I really want to thank you guys for the helpful advice. There’s a question I want to raise: How would you react when an author has a sneak-peek in their AN, say a brief summary of the next chapter? I’ve only seen this once but didn’t care much since the next chap was up already.

It depends on how much of a spoiler that summary was. If it was an exciting summary that only told you enough to get you interested, I'd love it. If it said just a little too much, I'd be annoyed when I read it, then disappointed if I read the new chapter after it was posted.

That's actually a good idea. I'm going to consider doing that myself, actually. Thanks!

Gah. Sorry to change the topic, but what do you do when you know what you intend to write next, but you stare at the screen for HOURS and nothing comes? I've tried doing other pieces, taking a break from writing, and each time I come back and don't write. FRUSTRATION!

what do you do when you know what you intend to write next, but you stare at the screen for HOURS and nothing comes?

I do what you described, I work on other things. Or maybe you should rethink how you want to start the next section. It could be that's stopping you. Or the previous section might feel unfinished. Another thing you can do is write an outline, even if it's just for the next chapter or so. Writing out what you want to happen in the next scenes in a little more detail may help you think about how you want to start writing it.

That or lots and lots of caffeine. Sometimes I go for weeks without tea or chocolate and a few cups gets the muse all excited.

When I know what I want to write, but I can't make the words come, I expect anything on paper will be **, but that it can easily be edited. It's easier to work with something than nothing. So I just write down a step by step of what happened, then do my best to convert it to proper prose. I usually end up editing passages like that somewhere between 10 and 20 times, but I don't mind the work. At least it'll get done.

That or lots and lots of caffeine. Sometimes I go for weeks without tea or chocolate and a few cups gets the muse all excited.

That totally tanks my creative ability. If I try to write while I'm all jittery and stuff, I end up too distracted to actually connect with my characters and everything ends up sucking.

what do you do when you know what you intend to write next, but you stare at the screen for HOURS and nothing comes?

Well, I know free writing may sound a bit lame but it works for me. Whenever I have an idea but can’t quite picture the details or can’t put it into words, I force myself to free write, often with very fast-beat music in the background to increase my writing speed so that I don’t have time to worry about writing ridiculous junk (those things can be omitted later or even turn out to be a good idea sometimes).

I've tried doing other pieces, taking a break from writing, and each time I come back and don't write.

I've tried this, too. But I found it only effective when I do something completely unrelated to what I'm going to write. For instant, if I need to write a Dramione, anything HP related (whether it is a movie, an original book of the series or a fanfiction) should be crossed out of the list. Another thing is what I do for a break from writing must also be relaxing. There were a time when I tried to save time by doing my statistics homework and when I came back to writing my head had nothing other than the Poisson distribution.

What exactly is free writing? If I've ever done it, it doesn't work for me. All it does is remove the coherence of my English.

It's true that when you take a break from a fic you can't write, it needs to be a complete break. It also helps if the genre and plot are different too. Otherwise all you can think about when you get back to the hard fic is the one you were just working on. Plus, your perspective isn't really fresh.

Nothing unrelaxing is going to help your creative juices flow. All it does is wind you tighter and make it harder to feel creative.

Thanks everyone... You all have some great advice (and it's all stuff I should do)... weirdly enough, though, of all things I ended up inspired by a really disastrous wedding rehearsal... but, meh.

weirdly enough, though, of all things I ended up inspired by a really disastrous wedding rehearsal... but, meh.

Lol! Makes sense though. I've been inspired by some really weird, completely unrelated stuff too. So unrelated, in fact, that I actually can't remember what they were anymore! XD

what do you do when you know what you intend to write next, but you stare at the screen for HOURS and nothing comes? I've tried doing other pieces, taking a break from writing, and each time I come back and don't write. FRUSTRATION!

Unfortunately, even the best of us suffer from writer's block from time to time. Everyone deals with it differently, but I tend to find that, yes, the best idea is to take yourself away from the story for a while. Try picking out a favourite book to read, listening to some music, or even going for a walk. Something that'll make you practically forget the story altogether. And if, while you're doing that, an idea comes to mind, I find that the worst thing I can possibly do is rush back to my desk and start writing it down. Finish whatever it is you are doing, and just mull the idea over for a while. That way, by the time you go back to writing it, you've already probably figured out how to put it down.

Free writing doesn't usually work for me unless I already have a solid idea in my head, but it's definitely worth a try. And of course, if all else fails, there is nothing wrong with scrapping what you've already written and starting over. Believe it or not, that's worked wonders for me a few times, too.

Hope that helps :)

what do you do when you know what you intend to write next, but you stare at the screen for HOURS and nothing comes? I've tried doing other pieces, taking a break from writing, and each time I come back and don't write. FRUSTRATION!

