5 Tips For Writing Fanfiction Without Feeling Like A Fraud

[@a.c.1839]

To me, something really simple that helps against the tendency to self trash talk is to resist overindulging in roasting "bad" writing or consuming too much overly critical content. Being more constructive and empathetic in my criticism of other people's works helps me be a bit kinder to myself as well.

[@CoraMaria]

That's a really good point! Thanks for sharing 💖

[@MetisLeigh427]

I have a bit of advise to add on to embracing the 70% rule. When I'm in the final editing phase of a chapter and I'm at my most self-critical, I often find myself stuck hyper-fixating on sentences or paragraphs that seem "off". I can't identify the issue with them and I'll try to re-write the passage a few times until it's "correct", but sometimes I'll just be staring at the words and getting nothing done. When this happens, I highlight the section that's bothering me and return to the work after a week. I nearly always find that the section that was "wrong" was perfectly fine and doesn't need any changes, and on the few occasions that it's not, I'm well rested enough to easily identify the issue and correct it. This is when working on multiple WIPs can be a serious advantage. I know the overwhelmed fanfic writer with 50 active WIPs is a bit of a trope, but I recommend working on at least two projects at the same time just for instances like this. Let one project cool off on the back burner while you focus on the other and alternate. You keep your motivation and work flow going while also giving your work the time it needs to settle.

[@CoraMaria]

I love the highlighting hack! I do that myself as well. It allows me to point out potential problem bits without having to fix it right away. I can see your two projects tip being helpful to some writers, but I could never do that because otherwise I won't finish what I'm already working on lol. I do use a backlog though, so often I'm writing 20 chapters ahead of whatever I'm editing, so rather than working on two different stories, I'm working on two different points within the same story.

[@wistfxlwishes]

This is something that wasn't directly said about my writing, but it felt like such a compliment to me. I was talking to one of my friends in class, and they started talking about a fic they had read recently and really loved. I asked them to describe the plot of it to me, and as they talked, I slowly started to realize that they were talking about one of MY fics! And it was one that I had written in one of my other classes, didn't edit, and didn't like the ending of much. It was such a compliment to my writing that one of my closest friends enjoyed a fic that I wrote and wasn't up to my "standards", and they still wanted to talk about it even if they didn't know it was mine.

[@CoraMaria]

Omg that's so cool! It reminds me of a scene from 'Fangirl' by Rainbow Rowell, which is about a Big Name Fan who has someone at her uni rave about her fanfic to her without knowing that she wrote it 💖

[@MissShinyLemon]

I was once so close to deleting one of my fics because I thought it was bad. A few days later, one of my favorite fic writers commented on my fic saying they loved it. It made me so happy. :D

[@RLocke142]

Writing is like a diamond. Even with it being refined, a diamond will never be flawless. You can make it beautiful, but perfection can never be achieved.

[@CoraMaria]

Plus sometimes the charm of fanfiction is that you get to see how much they improve over time 💖

[@meika_lee]

the intro is exactly how i feel. i want to write a fanfic so bad, but i want to write something similar to what i would read (which is tough, by the way). so i either don't know how to continue or just stop writing at the slightest roadblock.

[@KittyLH1998]

Everytime I come here it's like a cozy corner of an ice cream shop and I learn something neat about the thing I love 😊.

[@CoraMaria]

Aww thank-you! I hope you continue to enjoy the new flavours I have coming 😉

[@nat9504]

I struggle with writing fight/battle scenes (especially boss fights when it comes to game novelizations) and keeping them interesting for the reader... and that's okay. Three things I really like/am really proud of in my writing: Characterization (while I do often worry about getting it right, when I do get it right it's something I'm very much proud of), I like the plot twists and turns that I come up with (some of which are with my boyfriend's help as my cowriter and rubberduck but that doesn't mean I'm any less proud of them or that I like them any less), and tugging at my reader's heartstrings (I've always enjoyed being able to write something that makes someone feel Emotions) A comment I got that meant a lot to me... There's been a few of them, honestly (a few of the comments you've left on my fics come to mind!) Basically any of the comments where it's clear that my writing made someone feel Emotions and that the work I put into writing it was appreciated.

