Creating the Deerstalker
by kaonnette

As if getting a story out of my head and onto a blank page wasn't hard enough, the thought of pressing the little button titled 'publish' had me feeling positively queasy. I love writing, even through the evenings of vanishing ideas and cramping fingers, but when it came to sharing my first short fanfiction with the entirety of the internet, I suddenly felt that I just didn't have the confidence.

I was drawn to fanfiction because it gave me a way to practice and develop my writing techniques (as well as to rediscover a world I loved). But after completing a story, it was clear what I needed next in order to improve: feedback. So after weeks of pondering, I finally clicked that daunting button and took my first step into the fanfiction community.

Creating the Deerstalker

As most things do when transferred to the internet, fanfiction grew, and continues to grow, into an ever more influential phenomenon. I've read innumerable articles ooh-ing and aah-ing over the 'surprising' spread of fanfiction and its flourishing community, but that's not something I've ever thought to be particularly astonishing. While novel writing is a professional and marketable practice, storytelling isn't. Anyone can tell a story. People have passed down stories for centuries, whether it be within a bound book or whispered word, and as these stories are exchanged, they are adapted and reinterpreted.

Fanfiction, in my eyes, follows this example. Take Sherlock Holmes' deerstalker hat. Did Arthur Conan Doyle ever write Sherlock wearing a deerstalker? No, not explicitly! The hat emerged in illustrations, was embraced by fans, and has now become as iconic as the detective himself, appearing upon even Benedict Cumberbatch's head. We, as writers, readers, and artists, are able to take stories and use them to spread new ideas, connect distinct cultures, and forge new understanding.

Reading is not simply an intellectual pursuit, it is something that is bound up in the emotions of every single reader. Books and the lessons we learn from them are precious to us all in their own particular way. This is one of the reasons why fanfiction is so precarious, as it takes characters and storylines that have had a unique but equally profound impact upon a sea of readers, but then works them into a separate and distinct concept. Things, in short, can get messy.

The thought of entering that messiness created an idea in my anxious mind, and I slipped into the fanfiction community on the sidelines, within one of the smallest fandoms I could think of. I took a book from my childhood, one originally written in the 1940s, and crafted a new story for a world where I suspected few had recently trod. The fandom was niche, and that was perfect. While unable to provide as much attention as larger fandoms, each new reader wholeheartedly embraced a new approach to a story both they and I adored. Best of all, they were more than happy to provide me with their feedback.

Our new-age storytelling

A piece of fanfiction is distinct, not only tied to its original source of inspiration but a part of a fandom's community. It is written inside that community, influenced by its culture, and uses genres and concepts created within it. Online fanfiction is not simply a writer producing something for an audience, it's a work of collaboration, where comments can be given in real-time. A type of new-age communicative storytelling.

How then do you gain the confidence to enter this community as a writer? You follow the most glittering of golden rules: to be a good writer, you have to be a good reader. Read everything you can get your hands on; online fanfiction and published novels, general fiction and non-fiction, poetry and prose. Then re-read your favorites, try to pinpoint exactly what it is you like and what you thoroughly despise within a piece of writing. See if you can put that into words, and if you can, leave a comment! Giving feedback on another person's writing not only supports and encourages them, but it helps you to define your writing style, and discover how you would like to tell your own story.

Above all, never, ever undervalue good criticism. When somebody has taken their time to critique your writing, take your own time to thank them, and then see if it's something you can (or want) to apply to your method. Sometimes constructive criticism can be hard to accept, especially if given bluntly, but the sign of a good writer is their ability to see their own work critically and use the knowledge of their peers to better their skills.

Of course, bad criticism exists, which makes it all the more important to aim to give the best possible feedback on another's writing. I would suggest trying to take a neutral stance. Be positive where possible, but critique when necessary. Be constructive and recognize that this is a piece of work that someone has put their time and effort into, and try not to suggest how they should change their story to better suit your desires, but how they can improve their personal technique. Give good feedback, and trust that it will be returned to you.

The first few comments on the first story I shared online are the ones that I remember most vividly. I read them again and again, and then stashed them away in my mind as though they were stars fallen from a digital sky. Each one helped to light up a path I was only just discovering and encouraged me to publish more chapters, then more stories. Those stars were more precious than I could've ever imagined before I started writing.

That said, my writing was by no means good. In fact, looking back now, it was pretty atrocious. But the comments left by my new community inspired me to continue trying, and, I hope, continue improving. I started reading books about writing, and in Stephen King's (aptly named) memoir 'On Writing' I learned about the writer's 'toolbox'. It's the metaphorical place where a writer keeps all of their writing tools, like grammar, vocabulary, and so on. With the help of commenters, I built up my toolbox, and although it's still basic, I believe it's come a pretty long way! Would I ever recommend my first 1500-word fanfiction? Absolutely not. But am I proud of it? Yeah, I like to think so! I keep it published as a marker to myself of how far I've come, and it's something that motivates me to continue following the path initially lit up by my online writing community.

Write, write, write

One of the fanfiction community's best aspects is that before you've even started writing, you have a collection of readers already excited to discover your work. Online, you'll often find writers publishing their stories chapter-by-chapter, which is ideal for getting regular feedback. The downside is then going back and making revisions, meaning that fanfiction stories tend to fall into the 'first-draft' category of writing. If you take this approach, your stories may start off a little rough around the edges. But with the support of readers, you can always find the encouragement to better your craft going into every new chapter and each rewrite.

Writers can also enlist the help of beta readers. These are people that will go through your work before you publish it, and suggest any changes that they think will improve your story. Where possible, it's best to find someone who knows the fandom you're writing for. A person who loves the characters as dearly as you do, and has explored the world you're writing for in their own minds, will undoubtedly give the most helpful advice.

Don't be afraid to develop your writing style. A lot of fanfiction writers start their work trying to mimic the voice and tone of the original author they admire. While it's important to recognize what you like about their technique, you should enjoy experimentation. There's no better place to do it than in fanfiction, where you can take a world you love and apply your own, unique flair. If readers like your style, they'll be interested in reading more of your work. Know that no matter your age, experience, or background, the more you write, the more you'll improve. In the end, it's as simple as that!

Beyond the fanfiction

When I started publishing my writing online, I lived in one of those green, leafy counties of South West England that has more frequent rain clouds than bus departures. I wouldn't say that I wrote to escape, but writing expanded the life I knew and introduced me to different experiences and extraordinary people. Now I live in a city halfway across the planet, writing an original story of my very own, but still interacting with the fanfiction community that grows ever bigger and stronger. For me, it's a community that transcends physical boundaries.

So, last of all: make friends! Take all the bright stars of feedback you can get from the community, but give your own back too. Writing may appear to be the primary driving force behind the world of fanfiction, but it's just as much propelled by communication. If someone comments on your story, say thanks. If they're also writing stories that look interesting, check them out. Leave comments and start your own web of interaction. Try to encourage people to press that little button titled 'publish', and support them when they do. They'll also be there cheering when you get the story out of your head and onto that blank page. I will too!

I can't give people the confidence to write or ask them to share their voices with a grand, anonymous audience. But I can say is this: I hope fanfiction instills in you a world that brightens the one you live in, and I hope you find people in that world who will lift you as they did for me. I hope that they lift you to the stars and beyond.

Why were you drawn to write/read fanfictions?