5 (More!) BIG Mistakes Fanfic Writers Make! - Confessions Of A Beta Reader

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  • เผยแพร่เมื่อ 10 ธ.ค. 2024

ความคิดเห็น • 108

  • @fatimaquddus5037
    @fatimaquddus5037 5 ปีที่แล้ว +193

    I have a fanfiction addiction and it's really bad. Especially when I keep coming back to fanfics that I'm just coming back to mainly because A. the fandom is so small that there's not enough fics for it and B. it's the closest to the idea I have but I can't find a fic that matches what I want to read... which later leads me to think I need to write my own and then I angst over it because idk where to start...

    • @MakeItWithMecca
      @MakeItWithMecca  5 ปีที่แล้ว +29

      Omg why do I have the same feelings 😂😂😂😂

    • @yuzukilance8744
      @yuzukilance8744 5 ปีที่แล้ว +8

      Idk why, this is the story of my life...

    • @airak6853
      @airak6853 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Relatable. Except I do write the fanfics that I want to read

    • @emd4361
      @emd4361 2 ปีที่แล้ว

      Definitely understand. One of my problems is in the one of the fandoms I'm in, from what I've seen, either lots of the authors are younger and less experienced in writing or are not interested in the characters/pairings I am. :C

    • @wiggleworm5423
      @wiggleworm5423 2 ปีที่แล้ว

      What fandom are you apart of cause it would have to be really small.

  • @kill-your-double-3459
    @kill-your-double-3459 5 ปีที่แล้ว +70

    I’m actually living for your flower crown lol

  • @sunglasses2186
    @sunglasses2186 4 ปีที่แล้ว +113

    mecca: *making the story too long*
    me: laughs and pretends i don’t own a ff that’s almost 100 chapters long 🙃

    • @MakeItWithMecca
      @MakeItWithMecca  4 ปีที่แล้ว +22

      Omgggggggg 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂 as long as the plot isn’t dragging on forever, I guess it’s okay 😂😂

    • @1993scroton
      @1993scroton 4 ปีที่แล้ว +6

      High five, I have a fanfiction with 100 chapters and another ff with 85 chapters xDD

    • @zodyac2457
      @zodyac2457 3 ปีที่แล้ว +6

      when you read a fanfiction that have 294 and still on going be like : 👁 👄 👁

    • @madmedicalofficer9446
      @madmedicalofficer9446 3 ปีที่แล้ว +8

      I am actually reading a fanfic with 2 MILLION WORDS and it’s still ongoing. NGL, the plot is great and every chapter has a purpose so it’s really enjoyable. I guess it’s okay as long as it’s interesting

    • @hopefulstarfish7559
      @hopefulstarfish7559 2 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      I wouldn’t be worried about a story having too many chapters, just as long as each chapter isn’t too long.

  • @mintothesung4211
    @mintothesung4211 5 ปีที่แล้ว +75

    That dislike must have came from someone who does all the things you shouldn't do in writing Fanfics

  • @madydragneel
    @madydragneel 5 ปีที่แล้ว +70

    Not gonna lie. I don’t write Mary Sues- but I don’t really mind reading about them, provided it’s necessary for the plot.
    I mean, think about it. The Time Travel trope is hella popular in fanfiction, and the main character is almost always a Mary Sue/Gary Stu (with a case of PTSD). Depending on how balanced out the overpowered character is in accordance to the plot, I rarely see much problems with it. Some authors even go as far as getting their MCs injured once or twice in battle to show that they’re “vulnerable” and whatnot.
    Now give me a Mary Sue in a high school or modern world AU setting... I’d click ‘back’ so fast even my browser will wonder what happened lol.

