Fandom School (7th period): How to Find Related Fandoms

So this was supposed to be written yesterday. Sorry. Let's just say that Fandom School had a snow day because my school didn't (but we do have one today). But enough about snow, let's talk about fandoms.

As a huge fangirl, I'm always looking for a new fandom to add to my life (more like become my life), and I'm sure many of you are the same. While you may like a wide variety of things, most people like fandoms in the same genre. But how do you find fandoms similar to the ones you're already in? This post will give you advice as well as a few fandom recommendations. (Note: if you want more detailed recommendations instead of an "if you like this, you might like that" approach, you should read this post.)

Step 1: Make a list of the fandoms you are in
What do you watch/read? What are you obsessed with? You have to figure this out first before you can find what else you might like.

Step 2: Find out what genre(s) you like
Now, look at your list. What categories do these fit into? I like several different genres, but most of my fandoms are sci-fi or fantasy. I also like musicals, mystery, and Disney. There are a few fandoms I'm in that don't fit in any of those categories (those are what we call outliers).

Step 3: Pick a few of your biggest fandoms
If you're like me, you have a LOT of fandoms (just take a look at my list on the right sidebar- and that's only the beginning!), so focus on the one's you're most obsessed with.

Step 4: The Google search
Search for similar shows/movies/books. For example...

Step 5: The "Recommended for you" section

Netflix, Hulu, Amazon, and most places you would get books/movies/TV shows will give you recommendations based on your watching/browsing history. Check out the shows it recommends.

Step 6: See what your friends are watching/reading

Ask your friends (this includes online friends) what fandoms they are in. Chances are, they watch something you might want to start watching.

Step 7: Look for crossovers

Fanfiction.net has a section specifically for crossovers. On other fanfiction websites, you can search the works in one fandom for other fandoms. See what fandom is often put in a crossover with your fandom. You might like it! 

Step 8: Investigate spin-offs

Many popular shows (and to a lesser extent, books and movies) have spin-offs. For example, Torchwood and The Sarah Jane Adventures are both crossovers of Doctor Who. Sometimes, spin-offs keep going even when the original is done.

Step 9: Look at various adaptations

If a book is popular enough, it will often be made into a movie or TV show. Arthur Conan Doyle's books about Sherlock Holmes have had many adaptations, including Sherlock and Elementary.

Step 10: See what else your favorite actors/writers are in

How many times have you watched a movie just because your favorite actor was in it? Yeah, probably a lot. For example, Broadchurch (which just started airing Season 2 on BBC America) has several actors from Doctor Who, including David Tennant, Arthur Darvill, and several other people who were minor characters in Doctor Who. You can also look at who writes your favorite shows and what else they write. Steven Moffat writes both Doctor Who and Sherlock (whether that's a good thing or a bad thing is for you to decide).

Finally, I provide you with some fandom recommendations.

If you like: Thor, Captain America, Iron Man, the Hulk

You might like: The Avengers, Agent Carter

If you like: Doctor Who

You might like: Torchwood, The Sarah Jane Adventures, Sherlock, Supernatural

If you like: Sherlock

You might like: Elementary, Agent Carter, Doctor Who, Supernatural

If you like: Star Wars

You might like: Star Trek, The Avengers, The Big Bang Theory, Doctor Who

If you like: American Idol

You might like: Sing Your Face Off, The Voice, Pitch Perfect

If you like: musicals and/or fantasy

You might like: Galavant

If you like: The Hunger Games

You might like: Divergent [note: read the books; the movies aren't that great]

If you like: Harry Potter, fantasy, Arthurian legend

You might like: Merlin

If you like: The Lord of the Rings, How to Train Your Dragon

You might like: Eragon

Fandom School (4th period): Crossover Fanfiction

Hello and welcome again to Fandom School! We're back to fanfiction again, and now I'd like to talk about crossover fanfics.

First of all, what is a crossover? A crossover is a mash-up of two or more fandoms. You can combine just a few fandoms (Wholock, Superwholock, etc.), or you can go all out (for example, this fanfic). A crossover is not the same thing as an AU. For example, my fic The Once And Future Time Lord is a multi-fandom AU because while there are elements of Doctor Who, they are assumed to have always been there. A crossover takes the characters of one world and inserts them into another, while still retaining the memory of their original story (unless there's a memory loss trope or something). A multi-fandom AU takes one fandom and changes it so that it's part of another fandom. Fanfics where characters from one fandom are students at Hogwarts (like this fanfic) are a good example of this type of AU.

So now that you know what a crossover is, let's get to crossover fanfics. What should you keep in mind when writing them? Well besides the usual fanfiction tips, it's important to think about how your fandoms mesh. Wholock is a common crossover because the two fandoms are similar: eccentric genius outsmarts bad guys with the help of his friends. (They're also both set in the modern world.) However, if you wanted to combine the Avengers and My Little Pony, that would be a bit harder. (A quick google search reveals that fanfiction for this crossover does exist, and here's an example.)

There are a few other things to consider when writing crossover fanfics:

• How many fandoms are you including? Try to keep it to just a few fandoms, else you'll risk complicating your fanfic and seriously limiting your number of readers.
• How many characters are you including? Like fandoms, if you include too many your story will get cluttered.
• How do your characters meet? Are they old friends? Do they randomly happen to run into each other? Is there some sort of crisis that brings them together?
• How do the worlds connect? Have both universes co-exist, do the characters live in the same universe, or does something cause the universes to come together/the characters to be transported to each other?
• Are your characters interacting reasonably? Is any character monopolizing the story, or is any character just sort of... there (invisibility level: Mickey Smith)?
• How is canon affected? Is it canon divergence, or is canon altered to explain how the fandoms are connected?
• Make sure your characters stay in character. OOC characters are a common problem with crossovers. It is justifiable to change a character somewhat to make them fit in with the other fandom(s), but you need to make sure that the essence of his/her personality remains the same. You could intentionally make characters be OOC, but I wouldn't recommend it.

