Hi friends, welcome to this extra long chapter on creativity! Please join our writing contest! Details at the end of the chapter. :) Also, a few of you have asked permission to draw fan art for Summer's Day. YES! I'll advertise it all over the place. Fan art would make my life!

Special thanks to: The ones who write the ones, AbsolutelyAbbie, Ana-DaughterofHades, Natalie, DStrange, Tzoulia, Anonymous Rex, ricreaper, Forever Fyre, Queen Alexandera's Birdwing, Jenelle14, Amy Raine, Dave and Bob, Random Reader, Justice Tokidoki, Irako of the Desert, AbsolutelyAbbie and RossLynch4ever for reviewing!

Chapter 10 – Get Creative at an FCP Fiesta!

"Good afternoon, ma'am. My name is Summer, and these are members of the FCP. We're here to see Zachary Kent." Summer gave the woman in the doorway of Zach's McMansion her most pleasant grin. In return, the woman gave the group a slow look-over like a harsh game-show judge. Summer had met other strict personal assistants, but the Kents' PA seemed especially… critical. Summer's smile twitched, and she saw Ellie struggling to bite back a sassy comment.

The entire FCP team had spent days organizing this kickoff party in honor of announcing the last two fan representatives. The organization was spreading like wildfire, and Summer, Ellie, Zach, and Laura needed help. Team Avatar scoured and stalked hundreds of applicants. Summer wasn't allowed to know who they'd chosen due to character chemistry purposes, but she was confident that they would be the most capable candidates. She couldn't wait to smother them with advice and lists and unconditional love.

If this pretentious, pasty-potato woman got in the way of that, Summer had no problem releasing a hoard of cave hoppers on her.

Finally, the PA told the entire group, "You seem like respectable young ladies, but these other hooligans have to go."

"Who are you calling hooligans?" challenged Sokka as he stood amidst a mob of Avatar characters. These included the Gaang, freedom fighters, Fire Nation citizens, and swamp men who scratched their armpits then smelled the remains on their fingers.

The PA's steely grey eyes narrowed. "You."

Sokka stared right back.

After a dramatic pause, he admitted, "Yeah, you're probably right."

"Winnie, these are all my guests," a voice came from inside, and Summer breathed a sigh of relief as Zach strode to the entrance. He looked right at home in his stylish navy button-down shirt glory. Ellie stiffened as he removed his sunglasses, revealing his bright green eyes.

The PA, Winnie, was still adamant. "Mr. Kent, your mother –"

But Zach pushed past her to join his friends outside and motioned for everyone to follow. He led the mob around his enormous house with Winnie scampering behind, sputtering complaints.

When they reached his backyard, everyone stared in awe. The afternoon sun illuminated the paper lanterns strung above their heads. Oval tables draped in shiny gold cloth were scattered across the freshly-cut lawn. A fountain that resembles the one in Ba Sing Se stood majestically in the center of a dance floor. The epic Avatar soundtrack played from the DJ table, making the scene more magnificent.

"Why is everyone so quiet?" Toph traipsed through the garden. She plopped her lawn chair by the fountain and kicked up her bare feet. "Ah, that's more like it."

Ignoring Winnie, whose eye twitched relentlessly, Zach spread his arms. He was in a refreshingly good mood, like this was the first time he'd ever had friends over. "Make yourselves at home. We have an FCP fiesta to start!"

Ellie assembled a life-size Jenga with the swamp men while Laura and Summer organized snacks. "My cupcakes look so sad," Summer sniffed, glancing at her tray. She had spent the morning drawing Avatar characters on the tops, but their icing eyes were melting in the sun. They all appeared to be crying.

Laura was busy watching Zach as he broke up a fight between Winnie and Appa. Winnie was losing. "Sorry, did you say something?" Laura asked.

At that moment, Ty Lee flipped over to the table just because she could. "I can't wait for you to meet the new fan representatives!" she gushed to Summer.

"Me neither!" Retrieving her color-coded binder, the lead fan rep reminded them, "This is our first event with other FanFiction authors. It has to be perfect. Does Iroh need more tea? Does Sokka need more jokes? Do the swamp men need more… deodorant?"