    • @MakeItWithMecca
      @MakeItWithMecca  5 ปีที่แล้ว +21

      Okay, but what you’re describing, when the authors make the character vulnerable and balance out the op, at that point, the character ceases to become a Mary Sue. Mary Sues have no flaws and are all around perfect and well liked. You’re describing a cliche character, which can work very well for all kinds of stories.
      But yeah, if it’s in a high school au especially, I run far far away

  • @PeppermintCereal
    @PeppermintCereal 5 ปีที่แล้ว +27

    Came for the fanfic stuff, MAY STAY for the fashion. Speaking of fanfics I'm planning to do a Round The Twist one because a certain episode made me really mad and I just... want to kind of correct it

    • @clymbr
      @clymbr 3 ปีที่แล้ว

      what a throwback! have u everrrrr ever felt like this

  • @freshcupofangst
    @freshcupofangst 3 ปีที่แล้ว +4

    5:54 Something she did not touch on here, is, ironically, something that REALLY turns me away from a fanfic (or at least makes it less enjoyable to me than it would be) and that is, inconsistent character dynamics! (This only applies to fics that stick to the canon material)
    For example: Character A and Character B have been best friends ever since they were kids, right? The writers will most certainly address this, as it's bound to come up eventually, especially if it's a fic shipping the two.
    But then, the writers decide: “Hey, let's put some conflict in between these characters that makes NO sense for them to be having!” And then proceed to put in some REALLY weird misunderstanding that you'd find in a shallow, newly formed friendship, that somehow DESTROYS, just fricking OBLITERATES this decades old friendship.
    And then I'm always just left sitting there like: “W-what??? Where did this come from?!?? Why-why?! But that doesn't make sense???” And I swear it's always the most frustrating thing on earth. It always feels like such a *cheap* setup for a story, and it's even worse when it's the climax. Just...please, don't ever do this, if you want to write an angsty story, at least have it make sense for the characters and actually be *good*

    • @MakeItWithMecca
      @MakeItWithMecca  3 ปีที่แล้ว

      Omg, you’re right, that drives me INSANE!

  • @luka9911
    @luka9911 5 ปีที่แล้ว +10

    Please NEVER change the background music, I just love it xD Most importantly it does not get annoying but relaxing :)

    • @MakeItWithMecca
      @MakeItWithMecca  5 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Thank you so much I’ll keep that in mind

  • @futurestoryteller
    @futurestoryteller 3 ปีที่แล้ว +5

    More visual writing is definitely good advice, personally my problem with this is that I envision scenes more like a dream. First of all I'm much more auditory, I hear characters talking, but when I do visualize a scene, characters could be doing conflicting things from moment to moment in my head, and on the rare occassion that I have the good sense to start writing down the details, I have to settle on exactly what and when, which can be very boring for me.

  • @evastarunit7361
    @evastarunit7361 4 ปีที่แล้ว +6

    Also when i make a fanfic i want the title to relate to the story and characters originally my most successful fanfic "dinosaur train evolution" was called "dinosaur train: adventures beyond" but i thought evolution would be a better title but i began to notice that the title made more sense as the story progressed now i understand why i really wanted to make evolution the title its because the characters are evolving they're growing up from kids to teens at first i just thought it would be a cool title but now i see it as a way to relate to the story as well its not just a cool title it relates to the story

  • @snickerdoodle6296
    @snickerdoodle6296 4 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    Your videos make me smile! I was feeling discouraged as a FF writer until I found your channel. Thx so much. Sometimes I doubt if my writing will even be noticed bc my fandom is getting smaller but whatever! Love your videos!!

    • @MakeItWithMecca
      @MakeItWithMecca  4 ปีที่แล้ว

      Glad I could make you smile! Thanks for watching

  • @mysticthecatninja
    @mysticthecatninja 5 ปีที่แล้ว +9

    Nice video! I just watched the last one recently and so it was cool to watch this one so soon after. If you ever end up making more videos on fanfic and the topic it would be cool if you made a video on common grammar mistakes in fanfiction. I totally agree with your point that fanfic should try to have less mistakes, but if you're new or somebody who can't get a beta reader it would be a nice tip for us? Yeah I am in that category. I try really hard to make sure that my work makes sense but I was afraid to write as a child and now growing up I feel like I'm out of school and I have no idea what I'm doing wrong or right :lc. Anyway, that's just an idea. :]