And now that I've given you advice, I'll share my own crossover fanfics:

Wholock (Doctor Who and Sherlock crossover)

• An Interesting Case
• This is my first Wholock story (and my first fanfiction). In this one, Sherlock is asked to interrogate a mysterious witness who proves to be just as interesting as the case itself, and they go on an adventure together.
• The Search For Father
• This is a story for all of you who were frustrated when we saw that Jenny (from "The Doctor's Daughter") was alive, only to never see her again. I mean seriously. She never even gets a spin-off show! So, I wrote a story in which she goes off looking for her dad and enlists the help of Sherlock Holmes.
• Call In The Expert
• "When the police are out of their depth, they consult me," Sherlock had said. But what about when Sherlock was out of his depth? What then? That's when it's time to ask an even greater genius for help. Sherlock must call in the expert.
• When Justice Is Treason
• The Master and Moriarty. A deadly duo. With the help of the Archangel network, they control all of England. So when the few people who know the truth try to stop them, it is treason. Will they succeed? Or will Prime Minister Harold Saxon and King Moriarty continue their reign of terror?
• You Matter
• Sometimes characters have things going pretty rough for them. And sometimes their friends and family can't console them. But what about if somebody totally different were to come in? This is how characters would take care of each other in a Wholock universe.
• On this blog: chapters 1 2 3

Other Crossovers

• Use The Force (or the Mind Palace)
• Remember the first time Luke used the Force? What did he actually see? What if he visited Sherlock's mind palace? Strange concept, I know, but the idea came into my head and wouldn't go away. (It's more of a series than a cohesive story.) Feel free to tell me what character you'd like to see next.
• On this blog: chapters 2 3
• You Are Not Alone: The Search For The Other Time Lords
• The Twelfth Doctor feels as though he is all alone, until his daughter Jenny comes to him, telling him that she has found a way to locate other Time Lords. She tells him that he is not the only one. Together, they go out to find the rest.
• Rating: G
• On this blog: chapters 1 2 3

And a few great crossover fanvids:

Fandom School (7th period): Engaging in a Respectful Debate Within the Fandom

Happy New Year's Eve! It's also a Wednesday, which means that it's time for Fandom School. (As I went to write this post, I noticed that I hadn't posted since last week. Sorry!) The subject is connecting with other fans, and the topic is fandom debates.

Every good fandom involves lots of discussions, and some of those discussions become arguments. Unfortunately, arguments can soon turn nasty and get out of hand. Here's how to get involved in a debate while avoiding the aforementioned chaos.

• Pick a fandom. If you want to compare fandoms or discuss a crossover, you may choose multiple fandoms for your discussion.
• Pick a platform. Do you want to just write a post on your blog or social media account, or will you post in a community/group for your fandom? Or perhaps you'd rather communicate in a forum? There are many other options, but those are the main ones.
• Pick an issue. What do you want to discuss? Do you want to weigh in on a debate prevalent in the fandom(s), or is there something within the fandom that you believe need to be addressed.
• Pick a stance. What's your opinion? Also, are you trying to convince others, or do you just want to share your views?
• Follow the rules of the forum/community/social network/etc that you are using. Most groups have their own rules and guidelines that you have to follow. However, following these usually is not enough to avoid debate.
• Think about how you want to express your view. Always think before you speak.
• Avoid flaming. Flaming is "a hostile and insulting interaction between Internet users, often involving the use of profanity" (Wikipedia). Remember, however much you hate/disagree with others, it is never okay to insult them. People are entitled to their own opinions.
• Acknowledge the other side. Concession and refutation is an essential part of any debate, but it's especially important in fandoms, where people can get really sensitive about their obsessions. Also, try to see things from the opposition's point of view. Maybe you'll even change your mind!
• Don't assume everyone needs to agree with you. Saying something like "Johnlock should totally be canon and anyone who disagrees isn't a true fan" is a surefire way to get people angry. Remember that it's okay to agree to disagree.
• Don't bash other people/fandoms. Just because you hate something doesn't mean it's terrible or that the people who like it are terrible. You can point out the flaws in a book/movie/TV show, but you need to be very careful about how you go about it (i.e., remain objective and focus on specific instances rather than hasty generalizations), and it's generally not a good idea unless you're also pointing out that book/movie/TV show's good points as well.
• Know when to stop. Some people just won't agree with you, and that's okay. You can't beat an idea into their heads.

So, there's the general framework. Also, keep in mind that you may not want to get involved in every debate. Some debates are so heated that you might want to stay out of them. Make sure not all your time spent in the fandom is time spent arguing. Don't forget the merits of plain old discussion. And of course, fandom works (fanfiction, fanart, etc.) are also welcome.

With all this in mind, go to your fandom and get started debating! Have fun, and remember to be kind to everyone.

Fandom School (6th period): How To Create an OC

Hello, everyone! Today is Christmas Eve, but it is also a Wednesday, which means it is time for Fandom School. Today's subject is roleplaying, and the topic is how to create an OC.

First of all, what is an OC? It stands for "original character" and is a character you created yourself, as opposed to a character that already exists in canon. An OC is not the same thing as a self-insert, nor is it the same thing as expanding on a minor character. An OC is totally yours. OCs are used in both roleplay and fanfiction.

What do you need to keep in mind when making an OC? Well, first and foremost, you need to be careful. Avoid making a Mary Sue at all costs. You also need to make sure your OC is appropriate for the setting you are using him/her in. If you're in a Camelot (Merlin) roleplay and you create a modern OC, your OC had better be a time-traveler with a very good reason to be visiting that time period. You'd probably be better off creating someone who fits in. There are a few categories you need to cover when creating an OC: name, appearance, and personality. You may also want to include these categories: strengths and weaknesses, backstory, and relation to other characters.

Keep in mind that not every roleplay accepts OCs, and some people won't read fanfiction with OCs. But don't let that stop you. Go for it! Now that I've given a basic overview of how to create an OC, I'll show you the profiles for my OCs.

Google+'s Fandom Family
This is a roleplay community where we are all one big, happy family. Click the link to see my profile.

You. Are. Divergent.
A roleplay community based on the "Divergent" series. Click the link to see my profile.

Target Practice
In this short fanfic about why the stormtroopers are terrible shots, I created an unnamed male OC. He's the instructor of Stormtrooper 101, and he's really strict.

When Justice Is Treason
This Wholock fanfic in which the Master and Moriarty team up also features three OCs: Melinda Raven, Kaitlin Raven, and Violet Verner. Melinda is a dangerous, black-haired, criminal computer hacker who helps the Master and Moriarty. She carries a purple laser screwdriver and a gun. Unlike her sister, Kaitlin has a conscience. A redhead, she's good with technology, and she helps the Doctor and his friends. Violet, the sisters' brown-haired cousin, is in the morally grey area. She's an expert spy, and she tells the Doctor and his friends that she's the best source of information, but she warns them that "any information you give can and will be held against you or sold to the highest bidder".