Wow, did I miss that one? If you know what you want to write, but no words come, just go out and GET the words yourself! It's happened to me before, and the only time it can be really fixed is when I write down what happens with the words I have (really bad, usually), then just edit the heck out of it. Just get it down. Quality can be improved later.

I've found that generally the cause of this type of problem is a fear that I won't be able to do the scene justice. So I know what I want to say, but no words are good enough, so it's all rejected before I even know what I'm rejecting. Hence an idea, but no words.

Gah. Sorry to change the topic, but what do you do when you know what you intend to write next, but you stare at the screen for HOURS and nothing comes? I've tried doing other pieces, taking a break from writing, and each time I come back and don't write. FRUSTRATION!

I know this isn't how many people do it, but I have outlines for my stories, though many of them are scribbled out on notebook paper on my lunch breaks, but they're there. Just because I have them, doesn't mean I know exactly what I want to write for each chapter. Sometimes I get so inspired by another story, or so excited to get to an important event in that story, that I neglect the other things I'm writing to focus on that one. And it usually works out for me, because I think of something that I'd like to put in my story, but think 'Hmmm... that wouldn't really work for this story, but it would go great in my other one!'. And if I truly have difficulty getting inspired I put myself in a similar situation as to where I wanted to be, if I'm writing about going to dinner on a date, I actually do that and see if I get inspiration. And if all else fails, I have a friend who loved reading FF, but she doesn't like writing. I call her my 'Muse' because I meet up with her once a week or so, she looks over what I have in progress, or if I'm stuck she bounces ideas off me and we see what sticks. I know a couple people who have a 'Muse' on IM or e-mail, just to shoot the breeze with and who give them their take on their stories, but not in a beta- type way. I'm probably being confusing, I think I'm confusing myself ;) Yeah, the shot of it is, if I have problems writing a particular story I sit on it for a while and see if inspiration comes from somewhere.

I know this isn't how many people do it, but I have outlines for my stories...

Actually, I hang out on a few general writing forums and I've heard several people say they do it that way. In fact, a few of them can't imagine NOT doing it that way because they'd never be able to keep things straight! And one of them actually won a prize in a writing competition recently.

It's not for me, really, but a lot of people need it. I only outline stuff now because I'll be in the middle of a thought, but not really know how to write or not have time, so I outline it real quick before I lose it. I usually only need this on new characters I don't really know yet. It can be a while before I get back to a story starring characters I haven't had a chance to connect with yet.

I'm probably being confusing, I think I'm confusing myself ;)

Nah, not really. Just last month I had a back-and-forth going on with a guy about his NaNo entry. He was able to hammer out a lot of stuff that was really fuzzy to him before and it really helped him to get into his fic. It also made it easier to write the fic. This kind of thing also helped him realize what he wanted the conspiracy to actually be. 'Apocalypse' is a very general idea, but he's got it now!

So yeah, I get what you're saying.

Haha! I get what you mean. Summaries are very important. I've revised the summary of my fic three times and it definitely had an impact on the number of people who read it.

On a different note, what really helps me write are pictures. I got this trick from my favorite author Jennifer Crusie who does collages before she writes stories. Sometimes, she gets pictures of china (if the heroine collects them) or dogs (if the hero has a dog). It definitely helps in creating the character you have in mind. I've tried doing this, too. When i wanted to my characters to have a house I flicked through a couple of H&G magazines and found something I thought fit their personalities. It helps a lot in making up descriptions when you know exactly how the thing looks like, right?

Hope someone finds this useful:)

On a different note, what really helps me write are pictures. (...) It helps a lot in making up descriptions when you know exactly how the thing looks like, right?

I do that too. I use DeviantArt, WebShots, Opacity (for abandoned, old, and interesting places), Alivan's, the Noble Collection, and other sites like that. Inspiration is so easy to get from pictures. I just think of it as research... something you do before you start writing, because it saves you time and makes it easier once you do start writing.

I did something sort of similar. I hit a wall while trying to write a oneshot for a challenge, but I was still so into the story that I still wanted to do something. It had been bugging me for a while that I didn't really know what he looked like in his makeup, yet I knew exactly what I wanted it to look like. (He joined a gang that painted their faces like clowns.) So I went through my source material, found a still of the exact angle I wanted and freehanded a copy. Then I colored it. It looks awesome.

A day or two after, I got past my writer's block and finished the fic. A lot of people really like it. ^^

Collages would never help me since I deal in abstracts when characterizing. Focusing on the effects of a person's personality, rather than the personality itself, would distract me and make it harder. But then again, my methods have always run contrary to the norm. What's hard for most is easy for me and vice versa.

I have a question. Do you think it was a mistake to post 8 chapters of my new story at the same time, instead of posting them with some time in between?

I posted it a few hours ago and it only now occurred to me that it will not show up at all in the "new stories" list. Not to mention that I'm guessing most reviewers will probably just review the 8th chapter.

Do you think there's any chance people will still review the first few chapters? I like getting feedback/con-crit.

