Shunsuke's

Concise Guide to Better Fanfic Writing

Version 1.3

1: Tools Of The Trade

     "A book, if you've a mind to(o); a pen, if you've a mind
      to(o); and paper, if you've a mind to(o)."
                              - Plato, to a student asking
                                what he needed to bring to
                                the university

1.1 The Basics

Sure, these are basics, but how many people use them on a regular basis? If you want to write at a college level, you need these; in fact, if you write poorly and do not have these, I am not surprised. O_o
A good set of books does not have to be expensive; a complete, serviceable and new set of paperback books (English and J/E dictionaries, thesaurus, a book on grammar, and a desktop encyclopaedia) can be purchased for less than $35.
1.1.1 Dictionary

Nevermind Japanese spelling, the English spelling in many fanfics is terrible. If you are in doubt about a word's spelling, look it up, it will not take long. Good spelling may not make you look smart, but poor spelling will make you look stupid. I still have a copy of the Students' Webster's Dictionary (the thin one that fits in a binder or duotang) I purchased 15 years ago for $.75 and it stands up even today, so price is not a factor. (No, I am not still using it. ^_^ )

1.1.2 Thesaurus

"What's a thesaurus?" "It's a book of words that died a long time ago." - characters from the comic "For Better Or Worse"

Roget's Thesaurus (Pocket)
The New Roget's Thesaurus (Pocket)
Stuck for a word, or forced to repeat the same one too soon? Grab your Roget's (or any sort) and you will be writing/authoring/composing/fabricating/weaving better English in no time. Seeing the same word over and over can bore a reader quickly; you do want your letter or story to be read, do you not?

1.1.3 Encyclopaedia

Encyclopaedia Brittanica
Compton's Internactive Encyclopaedia CD ROM
Microsoft Encarta CD ROM
The New American Desk Encyclopaedia
Several small paperback desktop encyclopaedias are on the market, and while containing nowhere near the depth of information of an Encyclopaedia Brittanica or the like, they do contain more than enough information to make you knowledgeable on many subjects.
If your computer has a CD-ROM drive (whose does not, nowadays), a CD encyclopaedia can provide an extensive amount of information in a small, affordable format. With the rebates commonly offered on new software, a good new CD will cost anywhere from $0 to $40. Even a used or older version of a CD encyclopaedia will do; I recently purchased a 1997 version of Compton's Interactive Encyclopaedia for $10 (Canadian).

1.1.4 Technical Writing Books

Admittedly, with the exception of the first book below all of these are Canadian titles. That, however, does not mean you should not use these or similar types of books. (The US educational system is not that bad, you know. ^_^ )
1.1.4.1 The Elements of Style (Strunk and White)

Less than a hundred pages, this little wonder contains everything you need about proper usage of the English language.

1.1.4.2 Write Right! (Venolia)

How can you tell I like that phrase, hm? ^_^ A great book on punctation and grammar, and small in size too.

1.1.4.3 The Canadian Writer's Handbook (Messenger and de Bruyn)

An extensive and complete tome of information about every aspect of writing, from the basics of spelling and parts of speech, right up to the diction and mechanics of writing.

1.1.4.4 Administratively - Write! (Blicq)

What does a business textbook have to do with better writing? Everything. Writing concisely and completely are techniques hard to learn but very useful once you do. Read any issue of Reader's Digest and you'll see what I mean.

1.1.5 Japanese Culture and Language Books

The whole point of this document is about Japanese culture and writing anime fanfiction, after all, so it is worth mentioning some books to consider.
1.1.5.1 Vest Pocket Japanese (Owl Books)

Packed with information, this has everything in one book; its small size, however, means some things are not as detailed as they could be. It covers kana, pronounciation, basic sentences, grammar, and a 4000+ word J/E and E/J dictionary. If you can only afford one book, get this one.

1.1.5.2 Barron's Japanese Language Series

Japanese Grammar
Japanese Vocabulary
Japanese Verbs
Japanese Idioms
Small but very detailed, these are great learning and reference materials. The binding of the books is not the best quality, however.

1.1.5.3 Living Language Japanese-English Dictionary

Not very extensive, but highlights all the important everyday words. This is probably the most legible and readable of the lot.

1.1.5.4 Sanseido's New Concise Dictionary

The best for reference, very detailed and well designed. But, the price is steep.

1.1.5.5 Berlitz Japanese Phrase Book and Dictionary

The least extensive and least expensive, it's breadth is not large, but does contain enough for basic usage and cultural information.

1.1.5.6 Language/30 Japanese

Very thin on reference and in its dictionary, it is still a good and simple way to start learning the language.

1.1.5.7 Fodor's Japan

Maybe too much information here! Contains so much stuff and is so well written, it is worth reading even if you don't care one whit about Japan. The writer has a wicked sense of humor, too.

1.2 The Real McCoy

     "I would rather read the worst novel ever written than see
     the best movie ever made."
                              - CancerMan, The X-Files

I will not recommend any specific authors, since likes and dislikes are a matter of personal taste, but I strongly encourage you to go out and buy or borrow some real literature and read it. A basic rule of thumb: if it is assigned reading in high school or college English Lit. courses, it is worth reading.
1.2.1 Novels and Short Story Compilations

Real writers are those who have succesfully mastered the English language to the point where they can actually say something worthwhile. And when I say a real writer, I mean someone who wrote something significant. Whether it be Shelley, Dickens, Shakespeare, Wolff, Wilde, Vonnegut, Orwell, Wells, Poe, or Steinbeck, it does not matter.
I like Richard Lawson as much as the next fanfic reader, but to really be satisfied, I look to the classics. The books by the authors I mentioned in the previous paragraph are considered classics for a reason.

1.2.2 Essays and Non-Fiction

So what if they are not stories? A well written essay or book on an important topic is worth reading. Like any story, it will be cohesive, coherent and will communicate information to the reader in an entertaining or informative way.

Click below to select a section of the guide:

The Front Page Of The Guide
Preface: An Introduction To The Guide
Table Of Contents
1: The Tools Of The Trade
2: The Right Words
3: A Brief Japanese Glossary
4: Storyteller or Reporter?
Appendix 1: Quick and Dirty Fanfic Writing Advice
Appendix 2: Recommended Books and Resources
Appendix 3: The Writer's Ten Commandments
In Closing
Click here for The Guide in plain ASCII text

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