Fandom School (4th period): How To Find The Best Fanfiction

Hello, and welcome again to Fandom School! If you read fanfiction (check out the page with my fanfics or my post about different types of fanfiction), chances are, you don't read just anything that comes your way. You skip over the awful ones, and if you start a fanfic only to find an appalling lack of grammar and abundance of Mary Sues (see Emily Ecrievane's post about fanfiction if you don't know what a Mary Sue is), you're out of there in a heartbeat. You want to read the awesome fanfic, not the awful stuff. But how do you tell which is which? There are a few things you can do before you even click the link to read a fanfic. This will serve as a guide to readers, but fanfic writers can also use this to make sure their fanfic will catch people's attention and get read.

1. Use the filters. This shows you only the fanfics that have your criteria. What you can filter depends on what website you're reading fanfiction on. AO3 allows you to filter these terms: any [general search terms], title, author, complete/incomplete, single-chapter/multi-chapter, word count, language, fandoms, rating, categories, characters, relationships, additional tags, hits, kudos, comments, and bookmarks. Fanfiction.net allows you to filter these terms: any [general search terms], regular/crossover, fandom, time range [update date/publish date], genre, rating, language, word count, complete/incomplete, and characters.


2. Read the title. A good title is an indication of a good fanfic. The more interesting and original the title, the more likely the fanfic is to be interesting and original. That being said, a good fanfic could have a bad title and vice versa. 


3. Read the summary. The point of a summary is to give you an idea of what the fic is like. A good summary will give the reader an understanding of the fanfic's plot without giving any spoilers. A good summary will also convince the reader of the author's competency. If a summary says "I suck at summaries" or "I don't know, just read it" or "yeah, that's about it", or anything like that, the reader will wonder if the fic is actually any good and will likely abandon it for a more promising one. Also, if the summary has any spelling or grammatical errors, there is very little chance that people will read it.


4. Look at the tags. At least on AO3, you can give your fic additional tags, which will help the reader understand what the fic is about. Sometimes, tags just reiterate what's in the summary, but sometimes they involve things not mentioned in the summary. And in some cases, they enhance the meaning. For example, if you see a fic that has the warning "Major Character Death", you might not want to read it, but if you see that it is also tagged "Canonical Character Death", that might change your mind. Tags might include trigger warnings for various things. They could also just provide amusing commentary on the story.


5. Read the warnings. On AO3, a story can have any or all of these warnings: Major Character Death, Graphic Depictions of Violence, Rape/Non-Con, or Underage. An author can also say that no archive warnings apply or choose not to use archive warnings.


6. Read the ratings. There are a few rating systems, so here's a chart comparing the most common ones.
   

   MPAA	AO3	FF.net	Meaning
   G	G	K	Intended for general audience 5 years and older. Content should be free of any coarse language, violence, and adult themes.
   PG	n/a	K+	Suitable for more mature childen, 9 years and older, with minor action violence without serious injury. May contain mild coarse language. Should not contain any adult themes.
   PG-13	T	T	Suitable for teens, 13 years and older, with some violence, minor coarse language, and minor suggestive adult themes.
   R	M	M	Not suitable for children or teens below the age of 16 with non-explicit suggestive adult themes, references to some violence, or coarse language. Fiction M can contain adult language, themes and suggestions. Detailed descriptions of physical interaction of sexual or violent nature is considered Fiction MA.
   NC-17	E	MA	Content is only suitable for mature adults. May contain explicit language and adult themes.



7. Read the categories. AO3 has categories based on relationships: F/M, M/M, F/F, Multi (multiple types of relationships), Gen (no relationships, or they are not the main focus of the story), Other (e.g., threesomes). If you don't want to read slash, you can choose not to view M/M or F/F stories. If you don't want any relationships, you can choose Gen.


8. Read the pairings. Does it have a ship you like? One you hate? If you don't like the ships listed, you probably won't like the fanfic. However, if a fic lists your OTP, you will probably want to read that fic.


9. Look at the statistics. How many hits does the story have? Kudos/favorites? Comments/reviews? High numbers increase the likelihood that a fanfic is good. Low numbers may mean a fic is bad, but it could also just mean that it's undiscovered.


10. Read the comments/reviews. Warning: if you do this, you will probably get spoilers. However, you will get a good sense of if the people reading the fic like it or not. Positive reviews make a person more likely to read a fic; negative reviews may turn potential readers away. Also, does the the author respond to comments? If he/she does, that shows interest in the readers and indicates that the author cares about making a good product and ensuring that other like it, too.


11. Read the author's note(s). The notes an author has left may include useful information. For example, the author might warn that the fic will be updated sporadically. Or, they might say that the fic is abandoned. The notes might mention the author's stance on derivative works. They could include all sorts of information that the readers may want to know before reading the fic.


12. Pay attention to the author. Is it an author you know? If you see that a fic is by an author you know and love, you will be more likely to read it. Inversely, if you've read a terrible fic by a certain author, you won't want to read their other fics. Also, the author's name itself matters. Is it interesting? Relevant? If it is, you'll be more likely to read the fic. A boring or irrelevant pen name may turn readers off.


13. Read the first few sentences. Are you interested? Does it seem like a good fanfic? It doesn't have to start off spectacularly, but if you don't find yourself wanting to read more after the first few sentences, it probably isn't that great.

So, with that in mind, what should authors do to make sure their fanfiction gets read?

1. Come up with a good title. Before publishing your fanfic, think carefully about the title. If your work is incomplete, make sure you know enough of where it's going to pick an accurate title. Also, do a preliminary search to see if there are other fics with the same title. Try to pick a title that nobody else has used yet.


2. Write a good summary. Make sure it covers the main idea(s) of your fanfic, but doesn't give too much detail. Makes sure it's interesting enough to capture your readers' attention. It doesn't matter how good your fic is, if people are falling asleep reading your summary, they won't read your fic.


3. Be sure to add all applicable tags. It's all well and good if you write an amazing fic, but if people can't find it, they won't ever know. Also, see what tags come up when you start typing. Make sure to use the well-known tags instead of a variant name for the same thing.


