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Discussion: Fanfiction writing help and tips

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kaotic	Fanfiction writing help and tips May 13 2010, 12:40 AM EDT I was thinking about making a thread like this the other day when Moe, myself and a couple others were discussing ways of help one another with writing. I'm not an expert nor have I wrote anything that's more than a couple thousand words, but I know there's a lot of excellent writers on this site, and I think it would be a good idea if we could use this thread to post anything that could be used to help people become better writers. Post reply 1 out of 1 found this valuable. Do you find this valuable? Do you? Keyword tags: None
Turncoat	1. RE: Fanfiction writing help and tips May 13 2010, 1:13 AM EDT "I was thinking about making a thread like this the other day when Moe, myself and a couple others were discussing ways of help one another with writing. I'm not an expert nor have I wrote anything that's more than a couple thousand words, but I know there's a lot of excellent writers on this site, and I think it would be a good idea if we could use this thread to post anything that could be used to help people become better writers. " This is a excelent Idea. my advice is first of all write the stories you want to write. don't follow what everyone else is doing. Umm ... also don't have Cameron have sex with anyone other then John or Sarah (Having sex with John and Sarah together is left up in the air) because people get mad. LOL!!! Post reply 3 out of 3 found this valuable. Do you find this valuable? Do you?
bigbew	2. RE: Fanfiction writing help and tips May 13 2010, 1:39 AM EDT Hmmmm... I'll come up with more later, but the main one I can suggest is to NEVER write when under the influence of alcohol. First of all it messes up your hand eye coordination and you have to spend the next morning correcting all your mistakes. Second it makes you write some things that when you re-read them it makes you say WTF??? Post reply Do you find this valuable?
bryan011	3. RE: Fanfiction writing help and tips May 13 2010, 2:04 AM EDT http://www.fanfiction.net/u/2068799/ Read all the stories there. Then ask yourself if they match the quality of those stories. If so, then you've done a good job. If not, you suck. Post reply Do you find this valuable?
DarkDanny	4. RE: Fanfiction writing help and tips May 13 2010, 2:10 AM EDT "Hmmmm... I'll come up with more later, but the main one I can suggest is to NEVER write when under the influence of alcohol. First of all it messes up your hand eye coordination and you have to spend the next morning correcting all your mistakes. Second it makes you write some things that when you re-read them it makes you say WTF???" I can drop a few tips.Once I wake up tomorrow refreshed and ready to use my brain properly lol But I do write and drink, lol. it kinda works out.. Post reply Do you find this valuable?
Dekardkain	5. RE: Fanfiction writing help and tips May 13 2010, 3:29 AM EDT Most important fanfiction tool ever - Wikipedia. Research for writing can be a real problem considering how god-awful most internet search utilities are these days and having a single place that covers everything from geographical information and weapon specs to how to cook a specific meal is insanely helpful. Yeah, you'd never want to use it for a research paper, but for writing something for fun it's a great quick reference tool. Post reply Do you find this valuable?
JMHthe3rd	6. RE: Fanfiction writing help and tips May 13 2010, 3:53 AM EDT 1) Carry around a notebook with you at all times. When an idea enters your head, write it down. 2) Read your text aloud. Does it sound awkward? If so, revise and try again. 3) You don't have to have everything planned out, but I'd map out the general outline of your story -- especially if it's in the hundreds of pages. 4) I second Dekardkain. Wikipedia (and the internet in general) is invaluable. 5) Learn grammar. If you're not sure of something, look it up. 6) Beta readers -- you need them. If a writer says he doesn't, he's probably full of himself. Don't be like Anne Rice. Everyone needs an editor -- a good one. 7) After finishing a chapter, sit on it for at least a week. Revise it every day. Polish, polish, polish. 8) Readers come for the action and conversation, and stay for the introspection. Don't have your scenes all be just characters sitting in rooms by themselves, staring at their navel. Keep introspection to reasonable levels. Conversations are more involving for the reader. 9) Don't be afraid to cut things out. Something may be excellently written, but simply not be right for a scene. I take these orphaned snippets and dump them into a text file. Sometimes they can be resurrected at a later time. TSCC Specific Tips 1) Cameron is Cameron. Don't turn Cameron into a human. When Cameron's constantly crying and showing human-like emotions -- the character is no longer Cameron. 2) Pregnant Cameron -- no. 3) Use any time travel mechanics you like, but be consistent. That's all I can think of for now. Post reply 1 out of 1 found this valuable. Do you find this valuable? Do you?