[@CoraMaria]

Thanks for doing the comment exercises, Nat! Always a pleasure to give you the warm fuzzies 💖

[@corinneeaglebridge]

Comment exercises: My dialogue sounds stilted. I can try speaking them out loud to figure out where the issue lies and correct it! My fics are a bit heavy handed on the themes sometimes, and that’s okay! I love my skill in character study! I love my metaphors and poetic phrasing! I love my ability to come up with interesting oneshots from one word prompts! I think it’s less one comment and more a chain of them. I was doing a promptober event and a fellow author in the fandom that I look up to (and am now pretty good friends with) started reblogging and commenting in the tags of my new oneshot announcement posts often only minutes after I posted it, and they were just super kind and enthusiastic each time! They came in very early on and it really helped me through the month, as it was my first time doing only writing for the promptober and trying to complete each prompt with it, and also my first time consistently writing new fics. To know someone was looking forward to another one of my oneshots really kept me going and since then I’ve kind of banded up with them and another fic writer in that fandom that I already knew, and we’ve been really hyping eachother up! Our fandom sadly doesn’t often pay a lot of attention to fic unless it’s x reader, so being eachothers hype crew is just such a valuable experience to have :D

[@CandyThePuppy]

I'm at that weird stage of my writing where I'm past chapter 50, over 200k words, and am being crushed by severe doubt as the climax draws nearer. 😂 This happens almost every time. The struggle to bring all the plot and characters together and tie them up in one neat little bow, the natural but still devastating drop-off in comments and reads, as well as me noticing all the little potholes my past self made just because I didn't know as much about the material.. now coming back to haunt me. 😅

[@CoraMaria]

People always talk about struggling with middles but for me, they are a piece of cake compared to tying it all together into a grand climax!

[@CandyThePuppy]

@@CoraMaria yeeeep. I usually have a lot of fun in the beginning and middle.. those end bits tho 😔

[@trashcan-train]

Comment exercises: 1. “My setting descriptions suck!!1!” Okay, well, the wording of my descriptions is actually not bad, but they are a bit sparse and only focus on a few elements (temperature and lighting come up the most for some reason? Lol). I want to improve by incorporating more of the senses into descriptions, picking out specific details that bring out the atmosphere of the scene. 2. There are a couple chapters in the middle of my fic where my protagonist is at their lowest point in terms of their behaviour, and though I’ve tried my best to still make her motivations clear and her struggles understandable, I just don’t think I’ve hit the nail on the head to make those chapters as enjoyable to read as the rest of the story. And that’s okay! 3. I love the rhythm of my sentence structuring. I love that BANGER of a chapter I wrote with really good mounting tension ending in catharsis. I love the way I love my characters. They’re flawed and messy and hopeful and growing and I’ll give their stories all the loving attention that they deserve. 4. It was a gushing message in a fandom discord server I shared my oneshot in. There’s another person there who read all three of my fics for the pairing we both love. It was some of the first validation I got about my writing from someone online in the same fandom. This person does not speak English as their first language, but still read my works and got excited about every one of them! Their message wasn’t about my prose or pacing or anything technical, it was like they were yelling at the characters. And I was so moved because it meant the emotions I put in the story connected to someone!! And then they thanked ME for writing it!😭😭 Aaa I’m getting emotional just thinking about it now😭😭❤️❤️ I thanked them but I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to express how much their support means to me.

[@CoraMaria]

Thank-you for doing all the comment exercises! Love seeing you demonstrate such confidence in your work. With regards to setting description, give this article a read: mythcreants.com/blog/five-tips-for-reviving-bland-prose/ I know what it's like to get comments like that. It's wonderful!

[@jujuoof174]

Aww that’s great! If I may ask: what fandoms do you write? ^^ And great self-analysis! I’m very proud of you for being proud of yourself!

[@trashcan-train]

@@jujuoof174 aww thank you!!💕💕 so far I’ve only written F/F for kinda niche stuff lol🙈 1 for Yuri Kuma Arashi, 3 for Shadows House, 1 for an obscure webcomic that pissed me off, and my current WIP is a multichap for Parasyte 😊 next up I wanna write something for Death Note and Higurashi When They Cry! ✨ What do you write for?😁

[@Sylrose]

Another amazing, insightful video! One big thing that helps when I’m feeling particularly discouraged while writing (especially when editing) is taking a step back and removing myself from the equation. Whenever I catch myself saying “I can’t write this, my dialogue sucks, etc.” I try and reframe and ask “Why isn’t this scene working?” Or “What about this dialogue can be improved?” Just fully remove any “me” and “I” from the thoughts, which swaps out criticism of the self for a critique of the words on the page- which are two completely different things, even though when we’re writing they feel one and the same.

[@CoraMaria]

Yep, that sounds like you're following 'Chapter 1: Make It Constructive' right there!