I think it depends. Anyone here would probably review each chapter, but getting one review out of a lot of the general fanfic community is like pulling hen's teeth, let alone eight.

It could be a good thing though - if people have already read eight chapters of your story, they might be more inclined to review each chapter after that (if you post seperately).

I have a question. Do you think it was a mistake to post 8 chapters of my new story at the same time, instead of posting them with some time in between?

I think uploading all eight chapters would really affect the number of reviews you get since people tend to review only after reading which, for you, would mean after the 8th chapter. Some enthusiastic readers comment per chapter, though.

I have a question. Do you think it was a mistake to post 8 chapters of my new story at the same time, instead of posting them with some time in between?

If someone posts several chapters at once, and it's a good story, I have a tendency to get into the plot and not want to stop to write a review. But by the time I'm done reading I don't remember each individual chapter, and I'm not wanting to re-read to remember details I liked and such. So, I'll review, but it will be all-encompassing.

I have a question. Do you think it was a mistake to post 8 chapters of my new story at the same time, instead of posting them with some time in between?

I posted it a few hours ago and it only now occurred to me that it will not show up at all in the "new stories" list. Not to mention that I'm guessing most reviewers will probably just review the 8th chapter.

Do you think there's any chance people will still review the first few chapters? I like getting feedback/con-crit.

I think one of the good thing about posting multiple chapters at once is that people can see that you know where your fic is going and don't have to worry about waiting for the second chapter that may never come. This will definitely increase the chance of them clicking on your fic when they see it.

As for the review matter, I myself will either leave a review for each chap or one for the 8th chap depending on how I choose too read the fic. This choice normally doesn't have anything to do with the quality of your fic; it's more related to the amount of spare time I have that particular moment. Anyway, if I decide to take a break after each chap, then there'll be 8 reviews for you. If I read them all in one sitting then I'll open a Word window and type my comments on each chapter in there (right after reading it). When I've finished all the chapters, I will go back and omit any of my initial queries that have already been nicely cleared up in the following chapters. Finally, I may add some overall comments on how you develop the story and things like that. So in the end, you'll get only one but possibly very long review.

Thanks guys. I guess I'll just do it differently next time, but I can't complain about the reviews I got. One very kind person from here reviewed every chapter, and someone else reviewed most of them, so I'm very happy.

This made me think about how I review fics myself. I guess I tend to review when I have something specific to say about the chapter I just read, or I review at the end. I also review if I'm going to stop reading for the day, or even just going to take a break from reading. Maybe I'll use this experience to review more often when reading multi-chaptered fics. :-)

:) You know, this might sound weird or like a turn-off, but we would love it if you joined the forum. It's a really great cause and the more members we gain, the more reviews that go around to writers and the more reviews you get in return.

Besides, we always like to meet new people. Oh god that sounded totally creeper-like of me. :S

Never mind, I'm going to go ahead and post this, in the hopes that you don't run away screaming from this forum, but it totally sounds pushy-creeper-stuffs.

Honestly, if I'm reading a chapter fic I don't review till the end. And I don't leave reviews as much as I leave casual comments and whatever thought or impression is nagging me most. Based on view statistics most readers are either like me or worse, so it would probably be wise not to upload chapters in bulk if you want them to be reviewed separately. Spacing releases out also helps you improve chapters based on feedback. Maybe a couple of chapters at once would be alright, though, or if the story itself is very definitively partioned you could upload each "arc".

I have a question, not so much for advice as out of interest: how do you feel about OCs? Usually when I see one they just seem odd and out of place to me, and I tend not to like them. Their names are silly, their lines are forced, their characterization is awkward and they just force their way into the story. It doesn't matter if they actually are, they simply always feel that way to me when I read them. But when I write them... anyone else experience this? Right now I'm writing a rather long fic that's more original than not and I'm wondering just how many readers it'll irk.

:) You know, this might sound weird or like a turn-off, but we would love it if you joined the forum. It's a really great cause and the more members we gain, the more reviews that go around to writers and the more reviews you get in return.

I'd be happy to hang out here. Is there anything I need to do to join more officially? Oh, wait, I do see an introductions thread. I'll post something in there.

Spacing releases out also helps you improve chapters based on feedback. Maybe a couple of chapters at once would be alright, though, or if the story itself is very definitively partioned you could upload each "arc".

That's pretty much what happened. The chapters I uploaded are the first major part of my fic. I wrote the first 16,000 words in one go, as one big bulky chapter, and then split it up into 8 chapters to avoid confusing the reader with POV changes and such. In my head it was still one chapter, so I uploaded it.

I have a question, not so much for advice as out of interest: how do you feel about OCs? Usually when I see one they just seem odd and out of place to me, and I tend not to like them. Their names are silly, their lines are forced, their characterization is awkward and they just force their way into the story. It doesn't matter if they actually are, they simply always feel that way to me when I read them. But when I write them... anyone else experience this? Right now I'm writing a rather long fic that's more original than not and I'm wondering just how many readers it'll irk.

