Five Pieces of Advice for Writing Fanfiction

Here are just a few things I notice about fanfictions. You can choose to scoff at me or reflect on your writing. That's up to you.

1. Write the main character first
   I think one of the biggest things I see when I read fanfiction is characters written FOR their love interest. Think about it. You're character should be its own self. In actuality, do you think that you were designed just to be with your true love? No, you have your personality and they have theirs. I, myself write One Direction fanfiction (laugh as you will). I write the character first then see which boy she fits best with.
2. Go in depth with a character
   When you come up with your lead character, before you do anything, write down their personality. I don't mean just their favorite color and animal either. Take online personality tests. When you're ready to write your character should be your best friend. Here's a couple examples of things:
   
   • Deepest wishes?
   • Least/favorite thing about themselves?
   • Childhood dreams?
   • Past hardships in their life?
   • Their relationships?
   • Their core values?
   • Weaknesses? *it's important to give a character weakness(es) so they can challenge themselves
3.  Diction
   There's this really cool tool on word where you can right click on a word and hover over "synonoms" and it will show you alternative words that mean the same thing. Play with this. Find words that fit well and flow. Try new words and/or phrases instead of using the same ones over and over again. It can and will get repetitive. It's just like in primary school when our teachers banned us from saying "said." It's overused and they wanted us to learn better verbs.
4. Be kind to your readers
   I know this isn't the big league  but come on, people. Don't make your chapters one big blob of writing, there's something called a paragraph. Don't use text language either. I'm not some hipster who understands your acronyms. Use proper spelling and grammar, it isn't that hard. Don't confuse people. I know you're excited to get started on that sequel because you have a fantastic idea but you haven't even finished the first one. Don't to a point of view switch without telling us, please. make sure it's known in some way by telling us straightforward or making it known VERY early in the chapter. Read over your chapter before publishing it and make sure that you didn't accidentally forget to include that Dr Jekyll drank a potion and that's why he turns into Hyde. #Spoiler
5. This isn't an essay.
   Have a little humor. Have a little fun. Don't be so straightforward or uptight. No: "The curtains are blue. I like the curtains. I will buy the curtains." Yes: "I'm going to buy those lovely blue curtains because I'd like to shove them up the arse of people who need to go back to elementary school."

I hope this helps some of you. If it doesn't, then you probably should ask someone with, I don't know, a college diploma.

The Foster Girl

    I looked around my new room and took it all in. It was nice. Better than most of the places I’ve lived so far anyway. After giving me a tour of the house Karen left me up here so I could “unpack”, but I know I’m not staying here long so I throw my bag on the bed for now. I give the place 7, maybe 8, months.  The longest any place has ever lasted was 9 months, not including where I lived till I was 7.The walls were an aqua blue and there was a desk and queen size bed. There was a huge window that you can sit by and look out onto the street. The closet was a decent size too.

    I couldn’t help but wonder why I was there. This family was perfect, from what I could tell. Karen, the mom, is caring, sweet, and nice. She cleans, cooks, and stays at home. Steve, the dad, worked at a car dealership most of the day, but was always home in time to kiss his wife and eat dinner. Nick, their son, was a straight A student, captain of the football, and I’m guessing the most popular kid in his high school. Lucy, their daughter, was a cute girl and a bit of a nerd. It’s the most cliché family ever.  Why would they want me in their lives?

    “I’m home!” I hear a boy yell from somewhere downstairs. It must be Nick getting home from school. I glance outside the window once more before heading out of the room and downstairs. I walk into the kitchen to see Karen cleaning the counter while asking Nick how his day was. Nick had his head stuck in the refrigerator though.  When he emerged he replied with “It was fine Mom. How did it go with that foster girl? Where is she?”

   “Here” I said. Both of them turned to look at me. “I heard you come in. I thought I’d come introduce myself.”

