Fanfiction can be a tough break. It's throwing your work into the lake of the internet with no guarantee what you'll get back. The internet's not always the friendliest place--that whole "without face or consequence" thing can bring out the worst in people--but there's a lot to gain from that kind of environment, too. There's a lot to learn from that no matter how other people respond, and because it was a great place for me to start, I wanted to discuss it here.
There's a chance you'll get nothing back at all. No comments, no reblogs, no movement in the slightest. In that case, you may learn to write for yourself instead of for them. In fact, learn that anyway. Since you have to do the work alone long before anyone sees it, writing is a self-motivated sort of hobby, so you should enjoy it to keep yourself going. There's a chance you'll get nice, quick messages, in which case you could be encouraged to keep going. You might even make some friends; if messages are long it's because they have a lot to say, and it's a good bet you have that in common (since you're taking the time to write the story and all). If somebody does say something positive, maybe try asking them specifics, such as what they liked best. And if you see someone who comments frequently, consider asking them to beta read your work before you post it--they'll have the excitement of reading your work early, and you'll have the benefit of tweaking the parts that need fixing before anyone else points it out. There's also the chance you'll get some negative feedback, in which case you'll either develop a thicker skin if it's useless hate (an all-too-important skill for the real world), or, if you're lucky enough to get constructive criticism, you can make leaps and bounds in improvement. Sound crazy? Let me elaborate. It is NEVER easy to hear something negative about your work, but if someone takes the time to explain what you're lacking (especially if they can be decent about it), then they're actually doing you a favor. Truth is they could've closed out of your story at any time, but they didn't, so resist the urge to dismiss it (even though it hurts, I know. Writing is personal.). The rest of the time we either have to beg or pay for editing. Just as we all have strengths, we also all have skills that need improvement, so if you get negative feedback on something, take a couple deep breaths and look at it again. Is there anything in there that could be true? Or even if you think it's not, it might be worth looking into for an ego boost or to widen your scope. Say someone comments that your story lacked in conflict, or maybe the way the characters spoke to each other was dull, or maybe you had some great ideas but it would come through better if your spelling improved. Any of these things can be looked up for free on the internet. Read up on a few rules, or tagged posts on writing resource sites, or even books at the library! You'll learn something that makes your next story even stronger, and that can't be a bad thing no matter who you are. The best thing about fanfiction is that it's a free way to get your writing out there, and it starts you off by practicing with a make-believe world that's already established and well-known. You don't have to focus on building characters from the ground up because they're already there, which leaves you all the time in the world to study how a good story is told. And if anybody ever makes light of it, don't worry. Not only is it a harmless hobby, but if you want to be a writer someday, then it's basically on-the-job training. You're ahead of the curve!
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AuthorCarrie is a burgeoning writer in North America. She thinks about stories 23/7 because everyone needs some time off. She enjoys apples, giving and receiving feedback, and couch-fort gaming with loved ones. Archives
April 2016
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