IMPROVING!

[chaviola]

Fanfic's a learning process, and I don't think anyone starts out writing exactly how they'd like to. SO! I was wondering: how do you guys improve? What do you think helps one's writing style evolve? Getting a thoughtful beta? Trying things outside one's comfort zone? Asking for concrit? Just lots of practice? Something else

Comments

[brokenangelred]

Well as most of my writing has been for RPS I would have to say good healthy stalking to lock down your characterisation.

Seriously though, I think most fan fic is character driven and even more than in original fiction, people are going to spot OCC a mile away so unless you are writing total crack!fic then I think the most important thing is knowing your cannon and your characters inside and out.

Other than that, reading real books not just other fanfic always helps draw your mind out of the old fandom clichés.

So research and reading. And practice of course.

[withthepilot]

In terms of what constitutes excellent fic, I'd say the following items:

- good, consistent characterization
- interesting, believable dialogue
- concise and thoughtful use of language

Porn is also nice if you can swing it, but a really outstanding story doesn't necessarily need it. (Not that I would begrudge anyone for adding it because, mmm, porn.)

The ST FPF and RPF fandoms are lucky enough to have a lot of writers who have the talent to incorporate all three, but it doesn't come without practice. Also, I think it's important to check out what other authors are doing and be open to learning from them.

[mizubyte]

(Not that I would begrudge anyone for adding it because, mmm, porn.)

heeeeeeeeee \o/

[tinocka]

First, how do I improve

[laughinggas13]

Reading. Lots and lots of reading. Which is a slight problem for me, because after I've read something blow-me-away amazing, I really don't feel like sitting down and working on my own fic. But I honestly do think I've learnt far more about writing from books and fanfic than I ever have or ever will learn through English lessons.

What am I striving for? To finish something that I'll still be proud of a month or so after posting.

And amazing fic to me is the stuff that makes you fall in love with the characters all over again and makes you feel along with them.

(BTW, is that a Watson's Internal Monologue icon? Because if so, <3!)

[jouissant]

I read some writing meta the other day that essentially said, re: you can always take stuff out, pare stuff down. I'm not in total agreement with that, but I am a fan of finding the one word that can do the work of four words, of trying to say what I want to concisely.

Another thing, too, is something I learned in college from a visiting artist, Ann Hamilton, which is basically just that you, as a writer or artist, need to give yourself permission to put your stuff out there and be critical (constructively, that is) of other people's work. Because I think it can be hard sometimes to let yourself be critical, especially if it's of work you really admire.