Before the post begins, please be reminded that we do take topic suggestions! I'm the only one manning the account at the moment (lostamongstars), but I'll do my best to get to every comment/suggestions as posted. Thank you for your support, and I hope you'll continue supporting the Brigade!
[ A little sidenote. The title of the book does not continue to the chapter title. It's not like this: Cliche Title: How To Not Avoiding Mistakes *blah blah blah*. Nope. The chapter titles are independent from the title of the book itself :) ]
[ Source: Valis2 from sycopanthex.com ]
[ Part 2/? ]
Betas: You are the alpha reader, the first person who reads your story. A beta reader should be the second.
There are many different kinds of betas out there. Punctuation/grammar/spelling betas, plot betas, canon betas, Britpicking betas. Some betas are good at it all. Finding the right beta is a bit tricky, but once you have, your writing can only improve.
Betas can find and correct little mistakes that you don't even notice. Betas can also sometimes tell you more important things, like their initial reaction to a major plot point, or whether the chapter in question "works" in the manner it is meant to, or whether your story is dragging and needs to get to something major soon. Before you take on a beta, you should be certain that this person has the skills you're looking for. Look at work they've beta'd to ascertain their quality.
Respect Canon: If you're writing for a specific fandom, then it is your job to know that fandom's rules. The rules of a fandom are collectively referred to as canon. It is canon that Severus Snape has black eyes. It is canon that Han Solo is a great pilot. It is canon that Remus Lupin turns into a wolf during the full moon.
Readers will shy away from fics where Hercules has wings or Lex Luthor breeds chickens in his run-down shack without explanation. Readers will scratch their heads in confusion if Hermione suddenly knows how to fly without a broom. Every fandom inhabits a unique universe with its own set of rules and guidelines. Knowing your fandom's canon will make your fanfiction that much stronger and will render it far less confusing to the readers. It will allow the readers to concentrate on your story. Yes, making Harry Potter the star of his own game show is interesting, but most fanfiction readers are tuning in because Harry Potter is a wizard, and they want to see what sorts of Wizarding things he'll do next.
Of course, you can shout at the top of your lungs that "It's fanFICTION, and I can do whatever I want", but that won't endear you to anyone. The rules of the fandom universe are what makes the universe that particular universe. If you obliterate the rules, you may as well write "Quacky McDuck Sings the Blues" and do something entirely original instead of forcing someone else's characters to do odd things.
There are lots of rules that sometimes aren't even visible without careful reading or viewing. Severus Snape never refers to Harry Potter as "Harry" or "Mr. Potter", only as "Potter". The Hufflepuff common room in Hogwarts is past the kitchens. You should know to whom Clark Kent has revealed his powers, and you should read the Appendices of Lord of the Rings so that you know exactly what happens to Legolas and Gimli and Samwise after the War of the Ring if you are writing for those fandoms. It's also helpful to take a look through fan sites that contain guidelines and resources. In the Harry Potter fandom, there is an amazing online guide called that even JK Rowling has complimented---it's easy to use, exhaustive, and its very existence makes simple canon errors inexcusable. Certainly we all make mistakes, of course, but many can be avoided through the use of online fan resources. Look around, and you're sure to find someone who can point you to the best source.
If you do feel you want to explore other facets of the fandom, then by all means take the letters AU and apply them soundly to the description of your fanfiction. AU stands for Alternate Universe, and that is where you can invent all sorts of unique scenarios. Draco Malfoy in "The Prince and The Pauper". Harry Potter born a girl. Clark Kent as a Buddhist. Xena taking anger-management classes in modern-day Los Angeles. AU lets the reader know that the rules have changed because you're providing a new set. Whatever you write, be certain that the rules---whether they are canon or your own---are consistent.
