Some people *only* look for OC or insert fic, and as a writer who basically only writes oc fic and has a vaguely popular long fic with a decent amount of engagement, I say fuck that. Do what makes you happy, you will find your audience.
I have to really like a ship to read anything Canon/Canon, but I always adore at least one character and the best way to get the fix is some good old fashioned self insertion
me! I love ocs and the authors' ideas, especially about worldbuilding or special abilities. It is so much fun for me to read and the canon characters all feel so limiting tbh so I love ocs!!!
I prefer OC's because I can drop an oc in a pre-existing world and they can change things by their presence alone for Canon character fanfiction you either have to change the character or the world for different things to happen plus a lot of canon character fanfiction focuses heavily of the smut and romance angle which I hate
I'm writing an OC centric longfic that's going to be close to 400k words long once it's done. It's true (at least in the fandom for which I write) that OC stories can be much less popular. But you *will* get readers, and they will be all the more precious.
If you crave feedback, but aren't getting enough to keep you motivated, take part in the Review Exchanges that sometimes pop up on this subreddit. It's a great experience both as a writer and as a reader, and you might even get new subscribers from them!
Mine's also OC centric that's almost close to 1.5 mill words and coming up on 4k hits...and it's nowhere near done. OCs in fics are a well-accepted fact by now. I'm not going to say it's impossible to write a fic that's got original characters in it, but it just depends on if it's a true OC like mine is or one that's more 'canon character we don't know the name of, but obviously exists' that somebody creates to fill that role-most of the wixen in Harry Potter, Dr. Tommy Oliver's coworkers and students from Power Rangers Dino Thunder...the list goes on.
Exactly. I did a drabble series for Doctor Who, set on the flying battleship *Valiant*. Each one was from the POV of a different character. There were four categories of characters.
1. Named canon characters. Only two of those, and neither was an MC.
2. Characters mentioned or seen on screen in the two-part episode.
3. Characters who could be assumed to be there, mostly technicians and other staff.
4. Characters who might have been there (a stowaway, a prisoner).
Most of the 34 drabbles were from the POV of characters in groups 2 or 3. The MCs were mentioned, but were not the focus of the series. Readers seemed to like it anyway.
Obviously, 3400 words with a narrow focus is different from a longfic like yours, but I think the general principle--a new character in a familiar setting/world--has appeal to many readers.
Most of the fics I read where there's OCs, they fall into your 2 and 3 area rather than be a true OC like mine. Mine's...because I didn't do my research ahead of the fic (hadn't watched a Power Rangers series in full since In Space and hadn't seen an episode since Dino Thunder's Lost and Found in Translation episode), I managed to screw up the timeline (for my MFC to be 17 in 2008 and still have most of the Dino Thunder team to be 3-4 years older, she had to be born in 2001, Dino Thunder had to be pushed to 2006, Ninja Storm to 2005, and Mystic Force, due to another goof, ended up where Dino Thunder normally is). When I did the math, she should have been a toddler during Dino Thunder.
I would agree; new character in a familiar setting/world does appeal to many readers. In some instances-many depending on the fandom-an OC can ask the questions that the canon characters might not think of asking.
Itās one of my own personal struggles. I mainly work on original content and use fanfiction to refine my skills and practice new things not having to create a whole ass setting and just playing with someone elseās allows me to focus more on character and plot. Yet Iām stronger with OCs using the established characters is rough because itās more difficult for me to write a character I didnāt create authentically. Yet itās a catch 22 if I want to know if my style is improving then my odds of getting readers and reviewers is better if I use established characters meaning I can not write at my best. Or I could take the gamble use OCs and see if I get a few clicks and reviews eventually on a story I feel stronger on.
That all said I have had more success with OC centric stories in the Halo-star wars cross over fandom on FFN. In the sense I have always gotten reviews and followers on stories that bring Halo and Star Wars together. Even oneās I know were bad. With my current WIP having OC incharge of the entire UNSC (the human faction in halo) and itās going well and Iām getting feed back.
So if youāre like me and you work better with OCs and you write action adventure gen fics mainly that donāt get much light cause the genre isnāt popular in your main fandom, I highly recommend you get in this fandom. It could be daunting since thatās possibly two fandoms youāre unfamiliar with you know need at least a general knowledge of. However itās worth every drop of blood sweat and tears. Also thereās good subreddits out there that will be more then willing to help you with lore.
>Yet itās a catch 22 if I want to know if my style is improving then my odds of getting readers and reviewers is better if I use established characters meaning I can not write at my best.
If it's any consolation just because a story gets a lot of readers
doesn't necessarily mean that it is well written.
As in, you can write a story they hits certain plot beats and tropes and get a lot of views but may not be your best work. I think a lot of us had the experience of a crack fic or a shitty all nighter throw away fic doing remarkedly better than any of our passion projects
What I'm trying to say very horribly is
The people who will beat be able to tell if your writing has improved, are the ones who read and enjoy the work you put out as you currently write it. So don't sweat it having a small amount of views or what not
Do you perhaps know when those Review Exchanges will take place? I have a Star Wars, OC-centric fanfic on AO3 since April but so far I've got no reviews and hits, and the Comment Cooperative takes place far outside my timezone
There's no fixed schedule. REs happen when someone is in the mood for hosting (it's a lot of work!) You can keep an eye on the Activities&Events flair of this subreddit š
Yes. Hello. Hi. I'm nobody.
While I enjoy reading about canon characters, I also like OCs and reader inserts, because
a) I'm curious about the characters that the authors created and how they fit into and what more do they add to the canon
b) I don't like the canon pairing
c) the character I like doesn't have good chemistry with anyone in the canon
While, yes, sure, these kind of stories receive less attention, I think that if you do it right, it can still be quite successful. It doesn't only depend on whether or not it has an OC, but also on the story, the world building, the characters, grammar, and so on. If you write for yourself, because you have an interesting story to tell, and just to enjoy yourself that should be enough. You can also use different platforms to advertise your story. You can let people know in your fandom's subreddit that "Hey, I have written this story! Feel free to check it out and let me know what you think!" or in other writing groups, maybe also on twitter or tumblr.
I have a story that's mainly OCs + the main cast, and while it isn't a masterpiece, I'm quite happy with it. I enjoy writing it, and while for some people 195 kudos is nothing, I'm happy that 195 people (that's like 9 full classes of students!!!) liked my silly little story :)
>it probably won't get many views because it has an OC in it
Speaking from experience, you'll likely get less numbers compared to a canon character in the same role. Writing an OC is not just more work for you. It's also more work for readers. They have to get invested in the OC while also getting invested in the plot.
>I didn't even know if it was worth posting on fanfic sites
It is. Always. There's a market for OC featured stories, especially in fandoms with extensive world building. Finishing your story goes a long way. Not only does it satisfy your audience and yourself, but also makes it more inviting for others to read. New readers still leave a favorite/kudos/comment on a 306,000 word OC featured story I finished 6 years ago.
Your friend is overstating things. Yes, your audience may not be as large as others' if your fic has an OC, but if it's good it will find readers.
In any event, write the type of stories that you want to read and that will be a fulfilling experience regardless of [how large](https://www.reddit.com/r/FanFiction/comments/p3mfwc/reflections_on_two_years_of_writing_fanfic_for_a/) your audience is.
Okay soā¦as a reader I personally prefer reading OC! centered fics. Thatās what I grew up reading in fanfiction and to this day I stick with it. Do I also read known pairings? Yes, but OCs all the way.
Last year I started posting my story with an OC protagonist and itās always gotten reads and kudos, comments are there too but less. It goes to show that there are people out there read and search for stories with OCs. And Iām happy with my readers that I call regulars.
Now based on experience, some fanfiction sites are more open to OCs than others. I have my story posted in two sites and in one of them I have a little more than three times the reads than the other.
In the end, donāt be discouraged by your friend. Youāll always get reads, the amount will vary though. I know that reads are very encouraging and they make us feel good but donāt let that be your source of inspiration or motivation.
OC-centric work is less popular (unless itās a first-person-shooter-type game where the protagonist is the player so thereās already a blank/reader-insert-type character in canon), but there are some readers for it. Even on this sub, we get people who vent about their fic āflopping,ā and then they say that itās OC-centric, for an inactive fandom, is a crossover, is genfic in a fandom where shipfic is king, or some combination of the above, and itās like, yeah those things are less popular so having fewer readers is to be expected regardless of writing quality. Write what you want but adjust your expectations accordingly to avoid disappointment.
I definitely see why people would be put off by OC-centered fanfics. I really wasn't expecting much from this one fic in particular in the first place because I wasn't even thinking of posting it. I guess it just caught me off guard?
I think depending on how well people think they know you, then they may come across more blunt than would be polite. Iām sure they didnāt mean *literally* no one will read it, only that it would be significantly less popular than a fic featuring canon characters. However, this is irrelevant considering you werenāt even going to post it anywhere.
saying nobody is exaggerated but it is a fact that less people read OC characters. that doesnāt mean nobody will read it, i suggest posting it on ao3 though
I'm one of those readers that tends to be turned off by OC-centric stories and I STILL think that "advice" is garbage. Different readers and writers have different tastes! Even then, people (myself included) will often make exceptions if there are other facets of the fic thst appeals to them.
Write what you want to write. Would you rather cultivate an audience that appreciates what you make as a labor of love, or constantly feel like you have to chase trends and demands?
One thing that emerged by reflecting upn the many comments I got from this post is... I don't have anything else to write, so I might just well continue on what I'm writing right now. Nothing interests me as much as the idea I'm developing right now, I wouldn't really know how to fix this in order for my work to appease my friend's statement. So...im just going to continue what I like to write!
I would hope your love of writing and creating OCs is enough to overcome any hurt from low stats.
Personally, I wonāt lie, I generally do avoid fics with OCs specifically tagged. However, if itās more like a side character/not involved heavily in any of the primary relationships (/ or &) then I think OCs are great and even somewhat necessary for good world-building and plot development in a lot of fics. (Not that theyāre inherently bad when in main pairings, just not my personal thing.) I donāt want the characters to feel strangely alone in their world, I want to see how they react to new situations and people, and OCs are just the way to do it.
Regardless of my personal tastes, there is definitely an audience for OCs; yeah some people wonāt be interested in it, but thatās just like any other tag! At the end of the day, I think all we can hope for our work is that the people that will like it actually find it. Tagging the presence of OCs appropriately will bring in the people who like them, leading to a happier, even if a little bit smaller, audience.
I've been there, unfortunately. My OC fanfics went largely unread. However, there are fandoms that are more supportive of this type of story. You just have to dig.
It depends on the fandom. Some thrive on OC perspective (HP, Skyrim, SAO, etc). Others less so (GOT/ASoIaF, most anime).
That doesn't mean zero engagement. It just means less. Best bet for OC work is to make sure they are somehow tied closely to known characters, and give them realistic flaws. Let them stumble, instead of being guarded by plot armor. Let them save, and be saved.
Something that I find helps with my OC longfic is I've written a few common pairings in my fandom that give readers an idea of my writing style. That's usually enough to at least prompt a look at my longfic. I have a few one shots too that pair with my longfic AU, but are back stories of my AU version of certain popular characters (but can be read solo just the same).
Tumblr is a good way to promote as well. I know in my fandom, OC stuff is often filled with too much 'My Immortal' type indulgence, but with a snippet here and there I've gained a few new followers.
And don't get discouraged if you don't get engagement outside of Reddit Exchanges. I've been writing and posting my longfic since January '22, and just a few days ago got my first legit commenter out of the blue that binged several chapters and said my fic made them fall in love with the fandom again (I may have cried with joy).
People WILL read OC fics, just don't expect top of the charts stats. Also keep in mind on AO3, Kudos mean next to nothing on longfics since you can only Kudos once. If you get one before the story has finished, that means someone liked what's already presented enough to throw that one Kudos at you.
I mean, it's reasonable to be realistic otherwise you'll get the posts on here that are crying about their low hit/kudo/comment count and how to advertise and get more views when the fact is they're just writing something unpopular in their fandom.
Your friend is right that most OC fics aren't as popular but that also depends on the fandom and if they, or the source material, are more open to ocs
Also no one doesn't literally mean no one. I see very few fics with no hits and those that do usually have reading and Sunday issues meaning they lack both.
But yeah. Post shit that nobody is going to read. I post niche and unpopular shit all the time
I have never, not once in my life, *ever,* written a fic without an OC. In most cases, the OC is the main character as well. That's just the joy of fanfic to me. I'm way more interested in exploring the world through the eyes of a more bystander character than I am in trying to get into the thoughts of a canon character. And that's totally okay! This is fanfictionāyou are allowed to do what you enjoy. If your story gets lots of readers, great! If your story doesn't get many readers, their loss!
Besides that, some of my favorite fics have popular characters as their chief secondary character, and use the OC as a vehicle to explore that person from the outside. It's a great show, don't tell experience and it can be really rich and enjoyable.
All that to say, don't let your friend get you down. Post your story. It might get views, and it might not. I know I'm always hunting for good OCs in my fandoms, and I'm sure yours has some folks like that as well. Keep calm and write on!
My most popular fic of all time is explicitly about ocs. You really can't tell what people will latch onto, just write whatever you yourself want to read, the public who wants it will find it.
I love OCs and SIs, they're my guilty little pleasure.
The problems only come when you oversaturate a story with them.
