1001 things you don't do in a fanfic

now THAT is plain ridiculous knowing that there are people out there that do such things. I don't live in a world where nothing wrong happens, but I like to keep a positive outlook toward everyone and think the best from them. I agree its rude, selfish and can be considered breaking the law. I thought people would have a little more respect for others time and hard work.

If I am stuck on an idea for a story, I just basically stop writing until things change, or ask friends for suggestions.
 
Don't write in every one of your stories that this is your first only to have people to congratulate you on how well you did with your first fic - is just plain stupid .
 
Yeah, what's the point in posting the same exact plot someone else did anyway? I don't know why everyone else writes but I do it because it's fun to fabricate things from my imagination and/or because the story I want to read hasn't been written yet. I mean that's not cool.
 
I just recently posted a story over on FANFIC, on the 15th of December, only to see someone post a story on the 23rd, almost identical to mine. Same plot line and outcome, ideas and interactions, even the same story title. It wasn't word for word, so it can't really be considered plagiarizing *can it??*, but to say the least, I was really pissed! And what got me, was this person left very encouraging words in the review, only to turn around and do this 8 days later. It was like reading my own all over again, just simplified.
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This happened to a few of my stories, I've seen scene's I've written in other writer's stories, this got so bad, I took all my stories of FF.Net.

But even worse, is when you have sweet nick names for your children, and other writer's use them in their fic's, this makes me really angry too. :mad:

I've also tried a couple beta's, but when I got my story back, it felt like it was no longer mine, for alot of the words, had been changed, I know I'm not perfect at grammer, and spelling, but at least it stays my story. :)
 
Some betas change things and others don't, I think you just might need to shop around a bit more. I personally prefer to beta a story while talking on AIM to the person. I can have a copy of their story open in front of me and they have theirs open in front of them. Then it's really easy for me to copy and paste something to them and say "this line in the second paragraph has a comma splice" or "in the fourth sentence of the fifth paragraph you have a run-on sentence why not try this 'example.'" It's a really great system and I love it. Otherwise I just email the person the story back with my comments interjected in another color or () but I always allow the writer the opportunity to decide which things he/she changes and which he/she doesn't not to mention they get to decide how they change it.


I had a good friend of mine use the exact same plot as a back story for her OC that I used for one of mine... I laughed at her when she did it and pointed out that she must have gotten the idea from reading my story. She felt really silly and insisted on changing it even though I told her it really wasn't a big deal. But that wasn't the same thing it had been almost a year since that past history for my character was posted.

And I HATE it when people steal the names of my CSI kids, if I have them. They are my kids... and if you MUST take them that's fine, at least characterize them like I did. I understand if I used a popular name because maybe someone else liked it too, but I name little girls things like "Marley and Jordan" not exactly the most popular set of names for twins.

Ohh I've got a few to add to the list:

91. Do not write/rewrite anything to do with another person's fic without asking for permission first. This includes your own "version" of their story or any form of sequel or prequel.

^Summing up some of what we were talking about in the subject at hand.

92. Don't give characters pets/children if they have openly expressed a distaste for them on the show. Doc. Robbins hates rats, he wouldn't have pet mice called "Pinky and the Brain." Sara Sidle hasn't ever said she doesn't like kids... but she's openly "not the mom" and "bad with kids." So she probably wouldn't jump for joy if she found out she was pregnant.

93. Consider medical concerns when having characters become pregnant. Grissom is 50+ and every year after age 40, even for fathers, increases the risk that a child may be born with Downs Syndrome. Catherine is a higher-risk for pregnancy than a lot of the other CSI women because she's over 40.

94. Going off of my last rule... it's not impossible for Grissom to father a child or for Catherine to become pregnant. Men can father children their entire lives and women have to go through the physical "change" before they are unable. Moreover a lot of women and men have children at their ages. It's just difficult... so don't assume it's impossible and have them haivng vast ammounts of unprotected sex. That leads to babies.
 
^ I was actually thinking about rule 94 the other day when writing my fic. I was wondering if one of my characters was unable to have anymore kids (because of the timeline) but then I realized she's quite a few years younger than I initially thought. She's only in her early 40s. (while her significant other is, er, older than that but it doesn't matter)

^ Plagiarism is a HUGE no-no when considering a fic. I've had my ideas used verbatem by others and it really cheapened what I was trying to accomplish, especially since I wasn't even finished the story.