When an OC shows up, my first reaction is a huge groan. That's even more so when the story was really good up to that point, or if I have invested a lot of time in the story (like if the OC doesn't show up until chapter 15 or 20). Exactly how much they irk me depends on what they're there for. The only thing that will make me actually stop reading the fic is if they start a romance with one of the canon characters. Otherwise, I'll keep reading, but will keep a wary eye on the OC. OCs that become friends with the characters don't irk me as much, it just depends on how much time is devoted to describing them and their awesome skills/powers/traumas/family dramas/heirlooms/quests/adventures/heroics/etc.. The problem is that as soon as an OC is introduced, the story tends to stop dead in its tracks and spend the next ten chapters gushing over the newcomer. In my opinion, this is actually due to the writer OVERdeveloping the character out of fear that it will be an underdeveloped Mary Sue. So they spend so much time and effort giving this character a history, conflict, flaws, etc., that the character completely takes over and derails the story. Another thing I've found as a reader is that OCs very often feel unnecessary... like, you can think of ten different canon characters that could have been used instead. Also, I agree with you that OCs usually stick out like sore thumbs. You never forget that they're an OC. As a writer I would try to get around using an OC, I guess, if I could, just because I know people hate them.

In that case it might be fair to expect reviews sufficient for one chapter.

Romance between OCs and canon characters is definitely the worst annoyance. I really don't like it when OCs take position of great power either. Not Minister, I mean Albus Dumbledore-type power. I remember reading one story that had Gryffindor's son show up for the final battle through magic portals so he could beat people up with a flaming sword. Groan sounds about right.

I remember reading one story that had Gryffindor's son show up for the final battle through magic portals so he could beat people up with a flaming sword. Groan sounds about right.

That sounds like an unholy hybrid of Mary Sue and deus ex machina! Do Not Want!

I'd be happy to hang out here. Is there anything I need to do to join more officially? Oh, wait, I do see an introductions thread. I'll post something in there.

Yeah. And don't be afraid to stop in the Randomness thread. But...also, our more regular members post our...pledge, I guess it would be called, on their profile. I don't know exactly where it is though, and I don't think you need to do it right away. Maybe when you see how easy it actually is to review each chapter you read, you'll like to try it. But I'm not going to press it on you.

Yeah. And don't be afraid to stop in the Randomness thread. But...also, our more regular members post our...pledge, I guess it would be called, on their profile.

Do you mean the Reviews Revolution thing? I've seen that in people's profiles. I'd be happy to pledge to review any story or chapter that I reach the end of. I already do that anyway. But if I can't make it far enough into the story to see the "Review this..." button, it ain't happening. :-)

:) Fair enough. Do you want to go talk in Randomness? I'm extremely bored.

But if I can't make it far enough into the story to see the "Review this..." button, it ain't happening. :-)

that's how i've always operated... i feel *reading* a story obligates me to review it, especially but not exclusively when I enjoyed it... but I can't believe clicking on a story obligates me to read it anymore than picking up a book at the library and reading the first sentence means I have to check it out, or I wouldn't be able to use this site. Usually I can tell by the first sentence/paragraph whether I want to actually read it a lot; and when I'm actively searching for a good story, I frequently hit the back button after the first couple words if it doesn't capture my attention~ we only have so much time in life and I really don't feel like wasting mine reading bad fan fiction (...unless it's really, really entertainingly bad :P).

I really don't feel like wasting mine reading bad fan fiction (...unless it's really, really entertainingly bad :P).

Every once in a while I find myself staring at the screen, unable to look away. Then I'll suddenly wake up, ask myself what is wrong with me, and force myself to close it. I always feel slightly... unclean... after this.

Usually if I read to the end of the page, it means I did enjoy it on some level at least. I know how to sort the good from the bad, and the bad is usually obvious very quickly. There are too many fics out there to feel obligated to give every single one a chance. If the summary sounds great but the writing is awful, I just move on, because chances are there are at least a hundred other fics with a very similar theme, plot/premise, pairing, or whatever it is that drew me in. I like the library analogy.

But if I can't make it far enough into the story to see the "Review this..." button, it ain't happening. :-)

LOL That's why I don't have the pledge in my profile. I've reviewed all but four stories I've read. I just couldn't get past the beginnings of the others.

I think it's misleading to post eight at once. People might expect it. People might also be intimidated by the prospect that you can churn out so many chapters that you can post eight at once. Still more will figure it'll be months before an update is available because now you've got nothing saved for the intervals between.

