Maya's handy dandy guide on how NOT to write a fanfic.

[Yamamaya]

After reading many many fanfics, I have noticed a pattern of mistakes(as I'm sure all fanfic readers and writers have) that just drive me bonkers.

So I decided to compile a list of things you should not do when writing fanfics. Feel free to contribute a few more rules.

No 1: Spelling. I've noticed several spelling errors that tend to repeat a lot in fanfic. One of them is spelling they're or they are as their. The second involves saying were instead of where, and other random mistakes. Rarely is the spelling error over a complex word. It's mostly over very simple words that can easily be fixed. One spelling error is not going to kill you, but a "patrn off bad speling can hut u." The simple way to fix this is to use the dictionary. Look up words that you aren't sure of. Most of all, make sure to look over your work a few times just for grammatical and spelling errors.

No 2: Pairings. I'll admit, pairing fanfics are a bit of a guilty pleasure of mine; however, when you see the same mistakes made over and over and over, it gets a little tiring. One fanfic I recently read was a Rosario+Vampire/Spiderman crossover. It took the author no time at all to make both the characters Mizore and Kurumu fall head over heels in love with Spidey. If you're going to write a romance fanfic, please try to make the relationships believable. Have the characters go through experiences with each other. Have them learn about each other. Good love takes time to blossom.

No 3: OOC. I'm not one to complain that much about characters being "out of character." Mainly because it is impossible for someone to write one character in exactly the same way the creator wrote the character. Everyone brings their own experience and opinions to the table when they write fanfics. However, let's try to avoid making characters the exact opposite of what they are in canon material. For example, don't turn the nice guy Hideki from Chobits into a complete monster who enjoys eating kittens for breakfast. If you do, people aren't going to take your fanfic as seriously.

[Okami]

4. Deriving from #1, the over-use of the Thesaurus (especially one in-document!) Check to make sure that all words you use are intentional, and mean what you want them to mean. Don't just use these words to "spice up" your writing and then have it all melt down.

[TWWK]

No. 5: Most fanfics need to include dialogue. Even if you feel your dialogue is awkward and unrealistic, it's something you can work with and edit. Without it, your piece is likely to be monotonous and difficult to read.

[Nate]

No. 5: Most fanfics need to include dialogue. Even if you feel your dialogue is awkward and unrealistic, it's something you can work with and edit. Without it, your piece is likely to be monotonous and difficult to read.

What if you're writing a Gon fanfic?

[TWWK]

What if you're writing a Gon fanfic?

Don't. Just...don't.

[samurai10]

Thanks for the tips guys! ^_^ *saves for later reference*

I'm writing a fanfic right now, and these'll help me. ^_^

[Atria35]

Something that I've noticed that I think needs to be commented on:

6. Punctuation is critical. One should know the proper uses of periods, commas, dashes, and those little things called ellipses. Do not forget to capitalize, and please write whole sentences.

Example of ellipses: ....

6. A) Do NOT capitalize everything that a person is saying, even if they're yelling. Such can be implied by other cues within the text. All-caps is obnoxious.

[Yamamaya]

Another tip.

No 7: Don't write hate fics. Just because you hate a certain character does not mean that you should write a fic that accentuates all the negative traits of a character or adds negative traits that never existed to begin with. Writing a hate fic makes you seem silly and petty.

[rocklobster]

8. Get a book on grammar.
9. No Mary Sues or variations thereof.
10. Use curse words sparingly, unless you have a character who can't stop cursing.
11. Use sex scenes only if they're extremely necessary, especially rape scenes.

[Atria35]

11. Use sex scenes only if they're extremely necessary, especially rape scenes.

QFT.

In fact, I will go so far with the rape to say: It's not a good plot point. 95% of rape and the aftermath of such is protrayed inaccurately and in highly insulting ways to those who've actually experienced it. Do not use rape unless you have done tons of research, talked with victims, and truly have no other course for your character.

