How to Write The Maze Runner Fanfiction ✓

51 | basic writing tips

i get many, many (MANY) people asking for writing tips, regardless of the fandom, so i decided to condense as many of the basic tips i could into one chapter!

SPELLING/GRAMMAR:

this one sounds like it's a given, but please make sure your spelling and grammar is correct. use the right your/you're, there/they're/their, to/two/too, etc. if you have trouble with this, i'd recommend installing Grammarly. it's available for both mobile and the computer! it's a very efficient program that catches (most) mistakes and makes proofreading a hell of a lot easier. It does try to get rid of my excessive comma use, but it can pry those commas out of my cold, dead, hands.

PUNCTUATION:

punctuation. is. key. ESPECIALLY IN DIALOGUE. here is a common misconception i see in works:

if you describe how your character said something, use a comma.

if you describe how your character did something after they spoke, use a period.

example:

"Great," Newt deadpanned. "We're all bloody inspired."

"Hold on." Thomas sat up. "What do you mean?"

i tried this thing once where i copied some other author's writing style of not using too many commas (john green? I think it was him) and... it didn't work. it made my work sound lazy and rushed, which wasn't what i was going for at all. placing commas where you want a pause (and between two adjectives) will make your writing flow a lot better!

SPACING:

you always want to start a new paragraph every time a new person speaks or a new idea is introduced. there's nothing that'll give me more of a headache than trying to read a chapter that's just a huge block of text. it's a nightmare! not only will you confuse readers, but you can also lose their interest if they can't easily tell what's going on.

mix your short sentences with long ones. for example, if you write a huge sentence with commas and the like, follow it up with a short and sweet one.

DETAIL:

detail. DON'T BE AFRAID TO USE IT. descriptions of what's going on will not only paint an image in your readers' minds, but intrigue them as well. it helps them join in on the action. with the right imagery, they won't feel like they're speculating the scene— they'll feel like they're in it.

ORIGINALITY:

guys. i'm not calling anyone out here, but do you know how many OC's i've seen that are nicknamed "The Savior"??

it's like having another reboot for batman. after a while, people don't care anymore! they've seen his origin story too many times. (we get it! your parents are dead!) don't give your audience another batman reboot. give them something fresh, something new that they've never seen before.

trust me. if i can turn my newt trilogy from a cliché-filled mess to my OC got the Swipe injected incorrectly and that's why she has her memories, then you can think of something, too.

CHARACTERS:

do not hesitate to make your own characters. if your OC hangs out with people other than the characters we already know, it'll be so much more interesting! plus, you get a chance to birth a character from your mind and be creative! ...looking back on that sentence, it sounds weird, but it's true. they become your children, and, unlike with the canon characters, you get to decide how their brains work.

that's it for now! i may add more later if i think of stuff, but i think i covered enough of the basics. if you have any ideas you think could be explained more/ones i didn't have that you'd like me to add, don't hesitate to drop a comment!