  • @lenajonas4652
    @lenajonas4652 4 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    Although I am rather late in commenting - thank you so much for doing these videos! Not only is it incredibly helpful to hear an experienced Beta-reader talk about this, you also do it in such an outspoken, 'crisp' and, at the same time, congenial way, you certainly seem to know what you are talking about.
    It's nice to see fanfiction finally found its way to youtube, although it still amazes me ;) Something like this would have been appreciated about 15 years ago (speaking for myself here), but I am still glad it's finally happening - albeit wistfully. Thank you again!
    Much love
    Lena

    • @MakeItWithMecca
      @MakeItWithMecca  4 ปีที่แล้ว

      Omg, thank you so much for the sweet comment, I’m crying 😭😭😭😭😭 I don’t actually know what I’m talking about, but I’ve read thousands of fanfics for over ten years, so I’m happy some people enjoy them. Thank you for watching 💕

    • @lenajonas4652
      @lenajonas4652 4 ปีที่แล้ว

      @@MakeItWithMecca ​ MakeItWithMecca No, thank you (- also for the swift reply! ) Not to sound cynical, but it feels so rare these days to actually find in-depth, to-the-point and helpful advice, and not just people promoting themselves. You have such an honest, heartfelt and perceptive way of doing things, please keep that up. :) Sorry if I'm expressing myself weirdly, I am no native speaker ;-)
      I know real life comes first, but I'd love to see more videos from you.
      Till next time, and good night
      Lena

  • @skartix-me9rm
    @skartix-me9rm 4 ปีที่แล้ว +7

    I’m starting a fan fiction, and I’ve watched all your videos on Fanfiction, which have helped a lot more! I have a spare binder where I can keep track of this fanfiction, although I have a question.
    The love interests publicly hate each other, while one has had a bit of a crush since the beginning, but refuses to admit it, as it would hurt their pride. What I’ve been questioning is if I should also put the Red String AU in the fic!
    (for those who don’t know, at a certain age, characters are able to see a red string around their wrist connecting to the wrist of their soulmate, only they can see the string.)
    I don’t really know if it would add in a good or bad way!

    • @MakeItWithMecca
      @MakeItWithMecca  4 ปีที่แล้ว +4

      So glad you’re starting to write! The great thing about fanfic is that your creativity is your only limit. If you want a red string AU, then make one. No one can stop you. I’ve read plenty of them that I enjoyed so please let me know when it’s finished and I’ll be sure to check it out 💕

    • @skartix-me9rm
      @skartix-me9rm 4 ปีที่แล้ว

      MakeItWithMecca
      Oh my goodness, thanks for responding! I’ve actually changed my mind on the red string, as I am starting a Harry Potter fanfiction, which was voted on by friends, also featuring Draco as a Veela. Thanks for the advice!

    • @delusionaldreamer8332
      @delusionaldreamer8332 2 ปีที่แล้ว

      @@skartix-me9rm Where can I find this fanfic?

  • @ninaspages
    @ninaspages 5 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    Thank you for another great video 😊👍👍💕

  • @captainaegirhellkingsurtr3116
    @captainaegirhellkingsurtr3116 5 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    I wish I had this video a year ago, this is so helpful

    • @MakeItWithMecca
      @MakeItWithMecca  5 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Hope it can still help. Thanks for watching!

  • @KhanRahman
    @KhanRahman 5 ปีที่แล้ว +3

    Nice video blog! Love!

  • @clymbr
    @clymbr 3 ปีที่แล้ว +4

    lmaoooo me sitting here with my 100k word story that's only 1/3 done

  • @rasanebulis789
    @rasanebulis789 2 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    Personally, because my handwriting is really bad (sometimes I can't tell what it says 😅) I tend to write my story ideas and rough drafts on my cellphone first before typing it out on my computer.
    I find that works quite well because often ideas hit me when not at home.

    • @MakeItWithMecca
      @MakeItWithMecca  2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      My handwriting sucks as well, but I can at least read it 😩😩

    • @rasanebulis789
      @rasanebulis789 2 ปีที่แล้ว

      @@MakeItWithMecca yeah, it's not that I can't write well If I do it slowly, but when I write for fanfics I tend to be excited and write fast. Think this is common for us lefties. 😅

  • @jay-dv4cc
    @jay-dv4cc 5 ปีที่แล้ว +6

    can you please continue this...

