How To Start A Fanfic Blog
I've noticed this tends to be a topic a lot of beginner writers don't have much resources for, so in this guide I'll try to cover all the basics and hopefully set you up on your journey ♡
PRE-BLOG
think about what you want your blog to be. get a pen and paper, open up a document, your note app, etc. and answer these questions.
what do I want to write about? (genre, fandom, type of fic)
what characters do I wanna write about? (canon characters, original characters)
what topics are my favourites? (tropes, aus, concepts)
what topics am I not willing to write about?
will I accept requests? (your readers sending you ideas via your ask box and you write them)
this will give you a good place to start and understand what you want. it'll also serve as a baseline for your guidelines.
BLOG ESSENTIALS (ADMIN POSTS)
these are posts that are essential. please note that they are optional, for example you don't need a post detailing your blog guidelines, but it's nice to have for some people. there are many other posts you can indulge, but here is a list of a few more common ones.
♡ = important
pinned post ♡
this is where you introduce yourself and your blog (ie: what you write). you do not have to be extensive. this is also typically where you will link other posts such as your masterlist, guidelines, and any other posts mentioned below.
masterlist ♡
a collection of your fics. this helps people navigate your blog to find more of your writing. you can divide this into fandoms and characters. some people keep everything on one post, while others create sub-posts for every character/fandom and link it back to their main masterlist. whichever you decide, your masterlist should be easy to navigate for the sake of your readers.
some masterlists have a “genre key”. you can use an emoji or symbol to indicate when a fic is fluff, angst, smut, and so forth. ie:
🍓 - fluff 🍒 - angst 🍑 - smut
by putting these emojis/symbols beside a fic link, you are telling the reader what genre it is before hand.
guidelines
I consider these important, but they may not be essential to everyone. this post is where you define the rules on your blog. this is where you can list a dni (don't interact) criteria, tell people what you will/won't write, state whether you take requests or not, etc. whatever is a boundary for you— put it here.
favourite fics
a completely optional masterlist. in this post, you can list either your favourite fics (that you've written), or your more popular fics.
queue
optional. in this post, you can list fics that you are working on/plan to post on specific days. do not let this pressure you.
BLOG THEME
this is not necessary, but having a theme can be rewarding in many ways. not only is it visually appealing, it also helps readers identify you and your writing. this is a very extensive topic, but I'll try to cover the essentials. here's where to start.
a) PLANNING
choose a colour palette. make sure these are colours you like, not colours you think other people will like. here is a pinterest board for colour palettes.
choose a blog theme. this can be extensive, so get creative with it! you can theme your blog after a character, a fandom, a setting, a nature concept, an occupation, an aesthetic, a movie, an artist, etc. the possibilities are endless. here is a list of potential blog themes.
with these two things in mind, you will now have a guideline for how to style both your admin posts and writing posts.
b) COLLECTING RESOURCES
I will now walk you through the process of styling your blog.
step 01: dividers
find dividers that match your colour palette or theme. there are tons of options. use the tumblr search bar and type “(colour) divider” (ie: pink divider) or “(theme) divider” (ie: cherry divider).
there are many lovely divider creators with tons of dividers from all sorts of categories. here are a few: @cursed-carmine @uzmacchiato @cafekitsune @diviniyae @pixopix @anitalenia @dollywons and many more! please follow their rules and credit if you use their dividers.
you can also make your own dividers. but that will not be covered in this guide.
step 02: headers
headers are images at the top of posts that make posts look prettier and tie in with your theme. results show that posts with images attract more attention than those without.
find images that fit your theme and colour palette. this is where you can test out different header sizes. try squares, rectangles, circles (requires transparent background images), whatever you think suits your blog.
ie: some blogs use a row of three 500x500 (square) images. others use a singular rectangular image. there is no correct way to do this, choose what speaks to you.
here is my pinterest board that categorises images by colour.