And on your end, you can keep your fic on the front page of the fandom for a while if you just keep posting a new chapter every time it falls off. I kept one of mine on the front page for three weeks (not HP; less popular fandom) this way, and I only had three chapters (it was a three-shot). I've also kept postings of my multichaptered fic behind where I actually am so I can think things over before posting, just in case I find I need to change or add things in past chapters because of something happening in a future chapter. It doesn't happen often, but it's happened before. It also makes it so that RL slamming me doesn't necessarily affect me readers.

As for people just reviewing the last chapter, yes, this is bound to happen now. They don't usually say much, but they will read until there's nothing left to read, then review the one time. This isn't everyone, but a lot of reviewers do this since all they really say is "I liked it." Who's going to say that eight times in a row?

If someone posts several chapters at once, and it's a good story, I have a tendency to get into the plot and not want to stop to write a review. But by the time I'm done reading I don't remember each individual chapter, and I'm not wanting to re-read to remember details I liked and such. So, I'll review, but it will be all-encompassing.

See, this is why I write my reviews while I'm reading the fic. My brain can handle the minor in and outs required for this without really breaking up the story, but I can't remember a thing after I've gotten past it. If I tried to review after reading, all I'd be able to come up with is '....I liked it, but there's some stuff that looked wrong'. Not very helpful to an aspiring writer.

Besides, we always like to meet new people. Oh god that sounded totally creeper-like of me. :S

It's only creeper-like if you gaze keeps wandering down. We're up here. XD

I have a question, not so much for advice as out of interest: how do you feel about OCs? Usually when I see one they just seem odd and out of place to me, and I tend not to like them.

I have nothing against OCs, I just find that most people don't really know how to build a character. Besides, they KNOW the CCs, but the OCs are strangers to the authors most of the time. And it shows.

But I've seen good OCs. I've also noticed that the authors who write good OCs, also write the CCs well, but the ones with bad OCs usually don't do the CCs well either, just not as badly.

As for a difference between reading and writing OCs, all I can say is that I KNOW my OCs when I put them in (unless they are minor characters I made up on the spot), but I don't know other people's OCs, so there is a difference. Probably not the one you are talking about though. My interpretation of a fandom and it's rules are pretty maleable, so I don't really notice the introduction of new characters. I read fics assuming that characters I've never heard of before could just be obscure CCs I just don't know the fandom enough to know. So they only look out of place when the author has no idea what they are doing.

Exactly how much they irk me depends on what they're there for.

I've had two people ask me about my OCs because they didn't remember seeing them in the series I had put them in. They actually thought they were looking at CCs, they were so good. I really think people need to start creating their characters with the fandom in mind, that way they don't look so out of place. I've seen people wondering which fandom their OCs fit into best, and it really makes me think they won't fit well anywhere. Mine have always been created with the fandom they fit into in mind. The one occasion when I didn't create an OC in the same spirit as the fandom I stuck her into was the one occasion I put an OC into a fandom that didn't even fic with all its other versions. The Teen Titans have a really stupid, wacky cartoon that even includes talking heads and thought bubbles, so I retconned the fandom itself to fit more into the rest of the DC universe, then stuck her in, perfectly tailored to the DCU.

Also, I treat all characters in my fics the same. No one gets more or less spotlight unless the fic is actually about them, which usually I make the fics about a CC. I did make one fic about a group of CCs and a couple OCs, but they all share the spotlight equally. And I never stop the plot. Anything else and even I'd lose interest in the fic. I honestly don't know how Suethors do it.

Romance between OCs and canon characters is definitely the worst annoyance.

What would you say about an OC crushing on a CC, but the CC is uncomfortable with it and tries really hard to pretend not to notice? I thought that scene was really funny. I can't wait to start writing more of them.

I remember reading one story that had Gryffindor's son show up for the final battle through magic portals so he could beat people up with a flaming sword. Groan sounds about right.

Eyeroll. They would've had better luck if they got the Order together to cast a spell on Voldemort that creates an 'evil' (or in case, good) twin for him to fight, then lose to. It sounds less...convenient. And there's no Mary Sue (hopefully).

I'll be back later to reply to the rest. (sorry this is so long, you guys were busy while I was gone!)

I think it's misleading to post eight at once. People might expect it. People might also be intimidated by the prospect that you can churn out so many chapters that you can post eight at once. Still more will figure it'll be months before an update is available because now you've got nothing saved for the intervals between.

I disagree. When I come across a brand new story, the more is written the more likely I am to commit to following it. Eight chapters (or even two or three) would, to me, indicate that the author knows what s/he is doing with the plot and isn't just writing off the top of the head with no planning. It also gives me a chance to see how the plot develops and get a sense of the writing style. Finally, it shows a certain amount of commitment by the author toward finishing the story. If the plot looks like it's going to require 30 or more chapters to cover, like a Severitus or something like that, then I'd like to see some evidence that it has a chance of getting finished. I figure if the author posts eight chapters, that's a better indication than if it's just a 1,000-word first chapter. New stories pop up all the time (I found six new Severitus stories since my last search a few weeks ago), and until there's more than just a first chapter up, I don't even bother with them, just put them on Alert and wait for some further proof that it's worth my time to read them.