  • @jmaried.9642
    @jmaried.9642 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    I try to write fanfiction and i love that you made this video! Helps a lot to get the perspective of betas/readers. As a reader, I tend to be lenient so what's a problem for some is not so much for me. Thank you for making these videos! I don't always subscribe but I have from the first video alone. Great stuff! 😊

  • @lehooman3829
    @lehooman3829 2 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    I watched the first part of this video too, and I just want to say that this is really helpful. Good motivation because it seems like I can never get in the mood to write. I will start a story (Chapter four currently) and people said that the start was good, but I also want to please them with the climax later on and end... So I sit at my laptop to finish the rough draft for the chapter and somehow I end up on youtube-

  • @owlpip8992
    @owlpip8992 5 ปีที่แล้ว +17

    Hi! I found this through your other fanfic video and i wanted to say that they were great :) I do have a question though. I just started writing fanfic, though i’ve been reading for years, and I don’t know how to find a beta reader :/ do you know how people find one?

    • @MakeItWithMecca
      @MakeItWithMecca  5 ปีที่แล้ว +10

      So glad you liked the video! I’ll make another video soon on how to find a beta reader. But if you publish your stories online and have readers, sometimes you can just ask for volunteers and they’ll come. Or if you’re at college or high school, make friends with the English students and show them your stories. They won’t be able to resist correcting them 😂😂😂

  • @navya5679
    @navya5679 4 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    You're so sweet and I get your points.

  • @TheBewingedWolf
    @TheBewingedWolf 5 ปีที่แล้ว +8

    These tips were very helpful!
    Do you have any tips on how to find beta readers for your story? 😊

    • @MakeItWithMecca
      @MakeItWithMecca  5 ปีที่แล้ว +2

      I do have a video on that! Look on my fanfic playlist

    • @TheBewingedWolf
      @TheBewingedWolf 5 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      @@MakeItWithMecca Thank you, gonna check it out! 😊

  • @evastarunit7361
    @evastarunit7361 4 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    You know i ship endlessly i am being honest but i dont let that get in the way of my story yes in my story i do have moments where the two characters i ship interact but they act normal they dont act like they are so in love with each other that they need to say things about their relationship like for example my "dinosaur train evolution" wattpad story yes i do ship shiny and gilbert but their relationship in the story is very explored but its not the main focus of the story the main focus is hope and growing up which in this case it mostly centers around the main character named buddy tyrannosaurus as he matures and grows up with the ones he protects

  • @Asma-zc1ye
    @Asma-zc1ye 5 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    Hmm I haven't really ever read fanfic. But this is interesting!

    • @avam6080
      @avam6080 5 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Asma they're so great. pick basically any TV show, any movie, any play or musical, any anime, and there's bound to be fanfic out there for it.

  • @trinomew
    @trinomew 5 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    I love reading fanfics and I’m starting to get into writing my own story. I’ve been planning this canon rewrite of a story on and off for over a year. Overall I plan to change many points and create different dramatic points. I’m working on balancing dialogue and descriptions along with overall plot consistency. I usually try to read a chapter I’m writing over a few times. Really the series I chose is decently convenient for a whole canon rewrite since it mostly takes place in a smallish area and only has the 17 main characters to focus on. Though it’s not really 17 since death is a prevalent part of the story so that 17 will shrink as the story progresses.

    • @MakeItWithMecca
      @MakeItWithMecca  5 ปีที่แล้ว

      I love how you said this. It’s always good to analyze stuff before jumping into it. I always read my work aloud because I auto correct in my head

  • @Sillyslipperybananapeel
    @Sillyslipperybananapeel 2 ปีที่แล้ว

    Something I want to add, is that you don’t owe anything to anyone. Write what you wanna write. Accept constructive criticism, but throw out the haters. Have fun writing.