Ellie grabbed the binder out of her hands. "We're Ameri-cans, Summer. Not Ameri-plans. Just wing it!"

"I can't believe you just said that."

Ty Lee draped her arms around Summer and Laura and pulled them toward the dance floor. "Let's have some fun! Here's a baby list to kick off the party!"

Transforming Inspiration into Creativity
Here are tips on channeling your emotions into a heartfelt, original story.

1. Make a Plot – Write a short summary of the plot, and after you're done, reread it to decide if it'd make an interesting story.

2. Label your Feelings –This will determine your tone and identify how you want your audience to feel. Ex. Angst, Disappointment, Joy, Rage, Romance, Happiness, Rejection, etc.

3. Spice it up – Figure out the conflict and major characters. Create an entirely original situation. It helps to make a map out your ideas, so your scenes are more realistic.

4. Write it – Everything good to go? Write it, and when you're done, reread it and ask if it invokes the desired emotions.

A slew of FanFiction authors from Belmont Prep and Pineview High joined the party at Zach's manor. Katara was their official photographer for the day, so she took pictures of the guests as they arrived. Meanwhile, Ellie, Laura, and Zach handed out books filled with creative prompts as party favors. Summer introduced herself to everyone, and there wasn't one author she'd mind having as a new fan representative. As she continued mingling, she caught bits of entertaining conversations.

Zach stared at his drink, disappointed that it wasn't soda. "Sparkling water, Winnie? Really?"

"It's sophisticated and hydrating!" the PA retorted. Before she could berate him, she caught sight of a more horrific scene. Furiously, she shouted, "Stop salivating in the fountain!"

Katara snapped a picture of Foamy Mouth Guy.

Just as Azula was about to engage Mai in a Jenga battle, a fan dressed in flawless Azula cosplay interrupted her. "Good afternoon, Princess," the girl began. "On behalf of the Azula Fan Club, I would like to share a few statistics with you."

Azula raised a thin eyebrow. "While your fashion choices are commendable, I refuse to engage in your fangirl needs."

"Ninety percent of our club's fans think that people underestimated you as Fire Lord," the girl replied anyway.

"What about the other ten percent?!"

The Azula Fan Club president continued, "One-hundred percent of fans said that they wished they were there to help during your breakdown and to tell you that you're beautiful."

"I am beautiful at all times," Azula said indignantly.

"Finally, fifty percent of fans do not think you would look good as a redhead."

"Whoever came up with that question would look good with their hair on fire." The princess' deadpan expression did not change, and the fan club president hastily took notes to update the Azula blogs.

Soon, Lo and Li joined the fray. They clapped then snapped up and down. "To the party!"

The twins hobbled to join the whippersnappers on the dance floor. Everyone was grooving to the hippies' performance of the popular jam Secret Tunnel. At first, Sokka had refused to endorse this, but after some gentle coaxing from Ty Lee, he reluctantly joined her on the floor. One fan called out that he was making a dubstep remix of all the hippies' folk songs. Some people declared that this was blasphemy. Most people wanted to hear it, though.

Winnie ran by again, her arms outstretched. "Put that back! It does not belong on your filthy head!"

Katara snapped a picture of Momo, who was sporting a trendy lampshade.

Summer took a sparkling water and mused, "My life is crazy."

"That's great!" Ty Lee plucked a crying Ozai cupcake from the table. She then performed a one-handed cartwheel over to Summer rather than walking like a normal human. "The crazier your life, the more unique your stories are!" she informed her.

"Is it time for a lesson?"

Ty Lee flashed Summer her signature smile, and her eyes sparkled. "I love creativity!"

Draw Your Life
Someone once said that once authors reach the age of fifteen, they have enough material to write about for their entire career. Here are some places in your life that you can use for inspiration.

Family – No one's family is "normal." Even the families that seem warm and welcoming and perfect have their quirky moments and unique dynamics. Adding familial vibes to your story can create engaging conflicts and strong characterization!

