Fanfic Writing: Pitfalls and Peaks
by Tin Mandigma v.1 (january 2000)

I have been in the fanfic-writing business for almost a year now (short-term and long-term breaks included), and while that's still a pretty short time for me to be able to expound effectively (and with any degree of authority de gozaru) on writing in general, and writing fanfics in particular, I *have* learned a thing or two during my all-too brief sojourn into the world of written and/but non-copyrighted entertainment ^_~. *throws in her ten cents (and a couple of crossed fingers)*

Suggestion #1: Before you write fanfics, you have to read them first. Extensively, prolifically, untiringly, patiently, etc., etc., etc.

OK, OK. So it's a pathetically obvious suggestion (I mean, hey, what gives?), but it's a very important (and, IMO, an oft-ignored) aspect of fanfic-writing. So many of us tend to 'jump the gun,' i.e., shooting our pens (and clicking keyboards) off without really knowing what we're writing about, or how we go about 'writing' in the first place. While I do believe that writing is something which comes naturally and spontaneously to most people, a nice little foundation (the figurative giants' shoulders, so to speak) to stand on when the going gets tough wouldn't hurt any, right? Reading other people's work not only allows you entry into the world of their stories, it also gives you insights into the construction of that 'world' i.e., through awareness of plot, character development, style, setting and language. It's more of a type of subconscious observation, actually, rather than a conscious awareness to 'study' the fanfic. And being discriminatory on the get-go wouldn't help any; separating treasure from trash is more difficult than it sounds, especially since choice is more of a matter of taste than absolute aesthetic standards. Besides, reading so-called 'bad' fanfics is an exercise in itself, *not* to poke fun at others, but to note points for improvement. The reader's perspective is absolutely essential, even if it's only your own; *you* would know what makes you tick and, by extension, what others like you would probably enjoy. Insights like these help a whole lot when you put on your writer's cap. Nothing like going to war with the entire arsenal at your fingertips, ne? ;)

Suggestion #2: The Process

a) Your genre

Some people would say that plot is all-important when writing a story, fanfic or not. I'm hardly qualified to disagree, but I'd say that knowing what *type* of plot you're making--or are suppposed to make--is also equally important. An awareness of 'category' helps in establishing specificity and coherence on your part; more enjoyment and less confusion on your readers'. Romance? Angst? Comedy? Drama? Darkfic? Sadfic? Yaoi? Parody? Yuri? WAFF? Self-inserts? Songfic? Vidfic? PWP (^_^;;)? Each of these categories--or, loosely speaking, genres--have definite if slighly varied meanings, and within these meanings, distinct stylistic and narrative overtones. Fortunately, I have yet to read a purportedly WAFFy fanfic (or a story which 'conveys' a "warm and fuzzy feeling") ending in absolute tragedy (i.e., the main characters, for inexplicable reasons, kill themselves). Many authors categorize their fanfics at the beginning of the text. Because of this readers more or less have a set of expectations with regard to the story (or stories) in question. Shocking the reader is, of course, a good tactic if you want your fanfic to be remembered, but please make sure that the shock value is contained within the *context* of the fanfic. The 'huh?' reaction tickles an author no end, but only if uttered in tones of sublime wonder, not in a screech of plain bewilderment and/or profanity.

Of course many stories are not classifiable under a single category only. In fact, good fanfics are a combination of several elements, beautifully woven by the author. A dramatic story may contain romantic angles; even angst may have a comedic (albeit sarcastic) touch or two. I'm only trying to stressth the importance of being aware of these elements and what they constitute. Consciously, that is^_^.

b) Your story

Knowledge of the basic elements of a story as much as the genre is also important. Writing is an art, and it needs a finely-worked set of tools which should be *constantly* used and remembered.

PLOT

The plot is the thread which holds a story together; it establishes the beginning, the middle, the end. It's your background, your context, your fortress, your veritable golden thread in a maze of half-baked ideas and dreams of utopic masterpieces. Unless you let it get the better of you (read: when you see it as a rigid sequence of scenes instead of a generally free framework), your plot keeps you sane amidst the vagaries of literary stumbling blocks. Characters in a fanfic are already borrowed; the plot (unless you're indulging in an infinitely more monumental case of plagiarism) is not. In other words, your plot is the stamp of *your* originality. And because of that, creating--and developing--it needs a great deal of thought, methodology and patience. I am not saying that absolutely everything in your fanfic should be planned to the letter (where's your spirit of adventure?); a general outline--even a rough chronology--of what you want to happen would do just fine. Consistency is very important in a story (I should know T_T), and knowledge of your plot helps you stay on track. By way of contrast, repetitiveness is an absolute no-no. *I* tend to ramble on and on and on and on... I even bore myself sometimes. A concise plot would go a long way toward killing this unfortunate tendency, or, if not, channeling it toward a more effective direction, i.e, make it *part* of the telling of a story.

Complex plots need a hell of a lot more work than your ordinary oneshot, of course. Writing a thirty-chapter opus demands a tighter framework (and schedule ^_^v). I mean, you just can't go back and change everything at a moment's impulse. However, this doesn't mean that simple plots have any less of an impact. Writing a short story with relatively few twists (as is common for example in 'introspective' fics) is a challenge in itself.