About creating children, I try to go for unique names. (like LLK mentioned above) I once chose 'Teague' for one of my characters. Something like Amy or Johnny are quite common so that's the risk you take when choosing them. Because of this, characterization does go a long way. You can make a very different character even if it's the most common name in the world and 999.999.999 fics have it.

Though it irks me when people take the same name and characterization one has just established. We all have brains, it's not hard to think of something different. :rolleyes:
 
I'm sorry to hear that you had to take extreme measures to protect your stories. I am sure they were and are great.

As for BETAS, I don't know! I have nothing against them because I know they'd be able to pick up on typos and grammar a lot quicker than I would. Plus, after re-reading your own story numerous times, knowing the story line in your head, you tend to skip over some obvious mistakes.

On another note, I too feel that if I get a Beta to read over a story I've written before posting, that things would be changed and suddenly wouldn't be "my own" story. I get a couple of good friends to look over mine before I post anywhere.

I do commend those people who take the time and volunteer their services to help others in the writing process, and even though I personally don't use them, I do thank them for this service.

Anyway, back to the subject at hand and the 1001 things you don't do in a fanfic....:lol: Nothing comes to mind at this moment now, but will definitely share once I think of something.
 
Hope you're being nice to my beta skills LLK :lol:

When I beta, I place a (NOTE....) at the end of each edited paragraph to inform the writer of what I have changed. This also gives them the opportunity to reverse anything I've done.

When I send my work to be beta-ed, I get the same treatment. That way, it remains my story.


Okay, to add to the plagiarism note:

Don't copy pages out of other texts (factual books and journals rather than fanfic). I have a lot of medical journals and when I write a scene involving a ME or a coroner, I have to be careful not to rattle of the information directly from the pages I've read. It's important to manipulate the information and make it individual enough to be your own. I have seen stories where the author has copy/pasted facts about an illness or procedure off the internet. Not good.
 
I'm not sure if this is entirely appropriate, but I think it needs to said.

#95 Forgetting why we read and write fan fiction in the first place. I hope that whilst in the midst of our nitpickery we don't forget the spirit of fan fiction. That ultimately this is a labor of love, and if your not enjoying yourself, you might as well find a different hobby.
 
I have to take issue with #17.
17. Don't start a new paragraph when a new person speaks.
That's standard formatting and I can't stand when people don't use it. Especially, if they're trying to be clever with their dialogue and it gets hard to tell who the hell is saying what. :mad:
When recording a conversation between two or more people, start a new paragraph for each person's speech. The paragraphing establishes for the reader the point at which one speaker stops talking and another begins.

The Little Brown Handbook / H. Ramsey Fowler; Jane E. Aaron, Murray McArthur: - 4th Canadian ed.
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example:
The dark shape was indistinguishable. But once I'd flooded him with light, there he stood, blinking.
"Well," he said eventually, "you're a sight for sore eyes. Should I stand here or are you going to let me in?"
"Come in," I said. And in he came.

-Louise Erdrich, The Beet Queen

ETA: there should be an indent in that excerpt before "Well..." and "Come..." but the forum's formatting won't show them, and apparently the   UBB code isn't supported here.
 
I agree, that is standard formatting.
I'd get scolded against it!
Not that I wouldn't follow it... stories would look too muddled and disorganized without it. :3
 
45. On a related note: Don't ignore the latest shippings if you're writing a slash story. (ex: If you're currently writing a Danny/Flack story, note the fact that TPTB paired Danny off with Lindsay and Flack is currently flirting with Angell. Two options could be: place the story before Danny and Lindsay hooked up, or show a break-up because of Flack.)
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As a stickler for canon I take issue with this too. It's kind of a stretch on our part to say that Flack is currently flirting with so and so or the coupling of Danny and Lindsay shouldn't be ignored, when that really depends on the opinion of canon you subscribe to.

While I DO think it's nice to mention canon facts (like Danny has slept with Lindsay, or Flack has flirted with Angell) we need to be careful of things we're just assuming. There's no real indication that they're a couple, just as there's no indication that Flack and Angell have ever flirted before or ever would again, that would require someone to write an explanation for a breakup or falling out before sticking them with other characters. Truthfully, all we know for certain is they've slept together at least once, just as Flack has flirted with Angell at least once, which to a lot of people could mean next to nothing.