Friends – Similar to family, our friends say a lot about who we are. Friends are presumably the people we have the most fun with, so ask yourself, why do you have so much fun with them? Readers should have fun reading about your characters, so use aspects of your own friendships as inspiration.

Teachers – These don't have to be teachers you liked. Teachers with weird quirks make great additions to characters. Young writers often have difficulties characterizing adults, so use some adults from your own life as a launching point.

School – You would be amazed how where someone goes to school impacts them. Different schools have different environmental vibes as well. Private vs. public, High vs. low budget, Uniform vs. free dress, Diverse vs. same cultures. The possibilities are endless!

Neighborhood – The economic status and general vibes of each neighborhood are unique. Are your characters from a welcome neighborhood full of elderly people? Do they live in a massive apartment complex where everyone minds their own business? Use living conditions to your advantage!

Sports – If you've ever been on different sports teams, you know that there are different attitudes and chemistry among their members. Competition is such a fun vibe to explore because it's present everywhere. Coming from a sports background may also make you better able to describe characters' physical states.

Arts – Similarly, being in a band, orchestra, play, or a design class presents its own opportunities. I personally did a lot of plays in high school, and my drama department was vastly different from my friend's! The arts attract the most interesting types of people.

Relationships – Let's face it. Relationships and being in love are great sources of inspiration, and no one's experience is exactly the same as yours. Unless you're Taylor Swift. We all relate to her on such a spiritual level.

Dreams – If anyone's dreams are like mine, they're crazy. Sometimes I'm an action hero, other times I'm a soap opera queen, and sometimes, pelicans engage in intense pool races with One Direction. It's casual. How's that for originality?

Music – Tastes in music are very personalized. Listening to a certain song while reading a story can give you a totally different vibe. Try writing a chapter listening to songs that sound similar. This might help you keep your tone the same.

Vacations – Vacations are magical and shake up the daily grind! So should your stories! Hopefully, your vacations are fun, and people get all jealous when they see your pictures. Elaborate settings and interpersonal drama can arise from vacation inspiration.

Parties! – Like this chapter! Some of the best stories make readers want to hop inside and hang out with the main characters. What better way to do that than a roaring good party?

Summer turned to Zuko and asked, "When do I meet the two new fan reps?"

He stealthily evaded the question by joining Laura at the drinks. "This sparkling water is flavored," he observed incredulously. "Peach, orange, apple, and raspberry."

"What's the point of raspberry-flavored water?" asked Ty Lee.

Jet sauntered over to Laura and leaned against the drink table. "I like raspberries," he purred. Laura would've been more intrigued if Pipsqueak and The Duke hadn't paraded past and snatched Jet's drink, saying, "No, you don't!"

Unfazed, Jet continued to flirt with Laura, which clearly bothered Zach. The fact that this bothered Zach definitely bothered Ellie.

Before anyone could act, though, the cabbage man strolled into the party. Seeing Zach, the merchant's eyes widened to the size of saucers, and in a trance-like state, he exclaimed, "Zachary! Beware palindromes! Also, buy cabbages!" He proudly displayed his cabbage cart.

"Cabbage Man," Summer said. "Quit foreshadowing!"

Laura excused herself to the restroom, and Katara snapped a picture of Summer scolding the cabbage merchant.

"Katara, stop taking so many pictures," Zuko said.

"I am documenting fun," she replied indignantly. "Don't tell me what to do."

A fangirl beside them looked ready to hyperventilate. "OMG, I found Zuko! In the flesh!" She called to her friends who were playing giant Jenga, "He's with Katara! AND THEY'RE IN LOVE!" she shrieked so loudly that everyone covered their ears.

Less than a second later, Zuko zoomed past with a herd of fangirls hot on his trail. Somewhere within the screaming, Summer could swear she heard him beg, "Find Mai!" Summer locked eyes with Ty Lee, silently suggesting that they continue the lesson, but the gymnast shrugged. "I don't know, Zuko's aura has never been pinker!"

