(A/N I am now aware that I have made a typo on chapter 2, by saying 'you're' instead of properly using 'your'. I have been attempting to edit the chapter, but fanfiction is being a meanie and won't let me edit the chapter unless I delete all of the other ones. I apologize for my mistake, but hey, I never said I was perfect! Thank you to my reviewers FancyPenguin, shadowgirl1171, FangIsFexellent, and WingedArcher1!)
IT IS TIME. This chapter, upon popular demand (kinda), will be tackling the subject of PLOT AND CLICHÉ'S. I know I touched on this in previous chapters, but I really would like to emphasize how critical original plots are to the ultimate goal: a happier MRFC.
The basic plotline to almost ALL all-human, overused stories, is this; Max moves to a new town (usually in Arizona), she's the loner at a high school, until she meets Iggy, Nudge, Gazzy, etc. and tells off school slut Lissa. Fang is this mysterious guy that Max notices in a two paragraph gush about how he's 'SOOOOOOOOO HAAAAAAAAAAAWT HE HAS AN EIGHT-PACK AND HIS ONYX (for some reason it's always onyx!) EYES ARE SOOOOOOO DEEP AND MYSTIFYING!' Then Max meets Fang, they fall in love, and they live happily ever after. Something probably happens after that, but let's face it; no one actually reads much after that.
NOTE: I SHOULD NOT BE ABLE TO SUMMARIZE about 60+% of fanfictions so descriptively in one paragraph!
Some authors choose to 'switch it up' by instead of having max move to a new place; she is brutally abused by Jeb (her father/stepdad) or Dylan, her foul, obnoxious player of a boyfriend. Notice how 'switch it up' is in quotations, because it does not make it different in any way.
I'm sure anyone who has ever gone on Maximum Ride fanfiction has seen one of these stories. So much so, because of that and because a new MR hasn't come out in a while (which we can't control) that I feel if some of us were asked to summarize specific books in the MR series, we would be a bit vague. We, as authors, have to remember the definition of FANFICTION. (Courtesy of )
1.
Fanfiction
N.
A piece of fiction within a fandom utilizing characters and situations from a pre-existing work including (but not limited to) books, television programs, films, and comic strips.
Typically separated into het, slash, and general genres. (Do you know what that is? cuz I sure don't) Often used to play out AU scenarios and/or various romantic pairings not found in the original work.
NOTE: AU stands for ALTERNATE UNIVERSE, and OC stands for ORIGINAL CHARACTER, the plot and characters above are NOT ORIGINAL; they are overused, and quite bluntly boring.
Remember what Maximum Ride is about? Here's a refresher: A group of kids with WINGS who are on the run from EVIL SCIENTISTS and MUTNANT WOLVES. I don't know about you, but that gives A LOT of wiggle room in terms of creating 'original content'. I'm not trying to persuade you to write another Maximum Ride novel, but, seriously, what are you adding to the MRFC by making yet another AU, OC, ALL HUMAN, copied, pasted, banal, hackneyed, uninspired, plagiarized piece of poop story?
Sorry, now I have to collect myself. Whoo, I'm good now.
Try adding some OOMPH to your story. Include some sports! I've never heard of a fencing fanfic or a female/male wrestling story! Ok, maybe you're not a sports person, that's ok, then what are your interests, as a writer. Art? Science? Marine life? Maybe you love the country of Bulgaria! Write something about that, and incorporate the characters into that, not the plot into the characters. James Patterson (bless him) is an insanely talented, creative and generous writer for giving us fanfictioners plenty to work with. Iggy and Gazzy can easily become scientists, astronomers, heck, even suicide bombers for heaven's sake. Max can be a model, street fighter, athlete, business CEO extraordinaire. Angel… if you can't think of something to do with angel, you need some creativity shot into you, pronto.
TIP: only write a story on a topic you are familiar with, so you don't constantly have to be doing research.
Moving on off of that…stressful topic, I would like to give y'all a brief lesson on creating a plot.
BEWARE! BEFORE YOU READ THE BELOW INFORMATION, KNOW THAT THIS DOES NOT APPLY TO ALL STORIES!
Now, if you've passed middle school, then you probably know there are 5 major parts to a good story: the exposition (introducing the **characters, setting, etc.); the rising action (events that lead up to the big BANG); the climax (the 'big BANG'); the falling action (the smoke clears, realizations are made, DUN DUN DUUUUNNN); and finally, the resolution (happy/sad finish, ending the story).
**-I will probably make an entire chapter on character development and establishing setting
Now ideally, each of these components would be AT LLEEEAASSSTT one or two chapters, preferably 3-4 chapters, but that also depends on how long your chapters are.
Exposition:
This is probably the most important part of your story, because after this part, we should know most of your characters, unless more come in the rising action and who the protagonist and the antagonist are. But you might want to leave more of that to the rising action. Make sure we know where this is taking place, when, and the theme of your story. If you're story is about Max winning a swimming competition and she hasn't even touched the water when you're in your rising action, well, then you need to fix that NOW DON'T YOU?
Rising Action:
DIS IS DA GOOOOD SHTUFF! It's the telling off Lissa, the 'oohhh buurns' truly the thing that differentiates every story from everyone else. This is leading up to the climax, so but the time the climax rolls around, make sure we know exactly what is going on! Do not, I repeat DO NOT ever confuse your audience. If you have a good rising action, that almost guarantees a good climax, which guarantees a good falling action, which guarantees a good resolution, which guarantees a KICK-ASS STORY!
Climax:
This should be the slap in the face that your reader wants. It's gotta (or should) be a POW! ZAP! BOOM! KA-POW! SHIZAM! Make it interesting, and allow it to flow with the rest of your story. The climax is the turning point in your plot, and usually, if the rest of your story is happy, your climax should be something bad happening, and vise versa.
Falling Action:
What happens after the big slap in the face? You feel the sting, and you probably do something about being hit. Don't let your characters fall flat after the climax, because you will lose your readers. Something should be happening at all times during your story that adds to your characters being developed, setting, action, or internal character realization.
Resolution:
No one likes a story with a sucky ending. I don't care if you have the best climax, rising and falling action ever! If your ending does not deliver, then readers are left with a negative feel to your story, and they're not going to want to read anything else by you. You have to end on a note that ties everything together. Only leave loose ends in a story if either a) you're making a sequel or b) you want to end with a cliffhanger because it matches the genre of your story (mystery, suspense, etc.).
