Tips for fanfiction writers (that means YOU)

[Silentcook]

Essentially, if you don't preface the lines with the speaking character's name and you don't write out "actions" for the characters, you're not writing in script format. A lot of people think wrong.
Additionally, "everything on one line" sounds like disgustingly bad formatting, but I refuse to believe those people never heard of paragraphs. It's possible to have speech - prose - speech, as long as the speech is all by the same character, thus:

"Yeah, sure." A glance told me that it was clearly not the case. "Anything you say, Boss."

Doing so cuts down on the amount of line breaks, which is a good thing especially if the lines would be very short, but not doing so doesn't mean you're writing in script format.

[ContinualNaba]

I always did have a problem with condensation.

Minor fogging pun aside, I've always discovered that my issue was the shift from setting to characterization or dialogue or action or whateverhaveyou. I can build the devices, but fitting them together was always a trick I never managed to master. Observations in general by specific characters (Or rather, the notification of which characters observe which point) also bugger me over.

This has been rather interesting, regardless.

[GG Crono]

A good rule of thumb is, I've found, whenever you switch from narrative dialogue and vice-versa, that's generally a good place for a new paragraph.

It can be a bit tricky when you're writing bits with a lot of narrative and little to no dialogue, but in that case, generally the best thing to do is just go with what looks right to you.

[griffon8]

Here's some advice I found for dealing with writer's block.

http://www.thisistrue.com/blog-theres_n ... block.html

[kosherbacon]

http://somnovastudios.org/forum/viewtop ... f=34&t=196

Here's a writing exercise I came up with in a fit of insomnia, for anyone intending to hold onto a character for a long term project. It's away to learn and develop things about a character beyond plugging info into the usual character bio template. Naturally, this wouldn't be something you share with the readers, but rather for your own benefit or the benefit of collaborators.

If you find it useful, enjoy!

[Paladin]

http://mentarushoujo.forumotions.com/t1 ... everything

Here's a writing exercise I came up with in a fit of insomnia, for anyone intending to hold onto a character for a long term project. It's away to learn and develop things about a character beyond plugging info into the usual character bio template. Naturally, this wouldn't be something you share with the readers, but rather for your own benefit or the benefit of collaborators.

If you find it useful, enjoy!

Wow, kosherbacon. That looks rather exhaustive, but definitely looks helpful in defining little details pertaining to a character. Thanks for sharing.

[Homeless]

http://mentarushoujo.forumotions.com/t1 ... everything

Here's a writing exercise I came up with in a fit of insomnia, for anyone intending to hold onto a character for a long term project. It's away to learn and develop things about a character beyond plugging info into the usual character bio template. Naturally, this wouldn't be something you share with the readers, but rather for your own benefit or the benefit of collaborators.

If you find it useful, enjoy!

Any chance we could get this updated? I'd like to try it

[Paladin]

Any chance we could get this updated? I'd like to try it

Really not that hard to modify yourself, when you have a character in mind. Just figure out what aspects you want to use, to define how your character behaves, then write a template to plug all that information into.

[Homeless]

Any chance we could get this updated? I'd like to try it

Really not that hard to modify yourself, when you have a character in mind. Just figure out what aspects you want to use, to define how your character behaves, then write a template to plug all that information into.

I actually was looking at this a while ago, but when I went back to get the template it was gone, (they are moving their forms around or some such) I'd just like the perimeters the questions ask, is all.

[Paladin]

Aha. I see. I grabbed it before this happened, and then made my own version of it, because I probably wouldn't need something that extensive, unless I really got stuck on a particular grey area...

[Beoran]

I'd like to add to this thread a few tips on Japanese culture by adding a few links and paragraphs of information that may be useful:

Japanese etiquette:
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e622.html

Japanese language and japanese names:
http://www.csse.monash.edu.au/~jwb/cgi- ... dic.cgi?1C
For Japanese names, choose ENAMDICT in the drop down box. To search for japanese by sound placean @ mark in from of it.
For exaple to look up Hisao use @Hisao and select ENAMDICT in the dropdown, then search.

Japanese penal code (an easy read, really, nice for stories that involve the law:
http://www.cas.go.jp/jp/seisaku/hourei/data/PC.pdf

How a japanese criminal case goes:
http://www.courts.go.jp/english/proceed ... html#2_6_e
This has also many useful links, particularly to the average sentences handed down, etc.