Be Open to Creativity
You may not even know that an aspect of your life is unique! Here are some things that you can do right now to make yourself more susceptible to creative juices…

-Pay attention to the little voice in your head.Writers have to be alert to their own thoughts and feelings. Your mental reaction to the world around you can be engaging narrative on its own. Knowing yourself can give you insight to knowing a character!

-Consciously label your emotions.Not gonna lie. Sometimes when I'm feeling really intense emotions, I narrate what is happening in my head to help me better explain actions in my stories. "A stinging in her nose and uneasiness behind her eyes warned Summer that she was about to cry. She sniveled, but that didn't do anything except choke her up… literally."

-Try something new!In other words, go out there and get some new life experiences! Shake up your daily routine and take advantage of every opportunity. People say to "write what you know," and you can't write if you don't know anything.

-Hang out with fun people.My friends are the coolest, craziest, and funniest people I know. If we were all characters, we'd have awesome dynamics. Some of the most realistic dialogue is inspired by real-life interactions.

-Turn negatives into positives. Many of us use writing as a catharsis. Ooh, big word. Catharsis is the process of releasing strong/repressed emotions, thereby providing relief. If something awful, frustrating, or just plain annoying happens to you, use these sentiments in a story. They'll make these moments great!

-Keep a pen and paper nearby. None of these things matter if you forget! I like to keep post-its and a pencil in my purse just in case I get a burst of inspiration. The "Notes" section on iPhones comes in handy too.

Iroh and Aang emerged from Zach's house holding massive trays. Aang's tray had bowls of rice pudding. Iroh's was filled with cups of piping hot tea surrounded by pieces of pine.

Sensing the imminent danger, Suki and Sokka both lunged and shouted, "Iroh, Aang, nooo!" but it was too late.

"PINE TEA AND RICE PUDDING!" they proclaimed in unison.

It was as if someone had just announced that they had captured M. Night Shyamalan. A furious cloud – otherwise known as Lo and Li – stampeded across the lawn. Not to mention that the Avatar fans who wanted to taste Iroh's tea (a.k.a. everyone) flocked to the old man. Summer struggled to stay standing amidst all the excited teenagers clambering for tea and pudding.

"Maybe it's time to go inside," Ty Lee said, skillfully dodging the crowds.

Summer hoped she'd be introduced to the fan representatives as Ty Lee took her to an alternate entrance of the house. But just as she stepped indoors, Winnie appeared. Strands of hair were escaping her bun, and her eyes were bloodshot. "Take of your shoes, and don't spill anything," she uttered tersely.

The girls obeyed even though Summer wantedto retort, Woman, I am holding a sparkling. Peach-flavored. Water. Heaven forbid I spill it.

Once they'd escaped the wrath of Lo, Li, and Winnie, Summer and Ty Lee searched for a quiet place to share the next list. They expected to see a mess in the kitchen, but Iroh and Aang left the counters glistening. In the next room, a couple fans, including Ellie, clustered around a game of Pai Sho.

Ty Lee did a flip into crisscross applesauce beside them. "Hi, everyone! Do you want to learn some tips on writing more creative stories?"

Summer was surprised when a boy with an Adventure Time shirt willingly paused the game. The girl he was playing called him out on it. "You're just stalling because I'm winning."

Tips for More Creative Stories
Just a few random tips to get your gears turning.

-New Characters – Existing characters who aren't normally written about, original characters (this includes original antagonists too)

-New Careers – There are a lot of different jobs in the Avatar world besides "saving the world."

-New Genres – Romance, Angst, Friendship, and Adventure are great genres. What about mysteries?

-New Places – AUs run rampant in our fandom, but there are still many places to be explored (other than high schools… those are overdone).

-New Plot Twists – I know, easier said than done. Think outside of secret relationships (familial or romantic) or betrayals!

-New Songs – Here's a fun prompt! Put your iPod on shuffle, and the first song the pops up, write a drabbled between two characters inspired by it.

Laura returned from the bathroom, visibly distraught. The girl winning Pai Sho greeted her, "Did you have a nice trip?"

"I did not!"

