Fanfiction writing allows fans of books, movies, TV shows, and other media to expand on existing stories by creating their own new tales featuring favorite characters. Writing compelling fanfiction requires creativity, attention to detail, and strong writing skills. This guide provides tips and advice on how to write an engaging fanfiction story within your favorite fandom.
How to Choose a Fandom to write Fanfiction
The first step is picking which media franchise you want to write fanfiction for. Consider books, movies, TV series, anime, video games, comics, etc. that you are extremely passionate about and know inside and out. Writing fanfic for a fandom you love will make the process more fun and rewarding. Think about what specific aspects draw you in—the characters, themes, relationships, worldbuilding, etc. Focusing on elements you find most intriguing will help generate ideas to write fanfiction.
Some popular fandoms for fanfiction include:
- Harry Potter – Wizarding world with vivid characters that mature over time
- Marvel – Superheroes with complex backstories and relationships
- Star Wars – Sprawling space opera with endless story potential
- Lord of the Rings – Intricate fantasy world that lends itself to exploration
- Sherlock Holmes – Great modern character dynamics open to reinterpretation
- Supernatural – Urban fantasy elements with devoted fan following
- Avatar: The Last Airbender – Creative magic system and detailed world culture
- Doctor Who – Time travel creates infinite possibilities
Don’t just default to the most mainstream fandoms. Consider exploring a lesser-known work you personally connect with. The most important factor is choosing a world and cast of characters that inspire your imagination.
Researching Canon Source Material
Once you’ve chosen a fandom, take time to thoroughly research the canon source material. Read/watch/play through the original works closely, taking notes on key details like:
- Character biographies, personalities, quirks, backgrounds
- Important relationships between characters
- Sequence of events in the storyline
- Rules of how the fictional world operates
- Descriptions of settings like locations, technology, architecture
- Socio-cultural context like politics, history, prejudices
- Any supernatural, mythical or sci-fi elements
- Memorable lines of dialogue or quotations
Immersing yourself in exhaustive canon review will help you craft a fanfic that feels seamlessly connected to the original work rather than contradicting it. Don’t just rely on memory – dive deep with firsthand observation. Highlight or bookmark particularly useful details you might want to reference later in your writing.
Choosing a Story Idea
Once familiar with the source material, the fun part begins—brainstorming an original fanfiction idea! Typical starting points include:
Premise “What ifs” – How would the story change if you altered a key event, relationship, or character trait? E.g. “What if Katniss and Peeta both survived the Hunger Games?” or “What if Harry Potter has mental health issues and needs a therapist?”
AUs (Alternate Universes) – Explore a drastically different plotline in a fresh setting, like characters in a modern college vs. their original fantasy world.
Missing scenes – Expand on events that happened “off screen” in the original story. E.g. Ginny’s first year at Hogwarts.
Backstories – Create origin stories exploring how characters became who they are. E.g. Kylo Ren’s path to the dark side.
Crossovers – Blend two fictional worlds and character ensembles. E.g. a case that requires Sherlock Holmes and Hercule Poirot to team up.
Ship fics – Focus on non-canon romantic relationships readers wish existed. E.g. Hermione Granger/Luna Lovegood.
Role reversal – Switch main and minor character roles. E.g. Making Neville Longbottom the Boy Who Lived instead of Harry.
For want of a nail – Spin a storyline from a tiny canon detail. E.g. a fic focused on Harry Potter’s lost sock.
Once you have a concept, expand it into a full narrative arc with a beginning, middle, climax, and resolution. Outline major plot points and consider how long you intend the story to be – a quick drabble, extended epic, or multi-chapter work. Make sure your idea aligns with the tone and spirit of the original fandom.
Developing Original Characters
While most fanfiction focuses on established canon characters, you may want to develop some original characters (OCs) to inhabit supporting roles. Here are tips for crafting effective OCs:
- Ensure they serve the story vs. distracting from canon characters
- Avoid “Mary Sue” traits like perfection, unique powers, central roles
- Give them clear motivations, flaws, and abilities that complement canon characters
- Develop unique, non-clichéd backstories connecting them to the fandom
- Make their dialogue and behavior fit the canon setting
- Show canon characters responding to them in believable ways
- Don’t let OCs hijack the storyline from protagonists
With thoughtful development, original characters can enrich your fanfic rather than detracting from the appeal of familiar canonical figures.
Choosing Point of View and Tense
Two key technical decisions in writing fanfiction are which perspective and tense to use.