   “Oh, Right! Sorry, my name’s Nick” He replied he held out his hand and we shook. He was tall, much taller than me. He had dark short hair, but not buzz-cut short. His eyes were an emerald green. He was handsome, I’ll admit it, but not my type.

   “Charlotte. Charlie for short.” I answer.

    In a motherly tone, Karen says “Well dinner will be ready at six. Make yourself at home Charlie. What’s mine is yours. You can go on the computer, watch Tv, or I have a few books on my book shelf if you like.”

    I nodded and smiled my way through the rest of the evening. They asked me questions like “ How long have you been in foster care?” or “Do you play any sports?” and I answered in kind and optimistic ways such as “ Just since I was 7” and “Not currently, but I’m open to new things”. It got old pretty quick, but I stuck through it. This was a chance I may never get again, I was not going to ruin it…on purpose.

   As I lie in bed trying to sleep I thought of myself, of who I am and what got me here. I didn’t belong in this family that was for sure. There they are in their neat clothes and picture perfect smiles. Then there’s me a short girl that is almost always decked out in black and/or leather. I’m the girl with long pitch black hair, bright blue streaks and electric blue eyes. I’m the girl who listens to punk rock music and considers combat boots casual wear. I’m the unwanted girl. My father left when I was a baby and my mom left me to die when I was 7. I have lived in more foster homes than I can count on my fingers. The sad part? I don’t mind. It hurts me to think about my past but I also know that it could have been worse. I could have died or stayed in an orphanage till I was 18 or emancipated.

   So, when I looked around my new room and thought about my day and the days to come, I smiled. Just one more adventure, right?

My Seventh Christmas

Crystals of white as far as the eye can see
Christmas lights twinkle up and down the street
The tree decorated with every shape and color
Christmas morn came early and full of wonder

We four ran towards the magnificent evergreen
Only to find nothing but air beneath the boughs
Our father sat silently with a sly smile on his face
He handed the first of us a note with a clue to decipher

MR MONKEY’S FINAL DEFENSE it read
Beyond ecstatic, we raced to the first room
We searched room after room looking for clue after clue
The final clue of VROOM VROOM led us to the garage

Three instruments, each carefully labeled with a name
Two gleaming guitars for Kevin and Leith,
A colossal, pitch black set of drums for Nick,
But alas, none for little Alise in the vicinity

My father still sat in place, awaiting my return
A large gift lay under the tree, just for me
I tore off the wrapping paper with all my might,
To discover a simple white box which I opened carefully

Inside lay a beautiful doll, a mini-me
Her hair straight and chestnut brown like mine
Her chocolate eyes opened and closed as I lifted her
It was Amber, my new American Girl doll, my new best friend

Charlie

"Charlie!" my mother screamed up the stairs.
"Coming!" Both me and my brother replied.
Neither of us came out of our rooms though. He was probably talking to his friends, complaining more likely, about the new school we have to go to soon. I kind of felt sympathy for him, with him spending his senior year of high school at a new school. I, on the other hand, have to spend my sophomore year at a new school.
"Charles! Charlotte!" My dad called.
With a sigh, I closed the book I was reading and left my room. My brother came out of his at the same time. So we walked down the stairs together.
When we reached the bottom of the stairs Grace handed us both our lunches, "I packed you both a brownie for good luck."
Charlie rolled his eyes, but I knew he appreciated it.
I sigh and look at my brother "Shall we?"
He dangles his keys from his hand and replies "Let's go." We headed out to the car.
Even though I was adopted, I still thought of him as my brother and Grace and Tom to be my parents. It's not that I keep my adoption a secret but me and my brother look scary a like so nobody asks, therefore I have no reason to tell.
When we got to school we both went to the main office to check in because it was our first day there. Afterwards we parted ways to go to our lockers.