I do agree, though, that most readers would only review the final chapter, so if reviews are wanted for the first chapters, it's best to put some time between uploading them.

Well, I'll check out the story, and if it's something that interests me, I'll leave a review for an earlier chapter as well as the last one (which is what I, like most readers, usually do).

But I've seen good OCs. I've also noticed that the authors who write good OCs, also write the CCs well, but the ones with bad OCs usually don't do the CCs well either, just not as badly.

Nothing worse than a bad writer writing OCs, in my opinion. I think some very good writers get away with OCs, some that even have Mary Sueish qualities, but a writer who can't even get the canon characters right is not going to pull it off.

In the HP fandom I see no reason for OCs, as there are so many characters, including some that got mentioned once and have no info about them. Using one of those is far better than creating an OC from scratch, and they don't stick out as much.

Personally, I don't like OCs at all. I never manage to forget that they are OCs, and I end up always having this nasty suspicion that the author is going to eventually do something incredibly lame.

But I've seen good OCs. I've also noticed that the authors who write good OCs, also write the CCs well, but the ones with bad OCs usually don't do the CCs well either, just not as badly.

Writing OCs takes a lot of practise, patience and willingness to sit back and acually plan, I think. Most of my stories have at least one, and the first two I wrote, I thought I had the OCs mapped out well, but ended up turning them into Sues and confusing half my readers. So the next OC-based story I wrote, I pretty much wrote three-quarters of the story before I even thought about uploading it. That way I could go back and edit little details and make sure it was all consistent. If you think about how much effort is required to write a decent original story, it's about the same for OC-based and AU fanfics. You have to be able to introduce the character/universe so that the reader can get to know both properly without interrupting the plot, and that isn't an easy thing to do.

I'm pretty open to read almost any fanfic that's out there, but if the characters aren't written well, I lose interest pretty quickly, even if the story is written well otherwise and has a good plot.

In the HP fandom I see no reason for OCs, as there are so many characters, including some that got mentioned once and have no info about them. Using one of those is far better than creating an OC from scratch, and they don't stick out as much.

This is really only true for the 'Golden Trio' era. Authors who want to write Next Generation or Marauder fics, for example, frequently have to call on large numbers of OCs, especially for Next Gen. And unless the writer is really good, they can frequently go over the top in their interpretation of those characters we know next to nothing about, making the characterisation worse than if they had just put an OC in there.

This is really only true for the 'Golden Trio' era. Authors who want to write Next Generation or Marauder fics, for example, frequently have to call on large numbers of OCs, especially for Next Gen.

Marauder Era fics do not need OCs. In fact, those are often the very worst offenders in terms of Mary Sues. Most OCs end up being romantic interests, the worst type of Mary Sue, since the only time an OC is required is when a romantic interest is wanted for the canon characters (due to a lack of canon females).

I don't read Next Gen and Founders fics, but aren't there about a billion spawn of canon characters that were in the Epilogue or Rowling's interviews?

I'm pretty open to read almost any fanfic that's out there, but if the characters aren't written well, I lose interest pretty quickly, even if the story is written well otherwise and has a good plot.

Same here. Characters drive the story, and almost any plot works for me if the characters are written well.

And unless the writer is really good, they can frequently go over the top in their interpretation of those characters we know next to nothing about, making the characterisation worse than if they had just put an OC in there.

This is exactly what I was about to say. It always amuses me that people will read fic about canon characters that are nothing more than a name, and even next gen characters, when those characters are basically OCs anyway.

It always amuses me that people will read fic about canon characters that are nothing more than a name, and even next gen characters, when those characters are basically OCs anyway.

And yet, many people who will happily read these refuse point-blank to read any story that contains an OC, because they assume it will be a Sue. Hypocritical, much? I mean, let's imagine for a moment that Astoria Greengrass was never mentioned at all by Jo Rowling. That would mean any writer wanting to pair a character by that name with any 'sober' characters (ie, we know something other than their name from the books) would be blatantly writing an OC. But somehow, the one mention she gets on Jo's website, several months after the release of the final book, makes her sufficiently canon for some readers to change their mind and read the story.

Lately, I've gotten kind of sick of only finding Rose/Scorpius or Lily/Scorpius romances on this site, so I started writing a romance where the object of Scorpius' affections is the niece of a canon character, but an OC nonetheless. And what, honestly, is wrong with that? I have just as much work to do to ensure said OC is well written as I would if I were using a canon character, seeing as we know virtually nothing about the next generation.

This is exactly what I was about to say. It always amuses me that people will read fic about canon characters that are nothing more than a name, and even next gen characters, when those characters are basically OCs anyway.