kingsteve	7. RE: Fanfiction writing help and tips May 13 2010, 4:43 AM EDT I think JMH has got pretty much all the main points here, though there's a few I've found personally, that I'd like to add. 1) Writing takes as long as it takes. Don't try to rush it to get a new chapter out, even if you've really been slow. Quality over quantity, every single time. 2) If you write a large chunk and it just doesn't feel right, don't be afraid to start a whole new one (goes back up to #1, don't worry about time). I've written a couple thousand words before, felt it just wasn't right and I couldn't just alter and edit it, so I started again and the Mk.2 version was far better. 3) Try to get a decent balance between description, narration, and dialogue. Some fics I've seen are mostly dialogue with little or no description. Set the scene, describe where they are, who's there and such. And use description and narration to break up large chunks of dialogue, as well. A dozen lines spoken by characters without anything in between gets boring to read. 4) Action/fight/battle scenes. Personally, I find it's best to plan these out. Think first of all of who's in the fight, where, why, and what resources each side has. I get out pencil and paper and actually draw out a rough diagram of the area where they're fighting - which helps with the description of the scene - and also plan out the fight as if I were planning a real battle. It helps so much if you're trying to write action, and allows you to write in a bit more detail to make it more authentic. 5) Don't centre an entire story around an OC. OC's are supporting cast. At the same time, if you have any major ones, do give them a believeable backstory and give them some growth. For an example I use Jason Corvain from Veran's stories. 6) If you write anything involving time travel - think it through, and have ibuprofen at hand. Post reply Do you find this valuable?
Turncoat	8. RE: Fanfiction writing help and tips May 13 2010, 4:46 AM EDT "1) Carry around a notebook with you at all times. When an idea enters your head, write it down. 2) Read your text aloud. Does it sound awkward? If so, revise and try again. 3) You don't have to have everything planned out, but I'd map out the general outline of your story -- especially if it's in the hundreds of pages. 4) I second Dekardkain. Wikipedia (and the internet in general) is invaluable. 5) Learn grammar. If you're not sure of something, look it up. 6) Beta readers -- you need them. If a writer says he doesn't, he's probably full of himself. Don't be like Anne Rice. Everyone needs an editor -- a good one. 7) After finishing a chapter, sit on it for at least a week. Revise it every day. Polish, polish, polish. 8) Readers come for the action and conversation, and stay for the introspection. Don't have your scenes all be just characters sitting in rooms by themselves, staring at their navel. Keep introspection to reasonable levels. Conversations are more involving for the reader. 9) Don't be afraid to cut things out. Something may be excellently written, but simply not be right for a scene. I take these orphaned snippets and dump them into a text file. Sometimes they can be resurrected at a later time. TSCC Specific Tips 1) Cameron is Cameron. Don't turn Cameron into a human. When Cameron's constantly crying and showing human-like emotions -- the character is no longer Cameron. 2) Pregnant Cameron -- no. 3) Use any time travel mechanics you like, but be consistent. That's all I can think of for now. " I reject your TSCC spacific tips #2 I concider the concept of Cameron rasing a child an interesting challenge as well the ability to carry Alison Youngs biological child the ultiment infiltration quality. (who would believe a machine can get pregnant? Post reply Do you find this valuable?
kaotic	9. RE: Fanfiction writing help and tips May 13 2010, 5:00 AM EDT \| Post edited: May 13 2010, 5:02 AM EDT "I reject your TSCC spacific tips #2 I concider the concept of Cameron rasing a child an interesting challenge as well the ability to carry Alison Youngs biological child the ultiment infiltration quality. (who would believe a machine can get pregnant?" It all depends on who is writing the story. Veran, has done a really awesome job, and so have you TC. But there's some out there that just suck at it. As soon as Cameron gets pregnant she's basically a human girl in a lot of stories. :\ Post reply Do you find this valuable?
kingsteve	10. RE: Fanfiction writing help and tips May 13 2010, 5:05 AM EDT "It all depends on who is writing the story. Veran, has done a really awesome job, and so have you TC. But there's some out there that just suck at it. As soon as Cameron gets pregnant she's basically a human girl in a lot of stories. :\" Especially when she's pregnant from Sarah, like a certain writer did. Post reply Do you find this valuable?
