For the Writer: 1.) The Characters Yes, we all have dreamed up the 'perfect' character and written him/her down. Though, a lot of people don't want to read stories where the main character is absolutely gorgeous and flawless. I made this mistake in the beginning of Draco Malfoy's Dirty Little Secret with Evelyn. At first, I made her seem too perfect, too ideal. It took me a while to get her out of that and put some flaws in her character. After that, she was more relatable (and more likable). You don't have to make them ugly or evil or deformed. Just give them a few little personality flaws here and there to make them seem more human. No one (or character) is perfect.
2.) The Genres I've found there are five main genres of stories on FF.N. These are: 1. Harry Potter Fan Fictions 2. Naruto/Anime Fan Fictions 3. Vampire Stories 4. Celebrity/Band Stories 5. Original Works Write about what you like, what you know. Yes, there are a MILLION vampire stories out there. But if that's what you want to write, go for it! Just make sure you give it an original story line and unique characters. I know it's more easily said than done. Every story will have a few cliches mixed in. However, I cannot stress enough the importance of striving for originality. No one wants to read the same old thing over and over again.
3.) Paragraphs For the love of God (or whoever you believe in) use paragraphs. It's not that hard to press enter and tab or press enter twice. I guarantee you that BARELY ANYONE will read your stories if they are just a giant blob of text. Personally, I refuse to read any stories that don't use paragraphs. It's an obvious sign that the writer has no idea what in the world they're doing.
4.) Grammar and Spelling Use spell check and appropriate grammar, or at least attempt it. Yes, little mistakes happen to the best of us. Everyone can miss a comma here or there, or accidentally write teh instead of the. Honestly, though, people will be seriously annoyed if your whole story is full of misspellings and grammar errors.
5.) Text Talk This is my BIGGEST pet peeve in the history of the whole f*cking world. It ticks a TON of people off and I can promise you that LOTS of people will refuse to read your stories if they are written in text talk. Who wants to read a story lyk dis? UGH! I can't even write it, it drives me so insane!
6.) Pretty Stuff This one is totally vain, but I really believe that layouts make stories look more professional and attractive. It also tips people off that you've been on the site long enough to know your way around the HTML world. The one rule about layouts? Test different ones out and make sure the fonts and colors are legible.
7.) Collaborate Run out of ideas? Need help? Ask other writers to read your work. I LOVE talking to other writers. It's inspiring and fun to bounce ideas back and forth off of one another. Most writers on here are extremely nice and will read your work (if they have time) and will give you real feedback and ideas so that you can improve your work. It's very beneficial when stuck in a rut.
8.) Writer's block? I've yet to find or hear of a complete cure for writer's block. Though these are some things I do when I'm stuck. A. Ask another writer or a friend to help out. B. Take a break. Step away from the story and clear your head. C. Listen to music/read/watch TV for random inspiration. D. Write something completely off topic and random. Something good could come out of it. Can't think of names for your characters? Click HERE for a great name generating site!
9.) Have fun! Why did any of us start writing in the first place? Because we love it! It's easy to get stressed out over writing. (Trust me, I know) Readers are asking for an update, but life is hectic and you can't find the time. Maybe you're running low on inspiration and having major writer's block. Don't let it get to you. Just take a step back from the situation, try some of the tips above, and do something you enjoy. Writing should come from your heart. Don't let anything change that.
10.) Keep Your Readers Updated Sure, we write because we love it. But knowing other people love it is fun too, right? Let's say you get on the highest rated or most popular list, how did you get there? Your loyal readers. Never take them for granted. Always message them back, read their work in return, add them to your friends list. Seriously, it's so worth it. Not only have I made friends with lots of my readers, but some of them have sent me messages saying they appreciate how I write back. I'm telling you, the more you give back to them, the more memorable you are. The more memorable, the more publicity. It's all a vicious circle. ;)
For the Reader: 1.) Give writers feedback. We delete hate mail (or send you mean things back) so don't waste your time. Most people on here are full of attitude and won't hesitate to be nasty right back. Instead, if you hate our stories/quizzes/whatever give us constructive criticism. Tell us what we did poorly (in a respectful way) then tell us how you think we can improve. Leaving nice comments is a whole other story. We love hearing that you guys enjoy our work. I, personally, like hearing what my readers think. What they REALLY think. Yes, I enjoy the "OMG! Your story rocks! It's amazing!" messages. Those always make me smile. Though, my absolute FAVORITE messages are the ones where readers tell me exactly what they liked. Did you like the story line? What do you think will happen next? What do you think of my characters? Do you relate to them? Things like that. Honest opinions are always best. (But don't stop sending the other messages, I love them too!)
2.) Writers have lives. This is by far the MOST IMPORTANT thing in this entire quiz for the readers. Look guys and gals, writers LOVE to write, obviously. We're artists, in a sense. If we could, most of us would sit on our computer all day and write chapter after chapter for you. But we can't. We have to deal with friends, relationships, family, work, school, and the dreaded writer's block. We can't update every day. I did it this summer because I was stuck inside all day with a broken wrist. However, I just can't anymore, I'm too busy. A lot of you understand this, but some people just don't. Just have patience with us and we WILL update our stories for you. We want to post them just as badly as you want to read them. Trust me.
3.) Spread the word. If you really like a story, chances are other people will like it too. Rate it high and tell other people about it. How does this benefit you? Writers like feedback a LOT. Granted, some people will update no matter what anyone else thinks. However, if your favorite author is anything like me, they use feedback to gage their writing. If I get quite a few messages, comments in my CBOX, or get some high ratings, I'll update a whole lot sooner. The first time Draco Malfoy's Dirty Little Secret appeared on the Most Popular List I nearly shit my pants. I was so excited, I couldn't sit still. I was home alone that day and I literally ran around the house jumping and screaming with joy. (One of my most immature moments in history) Then, after I could sit still, I wrote a journal entry to my readers and posted two more chapters. See? Good feedback, more chapters!
Kensei:I'm only on because to post you need it to be a fan fiction so hi... and to tell you, I'm sorry about the other copy of this it came out on Drew's Computer wrong and deleted the paragraphs. but now it is fixed. This was originally written by somebody else but we got their permission to post it on here.