Any Tips For Aspiring Long Fic Writers

Any tips for aspiring long fic writers

Sure! Caveat: everyone’s process is different, and I can only speak to my own experience. These tips aren’t absolutes, but I hope they can at least point you in the right direction. That being said…

1) Have a plan

I love outlines. I swear by them. I will write thousands upon thousands of words of outlines before I start on chapter one. Not everyone agrees. Whether you call it pantsing or discovery writing or something else, it’s a totally valid way to write.

However, when it comes to serialized stories like fanfic (especially longfic) it’s extremely helpful to know where you’re going before you start. It will help you stay focused, keep up your motivation, and make progress toward a definitive end. Without a plan, you’re likely to meander, run into dead ends, and get frustrated with a story that just isn’t working. In a first draft, you can cut and add whatever you need to to get things working again, but if you already have the story up to that point posted, you’re kind of stuck with what you wrote.

2) The plan is not sacred, so don’t be afraid to deviate

I know, I know. Sounds contradictory. But here’s the thing: you’re going to be spending weeks or months (or years) on this story. You’re probably going to change. Canon is probably going to change (if you’re writing fic for an ongoing series.) That’s okay, and you definitely don’t need to abandon your story because it’s suddenly become an AU. But if you stumble upon a great idea ten chapters in, and if you can make it work, then go with it! Some of my favorite plot points in my own fics have been things that came about in the process of writing.

3) Have a buffer

I know it’s tempting to hit post as soon as you’ve finished the new chapter. Get it out to the hungry public, right?

Well, maybe not. Maybe sit on it until you’ve written a couple more chapters. Doing so will (a) give you (or your beta, if you use one) time to edit and (b) help to compensate for those weeks when life gets in the way, or when the words just aren’t flowing. Personally, I always try to have two additional chapters written by the time I post one.

4) Be realistic

Longfic is a big commitment. If you’ve done NaNo or written any other longform fiction before, you have some idea what you’re in for. If not, hey! You get to try something new. But maybe don’t plunge straight into the deep end. Maybe start with a slightly more manageable longfic first, whatever that means for you. Maybe that’s 20k, maybe it’s 50k. Maybe it’s 100k. (Or maybe you want to start with a hundred-chapter epic. You do you. Just be aware that if you haven’t established a writing routine, you may struggle to keep up the motivation and inspiration. Having a buffer and knowing where you’re going can help with that, but still.)

You should also consider how long each chapter will be (long enough to progress the story but not so long that you struggle to finish each update) and how often you’re going to update (regular updates are great–but it takes time to get into the rhythm of consistent updates.)

Basically, know your limits and be kind to yourself.

5) Listen to your readers–they have a lot to teach you

When you’re first starting out, it can feel like no one’s reading your stuff. I know; I’ve been there, and it sucks. But I promise, you will find readers. It might take time, especially if you’re writing niche fics, but be patient, keep writing, and like-minded folks will find you.

Once they do, listen to them! You can learn a lot from the comments you get. Two things readers can teach you better than any book are foreshadowing and fulfilling expectations. You need an outside eye to tell you how subtle you’re being with your foreshadowing, and with fic you get to see in real time when people start to pick up on your hints. And comments will tell you what people are hoping for. I’m not saying you need to change your fic for your readers–in fact you shouldn’t!–but sometimes comments will point out a missed opportunity that you want to explore further in upcoming chapters.

6) Most importantly, have fun and write for YOU

Sometimes things change. You lose interest in a fandom or a story, or life gets too hectic to keep up with fanfic, or it all just gets to be more of an obligation than a release. And that’s fine. Discipline is a valuable skill to learn, and there’s nothing quite like reaching the end of a massive story–but fic should be fun. Write the story you want to write; I promise it will be more rewarding in the long term than chasing fandom trends to tempt more readers.

Anyway, I could talk all day about writing. If you have any other questions, feel free to shoot them my way! In the mean time, I hope this helps. Best of luck with your longficcing!