How to Find Good Fanfiction
Don't overuse the filters., Remember author names., Google fanfiction recommendations., Look at the favorites list of the authors., Don't limit yourself to fanfiction.net., Keep an open mind., Read the summaries., Search through communities., Look...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Don't overuse the filters.
The filters can help find specific characters that you like to read about, but cutting out too much of the content can lead you to overlooking some of the best stories.
However, if you can use them sparingly, they may offer some good choices.
While you may want to only find completed stories, many of the best stories out there are still in progress.
Be especially careful of filtering out all "Mature" material, as many writers include that tag "just in case" despite not having any content that would be objectionable to even the average older child. -
Step 2: Remember author names.
If you come across a really good author that you like, chances are they'll have something else that you like.
On FF.net you can make a user account and add the best stories to your favorites and then check the author of the story for more fanfics.
If you are browsing through LiveJournal or other sites, make a note of the author's name and add it to a list to look for later. , There are loads of fic recommendation everywhere on the Internet.
LiveJournal and discussion forums for specific fandoms are good sources of lists for you to explore.
Large fandoms such as Harry Potter or Naruto have pages and discussion forums specialized for specific pairings and genres. , If an author has written something you like, the chances are they will recommend higher quality stories than the average reviewer. , Go to other sources, such as LiveJournal or fanfic lists for a specific fandom and see what wonders await you there.
Authors also sometimes have personal websites where they post stories, which goes back to paying attention to author names. , Just because an author does not use your preferred pairing or subscribe your particular pet theory about a show doesn't mean their story can't be enjoyable.
While you may not personally like OC's or some pairing, don't immediately write the story off just because it includes that in the summary.
Read a chapter or two and see if the writer's style is engaging. , A good shortcut to know if a story is worth the time to read it is by looking at the summary.
If it has misspellings, all lowercase, or phrases like "I suck at summaries, just read it" you should simply skip over it.
While it's possible you might miss a good story that way, you will certainly avoid wasting a lot of time wading through poorly written stories.
Likewise, if you start and fic and you find that the first chapter is riddled with mistakes, drop the story before you invest a lot of time in something that won't be satisfying. , Communities (CCs) hand pick stories with specific qualities to them that there are no filters for.
Look for communities with large numbers of members but not too many recommendations. , Look for people with fewer stories on their favorites list and that include stories that you have already read and liked. -
Step 3: Google fanfiction recommendations.
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Step 4: Look at the favorites list of the authors.
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Step 5: Don't limit yourself to fanfiction.net.
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Step 6: Keep an open mind.
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Step 7: Read the summaries.
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Step 8: Search through communities.
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Step 9: Look at people's favorites section.
Detailed Guide
The filters can help find specific characters that you like to read about, but cutting out too much of the content can lead you to overlooking some of the best stories.
However, if you can use them sparingly, they may offer some good choices.
While you may want to only find completed stories, many of the best stories out there are still in progress.
Be especially careful of filtering out all "Mature" material, as many writers include that tag "just in case" despite not having any content that would be objectionable to even the average older child.
If you come across a really good author that you like, chances are they'll have something else that you like.
On FF.net you can make a user account and add the best stories to your favorites and then check the author of the story for more fanfics.
If you are browsing through LiveJournal or other sites, make a note of the author's name and add it to a list to look for later. , There are loads of fic recommendation everywhere on the Internet.
LiveJournal and discussion forums for specific fandoms are good sources of lists for you to explore.
Large fandoms such as Harry Potter or Naruto have pages and discussion forums specialized for specific pairings and genres. , If an author has written something you like, the chances are they will recommend higher quality stories than the average reviewer. , Go to other sources, such as LiveJournal or fanfic lists for a specific fandom and see what wonders await you there.
Authors also sometimes have personal websites where they post stories, which goes back to paying attention to author names. , Just because an author does not use your preferred pairing or subscribe your particular pet theory about a show doesn't mean their story can't be enjoyable.
While you may not personally like OC's or some pairing, don't immediately write the story off just because it includes that in the summary.
Read a chapter or two and see if the writer's style is engaging. , A good shortcut to know if a story is worth the time to read it is by looking at the summary.
If it has misspellings, all lowercase, or phrases like "I suck at summaries, just read it" you should simply skip over it.
While it's possible you might miss a good story that way, you will certainly avoid wasting a lot of time wading through poorly written stories.
Likewise, if you start and fic and you find that the first chapter is riddled with mistakes, drop the story before you invest a lot of time in something that won't be satisfying. , Communities (CCs) hand pick stories with specific qualities to them that there are no filters for.
Look for communities with large numbers of members but not too many recommendations. , Look for people with fewer stories on their favorites list and that include stories that you have already read and liked.
About the Author
Mark Jenkins
Writer and educator with a focus on practical creative arts knowledge.
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