Ok, so I was considering a foray into the newest Game of Ships challenge, but it's been forever and a day since I've ever done fanfic... and certainly not in any big capacity. I mean... we're talking pre-Episode I Star Wars stuff filled with a horrible Mary-Sue self-insert. I was 14. We've all been there. ;) So, do you have any tips or words of advice? I'm nervous about attempting something like this, particularly as ASOIAF seems like a hard fandom to jump into.
You should definitely give it a go even if it is only a drabble to get your feet wet. (And yes, we’ve all been there with the youthful, embarrassing fanfic, but that’s where you cut your teeth, so it’s not a bad thing!) ASOIAF isn’t that tricky of a fandom to relaunch your fanfic career. It’s fairly small, has lots of ships to choose from, and based on my experiences, people are very welcoming.
Choose the pairing you feel most inspired by rather than what you think other people want to read. No use in floundering in uninspiring waters.
This challenge let’s you do canon or au. Is canon your thing or do you think you’d feel more at home writing in a modern setting or some other fictional/historical world?
Pick something that won’t require too much research to start—you can drown in it. That can mean researching bits of canon or something for an au world. Research can be inspirational or lead you down a never ending path.
What prompt triggers an image, ‘plot bunny’, some kind of creative response? Go with that one and jot down some ideas, even if they’re really rough.
Seek out other inspiration based on your rough idea: music, visual images, lyrics, poems, etc.
And then just write. Sometimes you have to force yourself. I don’t believe in the muse! If we all waited for a muse, we’d be putting out fanfic at a GRRM like rate of publication. ;)
Good luck! I really hope you do join us. The more the merrier.
