The Randomness of Rainbow Phoenix II: Confessions of a One-Legged Violinist

Rainbow's 10 Tips on How To Write Popular Fanfiction

1. Write a description.
Ever read the back of a book, where it tells you this little shortened version of the plot? Doesn't it make you want to read more?
Well, there's a reason for that little paragraph. It's called a blurb, and it is IMPORTANT. The blurb is there to draw readers in and make sure that anyone who doesn't want your type of fic stays out- if the storyline illustrated in the blurb isn't to their tastes, they can decline. I've seen lots of fanfictions where no one's bothered to write a blurb, and that turns the whole book into a Russian roulette of fanfic choices. They have no idea what they're about to read, and therefore either won't read or will and turn out to be very dissapointed. Not fun. Not fun for anybody.

2. Get a good cover.
Okay, good covers are probably the most important thing in writing fanfiction here- or any book, for that matter. A pretty cover will draw in readers, if only because it looks cool.
If you're not good at the drawing kind of stuff, then don't give up! Nab a picture off the Interwebs, slap some filters and words on it, and BAM! excellent cover. There are also cover-requesting books all across Wattpad, where people will make a cover for you free of charge. Just remember, always, always, ALWAYS credit the artist or, if you don't know who they are, put in your description 'cover art not mine.'

3. PUNCTUATION AND GRAMMAR!!!!
I CANNOT STRESS HOW IMPORTANT PUNCTUATION AND GRAMMAR ARE TO WRITING!!!! I know, it may seem like a hassle, but there's a reason for both: SO EVERYBODY CAN UNDERSTAND YOU. You know all those best-sellers? Yeah, they included punctuation and proper grammar. I have read far too many fanfictions where the grammar was SO bad I couldn't tell what was going on anymore. Poor punctuation and grammar destroy the flow of a book, making it practically unreadable.
If you're dyslexic, or have some other disorder that makes spelling and punctuation hard for you, never fear- just get a beta reader. There'll be more info on those down below.

4. Get a beta reader.
Beta readers (or editors, in official publishing talk) are FABULOUS. Beta readers read a draft of yours and correct you on spelling, grammar, punctuation or even the overall story. They're basically a nice little reality check so you don't get too out of hand. I myself have a network of two beta readers who read a lot of the stuff I make in Google Drive, they're both friends of mine and they're both great. Beta readers are especially nice if you have dyslexia or another disorder that makes the little details hard, they've got your back on all that annoying stuff. You can also beta for someone else to sharpen your own skills- it's a win-win situation!

5. Have popular friends.
All right, this one isn't acheivable for everyone, but it helps a lot. A lot a lot. The main reason I have such success in my fanfics is that I happen to have a very, very popular friend who was kind enough to advertise my books.
If you lack this, then there's not much you can do, just don't advertise on other people's books. It's annoying and many find it highly offensive. If you happen to have an influential friend in your fanfic circles, ask them nicely and politely if they could help you out on promoting your book. If they do, just remember to give them a present- a few words of thanks at the end of the fic, or even a little drawing to show your appreciation. They'll be happy beyond belief and you'll give a bit of compensation to a friend who gave you a helping hand.

6. JUST DOOO IT
Real life. It's annoying, isn't it? Taking away all your free time to do homework and other boring stuff. Sometimes you just can't seem to update...
NO. School and home are both important, so don't neglect them, but you have to put a little dedication into this work of yours. If you've got some free time, turn on your favorite album and get crackin' on that next chapter. At school, scribble down a couple ideas for the next plot twist. You don't have to write a chapter every day, but at least work on it some.
If you neglect it for too long, there will be people clawing at your door, begging you to update (if you're doing it well, anyway.) And I'm speaking from personal experience here- I didn't update one of my fics for a while, and I had dozens of people asking me every day to update. ANNOYING. That being said, if you really don't have time due to school or family or whatnot, make sure to let your followers know- you deserve your breaks and hiatus too.

7. Stay strong.
This is probably Rule Number One of writing ANYTHING, not just fanfiction: you will get bored. Even the most interesting story arc will lose its pizzazz when you've ran over the idea a million times in your head. There are FAR too many authors who lose their spark and give up immediately, then start another book. Eventually, the books rack up, and before you know it you have five jillion unfinished books to complete.
To avoid this catastrophe is a simple solution: just stick with it. Spoiler alert: WRITING IS HARD, FOLKS. You have to be determined and finish your stuff, because it won't finish itself. It may be so boring that you want to die, and you'll be so uninspired that you feel like all your writing is crap, but just do it. I wrote my most popular fanfic while almost completely 100% uninspired all the time, and yet it reached #9 on the rankings. You have to force yourself. I'm sorry, but you do.

8. Don't be afraid to let it go.
I know I just said to stick with your book till the very end, but sometimes things just don't work out. You may have forgotten, or you simply don't have time to make the commitment anymore, yet lots of writers are pressured into keeping their books open when they simply can't anymore. Well, don't.
If something's become too stressful for you to write, discontinue it, or at least put in on hold. There may be legions of fans behind it, but you are still the author- it's your book and it's your choice what to do with it.

9. Be responsive.
All right. You've written the fic, cleaned it up, and now the comments are pouring in about how great you've done on this new chapter. Your work is done, right?
WRONG. All those armies of fans want to hear from you! Scroll through the comments and see what they say. Not only will it make you feel good about yourself, they can give you helpful tips too. And don't forget to stop and say thank you! You can make their day and give them a bit of gratefuless for reading your work. After all, you're writing this for them!

10. HAVE FUN!!!
Never, ever, ever write a fic that you're uncomfortable with, or that makes you cringe. This is your work and you should be happy to display it to the world! Lemon is not essential to a shipfic, if you don't like the sexin' up in your fics, then keep it nice and fluffy. There isn't anything wrong with a simple make-out sesh or just a quick peck.
The same goes to gore, too- if that's your thing, go for it! I myself like a bit of lemon and gore in my fics, but not everyone's comfortable with it, so don't push yourself to write something that REALLY makes you cringe in disgust.
However, if you do write gory or lemon stories, make sure to tag them appropriately so that no one who isn't comfortable with it will read. You don't want to make anyone run away from you, or get any life scars!