CHARACTER

What's in a name? In the world of Japanese anime, a hell of a lot. In contrast to writing an original story where you have absolute dominance (^_~) over your cast of characters, a fanfic incorporates characters which have already been--used, and you certainly do not have copyright in re-using them. You share that dubious honor with others, who may or may not portray--or 'use' in a manner of speaking--the characters in the same way that you would. Thus, a little caution is in order:

You *must* watch--or read the manga of--the particular series on which you plan to base your fanfic. Crossovers demand a double dose of this procedure. Downloading synopses and loads of images from the 'net is well and good, but there's nothing like first-hand experience. You may catch heretofore undiscovered nuances and undertones in characters' interaction and relationship with each other, especially in animated scenes. You get a feel for the characters when you understand the context of the series where they belong. Furthermore, reading the 'free talk' section in manga also gives you an idea of how the original creator conceived of his characters or, in the parlance of fanficking, charas.

But before you think that character portrayal is simply mentioning that Tuxedo Kamen flies from rooftop to rooftop, throwing roses everywhere, or that Kenshin is a cute red-haired 'rurouni' with a cool sword... Needless to say, hon, you've got it all backwards. The important thing here is to understand the reason--and the symbolism--behind Tuxedo Kamen's aeronautic pursuits, and the contrast between the cute Kenshin and the Kenshin with the sword. You gotta understand the character in his or her entirety, and--I would even go so far as to say--as a person. Superficial description *is* important; but knowledge of context (again!) is even more so. Furthermore, the character does not exist by him- or herself. You also have to see your chara's relation to--and with--other characters, differing interpretations be damned. However, character portrayal also needs a great deal of psychological insight--and an equally large amount of imagination for extra dimension and depth. A writer *feels*, and I think characters give written expression to that feeling. Thus, character-hating and/or defamation in fanfics serves absolutely no purpose save to expose the crudity of the author's mind. I am not saying that 'evil' characters have to be justified; the reader in fact should be able to appreciate the evil, maybe even symphatize with it, but should always be *aware* of that evil. In the end, like a friend of mine says, it is not for the author to judge ^_^.

And here we come to the issue of canon (or what is 'in character' and, presumably, true) versus OOC ('out of character.') Some people would argue that it is precisely in fanfics that fans could be free to pursue *their* respective interpretations of the characters, to fill in the gaps in the original story. AU (alternative universe) fanfics spawn from this viewpoint, alternate (or alternative) pairings and timelines included. Others would protest and say that doing so would be to change, even negate and, thus, 'corrupt' the original story and the creator's intent. Fanfics should stay within the framework of the canon, and an OOC interpretation (unless excusable, as it is for example in parodies and comedies) would only confuse readers more. Case in point is the issue of yaoi and yuri pairings. For example, Heero Yuy and Duo Maxwell from Gundam Wing are often paired together in a majority of GW-based fanfics, even if--or maybe because ^_~--the original series has Heero being paired with Relena Peacecraft (i.e, Heero/Relena is a canon couple). While it seems superficial at the onset, this impression doesn't usually hold. Most yaoi fans of GW argue that they just don't see Heero and Relena together; the non-yaoi say that Duo and Heero getting together is equally fantastic, so as to be almost unreal (in dialogue form: hey, just where the hell did you guys *see* that?). Personally, I think the distinction is irrelevant, since it is largely a matter of interpretation and, OK, creative license. However, I believe that a fanfic writer should not only consider *why* his or her preferred characters are perfect for each other, but *how* that 'perfection' was or could be attained, however imperfectly, by and in the fanfic. Doing that effectively is largely a matter of technique: a character could be "in character" while in an "out-of-character" pairing or situation.

SETTING

Japanese anime and manga are often (read: nearly 99% of the time) set in Japan, medieval, futuristic, etc. Thus, an awareness of Japanese geography, culture and society along with, of course, the particular anime/manga' setting, helps in conveying atmosphere in your fanfic. The setting gives physical (though not concrete) context to your story. In my case, it also fascinates, especially if setting is treated, not in a detailed manner actually, but with care, i.e., realistically. Thus, setting needs research and observation, especially when you're writing about a series of which it is a very important part (for example, Rurouni Kenshin, set in Meiji Japan). Acute--and fairly accurate--descriptions of dress, custom, linguistic conventions and historical events give life to a fanfic, almost as much as characters do. There are many sites in the 'net which would be more than informative for a resourceful author, and doubly so for the interested reader (Version 2.0 of this essay would--hopefully--contain aforementioned list of links ^_^).

Sometimes, the setting even assumes a character of its own. This aspect is especially important in fanfics based on series which happen in imaginary lands (for example, Cephiro in Magic Knight and Rayearth, and El Hazard in, well, El Hazard). In cases like these, it *is* necessary to watch the series itself, and to take important note of what practically everything looks like and how they all blend together to create an altogether different universe. <

The key to writing a good setting is not precision per se, but mindset ^_^;;. The author has to feel drawn to the fanfic, to feel like he or she is 'there.' Expression, of course, is also important, which is what I will *try* to discuss in the next section. Like everything else in a story, setting also needs imagination to be effective, especially in, for example, suspense or horror stories (again, based on painful personal experience ^^;;).