4. Give your fanfic the appropriate warning(s). Fear of the unknown is strong. Don't choose not to use archive warnings; it will likely hurt more than it will help. Don't say no warnings apply if warnings do apply; people will get upset.


5. Give your fanfic the appropriate rating. Don't rate something lower than it really is; readers will be scandalized when they get more than they bargained for, and they won't want to read any more, nor will they read any of your other fanfics. Don't rate your fic too high, or people who would otherwise read it will shrink away in fear.


6. Choose the appropriate categories. Again, this is a way for someone to find your fic. It's also a way for someone to decide if the fic is for them.


7. Choose all relevant pairings. Right up front, let people know who's getting together with whom. This will help readers decide if your fic is for them.


8. Look at your statistics. What kind of stories get more hits, comments, and kudos? Write more of those. What kind of stories get fewer hits, fewer (or more negative) comments, and fewer kudos? Write fewer of those.


9. Write author's notes. If you have anything you feel like your readers should know that isn't included in the summary, warnings, or tags, then you should include it in an author's note.


10. Choose a good pen name. When I joined fanfiction.net, I made the mistake of signing in with my google account. Yes, it was convenient, but it gave me a pen name from an email address I made when I was 10 (or however old I was at the time) which is slightly embarrassing and completely irrelevant to the fandom world. When I joined AO3, I carefully considered my username, deciding on "vortexofdeduction" to match this blog, my tumblr, and my twitter (well technically, my twitter is @vortexdeduction because @vortexofdeduction is too long).


11. Maintain your integrity as an author. One bad fanfic listed under your name could stop others from reading anything else by you. On the other hand, if you become popular enough to gain a good reputation, more people will read your stories.


12. Write a good first few sentences. You have a short time to hook your readers in and make them want to continue. Don't waste it on pointless chatter or dull background. Start with something to shock or surprise your readers, something to fascinate them, something they will remember. Likewise, write a good last few sentences. You want to leave the reader with a good, lasting impression. Yes, the stuff in between matters, but the beginning and the end are the most important parts of your fanfic.

How To Choose Your Fandom

If you're reading this blog, you're probably in at least one fandom, but maybe you want more. If that's the case, read on to figure out which fandom may be best for you. First of all, consider the genre. Here are my fandoms, organized by genre, with a brief summary of each.

Fantasy
Merlin
Media form: TV
Key features: Arthurian legend, magic, destiny, sarcasm and cheek
Synopsis: (based off of Arthurian legend) Merlin, a young warlock (i.e., born with magic), travels to Camelot, where king Uther Pendragon has banned magic. Merlin becomes prince Arthur's manservant and discovers that it is his destiny to protect Arthur. He saves Arthur's life countless times, all the while hiding his magic.

Harry Potter
Media form: books, movies
Key features: magic, evil wizards and witches, good wizards and witches, fun and shenanigans but also serious stuff
Synopsis: Harry Potter, called "The Boy Who Lived" because the dark lord Voldemort was unable to kill him, finds out that he is a wizard and goes to Hogwarts, a school for wizards and witches. Voldemort keeps trying to regain power, and Harry, together with his friends Ron and Hermione, tries to stop him.

The Lord of the Rings
Media form: books, movies
Key features: adventure, battle, rings, dark lord, magic, danger, seriously lots of danger
Synopsis: Frodo Baggins takes the one ring of power (which is really evil) and goes on a quest to throw it into Mordor, so that it will be destroyed and the dark lord Sauron will be destroyed as well. Frodo travels with 3 other hobbits, 2 men, 1 dwarf, and 1 elf. They get into lots of trouble on the way, and it's quite the adventure.

Sci-Fi
Star Wars
Media form: movies
Key features: evil guy, not so evil guys, adventure, danger, battle, lightsabers, rebellion
Synopsis: Darth Vader is really evil and he's basically trying to take over the universe. He controls the empire (well technically, the emperor controls the empire, but we don't see much of the emperor), but there is a group of rebels who are determined to defeat him. Luke Skywalker is a major part of this rebellion.

Star Trek
Media form: TV, movies
Key features: lots of technology, exploration, adventure, warp speed, aliens
Synopsis: Captain Kirk is in charge of the Enterprise, a spaceship that can go warp speed (i.e., really fast). He and his crew travel around the universe and explore. They get into trouble and have adventures. It's fun.

Doctor Who
Media form: TV
Key features: wibbly-wobbly timey-wimey stuff, time travel, technology, aliens, exploration, adventure, danger, genius, saving the universe
Synopsis: The Doctor, a Time Lord, travels through time and space in his TARDIS. He typically travels with a companion (usually female), and together they have adventures. Except, it's not all fun and games; evil aliens inevitably show up, and then the Doctor has to do awesome genius stuff and save the universe.

The Avengers/Marvel/DC
Media form: comic books, movies
Key features: danger, fighting, superheroes, justice
Synopsis: (sorry for lumping them all in together, btw) superheroes (or awesome people with a technological advantage) fight against evil.

Dystopia
The Hunger Games
Media type: books, movies
Key features: revolution, fighting, oppression, social/political inequality, poverty, hunger
Synopsis: Every year, the Capitol shows its dominance over the 12 Districts by hosting the Hunger Games, where a boy and a girl are taken from each district to fight to the death, with only one survivor. Katniss Everdeen, who volunteers to take the place of her sister Prim in the Games, is intent on changing things and starts a rebellion.

Divergent
Media type: books, movies
Key features: revolution, fighting, oppression, division based on aptitude, being different, fear, hiding
Synopsis: (similar to The Hunger Games) Tris Prior takes the test to find out which faction (district, social class, group of people) she belongs in (Amity, for friendliness; Candor, for truthfulness; Dauntless, for bravery; Abnegation, for selflessness; or Erudite, for knowledge), and finds out that she belongs in both Dauntless and Abnegation, meaning that she is Divergent. Divergents are hunted and killed because they are unknown and therefore feared. Tris decides to start a revolution.

Modern (i.e., set in the modern-day world)
Sherlock
Media type: books, movies, TV
Key features: mysteries, solving crimes, genius, murder, "not our division"
Synopsis: (there are books and movies, but this focuses on BBC Sherlock) Sherlock Holmes is the world's only consulting detective. "When the police are out of their depth, they consult me." He solves crimes with the help of his trusty blogger, Doctor John Watson. In John's words, "We solve crimes. I blog about it. He forgets his pants."