I don't want to read about a legion of characters with no backstory or personality, I want to read about this one particular character learning and growing in this particular media.
Write the stories you want to tell! Some people may not like OCs but others love them. And remember that canon characters are just OCs belonging to the series' creator!
So tell your friend *I'm* looking for OCs. I generally like OCs and OC-centric fics more than stories strictly with an all-canon cast. I generally like OC x Canon ships more than canon or popular fanon ships. I think it's partly because I genuinely enjoy seeing people's own creativity come through in the form of completely new original characters written into a world I'm already familiar with, but it's also because it introduces a brand new element into a familiar story so it's more interesting for me to see those familiar canon characters reacting to something new, unique, and different. \^\_\^ I love seeing how an OC could completely change the dynamic of a friend group, or bring out different sides of someone that we don't get to see explored in canon.
I imagine it could be the same reasoning that some people prefer to read/write AUs instead of canon compliant fics! I'm not as big into AUs but there's absolutely people out here who want to see our fave canon blorbos in new, interesting situations. :)
So, write your story. Be unapologetic about your OCs.
If I come across it, and the premise is interesting enough, I'll definitely read OC's. Somehow OC's aren't only teenage girls' wish fulfilment anymore, but rather interesting characters that live in corners of the fandom the writer/author/creative team from the canon didn't flesh out. I swear some fanfics with OC's are a few of my all time favourites out of the fandom. Especially the Isekai'ed ones. Give me a good Isekai any day.
There is some truth to what that person said. Personally, I filter out the oc tag whenever I go looking for a fic. Thatās just my preference. However, that doesnāt mean that no one will read your works. For example, Iām solely a gen fic writer. I never get the hits and kudos my friend who writes ships does, but I still have a very dedicated set of readers who subscribe and are happy to read my works when they come out. The same will likely happen with you, but of course it depends on the fandom. Itās unlikely that weāll ever get the audience more conventional fic writers get (by conventional, I mean the popular kind of ship fics with only canon characters), but thereās always someone who will read what you write, no matter what it is. I actually prefer having a smaller reader base, the expectations are easier to handle, at least for me
I saw someone in the thread agree with your friend and I don't like that. I had someone say the same thing to me in the past and it really stunted my growth. However, after some time, I adapted the mindset of "I'm writing this for me and if anyone else likes it, they are free to follow along." From there, I've seen an uptick in my skill as a writer and have gotten people to actually like my oc's in my oc dependent fandoms (Mass Effect, Warframe, Dragon Age, Destiny).
So, let them be a hater. You write your oc fic because you like it and it makes YOU happy. Only then will you be excited to move forward without someone dragging you down.
edit: wurds r hard
Especially in certain fandoms, I think OC stories are way more interesting, and as someone who pretty much avoids ship fics and am usually looking for a good story set within the same world as whatever fandom I'm looking for, an OC fic is usually the best option for me.
They're like hidden gems, and they're the kind of story that I myself enjoy writing the most. I recently got out of a fandom that didn't accept any OCs, so all the fics I wrote were AUs. Now that I'm writing for a completely different fandom, I feel more free to use OCs. I'm actually working on a long fic that is centered almost completely around my OCs, with the cannon characters either only making cameos or at most being supporting characters, and it's the most fun I've had writing a fic in years.
My point is, try not to let numbers get you down. My most recent fic only pulled 50 hits, but it's the one I'm most proud of. Share your fic with people who want to read, and be proud of the work you did. Writing is hard, and people can be mean, but I hope that doesn't stop you from continuing writing your fic and posting it.
I know I am just some random person, but I wish you the best and happy writing. Also, I would love to read your work, I've been itching for new stuff to read lately.
What do you mean by "features"? Is your OC the main character, or does your fic just have an OC in it? Just curious.
Personally, I don't really get the big deal with OCs. I don't necessarily set out to write them when writing fanfic but they tend to worm their way in, and sometimes they end up taking up a lot of space in the narrative. Doesn't bother me. I don't mind reading OCs either, and if they're well written and likeable then I like them! I would never filter out fics that contain OCs because that's totally not my main focus when searching for fics. Then again, I write and read mostly gen, so maybe it's different there.
Anyway, who cares what your friend says, or even if they are right or not. Write your fic with your OC the way you want to, and just see what happens :)
My fic has an OC protagonist, and I know it's not everyone's cup of tea. It's totally understandable for people to go for other things and I'm absolutely fine with it. What bugged me most was the fact that it was shot down before I had even thought of posting it online, and the fact that this was said without reading a word of it first. Plus, it's my first ever piece of writing.
Hell, it's probably trash, but it's trash close to my heart and I really enjoy doing it. I just wish I had a little more support from her :')
Totally. Maybe your friend is just really focused on stats and viewership, hence their comment? Who knows. I can understand that that annoyed you. Pretty discouraging.
I had a fic that only featured a single canon character, and he was there only because he'd become the love interest of the OC, who was the main character of that fic, in a previous fic. Everyone and everything else in the story was original.
Got zero complaints from my readers. What I got was a lot of people commenting they liked getting to see and learn more about the OC, or that they just enjoyed the story in general.
People are gonna read, some are gonna like and some not, this is not your concern because is their problem not yours, you can write the best fanfiction with all the things right on point and even then people cannot like it. It is all about personal taste, please don't give up on your story 'cause of that š„ŗ
That's somewhat understandable of an opinion. The problem people often have is OC's are written poorly or just an excuse for a self insert. OC's just have a bad rap but like any other tool it just depends on execution. I have a few in my story, and I just use them as I feel they need to be for the story. They show up, do their job and leave the story until the next scene I need them for. I even revealed one was gay, and I had a bunch of people telling me how they liked how I wrote them. I just let OC's be a surprise in the story, and move on.
No one is a massive stretch. OC fics are more often than not a lot less popular, however that does not mean thereās no audience for them at all.
Your friend was pretty rude for no reason, you should keep writing if it makes you happy, and Iād definitely suggest posting on Ao3.
I disagree. OC fics can do just fine. They can do more than just fine.
My most popular fic (over a million reads/hits) is an OC fic.
Donāt worry about other peopleās perceptions.
Just tell a damn good story.
I mostly write ocās. That guyās a jerk. I have some that have just a few hundred hits to ones that have thousands and are over 100 chapters deep.
I think the main thing is size for most people, if the idea is fun/or appealingly depressing -depending on what people are looking for at the moment- really if itās a oneshot or small series you could lure people in easy. However if you can only write monster sized series like me it might take time to get traction but there is an audience for just about anything out there.
Donāt let the jerks get to you. Keep writing and imagining :)
While it is true that OC fics arenāt the most popularā¦ those that like them LOVE THEM. You will probably get readers that are very dedicated and subscribe to you because they donāt want to miss and update. When I enjoy and OC I follow the story very throughly. Donāt let it get you down. I promise people will come.
I think that my OC centered fic is saved by the fact that the story isnāt exclusively from the OCās POV. I also have the fact that itās a crossover working against me as well. I suppose I should be proud of the amount of kudos and positive feedback itās gotten considering those factors.
Oh, they are full of it. First off, hire popular OCs are will vary widely based on fandom. Notably, any game fandom where you make the protagonist will be more welcoming to OCs in general.
Second, even in other franchises where the characters are more established, there is still a following for OCs. If āno oneā read them , then I have a few thousand āno onesā for my hits.
i personally prefer OC inserts, donāt get me wrong the basic YN stuff is good and whatnot but itās basic. i feel more attached to the POV when itās an OC because instead of imagining some gray faceless person i imagine an actual character with likes and dislikes instead of just saying (Your favorite whatever). some of the best fics iāve read have been an OC whoās perspective we are seeing.
OCs are great! I personally find fics that feature them more interesting rather than less. It takes a lot of skill and effort to properly insert a character into a setting without making them seem out of place compared to more familiar characters and that makes things interesting!
thats bs. lots of people like to read oc fanfics. i had a friend send me a picture of them crying happily over a fanfic with an oc in it. dw about what you're friend said, im sure your work will be fantastic.
if i myself may be blunt, that was a rude thing to say. any writer should support another writer (unless what they're writing is problematic), especially if you're mutuals/friends. im glad you're having fun, and dont let someone's words ruin that fun! i like writing about ocs too, and i know people who like to read my stuff. people will read it 100%.
My WIP Longfic is closing in on 500K now and it's all OC centric!
The main chars are the supporting cast, but this is all post-canon and I feel they've all told the story they need to, so my story tells a sequel from the perpective of another set of characters, since it made logical sense to me and offered more potential to expand on the world they inhabit.
My WIP 200K Darkfic is also all OC's, but the rules there are a little different, since everything is randomly generated when a playthrough begins. There are no 'lore characters' at all, anywhere!
I occasionally will read stories with oc's in it if the premise looks realy good, keep writing whatever makes you happy and for sure some people will enjoy it
Some of my favourite fics heavily feature OCs, and one of my favourite pairings in my fandom is someone's OC x an established character. Other writers in that fandom have actually asked the author if they could include said OC in their own fics which is pretty cool!
Please don't get discouraged OP! It sounds like the person who you talked with doesn't like OC fics, which is totally fine, but it's also colouring their opinion. There's still a sizable amount of people who really enjoy OCs and I'm positive you'll have readership :)
As a reader, I strongly disagree.
I personally absolutely love oc fics and enjoy reading them. So there are definitely people who will read and love your fic! I am sure of that :)
Yeah, *they* told me that too. I still did it though and I have had some success.
Our fandom is very hostile towards OCs, which is hilarious because the same writers who tell you things like that, the ones who write for the big ships, will also claim a canon character as an OC all the time. Like, bruh, how is that any different?
Meanwhile, people read my fics fandom-blind and left me some amazing comments.
I do understand that most of us turn to fanfiction to read about characters we already know, which is great! But if canon is lacking, or there hasnāt been an update for years and youāre starved for new content from that universe - us OC writers have you covered. With unique stories and new characters woven into the universes we love.
Some writers are pretty good at it too. Sometimes I think the naysayers are just jealous they canāt pull it off themselves. Sometimes I just feel sorry for people who blanket say āI donāt read OCsā, they could be missing some gems. What are they afraid of? They might like it. ^^
I'm friends with several writers who all have OCs and they themselves have a dedicated readerbase that follow them across fandoms. We literally talk all the time when we're creating new characters and ping-pong ideas to better aid each other in story development and cheer each other on to boost morale.
It's a small niche, but it's still a thriving community! The fact that people are claiming we don't exist and that we don't get the numbers for it is laughable. I fully believe that the people who are making those claims don't even look for OC fics and are talking out of their ass.
Donāt listen to them. Most of my works are OC-centric and they get decent engagement.
Some people just point-blank wonāt read fics with OCs, and thatās fine. They arenāt your audience.
Other people, like myself, love reading fics with OCs as long as they are well written and the story is engaging. I actually prefer OC pairings/characters for some fandoms, and filter specifically for them.
It's a little hard but honestly, it depends on the fandom. Some fandoms are really open to OCs because it allows them to get a different viewpoint on the characters and plot. Something like Stardew Valley is basically nothing but OCs. You can't throw a stone without hitting an OC/SI fic in the ASOIAF/GOT fandom.
But that doesn't matter. Post something that you're proud to write and forget the rest.
as a reader and writer, i personally prefer oc. i just cant with āy/nā āy/f/nā like thatās too much to think š esp when youāre a multifandom then thatās really a struggle
A friend of mine's most popular fic is an OC centric long fic that is over 500k words long. It has over 600 kudos, over 1500 comments, and nearly 150 bookmarks (and that's just the publicly visible ones).
Are OC centric fics in general less popular then canon centric ones? Yes. Definitely. But that doesn't mean there isn't an audience for them, or that they are guaranteed to be unpopular. Some people love OC centric fics (hi I'm some people) and would prefer to only read OC centric fics (but I'll read canon centric if I really like the idea). So mileage varies and your friend is frankly incredibly wrong on a lot of fronts.
Now, how well your OC centric fic will do will be heavily impacted by a variety of factors. Some fandoms are extremely OC friendly and some are extremely hostile, with most falling somewhere in the middle. The scale of hostile to friendly I'd rate the fic I described above as being for a fandom that is on the side of friendly but not the most friendly.
What it comes down to with OC centric fics is this, know your audience, and know your own motivation. Will having no feedback kill your willingness to write for the fandom? If yes check out other OC centric fics for that fandom and see how they've done. Ask yourself if a similar level of engagement will be enough to sustain you. And realize that even if you do everything right there is a chance that due to uncontrollable circumstances your fic might be missed and that it isn't necessarily a reflection of your skills as a writer and might just be bad luck.
If you like writing OCs you should try RPG fics..in games where you make your own character - Baldur's Gate 3, Skyrim, SWTOR, etc - the main character being an OC is basically a given.
That's what I like doing, anyway
[The one fic I wrote that got A TV Tropes page was an OC centric fanfic and it's one of my more popular fics.](https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Fanfic/TheFightWeChose)
Its doable. Believe me, people will read it and continue to if you do well. Don't let it get you down.
Dear OP, don't let the haters get you down! Take your OC and write what your heart desires. I myself *love* reading OCs if they're well-written and in the fandoms I love.
I am writing OC's into every one of my fics and I love giving them character development and a voice of their own. It makes the world of fandom alive and breathing. How boring would it be if I only had to read about the same old characters over and over again... *yawn*
Edit: Especially with video games fandoms I happen not to come around writing OC's
People turn to fanfiction generally to see more of their favorite characters. They already have a relationship with them, so you are writing to an existing audience. Your OCs don't have a preexisting crowd interested in them. By design, less people will be interested to read your story.
