I should be able to make it to Quick(Mini)Con this year. Unfortunately, though, I can't be there the entire weekend due to various matters. I'll give you details over email.
As for writing skill transferring from fanfic to original fiction... OK, first let me say this. I do think you have genuine skill as a writer. You write compelling characters and generally plot out good storylines.
That said...the fact is, writing fanfic is a lot easier than writing original fiction (I've written both, or tried to at least). Even if all your characters are OCs, the fact is you already have a world to play around in instead of being forced to come up with a new one from scratch. There are a bunch of things you don't have to explain or think about because they're already there. Especially in a case like Harry Potter, which has a very evocative world (one reason it has so many fanfics).
In addition, fanfic carries with it very different audience expectations. And I'm not talking about an expectation of lower quality (though that's certainly there). First of all, anyone who reads a HP fanfic is already sold on the idea of a magical world that hides from the regular world and etc. People might not like your fic for another reasons, but an innate dislike for the genre/setting isn't one of them. That's not the case with original fiction (which explains the negative review you quoted).
Second, separate from quality, people are much more willing to forgive pacing issues. The first AQ book kind of starts really slow actually; if you were going to publish it, you'd probably have to make the beginning a lot leaner. You've gotten better about this in later books, but then again, you didn't have to introduce your setting and characters in later books. I wouldn't be surprised if the beginning of your original fiction book is similarly slow. Even if it isn't, it may have lulls elsewhere that are ok in fanfic but poison for books looking to get published.
Besides, it's your first attempt at writing original fiction--or at least, your first attempt in a long time. It's not a surprise if it still has rough edges. :)
(I've tried writing multiple original fictions, mainly for NaNoWriMo, and they're still crap...)
As for writing skill transferring from fanfic to original fiction...
OK, first let me say this. I do think you have genuine skill as a writer. You write compelling characters and generally plot out good storylines.
That said...the fact is, writing fanfic is a lot easier than writing original fiction (I've written both, or tried to at least). Even if all your characters are OCs, the fact is you already have a world to play around in instead of being forced to come up with a new one from scratch. There are a bunch of things you don't have to explain or think about because they're already there. Especially in a case like Harry Potter, which has a very evocative world (one reason it has so many fanfics).
In addition, fanfic carries with it very different audience expectations. And I'm not talking about an expectation of lower quality (though that's certainly there). First of all, anyone who reads a HP fanfic is already sold on the idea of a magical world that hides from the regular world and etc. People might not like your fic for another reasons, but an innate dislike for the genre/setting isn't one of them. That's not the case with original fiction (which explains the negative review you quoted).
Second, separate from quality, people are much more willing to forgive pacing issues. The first AQ book kind of starts really slow actually; if you were going to publish it, you'd probably have to make the beginning a lot leaner. You've gotten better about this in later books, but then again, you didn't have to introduce your setting and characters in later books. I wouldn't be surprised if the beginning of your original fiction book is similarly slow. Even if it isn't, it may have lulls elsewhere that are ok in fanfic but poison for books looking to get published.
Besides, it's your first attempt at writing original fiction--or at least, your first attempt in a long time. It's not a surprise if it still has rough edges. :)
(I've tried writing multiple original fictions, mainly for NaNoWriMo, and they're still crap...)
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