The Big Bang Theory
Media type: TV
Key features: science, annoying characters, awkward social situations
Synopsis: Four young scientists - Leonard, Sheldon, Howard, and Rajesh - are friends and get into shenanigans. Penny, Leonard and Sheldon's next-door neighbor, doesn't know anything about science, but still interacts with the group in an amusing, clueless sort of way.

The Fault In Our Stars
Media type: book, movie
Key features: sadness, romance, cancer, enjoy life while you can
Synopsis: Two teenagers, Augustus Waters and Hazel Grace Lancaster, fall in love with each other. However, they both have cancer, so they know they won't live much longer. They determine to make the most of their lives while they can.

Other
Les Misérables
Media type: book, musical, movie
Key features: France, revolution, historical fiction, sadness, lots of sadness
Synopsis: Short version - the French government is terrible, and bad things happen to people because of it, so a revolution is started. Long version - *insert several pages of synopsis* (sorry, it's really long what can I say)

The Princess Bride
Media type: book, movie
Key features: true love, high adventure, kidnapping, swordfighting
Synopsis: Buttercup works on a farm and falls in love with the farm-boy, Westley. Westley goes to America to seek his fortune and is murdered by the Dread Pirate Roberts. Buttercup is devastated vows never to love again. Prince Humperdinck thinks differently and orders her to marry him. Before this can happen, however, she is kidnapped by a criminal band consisting of Vizzini, Fezzik, and Inigo. They are defeated by a man in black, and then the story takes an interesting turn (sorry, not giving any more because I don't want to share any spoilers).

Disney
Media type: movies
Key features: fairy tales, old-fashioned, happily ever after
Synopsis: Disney makes lots of different movies. They are generally fairy tales with happy endings (usually the original fairy tales have rather gruesome endings).

Next, consider that you may want to choose a fandom by what the fandom is like.

Fandoms that are very active: Doctor Who, Sherlock, Merlin, Harry Potter

Fandoms that are not continuing (the book/movie/series/show is over): Merlin, The Fault In Our Stars, The Princess Bride

Fandoms that have long hiatuses: Sherlock, Doctor Who (sort of)

Fandoms that are popular on this blog: Sherlock, Doctor Who, Merlin, Harry Potter

Fandoms that are British: Sherlock, Doctor Who, Merlin, Harry Potter

Fandoms in which Steven Moffat writes the episodes: Sherlock, Doctor Who

And finally, consider fan names. Would you be happy calling yourself any of these terms?
Merlin - Merlinian (not commonly used)
Harry Potter - Potterhead
Star Trek - Trekkie
Doctor Who - Whovian
Sherlock - Sherlockian

Fandom School (8th period): The Fandom Way To Say "I Love You"

So earlier I wrote a post about various terms fangirls/fanboys use, and now I'd like to show the various fandom ways to say I love you. I know I'm missing a lot (I seem to recall a tumblr post listing all of them, but I can't find it now), so feel free to add to this list in the comments.

Doctor Who: [insert name here], I...

Hello, sweetie

You've stopped both my hearts

The Fault In Our Stars: Okay

Frozen: Some people are worth melting for

Harry Potter: Always

Merlin: With all my heart

Idiot/prat/ass/dollophead/cabbagehead/[insert insult here]

My Fair Lady: I've grown accustomed to your face

The Princess Bride: As you wish

How To Scare A Fangirl

Happy Halloween! In the spirit of the holiday, I have written a guide to scaring a fangirl.

How to scare a Whovian

• Give them a statue (especially of an angel) and/or say, "Don't blink". 
• Stare at something and look scared, then when they ask what's wrong, say, "Dorry, what?" or "I forgot". Bonus points if you also draw tally marks on your arms. 
• Yell "EXTERMINATE" in an angry, machine-like voice. 
• Tell them they have two shadows. 
• Look them in the eye and say, "Your song is ending". 

How to scare a Sherlockian

• Tell them "I owe you."
• Shout "vatican cameos". 
• Say something about Moriarty. 
• In your most evil voice, ask "Did you miss me?"

How to scare a Potterhead

• Say "Voldemort". 
• Casually mention making seven horcruxes. 
• Point a wand (or something that looks like a wand) at them and shout one of the unforgivable curses.
• Tell them they could be killed, or worse, expelled. 

How to scare a Trekkie

• Always wear a red shirt (or force them to always wear red shirts). 
• Speak only in Klingon. 

How to scare a Merlinian

• Say that you saw Morgana heading this way. 
• Claim that you are Emrys, and you are furious with them. 
• Start chanting in the dragon language. 
• Start reciting a harmful spell you've learned from watching Merlin. 
• State that they have been found to be a sorcerer and will be burned at the stake. 

I know that's only a few fandoms, but they're the only ones I could think of. Feel free to add more in the comments. 

Fandom School (7th period): Discussing Your Fandom Online

Last time we had this class at Fandom School, I talked about how to connect other fans. Now, I'd like to go more in depth about how to talk with others in your fandom online. There are a few ways to do so.

1. Social media- I think it's safe to say that most of you reading this have some form of social media, whether it be facebook, google+, tumblr, twitter, etc. This is a great way to find other people who like the same things as you to follow/friend/[insert appropriate verb here]. Also, some forms of social media (e.g., google+) have groups/communities, and you can often find one for your fandom. If there isn't one, you can create it. Find other fans by editing your profile to include your fandoms, following people in your fandoms, and joining communities for your fandoms.

2. Discussion boards/forums- I haven't really participated in any of these, but they are a great place to, well, have discussions. You can't interact with others as much as you can on social work, but there's still lots of room for great discussions about your fandoms.

3. Start reading fanfiction- yeah, you probably do that already. So, I'll be more specific: get an account on a fanfiction website (fanfiction.net and AO3 (aka archiveofourown.org) are both great). Even if you don't want to write your own fanfiction (if you need some posts to refer to, see this post about what fanfiction is, this post about types of fanfiction, and/or this post on another great blog about how to write fanfiction), you can still read, review favorite, and follow other people's stories (trust me, we fanfiction authors love it when you do that). This is a good way to see other fans' works and interact with the authors. Also, on fanfiction.net, you can private message people, so you can interact with them directly.