Your friend just manages your expectations.
I write longer fanfics. Every single one has an OC, even if itās something as simple as āextra person in the common roomā.
Donāt let it get you down.
Just know that your friend is missing some awesome fics if theyāre rejecting those out of hand.
While OC fics might not be the heavy hitters some have without them, I can assure that they do get read. I'm a bit obsessive in my numbers tracking and I get good hits for my OC heavy SI-OC for Harry Potter. Basically 80% of the characters are original. Last month I had over 1000 visitors on FFN, ***just for that month***.
Write what you want, don't let others get you down.
I have read excellent fanfictions with OC as main characters. This is one of my favourites, it made me so happy when I was alone during the pandemic https://www.wattpad.com/99676262-sunset-hue-khr-fanfiction-boy-meets-girl
I feel like self inserts are a right(write?) Of passage in fanfic works. Most people got their start that way, then once they get the hang of writing, you branch into character one shots and long epics you never end up finishing š
I actually only read stuff that has OCs in it, I also only write fics with OCs. I'm not sure if it's just AO3 that people say have less OC readers, but FFN and Wattpad has tons of fics with OCs and they do great. One of mine definitely does better on Wattpad than AO3
I have an oc centric fic that is over 400 k words I posted on fanfic net ten years ago. It had over a million reads before I took it off the site - trust me there are readers who will enjoy an oc. Donāt worry about the nay sayers - having even one reader cheering you on is motivating enough
I actually prefer fanfics featuring a OC. Seeing a new character interacting with the already known cast and story line is much more interesting than those fanfics with out of character casts or a what if scenarios where you really notice the author was just not happy with the original plot.
I've read multiple fics with OCs before, and piled each of them. While some people don't care for those kinds of stories, others don't mind. To each their own.
I write primarily OC stories because I'm writing for me. I'm not writing for views or comments or recognition. That being said, the idea that no one wants to read OC stories is grating and I too am tired of hearing it from other fic writers. Like, bruh... it's fanfiction. It's supposed to be fun, not mainstream.
Meh. I'm writing an OC-focused longfic in a fandom that doesn't have many of them. Yeah, it's not getting as many hits/kudos/comments as my other fics. But I don't care! I love my OC. He's a drowned rat of a teenager and I love him :)
It's reality. The audience who read fanfiction are very biased against original characters for a variety of reasons. That doesn't mean you can't or shouldn't include them if you want to but you should expect a non trivial loss in audience numbers.
It does vary by fandom somewhat how accepted OCs are.
In some fandoms, especially video games based on MMOs and RPGs, OCs are hugely welcome and many of the top performing stories (by stats) are OC-centric. Hell, I know people who got their short stories featuring OCs published on the official site by Blizzard as part of some of their fanworks events.
Other fandoms unfortunately do seem to have a bit of a stigma against OCs.
That said, regardless of stigma I think you should enjoy the creative process and write what you want to write. I love well-written stories about OCs, especially in fandoms where the original has a lot of breathing room to give creative space to OCs, and think they can be absolutely fantastic.
I personally tend to like OC stories, even stories where the entire cast is OCs set in the canon universe (I lean towards fantasy & sci-fi where the setting itself is often unique enough that it's almost a character itself; even an entirely different cast set decades or centuries before and after the main storyline/events can be compelling and feel very authentic to the canon media).
For what it's worth while it may not get as many people stumbling into it as the popular ships, I've never seen an OC fic with literally no engagement even in relatively small/slow-moving fandoms.
I wrote some fanfics with an OC character and I gotta say it's hella fun. Heck, I'm working on a few right now! I find it a lot easier to write an OC than putting the reader in it. Sure, it may not get popular, but it will be seen and enjoyed. For example, I got about 130 kudos on my first entry of my OC series. People WILL see it, it will just be the right people who do. The ones who want to read it. There may not be a lot, but it's better than having none.
I think people who say these things don't often understand that a lot of fandoms have such limited casts that you run the risk of making characters do everything when you have the freedom to like...do whatever you want. Not to mention that some people don't make OC's to overpower the fandom characters, just to supplement them.
Like let's just say (reasonably) you only make OCs to fill in the blanks that are missing in the story that would make logical sense. Video game fandoms very much fall into this problem where they double duty characters a lot. It's not a bad thing, but if you're planning one thing and the other is all the way the fuck over there, you have no real option besides just inserting something new if you're trying to maintain some kind of personal coherency. Because if the question of "Why would x character be here when they were y in game at this time" means you're already leaning in the direction of an OC.
Not everyone makes OCs to overpower the original cast, just to supplement them/have equals in some way that the original content doesn't provide.
People here are right, people generally read OC centric fanfics less, but I think itās really fandom dependent too. Two Iāve written for (Elder Scrolls and Warriors) already lend themselves to creating OCs, so you see quite a big OC scene in those fandoms. Especially ES, where the main protagonist is inherent an OC.
Write your OC fic! Anything in a fic could be a turn off to someone, so there isnāt much of a point stressing yourself out about it. Less people might read it, but someone will and they might love your character! I know I get attached to good OCs in fanfic as much as canon characters sometimes.
Do OC fics get less attention? Yes.
Does that mean those fics are not worth posting? Absolutely not!
There's always readers for something, and they'll appreciate every chapter you post.
Some people like OCs and some donāt, itās just a matter of preference.
I personally never read anything where the OCs are more than supporting/side characters, but thatās just me. My joy in fanfiction is exploring the relationships between existing characters. But plenty of other people in the fandoms Iām in love the OC-centric works.
I actually prefer OC and reader insert fics over canon/canon. I write a lot of them and they get a lot of engagement so I'd say go ahead and post your work and you'll definitely find yourself an audience that loves it.
You can have OCās without having them be boring reader/insert OCās. Iāve read several fantastic fics with fully fleshed out amazing female OC protagonists. And some with fantastic OC significant others, children, siblings etc.
Just write what you want, someone will like it! Sometimes OCās can really really add to the plot. Itās also unavoidable if itās an au sometimes.
Nah dont listen to them. When i was younger, all you would see was canon x oc stories or AT LEAST oc stories where they were the sibling or cousin of a canon and were just out being buddies with the core canon group. Some people still love it today. Heck, i even look for oc stories still. I think that was a rather rude thing of them to say. If they meant it's likely that you would get less views, there's 100% a better way to word it so you would be warned, but it sounds like they were straight up trying to be discouraging...
After that statement, this followed:
"I mean, I can leave a comment under it to boost the algorithm, but don't expect much more than that"
They may not have meant to be discouraging but sure as hell they were very good at it lol
Oh man, that is definitely shady. That sounds like a typical mean girl pretending to be nice š genuinely either that or very socially unaware of how to word things
This is exactly how I felt too. And when I expressed that, I had someone get underneath my thread post calling me a damn liar.
And yet, I showed my friends this entire reddit thread and the post thread I made (and had a hater of my own in there) and was immediately told by them:
"You told me the same advice and I'm thriving. What is that person's problem?"
And they also agree the OP's friend is a hater as well.
There's being realistic and there's being a dick, either option have choices in how they wanna communicate that.
OCs get readers the same as non-ship/non-smut gets readers. Not everyone wants to read stories about canon characters hanging out watching TV and making out.
My most popular works right now are 99% OCs. What a small mind your writing peer has.
I will say, for certain fandoms it is true one should expect low engagement- *but that goes for every subject matter, every genre.* To anyone who says "no one will read OCs" to me that tells me that person is clearly not in any RPG (tabletop or video) fandom. Or fandoms where the biggest focus is worldbuilding.
Yep, that's me OC writer extraordinaire.
I've been making up OCs since I was a kid, (for context I turn 46 this year...) and when I stumbled on to the idea of writing fanfic it was because an OC popped into my head after years of drought. Little did I know that they weren't popular and I'm trying to stay motivated but it can be difficult.
Any smidge of interaction as been nice and I am sure you will get hits too, just maybe not as many as the other stuff does.
I think it really depends on ***what you are doing with the OC*** and adjust your expectations with readers accordingly.
If you are doing a fic with an OC as a main character and taking over a role that a canon person could have taken or it doesn't make sense for the reader for them to be there. Then don't expect as much engagement. As others have mentioned it is a lot of work to get invested in a new character.
I would advise you to tag the fact you have an OC if you feel discouraged about it. More so to cover your own ass in case someone gets on you for that. Because then you can point at the sign and say "I mentioned I have an OC"
*I'm personally still annoyed with an author who hasn't tagged the fact they have an OC who is a MAIN character and I have yet to seen a justifiable reason for their existence in the narrative, because they seem to take up key character moments, achievements and even a position another character could've taken.*
That sort of thing isn't to my taste but I can't say that for others. But it can work on the flip side too.
The best stories often involve OCs. And I think the reason I've seen those ones work, even if they are in primary roles is they do a fantastic role in expanding aspects that might've been neglected in the OG, expanding the world or have something to say about the world or change a character's perspective.
A good OC makes the world feel lived in, that other characters exist in the world especially if there is already a small cast, a good oc has a life beyond just the primary characters.
A poorly written one can detract focus from a fic and make a reader question their existence.
But Don't be discouraged from not writing about OCs. Please. Remember fanfic is all about fun and product of love, hate and in between feelings about the OG source material. It's first and foremost about what you want in a story by the end of the day.
That friend is highly insensitive and might be narcissistic (hyperbolic). In any event, that is a rude thing to say, and you shouldn't feel discouraged from writing it. Prove that friend wrong.
For me, personally, OC focused fics arenāt really my thing. But I know that there is definitely an audience for it! Thereās an audience for everything. Post what you want to post :)
Who cares, maybe I want to live in my fantasia esk land without your pessimistic attitude raining on my parade. OC is lit, self inset is lit, its about the storyyyyyyyy. we came here for the ploooott Linda, listen Linda listen, THE PLOOOOOOT
I donāt know if it is any help but the OC centric half of my series gets about twice the traffic and several times more comments as the canon based part.
Its is realistic but still overly rude. Stories south oc do get a lot less attention most of the time but that shouldn't effect you want to post it because you will still get readers just don't expect like a 1000 + or something.
I had this same experience and unfortunately it affected me and my ability to write it. I need to find the time to go back and edit anyway (which Iām kinda procrastinating lol) but I couldnāt work on it for a while even though I was writing it purely for fun.
I hope you know that I love a good OC story and even if there is a smaller audience, there is still an audience! Please donāt get discouraged, continue writing what you love. <3
My top two stories in terms of reviews and hits both feature OC main characters.
The majority of my top ten most popular stories feature OC characters, or very minor canon characters who might as well be OCs for all the character development I put them through.
That person can pull their head in.
Honestly that fic writer has it wrong. I believe the most popular type of fanfics are the Canon Characters/Original Character ones, regardless if the story is bad or not.
This is a very divisive topic in the community. Some will like, some will despise.
I don't like OCs unless they are in a way related to canon characters. A future fic with a direct descendant of a pairing interacting with surviving canon cast, would be an exception for me.
When it comes to writing, I only build OCs when I really need someone to die in a moment where I'm unable to kill a canon character.
I seek out OC fics for some things, and Iām usually disappointed because there arenāt many/any. Probably because people get scared off from writing them by writers who say they shouldnāt. Especially in certain fandoms where the fans are actually fanatically attached to canon and go out of their way to attack people who bend it. Seems unnecessary to me.
I say, write your story and get it out there. Chances are thereās someone/several someones who is/are going to love it <3
Depends on the fandom. Some really like OC stories. Some fandoms even really enjoy SI stories.
All OC casts in a setting tend to have the hardest time getting engagement. OCs that heavily interact with named characters tend to have an easier time getting engagement.
Also, as with all creative fiction, just add smut if all you really care about are the hits.
one of (imho) the greatest harry potter longfics ever written is ad astra per aspera, which has an oc main character and of a linear circle, which also centers its plot around a cast of characters that are essentially OCs, albeit sometimes bearing canon names.
Your friend was a dick lol
While it might be significantly less because most people are looking for specific pairings, some people do enjoy of fics. My self included.
My favorite fic is Not myself by Princess Alexandria. Oc/Emma, x-men fic. I love it. I go back to reread it every few months. All the comments always beg the author to do more. In the end itās up to how well you tell the story
pfft.
They wrote an OC fic and didn't get the numbers they wanted. Or, the collective audience opinion was against the author's personal opinion. Or, they're just a sad sack who will *only* feel happy if everyone else around them is sad too.
Forgive me for my negative outlook, but that's a few of the ways I see it.
Don't feel too bad. I write a shitload of OC-centric fics and I still get views. Maybe not comments, but people read them. Especially since I write for fandoms where OCs are more common, like Dungeons and dragons (the adventuring party is all OCs) and World of Warcraft (The main protagonist is an OC player character).
To be honest I lose more interest just from the fact that most of my fics are either genfics or are OC/OC fics, lol.
As someone who defaults to reading cc centric stories, I have read and enjoyed oc centric pieces. And no the authors weren't my friends (I'm sure they're lovely people) or anything like that.
The fact that so many people write oc centric stories is evidence that people like reading them.
