No, you’re not allowed to recommend your own fic. But here’s what you can do if you want your fic added to the archive.

Tips on Getting Your Fic Added to QAFF

Your fic has to be well-written. Kind of goes without saying, doesn’t it? ;)

First impressions matter. The AF fandom has thousands of fics.Obviously, the QAFF staff members don’t have time to read every single fic in order to find the best.If your summary or title is unprofessional (“review plz plz plz!”) has grammatical/spelling errors (especially of names), it sends people a message that your entire story isn’t worth reading.Meanwhile, asking for constructive criticism shows that you’re mature and looking to improve your writing.Which brings me to my next point...

Pay attention to all constructive criticism you are given. You don’t necessarily have to follow all of their advice, but you should at least keep it in mind.Try to always reply to concrit (publicly or privately) with thanks and an acknowledgement of the reviewer’s suggestions.

Be a good reviewer. This means giving an intelligent review with valid explanations on why you liked or didn’t like the fic, and possibly suggestions for improvement.Example of a helpful review: “Your characterisation of Artemis was very believable.But I think your last line could be reworded to X, which is less awkward.”Example of an unhelpful review: “really good update please!” I’m a person who reads reviews of everyone’s fics, and if I notice a helpful reviewer I’ll often check to see if he or she has written any fics.

Support quality fanfiction! And no, I’m not just talking about the Orion Awards when I say that.Reading and reviewing great fics will not only help you improve your own writing, but it will also help you to be noticed by quality authors.If I see that your story has been favourited or nominated by someone who is a great author or an Orion Judge, that definitely makes me want to read it when I might have otherwise missed it.Also, nominate and recommend fics for the Orions and for QAFF. When someone suggests a fic to be added, I will usually check out his/her own fanfiction as well.

Try writing something unique. I’ve seen dozens of (for example) Artemis/Holly fics, but hardly any Opal/Cudgeon fics.This is not to say that all A/H is bad and all O/C is good.But it certainly makes a fic more distinctive when it features an obscure pairing or character, or an unusual situation, rather than a cliché.Plus, it’s fun to experiment! :)

However, if you do write something that’s been done a lot before (e.g. Artemis Fowl x Harry Potter crossover), try to go beyond the cliché. A fic that puts a fresh twist on an overused pairing/plot/etc. is certainly distinctive.If you manage to pull it off, we’ll be just as impressed.

Mark your fic as “Complete” on Fanfiction.Net. I usually filter the list to the “Status: Complete” option when searching for fics to add to the archive.

So, that’s my list on how to make your story stand out from the crowd. Following these tips doesn’t guarantee that your fic will be added, but it does improve your chances.Good luck, and keep writing! :)

4/2/2008 #1 Report