AndyTGD	11. RE: Fanfiction writing help and tips May 13 2010, 6:19 AM EDT "I reject your TSCC spacific tips #2 I concider the concept of Cameron rasing a child an interesting challenge as well the ability to carry Alison Youngs biological child the ultiment infiltration quality. (who would believe a machine can get pregnant?" Feel free to write Prego-Cam stories. No-one will read them, but feel free to write them. (Seriously, the mere idea that Skynet would allow it's infiltrators to become pregnant and bring MORE humans into the world, whilst attempting to exterminate them, seems ridiculous to me.) -- @kaotic: It seems that the majority of problems revolve around writing Cameron. She's a surprisingly difficult character to write accurately. The tendency is to write her from the outset as practically human or evolve her too much and too quickly. Even at her most advanced, she should always retain part of her machine identity IMO. -- Do: > Try to make use of other characters in your fiction, besides Cameron and John. The Cameron and John show gets tiring real quickly. > Try to avoid clichés, including clichéd phrases, events and descriptions of people/places. Do not: > Insert yourself as a character > God-mode > Turn T888s into easily-killed cannon fodder > Turn Skynet into Dr. Evil > Write cross-over fics (Sorry, personal dislike) Post reply Do you find this valuable?
croshead	12. RE: Fanfiction writing help and tips May 13 2010, 6:23 AM EDT "I reject your TSCC spacific tips #2 I concider the concept of Cameron rasing a child an interesting challenge as well the ability to carry Alison Youngs biological child the ultiment infiltration quality. (who would believe a machine can get pregnant?" Well, considering these are tips... I would say it is a good advice not to write Cameron pregnant. Not necessarily an unbreakable rule, but generally pregnant Cameron is out-of-character Cameron, and as such it is unadvisable. Post reply Do you find this valuable?
trigger_happy14	13. RE: Fanfiction writing help and tips May 13 2010, 6:35 AM EDT \| Post edited: May 13 2010, 6:38 AM EDT 1) Proofread (multiple times, not just once!) what you write 2) Get a Beta Reader to double check I think it's important to minimize typos/grammar errors in fics. It just makes the fic much more enjoyable so the reader doesn't have to wade through errors to understand what you're trying to say. Typos/errors pull readers out of the story, don't forget that! Oh and another random one... 3) Don't go overboard with A/N's (author's notes). I've seen some fics where the A/N is longer than the chapter itself, it's ridiculous. Your word count should be made up mostly of your FIC not your A/N! TBH, no one really wants to hear you blab on and on about something, they want to read your fic! Also i'd recommend putting your entire A/N at the bottom of the page (that is if it you have one). It should be as brief as possible. Post reply Do you find this valuable?
KrelleK	14. RE: Fanfiction writing help and tips May 13 2010, 6:43 AM EDT \| Post edited: May 13 2010, 6:49 AM EDT "Feel free to write Prego-Cam stories. No-one will read them, but feel free to write them. (Seriously, the mere idea that Skynet would allow it's infiltrators to become pregnant and bring MORE humans into the world, whilst attempting to exterminate them, seems ridiculous to me.) -- @kaotic: It seems that the majority of problems revolve around writing Cameron. She's a surprisingly difficult character to write accurately. The tendency is to write her from the outset as practically human or evolve her too much and too quickly. Even at her most advanced, she should always retain part of her machine identity IMO. -- Do: > Try to make use of other characters in your fiction, besides Cameron and John. The Cameron and John show gets tiring real quickly. > Try to avoid clichés, including clichéd phrases, events and descriptions of people/places. Do not: > Insert yourself as a character > God-mode > Turn T888s into easily-killed cannon fodder > Turn Skynet into Dr. Evil > Write cross-over fics (Sorry, personal dislike) " the idea of a preg cameron,: well to me a saying from the Jurasic Park movies comes to mind: nature always finds a way, so to my thinking if Cameron could become pregnant, well i do not think Skynet would have planed it and the thing about not makinng crossovers, well i have run into a fair share quite good cross-fanfics, well a cross between Angel and Buffy might not be much of a cross(try Compelled series by hotpoint on twisting the hellmouth site, a few other quite good crosses there too)but then there was a cross between TtSCC and firefly or startrek, also once ran into a cross between BloodRayne and Kim Possible(kinda silly, but fun to read) Post reply Do you find this valuable?
croshead	15. RE: Fanfiction writing help and tips May 13 2010, 6:53 AM EDT "1) Cameron is Cameron. Don't turn Cameron into a human. When Cameron's constantly crying and showing human-like emotions -- the character is no longer Cameron." Agreed. But I would like to add, that Cameron isn't a simple tincan either. Post reply Do you find this valuable?
