so lately i've been recieving some criticism for my fanfic, it's cool i can take it and it's all read and appreciated, as i got more views i knew it would bring criticism, which is fine :) im almost flattered,
but if you've ever criticised a fanfic, could you tell me why? and what you want from your ideal fanfic? general or specific, i dont mind...i'd just be interested to know, cos i want to reach more people!!!
:) thanks guys...even if u havent criticised, let me know what it is you like...
Ideal fanfic huh?
Plot: Long. I mean at LEAST over 100,000 words long.
Pairing: Reasonable. Crack pairings don't belong in a good fic. no offense to people that like crack pairings. Also, main characters as straight unless gay or lesbian in canon.
Unless its one of those AU fics where it's a high school or real life setting, then epic battles.
No grammatical butcheribng either. This means no leet, no text and no obvious mispellings.
Also there needs to be a blanace between the main plot developing along with the romance.
That's pretty much it for my ideal fic.
This to me applies to most areas of fanfiction I would read. Everything from Harry Potter to Naruto.
A readdable fanfic needs to have good grammar. It's definitely one of the most important things. Also the author should be able to divide his/her text into good paragraphs, so it'll be easier to read.
Although I have read some really long fics, I currently prefer a length between 500 and 10,000 words.
The plot needs to be unique and good, and the story needs to flow without too much rushing, but also without too much boring description.
And any OCs should not be Mary-Sue, obviously, and there should be plenty of character development. As a reader, I really like to get inside the characters head and to be able to sympathise with them. Of course an interesting plot, and I agree about the pairings (within the fandom they should make sense). Don't care about the length, though if it is a one shot obviously there needn't be so much character development, but it should have some sort of point to make it worthwhile.
Yaoi smut, first and foremost. Include a plot or don't, it's the same to me, but it should be well written. I have junk-grammar ADD like you wouldn't believe.
Also, to piggyback on Final Hedgehog Kingdom, if your fic isn't formatted I'll bounce and I won't return. I'm not going to put that much brain energy into trying to figure out your story if you can't be bothered to format it.
And later for the self-deprecation! If the first sentence of the fic is an author's note that begins 'I hate this' or 'this is crap' I'm hitting the back button for all it's worth. If the person who wrote the story thinks it's crappy enough to disclaim it in an author's note before I ever get to the first line of the story, then I'll kindly spare myself the bother.
I'm happy to provide examples upon request, and no I don't mean my own fanfiction.
A good plot. As a long-term writer, i also like 100,000 words. I also don't mind a crossover or a sci-fi plot eother.
a good plot for one, though it doesn't necissarily mean it HAS to have it, some(XXkeyword here: someXX) one shots are good. same with grammar, it should have it, though it shouldn't have too be too perfect, i'm sure most if not all of us has gotten some words mixed up (XXquite, quiet, quitXX) or forgot the period or some such thing. lenth of the story? as long as it is over 50,000 words by the time it ends i'm happy, though 100,000 would be great. oh, as long as it doesn't have over 2-3 songfics that are worth listening to, it is annoying to look up a song you don't know only to have it be crap.
it shouldn't follow along with the same thing everyone else is doing, but not too far out there to not understand a word or paragraph. It is alright to start at some point if your doing a fanfic (XXtime traval, or some place where the book ends, like say...harry potter, if your going to start a 5th year, don't start in the middle of the year unless you know what your going to doXX)
none of that 'I looked up and seen his/her eyes, and just knew, she/he was the one' either, it is good if you got a plot going already, but not at the start.
and there is such thing as dragging the plot too far after the first part is done, the second, even the third and so on. i can see that if it is like harry potter and you want to do all the years seperate, then go ahead. but once done you may want to add some things, but don't go overboard and start like 30 more stories to advance the plot, (XX i seen this story that dragged out well over 5 stories over the ended story, each story long as the original one!XX)
er...thats all i can think of at the moment, i'll have to get my brother up and add what he sees in fanfiction.
F2008
I am primarily a fan of fantasy so this might not apply to all fandoms but...
You have about the first chapter to pull me into the story. Make me want to learn more. Include some awesome battles. Paint the scenes in a way I remember the images more than the actual text. Show the emotions of the characters, especially if they went from a normal life to having to save the world. Give the enemies more depth than just wanting to kill. A good story has a lot to it.
I've criticized stories where the author hasn't done some very basic things, like spell check. It's a very simple and easy step to take, doesn't take long, and it goes far towards preserving the sanity of the reader. I've also criticized authors who don't do their homework and research the fandom and topic they're writing about. I remember reading one story about WWII where the author had our hero fighting in trenches, facing mustard gas, and invading Germany in 1941, none of which happened. You have to be careful at times because you never know what your readers know about. I will say that I criticize privately and praise publicly, though I always find it amusing when writers go ballistic over constructive criticism and only want to hear how wonderful they are and how awesome their story is.