4. Join a fanart website- like discussion boards, I haven't joined any fanart websites, but there are websites dedicated to fanart where you can meet other fans. A quick google search reveals deviantART and Fanart Central, but I'm sure there are lots of other websites. Similar to fanfiction websites, fanart websites allow you to appreciate other fans' works and interact with the artists.

5. Youtube- like 3 and 4, youtube allows you to share your own fandom content and see others' fandom content. 

6. Start blogging- if you blog about your fandom(s), people will notice eventually. And maybe some of those people who read your blog, comment on it, etc. will become your friends. (Right, guys?)

Fandom School (3rd period): How To Deal With Feels

Settle down, students- it's time for Fandom School. This week's topic: feels. A while ago, I wrote a post about what feels are and what causes them (note: while feels could be positive (I think?), in this post I'm focusing on negative feels, as those are the ones you have to deal with). Now, I'm going to go into detail about what to do to deal with all the feels that are an inevitable part of a fandom.

1. Remember that feels are inevitable. When you join a fandom, there will be things that make you cry. Some fandoms are particularly sad, while others will only have a few things that make you cry. All the same, you will have feels, so you need to be ready to deal with them.
2. Find people who share your feels. You need to find people who are in your fandom (click here to see my blog post about how to find other fans) who will be upset about the same things as you. This sets up the opportunity for number 3.
3. Commiserate. Don't be afraid to share those feels with others. As John Green said in "The Fault In Our Stars" (a great book that I wrote about yesterday), "Pain demands to be felt". (If you feel the need to break your friend's basketball trophies in order to feel that pain, be sure to ask permission first.)
4. Write (or draw, sing, etc.) about what's giving you feels. The Fault In Our Stars, the book I just mentioned, was written in a furious period of grief after Esther Grace Earl, a teenage girl who was friends with John Green, died of thyroid cancer. I'm not saying you should expect to write a bestseller because of feels (nor am I comparing feels from a fandom to somebody dying in real life), but sharing your thoughts can help you deal with the pain, and sometimes others might appreciate those thoughts.
5. Find something to cheer you up. For example, ice cream. Since I don't have a lot of real life friends in my fandoms, I have had many a virtual ice cream party (through comments on Google+ posts) to deal with feels. Whether your time together trying to deal with feels is online or in real life (except that online stuff is real life, so I need a better expression...), don't forget the shock blankets.
6. Find something to take your mind off the feels. For example, another fandom. Of course, that could lead to more feels... and depending on how obsessed you are, you might not be able to take your mind off the feels no matter what you do. That being said, spending all your time on something that makes you cry is not a good idea, so it's good to spend some time doing other things, even if you can't keep your mind off of the fandom(s) you're in.
7. Realize that it will never be "okay". Whatever fandom you're in, something sad will happen. If the writer(s) in charge of your fandom(s) are being honest, they will show that bad stuff happens. You're going to suffer, but you're going to like it.

Fandom School (7th period): How To Connect With Other Fans

So, if you've been keeping up with my Fandom School posts, you have a pretty good idea of what a fandom is and what are the different parts of a fandom. And if you read my blog, chances are you've joined at least one fandom. So the question is, how do you find others in your fandom(s)? How do you find other fans?

There are a number of different ways to meet other fans and get to know them:

How to meet other fans in real life

1. Get fandom paraphernalia (isn't "paraphernalia" such a great word?). This includes T-shirts, toys, action figures, backpacks, phone cases, etc. The advantage of these things is that they show the world that you are in a fandom and provide opportunities for other fans to strike up a conversation with you.
2. Make fandom references. Those who are in your fandom(s) will be delighted and will start talking about them with you. This has the downside that non-fans will just look at you like you're crazy. But then, any fan is a little bit crazy anyway, right? :P
3. Introduce your current friends to your fandom(s). Then you'll have friends in your fandoms(s)!

How to meet other fans on the internet

1. If you don't have a social media account, create one. Facebook, tumblr, Google+, whatever. I don't care. If you already have a social media account, you can skip this step.
2. Update your profile to include a list of your fandoms. This way, people who like the same stuff as you know what they have in common with you.
3. Join communities/groups for your fandom(s) and regularly post in those communities/comment on the posts in those communities.
4. Find others who have the same fandoms as you, and follow them. In many cases, they will follow you back.
5. Make fandom references in your public posts, to show everyone what you are obsessed with.

And that about sums it up. I hope you have a great day and meet lots of new friends in your fandoms, and I also hope that your current friends join your fandoms if they haven't already. I'll see you all again next week for the next fandom school post! Bye!

Fandom School (6th period): Roleplaying, aka RPG

Hooray! It's time for Fandom School again! This weeks topic is roleplaying. Simply put, roleplaying (rp for short) is pretending to be someone else and acting out various scenarios (usually virtually) with other people. Depending on where and how you are roleplaying, you may need to create one profile and stick to it, or you may be able to change characters as you please. Roleplaying is a lot of fun, and it's also a great way to get a good feel for a character before writing a story about them.

Those of you who are particularly observant (hello, Sherlock fandom!) may have noticed that I said "RP", but the title says "RPG". RPG stands for Roleplaying Game, and it refers to games where you roleplay, rather that roleplay conversations carried out on social media (e.g., Google+). There's also LARP, which stands for Live-Action Roleplaying. I've never done it before, but it would be cool to do it some time.

There are typically a few rules in roleplaying:
1. Whatever the creator of the game/post/etc. says. They're in charge.
2. Rp might be open (anyone can join) or closed (between a few specified people). See #1
3. OCs (original characters) may or may not be allowed. See #1.
4. Cursing, hate speech, and profanity is typically discouraged.
5. Usually, there's an unspoken rule for length. Some might be short, and some might be long. See #1.
6. As said earlier, check to see how many profiles you can have. See #1.
7. Stay in character. If you need to be OOC (out of character) for a moment, use double parentheses ((like this. I am out of character right now.)) And now I'm back.
8. For actions, use asterisks. Like this: *waves hi*
9. If you have to go for a while, let the people in the rp know. For example: ((Sorry guys, gotta go. I'll be back tomorrow.))
10. Have fun! :)

So here are my different roleplay communities I'm in, and my profiles for each of them.

Doctor Who Roleplay Center
I change my character in this one. I like to play Donna, the Tenth Doctor, and the Eleventh Doctor, but I might play other characters if I'm in the mood.

