Applyfiction
A Guide to Applyfiction
by spacekru
Applyfiction: a style of writing that the majority of people have never even heard of. In a simple explanation, the author creates a series of "roles" for their characters and other users fill out a form to have their own original characters included in the final product. Traditionally, the more active a reader is when you update, the more screen-time (or should I say book-time?) their character will receive. I like to consider it a mixture between roleplays and stories; it's more collaborative than a single writer sitting behind a computer screen, but unlike a roleplay, the author has total control over the plot.
Applyfics are not inherently a type of fanfiction; the story can exist in a completely original setting with no outer influences in the slightest. That being said, it can exist as fanfic as well. Although I personally tend to stray from writing fanfiction, I've seen plenty of K-Pop, The Hunger Games, Lord of the Rings, It, Riverdale, and The 100-inspired applyfics, just to name a few. Allowing other users to create the characters can lend itself to whatever genre interests you.
That's just some basic background. Let's get down to the nitty-gritty.
Ten Steps to the Best Applyfic
#1: Should you write an applyfic?
Before you can even begin to fill your roles and send out your forms, you need to decide whether or not a story would work best as an applyfic.
From my experience, I've found that this format lends itself best to stories where there are a larger number of main/important characters. Maybe this means that there is a core team of characters at the center of the plot, or that your story will alternate between the perspectives of different characters.
If you realize that your story is going to revolve heavily around a single character, however, then perhaps an applyfic is not the best route to take and it would be better to make all the characters yourself. Remember that when you write an applyfic, you are essentially encouraging other users to read it because they want to see their characters included. If their character is only going to be seen once or twice or mentioned in passing, then you are dragging the reader along.
Secondly, if in thinking about your story you realize that most of the major characters need to be a very specific way, then maybe it's not the best idea to make an applyfic since you will lose some control over the direction the characters take.
There is no distinct formula to determine when a story would work best as an applyfic or as with its own characters. You'll need to use your own judgment as a writer, and also try to look at it from the reader's perspective in order to decide the best format for you to tell your stories.
#2: Have a plan before you post.
So you've decided that your story works best as an applyfic, right? Now, like writing any story, having a game plan is extremely beneficial. It's even more necessary when you're not the one creating your characters. You don't have to have every single detail set in stone before you send out your roles—in fact, it's better to remain flexible once you see what the characters you receive are like—but you should have a basic premise down. You need to be able to explain the premise to your readers in order to get them interested enough to make a character.
#3: Your roles matter.
The way you receive your characters is by posting a series of "roles" that users then reserve and fill out forms for. The way you describe these roles is essential to the success of your story. Going off of Step #2, you need a plan before you write, and the way you present your roles will guide the readers in how to create the characters that will fit your story.
Roles in an applyfic differ from roles in a roleplay. Take The 100 fandom, for example. In a roleplay, you can get away with your roles being "5 Grounders" or " 10 Delinquents" because the story develops as the roleplay continues and every user gets to define what role their character will play. That will not work in an applyfic; you need to define what role each character will play in the story, and you need the roles you post to guide the users so that they create the characters you need. Your roles might be "The Leader," "The Wild Child," or something else that's more specific.
Furthermore, remember to include personality details and any other requirements! A short blurb beneath the role's title will help guide your users further.
AN EXAMPLE OF A STRONG ROLE DESCRIPTION:
The Diplomat (Male)
Age: 21-25
Required Qualities: Charismatic, independent, brave, protective.
Additional Details: Older brother of "The Brains"
Your descriptions can be as concise or lengthy as you'd like. They only have to guide the reader into creating the character you need.
#4: Reserve as many roles as you need to.
The part of applyfics that often gets most dicey is when you don't like the characters people have made. Every time you write one, there are going to be a couple of characters that aren't exactly what you were looking for. This is why it's important that if a character needs to be a specific way in order for the story to work, you should make that character yourself and never offer it up as a role. Almost every time I write an applyfic, I end up making a large number of supporting characters and often the lead by myself, simply because there is often less flexibility for them.
I typically place a rule on my stories saying one role per person. I break that rule myself every time. Maybe it looks a little selfish, but your goal is ultimately to write a story. When there are very specific and necessary details for a character, just make them yourself. Nobody will be mad, and everyone will benefit.