As for what I look for in a story, I want something different and fresh or a new twist on an old idea. Length doesn't matter to me so long as the characters are well written and IN character at all times. I run away screaming at Mary Sues and self-inserts, and I avoid songfics much the same way I avoid meatloaf, especially when people from ages past somehow know the words to modern music.
blink wow...me brother practically said it all...though electrum does have a point, please don't mix time frames with others. I mean its alright if it is an AU..but don't do it, it is annoying. K18
Ofcourse i said it all, i only have to listen to you ramble off about it everytime i read a story. F2008
In addition to having a good plot, good grammar and spelling, and good characterization, I also look for a good balance of description and conversation. Some fics are almost exclusively conversation which /can/ work for a drabble but in a multi-chapter tale, we need to feel what the characters are feeling and you can't get that through conversations alone. I don't think I've read any where the author goes to the other extreme and spends to much time describing any one thing without having the characters converse. But it is possible.
A good fanfic for me, is the kind of fanfic, where you KNOW it's going to happen. Then something happens that actually makes you doubt the outcome of it.
The best fanfic I've ever read is my Silent Serenade, it's called As The Eagle Flies.
The title tied in beautifully with the plot, and the outcome was actually the best outcome I could have asked for - despite it being pretty sad.
If you get the time, read it - it's an amazing read (although I generally don't like 'old time' fanfiction romance).
I love Victorian styles at the moment. A long story - with good, solid chapters and they have to be dark :)
Also, I love reading AN's, sometimes, you love the author more and more and their stories more because you get a feel for what the author is like themselves :D
(oh and also, I like it when it doesn't just revolve around the main characters, but their is also a bit of the other characters coming through - with their backgrounds etc!) :D
I'm boring - I mostly like it when an author tries to add a new episode/book to a series. I also like it when he elaborates on a character in a one shot, but those are mostly done poorly and contain nauseating melodrama.
I haven't really read any other good fanfics - I'm not sure where to even begin finding them, lol. The other types are foreign to me. But how do you get a feel for what each is capable of, you know?
I luv long complicated plots with a LOT of humor that will always keep me interested Don't mind if the OC is a Mary sue as long as everthing doesn't go peachy perfect for her/him
I like my fanfics to be believable, if it's AU with magic and stuff then that's fine as long as it's all explained properly. The plot must also be detailed, with unexpected twists and turns that draw me in, so I'm engrossed. I'm also a sucker for romance, as long as that's believable too, no fairy tales for me. A good fic like this I discovered a while back is 'Experiment', by Kitty of Insanity, with six incredibly long chapters, it was a brilliant fan-fiction novella, and the way Kitty set Lance and Destiny up, (yes it is Pokémon) almost made me feel bad about him going with someone else in my fic.
I almost forgot, I like the stories to be quite dark and sinister, with hidden meanings and proper real life sitiuations, like death. Before I continue on this tangent, I must go, I've got an essay to finish writing for History.
I don't care as long as they are REASONED.
They can have a 12 year old naruto who could take out Akatsuki single handed, if he trained since the age of 5 with each Kage and all three Sannin. But they'd better SHOW it, and show it WELL.
Crack pairings, sure, if they're done well.
I only like high school and stuff if it's the BEST of them. I'll read ones i'm recommended, but otherwise, no.
I prefer fan fiction that is well rounded. Good formatting, punctuation and grammar is a start. Add an actual plot and some conflict to resolved at the end, make it believable and pace it well. Then throw in a touch of humor or some fun.
What not to have. Smut scenes written by young people who have no clue. Long bits of boring introspection between dialogue. I could go on.
Basically, I want to be entertained. I don't want a thinly covered meta blah, blah with deep thinky-thoughts. I want movement, dialogue, action. Show us by those things what the characters are feeling. Not long boring thoughts about how they have figured it all out, while they sit in a chair and stare off into space.
Of course all the basic things, spelling, grammar, well structured ect.
But there are a lot of people out there who use a lot of conversation. It is much better with description, it shows the feeling that the speech doesn't, it makes the reader feel more involved, they are getting told one characters thoughts and feelings, while the other characters have no idea what goes on in the characters head.
If this is done well a story can be awesome! There have been a few where the emotion that was showed even made me cry! The author should take their time and once they have finished writing, they should re read what they wrote just like a reader would and critisize your work how you would critisize others.
What I look for in a good fanfic is grammar, paragraphing and lots and lots of twists. I also adore supernatural and secrets! ;)
I look for a well structured story with a good plotline, and appropriate to it's genre/theme/subject of the fan fiction. For example, I like a lot of Hetalia comedies, so I look for pairings (both obvious or not), lots of wild behaviour and strange things going on that relate to the countries. The characters have to be preferably IC (in character), otherwise it's not believeale enough. I like stuff to be almost believeable, as if it could happen and fit with the subject-of-the-fanfiction's plot/genre/theme etc.