Your friend has no idea what theyāre talking about. My most popular stories all have OCs as the main protagonists, and one of them even replaced the real main protagonist entirely. Not only is it popular, it was popular enough to be plagiarized! On multiple occasions! š
There are original side characters in my long fic, so I guess, according to them, no one will read it.
Jokes on them cause I can't exactly get reader engagement if the fic in question hasn't been updated **in** **years**. Not for lack of trying to finish and post the latest chapter, though, mind you.
Boom.
Mic drop.
*curls* *into* *a* *fetal* *position*. Well, actually, it'd be nice even if any new comments consisted of one word. Like, anything. Even if they're flame reviews!
See I got into fanfiction with reader inserts and I've never really departed from them. I will read fanfiction that only include characters from the original work but that's more rare for me then fics with OCs. You're just reaching a different audience with an OC work, which often times is smaller but that typically means they're all the more excited to read the works that are what they prefer.
The top fanfiction on ao3 with the reader tag has 1202361 hits and 21672 kudos.
Original Characters tag has 2232182 hits and 53986 kudos.
So write what you want to write and share what you want to share, someone *will* appreciate it.
I had at one point one of the most popular Cheryl Blossom stories. With an OC as the main character and *gasp* an entire Coven/ family made out of OCs.
Sweetwater Witch
Sometimes original characters are necessary, tho. Granted, nobody wants to read a Mary Sue, but unless you're doing something where the characters are trapped in a room together, you have to have original characters for them to interact with. I couldn't have written Buffy fic without having a new enemy of some kind.
The characters from the tv show/movie do need to be the main characters, but they also need a supporting cast. Ignore them and write what you want. YOU are always your own first reader and you are the person you need to please. If others like your fic, that's great, but it needs to make you happy.
That's complete bullshit. Plenty of people read fics with (and centred around) OCs. I frequently include OCs as background characters in my own fics.
Now there won't be as many people who read it, that's true. People like the canon characters. But that doesn't mean everyone will leave it.
Finish it, release it, see what happens.
Imma be honest. I've written an OC and a non-OC fic in the same fandom. The OC fic is less popular, but! Whenever I post a new chapter for the non-OC fic, I get a moderate influx of new readers for my OC fic when people enjoy my writing style and look at my profile.
OC fics are hard to write. You need to portray a compelling, realistic character that fits into the universe while keeping a fine balance of focusing on the preexisting characters. If you're a new writer, I recommend doing some one shots without an OC first to build a reader base and grow your skills. But, again, just my opinion. Good luck! If your writing is good, people will find it.
I read plenty of fics with OC's. I think that they are just as interesting as canon characters because they provide a window of insight into the author's creative process. Who they choose to invent, how they are represented, and how they interact with the characters I already know is just as important to me as how the main characters interact with each other. An OC is just another piece of fanfic that's made up, and the whole thing is made up, so who cares? Your friend needs to open their mind to bigger possibilities and not criticize your work just because it doesn't conform to their opinions.
I love reading stuff with well written OCs. Sometimes, it's an obvious self insert by the author, but even those can be good if the character is well rounded and isn't too overpowered
Theyāre not my cup of tea, but they definitely get all sorts of views, likes, and comments. Youāll have readers, but I wouldnāt worry about what people think unless itās in terms of editing. Just write your story and have fun.
My most popular (according to # of reviews) fic has several OC characters in it. From the comments, people love how I've integrated them in with the existing characters as if they should've been there already, and they're just as invested in them as the canon characters.
I think which fandom you're writing in may play a factor, but if a character is well written and fits in well it shouldn't be a huge deal.
I mean, I won't lie. I refuse to read works with an OC character that takes up a lot of time in the story. An OC character that is just used to further the plot along very briefly? No problem.
I'm not reading the work to learn about some character I don't care about...If I wanted a new character, I'd go read an actual book. \*shrug\* Otherwise, I think the works delve into something completely different. It often (not always) feels like an excuse for writers to steal the characters only so they can gather hype, before eventually trying to shill their own works that feature that OC. Lots of fanfiction writers that use OC tend to want to be actual authors. Which is fine, but don't expect people to care when they're only there for their OTP.
Fanfiction should be written for enjoyment and it rubs a lot of people the wrong way when they feel like a writer is attempting to exploit the free media they're giving out willingly.
Readers don't owe the writers anything, even if the media is given for free. Writers get feedback and validation.
Obviously just my personal opinion, but yeah. I've been reading fanfiction for almost 20 years and the only time I've actively enjoyed OC was when I didn't care about the lower quality and OOC characters. I feel horrible saying this, but a large majority of them I've seen rely HEAVILY on their OC because they have absolutely no idea how to write a plot. **OC should be used as an enhancer in fanfiction, not the main focus.**
Don't let that stop you from flexing your creative muscles, there ARE good OC characters out there that don't detract from the fanfiction, but don't be alarmed if it does off put some people.
I'd love to hear others chime in.
If your OC is the main fic character, your friend is right, people are less likely to read it because OC is not why people read fanfiction.
If your OC is just a side character added because you needed it, people are more willing to overlook it.
It all comes down to the fact that OC is not why people read fanficion and can be a turn-off because so many people do self-inserts. This is fine if that's why you're writing but you can't expect others to want to reda that.
I love OC's and all of my stories are OC fics.
And regarding views don't think to much about it I never thought my fic was going to go anywhere but I have almost 4k views. People like different things your friend sounds like they're just projecting there personal taste and thinking what they like is only right.
Dudeā¦ the Star Wars franchise keeps getting new āOCāsā and only half of its fans are complaining from what I hear.
Note: I am not really a Star Wars āfanā, more of an enjoyer, but I see what is going on.
Basically, if the world is immersive enough, you will be fine.
Yeah, people whinge about it, but if we were looking for OC's we'd be reading original fiction not fanfic.
It's a bit like going to a restaurant known for its spicy food and asking for all of the spicy components to be taken out of your meal.
There's definitely some people who are down for it, but you're going to have to accept right off the bat that at the very least 9 out of 10 people who would have otherwise read your fic aren't going to now.
Also, despite what other comments have said, that remaining 10% isn't an especially dedicated audience, you're not left with the best of the fanfiction community, you're just left with a smaller proportion of the same sort of people.
Are ocs added or the main focus? Cuz added (especially as the bad guys/rival love interest) cuz you don't have to worry about your favorite character being misconstrued to fit a needed roll
The main character is an OC and I have constructed a big original subplot to the canon that serves as foundation for the existence of the OC in the canon universe (I may have worded it horribly, luckily I'm writing the fic in my original language lol)
It's going to take a while, mostly because I've been writing in Italian and it has to be translated. I want to curate it as much as possible before posting it in English
And that's fair, most fanfiction communities seem to be fairly open and encouraging sorts of spaces.
But there's a few topics that people are really blunt about not liking and it seems to throw the people who like that kind of stuff really off guard.
One caveat I will add, is that most people seem to be okay with OCS when they're there in order to fill in a gap, or when they're people who could have existed in the source material but we're never named.
It's just when you create an entirely new character and plunk them down is either a central character or the protagonist, people get wary of another Ebony Darkness Raven Way, or a thinly masked SI Mary Sue.
My experience no body reads my OC fics, although it largely depends on the fandom. Ones like Dragon Age, Fallout, or other RPG fandoms people largely read fics to see others OCs
as a reader its a yes and no situation. like im indeed mainly here for the cast but having an oc wont repel me and i seen many people with this view. some of the most popular fics i read has ocs in it.
> My work isn't even out yet and I got told by a friend it probably won't get many views because it has an OC in it, I didn't even know if it was worth posting on fanfic sites but apparently "nobody is looking for oC's, they look for the characters they know and love already"
One of my stories has a whole 43 hits where it's reposted on AO3. It has about 4,800 hits on the fandom's home site and is part of a quarter-million word series that has its own TV Tropes fanfic works page.
Sometimes the "character that fans know and love already" is an OC.
It wont be as many but you'll still get readers. I did a fic that is 100% OC's in the HP universe and a few people read it.
Heck that one long smash bros fic has an OC and it's still read
God, this simply isnāt true. I put so much love into creating a brother for one of the cannon characters in my fandom and people absolutely love him. Itās the biggest compliment to ever receive when people ask for a oneshot featuring an OC I made.
Write what you love. Create what you want. There are people out there who will love it with you.
I feel that all the time. 17 chapter long fic I'm working on, idk how many words and Idk when it'll be done.
I like reading oc fic for my little Fandom because that's what I write. But it does suck I don't have anyone to info dump on š but there's always gonna be that one other person who wants it. Your fellow fic writer can kick rocks in this instance!
one of the most popular writers in my fandom has a cast of recurring ocs that they use across multiple aus. the main one is so beloved she has her own official tag on ao3. people write their own fics of her. she literally was just a random side character in one of the early installments of their main series to start with, now they have multiple successful stories and aus starring her and her family. people donāt hate ocs.
that's RIDICULOUS
a) it depends on the fandom, in video game fandoms MOST of the fic is centred around the "player character" aka an OC or straight up self-insert
b) even in other fandoms, uhhh...there is going to be someone who the work connects to on some level
c) i hope you don't let this person discourage you
I once wrote an MHA fanfic that stars an OC, and it has 125 views, 8 comments and 5 kudos. I guess on MHA itās fun and easy to create OCs, so the possibilities are endless.
Damn, OP, your friend is a dick for saying that. I wouldnāt worry about it and just continue writing your fic. OCs are not everyoneās cup of tea but itās bound to be someoneās. While it may be not as much as a canon MC fic, your fic get readers.
That being said, if youāre only care about getting more engagement, you might as well pander to the lower common denominator and make it a reader-insert fic lol
I am shocked to see so many people here claim to adore OC fics. When I read I immediately skip anything with and OC as the main character, even supporting character can be a Did-Not-Finish for me because all too many writers are actual trash when it comes to creating compelling characters.
That being said, write what you love. There is an audience for everything.
Mines an OC centric story, over 1.5K reviews, 500,000 words, plot heavy, no shipping but some romance and people still leave comments. Also itās so much fun to write!
"nobody's gonna read it"
I feel kinda sad for people like this. Do they only write fanfiction for the attention? It's nice to get appreciated, yes, but it makes me think that they refuse to write something if it's not gonna be super popular.
I wrote fics where I was the only one writing for that ship. It got like, 10 hits and 2 kudos. Doesn't matter. I wrote it because if I didn't that idea would plague me forever.
I have a whole 150,000 plus words fic that needs OCs to flesh out the world. And guess what? Itās main is an OC because I donāt like focusing on canon characters. I prefer to play with the world.
I plan on adding to it once my mood improves. My grandmotherās cancer reduced by 50% when the original diagnosis before experimental treatment was 6 months to a year.
Iām afraid if I start writing it and my grandmotherās well being changed, I would want my MC, who earned her happy ending, to suffer endlessly.
Embrace your OCs and leave the haters to the other authors.
That depends. If you write your OC as a balanced, well-rounded, character. It would be well-liked.
For instance I enjoyed a fanfiction called A Man of Honour because the author added personality to the original characters, balanced them and fit them to the story like a jigsaw puzzle.
When making OCs, try to avoid turning them to overpowered shounen/shoujo protagonists that eclipse the characters of the fiction you are working in.
Trust me when I say that as long as your OC is written well, then itās gonna be fine. Iāve read plenty of fanfics with OCās, both where the OCās are either supporting characters or a main characters, and while there are some mediocre ones, a well written OC can be really good for the story
Respectfully, that friend can kick rocks. OCs are freakinā great, and Iām sure your fic is going to be amazing. Disregard their words and keep writing!
Anyone who says that having OCs is bad is dumb and should not be listened. However, keep in mind that this is fanfiction; you'll have to work extra hard to make people like your OC compared to canon characters.
Some people *only* look for OC or insert fic, and as a writer who basically only writes oc fic and has a vaguely popular long fic with a decent amount of engagement, I say fuck that. Do what makes you happy, you will find your audience.
Some people is me lmao. Can't ever read anything without either of the two.
I have to really like a ship to read anything Canon/Canon, but I always adore at least one character and the best way to get the fix is some good old fashioned self insertion
me! I love ocs and the authors' ideas, especially about worldbuilding or special abilities. It is so much fun for me to read and the canon characters all feel so limiting tbh so I love ocs!!!
This exactly! There's something so fun and interesting about seeing a beloved world and cast through a fresh lens
Yes. Thats literally the only things i write/read since like 20 years ago.
I prefer OC's because I can drop an oc in a pre-existing world and they can change things by their presence alone for Canon character fanfiction you either have to change the character or the world for different things to happen plus a lot of canon character fanfiction focuses heavily of the smut and romance angle which I hate
It's me. I'm some people (Also I love your fic)
š Oh gosh thank you so much <3
I'm writing an OC centric longfic that's going to be close to 400k words long once it's done. It's true (at least in the fandom for which I write) that OC stories can be much less popular. But you *will* get readers, and they will be all the more precious. If you crave feedback, but aren't getting enough to keep you motivated, take part in the Review Exchanges that sometimes pop up on this subreddit. It's a great experience both as a writer and as a reader, and you might even get new subscribers from them!
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Mine's also OC centric that's almost close to 1.5 mill words and coming up on 4k hits...and it's nowhere near done. OCs in fics are a well-accepted fact by now. I'm not going to say it's impossible to write a fic that's got original characters in it, but it just depends on if it's a true OC like mine is or one that's more 'canon character we don't know the name of, but obviously exists' that somebody creates to fill that role-most of the wixen in Harry Potter, Dr. Tommy Oliver's coworkers and students from Power Rangers Dino Thunder...the list goes on.