[steenajack]

12) No Mary Sues or Gary Stews. Those type of charaters are very, VERY annoying. To find out if your OC is suffering from any of this, check out this:
http://forum.fanfiction.net/forum/Mary_Sues_Annonymous/48272/

I found this very helpful indeed.

[Atria35]

9. No Mary Sues or variations thereof.

12) No Mary Sues or Gary Stews.

Wow, two people posted it! I'm guessing that means we don't like Mary's and Gary's!

[Yuki-Anne]

Hey, have you guys ever seen "spork," which is when people take really bad fanfiction and essentially pull an MST3k on it, editing in their own commentary in bold text? A few years back I was really into that. I even sporked one of my own Mary Sue fanfictions from when I was too young to know any better.

[Yamamaya]

On the note of Mary Sues, a character can be a self insert without being a Mary Sue as long as they don't gain control of the entire universe, be instantly loved by everyone, or lack any form of character flaws.

Generally anytime a self insert becomes the main focus of the fanfic, they turn into Gary/Mary Sues.

[Ante Bellum]

Hey, have you guys ever seen "spork," which is when people take really bad fanfiction and essentially pull an MST3k on it, editing in their own commentary in bold text? A few years back I was really into that. I even sporked one of my own Mary Sue fanfictions from when I was too young to know any better.

I've only read a My Immortal commentary my roommate did. After I read it, I shared it with some friends, who quoted it in their Facey Space statuses for a while.

[Nate]

Also, probably don't do crossovers. Crossovers can sometimes be pulled off well, but most of the time they are not. Usually someone ends up OOC, the two series are too vastly different in tone to fit together (Monster and Super Milk-Chan would not work well, due to the seriousness of the former and the goofiness of the latter), and the "mechanics" of how the world works don't mesh well (a Bleach/Death Note crossover would not work because of the conflicting nature of the afterlife of both series).

Finally, most crossovers would require tired old tropes and contrivances to work, such as "accidentally crossed into another dimension/parallel universe/went back in time/we lived in the same city our whole lives but never heard of each other."

It just doesn't work most of the time.

[Yuki-Anne]

I've only read a My Immortal commentary my roommate did. After I read it, I shared it with some friends, who quoted it in their Facey Space statuses for a while.

Oh man, My Immortal doesn't even NEED any commentary. It stands alone either as a masterpiece example of horrifically bad writing, or as the most brilliant piece of trolling ever conceived by man.

[Nanao]

Re-read your writing, preferably more that twice. And, leave time between your writing and your editing. If you try to edit too soon you have a tendency to miss little mistakes. Try reading the story out loud. It helps you to catch words that you may have over used.

Try to get someone else beta read for you. A fresh set of eyes is always helpful and ultimately it will make you a better writer. My beta readers have helped my writing immensely ^_^

[Sapphire225]

Avoid self-insertions as much as you can, especially in the romance category of many fanfiction genres as it immediately chases a reader away and comes across as someone who desperately wants to live in that world. I mean, we all do, but don't make yourself too major a character when you can, or you'll be seen as a Mary Sue.

Also, make believable OCs. Not too Mary Sue and not too Plain Jane. The more realistic an OC is to a plot, the more accepted they will be.

And never...EVER...use all caps to illustrate when someone is yelling, or to point out certain verbs or terminology to signify it as important. A simple exclamation mark or italics (and sometimes bold print) can do that just fine.

[bkilbour]

Rule #783;
If it has been explained or done before in the comic.... don't repeat it.
Edward Elric doesn't have to explain why his arm and leg are missing again, and Goku doesn't have to get into a battle with omega shenron the exact same way he did in the anime and manga.

note; it's still okay to parody a scene, as long as you aren't wasting time.

[K. Ayato]

I was guilty of this a few times in the past, but try to avoid creating an OC simply for the sake of falling in love with your favorite character. The temptation is great, no denying, and one can develop a realistic romance plot with said characters. If you must write a fanfic of that nature, keep it from being too sugary.

[Sapphire225]

Ayato, I think all fanfic-writers at one point have been guilty of this. I know I'm one of them. That's why writing is a learning experience.