How NOT to Write a Fanfic

Formatting and Grammar

Unfortunately, English is a very complicated language. If you want to maintain some degree of professionalism, you should follow all of the rules of grammar.

You would think that this goes without saying, but capitalization is an absolute necessity. Capitalize the beginning of every sentence; capitalize the word 'I;' every damn time. You should format your story exactly how a real book would be formatted. If you don't use capitalization correctly, good luck getting readers.

Commas are also important. This is a trade that is best learned by observation. Use them responsibly, but use them. To go along with that, here's what the Writing Center at the University of Wisconsin says about semicolons: "Semicolons help you connect closely related ideas when a style mark stronger than a comma is needed. By using semicolons effectively, you can make your writing sound more sophisticated." There are specific rules that I won't go into detail explaining. If you don't know how to use them, look it up, or just don't use them.

(NOTE: Make sure to insert line breaks between paragraphs. Since this is online reading, make it double-spaced. I don't want to see any of that Shift+Enter shit).

Probably the most important thing I can say in this chapter is this:

Keep your tenses and your perspectives consistent.

By tense, I mean past, present, and future. By perspective, I mean first, second, and third person. Do not switch from past to present tense (unless part of the story is told in flashback or something else that warrants exemption). Do not switch from first to third person. As far as tenses go, it's not all that important which one you choose as long as you stick with it. Most people use past (ex: I walked to the store), I and a few others use present (ex: I walk to the store); nobody uses future because there would be no point. Choosing your perspective can be trickier. Here's a guide to help you.

FIRST PERSON (ex: I walked to the store)

• First is beneficial if you want to give insight into your main character's unspoken thoughts/feelings/emotions.

• First is beneficial if you want to write using a more comic or expressive tone.

• First is acceptable for drabbles.

• In first, your grammar can be a lot like spoken dialogue and contain mistakes such as saying 'Me and Gabe' instead of 'Gabe and I.' However, your spelling and formatting should still be 100%.

• You can choose to use first for a oneshot if you are trying to convey a specific point or message. If you are dictating an event, I advise using third.

• DO NOT use first if you are unable to maintain a unique and/or emotional tone.

• DO NOT use first if you are concerned about your credibility. Many readers do not read first-person fanfictions.

• DO NOT use first if you plan to switch perspectives i.e. putting 'Vic's POV' and changing to 'Jaime's POV' halfway through the chapter.

SECOND PERSON (ex: I walked to the store with you)

• Second person is written from one person to another. It is effective for drabbles, letter fics, and not much else.

• DO NOT use second unless your fic will be pretty short.

THIRD PERSON (ex: He walked to the store)

• Third is a must if you want to be inclusive of the thoughts/feelings/emotions of multiple characters. It eliminates the need to write 'William's POV,' which just might be the most unprofessional thing you can possibly do. And no, just because thekellinunderthevic does it doesn't mean it's okay.