How to Write Original Fanfiction that Avoids Cliches

"Original fanfiction" might seem like an oxymoron to some, because a fanfiction story is by definition a story based on another person's creation. This is, however, precisely the reason that originality is one of the keys to good fanfiction writing. If a writer has skipped the time and effort needed to develop characters, situations, and perhaps even a world itself, there is little excuse for them to not put their best effort into making the rest of the story wholly original.

One common mistake of fanfiction writers is creating a Mary Sue (or, for the male version, Marty Stu or Gary Stu). This cliché character is easily recognized by characteristics like her flawless appearance (even if she goes for days without showering or brushing her hair) and unrealistic skills or abilities (being "the youngest X in Y" is an egregious example). Most fanfiction readers are not interested in reading about the exploits of a Mary Sue; she is generally seen as a stand-in for the author, and as such useful only for the author's wish fulfillment fantasies.

There are many online checklists to help fanfiction authors test their characters for signs of "Sue-ness," but the best test is whether or not the original character helps the main characters or takes over the story from them. An author can avoid this cliche altogether by not including original characters except in the most minor roles, at least until they have a better handle on characterization.

Another great risk for cliché lies in the fanfiction's plot. If a writer is trying to attract readers to their story, they would do well to avoid cliche plots altogether. Many readers will skip fanfiction stories based on very popular clichés unless they have a guarantee that the stories will be particularly well-written. On the other hand, stories with more original plots will attract attention, regardless of the writing quality, because of their novelty.

One type of story common in most fandoms is the "high school AU," an Alternate Universe (or Alternate Reality) story featuring teenage versions of characters going to high school together. In fantasy or science fiction fandoms, this often goes hand in hand with removing the characters' magical or technological abilities altogether. Like all cliché plots, it can be well-written in the right hands, but more often than not it results in a story full of characters who seem to share nothing but a name with their canon equivalents.

Other cliché plots are more specific to certain fandoms or genres. In the Harry Potter fandom, for example, one popular cliché plot involves a marriage law stating that Muggle-born witches and wizards must marry purebloods in order to keep some of their rights. Again, this can be done well, but likely a writer's potential readers have read many marriage law stories before and are tired of the subject.

The best thing a fanfiction author can do to avoid clichés in their stories is to be familiar with the other fanfiction in that particular fandom. Try to see if there is a plot, romantic pairing, or idea that other fanfiction stories have not fully explored. By being the first to explore an original idea, a writer can attract a bigger audience and become recognized as an innovative author. This is easier in smaller and newer fandoms, where stories that might later develop into clichés have not yet become popular.

Clichés are not always bad. Readers of both fanfiction and published fiction sometimes want to read something familiar, predictable, and comforting, and sometimes it is enjoyable for authors to write a short piece of "fluff" or a wish-fulfillment fantasy. This is not a problem when it is the author's intention, only when they believe that they are writing original fanfiction and in reality are using clichés. A writer should be familiar enough with clichés to consciously decide when, where, and whether to use them.