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Writing Fred Under 10K

Fan fictions that are under 10 K in size are often called vignettes or short fics. And they can be just as good as the longer works of writings.

Under 10 K pieces are especially popular in the Fred Slash genre, and though there isn't an ample amount of Fred Slash Fic out there, much of it is short introspective pieces.

To write one of your own keep in mind that you shouldn't rush while writing it, even if it's a stream of conscious type of fic. Take your time, get a feel for Fred. Make sure you know how she would react to falling in love with a woman, step inside her shoes for a bit.

When I wrote "Red" a short, angsty Willow/Fred slash - I included the following elements throughout the fic, to create an atmosphere. A world. In a short fic, however, you have to be careful not to overdo it so much that you forget about the characters themselves.

1. Sound/Smell/Sight - this creates a three dimensional effect for the short fic.

Example sentence: "The day turned dark, heavy; filled with gray clouds and shuddering thunder, as the rain pelted down against the frightened skin of my face."

There's a lot in the above sentence. And doesn't it give you a vague sensation of pain, and doom -even though it isn't said anywhere, "I am in pain, I am in trouble." ?

2. Glimpses of the other woman - her emotions could be labeled clearly, not because she said them, but in her ACTIONS.

An example:

"She crossed her arms across her chest, glancing out the window with shaky eyes. Her thumbs skimming over the skin of her inner elbows as though she were chilled."

3. Seemingly off topic observations. I'm not saying this should fill up the fic, but I've found it helps give it the realistic effect. Add in snapshots of other characters so to speak. Of life going on around Fred, such as a dog barking, or a car driving by. Something like that. No don't say, "A car passed me by. I was sad." What you COULD say is, "The car passed me by, drying the tears that wet my cheeks." Or something along that line. It gives the writing a sense of prose, rounds everything out.

If you are writing Fred from someone else's POV you may want to study that character as well as I've told you to study Fred's. And then make them the observer watching from afar, or up close, the things Fred does, and how they react to it.

Remember: Take precious time with short fics. You must fit everything in, and make each sentence count. Every word has to be in place. A short fic, depends on its absolute accuracy even more than a long fic does.

ALSO: If you are writing a Fred Slash under 10 K, it might be a good idea, as in all Fred Slash to use a stream of consciousness as practice. This helps get in character and you can really write the reactions she would have to falling for a woman, or lusting after a woman, much better.