Summer went to comfort her. "What's that's the matter? You don't even look like you got to tinkle…" She noted the growing redness in Laura's cheeks.

"How am I supposed to pee with ice sculptures in the bathroom?!" Laura exploded.

There was a respectful silence until Ellie broke it with a whistle. "Girl, I don't think I've ever seen you this angry."

"How am I supposed to pee with an icicle Cupid staring into my soul?!" Linda demanded, but no one knew.

"Ask Zach, he does it every day," said Ellie with a hint of snark.

"Tell Katara, and she'll take a picture," the Adventure Time boy teased.

"Or she'll water-bend it into a puddle," Ty Lee offered. "Anyway, we have one last educational list!"

Summer didn't know if it was Ty Lee's natural charisma or the fans' desires to learn, but everyone gathered around her. Besides the extraneous stampedes that seemed to happen every few paragraphs, this FCP fiesta was a great success!

Stories that Summer would like to see...
My shameless plug for stories that I want to read but am too busy to write.

-Historically-inspired – One reviewer suggested I set a chapter in the American Civil War. I've read several original stories based on world history, and it'd be interesting to see how Avatar translated into different settings.

-Weird but Plausible Pairings – Especially the ones we listed in Chapter 6. Crack!fics automatically justify a pairing, and the more plausible the couple, the more I want to ship them.

-New Friendships/Nemeses – Similar to #2 but it'd be great to see a story based entirely on secondary characters. There are so many cool ones that have backstories that are waiting to be told.

-Boiling Rock – Mission Impossible Avatar style! In just two suspenseful episodes, the Fire Nation prison world was established. Boiling Rock stories would be a nice opportunity to gather some OCs and get dirty!

-Origins of Korra – Clearly, a lot happened after the first series ended. Stories that are true to the shows and provide backstory would slay me with awesomeness. Mostly, I'd love to see how the Gaang reacts to pro-bending.

"Will you teach us how to block pressure points next?" another fan asked.

Ty lee gave a half-hearted smile. "Maybe next time. For now, it's time for Random Reviews and Replies and –"

" – revealing the new fan reps?" Summer supplied anxiously, but Ty Lee was already leaving.

"Maybe next time. Let's join the fiesta with all our friends!"

As the Pai Sho peeps followed Ty Lee to the garden, Summer clambered after them. "What do you mean maybe next time?! We're ten chapters into the story. We can reveal more OCs now!"

Aang, covered in rice pudding remains, blew his bison whistle. The garden went silent, and the entire crowd faced the current fan representatives. Ignoring the butterflies in her stomach, Summer waved. There was no reason to be nervous. She was on her home turf full of fancy fountains, shrimp cocktails, and bathroom ice sculptures. Besides, she was with her favorite people: FCP members and Avatar fans. Best of all, Winnie was nowhere to be seen.

"It's time for Random Reviews and Replies!" Summer announced. "It is really difficult to pick just a few reviews to feature because you all are so darn smart and witty. This chapter, we have a few more reviews than usual. Hopefully, all our wonderful reviewers are here and enjoying the pine tea and rice pudding!"

From the audience, Lo and Li demanded, "Where is the pudding –"

"Without further ado," Zach interjected, "here are some reviews that deserve recognition. Not that you don't all deserve it, but these are some of our favorites."

Ellie gave him a strange look and muttered, "You're being abnormally nice."

"Character development," he shot back.

Random Reviews and Replies
Some reviews have been shortened, but trust me, your awesomeness cannot be contained! Your critical thinking challenges me as an author and as a teacher. I can't thank you all enough!

1. Tzoulia: I think you should do a whole chapter on POVs. I have read many a story where not only does the POV change constantly, but it also changes from first person to third person! Extremely annoying. Same with paste tense and present tense.

Summer: Hey Tzoulia! Changing POV and tenses is the epitome of annoying. I am guilty of switching tenses, though, and for people have similar problems, I recommend getting a competent Beta Reader. I'll include a bonus list in the future because I struggle with them too! As for more advice on POV, I'm not sure I could fill an entire chapter, but I have several character chapters coming soon that may help with narrative! Chapter 17 is about writing adventure stories, so I have a few nuggets of wisdom on POV there too. If you have anything specific you'd like to see on POV, let me know, and I will definitely include it!

