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Most Important Step (MIS): Start Writing Now! |
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After all that I have said so far I hope you pay attention to this step most of all--start writing now! The Problem: Good golly, Miss Molly! I can't tell you how terrified I get when I hear someone has a great idea for a fanfiction but have decided to wait to write it. They say, "I want to get better at writing before I write that." Well, let me tell you something, little author. You will never get better at writing unless you start writing now. When they say 'practice makes perfect' they really are lying. It should be 'practice makes better' because that is simply how it works. The Solution: Practice, practice and practice some more! I mean, if you're shy about writing then simply do not think of yourself as a beginning writer. In fact, believe you have already tried this before and just go with the flow. Having confidence in yourself is a must for a beginner so surround yourself with people who will lift you up and encourage you to keep getting better. I don't mean cousin Alice who says that your story is great simply because she doesn't want to hurt your feelings--I mean people who really want you to excel. If you don't know anyone like that personally then visit forums/message boards that are newbie-fanfiction-artist friendly. Just remember to ask for critical reviews--that is, reviews that help you to grow as a writer. If you are worried about starting on a good fanfiction idea and messing it up, don't sweat it. Remember, you can always rewrite it later once you have become more experienced. Revision is very important to writers, you know. Revisiting old ideas can even breed new ones for you to work on as well. I believe writers should always revisit their old fics, even if only to see how far they've come since their beginnings. If you want an example, take a look at my fanfiction.net profile and read the first chapter of my first story--Computer Cross: The Warp Between Worlds--and rate it against the first chapter of my latest fanfiction--The Broken Path. The difference, after writing for over seven years, is phenomenal. Well, beginners, I hope you've all learned from this series of basic writing tips and will apply them to your stories in the present and future. If this has helped you in any way I would appreciate some feedback. I also would enjoy personal testimonies in the form of reformed fanfiction or examples like the one I gave in the paragraph above. Who knows? Maybe I'll one day add you to a Hall of Fame Fics page. Until then, keep writing and improving on your fics! Continue to The Plot Thickens... |