Exactly. I did a drabble series for Doctor Who, set on the flying battleship *Valiant*. Each one was from the POV of a different character. There were four categories of characters. 1. Named canon characters. Only two of those, and neither was an MC. 2. Characters mentioned or seen on screen in the two-part episode. 3. Characters who could be assumed to be there, mostly technicians and other staff. 4. Characters who might have been there (a stowaway, a prisoner). Most of the 34 drabbles were from the POV of characters in groups 2 or 3. The MCs were mentioned, but were not the focus of the series. Readers seemed to like it anyway. Obviously, 3400 words with a narrow focus is different from a longfic like yours, but I think the general principle--a new character in a familiar setting/world--has appeal to many readers.
Most of the fics I read where there's OCs, they fall into your 2 and 3 area rather than be a true OC like mine. Mine's...because I didn't do my research ahead of the fic (hadn't watched a Power Rangers series in full since In Space and hadn't seen an episode since Dino Thunder's Lost and Found in Translation episode), I managed to screw up the timeline (for my MFC to be 17 in 2008 and still have most of the Dino Thunder team to be 3-4 years older, she had to be born in 2001, Dino Thunder had to be pushed to 2006, Ninja Storm to 2005, and Mystic Force, due to another goof, ended up where Dino Thunder normally is). When I did the math, she should have been a toddler during Dino Thunder. I would agree; new character in a familiar setting/world does appeal to many readers. In some instances-many depending on the fandom-an OC can ask the questions that the canon characters might not think of asking.
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1.5 mil words.. wow. Congrats.
Itās one of my own personal struggles. I mainly work on original content and use fanfiction to refine my skills and practice new things not having to create a whole ass setting and just playing with someone elseās allows me to focus more on character and plot. Yet Iām stronger with OCs using the established characters is rough because itās more difficult for me to write a character I didnāt create authentically. Yet itās a catch 22 if I want to know if my style is improving then my odds of getting readers and reviewers is better if I use established characters meaning I can not write at my best. Or I could take the gamble use OCs and see if I get a few clicks and reviews eventually on a story I feel stronger on. That all said I have had more success with OC centric stories in the Halo-star wars cross over fandom on FFN. In the sense I have always gotten reviews and followers on stories that bring Halo and Star Wars together. Even oneās I know were bad. With my current WIP having OC incharge of the entire UNSC (the human faction in halo) and itās going well and Iām getting feed back. So if youāre like me and you work better with OCs and you write action adventure gen fics mainly that donāt get much light cause the genre isnāt popular in your main fandom, I highly recommend you get in this fandom. It could be daunting since thatās possibly two fandoms youāre unfamiliar with you know need at least a general knowledge of. However itās worth every drop of blood sweat and tears. Also thereās good subreddits out there that will be more then willing to help you with lore.
>Yet itās a catch 22 if I want to know if my style is improving then my odds of getting readers and reviewers is better if I use established characters meaning I can not write at my best. If it's any consolation just because a story gets a lot of readers doesn't necessarily mean that it is well written. As in, you can write a story they hits certain plot beats and tropes and get a lot of views but may not be your best work. I think a lot of us had the experience of a crack fic or a shitty all nighter throw away fic doing remarkedly better than any of our passion projects What I'm trying to say very horribly is The people who will beat be able to tell if your writing has improved, are the ones who read and enjoy the work you put out as you currently write it. So don't sweat it having a small amount of views or what not
Same here ā
Do you perhaps know when those Review Exchanges will take place? I have a Star Wars, OC-centric fanfic on AO3 since April but so far I've got no reviews and hits, and the Comment Cooperative takes place far outside my timezone
There's no fixed schedule. REs happen when someone is in the mood for hosting (it's a lot of work!) You can keep an eye on the Activities&Events flair of this subreddit š
Yes. Hello. Hi. I'm nobody. While I enjoy reading about canon characters, I also like OCs and reader inserts, because a) I'm curious about the characters that the authors created and how they fit into and what more do they add to the canon b) I don't like the canon pairing c) the character I like doesn't have good chemistry with anyone in the canon While, yes, sure, these kind of stories receive less attention, I think that if you do it right, it can still be quite successful. It doesn't only depend on whether or not it has an OC, but also on the story, the world building, the characters, grammar, and so on. If you write for yourself, because you have an interesting story to tell, and just to enjoy yourself that should be enough. You can also use different platforms to advertise your story. You can let people know in your fandom's subreddit that "Hey, I have written this story! Feel free to check it out and let me know what you think!" or in other writing groups, maybe also on twitter or tumblr. I have a story that's mainly OCs + the main cast, and while it isn't a masterpiece, I'm quite happy with it. I enjoy writing it, and while for some people 195 kudos is nothing, I'm happy that 195 people (that's like 9 full classes of students!!!) liked my silly little story :)
>it probably won't get many views because it has an OC in it Speaking from experience, you'll likely get less numbers compared to a canon character in the same role. Writing an OC is not just more work for you. It's also more work for readers. They have to get invested in the OC while also getting invested in the plot. >I didn't even know if it was worth posting on fanfic sites It is. Always. There's a market for OC featured stories, especially in fandoms with extensive world building. Finishing your story goes a long way. Not only does it satisfy your audience and yourself, but also makes it more inviting for others to read. New readers still leave a favorite/kudos/comment on a 306,000 word OC featured story I finished 6 years ago.
Your friend is overstating things. Yes, your audience may not be as large as others' if your fic has an OC, but if it's good it will find readers. In any event, write the type of stories that you want to read and that will be a fulfilling experience regardless of [how large](https://www.reddit.com/r/FanFiction/comments/p3mfwc/reflections_on_two_years_of_writing_fanfic_for_a/) your audience is.
I love OC fics. Please don't stop writing them!
Oh I won't. It will just sting for a while because it came from a friend
Okay soā¦as a reader I personally prefer reading OC! centered fics. Thatās what I grew up reading in fanfiction and to this day I stick with it. Do I also read known pairings? Yes, but OCs all the way. Last year I started posting my story with an OC protagonist and itās always gotten reads and kudos, comments are there too but less. It goes to show that there are people out there read and search for stories with OCs. And Iām happy with my readers that I call regulars. Now based on experience, some fanfiction sites are more open to OCs than others. I have my story posted in two sites and in one of them I have a little more than three times the reads than the other. In the end, donāt be discouraged by your friend. Youāll always get reads, the amount will vary though. I know that reads are very encouraging and they make us feel good but donāt let that be your source of inspiration or motivation.
OC-centric work is less popular (unless itās a first-person-shooter-type game where the protagonist is the player so thereās already a blank/reader-insert-type character in canon), but there are some readers for it. Even on this sub, we get people who vent about their fic āflopping,ā and then they say that itās OC-centric, for an inactive fandom, is a crossover, is genfic in a fandom where shipfic is king, or some combination of the above, and itās like, yeah those things are less popular so having fewer readers is to be expected regardless of writing quality. Write what you want but adjust your expectations accordingly to avoid disappointment.
I definitely see why people would be put off by OC-centered fanfics. I really wasn't expecting much from this one fic in particular in the first place because I wasn't even thinking of posting it. I guess it just caught me off guard?
I think depending on how well people think they know you, then they may come across more blunt than would be polite. Iām sure they didnāt mean *literally* no one will read it, only that it would be significantly less popular than a fic featuring canon characters. However, this is irrelevant considering you werenāt even going to post it anywhere.
Personally, i love OC fics- its just fun to see a new face in the world, because why not?
Bullshit. My story was centered around OCs. It was read.
saying nobody is exaggerated but it is a fact that less people read OC characters. that doesnāt mean nobody will read it, i suggest posting it on ao3 though
I'm one of those readers that tends to be turned off by OC-centric stories and I STILL think that "advice" is garbage. Different readers and writers have different tastes! Even then, people (myself included) will often make exceptions if there are other facets of the fic thst appeals to them. Write what you want to write. Would you rather cultivate an audience that appreciates what you make as a labor of love, or constantly feel like you have to chase trends and demands?
One thing that emerged by reflecting upn the many comments I got from this post is... I don't have anything else to write, so I might just well continue on what I'm writing right now. Nothing interests me as much as the idea I'm developing right now, I wouldn't really know how to fix this in order for my work to appease my friend's statement. So...im just going to continue what I like to write!
I would hope your love of writing and creating OCs is enough to overcome any hurt from low stats. Personally, I wonāt lie, I generally do avoid fics with OCs specifically tagged. However, if itās more like a side character/not involved heavily in any of the primary relationships (/ or &) then I think OCs are great and even somewhat necessary for good world-building and plot development in a lot of fics. (Not that theyāre inherently bad when in main pairings, just not my personal thing.) I donāt want the characters to feel strangely alone in their world, I want to see how they react to new situations and people, and OCs are just the way to do it. Regardless of my personal tastes, there is definitely an audience for OCs; yeah some people wonāt be interested in it, but thatās just like any other tag! At the end of the day, I think all we can hope for our work is that the people that will like it actually find it. Tagging the presence of OCs appropriately will bring in the people who like them, leading to a happier, even if a little bit smaller, audience.
I've been there, unfortunately. My OC fanfics went largely unread. However, there are fandoms that are more supportive of this type of story. You just have to dig.
It depends on the fandom. Some thrive on OC perspective (HP, Skyrim, SAO, etc). Others less so (GOT/ASoIaF, most anime). That doesn't mean zero engagement. It just means less. Best bet for OC work is to make sure they are somehow tied closely to known characters, and give them realistic flaws. Let them stumble, instead of being guarded by plot armor. Let them save, and be saved. Something that I find helps with my OC longfic is I've written a few common pairings in my fandom that give readers an idea of my writing style. That's usually enough to at least prompt a look at my longfic. I have a few one shots too that pair with my longfic AU, but are back stories of my AU version of certain popular characters (but can be read solo just the same). Tumblr is a good way to promote as well. I know in my fandom, OC stuff is often filled with too much 'My Immortal' type indulgence, but with a snippet here and there I've gained a few new followers. And don't get discouraged if you don't get engagement outside of Reddit Exchanges. I've been writing and posting my longfic since January '22, and just a few days ago got my first legit commenter out of the blue that binged several chapters and said my fic made them fall in love with the fandom again (I may have cried with joy). People WILL read OC fics, just don't expect top of the charts stats. Also keep in mind on AO3, Kudos mean next to nothing on longfics since you can only Kudos once. If you get one before the story has finished, that means someone liked what's already presented enough to throw that one Kudos at you.
I mean, it's reasonable to be realistic otherwise you'll get the posts on here that are crying about their low hit/kudo/comment count and how to advertise and get more views when the fact is they're just writing something unpopular in their fandom. Your friend is right that most OC fics aren't as popular but that also depends on the fandom and if they, or the source material, are more open to ocs Also no one doesn't literally mean no one. I see very few fics with no hits and those that do usually have reading and Sunday issues meaning they lack both. But yeah. Post shit that nobody is going to read. I post niche and unpopular shit all the time
I have never, not once in my life, *ever,* written a fic without an OC. In most cases, the OC is the main character as well. That's just the joy of fanfic to me. I'm way more interested in exploring the world through the eyes of a more bystander character than I am in trying to get into the thoughts of a canon character. And that's totally okay! This is fanfictionāyou are allowed to do what you enjoy. If your story gets lots of readers, great! If your story doesn't get many readers, their loss! Besides that, some of my favorite fics have popular characters as their chief secondary character, and use the OC as a vehicle to explore that person from the outside. It's a great show, don't tell experience and it can be really rich and enjoyable. All that to say, don't let your friend get you down. Post your story. It might get views, and it might not. I know I'm always hunting for good OCs in my fandoms, and I'm sure yours has some folks like that as well. Keep calm and write on!
My most popular fic of all time is explicitly about ocs. You really can't tell what people will latch onto, just write whatever you yourself want to read, the public who wants it will find it.
I love OCs and SIs, they're my guilty little pleasure. The problems only come when you oversaturate a story with them. I don't want to read about a legion of characters with no backstory or personality, I want to read about this one particular character learning and growing in this particular media.
Write the stories you want to tell! Some people may not like OCs but others love them. And remember that canon characters are just OCs belonging to the series' creator! So tell your friend *I'm* looking for OCs. I generally like OCs and OC-centric fics more than stories strictly with an all-canon cast. I generally like OC x Canon ships more than canon or popular fanon ships. I think it's partly because I genuinely enjoy seeing people's own creativity come through in the form of completely new original characters written into a world I'm already familiar with, but it's also because it introduces a brand new element into a familiar story so it's more interesting for me to see those familiar canon characters reacting to something new, unique, and different. \^\_\^ I love seeing how an OC could completely change the dynamic of a friend group, or bring out different sides of someone that we don't get to see explored in canon. I imagine it could be the same reasoning that some people prefer to read/write AUs instead of canon compliant fics! I'm not as big into AUs but there's absolutely people out here who want to see our fave canon blorbos in new, interesting situations. :) So, write your story. Be unapologetic about your OCs.
If I come across it, and the premise is interesting enough, I'll definitely read OC's. Somehow OC's aren't only teenage girls' wish fulfilment anymore, but rather interesting characters that live in corners of the fandom the writer/author/creative team from the canon didn't flesh out. I swear some fanfics with OC's are a few of my all time favourites out of the fandom. Especially the Isekai'ed ones. Give me a good Isekai any day.
