Lessons Learned From Fanfiction

Posted on by Colin McMahon

In today’s world, many writers start by writing fanfiction. For those who don’t know, fanfiction is original work based on/inspired by existing properties. It is amateur work (although one could make the argument that the expanded universe of something like Star Wars is simply professional fanfiction), written by fans for fans. On the surface, there is no merit to it. Authors will never be paid for their work. That said, it can be a value learning tool. A free workshop in a sense.

I wrote a lengthy fanfiction story for Avatar: the Last Airbender and I will attest to the value in what was a tremendous learning experience.

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Love Triangles and the Female’s Role in YA

Posted on by Colin McMahon

Quick note: this can apply to plenty of adult fiction as well.

Last night, I had the pleasure of having a discussion with a couple of my fellow authors from Pen Name Publishing. For about a half an hour, we talked about the role of women in young adult (YA) literature, paying particular attention to the question: why are so many female protagonists always in love triangles? Basically: why are so many female protagonists defined by their quest to find love? Why is this such a common thread in young adult writing?

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Writing Villains: the Moriarty Problem

Posted on by Colin McMahon

When writing fiction of any length, one of the most important characters to focus on is the antagonist. Merriam-Webster defines the antagonist as “one that contends with or opposes another.” In the case of writing, the antagonist is always in conflict with the hero of the story, or the protagonist. All great works seem to have strong protagonists and antagonists: Othello and Iago, Frankenstein and his creation, Sherlock Holmes and Professor James Moriarty. These characters enter into a struggle that is captivating from beginning to end. BUT – then the book ends, Holmes and Moriarty go over the falls – Holmes lives, Moriarty dies.

What next?

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