2. The one who writes the ones: This entire story concept, as you've no doubt been told, is fantastic and I've learned quite a bit. I am curious if you'll have a chapter about CHARACTER and specifically about keeping characters in character.

Summer: Foreshadowing! The next chapter (Chapter 11) is written by a guest author, and it will be all about characterization. Also, Chapter 13 is dedicated to keeping both canon characters and OCs in-character. This is definitely an extensive topic, so it requires multiple chapters to do it justice!

3. AbsolutelyAbbie: Chapter 7 inspired me. It was a WONDERFUL guide on how to write romance! Tip #4, about writing rare romance pairings, inspired me to write a story! Thank you so much for all the effort you put into this story- rewriting it and all the lists! On another note- a chapter on INSPIRATION would be nice. Maybe a "get started writing/getting out of WRITER'S BLOCK" chapter? What to do when inspiration hits? How to keep ideas for a story fresh? A lot of stories on this site go on hiatus or go unfinished, and I'm guilty of this. How do we, as the writers, stay inspired to finish our stories?

Summer: Abbie, these are the kinds of reviews that keep me inspired in this story. So glad that we could help you be inspired – what an honor! I hope that some of the lists in this chapter have helped to answer these questions. There is also a bonus list in Chapter 1 titled "How to Restore Motivation for an Abandoned Story," which might help. I also have a writer's block chapter planned much later (Chapter 22), but for now, here are a few basic tips that help me when I'm in a rut:

Writer's Block: Basic Tips

-Interesting prompts: Forcing yourself to take a prompt and run with it can get your gears turning. Don't stop to edit. Find a fun one (like the ones in our FCP Fiesta Contest later, hint hint), and go!

-Writing group: Knowing that you'll have to share your work with other writers by a deadline is plenty of incentive! You'll also get meaningful feedback, which is sometime enough to inspire you to write more.

-Read Stories: It's comforting when you see someone else doing what you're trying to do. If they can do it, so can you.

-Take a Break: When all else fails, step away from your desk. A break is a preferable alternative to forced-looking work!

4. DStrange: I'm laughing my butt off and learning at the same time! Do you have tips for an OC-centered story? I have canon characters that make appearances throughout the plot, but not for long periods of time. How would I KEEP READERS INTERESTED IN MY OCs and, more importantly, in my story?

AbsolutelyAbbie: One reviewer mentioned keeping readers interested in an OC story – I would love tips on this, because I love writing OCs. I realize that this is FANfiction, where people read and write stories about characters they love... So it can be challenging as an OC WRITER to get people interested in your story here.

Summer: I am so glad you both asked! As you can probably tell, I love OCs too. Just for you, DStrange and AbsolutelyAbbie, I have included a bonus list titled "Keeping Readers Interested in OCs." Hopefully, this is helpful! Like I mentioned earlier, characterization is such an extensive topic, so I promise that more advice is coming. Chapter 11 (original character development) and 13 (keeping characters in-character) especially should be of interest to you and anyone else who loves characterization as much as we do!

5. Anonymous Rex: I knew a guy who named his cat Mao. Laura is not alone in that regard. Can't wait for the next chapter!

Summer: Fun fact: in real life, my cat's name is Zuko. I'm not lying. One time I was watching Avatar, and Iroh cried, "Zukooooo," and my cat came running.
Ellie: Mao is fine. Mao is mildly cute. But a cat with the full name of Meow Zedong Fletcher is a just unnecessary. It's a mouthful.
Laura: Hey! Sokka named his pet Foofoo Cuddly Poops, and his original name for Combustion Man was Sparky-Sparky-Boom-Man!
Ellie: Sokka is a dumb baby.
Sokka: I refuse to give you the satisfaction of replying to that statement.

Ty Lee stepped forward. "We have a special surprise!"

