Writing Fanfiction
I've been working on the same fanfic chapter for over a month now and I'm still so hesitant to share it. Each time I open google docs to work on it its like I find something else that can be "fixed"/changed. For the perfectionists writers out there. How do u get over the crippling fear of inadequacy?
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Hey, writer here. I have a few tips. Not just for this fic, but writing them in general.
1. Make an outline from start to finish. It’ll help you work out the story and how it develops. Include whatever you need to make it easier for you. Dialogue ideas, descriptions, etc. If you go by the flow, you could forget something that happened in an earlier chapter that ties into something that happens later on.
2. Don’t keep going back to edit. Just write. If you get stuck, add a filler statement like [fight scene here]. Authors do this, and it’s helpful, since it stops you from spending too much time stressing over how to write a scene you’re struggling with. When it comes to writing, you WILL improve. It’s inevitable. The more you write, the better you’ll get. You’ll always notice a mistake, but you can’t focus too much on it. Keep writing, finish the fic, and then go back and edit it. Find a beta reader or two if you want an extra opinion. A writer friend, a stranger in the same fandom, etc. I’ve beta read a few times for friends I made in a fandom I’m in, and they’ve been really appreciative each time. I’m a perfectionist too, and a good editor, so I’m glad I’ve been able to put my perfectionism to good use.
3. Read more and learn from those authors. Learn from your favorite fic writers. It’s easy to look at them and think, “I’ll never be as talented as them,” or “my story isn’t good enough,” but you will be, and it is. People will read your fic, and many will love it. They might post about it online or rave about it in the comments or send it to their group chat. There’s a story for everyone, and your story is for someone. You just need to post it to find out.
I hope this was helpful. If not, please send me a message or ask more questions. I’d be happy to help in any way I can. Posting a fic for the first time is nerve-wracking, but it’s also so rewarding. The things people have said to me about my stories have made it all worth it.
hi i also want a tip cus like im starting a novel based on a real person and i keep deleting my first chapt cus like it feels out of nowhere. In a way i want this novel to start out good like how you know, someone's life just seems such a bundle of joy then later on in the chapts its just tragedy
Definitely start with an outline so you can get those ideas written down. It’ll save you the trouble of coming up with stuff later on. Focus on things that make your character’s life seem perfect. Both little and big things. Think about this from your own perspective. What would make a person’s life better and happier? If you want the reader to learn that not everything is what it seems in the first chapter, you can either make it slowly descend into something worse, or you can make it a sudden shift at the end to surprise the reader. Depends on your vision for it.
You can use books and shows/movies you love as inspiration. I’ve seen stories be done both ways.