Google+'s Fandom Family
This is basically a community where we are a family and we rp. It's fun. This is my profile. The short story is: I'm a Japanese girl named Sakura who's the Eleventh Doctor's clone (like Jenny. She's my half-sister.) I've traveled all over the place. I'm a cheerful, inquisitive person who likes to enjoy Earth's beauty. And this is my room.

You. Are. Divergent.
My name is Violet Verity. I was born Erudite, but I transferred to Candor after the Initiation test showed I was Divergent (Erudite and Candor). I'm smart, trustworthy, and dependable. I can tell if you are lying, and I always want to find out the truth. I have a very strong sense of right and wrong. I prefer to stay out of physical conflicts, but if there is no other choice, I will join the side of the person who I believe is right and defend them. I can sometimes get so caught up in finding the truth that I hurt others. I am also quick to condemn others for their wrong words or deeds. I have a cat named Lynn. To read my whole profile, go here.

So there you have it! I hoped you liked this class. Please comment below and let me know what class I should have at Fandom School next. Thanks! Have a great day!

How To Build A Mind Palace

Okay, first questions first: what is a mind palace? Also called a "memory palace" or the "method of loci", it's a way of remembering information by storing it in a "palace" inside your head. It was made popular by Sherlock Holmes in the BBC show Sherlock, but it actually dates back to the philosophers of ancient Rome and Greece. It's a very effective technique for remembering things, and it's also a good cure for boredom.

So, how does one make a mind palace? That's what this post seeks to explain.

1. Remove all distractions.
You want peace and quiet to build your mind palace, as it will be fragile and hard to maintain at first. It also helps to close your eyes.

2. Decide what your palace will look like.
You can make it look however you want, but it's best to start with something you are very familiar with. For example, your mind palace might be your bedroom. Whatever location you choose, make sure it's one you can visualize completely. You may choose to have multiple rooms, but it's best to start with one. Practice to make sure you know exactly what it looks like before you move on.

3. Figure out where everything is and what route you will take.
It's important to keep rooms in the same place, or else you will get lost and have difficulty remembering information. This is especially true if you need to remember things in a certain order.

4. Figure out where you will store information.
What places make the most sense to put your facts in? If your mind palace is a library, you may wish to store information in the books. Or if your mind palace is your bedroom, maybe you shove things under the bed. Or maybe you're organized and have a desk. Whatever works for you. Just keep it the same, so you remember where everything is.

5. Take some more time to memorize your mind palace.
Make sure you remember where everything is and won't forget easily before you go on. You wouldn't want to go to all the trouble of making a mind palace only to have it disappear because you can't remember it well enough.

6. Start storing information.
Now you can finally put in those facts you've been waiting to store in your mind palace. To avoid taking up to much space, it's a good idea to use abbreviations and symbols that make sense to you. You just need something that will jog your memory. Often, strange or shocking things help you remember best. For example, if you need to remember that the first president of the US was George Washington, you could imagine a 1-ton weight in a bathtub. Have fun with this step. Just do whatever helps you remember.

7. Create interactive objects/people.
Often, it's helpful to put things in your mind palace that you can interact with. Maybe instead of imagining the weight in the bathtub, you just walk up to George Washington and he tells you "I was the first president of the US." Or maybe you have a secret passage in your mind palace, just for fun. After all, having fun helps you remember things.

8. Explore your mind palace.
Go on, have a look around. Examine everything and everyone so that you can remember it all later. Make sure you know your mind palace inside and out.

9. Visit often.
If you don't, you will forget the information and your mind palace will disappear. If that happens, you can try to rebuild it, or just make a new one.

10. Have fun!
This is primarily a tool for remembering stuff, but it can be a place to hang out, too. Maybe you'd like to play a game of wizard chess with a Ravenclaw. Do whatever you want; it's your mind palace.

Thanks! I hope you liked that. If you want to know what my mind palace is like, click here. If you'd like to know more about how to build a mind palace, check out this website, this website, this website, or this website.

If you already have a mind palace, tell me about it in the comments below. Bye!

Fandom School (5th period): How To Survive Hiatus

So, you've joined a fandom. Things are going great, and then- WHAM! Your show goes on hiatus. Or the series ends. Or for whatever other reason, there will be no more new content for a while. What do you do?

1. Rewatch old episodes - this way, you can make sure you get the most out of the show while you are waiting. You might see stuff you've missed before, and there are many episodes/books that just never get old.

2. Commiserate with others in the fandom - you're probably not the only one upset about hiatus. Talk with other people about how frustrating it is.

3. Create your own fan works - this is a great thing to do, especially when you're waiting for a new series to come out. Write fanfiction, make your own trailer for the new season, make other fan videos, make song parodies, make fan art... the possibilities are endless.

4. Join another fandom - there are so many awesome fandoms out there! While you're waiting for Season 4 of Sherlock, maybe you could start reading (and watching) Harry Potter, for example.

5. Go insane - while not recommended, this does happen to a lot of fans on hiatus.

So, I hope that helps. Good luck surviving hiatus, and come back next week for the next Fandom School post (or come back tomorrow to see an awesome post that's not about Fandom School). Bye!

The Villain's Guide to Frustrating Your Enemy

According to Madam Kovarian from Doctor Who, "Good men have too many rules." But the truth is, villains too have their own rules; they have their favorite ways to be evil.

1. Disguises (e.g., put on a disguise before you are known to be a villain so that later, people will go "No! He was right under our noses!")

2. Set up your rule in such a way that you even step over your own people. (This frustrates your enemies because then you are too unpredictable.)

3. Blow up a planet.

4. Devise some clever scheme so that it is very difficult for you to die.

5. Commit a crime that is incredibly obvious, then find a way to be declared innocent.

6. Pretend you've changed your ways until you've convinced everyone, then go back to being evil.

7. An extreme version of #1 - pretend you are the hero for most of the story, until a plot twist reveals that you are actually the bad guy.

8. Make people think you are defeated, then come back.

(I was going to put examples for each one, but too many contained spoilers, and I couldn't figure out how to code the html to hide spoilers until you click on them. If anyone knows how to do that, please let me know.)