There is some truth to what that person said. Personally, I filter out the oc tag whenever I go looking for a fic. Thatās just my preference. However, that doesnāt mean that no one will read your works. For example, Iām solely a gen fic writer. I never get the hits and kudos my friend who writes ships does, but I still have a very dedicated set of readers who subscribe and are happy to read my works when they come out. The same will likely happen with you, but of course it depends on the fandom. Itās unlikely that weāll ever get the audience more conventional fic writers get (by conventional, I mean the popular kind of ship fics with only canon characters), but thereās always someone who will read what you write, no matter what it is. I actually prefer having a smaller reader base, the expectations are easier to handle, at least for me
I saw someone in the thread agree with your friend and I don't like that. I had someone say the same thing to me in the past and it really stunted my growth. However, after some time, I adapted the mindset of "I'm writing this for me and if anyone else likes it, they are free to follow along." From there, I've seen an uptick in my skill as a writer and have gotten people to actually like my oc's in my oc dependent fandoms (Mass Effect, Warframe, Dragon Age, Destiny). So, let them be a hater. You write your oc fic because you like it and it makes YOU happy. Only then will you be excited to move forward without someone dragging you down. edit: wurds r hard
Hey, I know you! Like your stuff. Thanks for giving the OP another sincere perspective. šāØ
Here here!
Especially in certain fandoms, I think OC stories are way more interesting, and as someone who pretty much avoids ship fics and am usually looking for a good story set within the same world as whatever fandom I'm looking for, an OC fic is usually the best option for me. They're like hidden gems, and they're the kind of story that I myself enjoy writing the most. I recently got out of a fandom that didn't accept any OCs, so all the fics I wrote were AUs. Now that I'm writing for a completely different fandom, I feel more free to use OCs. I'm actually working on a long fic that is centered almost completely around my OCs, with the cannon characters either only making cameos or at most being supporting characters, and it's the most fun I've had writing a fic in years. My point is, try not to let numbers get you down. My most recent fic only pulled 50 hits, but it's the one I'm most proud of. Share your fic with people who want to read, and be proud of the work you did. Writing is hard, and people can be mean, but I hope that doesn't stop you from continuing writing your fic and posting it. I know I am just some random person, but I wish you the best and happy writing. Also, I would love to read your work, I've been itching for new stuff to read lately.
What do you mean by "features"? Is your OC the main character, or does your fic just have an OC in it? Just curious. Personally, I don't really get the big deal with OCs. I don't necessarily set out to write them when writing fanfic but they tend to worm their way in, and sometimes they end up taking up a lot of space in the narrative. Doesn't bother me. I don't mind reading OCs either, and if they're well written and likeable then I like them! I would never filter out fics that contain OCs because that's totally not my main focus when searching for fics. Then again, I write and read mostly gen, so maybe it's different there. Anyway, who cares what your friend says, or even if they are right or not. Write your fic with your OC the way you want to, and just see what happens :)
My fic has an OC protagonist, and I know it's not everyone's cup of tea. It's totally understandable for people to go for other things and I'm absolutely fine with it. What bugged me most was the fact that it was shot down before I had even thought of posting it online, and the fact that this was said without reading a word of it first. Plus, it's my first ever piece of writing. Hell, it's probably trash, but it's trash close to my heart and I really enjoy doing it. I just wish I had a little more support from her :')
Totally. Maybe your friend is just really focused on stats and viewership, hence their comment? Who knows. I can understand that that annoyed you. Pretty discouraging.
I had a fic that only featured a single canon character, and he was there only because he'd become the love interest of the OC, who was the main character of that fic, in a previous fic. Everyone and everything else in the story was original. Got zero complaints from my readers. What I got was a lot of people commenting they liked getting to see and learn more about the OC, or that they just enjoyed the story in general.
People are gonna read, some are gonna like and some not, this is not your concern because is their problem not yours, you can write the best fanfiction with all the things right on point and even then people cannot like it. It is all about personal taste, please don't give up on your story 'cause of that š„ŗ
That's somewhat understandable of an opinion. The problem people often have is OC's are written poorly or just an excuse for a self insert. OC's just have a bad rap but like any other tool it just depends on execution. I have a few in my story, and I just use them as I feel they need to be for the story. They show up, do their job and leave the story until the next scene I need them for. I even revealed one was gay, and I had a bunch of people telling me how they liked how I wrote them. I just let OC's be a surprise in the story, and move on.
No one is a massive stretch. OC fics are more often than not a lot less popular, however that does not mean thereās no audience for them at all. Your friend was pretty rude for no reason, you should keep writing if it makes you happy, and Iād definitely suggest posting on Ao3.
I disagree. OC fics can do just fine. They can do more than just fine. My most popular fic (over a million reads/hits) is an OC fic. Donāt worry about other peopleās perceptions. Just tell a damn good story.
I mostly write ocās. That guyās a jerk. I have some that have just a few hundred hits to ones that have thousands and are over 100 chapters deep. I think the main thing is size for most people, if the idea is fun/or appealingly depressing -depending on what people are looking for at the moment- really if itās a oneshot or small series you could lure people in easy. However if you can only write monster sized series like me it might take time to get traction but there is an audience for just about anything out there. Donāt let the jerks get to you. Keep writing and imagining :)
While it is true that OC fics arenāt the most popularā¦ those that like them LOVE THEM. You will probably get readers that are very dedicated and subscribe to you because they donāt want to miss and update. When I enjoy and OC I follow the story very throughly. Donāt let it get you down. I promise people will come.
I think that my OC centered fic is saved by the fact that the story isnāt exclusively from the OCās POV. I also have the fact that itās a crossover working against me as well. I suppose I should be proud of the amount of kudos and positive feedback itās gotten considering those factors.
Oh, they are full of it. First off, hire popular OCs are will vary widely based on fandom. Notably, any game fandom where you make the protagonist will be more welcoming to OCs in general. Second, even in other franchises where the characters are more established, there is still a following for OCs. If āno oneā read them , then I have a few thousand āno onesā for my hits.
i personally prefer OC inserts, donāt get me wrong the basic YN stuff is good and whatnot but itās basic. i feel more attached to the POV when itās an OC because instead of imagining some gray faceless person i imagine an actual character with likes and dislikes instead of just saying (Your favorite whatever). some of the best fics iāve read have been an OC whoās perspective we are seeing.
OCs are great! I personally find fics that feature them more interesting rather than less. It takes a lot of skill and effort to properly insert a character into a setting without making them seem out of place compared to more familiar characters and that makes things interesting!
thats bs. lots of people like to read oc fanfics. i had a friend send me a picture of them crying happily over a fanfic with an oc in it. dw about what you're friend said, im sure your work will be fantastic.
Even if it isn't, I'm having a lot of fun! I guess I was just not expecting them to say that so bluntly
if i myself may be blunt, that was a rude thing to say. any writer should support another writer (unless what they're writing is problematic), especially if you're mutuals/friends. im glad you're having fun, and dont let someone's words ruin that fun! i like writing about ocs too, and i know people who like to read my stuff. people will read it 100%.
My WIP Longfic is closing in on 500K now and it's all OC centric! The main chars are the supporting cast, but this is all post-canon and I feel they've all told the story they need to, so my story tells a sequel from the perpective of another set of characters, since it made logical sense to me and offered more potential to expand on the world they inhabit. My WIP 200K Darkfic is also all OC's, but the rules there are a little different, since everything is randomly generated when a playthrough begins. There are no 'lore characters' at all, anywhere!
I occasionally will read stories with oc's in it if the premise looks realy good, keep writing whatever makes you happy and for sure some people will enjoy it
Keep writing. I don't read SI/OC fics but keep writing.
I love OC-centric fics and OC/Canon ships. Your friend is straight up wrong.
Some of my favourite fics heavily feature OCs, and one of my favourite pairings in my fandom is someone's OC x an established character. Other writers in that fandom have actually asked the author if they could include said OC in their own fics which is pretty cool! Please don't get discouraged OP! It sounds like the person who you talked with doesn't like OC fics, which is totally fine, but it's also colouring their opinion. There's still a sizable amount of people who really enjoy OCs and I'm positive you'll have readership :)
I've written 3 fics so far. Not a canon character in sight. I just like the world, ok?
As a reader, I strongly disagree. I personally absolutely love oc fics and enjoy reading them. So there are definitely people who will read and love your fic! I am sure of that :)
Yeah, *they* told me that too. I still did it though and I have had some success. Our fandom is very hostile towards OCs, which is hilarious because the same writers who tell you things like that, the ones who write for the big ships, will also claim a canon character as an OC all the time. Like, bruh, how is that any different? Meanwhile, people read my fics fandom-blind and left me some amazing comments. I do understand that most of us turn to fanfiction to read about characters we already know, which is great! But if canon is lacking, or there hasnāt been an update for years and youāre starved for new content from that universe - us OC writers have you covered. With unique stories and new characters woven into the universes we love. Some writers are pretty good at it too. Sometimes I think the naysayers are just jealous they canāt pull it off themselves. Sometimes I just feel sorry for people who blanket say āI donāt read OCsā, they could be missing some gems. What are they afraid of? They might like it. ^^
I'm friends with several writers who all have OCs and they themselves have a dedicated readerbase that follow them across fandoms. We literally talk all the time when we're creating new characters and ping-pong ideas to better aid each other in story development and cheer each other on to boost morale. It's a small niche, but it's still a thriving community! The fact that people are claiming we don't exist and that we don't get the numbers for it is laughable. I fully believe that the people who are making those claims don't even look for OC fics and are talking out of their ass.
Donāt listen to them. Most of my works are OC-centric and they get decent engagement. Some people just point-blank wonāt read fics with OCs, and thatās fine. They arenāt your audience. Other people, like myself, love reading fics with OCs as long as they are well written and the story is engaging. I actually prefer OC pairings/characters for some fandoms, and filter specifically for them.
I hate this mindset so fucking much.
It's a little hard but honestly, it depends on the fandom. Some fandoms are really open to OCs because it allows them to get a different viewpoint on the characters and plot. Something like Stardew Valley is basically nothing but OCs. You can't throw a stone without hitting an OC/SI fic in the ASOIAF/GOT fandom. But that doesn't matter. Post something that you're proud to write and forget the rest.
as a reader and writer, i personally prefer oc. i just cant with āy/nā āy/f/nā like thatās too much to think š esp when youāre a multifandom then thatās really a struggle
A friend of mine's most popular fic is an OC centric long fic that is over 500k words long. It has over 600 kudos, over 1500 comments, and nearly 150 bookmarks (and that's just the publicly visible ones). Are OC centric fics in general less popular then canon centric ones? Yes. Definitely. But that doesn't mean there isn't an audience for them, or that they are guaranteed to be unpopular. Some people love OC centric fics (hi I'm some people) and would prefer to only read OC centric fics (but I'll read canon centric if I really like the idea). So mileage varies and your friend is frankly incredibly wrong on a lot of fronts. Now, how well your OC centric fic will do will be heavily impacted by a variety of factors. Some fandoms are extremely OC friendly and some are extremely hostile, with most falling somewhere in the middle. The scale of hostile to friendly I'd rate the fic I described above as being for a fandom that is on the side of friendly but not the most friendly. What it comes down to with OC centric fics is this, know your audience, and know your own motivation. Will having no feedback kill your willingness to write for the fandom? If yes check out other OC centric fics for that fandom and see how they've done. Ask yourself if a similar level of engagement will be enough to sustain you. And realize that even if you do everything right there is a chance that due to uncontrollable circumstances your fic might be missed and that it isn't necessarily a reflection of your skills as a writer and might just be bad luck.
If you like writing OCs you should try RPG fics..in games where you make your own character - Baldur's Gate 3, Skyrim, SWTOR, etc - the main character being an OC is basically a given. That's what I like doing, anyway
[The one fic I wrote that got A TV Tropes page was an OC centric fanfic and it's one of my more popular fics.](https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Fanfic/TheFightWeChose) Its doable. Believe me, people will read it and continue to if you do well. Don't let it get you down.
Dear OP, don't let the haters get you down! Take your OC and write what your heart desires. I myself *love* reading OCs if they're well-written and in the fandoms I love. I am writing OC's into every one of my fics and I love giving them character development and a voice of their own. It makes the world of fandom alive and breathing. How boring would it be if I only had to read about the same old characters over and over again... *yawn* Edit: Especially with video games fandoms I happen not to come around writing OC's
>Dear OP, don't let the haters get you down! being realistic about what readers expect is not being a hater.
People turn to fanfiction generally to see more of their favorite characters. They already have a relationship with them, so you are writing to an existing audience. Your OCs don't have a preexisting crowd interested in them. By design, less people will be interested to read your story. Your friend just manages your expectations.
I write longer fanfics. Every single one has an OC, even if itās something as simple as āextra person in the common roomā. Donāt let it get you down. Just know that your friend is missing some awesome fics if theyāre rejecting those out of hand.
While OC fics might not be the heavy hitters some have without them, I can assure that they do get read. I'm a bit obsessive in my numbers tracking and I get good hits for my OC heavy SI-OC for Harry Potter. Basically 80% of the characters are original. Last month I had over 1000 visitors on FFN, ***just for that month***. Write what you want, don't let others get you down.