step 03: symbols
you can use symbols and emojis to pretty up your posts. this is not compulsory. I suggest looking at other blogs and analysing what attracts you. here's a site you can use for symbol combinations.
note: do not copy other people's themes. this is a sensitive thing for most. you may take inspiration, but understand where the line is drawn. make your posts look like you not someone else.
step 04: fonts
decide whether you'd like to use fancy font or not. this is not compulsory. they can pretty up your posts but can also quickly become visually overwhelming. here's a site for fancy fonts.
c) COMPOSITION
compose your posts. use your colour palette and theme to guide you. this is where you utilise the resources you've collected/decided to use and style your posts in whatever way you prefer.
again, you can look to other blogs for inspiration, but do not copy. you want your readers to recognise you for you.
there is no wrong way to style your posts, do what makes you happy.
some resources:
how to make custom colour text
how to make gradient colour text
some header dimensions
how to make your own dividers
some post format guides
TAGS
tagging your post correctly is how to ensure your writing reaches your audience that has not found you yet. regardless of what you write, it is good practice to keep track of what tabs are active in your writing space. for example, if you write for a specific fandom, make sure to search up a tag via the tumblr search option and head over to the “tags” tab.
your first five tags are important. if you use popular tags in these five slots, your fics have a better chance of getting recognised.
there is a tag limit of 30 tags, make sure to keep this mind. tag only what is necessary and do not tag off-topic. this includes tagging fandoms that have nothing to do with your piece purely because it is popular.
you can also tag the genre of your fic. fluff, smut, angst— so on. there are various subgenres, so mix and match where you see fit.
tags are also where you can tag trigger warnings. do not censor words (ie: s*icide) in your tags, as this makes it more difficult for people to filter out. instead, type: tw suicide or cw suicide.
for those in the reader insert sphere, it is good practice to tag the gender of your reader. along with any other specifications you find important.
MINDSET
this is more mind over matter, but as a writer of ten years, I think it's vital to spread some of what I've learnt. any creative craft takes a toll on an artist mentally, so it's good to keep a few things in mind.
you have probably heard this before, but write for yourself. what does this mean? write what makes you happy. even if it is “tropey”, “cringe”, or not popular. writing what you want to write should be the reason you start your blog in the first place.
you will only grow better at writing the more you write and read. writing is practice whereas reading is theory. do not neglect this. experience and skill comes to those who are consistent.
notes will come. it won't be on the first day, the first week, it might not even be in the first six months or a year. but notes will come, your audience is out there, so don't deprive them of getting to know you. don't give up.
readers might do some questionable things, but they are your biggest fans. put them first where you can.
other writers are your friends, not your competition. only compete with yourself. creative envy is a dangerous thing. allowing yourself to go down that path is not fair to you.
don't feel pressured to keep up with trends. this ties in to the first point, but don't feel obligated to go with the crowd. of course, if you are inspired, go right ahead. there is nothing wrong with both writing trends and not doing so.
you are a writer. not an influencer. you are here to create, not perform.
requests are nice, but do not feel obligated to do every one in your inbox.
be firm on your boundaries, you owe yourself that respect.
mutuals are nice, but in this era of fandom, be careful. moot culture on tumblr has grown toxic. be wary of the people you let into your space. having one solid, genuine mutual is better than having one hundred who do not want what is best for you. we unfortunately live in a cruel world with cruel people, so protect your peace.
there will be hate, and it will hurt. what you do with those hurt feelings is what makes the difference. you know yourself more than anyone, don't let random people on the internet dampen your spirits.
criticism is good until a point. you do not have to adhere to unwarranted criticism for a hobby you do for fun.
finally, have fun. create for yourself. be silly, or serious, do what makes you happy. anxiety and fears will always be there, you'll always question yourself because that's simply human nature. but anything worth doing has its struggles. remember that its rewards will always outweigh them.
if there is anything you need help with, please comment, or shoot me an ask/dm. I'll be happy to help ♡
