What Not To Do in Your Fanfictions

What Not to Do in Your xReader Fanfics

I will be ignoring some higher rated xReader type of fics, because that's often entirely different and I'm not willing to go there. I also won't be spefically covering xMale!reader fanfics because I have no experience with them, and my opinion is so invalid.

We're all in love with fictional characters, okay? There's no use pretending otherwise, so I will be fully acknowledging and discussing clean xReader fanfiction.

There are so many- too many- things I see over and over in these types of fanfictions.

One of them is the damsel-in-distress plotline. Dainty Female needs Strong Male to save from from danger xyz. And it's not that Strong Male saves her once, and the two go on to be awesome together, it's that Dainty Female is weeping on the sidelines while Strong Male saves her and also the world. Or, it's that Dainty Female desperately needs saving because she's weak and helpless and the next second she's saved the world with her amazing power and skill, with no in-between.

There's no believable middle, no point where the two save each other, or where she needs help one time because of an actual reason, and she's wonderfully prepared next time, so she does just fine on her own. And I cannot think of any xReader fanfic where she's fighting and doesn't need help from the male love interest.

But even if she's not a fighter, she shouldn't just cower in the background. She's a woman with a mind and a capable body, and guess what? She isn't 100% reliant on a mischaracterized man.

Another thing, perhaps most importantly: so many readers actually don't want to be the damsel in distress! This is my opinion, but I know I'm not alone in wanting to be one of the heroes. We want to pretend, as we read, that we save the day. So make your female readers kick-butt. Make them save the world. Because I dream of saving others, not being saved. I imagine this could apply for xMale!reader fics as well.

And, if you think about it, most characters would not be interested in the helpless damsel in distress anyways. Codependence is a thing, and it shows in happy fictional relationships. Needing more support from a partner, or needing saving once in a while is different from being unable to actually function without a fictional boyfriend or girlfriend. It's the 21st century, people. Codependence.

What honestly ticks me off is when the canon other love interest is not an option, because they're now apparently completely rude, or dead or... gay (assuming that the two in love are straight). I have no problem with anyone being gay, but when they're suddenly gay just for the plot's sake... Argh! If a relationship between a male and a female is about to canonically happen, and it's believable, then they're either bisexual, pansexual or straight. Sexuality is not a plot device. Don't use it as one.

It's easiest, simplest, most true to the story if the two canonically in love just end up being friends. Usually, they're not actually rude or evil, and killing them off out of the blue makes my head spin. And often enough, I actually like the other love interest. I might even ship them with their love interest on the side, who knows... (I probably do, I'm multishipper trash).

If you're going to screw with canon, make it believable. A decent explanation is always needed. Having little to no screwage with the plot is the best, because then it's more like the story we're already in love with.

The essence of good fanfiction, any fanfiction, is proper characterization. This is especially true of xReader stories, because, well, what's the point of reading a story about a fictional character you love if it's not even accurately descripting the character you love? Proper characterization is literally the whole point of xReader fanfictions. Pay attention to speaking patterns, lingo, and the way characters act, and you're on your way to a fine piece of fanfiction.

A realistic fanfiction is one that's true to its characters and what already exists in that universe. Build upon it rather than tear it apart.