Aria

I enter the square to see people and lights all around. I could hear the toasts and cheer in celebration of our feat. After all, I suppose it is quite a feat for five people to enter a place such as the capital and came out with all of us alive and 35 captives.
Peter comes up from behind "you look beautiful," he told me. I look at him and smile.
"Thank you" I reply. I had chosen a night blue strapless dress. The silk fabric was smooth and shiny. It only came as far as my knees. It had sparkles all over the dress. They glittered it the light making it look like I was wearing the night sky with hundreds of stars. There were more sparkles at the bottom and fewer at the top so there were none above my waist. The bottom was a bit puffy like I cut of the bottom of Cinderella's dress.
Peeta made his way towards me "wow did you find Cinna in the Capitol too?" he asks.
I laugh "no I did not and if you must know I designed and created this dress myself."
"well enough chit chat. Aria would care to dance with me?" Peter asks.
"I would love to." I reply.
"it was a pleasure talking with you Peeta" Peter says as we make our way to the dance floor.
"You too" Peeta replies softly for we were already at a distance that no noal person couldn't have heard.

This is the blue of the dress:
(the closest I can get to the blue on my head)

Tunnels

The sound of sword on sword rang through the air. A battle cry escaped my lips as I swiped the head off of one of my foes.
I watched as two by two the men filed into the room, no matter how many I slew one always took its place.
I searched frantically for my companions. No one was to be in sight.
Suddenly I heard Eragon, an ally of mine, yell out of the dark "ARWEN!?"
"I am here!" I yelled back. I rushed toward the sound of his voice, killing anyone who got in my way. He must have heard me because I saw him rush towards me just as I rushed towards him.
Together we escaped the room and ran down the long passage ways frantically trying to find an exit from these under ground tunnels. The Empire was quick on our tails and we often had to stand and fight until Eragon conjured up a spell to throw or disorient the soldiers. We soon found a stair leading up into a small room. There was only one door, so we immediately ran towards it. It opened with surprising ease (for one suspects such a door to be locked or magically guarded). We ran into the room and shut the door only to find a winding stair case. Eragon hesitated but I dashed up the stairs so he was forced to follow.
When I reached the top I looked into the room to find but a window and a bell. I looked out the window to see we were about a league up. A watch tower I thought. I looked over at Eragon and could tell he was searching for Saphira's conscious. He must have found it and told her the situation because I heard a roar in the distance after a few seconds.
Realizing the soldiers could still catch up I barricaded the entrance and threw what I could down the steps to hinder them from their path.
The room suddenly filled with much more light than before. I looked up to see Saphira, and the roof was gone. She grasped me and Eragon, one in each claw, and flew away.
I watched the ruined city until we disappeared in the night.

Wolfhunter

I lay awaiting the arrival of an animal i could eat. My ear twitched as i heard an animal approaching. I could tell it was running, fast. A blur of white ran past my hiding spot, I quickly sprinted after it.
"A rabbit!" I thought, "I'm eating good tonight." A smiled appeared on my face at the thought of the meat.
The smile on my disappeared as I realized it was not a rabbit, but a fox. I had caught up to it so instead of pouncing, as I had planned to catch my prey, I ran in front of the fox and stopped. This blocked its path, therefore, it had to stop.
"Who are you? I haven't seen any white foxes in these parts before." He said. He was cautious, for the kingdom was at war with itself. His clan was still on the side of the King and Queen, but some others had rebelled.
She tried to move around him but he wouldn't let her, for he had realized it was a vixen (girl). She glared at him and said "If you are an ally of the king then I suggest you do not hinder me." She tried once more to move around him but he wouldn't let her through.
"That is not who you are." He stated.
She sighed. " I am Mooneater. An artic fox of Illiade."
He moved to let her pass, " Have a safe journey Mooneater"
Mooneater did not move. "I have told you who I am it is only fair you tell me who you are"
" I am Wolfhunter. I believe I am a red fox of Boxiat." He replied. " The sun shall be setting soon, if you would like you may stay with my clan for the night. We always welcome friends of the royal family."
"I would like that. Thank you." She said.
We started off to were my clan is sleeping for the night.