Point of view options:
- First person – Immersive POV of one character
- Third person limited – Follows a single character
- Third person omniscient – Shifts between perspectives
- Second person – Uncommon but puts “you” in the driver’s seat
Tense options:
- Present tense – Unfolding in real-time
- Past tense – Recollecting events afterward
- Present shifting to past – Mix of concurrent and retrospective
Many fanfics use third person past tense to match the original works. But experiment to find the POV and tense that best fits your story.
Outlining the Plot
Before you start writing, map out your plot in detail to maintain cohesive storytelling. Outline all major events from start to finish including:
- Hook – Opening scene that introduces conflicts and mysteries
- Exposition – Backstory and worldbuilding foundation
- Inciting incident – Catalyst that kickstarts the central arc
- Rising action – Escalating conflict, stakes, and character interactions
- Climax – Height of tension where conflicts are resolved
- Falling action – Loose ends are addressed moving toward the resolution
- Resolution – Final glimpse of character futures and takeaways
Flexible outlines help you stay on track while still allowing for spontaneity in drafting specific scenes. Adjust the outline as needed, but maintain your overall intended storyline.
Writing Engaging Narrative
With an outline in hand, it’s time to start writing! Here are tips for crafting immersive narrative:
Show don’t tell – Rely more on vivid sensory details than explanatory statements.
Active voice – Use precise verbs that drive momentum and immediacy.
Vary sentence structure – Combine short, punchy sentences with longer descriptive ones.
Paragraph length – Break text into readable chunks using white space.
Pacing – Balance action with slower introspective scenes.
Setting descriptions – Help readers feel transported with in-depth sensory worldbuilding.
Inner thoughts/feelings – Convey characters’ emotions and interpret events through their lens.
Keep moving forward – Advance the story toward the climax rather than getting bogged down.
Cliffhangers – Insert chapter breaks at tense moments to propel readers forward.
Developing Three-Dimensional Characters
Authentic characterization is vital for impactful fanfiction. Ask yourself:
- Are canon characters behaving “in character” based on source material?
- If evolved from canon, are the changes believable based on intervening backstory?
- Do characters have individualized voices, worldviews, and motivations?
- Are characters proactive drivers of the story rather than passive observers?
- Do relationships and interactions feel organic rather than forced?
- Are characters confronted with difficult moral dilemmas or inner conflicts?
- Do characters experience realistic emotional reactions to events?
- Are supporting OCs seamlessly blended into the canonical ensemble?
Ideally, the characters should take on a life of their own beyond what you initially imagined. Let them guide the process through their authentic motivations and behaviors within the circumstances you create.
Handling Sensitive Topics
Fanfiction often explores mature themes like sex, violence, abuse, discrimination, trauma, addiction, and mental illness. When tackling sensitive subjects:
- Thoroughly research the topic to avoid perpetuating harmful misconceptions. Consult with people who have lived experiences.
- Focus on emotional truth and character agency rather than gratuitous shock value.
- Avoid demonizing or marginalizing impacted groups. Don’t rely on negative stereotypes.
- Provide warnings upfront for triggering/explicit content so readers can opt out.
- Consider whether traumatic experiences are plot devices vs. explored with nuance.
- Be compassionate depicting struggles while not presenting victimhood as destiny.
- Leave room for hope, recovery, understanding, and characters reclaiming power.
Addressing challenging themes requires insight, discretion, and empathy. But don’t shy away from exploring the lived complexities of characters from all backgrounds.
Crafting Immersive Worldbuilding
While fanfiction relies on an established universe, you still need to immerse readers in the world through descriptive details including:
- History, politics, prejudice relevant to the plot
- Daily life, technology, clothing, currency, food, jobs
- Geographic locales like architecture, weather, environment
- Supernatural, futuristic, or magical elements
- Sensory details like sights, smells, textures
- Culture, norms, values, gender roles, hierarchies
Weave in worldbuilding organically rather than dumping dense exposition. Use vivid language that makes the setting feel real, lived-in, and consistent with canon.
