) Don't rush

Unless you're writing a one shot or a short story or something, you should still give us time to get to know the cahracters, even if they are celebrities or from a popular book. Don't make everything happen in the first five chatpers. Don't make it slow, either, but take time to show off the characters while you set up/build your plot.


5) Writing a fanfic is not an excuse to do everything else I've ranted about

And have yet to rant about...
WHICH MEANS:
-Use an interesting beginning.
-Do NOT ever, ever, ever end the summary with 'Read to find out', or not have a summary at all
-typ lyk dis &&&& i willl find u &&& killlll u &&&&& itll b bl00dy &&&& l00k lyk an accid3nt!!!!!1
-Use a good title
-Anything else I've talked about not doing, my memory's failing me at the moment.



Next tip: Coming up with a plot

~JJ :)