  • @awwgrassyass9857
    @awwgrassyass9857 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Not only should writers keep their timeline consistent, but also their characters. There's a difference between having a character go through changes over the course of the story, and a character doing a 180 out of nowhere just because the plot demands it.
    I see this a lot with characters who go from good to evil or evil to good. It's not like a light switch, people don't just change on the flip of a dime.
    Even when a life-changing event happens, people tend to go through stages of change and emotions. (The five stages of grief for example.)

  • @jessealexander3346
    @jessealexander3346 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    I think filler can be a good thing, as long as that filler has it's own affects on the main plot. For instance, some stories I write, start out with a main plot to follow, but then start to go off track, but have their own plot and arcs that help form the characters and overall plot. Just my opinion.

    • @MakeItWithMecca
      @MakeItWithMecca  4 ปีที่แล้ว

      If filler doesn’t detract from the main story, then it’s fine. But many people use filler in long shows that add absolutely nothing to the plot and unfortunately, many writers lose readers because the chapters have no substance.

  • @avam6080
    @avam6080 5 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    oh my goddd. i read a fanfic once where the two main characters were very unlikable. i don't mean they looked bad on the surface, i mean literally their bad qualities far outweighed their good. that story was a fucking _drag_ to finish. but i had so much faith in the story, i wanted it to end well, i wanted it to be good, or turn good, or have a positive twist at the end... but nope. it was just two, fucked up people, who had far too few good qualities, ending up together.

  • @jovana4261
    @jovana4261 4 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    Gosh, you are so pretty and thank you for the tips, they are really helpful! And I got to ask, is it necessary to write a prologue?

    • @MakeItWithMecca
      @MakeItWithMecca  4 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Thank you 😭😭😭😭😭😭 it’s not really necessary, just depends on what you wanna do

    • @rasanebulis789
      @rasanebulis789 2 ปีที่แล้ว

      Imo, a prologue can add to the story, but sometimes it is not necessary.

  • @dummythicc9787
    @dummythicc9787 5 ปีที่แล้ว +5

    Tip:if you dont have a beta reader use google translate as your beta reader

  • @teamtrees4life661
    @teamtrees4life661 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Thank you for making this video! It’s very helpful. I have a quick question. You said to have likable characters (which I agree with), but is it a good idea to have a disliked character? Like, a villain people love to hate? Personally, I’ve never met a character I fully hated, but I still enjoy seeing characters be naughty rebels. Is that something I should include? I know every character could be liked by someone, but I just wanna know if having a not-so-liked character is a good idea. Sorry. I feel like I just asked the same question three times, but reworded. 😂

    • @MakeItWithMecca
      @MakeItWithMecca  4 ปีที่แล้ว +4

      I get what you’re saying. That’s a good idea. As long as they’re disliked because of who they are/what they did not and not disliked because they were written badly. 😁😁

    • @teamtrees4life661
      @teamtrees4life661 4 ปีที่แล้ว

      @@MakeItWithMecca Okay. Thank you for responding!

    • @MakeItWithMecca
      @MakeItWithMecca  4 ปีที่แล้ว

      💕💕

  • @monkeytitan3768
    @monkeytitan3768 5 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    When you mentioned word 'filler' and 'anime' and then 'Naruto' I remembered Boruto and how it's FULL of fillers. Gosh I need manga adaptation!!😒

    • @MakeItWithMecca
      @MakeItWithMecca  5 ปีที่แล้ว +3

      I don’t keep up with Boruto. I just watch the episodes with Sasuke in it. Hopefully the story picks up soon.

    • @monkeytitan3768
      @monkeytitan3768 5 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      @@MakeItWithMecca Cool. I heard Sasuke's gonna be the main focus in anime in August. Hope it's true^^

  • @fatman4745
    @fatman4745 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    I've been reading/ writing fanfiction for about 3 years now? I'm owning up to it now, I used to create Mary Sue's, specifically as the main character. But one thing I have noticed, is that for new writers, Mary Sue is more likely to be the antagonist. The perfect girl with the perfect hair, teeth and she's a complete bad girl who falls for the bad boy. I advise you that if you are a new writer, many people do not like to see this. Some do, but many don't. It's too predictable. Mary Sue tries to get the bad boy but the only girl he is interested is that quiet nerd who got 98% on her biology test. I'm still a fairly new writer, but I've just noticed that this comes up way too often.

