So… you've written a fan fic. How can you learn from it? Analysis is the answer… just follow this handy step by step guide to analysis and improvement…

1. Describe in detail the main stages of your preparation. (E.g. Analysis of my fic 'Nowhere to run.' Step a) watched 'Redefinition and made notes on Lilah/Lindsey interaction and characterisation and step b) read 'Playing for keeps' at a Lindsey fanfiction archive to gain ideas. My fic is based on this.)
2. Write down the main aims of what you wanted to get across to a reader. (E.g. alternative characterisation, promotion of a ship, promotion of a minor character etc.)
3. Outline successful strategies to develop characterisation and plot. (E.g. Watched the episode 'Untouched' and read the fic 'Note to self.')
4. Mention your own personal achievements (e.g. the first dark fic I wrote or the first proper R rated fic I wrote.)
5. Identify problems and how they were solved (e.g. block to Lilah characterisation so I watch 'Untouched' again. Writer's block so I responded to a challenge.)
6. Write a bit about the following in this fic if applicable: use of speech, pauses, timing, gesture and facial expression, movement, description, posture etc.
7. Include an account of the setting of the fic (time and location.) Why?
8. Evaluate the final fic showing where successful or not. Discuss any areas where characterisation or plot could have been developed further or improved. Suggest improvements. Include feedback responses (if any.) Comment on how you feel about the piece and justify.

There are eight things you can say about a fic to analyse it effectively…

1. Occasion.

Is it written in response to a certain situation? For example it could be written as a response to a scene, storyline or season. Is it a response to something real (something that happened on screen on the show) or imaginary (something that happened OS or not on the show?)

2. Type

It could be a lyric, a narrative fic, a ballad, a dramatic fic, a descriptive fic and so forth. If we learn to recognise this it makes our understanding of fic so much easier.

3. Theme

The fic could be about love, war, death… all human experiences. This is not the same as occasion. A poem can be written in response to war and be about love for example.

4. Effect

Is it tragic, comic, satirical, disturbing? There is room for different interpretations here. Fics strike different people in different ways.

5. Structure

How is it put together? It could be a series of arguments, a summary, a story, in flashbacks…

6. Language

1. Literal language- the vocabulary. This can be conversational, controversial, complex, colloquial etc.
2. Figurative language- Figures of speech such as similes and metaphors, alliteration, rhyme and metre.

1. Tradition

A fic will share characteristics with other fics based on the same character, ship or even in the same show or genre. For example, a Lilah fic will differ greatly from a Buffy/Riley fic. (This step will require some wider reading.)

2. Personal judgement.

• Language. Use of literal and figurative. Include a separate pop culture section if applicable. Is the use of language effective? What does it try to convey to a reader?
• Roots. If outlining a character's past or making references to a characters past is it effective and accurate? You'll be able to use this step more effectively with different characters. For example we pretty much know everything about Angel's past because of the series of flashback episodes but we know nothing about Lilah's past… but we *assume* she was probably pretty rich and spoilt.
• Conflict and storyline. Does the basic plot work? What's the conflict or problem or situation for the character? Do the plot and character mesh well?
• Celebration/despair. Does this fic celebrate anything or is it based on despair? They're the two main ones but what feelings are the basis of the fic. They could be anything… for example my own fic 'Nowhere to run's' base feelings are lust, betrayal and desire. It's more of a despair fic. Whereas another fic I read called 'Pandemonium's' base feelings are friendship, trust and hope. It's a celebration fic.
• Protest/support. A fic either makes a protest or supports. All u/c couple fics are protest. They write them because they want their couple to get together and are a protest about them not being together. Support fics support conventional couples usually.
• How things change. What changes in the story? For example in 'Nowhere to run' Lilah becomes a stronger person because she learns to say no to Lindsey. So the key change in the story would be character strength.
• Structure. How is the piece structured? Story? Song fic? Vignette? Character POV? Alternating POV? How effective is it?