Mac and Peyton, Sara and Grissom; those are canon couples. It's been clearly established that they're routinely together.

Mac and Rose, as another example, they had one date. We never heard tell of it again.

What my point here comes down to is; If TPTB don't establish something as certain, I don't think that anyone should be held accountable for the same.

All of that aside, I think it's generally accepted that many authors work mainly out of a universe they've created, whether or not they're in denial of something canon, and may have branched off from the canon-universe at some point, and they're not required in the slightest to justify the reality they've created, so long as the reader can follow the story clearly. Imagination is kind of the point after all.

64. If you write a slash story, be wary of your "defensive A/N". It's one thing to be defensive, it's another thing to be on the attack before anyone even says anything.
AND
68. If you write a slash story, be wary of your "defensive A/N". It's one thing to be defensive, it's another thing to be on the attack before anyone even says anything.
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(these happen to be the same)

Not just as a slasher but as a writer I hope if this has made the list it should pertain to ANYONE defensive of ANY ship. Het, Slash or whatever else. Also, if the author can't be too defensive of their pairing(s) there ought to be room right below #64 for another rule for readers. Something like:

"If you know from the A/N that the fic isn't in your taste, don't even bother commenting on that aspect of it in your comments/reviews/criticisms."

There's nothing more disheartening than having read an amazing story only to get to the reviews and find people replying with "you paired blank with blank?!? EEEEWWW!"

Grow up.

66. Besides a beta, you can also use a peer editor. (Hand it off to a friend and say 'is this readable? Is my grammer okay? Is my spelling alright?')
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Grammar. No? ;)

75. Lack of emotions/descriptions is boring. (Examples: He said, "...". Then she said, "...". "...", he answered.) You can say something loudly, quietly, aggressively, tenderly, with your eyes cast down or with a wrinkled forehead etc.
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This one irks me from a style POV. Short, direct blows of dialogue can be a technique that can express the anxiousness or fast pace of a situation. I wouldn't use it all the time, but it's definitely not a crime.

In fact it starts to sound ridiculous when an author is throwing adjectives ending in 'ly' all over the place just to make descriptors after dialogue longer.

84. Don't make your fics so long. Break them up into chapters.
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Personally, I prefer longer fics. I hate hunting down chapters under broken links and unkempt archives. Just me.

89. Try not to rush your ending. That screams poor writing.
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Bear in mind a rushed ending and a sudden ending can be two very different things.
 
This one irks me from a style POV. Short, direct blows of dialogue can be a technique that can express the anxiousness or fast pace of a situation. I wouldn't use it all the time, but it's definitely not a crime.

In fact it starts to sound ridiculous when an author is throwing adjectives ending in 'ly' all over the place just to make descriptors after dialogue longer.
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I agree, to a certain extent. The description is not purely 'ly' words thrown at the end of speeches. Action is also important.

Like:

"Oh that's a nice pink bag," Peter said happily.

"Glad you like it," replied Harry.

Can be a bit.... tedious, especially if it's like that all the way though with little description.

But something like:

"That's a nice pink bag," Peter said, happily as he studied the intricate stitching. He ran his fingers acorss the fine fabric, enjoying the bumpy feel of the material.

"Glad you like it," Harry replied, snatching it back defensively. Brushing the fabric free of any dust or dirt, he placed it back on the bag stand.

Or something not so crap :lol:. But, I like the detail, I hate to read something like my first example because I really can't visualize what is happening.

I'm not saying every line has to be this way in fact, in some cases, short snappy sentences with no detail can really work well, especially in tense suspenseful situations.

It depends entirely on how the writer uses the techniques, and what effects they create. And each should be used in moderation, create a balance of climax/anti climax with the structure.
 
Three lines of description for a character saying something as short as Hello can be just as unnecessary.

My point was just that rapid fire dialogue has a purpose and can be utilized effectively. To write it off as strictly boring and 'what not to do' seems to be denying it of it's merit as an element of written style and technique.


Since we're not all Dickens and probably can't get away with solid pages of descriptive narrative without boring our audience to death, I think it's important to keep in mind one of the first things you hear in narrative classes;

"The most valuable of all talents is that of never using two words when one will do." -Thomas Jefferson
 
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