General Writing Techniques

Appling to the Harry Potter FanFiction

Volume 6: Angst

Angst can be a very emotional tool-used well, it can really take a story places, and improperly used, it will make you sound like a whiny seventh grader who just broke up with her boyfriend of three weeks.

Since I have much more enjoyment out of parodying (that IS a word) bad angst than actually writing some good stuff-check out Violet Spark's "Of Princes and Knights," including an in-character Harry!

There's nothing more emotional than a well-done death. I've read many a story where people are dying for no reason, here and there, and I like to refer to this as the FanFiction Black Death- we have no idea why they're dying, and it seems to be highly contagious. This is what I'm talking about.

Despair

By: theforgotten1

Harry dropped his wand. He fell down and died. Voldemort laughed. Then he killed Ron. Ron fell down and died. Voldemort laughed. Hermione started crying. Voldemort killed her and then laughed. An adorable puppy pranced by. Voldemort didn't kill him because Voldemort likes dogs. An adorable kitten walked by. Voldemort killed it because he doesn't like cats. Harry came back to life and killed Voldemort and then killed the dog because Harry is really evil. But the dog was invincible and it killed Harry. Mary-Sue Smith was watching this and she went home and cried and pulled out a knife and killed herself. Then the dog ate dinner and went home.

THE END

I hate these stories because they make death a tool to get reviews (or flames from ME…). Death is to be handled very carefully. A helpful hint is to count how many people are dying. This is not Auschwitz during WWII, thank God, and if you've got more than a few deaths in your story, perhaps it should be put in the Horror section.

The other reason I hate these stories is because of the other predominant type: the "OMFG, HE BROKE UP WITH ME, I'M GOING TO DIE":

Love and Loss

By: XdarkXtweenieXbopperX

Ginny looked at her desk. I love you Ginny, it's just that we need to see other people…

She tried to find something sharp. Ginny, I'll love you forever.

She picked up a calligraphy pen's tip. Ginny, I'll love you until the day I die.

She smiled mirthlessly as the blood dripped out slowly, crying as Draco's words bounced through her head. We're made for each other; can't you see how much I love you?

THE END

You may have noted how this was not a badly written story-just really, really dumb. Nobody with half a brain nearly commits suicide when they break up. Look, I've been in seventh grade already. No…MORE…

But at the same time, cutting is too serious a problem to be taken lightly-perhaps review-thirsty FanFiction authors should keep their hands off.

The one kind of angst (that can be seen in "Of Princes and Knights") that can make a good story is a deep, dark feeling-not of utter hopelessness, but more of loss and grief and such.

Now that I'm feeling really depressed, I'll leave you with a final question: Is your story Bunker Hill or the Alamo?

Okay, so, I know that that wonderful analogy will be lost on many if I don't explain it. Bunker Hill, at the beginning of the American Revolution, was ruled a British victory. However, American troops fought so valiantly and caused so many enemy casualties that it was quite bittersweet. That is the good kind of angst. It's not hopeless, just sad for the present moment.

The Alamo, during the Mexican-American war, was a massacre of around 200 American troops by 2500 Mexican regulars. It was, most definitely, a bravely fought battle, but every one of the American troops died. If your story is like this-hopeless from the beginning-then it needs to be brightened up.

There. American History 101. You're welcome.

-Rudy