#5: Let your form inform.
The readers will create their characters by filling out a form that you give them. A good applyfic form is very similar to a roleplay form, and contrary to common belief, you don't need a billion questions to get the gist of who their character is. In fact, the fewer questions the easier it often is for you as the writer; it gives you more flexibility in determining how this character will act. Some good details to ask for are Name, Age, Gender, Faceclaim/Physical Descriptions, Personality, Sexuality, Background, etc.
The questions in your form will differ in every story, so I can't give you a perfect template. Just ask yourself, "What do I need to know?" Also, if you need additional or clarifying details, never be afraid to ask the user! They've made the character, they'll be excited to see you've taken interest in them.
#6: Outline, outline, outline!
Although it might look similar to Step #2, outlining is not the same as having a basic plan. Until you know your characters, you should not go through and detail what happens in every chapter. Do that after your roles are filled and your characters are in.
Everyone outlines differently, but I assure you that having a plan is the most important way to succeed in writing a story.
#7: Stay away from the canon.
If your applyfic is fully original, then ignore this step. If it's fanfiction, this is important. Stay away from using the canon characters or plotlines of the source material. Like in any fanfic, you don't just want to retell the exact same story; you want to expand upon that pre-existing world. When it comes to characters, remember that your responsibility is to tell the story of your readers' characters, not the ones we already know.
Using The 100 as an example again, if I join an applyfic, I'm not looking for a story about Clarke and Bellamy. If that's what I wanted, I would have just looked up one of the many fanfics about them. Instead, I'm interested in how the writer is going to use our new characters to build upon the original setting. I'm not saying that canon characters cannot exist. In many situations, they should exist, but the story should not be about them.
The pre-existing realm of the story should remain fairly constant. Maybe The 100 are a new set of kids, but Thelonius Jaha is still Chancellor on the Ark. Maybe it's a new class at Hogwarts, but Harry Potter is still an icon. In a fanfiction applyfic, you are building upon a premise that already exists by using new characters and telling a new story. If you're going to just find yourself detailing new adventures of the characters your readers already know and love, then why offer up roles at all?
#8: Follow through.
It sounds simple enough, but when you write an applyfic you have more of a responsibility to follow through with your story than you do when you write a general fanfiction. Your readers have an individualized interest in your story; they made your characters, and they want to read it. If you know you won't get through the first couple of chapters, then maybe you want to reconsider your story or create the characters yourself.
#9: Engage your readers.
When you write an applyfic, you sacrifice getting to create your own characters, but you gain a built-in group of readers who are already excited for your story and invested in at least one character right away. You've made this trade-off, so don't waste it. Engage with the readers! Keep them updated on what's going on. Let them know when you think you'll update again. Tell them that you have big plans in store for their characters. In my opinion, the greatest benefit to writing applyfics is that you automatically have a small community that also cares about the story that you're putting hours of effort into writing.
One thing I like to do is at the end of each chapter ask a few questions. Maybe these are asking for their reactions to a big reveal, asking them which characters or relationships they'd like to see more of, what their theories are. Try to listen to their answers! If you choose to write an applyfic, you are choosing to write a story that is inherently collaborative. Even if you're holding the pen and get the final say, you should listen to your readers and try to give them a voice in the story. It is their characters you're writing about, keep in mind.
#10: Practice makes perfect.
Like anything else, figuring out how to write an applyfic successfully is an experience of trial and error. Look at other peoples' stories to see how they navigated creating roles and reach out to them for help. Writing with unfamiliar characters is definitely more challenging than you realize, and when you first start you might feel worried that you're not representing them correctly. The best piece of advice I can give you is to keep writing and to talk to the user that made them.
Keep communicating, keep writing, and keep pushing. Once you get through that initial stage of roles, forms, and early chapters, you'll see that writing an applyfic is much the same as writing any sort of story.
I wish you all the best of luck in your writing, and if you have any questions, want to see a completed example of an applyfic, want some help figuring out your roles, or just chat in general, feel free to check out my profile or PM me anytime!
Have you ever joined or written an applyfic?
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