This is the reason I can't get into Next Gen fics. There's just not enough there to make me care about these characters. I don't mind, of course, that other people like them. I can even see the appeal of having basically a clean slate to work with. It's just that as a reader I'd rather spend my time reading a fic about characters I feel like I know and I'm attached to.

And yet, many people who will happily read these refuse point-blank to read any story that contains an OC, because they assume it will be a Sue. Hypocritical, much? I mean, let's imagine for a moment that Astoria Greengrass was never mentioned at all by Jo Rowling. That would mean any writer wanting to pair a character by that name with any 'sober' characters (ie, we know something other than their name from the books) would be blatantly writing an OC. But somehow, the one mention she gets on Jo's website, several months after the release of the final book, makes her sufficiently canon for some readers to change their mind and read the story.

To me, personally, the fact that the writer used a canon character (even an unknown) instead of making one up, is like a clue that the writer might be at least considering the evil of Mary Sues, and making at least a small effort to try to avoid writing one. It's not a guarantee that it won't be a Mary Sue anyway, but it's a "good sign." Again, just my opinion.

I personally don't read very many stories that are not about well-known canon characters, although I have a soft spot for a few less well-known ones, but if it was a choice between, let's say, a fic with Mandy Brocklehurst and a fic with a Jasmine Charisma Welles... I'll take Mandy. Mandy may not have been mentioned except in one line of book 1, but she belongs in the HP world. The Jasmine stands out like a sore thumb. In fact, it may turn out that the Jasmine is written very well and Mandy morphs into Mary, but it's one way to pick between stories... since there is no way I can possibly read everything.

And what, honestly, is wrong with that? I have just as much work to do to ensure said OC is well written as I would if I were using a canon character, seeing as we know virtually nothing about the next generation.

Nothing... but what's wrong with not wanting to read that? Some people have somehow (a mystery to me) gotten attached to Scorpius/Lily and such, so they might not want to pair him with anyone else. And some might not read it because of the OC. We all have different likes/dislikes and we all have different criteria for picking which fics to read. We CAN'T read them all, or even give all of them enough of a chance to see if they're good or not. Everyone picks and chooses what they will and won't read, and I guess sometimes the criteria sounds "unfair" when written out bluntly in terms of "I would NEVER read a fic with ____."

Oh, well, I didn't mean to start an argument about it... it was all just my personal opinion. Sorry if anyone's feelings got hurt.

:-)

:) This is hardly an argument. To me it just seems like a heated discussion, but I'm really liking this. It's been a while since we've had an intense discussion about Harry Potter and/or writing.

I just think too many people are too narrow minded. For example, I don't read slash if I can help it, but if the summary sounds interesting enough, I'll probably still give the story a chance. I've found some really good fics on here that are well outside of what I normally like to read. It doesn't mean I'll instantly start looking out for similar stories, but I prefer to at least try it before I pass judgement. You do have to be a very good writer to pull of any OC- or AU-related story, but that doesn't mean nobody can, and I guess that's the point I was trying to make.

This is hardly an argument. To me it just seems like a heated discussion, but I'm really liking this. It's been a while since we've had an intense discussion about Harry Potter and/or writing.

Yeah, but since I'm new here I figure it isn't that great to get into an "intense discussion" right away :-)

I just think too many people are too narrow minded. For example, I don't read slash if I can help it, but if the summary sounds interesting enough, I'll probably still give the story a chance. I've found some really good fics on here that are well outside of what I normally like to read. It doesn't mean I'll instantly start looking out for similar stories, but I prefer to at least try it before I pass judgement. You do have to be a very good writer to pull of any OC- or AU-related story, but that doesn't mean nobody can, and I guess that's the point I was trying to make.

I do actually give stories a chance when I have some good reason to. If I'm just browsing and see a story with an OC, I'm not going to open it, but if I see it recommended or it's by an author I like, I might. I've read a few Next Gen fics that way, even though I have no interest in them. Like I said, I don't have time to give everything a chance, so there's no avoiding passing judgment to sort through what's available.

Yeah, but since I'm new here I figure it isn't that great to get into an "intense discussion" right away :-)

Um, no. In fact, this is exactly what the forum needs right now. You should go over to our other threads too. We'd love to see what else you guys can cook up. ;)

possibly the best done OC story I've EVER read, and certainly the most convincingly pulled off OC-romance-with-an in-character canon-character, however short-lived the romance may be:

Lady Altair's oneshot Kicking Down Castles, which, like all her stories, pretty much brilliant :)

further proof it CAN be done. and quite brilliantly, at that.