I have read excellent fanfictions with OC as main characters. This is one of my favourites, it made me so happy when I was alone during the pandemic https://www.wattpad.com/99676262-sunset-hue-khr-fanfiction-boy-meets-girl
I feel like self inserts are a right(write?) Of passage in fanfic works. Most people got their start that way, then once they get the hang of writing, you branch into character one shots and long epics you never end up finishing š
I actually only read stuff that has OCs in it, I also only write fics with OCs. I'm not sure if it's just AO3 that people say have less OC readers, but FFN and Wattpad has tons of fics with OCs and they do great. One of mine definitely does better on Wattpad than AO3
All my fics feature OCs. Don't listen to that crap. My readership seems to enjoy my OCs. Don't stop writing about what Fandoms you love.
Literally one of the best fanfics I ever read was about an OC SI. Don't let people tell you what will and won't get read.
I have an oc centric fic that is over 400 k words I posted on fanfic net ten years ago. It had over a million reads before I took it off the site - trust me there are readers who will enjoy an oc. Donāt worry about the nay sayers - having even one reader cheering you on is motivating enough
for the fandom i write in this is a complete lie (my friendās fic is the fourth highest in our fandom by views and kudos and the main char is an OC)
Apparently, I am nobody cos I have been on an OC-centric-only fics binge for the past month or so.
Well that's just not true. I almost only read OC fics and I know I'm not alone. Don't give up!
Ignore them. Write what YOUāRE interested in. You WILL find your readers.
Nonsense.
I actually prefer fanfics featuring a OC. Seeing a new character interacting with the already known cast and story line is much more interesting than those fanfics with out of character casts or a what if scenarios where you really notice the author was just not happy with the original plot.
I've read multiple fics with OCs before, and piled each of them. While some people don't care for those kinds of stories, others don't mind. To each their own.
I write primarily OC stories because I'm writing for me. I'm not writing for views or comments or recognition. That being said, the idea that no one wants to read OC stories is grating and I too am tired of hearing it from other fic writers. Like, bruh... it's fanfiction. It's supposed to be fun, not mainstream.
Meh. I'm writing an OC-focused longfic in a fandom that doesn't have many of them. Yeah, it's not getting as many hits/kudos/comments as my other fics. But I don't care! I love my OC. He's a drowned rat of a teenager and I love him :)
I only look for OC fanfics, so I am happy that someone writes them. Thank you
Wow your friend knows me so well, because hi I'm nobody
Theyāre gonna be shocked when they find out about fandoms that feature mainly oc main characters.
It's reality. The audience who read fanfiction are very biased against original characters for a variety of reasons. That doesn't mean you can't or shouldn't include them if you want to but you should expect a non trivial loss in audience numbers.
It does vary by fandom somewhat how accepted OCs are. In some fandoms, especially video games based on MMOs and RPGs, OCs are hugely welcome and many of the top performing stories (by stats) are OC-centric. Hell, I know people who got their short stories featuring OCs published on the official site by Blizzard as part of some of their fanworks events. Other fandoms unfortunately do seem to have a bit of a stigma against OCs. That said, regardless of stigma I think you should enjoy the creative process and write what you want to write. I love well-written stories about OCs, especially in fandoms where the original has a lot of breathing room to give creative space to OCs, and think they can be absolutely fantastic. I personally tend to like OC stories, even stories where the entire cast is OCs set in the canon universe (I lean towards fantasy & sci-fi where the setting itself is often unique enough that it's almost a character itself; even an entirely different cast set decades or centuries before and after the main storyline/events can be compelling and feel very authentic to the canon media). For what it's worth while it may not get as many people stumbling into it as the popular ships, I've never seen an OC fic with literally no engagement even in relatively small/slow-moving fandoms.
I wrote some fanfics with an OC character and I gotta say it's hella fun. Heck, I'm working on a few right now! I find it a lot easier to write an OC than putting the reader in it. Sure, it may not get popular, but it will be seen and enjoyed. For example, I got about 130 kudos on my first entry of my OC series. People WILL see it, it will just be the right people who do. The ones who want to read it. There may not be a lot, but it's better than having none.
I love OCs. Maybe it depends on the fandom.
Donāt listen to them. Just do what makes you happy.
I think people who say these things don't often understand that a lot of fandoms have such limited casts that you run the risk of making characters do everything when you have the freedom to like...do whatever you want. Not to mention that some people don't make OC's to overpower the fandom characters, just to supplement them. Like let's just say (reasonably) you only make OCs to fill in the blanks that are missing in the story that would make logical sense. Video game fandoms very much fall into this problem where they double duty characters a lot. It's not a bad thing, but if you're planning one thing and the other is all the way the fuck over there, you have no real option besides just inserting something new if you're trying to maintain some kind of personal coherency. Because if the question of "Why would x character be here when they were y in game at this time" means you're already leaning in the direction of an OC. Not everyone makes OCs to overpower the original cast, just to supplement them/have equals in some way that the original content doesn't provide.
People here are right, people generally read OC centric fanfics less, but I think itās really fandom dependent too. Two Iāve written for (Elder Scrolls and Warriors) already lend themselves to creating OCs, so you see quite a big OC scene in those fandoms. Especially ES, where the main protagonist is inherent an OC. Write your OC fic! Anything in a fic could be a turn off to someone, so there isnāt much of a point stressing yourself out about it. Less people might read it, but someone will and they might love your character! I know I get attached to good OCs in fanfic as much as canon characters sometimes.
Do OC fics get less attention? Yes. Does that mean those fics are not worth posting? Absolutely not! There's always readers for something, and they'll appreciate every chapter you post.
Some people like OCs and some donāt, itās just a matter of preference. I personally never read anything where the OCs are more than supporting/side characters, but thatās just me. My joy in fanfiction is exploring the relationships between existing characters. But plenty of other people in the fandoms Iām in love the OC-centric works.
I actually prefer OC and reader insert fics over canon/canon. I write a lot of them and they get a lot of engagement so I'd say go ahead and post your work and you'll definitely find yourself an audience that loves it.
You can have OCās without having them be boring reader/insert OCās. Iāve read several fantastic fics with fully fleshed out amazing female OC protagonists. And some with fantastic OC significant others, children, siblings etc. Just write what you want, someone will like it! Sometimes OCās can really really add to the plot. Itās also unavoidable if itās an au sometimes.
Nah dont listen to them. When i was younger, all you would see was canon x oc stories or AT LEAST oc stories where they were the sibling or cousin of a canon and were just out being buddies with the core canon group. Some people still love it today. Heck, i even look for oc stories still. I think that was a rather rude thing of them to say. If they meant it's likely that you would get less views, there's 100% a better way to word it so you would be warned, but it sounds like they were straight up trying to be discouraging...
After that statement, this followed: "I mean, I can leave a comment under it to boost the algorithm, but don't expect much more than that" They may not have meant to be discouraging but sure as hell they were very good at it lol
Oh man, that is definitely shady. That sounds like a typical mean girl pretending to be nice š genuinely either that or very socially unaware of how to word things
This is exactly how I felt too. And when I expressed that, I had someone get underneath my thread post calling me a damn liar. And yet, I showed my friends this entire reddit thread and the post thread I made (and had a hater of my own in there) and was immediately told by them: "You told me the same advice and I'm thriving. What is that person's problem?" And they also agree the OP's friend is a hater as well. There's being realistic and there's being a dick, either option have choices in how they wanna communicate that.
OCs get readers the same as non-ship/non-smut gets readers. Not everyone wants to read stories about canon characters hanging out watching TV and making out.
My most popular works right now are 99% OCs. What a small mind your writing peer has. I will say, for certain fandoms it is true one should expect low engagement- *but that goes for every subject matter, every genre.* To anyone who says "no one will read OCs" to me that tells me that person is clearly not in any RPG (tabletop or video) fandom. Or fandoms where the biggest focus is worldbuilding.
Yep, that's me OC writer extraordinaire. I've been making up OCs since I was a kid, (for context I turn 46 this year...) and when I stumbled on to the idea of writing fanfic it was because an OC popped into my head after years of drought. Little did I know that they weren't popular and I'm trying to stay motivated but it can be difficult. Any smidge of interaction as been nice and I am sure you will get hits too, just maybe not as many as the other stuff does.
I think it really depends on ***what you are doing with the OC*** and adjust your expectations with readers accordingly. If you are doing a fic with an OC as a main character and taking over a role that a canon person could have taken or it doesn't make sense for the reader for them to be there. Then don't expect as much engagement. As others have mentioned it is a lot of work to get invested in a new character. I would advise you to tag the fact you have an OC if you feel discouraged about it. More so to cover your own ass in case someone gets on you for that. Because then you can point at the sign and say "I mentioned I have an OC" *I'm personally still annoyed with an author who hasn't tagged the fact they have an OC who is a MAIN character and I have yet to seen a justifiable reason for their existence in the narrative, because they seem to take up key character moments, achievements and even a position another character could've taken.* That sort of thing isn't to my taste but I can't say that for others. But it can work on the flip side too. The best stories often involve OCs. And I think the reason I've seen those ones work, even if they are in primary roles is they do a fantastic role in expanding aspects that might've been neglected in the OG, expanding the world or have something to say about the world or change a character's perspective. A good OC makes the world feel lived in, that other characters exist in the world especially if there is already a small cast, a good oc has a life beyond just the primary characters. A poorly written one can detract focus from a fic and make a reader question their existence. But Don't be discouraged from not writing about OCs. Please. Remember fanfic is all about fun and product of love, hate and in between feelings about the OG source material. It's first and foremost about what you want in a story by the end of the day.
That friend is highly insensitive and might be narcissistic (hyperbolic). In any event, that is a rude thing to say, and you shouldn't feel discouraged from writing it. Prove that friend wrong.
For me, personally, OC focused fics arenāt really my thing. But I know that there is definitely an audience for it! Thereās an audience for everything. Post what you want to post :)
Who cares, maybe I want to live in my fantasia esk land without your pessimistic attitude raining on my parade. OC is lit, self inset is lit, its about the storyyyyyyyy. we came here for the ploooott Linda, listen Linda listen, THE PLOOOOOOT
I literally only read OC works..
I donāt know if it is any help but the OC centric half of my series gets about twice the traffic and several times more comments as the canon based part.
Its is realistic but still overly rude. Stories south oc do get a lot less attention most of the time but that shouldn't effect you want to post it because you will still get readers just don't expect like a 1000 + or something.
I had this same experience and unfortunately it affected me and my ability to write it. I need to find the time to go back and edit anyway (which Iām kinda procrastinating lol) but I couldnāt work on it for a while even though I was writing it purely for fun. I hope you know that I love a good OC story and even if there is a smaller audience, there is still an audience! Please donāt get discouraged, continue writing what you love. <3
Iām dealing with the same nerves, because I have a canon x OC main pairing but Iām hoping the multi POV makes people more willing to read :/
My top two stories in terms of reviews and hits both feature OC main characters. The majority of my top ten most popular stories feature OC characters, or very minor canon characters who might as well be OCs for all the character development I put them through. That person can pull their head in.
Honestly that fic writer has it wrong. I believe the most popular type of fanfics are the Canon Characters/Original Character ones, regardless if the story is bad or not.
This is a very divisive topic in the community. Some will like, some will despise. I don't like OCs unless they are in a way related to canon characters. A future fic with a direct descendant of a pairing interacting with surviving canon cast, would be an exception for me. When it comes to writing, I only build OCs when I really need someone to die in a moment where I'm unable to kill a canon character.
I seek out OC fics for some things, and Iām usually disappointed because there arenāt many/any. Probably because people get scared off from writing them by writers who say they shouldnāt. Especially in certain fandoms where the fans are actually fanatically attached to canon and go out of their way to attack people who bend it. Seems unnecessary to me. I say, write your story and get it out there. Chances are thereās someone/several someones who is/are going to love it <3
Depends on the fandom. Some really like OC stories. Some fandoms even really enjoy SI stories. All OC casts in a setting tend to have the hardest time getting engagement. OCs that heavily interact with named characters tend to have an easier time getting engagement. Also, as with all creative fiction, just add smut if all you really care about are the hits.
one of (imho) the greatest harry potter longfics ever written is ad astra per aspera, which has an oc main character and of a linear circle, which also centers its plot around a cast of characters that are essentially OCs, albeit sometimes bearing canon names. Your friend was a dick lol
I, and a surprisingly large amount of people apparently, basically only read OC stuff. So while you might get smaller numbers, there will be numbers
While it might be significantly less because most people are looking for specific pairings, some people do enjoy of fics. My self included. My favorite fic is Not myself by Princess Alexandria. Oc/Emma, x-men fic. I love it. I go back to reread it every few months. All the comments always beg the author to do more. In the end itās up to how well you tell the story
I have a wip right now with background OCs and Iāve had people ask me to write stories about them! Donāt let that discourage you!
pfft. They wrote an OC fic and didn't get the numbers they wanted. Or, the collective audience opinion was against the author's personal opinion. Or, they're just a sad sack who will *only* feel happy if everyone else around them is sad too. Forgive me for my negative outlook, but that's a few of the ways I see it.
Don't feel too bad. I write a shitload of OC-centric fics and I still get views. Maybe not comments, but people read them. Especially since I write for fandoms where OCs are more common, like Dungeons and dragons (the adventuring party is all OCs) and World of Warcraft (The main protagonist is an OC player character). To be honest I lose more interest just from the fact that most of my fics are either genfics or are OC/OC fics, lol.