I hadn't really thought about it like that. I disclaim all of my chapters, it's habit more than anything, but also in some of my stories I use non-canon characters of the creation of others, so it just feels respectful somehow. Meh, I'll probably still continue to do it and chance the wrath of those who find it annoying.
A good plot is a definate first for me. The writer could be the most amazing and talented in the world, but if it doesn't have a good plot then it doesn't float my boat at all.
A decent length for chapters. Personally, I like my own chapters to be between 8,000 and 10,000 words long each. I hate it when you wait forever for someone to update a story and then it's about 100 words and I'm like "Is that it?" It annoys me a bit.
Oh, and speaking of waiting forever for someone to update, I like stories that have regular updates. And I'm kind of dissing myself here because my updates are anything BUT regular. It used to be regular, but that pain in the butt of a writer's block hasn't left me alone for damn months >.<
I like the characters to actually be IN character, not OOC. Well, I can tolerate OOC if it works well with the story, for example if someone made Ryou from Yugioh into a psychotic sadistic serial killer when in actual fact he's all bunnies and rainbows, I wouldnt mind as long as his OOC character was well-written and in-depth.
I don't mind original characters. Hell, that's all I seem to be doing lately in my stories. But one thing I ABSOLUTELY CANT STAND is if they're Mary-Sue or Gary-Stu. I hate them with such a passion. Perfect OCs dont make a good story if they always come up smelling of roses no matter what happens, not to mention they're always the most beautiful, the most talented, the most loved and lusted over by every other character in the fic... I hate them. If you're going to do a good OC character, take some time to figure out what they're going to be like. Don't just rush in there with the most perfect flawless character ever made. That's like dipping yourself in lighter fuel and throwing yourself straight to the Flamers.
I'm not too keen on fluffy lovey-dovey fics. Sure, I like a bit of romance, but not too much. I prefer the dark stuff, murders and suspence and all that jazz. Romance with dark stuff is a good combination of the two, I think, so I dont mind that. But I hate it when we're smothered in love from start to finish. Give me love-hate relationships anyday!
I also enjoy a good smut scene. If they're well-written and the author is comfortable enough to throw them in, then by all means, throw them in!
Oh, and good spelling and grammar. I always hate it when I upload my own chapters and read through to find ONE spelling mistake I somehow missed. It ruins the read for me, I think.
I don't care, unless it's totally unreasoned. So many of them pan out like a group of seven-year-old boys playing with fake guns, or like a fourteen-year-old's wet dream.
Right now i'm going through a dark stage. I want to read something edge and cool but not angsty.
I want competant sentace structure, correct grammer, spell check, all those basic things, but i also look for the weird little things like specific lines. if a line is really beautiful i can love a fic for that even if i hate everything else (there is a one shot that i only like because of the last line, apart from that it's just a basic PWP).
Not OOC, no OC's, not to be ruined by a lemon that doesn't belong or an empty space where a lemon should be.
I don't know if i can garantee that in my own writing but that's what makes a really good fic for me.
I like a good and believable plot. Plot holes really really bug me, and if the timeline skips are drastic then I won't read it, I like a lot of detail; timeline skips just don't cover enough ground for me.
If there's romance, it has to be believable, unless I'm feeling sappy, then I'll read anything.
I'm not a fan of people taking neutral characters and making them evil - prime example - Blaise Zabini. Being evil doesn't suit him. In my new fic, and all of my friends, he's almost comic relief; Draco's quirky and annoying but loyal friend.
I'm not much a fan of canon pairings either, unless they're background.
Bad lemons/sex scenes/terribly written slash are all big no noes. Not too many spelling/grammar mistakes...
Above all, I want to get to know the characters, and I want them to feel real. I'm writing the first 15 chapters of my new fic before I even think about posting, purely because I want to it be a certain way, I have a message to convey, and it won't be done easily.
God I'm blabbering here!
I look for a lot more, but I can't be bothered to think right now. I could be a hypocrite with some of these things, but hey, all mine are one-shots so far. Some things just can't be slotted into a one shot (e.g. character development)
Toodle-oo xD
When it comes to plot, I like them to be unique with not too many cliché and I love it when a writer can take a normal over-used plot device, give it a twist, and come up with a totally original story. And the first chapter has to draw me in. I hate it when you have to wait, like five chapters for something to happen. It doesn't even have to be a major event, just intrusting.
I don't really mine if a charter is OOC, as long as it's not too much, and there is a darn good (I repeat: GOOD) reason for it. In fact, I want reason for pretty much everything. I like knowing not just what a person is doing, but why they're doing it.
