Writing Tips

Fan Fiction (OCs/Reader Inserts + Ranty?)

I've been dead again. I'm sorry for that.

If it helps, my New Years resolution is to write a little bit each day for my books. So hopefully I can actually publish a book later this year once all the writing is complete! (Mainly written on phone as an important key on computer is currently not working due to something lodged in it)

But onto this chapter!

I recently have been falling back into a fan fiction craze, mainly for Loki stories to read. But I also have been writing more fan fiction myself.

I wanted to come with a chapter that will hopefully aid in some fan fiction tips, whether it be help with canon x oc, canon x reader, another pairing or even something with no pairings whatsoever.

As I've said in the past in the Mary Sue chapter, it is important to know the story.

This means to research. Watch the show, movies, read the books, comics, listen to drama CDs and songs. Anything that provides canon material for the fandom you're writing a story for.

When you have this information, not only does it give you good building blocks for your plot, but it also helps you to fall back on something if you need a canon character's true reaction to your fan made event or maybe you're adding a side story to a major event in canon (ex: Avengers - attack on New York. Maybe the reader insert/oc is trying to help save others during this event).

These help to support your story not only for easier writing, but it also helps to avoid people attacking you for inaccuracies. The reason I say this is because there are trolls and haters, but there's also people passionate about specific characters, series, and other subjects who do not like seeing inaccuracies. (I myself get like this. I actually went off on a friend to correct them on the Chinese zodiac. I don't try to be, but sometimes my actions take over thoughts).

Another thing to note when it comes to fan fiction is how a fanmade character (or reader insert) is portrayed.

OCs

Do...
-Make them unique
-Make them fit the universe
-Be descriptive
-Give them a purpose

Don't...
-Make them overpowered
-Have them conflict canon plot (unless AU)
-Make them a Mary Sue

Reader Inserts

Do...
-Make them feel included
-Make it for desired audience (male, female, both, etc)
-Have some description

Don't...
-Label their appearance (making the reader Blonde, a specific height, etc)
-Make them a Mary Sue
-Basically same don'ts on the OC list

I'd like to elaborate on the appearance one for the inserts and also the audience.

First off, as a reader insert, the reader is imagining themselves. Please do not say that the reader is a blonde when they are not. Not only does it make them feel kicked out of the story for it not looking like them, they now have to visually set themselves up as a blonde instead of the hair color they were imagining for themselves.

This "don't" also applies to body. Now, it can be excluded if you put a note saying "this is a short!reader story" as to say you intend on the plot needing the reader to be short in the story. Stuff like this lets people know in advance and will still come to the story with the mentality they're a short person in it even if they're 5'10" or so in real life.

The "don't" for body usually is what has ticked me off in the more adult themed stories. Where it comes into writings about the reader's body.

And I'll be straightforward here. I'm a very thin female, yes I have curves, but I have very little fat. That means I don't have that big chest or big butt you're writing about the reader in your story. Keep text like "her boobs were big and round," "he was quite large," and so on out as not every reader here enjoys that as it feels almost like bodyshaming. I've even seen reader inserts where they describe the female reader as a slim and fit woman. There are females of all body sizes. When you describe a reader's body like that, it can cause insecurities and no longer be inclusive to all your readers.

If you are writing smut or just going into a scene where you describe the reader's body or general appearance, do it in a way that compliments but keeps it to where the appearance is still designed by your reader. Here's some examples:

Her hair shined in the sunlight and made her smile all the more beautiful.

He didn't intend for someone to find him undressing, but she did. Now her hands ran over his bare chest, massaging him as she placed a kiss on his lips.

She didn't like having to do this, but the wound had to be treated on her back. The compliments and reassurance from *** about her image reassured her he loved her for the way she was.

They're vague, but can still pull a message through of the canon character loving the reader's appearance without adding on things like "curves," "bones," "hourglass," and so on.

The next part is audience I want to go into for you guys.

Audience of course is the readers.

But there's also the point of the role of your reader.

Many reader inserts are usually female, so the general audience is pertained to be female in most stories.

But it's not just those of us who identify as female who read insert fan fictions.

There are those who identify as male, identify as both, and those who identify as neither. There's also those who identify as one on a given day and the other on another.

What I want to point out is that if you're writing the reader as female, you will attract those who identify as female.

If you're wanting to reach more than females, then I suggest never talking about what genitals the reader has or labeling them as "he/his" or "she/her". Write it as "they/them" so both male, female, non-binary, and other identities can read it and feel it's for them.

It's usually simple, and if it is tough to write it gender neutral, then google is a friend. There is a growing amount of resources for LGBT writing groups and I'm pretty sure authors in that genre are more than willing to give tips on writing a gender neutral reader (and character if you are writing original stories with a character like that). I'm not sure I can give much advice as I identify with my assigned gender from birth, so I highly recommend finding those experienced with writing non-binary and genderless characters for this type of reader insert.

If you desire to reach a specific audience, then go all for it. Maybe you want to write a story where the reader is transitioning, is originally female and now male, and so on. And I say go for it! There isn't much reader inserts like that. Making the reader insert options diverse helps greatly and can make many more feel included in this type of fan fiction genre.

If there's any more questions for OCs, reader inserts, or if you want more tips on general plotting for a fan fiction then please let me know.

I hope this chapter on mainly OCs and RIs has helped!