Summer held her breath in anticipation. Her heart thudded against her ribs. There were so many cool people in this garden, and she wished she could just adopt everyone into the FCP. The chapter was already past 2,000 words – it was only a matter of time!

"I'm pleased to announce the FCP's writing contest!" Ty Lee beamed.

"Yay! Welcome to the – wait, what?"

Luckily, everyone thought that she was excited about the contest, so the audience followed Summer's lead and cheered.

"This is exciting!" Ty Lee nodded with a radiant smile. "The FCP board figured that we'd give you extra incentive to use the advice in this chapter. Challenge yourself, and join our FCP Fiesta Contest! There are really fun prizes for participants too. Check out the details below!"

Everyone looked at the ground.

"This is a story," Laura reminded them.

FCP FIESTA CONTEST!
Do it! Do it! Everyone's doing it! Peer pressure!

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Write a oneshot based on one of the following prompts…

-Prompt #1: What would happen if your favorite Avatar character taught YOU (and your friends?) a lesson? The more creative the setting, character, and tips, the better!
-Prompt #2: Write a story about one of the rare couples mentioned in Chapter 6: Longshot-Mai, Chan-Ming, Zuko-Jin, Sokka-Ty Lee, Jet-June, Teo-Toph, Piandao-Ursa
-Prompt #3: Use a prompt from an earlier list, including: Historically-inspired, Secondary Characters, Boiling Rock, Origins of Korra

2. Publish the story. In the summary, include, "FCP Approved."

3. PM Sun Daughter with your story's name and which prompt you chose. I'll send confirmation when I receive your entry.

REQUIREMENTS:

Length: 1,000+ words.

Deadline: PM must be sent by December 28, 2015, which is in exactly a month – plenty of time to make a killer oneshot! Happy holidays!

PRIZES:

All Stories – (1) shout-out in Chapter 14, (2) advertisement on my profile page, (3) I will thoroughly review the story

Stand-Out Stories – (4) added to my community where 200+ subscribers will be notified of your success!

My Favorite Story– (5) the author will be interviewed and featured as a guest character in Chapter 15! That's right, you get to be in a chapter of Summer's Day!

"Tell your friends! This would be a fun group activity," Summer continued. "Thank you again for being here! Stick around because Sokka and The Nomads will perform their famous badger mole song –"

Screaming from the front yard cut her off.

"GET OUT!"

"Lady, you can fit two more teenagers in your backyard! This house could hold a herd of sky bison!"

"WHAT DOES THAT EVEN MEAN?!"

Maybe everyone was used to random shouting, but Zach was the only one who reacted. Recognizing Winnie's squawking, he edged his way through the crowd and darted around the house.

Ellie and Laura saw this at the same time, but Ty Lee seized their wrists before they could follow. "Ellie and Laura are going to lead us in karaoke!" she announced.

"We are?!"

As the party-goers followed Ty Lee, Zuko nudged Summer away from the others. "Let's follow Zach."

Zuko and Summer briskly strode to the front yard, and Summer was sure she'd be prepared for anything… except this. Winnie fought to hold back a kicking girl who was shouting, "WHERE'S AZULA WHEN YOU NEED HER?!" Zach was wedged in between, struggling to keep them from ripping each other to shreds. Momo (still wearing that lampshade) screeched and circled their heads, adding to the chaos.

"Enough!" Zuko commanded in his authoritative Fire Lord voice. He raised a fist and shot a burst of fire into the sky.

That got everyone's attention. Winnie and the screaming girl fell off each other, and Zach tripped over Winnie's legs. Momo's lampshade slipped from his head, and Summer caught it midair. Frustration built in her chest.

"Would someone mind telling me why my chapter is being interrupted?" Summer demanded as Momo landed on her shoulders.

Winnie's hair was riddled with grass, and her suit was stained. Despite all this, her complaints were in perfect condition. "This hooligan almost crashed your party, but I wouldn't let her," she explained as if she should receive a medal.

"I'm not a hooligan," the girl who'd been screaming said. She brushed her t-shirt that was covered in colorful, oversized print. "And I wasn't crashing anything except your condescending face –"

"Fyre," Zuko interrupted. "What did I say about first impressions?"