Writing believable dialogue
Dialogue brings characters to life. Tips for crafting organic conversations:
- Mimic the diction, vocabulary levels, and speaking styles of individual characters
- Avoid having characters give lengthy speeches – intersperse narrative
- Make dialogues serve the story rather than rattling off pleasantries
- Allow each character’s distinct personality to shine through
- Include subtext and emotional undertones beneath the spoken words
- Vary sentence structures and syntax for different characters
- Use banter and conflict to drive storytelling and reveal relationships
- Incorporate canon vocabulary, humor, and references
Formatting and Polishing
The finishing touches of proofreading and editing vastly improve story quality. Key formatting tips:
- Break text into readable paragraph chunks
- Italicize thoughts, emphases, media names, letters
- Use single quotation marks for quotes and dialogue
- Capitalize character names and titles (no full cap sentences)
- Adhere to grammar rules for punctuation, spelling, syntax
- Cite any referenced material using endnotes or hyperlinks
Proofread thoroughly or use beta readers to locate errors. Refine phrasing that disrupts flow. Format consistently.
Finding Beta Readers
Beta readers provide helpful feedback on fanfiction drafts. Useful traits in a beta include:
- Thorough knowledge of the fandom
- Reading your full work and noting overarching issues
- Eye for plot holes, inconsistencies, pacing issues
- Attention to grammar, wording, spelling errors
- Respectful constructive criticism on weaknesses
- Encouragement about story strengths
- Understanding your overall vision and intent
Listen to beta suggestions while still trusting your creative instincts – you don’t need to implement every proposed change.
Sharing Your Fanfiction
Once your fanfiction story is polished, it’s time to publish! Popular fanfic platforms include:
- AO3 – Archive of Our Own. Organized tags. Downloadable works.
- FanFiction.Net – One of the oldest fanfic sites. Extensive user base.
- Wattpad – Broad audience beyond fanfic readers. Multimedia integration.
- LiveJournal/Dreamwidth – Long-running blogging/social platforms with active fan communities.
- Tumblr – Fandom hub for sharing fanfiction via reblogging.
- Discord – Active fanfic reader/writer groups and servers.
- Your own website – Total creative control but smallest built-in audience.
Choose the platform that best aligns with your fandom, community, and creative vision.
Engaging With Readers
Sharing your writing allows you to bond with readers who feel connected to the characters and world. Ways to engage your fanfic audience:
- Respond to all comments – be gracious and thankful for reader feedback
- Ask questions to spark discussion and refine ideas for future stories
- Run contests and giveaways related to your fic
- Post teasers and previews of upcoming chapters
- Provide insider commentary on behind-the-scenes choices
- Answer frequently asked questions in author’s notes
- Promote on social media using relevant hashtags and fandom tags
Interacting with supporters will motivate you to continue creating more fanworks. See yourself as part of a creative community versus alone.
Joining Fan Communities
Beyond your own readers, you can connect with the broader fanfic community by:
- Joining Discord servers, forums, and groups focused on your fandom or fanfiction in general
- Following relevant hashtags and participating in Twitter chats
- Attending fan conventions like Comic Con to meet fellow enthusiasts
- Contributing to fanzines that collect fanfiction works
- Taking online workshops or classes on fanfic writing
- Joining a roleplay group to collaboratively write as the characters
- Starting your own podcast, newsletter, or website related to fanfic
The support and friendship of fellow fans will enrich your experience and creativity.
Coping With Criticism
Sharing creative work makes you vulnerable to criticism. Some tips for managing negative feedback:
- Separate subjective critiques of style/content from objective commentary on grammar, etc.
- Consider thoughtful perspectives, but don’t invalidate your creative vision
- Temper emotional reactions before responding to avoid lashing out
- If the source seems biased/unconstructive, moderately weigh the critique
- Discuss debates respectfully – don’t argue or attack others
- If you feel overwhelmed, lean on fellow writers who understand
While feedback can improve your skills, no story will satisfy every reader. Stay true to your own goals and vision.
Avoiding Legal Issues
Fanfiction occupies a gray legal area but is generally accepted if you:
- Don’t directly copy substantial copyrighted excerpts
- Don’t profit from fanfic without permission
- Aren’t outright derogatory toward the source material
- Avoid portraying real people, especially in sexual scenarios
- Don’t include full song lyrics or poetry without permission
Legally, fanfiction generally falls under fair use if it’s free, transformative, and doesn’t harm the commercial value of the original work. Still, comply if rights holders request you remove a story. In most cases you can freely celebrate your fandom!
Conclusion
I hope this guide provided helpful advice on how to write fanfiction. By choosing a fandom you love, brainstorming an original narrative, outlining dynamic characters and events, honing your descriptive writing skills, receiving constructive feedback, and immersing yourself in fan communities, you can craft an engaging fanfic to share with eager readers. Fanfiction offers an empowering way to creatively explore beloved fictional worlds. Now get writing so you can bring your story to life!