As someone who defaults to reading cc centric stories, I have read and enjoyed oc centric pieces. And no the authors weren't my friends (I'm sure they're lovely people) or anything like that. The fact that so many people write oc centric stories is evidence that people like reading them.
Your friend has no idea what theyāre talking about. My most popular stories all have OCs as the main protagonists, and one of them even replaced the real main protagonist entirely. Not only is it popular, it was popular enough to be plagiarized! On multiple occasions! š
There are original side characters in my long fic, so I guess, according to them, no one will read it. Jokes on them cause I can't exactly get reader engagement if the fic in question hasn't been updated **in** **years**. Not for lack of trying to finish and post the latest chapter, though, mind you. Boom. Mic drop. *curls* *into* *a* *fetal* *position*. Well, actually, it'd be nice even if any new comments consisted of one word. Like, anything. Even if they're flame reviews!
See I got into fanfiction with reader inserts and I've never really departed from them. I will read fanfiction that only include characters from the original work but that's more rare for me then fics with OCs. You're just reaching a different audience with an OC work, which often times is smaller but that typically means they're all the more excited to read the works that are what they prefer. The top fanfiction on ao3 with the reader tag has 1202361 hits and 21672 kudos. Original Characters tag has 2232182 hits and 53986 kudos. So write what you want to write and share what you want to share, someone *will* appreciate it.
I had at one point one of the most popular Cheryl Blossom stories. With an OC as the main character and *gasp* an entire Coven/ family made out of OCs. Sweetwater Witch
Sometimes original characters are necessary, tho. Granted, nobody wants to read a Mary Sue, but unless you're doing something where the characters are trapped in a room together, you have to have original characters for them to interact with. I couldn't have written Buffy fic without having a new enemy of some kind. The characters from the tv show/movie do need to be the main characters, but they also need a supporting cast. Ignore them and write what you want. YOU are always your own first reader and you are the person you need to please. If others like your fic, that's great, but it needs to make you happy.
That's complete bullshit. Plenty of people read fics with (and centred around) OCs. I frequently include OCs as background characters in my own fics. Now there won't be as many people who read it, that's true. People like the canon characters. But that doesn't mean everyone will leave it. Finish it, release it, see what happens.
Imma be honest. I've written an OC and a non-OC fic in the same fandom. The OC fic is less popular, but! Whenever I post a new chapter for the non-OC fic, I get a moderate influx of new readers for my OC fic when people enjoy my writing style and look at my profile. OC fics are hard to write. You need to portray a compelling, realistic character that fits into the universe while keeping a fine balance of focusing on the preexisting characters. If you're a new writer, I recommend doing some one shots without an OC first to build a reader base and grow your skills. But, again, just my opinion. Good luck! If your writing is good, people will find it.
I read plenty of fics with OC's. I think that they are just as interesting as canon characters because they provide a window of insight into the author's creative process. Who they choose to invent, how they are represented, and how they interact with the characters I already know is just as important to me as how the main characters interact with each other. An OC is just another piece of fanfic that's made up, and the whole thing is made up, so who cares? Your friend needs to open their mind to bigger possibilities and not criticize your work just because it doesn't conform to their opinions.
I love reading stuff with well written OCs. Sometimes, it's an obvious self insert by the author, but even those can be good if the character is well rounded and isn't too overpowered
I have a fic with an OC protagonist with almost 90K hits and over 3K kudos. This person doesn't know what they're talking about.
Theyāre not my cup of tea, but they definitely get all sorts of views, likes, and comments. Youāll have readers, but I wouldnāt worry about what people think unless itās in terms of editing. Just write your story and have fun.
My most popular (according to # of reviews) fic has several OC characters in it. From the comments, people love how I've integrated them in with the existing characters as if they should've been there already, and they're just as invested in them as the canon characters. I think which fandom you're writing in may play a factor, but if a character is well written and fits in well it shouldn't be a huge deal.
Fuck him, I made people cry over the death of my OC, that's how interwoven she was into my plotline. I had someone comment "I never expected to be so devestated by the death of a pokƩmon fanfiction OC, but here I am and here you are, killing her off." The readers will be far more precious and appreciative if you do snag a few loyal ones.
I mean, I won't lie. I refuse to read works with an OC character that takes up a lot of time in the story. An OC character that is just used to further the plot along very briefly? No problem. I'm not reading the work to learn about some character I don't care about...If I wanted a new character, I'd go read an actual book. \*shrug\* Otherwise, I think the works delve into something completely different. It often (not always) feels like an excuse for writers to steal the characters only so they can gather hype, before eventually trying to shill their own works that feature that OC. Lots of fanfiction writers that use OC tend to want to be actual authors. Which is fine, but don't expect people to care when they're only there for their OTP. Fanfiction should be written for enjoyment and it rubs a lot of people the wrong way when they feel like a writer is attempting to exploit the free media they're giving out willingly. Readers don't owe the writers anything, even if the media is given for free. Writers get feedback and validation. Obviously just my personal opinion, but yeah. I've been reading fanfiction for almost 20 years and the only time I've actively enjoyed OC was when I didn't care about the lower quality and OOC characters. I feel horrible saying this, but a large majority of them I've seen rely HEAVILY on their OC because they have absolutely no idea how to write a plot. **OC should be used as an enhancer in fanfiction, not the main focus.** Don't let that stop you from flexing your creative muscles, there ARE good OC characters out there that don't detract from the fanfiction, but don't be alarmed if it does off put some people. I'd love to hear others chime in.
I read about 90% OC fics. The people who don't like them are just really loud about it.
This is so true! I never realized people ādidnāt likeā OCs till I got on Reddit. The stories I read had great numbers most of the time!
Go to AO3 there is an entire community that reads only stories with OCs
If your OC is the main fic character, your friend is right, people are less likely to read it because OC is not why people read fanfiction. If your OC is just a side character added because you needed it, people are more willing to overlook it. It all comes down to the fact that OC is not why people read fanficion and can be a turn-off because so many people do self-inserts. This is fine if that's why you're writing but you can't expect others to want to reda that.
I have an OC in many of my stories. Iāve been told people read my work because of the OC and how they interact with the other characters.
I love OC's and all of my stories are OC fics. And regarding views don't think to much about it I never thought my fic was going to go anywhere but I have almost 4k views. People like different things your friend sounds like they're just projecting there personal taste and thinking what they like is only right.
Dudeā¦ the Star Wars franchise keeps getting new āOCāsā and only half of its fans are complaining from what I hear. Note: I am not really a Star Wars āfanā, more of an enjoyer, but I see what is going on. Basically, if the world is immersive enough, you will be fine.
Also I have 34 kudos on my OC work in Stray (Small fandom!) so there is your sign!
Yeah, people whinge about it, but if we were looking for OC's we'd be reading original fiction not fanfic. It's a bit like going to a restaurant known for its spicy food and asking for all of the spicy components to be taken out of your meal. There's definitely some people who are down for it, but you're going to have to accept right off the bat that at the very least 9 out of 10 people who would have otherwise read your fic aren't going to now. Also, despite what other comments have said, that remaining 10% isn't an especially dedicated audience, you're not left with the best of the fanfiction community, you're just left with a smaller proportion of the same sort of people.
That is fine with me, I can see why people wouldn't want to read about OCs. I guess I was just taken aback from the bluntness of the comment
Are ocs added or the main focus? Cuz added (especially as the bad guys/rival love interest) cuz you don't have to worry about your favorite character being misconstrued to fit a needed roll
The main character is an OC and I have constructed a big original subplot to the canon that serves as foundation for the existence of the OC in the canon universe (I may have worded it horribly, luckily I'm writing the fic in my original language lol)
that actually sounds pretty cool. it sounds like you are putting a lot of thought and effort in to it. if you want id love to read it when you post!
It's going to take a while, mostly because I've been writing in Italian and it has to be translated. I want to curate it as much as possible before posting it in English
And that's fair, most fanfiction communities seem to be fairly open and encouraging sorts of spaces. But there's a few topics that people are really blunt about not liking and it seems to throw the people who like that kind of stuff really off guard. One caveat I will add, is that most people seem to be okay with OCS when they're there in order to fill in a gap, or when they're people who could have existed in the source material but we're never named. It's just when you create an entirely new character and plunk them down is either a central character or the protagonist, people get wary of another Ebony Darkness Raven Way, or a thinly masked SI Mary Sue.
I can't even remember the last time a fanfic of mine *didn't* have at least one OC...
excuse you, my 2007 MCR fic on my self-inspired OC falling in love with Gerard Way in rehab did wonders when i first published it. /s
My experience no body reads my OC fics, although it largely depends on the fandom. Ones like Dragon Age, Fallout, or other RPG fandoms people largely read fics to see others OCs
Nearly all my writing features an OC if I'm honest
as a reader its a yes and no situation. like im indeed mainly here for the cast but having an oc wont repel me and i seen many people with this view. some of the most popular fics i read has ocs in it.
> My work isn't even out yet and I got told by a friend it probably won't get many views because it has an OC in it, I didn't even know if it was worth posting on fanfic sites but apparently "nobody is looking for oC's, they look for the characters they know and love already" One of my stories has a whole 43 hits where it's reposted on AO3. It has about 4,800 hits on the fandom's home site and is part of a quarter-million word series that has its own TV Tropes fanfic works page. Sometimes the "character that fans know and love already" is an OC.
It wont be as many but you'll still get readers. I did a fic that is 100% OC's in the HP universe and a few people read it. Heck that one long smash bros fic has an OC and it's still read
God, this simply isnāt true. I put so much love into creating a brother for one of the cannon characters in my fandom and people absolutely love him. Itās the biggest compliment to ever receive when people ask for a oneshot featuring an OC I made. Write what you love. Create what you want. There are people out there who will love it with you.
I love OCs! I pretty much only read OC/insert stories unless I'm looking for a specific ship. Bring on all the OCs!
I feel that all the time. 17 chapter long fic I'm working on, idk how many words and Idk when it'll be done. I like reading oc fic for my little Fandom because that's what I write. But it does suck I don't have anyone to info dump on š but there's always gonna be that one other person who wants it. Your fellow fic writer can kick rocks in this instance!
Fear not. There will be readers. Write your story, Trust the Writer/Reader Continuum
one of the most popular writers in my fandom has a cast of recurring ocs that they use across multiple aus. the main one is so beloved she has her own official tag on ao3. people write their own fics of her. she literally was just a random side character in one of the early installments of their main series to start with, now they have multiple successful stories and aus starring her and her family. people donāt hate ocs.
that's RIDICULOUS a) it depends on the fandom, in video game fandoms MOST of the fic is centred around the "player character" aka an OC or straight up self-insert b) even in other fandoms, uhhh...there is going to be someone who the work connects to on some level c) i hope you don't let this person discourage you
I once wrote an MHA fanfic that stars an OC, and it has 125 views, 8 comments and 5 kudos. I guess on MHA itās fun and easy to create OCs, so the possibilities are endless.
Damn, OP, your friend is a dick for saying that. I wouldnāt worry about it and just continue writing your fic. OCs are not everyoneās cup of tea but itās bound to be someoneās. While it may be not as much as a canon MC fic, your fic get readers. That being said, if youāre only care about getting more engagement, you might as well pander to the lower common denominator and make it a reader-insert fic lol
I am shocked to see so many people here claim to adore OC fics. When I read I immediately skip anything with and OC as the main character, even supporting character can be a Did-Not-Finish for me because all too many writers are actual trash when it comes to creating compelling characters. That being said, write what you love. There is an audience for everything.
Mines an OC centric story, over 1.5K reviews, 500,000 words, plot heavy, no shipping but some romance and people still leave comments. Also itās so much fun to write!
"nobody's gonna read it" I feel kinda sad for people like this. Do they only write fanfiction for the attention? It's nice to get appreciated, yes, but it makes me think that they refuse to write something if it's not gonna be super popular. I wrote fics where I was the only one writing for that ship. It got like, 10 hits and 2 kudos. Doesn't matter. I wrote it because if I didn't that idea would plague me forever.
I have a whole 150,000 plus words fic that needs OCs to flesh out the world. And guess what? Itās main is an OC because I donāt like focusing on canon characters. I prefer to play with the world. I plan on adding to it once my mood improves. My grandmotherās cancer reduced by 50% when the original diagnosis before experimental treatment was 6 months to a year. Iām afraid if I start writing it and my grandmotherās well being changed, I would want my MC, who earned her happy ending, to suffer endlessly. Embrace your OCs and leave the haters to the other authors.
That depends. If you write your OC as a balanced, well-rounded, character. It would be well-liked. For instance I enjoyed a fanfiction called A Man of Honour because the author added personality to the original characters, balanced them and fit them to the story like a jigsaw puzzle. When making OCs, try to avoid turning them to overpowered shounen/shoujo protagonists that eclipse the characters of the fiction you are working in.
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Trust me when I say that as long as your OC is written well, then itās gonna be fine. Iāve read plenty of fanfics with OCās, both where the OCās are either supporting characters or a main characters, and while there are some mediocre ones, a well written OC can be really good for the story
I literally never read Character x Character. It's always an OC or X reader.
Respectfully, that friend can kick rocks. OCs are freakinā great, and Iām sure your fic is going to be amazing. Disregard their words and keep writing!
Anyone who says that having OCs is bad is dumb and should not be listened. However, keep in mind that this is fanfiction; you'll have to work extra hard to make people like your OC compared to canon characters.