While the idea of
sticking to a set schedule of writing is incredibly important and admirable, it
is not always so easy to follow through with said plans (case in point: the date
of this post). I cannot tell you how
many times this week I have started writing a new post only to get a severe
case of writer’s block.
I’m also, sadly, a
person who can get pretty easily distracted by other things—the Internet in
general, cleaning out my closet, exercising, shiny things, Pez, the state of the
world as we know it, why Pluto isn’t a planet anymore, etc. Fortunately, one of the things which provides
a major distraction for me is reading fanfiction (i.e. crack for fandom
shippers and people who refuse to accept the fact that both Tonks and Lupin had to die at the end of the 7th
Harry Potter book, and don’t even get me started about Fred). Ahem.
I say fortunately
because, despite my infinite regret while reading it that I should probably be
reading more “legitimate” fiction in my spare time, I have found that there are
many things a writer can learn from reading fanfiction.
Thus, I have created a
list of four things which I have learned through reading fanfiction which have
served me well in my own writing habits.
Plus, this gives me a reason to justify my reading fanfiction in the
first place.
1. The Importance (and Rarity) of Proper
Grammar Usage
I
am not talking about stories which have one or two spelling or grammar
mistakes. Those few mistakes are understandable, and no one is immune to the
occasional slip-up, myself included.
No,
I am referring to the (quite astonishingly) large amount of stories I have read
in which the laws of grammar seem to have somehow hitchhiked cross-country
never to be seen again. Perhaps they are
floating around in space somewhere looking for a spaceship to pick them up
before they suffocate.
Much
of my amazement has to do with the fact that, in an age where we have some of
the most advanced technology at our fingertips, it seems too difficult for some
people to use a simple spell-checker.
Come on, people. See those little
red squiggly lines underneath some of your words? Ignoring them will not be beneficial to
anyone. Least of all, the reader.
What
I find most sad about improper grammar usage is that a story could have loads
of potential, but readers are not going to want to give a story a chance if
they see mistakes in every other line.
It distracts from the story and takes a person out of the scene.
The
good thing about fanfiction writing is that, even if you are not the best
proofreader, there are always beta readers available to help edit your stories
and offer feedback. Asking for help is
never a bad thing, and it will help you to become a better writer and editor in
the long run.
2. Giving (and Receiving) Constructive
Criticism
I’ll
admit that I’m not exactly the best when it comes to leaving comments on all
the stories I read, but I’m trying to be better about it. For the most part, I’m willing to guess that
the people who write fanfiction (including myself) are trying to gain writing experience
and feedback on their ideas. Even published
authors need criticism, both good and bad, so that they can learn and grow as
writers.
With
fanfiction especially, the comments one receives not only lets the writer know
what works with his or her story, but they encourage the writer to continue
their work. I know from experience that
I am more motivated to keep writing if I know that others are reading what I’m
putting out. (And I can’t deny the thrill I get when I receive a message saying
that I have a new story review. It’s
like a Christmas present.)
It
is just as important to give criticism, as well. Being able to put into words what works and
what doesn’t work within a particular story makes it easier to pick out what
works in your own stories. It also makes
you part of a bigger community of writers, most of whom will probably
appreciate the criticism and will be more willing to leave a review in return.
3. Keeping in Character
There
are some fanfiction stories I’ve read in which the main character is grossly
OOC (out of character). Some writers
will even openly admit to knowing that they are writing the characters this
way. On rare occasions, this is perfectly fine (such as in a parody or crack
fiction). However, 99.9% of the time, the
work suffers because of it.
Yes,
I know that this is fanfiction. This does not mean, however, that a character
who normally acts a certain way should get a complete personality transplant in
the course of the story.
My
reasoning is this: In fanfiction, writers are dealing with pre-established
characters from movies, books, etc. They
have already received (or should have received) storylines, personalities,
quirks, and defining traits which make them who they are. The purpose of fanfiction is to expand upon
these characters’ backstories, and hopefully, in the course of the story, we
are better able to understand a character and his or her point of view. (Again, there are exceptions.)
If
a writer takes a pre-established character and completely changes that
character’s personality, I just wonder how that writer can keep their own,
original characters from doing the same thing.
This is an exercise in consistency.
Your characters should feel like real people. Lord Voldemort is not an evil overlord with a
heart of gold who has a soft spot for puppies.
Unless this is a parody. Or one
of my nightmares.
4. Everyone has a story to tell.
I
don’t just mean the author. Some of my
favorite fanfictions focus on a background character or someone whose point of
view is not always discussed. I think
that these are some of the most interesting pieces to read because, as in all
fiction, good stories have complex characters.
To give a voice to an unknown character brings another layer to the
original story.
As
I said before, fanfiction is a way to expand on a universe which already
exists. Those who are able to take characters
and add motivations and backstories where there were none are well on their way
to being able to do the same with their own characters.
After
all, just think of some great novels which have expanded on a pre-existing
story or character. Off the top of my
head:
· The Penelopiad by Margaret Atwood (based on The Odyssey by Homer)
· Grendel by John Gardner (based on the epic Beowulf)
· A Thousand Acres by Jane Smiley (based on King Lear by William Shakespeare)
· Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead by Tom Stoppard (based on Hamlet by…if you don’t know, shame on you)
So reading fanfiction does have some benefits, if for no other reason than because writers need to read as much as they can of whatever they can. So next time you find yourself distracted, or procrastinating, just tell yourself that there is nothing wrong with reading some good fanfiction. (Just don’t switch over to Tumblr…you’ll never get your life back.)
Happy writing,
Shannon
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