[@trashcan-train]

This video is literally exactly what I needed. ❤️ Anxiety is such an asshole to me about my writing! Rude. 😂 But your advice is game changing. I really appreciate how practical it is - this isn’t a vaguely motivational video, these are actionable steps to take and practice! Thank you so so much for this ❤️ I also particularly appreciate you expanding on the 70% rule - the first time I ever heard of it was in one of your other videos, the editing one I think? Anyway it kind of blew my perfectionist mind a bit 😂 and I’ve kept saying it to myself like a mantra to keep typing through a difficult chapter ever since 💕

[@CoraMaria]

Anxiety really is such an asshole lmao! I'm really glad you find my advice practical. That's exactly what I wanted! I really hope this advice will help my fellow writers build sustainable confidence in their writing 💖

[@grumpyAF]

My self-deprecating thoughts often revolve around me not being a native speaker. I don't have metrics of when 'git gud' stops being the motto. It just always feels like my writing will never be as good as one of native speakers

[@CoraMaria]

Since I only speak English, I don't know if I can say anything that helps much, but I have gone to school with a lot of ESL learners and seen them improve their writing skills immensely. I think learning something as a second language also gives you a new and unique perspective on that language that native speakers might not have. My understanding of my native language is very intuitive because I grew up speaking it, while you might have more of a constructive understanding of your second language and thus be able to write in said language in a very purposeful way. Having a whole other language and cultural background to draw from can also enrich your writing immensely. One of my favourite fanfics is written by someone from a non-English-speaking background, and I love how that shines through their work and how they explain it in their author's notes. I'm not saying that your struggles with your second language aren't real or valid, but I hope I've made a decent case that there might be positive aspects to it as well 💖

[@grumpyAF]

@@CoraMaria Thank you! That's a very interesting perspective, I will let this sit. So far I've been binging your videos, they're great, thank you for your good work! I will return here later for exercises 🙇

[@iteite9488]

For the exercises: 1. I either overexplain or fall short, there's no really an in-between. I need to work on finding the middle ground that works best for me. 2. I can't make every single sentence to sound super dynamic and engaging, and that's okay. 3. This only applies to the fanfic I'm currently writing: I love how much depth I'm giving to the characters emotions, the way I add small details here and there to contextualize the story historically and I'm really enjoying the pacing so far! 4. huh. i can't actually think of anything right now, it's been so long since the last time i posted anything! but one of my professors in uni told me they loved a fanfic I wrote as an assignment because it was really funny and engaging, and it meant so much because, well. he was a professor, and i did not expect him to enjoy it so much. this was a great video! i'm currently struggling with confidence a lot, and i have days where i sit to write and it's just bad thoughts everywhere. i will try to work on it! thank you :) (the first tip is actually something i learned in therapy to help with my anxiety, but i had not thought about applying it to writing fanfic)

[@CoraMaria]

Getting validation from someone who's opinion you respect is such a feeling! With regards to overwriting and underwriting, I think that's pretty normal in the drafting stage. I'd recommend highlighting the underwriting in one colour and the overwriting in another and coming back later to fix them. The process of editing should help you find that middle ground and hopefully you'll see that seep into the drafting process as well 💖

[@Someone-tf1tk]

Thanks for the video, wonderful as always! I think something that helps me when I'm feeling like my writing's crap is to go back and read my published/completed chapters. It's a nightmare, I hate doing it, but then I go "Oh! It's not that bad after all!" I think if you spend your time being scared of your 'bad' writing, you work yourself up over it and assume that it's worse than it is.

[@Calixtee]

Thanks to this video, I have been starting to realize that my writing and my characterization feel "empty" because I do not write sufficiently about my character's corporal reactions to emotions. Now, I just have to figure out a way to work on that and improve :) Thank you for your work! (Sorry if there is any grammatical mistake, I am French :))

[@AshBreeX]

okay, did the first exercise - generally I have a habit of overwriting, so I guess editing improvements? I do want to get better at editing. For the second exercise: I struggle with getting writing done on schedule, and that's okay. For the third exercise: I like my prose and description quality, I'm pretty awesome with dialogue, and I like how quickly I can get writing done when in the right headspace. Right, exercises done - that was fun! I liked the video - I think this advice'll be helpful to other writers. I've always said that confidence is something you have to perform in spite of insecurity sometimes, so good to hear that reflected - 'fake it til you make it' I like to call it. And besides, I find self-aggrandizing humour far funnier than self-deprecating humour, and far fairer to anyone trying to give you a complement. I've known people who just were constantly self-deprecating and it was so hard giving them complements - just take my complements, damn it! 😭 So yeah, totally agree - it's important to be able to look at your work critically, sure, but it's also important to see how fantastic it is. And in my opinion, even if it's 'cringe' or 'bad' or whatever to some eyes, it exists - and that's pretty awesome already in my books. (as an aside - I hate the term 'cringe' so much!! the way people have found a way to turn their subjective reaction into an objective quality of a work so that they can sneak through calling things objectively bad without anyone noticing how bullshit it is just infuriates me. Like, no, that thing you hate isn't 'cringe', you just don't like it. The cringe is within *you*, imaginary hater, not within the work. but that's by the by)

