How to Write Fanfiction

Applyfiction

A Guide to Applyfiction
by spacekru

Applyfiction: a style of writing that the majority of people have never even heard of. In a simple explanation, the author creates a series of "roles" for their characters and other users fill out a form to have their own original characters included in the final product. Traditionally, the more active a reader is when you update, the more screen-time (or should I say book-time?) their character will receive. I like to consider it a mixture between roleplays and stories; it's more collaborative than a single writer sitting behind a computer screen, but unlike a roleplay, the author has total control over the plot.

Applyfics are not inherently a type of fanfiction; the story can exist in a completely original setting with no outer influences in the slightest. That being said, it can exist as fanfic as well. Although I personally tend to stray from writing fanfiction, I've seen plenty of K-Pop, The Hunger Games, Lord of the Rings, It, Riverdale, and The 100-inspired applyfics, just to name a few. Allowing other users to create the characters can lend itself to whatever genre interests you.

That's just some basic background. Let's get down to the nitty-gritty.

Ten Steps to the Best Applyfic

#1: Should you write an applyfic?

Before you can even begin to fill your roles and send out your forms, you need to decide whether or not a story would work best as an applyfic.
From my experience, I've found that this format lends itself best to stories where there are a larger number of main/important characters. Maybe this means that there is a core team of characters at the center of the plot, or that your story will alternate between the perspectives of different characters.

If you realize that your story is going to revolve heavily around a single character, however, then perhaps an applyfic is not the best route to take and it would be better to make all the characters yourself. Remember that when you write an applyfic, you are essentially encouraging other users to read it because they want to see their characters included. If their character is only going to be seen once or twice or mentioned in passing, then you are dragging the reader along.

Secondly, if in thinking about your story you realize that most of the major characters need to be a very specific way, then maybe it's not the best idea to make an applyfic since you will lose some control over the direction the characters take.

There is no distinct formula to determine when a story would work best as an applyfic or as with its own characters. You'll need to use your own judgment as a writer, and also try to look at it from the reader's perspective in order to decide the best format for you to tell your stories.

#2: Have a plan before you post.

So you've decided that your story works best as an applyfic, right? Now, like writing any story, having a game plan is extremely beneficial. It's even more necessary when you're not the one creating your characters. You don't have to have every single detail set in stone before you send out your roles—in fact, it's better to remain flexible once you see what the characters you receive are like—but you should have a basic premise down. You need to be able to explain the premise to your readers in order to get them interested enough to make a character.

#3: Your roles matter.

The way you receive your characters is by posting a series of "roles" that users then reserve and fill out forms for. The way you describe these roles is essential to the success of your story. Going off of Step #2, you need a plan before you write, and the way you present your roles will guide the readers in how to create the characters that will fit your story.