kaotic	16. RE: Fanfiction writing help and tips May 13 2010, 6:54 AM EDT \| Post edited: May 13 2010, 6:56 AM EDT "Feel free to write Prego-Cam stories. No-one will read them, but feel free to write them. (Seriously, the mere idea that Skynet would allow it's infiltrators to become pregnant and bring MORE humans into the world, whilst attempting to exterminate them, seems ridiculous to me.) -- @kaotic: It seems that the majority of problems revolve around writing Cameron. She's a surprisingly difficult character to write accurately. Even at her most advanced, she should always retain part of her machine identity IMO. -- Do: > Try to make use of other characters in your fiction, besides Cameron and John. The Cameron and John show gets tiring real quickly. > Try to avoid clichés, including clichéd phrases, events and descriptions of people/places. Do not: > Insert yourself as a character > God-mode > Turn T888s into easily-killed cannon fodder > Turn Skynet into Dr. Evil > Write cross-over fics (Sorry, personal dislike) " People will read them, if there's a good plot that goes along with the story then people will read them. There are three really well written prego cam fics that I've read, and liked. But I didn't want this thread to turn into personal dislikes because everyone has a view of how Cameron should be written. Some people like her with a little bit humanity, some like her as a cold machine that never shows any emotion or humanity, and there's some that like her very human. Same goes with Cross-Overs, that's a personal pref, and that's not what I want to have discussed here. I want this thread to be a place people can ask questions and also give help, tips, and tricks to improve someones writing. I don't care what people write, or how they see or use characters, it's not for us to decide if something is good or bad, at least in this thread. Post reply Do you find this valuable?
croshead	17. RE: Fanfiction writing help and tips May 13 2010, 7:13 AM EDT "the idea of a preg cameron,: well to me a saying from the Jurasic Park movies comes to mind: nature always finds a way, so to my thinking if Cameron could become pregnant, well i do not think Skynet would have planed it" This is just my opinion, but I just might be able to accept that Cameron's organic components might have just enough human DNA in it to make pregnancy possible, but what about the structucal design of her combat chassis? Skynet didn't plan T-888 chassis with babies in mind, so I don't think she could do it, not entirely naturally anyway. And while Cameron clearly isn't T-888-series, most of her endo is. But that's just me... I still don't think it is advisable, Cameron is allready a really difficult character to write, pregnancy would complicate things even further. If you are a really good writer, and know what you are doing, feel free to do so. It might be interesting thing to read. After all, terminator has been breaking rules since the beginning. Post reply Do you find this valuable?
meanoldmoe	18. RE: Fanfiction writing help and tips May 13 2010, 7:16 AM EDT \| Post edited: May 13 2010, 7:23 AM EDT I found this site a huge help with some of the T-universe people and places http://terminator.wikia.com/wiki/Terminator_Wiki Also....I did start a crossover, but it is a combo of the T-movies and TSCC....so not a far stretch........just be thankful I didn't do a Sailer Moon/ TSCC crossover....lol Post reply Do you find this valuable?
croshead	19. RE: Fanfiction writing help and tips May 13 2010, 7:45 AM EDT "But I didn't want this thread to turn into personal dislikes because everyone has a view of how Cameron should be written. Some people like her with a little bit humanity, some like her as a cold machine that never shows any emotion or humanity, and there's some that like her very human. Same goes with Cross-Overs, that's a personal pref, and that's not what I want to have discussed here. I want this thread to be a place people can ask questions and also give help, tips, and tricks to improve someones writing. I don't care what people write, or how they see or use characters, it's not for us to decide if something is good or bad, at least in this thread." I agree. And atleast try to keep my personal preferences to a minimum. One point I'm trying to make, is that if you like it when Cameron is showing emotion, thats fine, I'd bet most of us do, but if that is all you write about, then the most likely result is overhumanized version of her, basically nothing more but an average girl. And that might not be what you want. And some people like all terminators to be unemotional killing machines, that's fine too. But much of TSCC does circle around John/Cameron affair, and the way they did it, was often left open for interpretation. If you write her into your average tincan, the end result might still be wrong, even for your own taste. Even if unemotional is what you want, story might still need a little bit of jameron-spices to make it work just right, even if that is exactly what you hated. Too obvious views lead easily into flat uninteresting stories with absolutely no depht at all. Post reply Do you find this valuable?

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