[@CoraMaria]

Thanks for doing the exercises and I'm glad you like the video! I'm not a huge fan of self-depreciating humour, either. I often feel like if I laugh at it, it looks like I'm agreeing with their bad opinion of themselves. The only way I think it can work is if you're owning up to a flaw in a way that shows you're not letting it hold you back. For example, when I talk about podfic vs screenreaders, I like to say "Instead of listening to some robotic voice mispronounce words, they can listen to *me* mispronounce words!" As for some resources to help with editing, idk if you've watched this previous video of mine: kzbin.info/www/bejne/fGeqoXR-o6ifodk There's also this video by Jed Herne: kzbin.info/www/bejne/i6XWe3Sco6etsMU

[@appletart7262]

This video came at the right time when I’ve been really struggling with how I view my writing 😅 your channel always feels like such a welcome space it’s lovely

[@CoraMaria]

Aww, it's what I strive for!

[@kamikitz]

i just discovered this gem of a channel and i love the advice you give :]} im a bit of a newer fanfic writer and your videos have been really helping me gain confidence in my work ^^ btw i love your outfits and backdrop theyre adorable :D}

[@eddyg398]

I prefer posting even though is not really finished and only good/safe enough, that makes me be over it, not stress about it and better about it. I prefer having one chapter a week over zero chapters a month. Also only allowed myself to edited or change previous chapters, if I have an other chapter to post, makes me feel like I’m making progress and confident, while “hating” myself but not really. Once I post the first chapter of a new beginning the rest feel easier to do even coming out a week later when the first one took a whole month or more to make.

[@itzcami]

Kudos for making this video, it was very helpful

[@YW_FromOutterSpace]

7:56 I am writing using my native language which unfortunately wasn’t used very often since I moved overseas 8 years ago, and writing fanfiction is a way for me to preserve the capacity of using my native language, especially I personally identify with my cultural background and I love this language because the inherent beauty. However there is a lot of writer in my pairing who are masters of native language, which really enhanced their voice and . Sometimes when I read their fics, it can be very disheartening and discouraging when I think of how naive my prose and grammar comparing to them. I had a couple of burnouts because of this intense frustration and for a long time I was even thinking of giving up. I was questioning why I am putting a public shame on myself and was almost successfully convinced myself that I should be practicing with basic writing skills before sharing. Recently I managed to get myself out of this emotional turmoil by trying not to associate the loss of linguistic skills with the loss of cultural identity. I will try to incorporate the 70% percent rule, and instead focusing on the strengths that I have as a writer. I will also modify my writing process to make sure that I am more confident with sharing before I push the publish button.

[@piccolofan24]

This is such an incredible video! Your vids have become my go-to for writing advice. The cat dialogue exchange feels so, so much like what anxiety does to the brain, you got it down pat. Comment Exercise #1: I'm new to writing fanfiction, but while writing I feel like I use too many similar words and phrases and the pacing of scenes is off. I haven't reached the editing phase just yet but I'm trying to take note of what feels "off" by highlighting sections in my doc to come back to later. I'll read my writing out loud to find where the cadence and pacing is off and as for the repeating words, well the Thesaurus is my friend or I'll just cut them out. Comment Exercise #2: I like writing fix-its and retellings. I can't fix every single little thing that irked me in the canon work, and that's okay. I just gotta pick my battles. Comment Exercise #3: I love the plots I come up with, the character interactions, and the complex and messy relationships between characters. I love having my audience come to their own conclusions about things rather than just take what I (the author/narrator) or the characters say and think at face-value. Comment Exercise #4: I haven't posted my drafts yet so no one could say anything yet, but! As a reader I had a situation where I found a fic that was so genuinely precious to me, it got me into the fandom all on its own and serves as inspiration for how to write a certain character. The fic went on hiatus multiple times, for months and months. It was the first time I felt a deep sadness and almost panic at the idea that a fic wouldn't finish. So I commented on the latest chapter telling the writer how much I love their work and basically begged them not to abandon it. The next day they got back to me with the sweetest message and a reassurance that they did not abandon the fic and will update as soon as they can. And eventually it updated! I don't know why exactly, but this whole experience to me really reinforces why I love fanfic so much, not just the works but how wonderful the community can be, and how I so desperately want to be not just a reader but a writer too, so it lit a fire under my arse to actually start writing my own fics.

