Back in the game

[Superpower Emboar]

So, as of late I look at my first attempt at a fanfiction and shudder. With names of me and all my friends, overpowered Pokemon, unrealistic travel times, update frequency and the altogether abandonment of the fic. The only real problem in the present day is I still love writing with a passion. I'm currently working on a novel to be published either professionally or via a website, and when I get stuck I still take time to write fanfiction of various fandoms, including a few more Pokemon fanfcitions.

How do I go about this? I believe I have solved the motivation and update problem by being about nine chapters in to the two I am working on, and planning out one until the very end, but that just created a new set of problems, as one is a Journey fic and the other is a romance fic but all I have experience on this site is with fusion fics. How do I go about attracting a new audience? What if the way I have my characters interact isn't believable since I regularly write them as an extension of the character?

I may just be being paranoid but the shame of my first fanfiction coupled with the feelings of inadequacy in the genres make me hesitate to post, so how do I go about writing in two new genres and make it appeal to an audience while easing my worries? Any help would be much appreciated

 

[DANdotW]

From my experience on this site...you literally only gain recognition and new readers and to be honest, respect, by writing. The more you get out, and the longer you keep it going without giving up, the more respect they'll give you. Some of the best known authors here are not technically the best (they're up there, for sure), but the most dedicated.

I'll try and give you a really big piece of advice, though. The one you have planned all the way to the end; you may want to scrap it at some point. I have done this a lot. I would plan things out all the way to the end, and it has stopped me in my tracks so many times. Why? I am bored with it. I already know what happens, when it happens, so there is no mystery in my head. For sure, you need to know when and how you'll end it, and the order of some big points on the way, but planning it completely sometimes hurts more than it helps.

As for the point about only having experience with fusion fics; you know the solution to that, my friend. Write, write, and once more write. You might get a thread with nine chapters posted and still no reviews. PERSEVERE! At some point, somebody is going to lurk; then they'll love it, comment on it, recommend it to a friend and you're set! It'll take a really long time to get a full readership, here. Some fics get left behind as readers only want to read/comment on fics from the more well known authors. You just need to keep going ^_^

 

[Shymain]

I know that I posted a harsh review, and if that had any part in the shame of the fanfic, then I'm really, really sorry.

I really think that you don't need to go about attracting attention for a new kind of fanfic. Just let them read the fic, and they'll decide for themselves.

Take me, for example. Usually I only read certain types of books, but I've really widened my horizons when it comes to FanFiction. And, anyways, if people like it, they like it, and if they don't they don't, so you really can't change that without changing the things that they don't like, and if that happens to be one of the core parts of the fic, then you can't do anything.

 

[Superpower Emboar]

I'll try and give you a really big piece of advice, though. The one you have planned all the way to the end; you may want to scrap it at some point. I have done this a lot. I would plan things out all the way to the end, and it has stopped me in my tracks so many times. Why? I am bored with it. I already know what happens, when it happens, so there is no mystery in my head. For sure, you need to know when and how you'll end it, and the order of some big points on the way, but planning it completely sometimes hurts more than it helps.

I see, well that does make sense, I just thought it would be nice to have it all lain out before I started. Maybe if I backtrack some, or turn it into a fic with a sequel, you think that would work?

As for the point about only having experience with fusion fics; you know the solution to that, my friend. Write, write, and once more write. You might get a thread with nine chapters posted and still no reviews. PERSEVERE! At some point, somebody is going to lurk; then they'll love it, comment on it, recommend it to a friend and you're set! It'll take a really long time to get a full readership, here. Some fics get left behind as readers only want to read/comment on fics from the more well known authors. You just need to keep going ^_^

Thanks! I really appreciate that, that's how it was with my first one, three chapters in before somebody asked to be added to the PM list, then it started springing up with a new reader per chapter, I was just worried, but that may be taken care of now.

I know that I posted a harsh review, and if that had any part in the shame of the fanfic, then I'm really, really sorry.

No worries, I didn't even remember the review at the point I was in in the fic. I know my original reply to it was hot headed and pretty hasty, but hopefully I have matured beyond that point. Not to mention I really stopped reading any review, good or bad once I responded.