The girl flipped her messy ponytail and shot him a grin. "I'm a natural at them."

"Wait – Fyre?" Summer struggled to keep up with the conversation. Momo's tail flopping in the breeze in front of her nose didn't help. "As in, Forever Fyre, author of Fyre's Guide to Creativity? You're crazy and you're here, and we've PM-ed!"

Fyre studied Summer's blouse, white pants, and perfectly wavy hair. "Yeah, you're exactly as bubbly as I imagined, Summer."

Winnie flailed her arms. "She isn't on the guest list! And neither is he!"

The PA pointed to a boy sauntering across the yard to join them. He had careless hair and cool, thoughtful eyes. He carried himself with a refined confidence, like he didn't care if he got thrown out of the garden party. Summer tried not to judge his roguish attire, but the Belmont in her wanted to make him change into something more suitable for this venue. Contrarily, the teenage girl in her didn't care what he was wearing – his face was more than suitable for this venue.

The roguish boy tossed his car keys to Fyre, who caught them with ease. "Where did you park?" she asked him.

He jutted his chin at the other side of the mansion. "By the pool."

"THAT'S NOT A PARKING SPOT!" shrieked Winnie, and in an instant, she had scrambled away to inspect the damage. Summer suppressed a smirk. She thought that Zach would be pleased that his PA was finally gone… But he wasn't.

Zach stormed over to Zuko, his eyes alight with rage. His good mood was gone. He furiously pointed at the other boy and hissed, "Why is he here?"

Unnerved by Zach's candor, Zuko answered, "The same reason you are."

The pieces rapidly fit together in Summer's brain. She hardly noticed that the boy had extended his hand to her. She knew what was coming.

"Pleasure to finally meet you, Summer. I'm Bryce McCoy," he said. Traces of a smile were visible on the edges of his mouth. "Fyre and I are your new fan reps."

Sokka: Dramaaaa! I'm supposed to welcome Fyre and Bryce back to SD, but I don't feel like it. I'd rather talk about the contest! You jerks better participate!

BONUS LIST: Keeping Readers Interested in OCs
Inspired by DStrange and Absolutely Abbie's questions from RR&R.

1. Likable qualities. There are a few qualities that undeniably make a character more likable. (1) When they are an underdog or when they help/root for underdogs, (2) If they make us laugh, (3) If they are involved in a romance that we ship, (4) If they are good with children or animals.

2. Qualities/Actions we see in ourselves. When readers personally connect to an OC, Mary Sue or not, they want to see what happens to him or her. The first tip was about making a character more likable, and this one is about making them more interesting. Interesting characters make an interesting story, regardless if they're canon or not.

3. Introduce a conflict we are engaged in. Good villains make a good hero. Watching a character we care about struggle makes us want to keep watching. I recently went to a writing workshop on villains, and the best takeaway was this: "Use the empathy we feel for the hero make us hate the villain. And vice versa."

4. Good backstories. Everyone is a sucker for a good backstory for a few simple reasons. It gives your readers an idea of who the character once was, what they want, and where they are going. This makes your readers want to go on their current journey (your story) with them.

5. Make a list about why we should like/care about them. Sometimes, outlining specific reasons will give you focus. I recommend making a list for each OC and refer to it when you write his or her scenes. It is not necessary for readers to like a character in order to like a story. But it certainly helps, especially in fan fiction.

6. Don't take too long to introduce relations to popular characters. I saved these two tips for last since you mentioned that canon characters are not too present in your story. That's perfectly fine! It helps to know how your OCs tie into the world of your fandom, though. Canon characters don't have to appear for you to make a connection to your OC.

7. Make canon characters justifiably care about them. If canon characters are present, you can use people's love for them to your advantage. Engage your audience using canon characters, and then maintain their attention using your OCs.

SNEAK PEAK… We get crazy with Fyre and Azula and learn about characterization!
REVIEW PROMPT… Which prompt for the FCP Fiesta is your favorite?