[@CoraMaria]

I'm glad you love my videos so much! It truly means a lot 💖 The highlighting trick is something I do too, and lately I've been leaving comments that say what I think the problem may be. Sounds like you're def being constructive and taking those opportunities to improve your craft 💖 I know what you mean about not being able to fix everything that bothers you about canon. I don't write fix-it fics per say, but I do like to write works that are in conversation with canon, especially it's most problematic elements. I can't address or resolve every issue, and sometimes the nature of canon makes it difficult to avoid everything completely, but as you say, I gotta pick my battles!

[@piccolofan24]

@@CoraMaria Thank you for the encouragement!

[@bonnietelocole6777]

I struggle to write a paragraph with dialogue that doesn't mention the characters names more than once to clarify who's talking, and that's okay. I've been writing since I was 12. So, for 9 years so far, and hope to be writing for 90 more 😁

[@jujuoof174]

Thank you for all the tips! Excited to binge-watch all the videos I have missed!! ^^ Btw the cat sequence is ADORABLE, very creative and I love it!! :DD Thank you, truly. I’ll try to apply these tips for myself. As for a comment that meant a lot to me? While I greatly appreciate the support I have, none have infinitely stuck with me quite yet :]

[@CoraMaria]

Omg you're back! Def missed seeing you in my comments section 💖

[@meika_lee]

still so sad that i haven't written past 5000 words of a full story in my entire life and i love writing so much... but i never feel good enough

[@kaitomybeloved3126]

Too anxious to do the comment exercises here but thank you so much for this video, i kinda wanted to give up writing but now i see it's a bad idea because i love it after all! Also your fit is so pretty

[@CoraMaria]

I'm glad this video helped! Totally okay if you don't want to do the comment exercises publicly 💖 Never stop doing what you love, okay?

[@kaitomybeloved3126]

@@CoraMaria I hope I'll be able to keep doing it!

[@jujuoof174]

I’ll finish reading comments and doing exercises later, I’m very busy unfortunately

[@CoraMaria]

All good! You don't have to do all of them, either

[@bellerian9896]

I write fiction. Never really got into fanfic. Still great writing advice for anyone really.

[@wolf_insheeps_clothing]

I have a question. I'm really excited to share the fics I'm working on with my fandom, but the concepts I'm writing about (the backstories for the characters in the series + a continuation of the story) have been done too many times before me. There are ways that make mine unique, some bigger than others, but I worry there's no point in working on the fics because no one may want to see the concept again; I feel unoriginal and like I'm copying others, even though the information I'm 'copying' is from the canon. I'll continue on and share my work, no matter what! But I want to know: is this a normal feeling?

[@CoraMaria]

Yes, and you should watch this other video of mine that covers this concept here :) kzbin.info/www/bejne/e3m2iJ2ui8qpo80

[@wolf_insheeps_clothing]

@@CoraMaria Aaaa thank you so much, 'two cakes' really helps! I truly appreciate your advice, and now I'm going to be able to continue my fic with fresh motivation!!! :3

[@Treepan0]

for me my insecurity is my spelling and grammar, it's a bit worse than most due to my learning disability. I've had many comment about it, and it kinda bothers me because of it.

[@CoraMaria]

As a professional copywriter, I can often forget that it doesn't come as easily to others. Perhaps it might be worth finding a beta-reader to help you comb through for mistakes? If not, then maybe try changing the colour or font of your work when you proofread, because it can often make these mistakes easier to catch 💖

[@Treepan0]

@@CoraMaria usually I just use a document platform that catches it like google docs, which is why I'm hesitant on getting a beta reader, since they could clearly see my name. I'll try the other trick, not sure how well it works with ASD, I know it works for those with dyslexia which I don't have as far as I know.

[@kaitomybeloved3126]

By the way, do you have any tips for fighting the writer's block and the lack of motivation?

[@CoraMaria]

There's a lot of different causes for writer's block, so I recommend giving this Tumblr post a read: www.tumblr.com/burntoutdaydreamer/733191894679650304/things-that-may-be-causing-your-writers-block

[@kaitomybeloved3126]

@@CoraMaria I have a feeling this will be really helpful once I get to the bottom of the problem, thank you so much

[@AshBreeX]

first comment!

[@CoraMaria]

Congrats!

[@sunimetime9697]

i cant escape the feeling of my writing being cringe when im writing a oc x canon 😭

[@CoraMaria]

I mean if it helps, I am also writing OC x canon. People on my discord are actually more interested in the OC x canon ship than the canon x canon ship

[@sunimetime9697]

@@CoraMaria HSHSJ 😭 THAT does help !! im glad there are people who dont mind oc x canon, ill have to check out your server sometime soon!!