Japanese funeral customs, for when your character has to die like the rest of us.

And for after that, my impressions about Japanese religious beliefs:

Japanese religious views are surprising and quite eclectic. That's why they say a Japanese person is born as Shinto, marries as a Christian and dies a Buddhist. Therefore, you can use angels in your story, it seems quite a few Japanese do kinda sorta believe in them.

When it comes to the afterlife, from what I've glanced, many Japanese tend to believe in a "Heavenly Land", "Heaven", or "That World". For example, I saw quite a few Japanese TV programs where the death of a person was described euphemistically as their "journey to Heaven." As I understand it, in Japan, Heaven is seen as the peaceful afterlife that mirrors this world, from where the ancestors watch over their offspring, and from where the departed are sometimes reincarnated back into our world. This scene from Fruits Basket, the journey to heaven of Toohru's mom, here is an expression of such beliefs.

Also, it's often felt that through one's own death, one's sins and crimes are punished, expunged and forgiven. Which means that suicide can be seen sometimes as a way to repent or show remorse, not and is not only seen as an an act of despair, but in some cases as and act of repentance. Usually, those who attempt this, will take off their shoes to signify their desire to leave this life. One common method of suicide is to go to a tree, or into a forest, perhaps even Aokigahara, with a rope... Jumping is also not uncommon. Another is to contact other people with similar intentions, sit together in a closed car and light a small barbecue in the back... Cutting seems to be more rare. Guns are almost unobtainable, so they are not used at all like this.

In the case a parent or other close family member dies, many Japanese, would most likely believe that that family member would be watching over them from Heaven. And normally they would set up a high shelf in a prominent place in their living room or in the room they are living, with a photo of the departed in a black frame, offerings of flowers, rice wine or water, and perhaps a bell, incense, etc. In some cases it would even be a small wooden shrine with Buddhist imagery. Most Japanese would make a regular or even daily prayer before that shelf or shrine with claps of their hands and bows to remember the departed.

[Mealforthree]

In the case a parent or other close family member dies, many Japanese, would most likely believe that that family member would be watching over them from Heaven.

That's the most retarded shit ever. Refer to Carlin for further details.

Tip for fanfic writers:

Experiment. There's not enough experimentation with your narrative, people, apply yourself to the stories, don't be afraid to do that and don't limit your artistic licence to a bonus OC.

[Rikabro]

tips on Japanese culture

These links are immensely helpful, especially the etiquette one. Thank you!

I've found researching Japanese culture is surprisingly difficult and the devil is always in the details. I would kill for a list of minutiae of everyday life in Japan, such as food, clothes. And the significant details you wouldn't think would be different but actually are. That kind of thing. You know. The little differences.

[Brogurt]

I just kind of realized that I posted this on /vg/ before, but not here.
http://blog.bioware.com/2012/02/01/stor ... nd-castle/

The main reason for me posting it was to point out statement number 2, which is as follows:

2. DON’T pull your punches. Not every piece of writing needs to be an exercise in emotional turmoil, but if that’s what your writing promises and where you see it going then don’t suddenly veer away and abandon that promise. There could be many reasons to do so. Maybe the idea of such harshness made you sad, or you loved your characters too much to do something so terrible. Trust me: writing is not meant to be a pleasant endeavour, not when you do it well. Some may accuse you of sadism, but they’ll love you all the more for it… and those characters of yours? If they could talk to you, they would not thank you for sparing them, for in gratifying yourself you have robbed them of immortality.

But of course, there are four other tips that should help anyone make their writing suck a bit less, as well as plenty of commentary by the author himself as a foreword.

And before all the >implications of >Bioware, keep in mind that David Gaider was around long before EA bought Bioware and people like Jennifer Hepler became the face of the company.

[Oddball]

Never title your story "untitled" or "title to come later" or anything to that affect.

All it does is send the reader the message that you either don't know or don't care enough about your own story to give it a name. If the writer doesn't care, why should the reader? You're pushing people away before they even give your story a chance.

If you absolutley cannot think of a tile on your own, there's no shame in just calling it "A (insert character name here) story" it's kinda lame, but it's better than nothing.
Alternatively, you could just take a small element,scene, or line of dialogue from your story and name the story after that. With that example, the end of Hanako's route could be called something like "skipping school and tears" or "the park and a muffin shop". Yeah, not the best titles, but they are at least titles of some kind.

There's no rule saying you can't change your story's title once you come up with a new one either.