    • @MakeItWithMecca
      @MakeItWithMecca  4 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      You hit the nail on the head. I can’t tell you how many different versions of that same story I’ve read.

  • @HelenWheelsUtah
    @HelenWheelsUtah 5 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    If I'm reading a story, even if it's compelling, spelling and grammar errors take me right out of the story. So get a beta reader! That being said, is there any way to gently suggest that someone get a beta reader? Or even offer my services as such?

    • @MakeItWithMecca
      @MakeItWithMecca  5 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Yes if you just offer your services, I’m sure it won’t be offensive. Second eyes are always good

    • @HelenWheelsUtah
      @HelenWheelsUtah 4 ปีที่แล้ว

      @@CrazyGreenFluff
      I have never beta-ed before, but I used to be an editor/proofreader in another life, and would love to help. Would you care to take it offline and see if we "fit"?

  • @kiwimuse
    @kiwimuse 4 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    Hey Mecca! Just wondering, i'm a new fanfic writer and wanted to know if you had any advice on approaching a Beta Reader? Many thanks :D x

    • @MakeItWithMecca
      @MakeItWithMecca  4 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Hi! If you put an inquiry on a site, or have a friend that’s good in English, just ask if anyone wants to help. Or you can go to Facebook groups with editors and writers and make a most there. Hope this helps!

    • @kiwimuse
      @kiwimuse 4 ปีที่แล้ว

      @@MakeItWithMecca Thankyou Mecca! I literally just saw that you'd already posted a video about this so i'm also watching that now haha :) Thankyou so much for replying!

    • @MakeItWithMecca
      @MakeItWithMecca  4 ปีที่แล้ว

      You’re welcome!

  • @user-wy2df7ln2k
    @user-wy2df7ln2k 5 ปีที่แล้ว +2

    hi love, where can i read your work? would really love to read your fic

    • @MakeItWithMecca
      @MakeItWithMecca  5 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      I don’t have any recent work 😂😂😂😂 maybe I’ll get back in to it

  • @Arinaretina
    @Arinaretina 4 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    question: How did you become a beta reader and are there any tips for being one?

    • @MakeItWithMecca
      @MakeItWithMecca  4 ปีที่แล้ว

      I love English and reading, so I have always edited people’s essays for them. When I read fanfic, of the story needs improvement, I offer myself as a beta reader, the author thanks me in their notes, and then others contact me. My tips are to make sure that you don’t try to destroy the original material while editing, read from the perspective of someone new, and try to enjoy it. Being a beta reader can be exhausting since it’s unpaid work

  • @flaviagro8240
    @flaviagro8240 5 ปีที่แล้ว +6

    Hi beautiful let me like and watch well. Looking good

  • @ilikeminecraftgaming9331
    @ilikeminecraftgaming9331 4 ปีที่แล้ว

    I HATE Marry Sues,Don't know why I let myself reed Starkit's Prophecy in Warriors.And,if you have read it,you know what I'm talking about it,and if your curious,JUST DON'T READ IT!It's horrible,like it seems as though it was written by a 5 year old,so many spelling errors,and a horrible plot XD,or course now that I say that your gonna probably read it lol

  • @bonne_chanel474
    @bonne_chanel474 3 ปีที่แล้ว

    "i dont like math, focc, my ass is so lazy to this" lol these line breaks a mary sue character, am I right lol not sure

  • @kugasolar6515
    @kugasolar6515 3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

    Hi I need a beta reader anyone intrested????

    • @MakeItWithMecca
      @MakeItWithMecca  3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      There were some comments under my beta reader video offering. Maybe check that out

    • @kugasolar6515
      @kugasolar6515 3 ปีที่แล้ว

      @@MakeItWithMecca I forgot to Thank you so " Thank you for the video it's was very helpful"

    • @MakeItWithMecca
      @MakeItWithMecca  3 ปีที่แล้ว +1

      Thank you for watching 💕