When it comes to action, I like good built up to fights and such. The more detailed the better; and don't try to pack to much in to one half, space it out a little. I also think it's important to have brakes in the action to give reader a breather. A time where they can think about what just happened and how in affected the main charter(s), and to devolve the plot and/or charters.
When it comes to romance all I ask it that they have at lest talked to each other before.
Darn, I'm picky.
Good grammar, spelling and constant writing style and formatting. If a fic doesn't have this, I often can't bare to read it.
In character characters and character development it vital. Even in shorter fics, there is often some room for it (not always, but most of the time) and it is absolutely needed for a long fic.
Realistic plots... this is more subjective one than most. It's linked to being in character and story pacing. Plotlines should always seem realistic to the canon of the original work/fic.
I like romance in my fics, but I'll read a fic which isn't centred on it.
I really don't like AU fics or OCs in my fics XD But that's totally personal preference.
Other than that, I'll read just about anything.
Mainly? Good grammar and spelling, and no OOC-ness. Like every other writer, I have improved since the beginning. I still feel ashamed of how OOC and badly written my first fanfictions were/are. I mean. I included so much information in one thing that it took everyone's attention off the original plot. It was truly bad. Yet, I leave it untouched. (Even though I must admit that i slightly tweaked my very first fanfiction concerning grammar and spelling and OOC-ness just a bit recently.) I think it is in one way important to be able to look back and see the improvement. I simply hate it when writers have been active for a certain amount of time and don't seem to improve. I always try give constructive evidence, and once got a reply back of the writer, who I assume still had a squeaky childish voice, saying that I should not tell her how to write. That really annoys me, someone who barely comes from mommy's breast and tells me that her story's perfect in every way. I mean, I have met one too many young writers that were a lot better than I'll ever be, but I literally get the hibbie jibbies when one who has gotten more than a few bad reviews claims she's perfect.
So, I guess that I'm looking for improvement in stories as well.
I'm generally a complete sucker for fluffy fics.
Though I look for a generally well-written fic. Spelling mistakes and grammar errors don't bother me too much provided it's readable and the plotline is strong enough to make up for it.
I also seem to have a thing for death-confessions (Like pretty much confessing you love someone right before they die.) They generally come out really heartwarming and tissue-worthy.
if it's a pairing, dont make the romance "run too fast" y'know. Give them time to fall in and out of love, if the reader has time to indentify with all the feelings and emotions that comes with love, it will make it that much more enjoyable.
Also, for some grammatical things. I myself enjoy reading 1st person and past tense, though if it's a one shot or drabble, present tense can do wonders, seriously.
At the end of the fic, i kinda' think it sucks with an epilogue of "20 years later" because the magic thing of ending a book is IMAGINING how it all developes from there.
HP spoilers
example, the last Harry Potter book? it was so UNgreat how she ended everything with writing how things were some years later. The series was glorious for itself, and could really have done without.
end HP spoilers
How do you other people like the grammartical stuff? 1st person writing, or 3rd?
I despise it when people don't give a good reason for two characters to like each other, or a proper build up. It makes it feel too much like your average joe's porn collection. Also, if it doesn't have good punctuation it annoys me too much to continue reading, and because I'm too damn polite I can't bring myself to say, "Hey you! Use a bit of grammer, for christ's sake!"
I despise it when people don't give a good reason for two characters to like each other, or a proper build up. It makes it feel too much like your average joe's porn collection. Also, if it doesn't have good punctuation it annoys me too much to continue reading, and because I'm too damn polite I can't bring myself to say, "Hey you! Use a bit of grammer, for christ's sake!"
easy question i want the truths of life in the context of the surreal
by that i mean a truly good fiction requires love, truth, joy and a journey. and to make it really good add in the oppositions of these truths and perhaps even a hero and a villan and lots of grey areas to set the mind grappeling
Ummm... yeah. Me too.
Can I have motherhood and apple pie while we're at it? Only, y'knopw, skip the mothehood. Pregnancy is not on my to-do list.
I weep. The first line of post 34 was brilliant, and then it died.
I like to be blown away and left wanting to curl up in a cave, setting every word I have ever written alight. Too bad it rarely happens. So I settle for witty, well-written humour.
What would I want in a fan fic?
One that's written good, has detail and decent dialogue.
I really don't like Mary Sues, however. I also am not crazy about yaoi/slash either, but that doesn't mean I won't look at them, because some (Like one fic called 'Cover Me') are just good, no matter the slash in it.
Stories with OCs can be good too if the OC is written well :)
OOC chars is alright as long as it's not TOO bad. I hav seen some that makes me wonder if the person writing did their research on the char before writing them. I am guilty of OOCage, but I don't think it's THAT off.
Right now... Something believable that doesn't make the complex seem too simplistic or the simple too complex.