How To Make Deductions Like Sherlock

Image by Amanda Brandenburger for my fanfiction "A Detective Without His Deductions" on fanfiction.net

Everybody wants to be Sherlock Holmes, the world's only consulting detective and a certifiable genius. If you don't believe me, ask him to deduce you. He can tell a whole person's life just by looking at them. In theory. Sadly, he doesn't exist in real life. But we can still emulate him. Here's how:

1. Observation
A key reason that Sherlock knows all he does is because he observes. He frequently tells people in a tone of frustration "you see, you just don't observe." Stop reading and take a minute to look around the room/vehicle you are currently in. What do you see?

Wait, why are you still reading? I said look around first.
Good. Now, what did you see?

Okay, not bad, but I bet you can notice more. Look around and take note of EVERYTHING. Even the little things. Sherlock says in A Case of Identity "It has long been an axiom of mine that the little things are infinitely the most important." If something is hidden, uncover it and take a look. Examine all the nooks and crannies as best you can. Don't be afraid to crawl around and get up close and personal with your belongings. There's a lot to see, isn't there? I suggest you write down your observations to keep track. In fact, if you really want to be a good detective, you ought to keep a record of all your observations. I'd do this for at least a day, but the longer you do it, the better. Good. Now on to the next step.

2. Don't forget the obvious
In The Bascombe Valley Mystery, Sherlock says "There is nothing more deceptive than an obvious fact." Don't ignore the evidence glaring you in the face. It's easy to forget or rule out. For example, in the Doctor Who episode "The Day of the Doctor", the three Doctors come up with an elaborate plot for getting out of the dungeon, only to find that the door is unlocked.

2. Don't jump to conclusions
Okay, so technically this isn't a step, but it's still important. Sherlock hates making a conclusion with insufficient data, and you should too. He said in A Scandal In Bohemia "It is a capital mistake to theorize before one has data. Insensibly one begins to twist facts to suit theories, instead of theories to suit facts." Bias clouds judgement and makes it hard for you to deduce properly.

3. Don't let your emotions get in the way
"Detection is, or ought to be, an exact science, and should be treated in the same cold and unemotional manner." So, don't get too emotionally attached to any given problem, including the people or objects involved.

4. Ignore the information that is insignificant, and focus on what's important
Sherlock tells us in The Reigate Puzzle "It is of the highest importance in the art of detection to be able to recognize, out of a number of facts, which are incidental and which vital. Otherwise your energy and attention must be dissipated instead of being concentrated." In many cases, time is of the essence, so even though you need to be able to notice everything, you also need to be able to discard anything that's irrelevant.

5. Deduction
Remember all your observations that are relevant (here's where having them written down helps), and think backwards. Instead of thinking of what will logically happen when given a series of events (reasoning analytically), you are thinking of what series of events could have logically led up to the current state of things (reasoning synthetically). This is called synthesizing information. Okay, got it all? Now you can begin to theorize. Use your new information, along with common sense, to come up with plausible theories. Keep in mind they should be plausible. Just guessing is a bad idea. For example, in solving a murder mystery, don't say the culprit is a ghost (unless, you're talking about Supernatural, Doctor Who, or other related fiction, of course). It's usually a good idea to come up with a few theories, so you can discard ones that are disproved. All of this together is called deduction.

6. Eliminate the impossible
Good work so far! Now you can start ruling out answers. "How often have I said to you that when you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth?" Sherlock says repeatedly, including in The Sign of Four. Get rid of anything that has been proved to be untrue or that is just flat out impossible.

7. Conclusion
And finally, you get to draw conclusions. Tie up all the loose ends (well, all that you can) and think about what it all means. It may be helpful to use your imagination for this part. You may also want to talk to other people who can give you another angle on things or offer more information. When you've got it all, wrap it up. Speak your conclusion in a confident, rapid-fire manner, and people will think you're a genius regardless of what you say. If you followed all the steps correctly, you are something of a genius. Good for you!

Sherlock Holmes quotes collected courtesy of www.sherlockholmesquotes.com. The quotes themselves belong to the wonderful Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, who started the whole thing.

(In response to a comment on this post, yes, I did write this. That being said, a lot of credit goes to the website I mentioned above for collecting quotes about deduction. I basically figured out what those quotes meant, elaborated, organized them, and put them into a blog post. If you want to see how close I am to that website, just click the link I gave.)

The Science of Deduction

Since I've already posted about fandoms in general, magic, and time travel, I figured it was time to get to the Sherlock side of things. So here is a post for you about deduction.

Simply put, deduction is the process of making observations and then drawing conclusions from those observations. Sherlock Holmes was a master at this, and he was known for reading a person's entire identity with a single glance. (For examples of Sherlock's deductions, read the books or watch the TV show. I have also written a few fanfics that feature notable use of deductions, for example "An Interesting Case"

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/10254673/1/An-Interesting-Case (Sherlock deduces the Doctor) and "The Search For Father" 

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/10257307/1/The-Search-For-Father (Sherlock pretends to be a teacher, and teaches a class called "The Science Of Deduction).

But you don't have to be Sherlock Holmes to do deductions. That's what this post is all about. There are a few things you can do to be more like Sherlcok Holmes in this respect.

Observe Everything

Observation is the key to deduction. To draw conclusions, you must first have information to create hypotheses from. Practice by playing observation games (online, board games, etc.) and by observation in real life. Make a practice to, uppon visiting a new location, observe everything you can about it. Don't take anything for granted. Work at seeing the little details others miss. If you work at becoming observant, it will serve you well.

Challenge Your Brain

Many people are frustrated with their apparent inability to remember details, think quickly, learn, make connections, etc. Part of the problem here is that we are simply not challenging our brains. Starting in the teenage years, the human brain begins pruning unnecessary connections to make room for the more important ones. Your brain is very much "use it or lose it". Thus, it is essential to challenge your brain. You can do this by try new things, such as learning a language (already have a second language? Add a third). You can also do brain teasers and riddles regularly to make yourself think harder. (If you are on Google plus, I highly recommend the community "Sherlock's Methods" for this purpose.) The more you challenge yourself to commit to higher learning, the easier it becomes.

Play Deductions!

And finally, if you want to be good at deductions, do them. Practice makes perfect. Keep trying to look for new things, places, and people to deduce. Try to make deductions in your daily life. Ask people if you are right. Look at pictures or read things and try to make deductions from those (again, the community I mentioned earlier is great for this). And don't give up. Remember, we are all learning.