i think it comes down to the motivations for reading fanfiction. when i was 14-15 and horrified by Sirius being killed off, I was all for reading those OC stories where he encountered some Muggle girl as a dog or reuninted with a past love post-Azkaban; he was a character I cared about and I liked reading fics where he made out all right back then; and AUs where James & Lily for some reason survived and the whole world was changed as a result. it was as my own writing improved and reading expanded that I came to like bittersweet endings better than purely happy ones (not that I don't love some good fluff now and again, but generally some balance feels more honest to life)... i guess Harry Potter-wise I've always been more a Marauders-era fic reader, which led into me getting hooked on the First Order, who are just so... well, doomed. :P

in many ways first Order fics, with not much more than names, deaths, and educated guesses to go on, are a bit like OC-fics, in that every author has different takes on them, though they often fall along similar lines or with a similar inner core to the characters. and it's also a hit or miss thing depending on writing ability. but since they usually have ready-made ties to canon characters we care about (ala the Prewetts- Molly's brothers, uncles to all the Weasley kids, and with names that just beg you to associate them with Fred and George), or even just their cause (paralleling Harry, fighting Voldemort, alongside Lily, James, the Longbottoms, for Dumbledore, etc. ).

it's much easier to get away with/accept OCs in the older/ next-gen era, just because to really flesh such fics out, yeah, other characters need to be thrown in, even for minor parts. even if someone IS writing a Scorpius/Rose fic, well, if it's going to go on for a while and at Hogwarts, they need friends, housemates, ANYONE to talk to other than Rose's cousins, so they have to drum up a couple people... usually with canon last names.

for me as a reader, at least, a canon last name always smooths the transition of an OC into the Harry Potter universe. Unless their last name's "Dumbledore."

good point about Astoria, but in that case, I think if J.K. hadn't mentioned it, within just the faithful-to-book-canon segment of writers, you'd have a whole group of people still writing Draco/OC stories, some maybe even with familiar last names like Greengrass, along with a whole bunch of (happier) Draco/Pansy fans and oh, probably some Draco/Susan Bones or whatever non-taken canon girl happened to be handy. actually, we might've seen some Draco/Daphne Greengrass, since she was one of the only other Slytherin girls we knew of. J.K. just sort of... standardized it. and i can see why a lot of fanfic writers are bothered by people holding strictly to that, since it removed a LOT of possibilities, but it does also open an interesting kind of connectivity between the stories- ok, so this happened, how'd they get there? and you end up with a whole group of Draco/Astoria fans even though Astoria never even got a name-drop in the complete series! ;D

personally, nowadays, when I want to read well-written, brand new characters, I just go find an original book. i read fanfiction when i want to continue to follow characters I know, or further develop minor, often even very minor, characters whose lives and role I was left curious about... and when original characters can play a believable, well-written part in an episode in those characters' lives, or I suppose if original characters were used to explore an untouched aspect of the world of the books (I would read, say, a fic that followed a Quidditch team or a short fic that dealt with another country in the wizarding world, and so on...)

Just popping in here to totally second the rec for Kicking Down Castles, which is absolutely amazing. :)

Almost all the OCs I use in any major capacity I am very familiar with. I've been daydreaming about who they are for up to ten years, and I know each of them like the back of my hand. A few recent ones are very far removed from the personalities that spawned them though. I write multiple versions of every character because my stories deal with a lot of parallel universes, so a 'new character' isn't necessarily that unfamiliar. Usually I only change a few things in a character's recent history before introducing them and watch them transform into a wildly different character, which is easy since I could pretty much do the same thing with any familiar version. But there are some whose recent history is so incredibly different that I can't really treat them as the same base person. They have nothing at all in common and are effectively a different character.

I've got two of those in a recent fic, but I did have about a year to flesh out their personalities. Any less than that and I don't let them be any more than walk-ons and supporting characters built for that specific role.

That way I could go back and edit little details and make sure it was all consistent. If you think about how much effort is required to write a decent original story, it's about the same for OC-based and AU fanfics. You have to be able to introduce the character/universe so that the reader can get to know both properly without interrupting the plot, and that isn't an easy thing to do.

That's very true. ALL my fics are AU, and a couple have OC's as main characters and I've had to really think about what I was doing every single time. Where I was going, where I'd been and how I hoped to get there, taking into account how the characters would let me get there. Although I don't think I need to write ahead more than a couple of chapters. But then again, the way I write is so different from everyone else that it just may be that my methodology makes it inherently easier.

I'm pretty open to read almost any fanfic that's out there, but if the characters aren't written well, I lose interest pretty quickly, even if the story is written well otherwise and has a good plot.

If the quality of any aspect of a fic is poor enough, they usually lose me. It doesn't matter what it is. I have good read fics that might as well have been original for all I knew about the fandom, and I've liked them almost as much as mediocre fics in my favorite fandoms!

Marauder Era fics do not need OCs. In fact, those are often the very worst offenders in terms of Mary Sues. Most OCs end up being romantic interests, the worst type of Mary Sue, since the only time an OC is required is when a romantic interest is wanted for the canon characters (due to a lack of canon females).

What about other classmates? Come on, you can't expect people to write a believable fic where the only schoolmates are all teachers and other known adults of the same approximate age!

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