BBC Sherlock Fan Forum - Serving Sherlockians since February 2012 / Writers Society - Questions and advice for fellow writers

**Posted by This Is The Phantom Lady** October 15, 2016 11:12 am

I knew some of us write fan fics... and I know myself I could need some advice and often have questions...

I'll start with one...

I started writing a short story last night (long story short, about something terrible that happened to Sherlock at boarding school...) and I find myself in a moral dilemma...

It would fit one of the character to use derogatory terms about gay people; but because of where I stand and how I feel I struggle to even write such a word. Should I still do it? Or find another word?

**Posted by SusiGo** October 15, 2016 12:02 pm

Great idea for a thread, Phantom.

If it fits the story and makes it more believable, I would use the term. You can always give a warning in the tags but I think what counts is the story and if the story demands it, you should use it.

Being a writer, I encountered a similar dilemma once. I felt I had to use a terribly derogatory term about Jews, a really bad one. In the end I used it because it belonged in this place in this story. I was never criticised for it.

**Posted by Vhanja** October 15, 2016 3:55 pm

I agree. When it fit into the story and to the character, I don't see a problem with it.

**Posted by This Is The Phantom Lady** October 15, 2016 4:09 pm

Thank you, both of you! I ended up using it, and the story turned out better for using it in fact!

**Posted by ukaunz** October 29, 2016 4:35 am

This might be a good place to recommend La Jolie/Jolie_Black's "How to Write a Casefic": A meta on how to write Sherlock Holmes casefic in general, and for the BBC "Sherlock" fandom in particular. It has some very good advice and cited examples.

http://archiveofourown.org/works/8042029?view_full_work=true

**Posted by Ivy** November 2, 2016 6:47 pm

This:

http://ladyknightrps.tumblr.com/post/37595180856/writingresources

might be helpful, the "Ultimate Writing Resource List"

Whenever I see something like this on tumblr, I save it.

**Posted by This Is The Phantom Lady** November 5, 2016 6:27 pm

Thanks for those articles! I hope I'll have the time to study them soon!

I am working on my story 'Just Say Yes' (and sorry, if anyone is reading this will be spoilery)

But... I'm planning on going slow-burn Johnlock on it... a bit to counter Sherlock's faked tenderness towards the woman... and basically I want to ask if this is too creepy (I've not written much really truly proper Johnlock before). But I have this plan of Sherlock needing to check John's phone while John is asleep... and Sherlock becoming fascinated with that; and basically stands there... watching him sleep until he's interrupted.

But then again... it's Sherlock. huh?

**Posted by Vhanja** November 5, 2016 11:13 pm

In real life - yes, it's creepy.

In fanfic world, it's romantic. ;)

**Posted by Ivy** November 6, 2016 4:11 pm

It's not so creepy, it's Sherlock we are talking about!

**Posted by This Is The Phantom Lady** November 6, 2016 4:31 pm

Thanks! I think I'll use it!

AO3 · **Posted by GimmeCat** November 8, 2016 7:39 am

I'm growing increasingly frustrated with AO3's Rich Text formatting. All I want to do is copy straight from my local text file into the editor and retain all the italics and whatnot. But every time, even if the text pastes in and shows all my formatting how it should be, when I click 'Preview' it strips all the formatting away and I have to go back and manually put all the italics back one at a time.

And I use italics a lot.

Any advice? Is there a particular file format that AO3 accepts text being copypasted from, which will preserve my formatting without having to go through every single thing twice over?

Last edited by GimmeCat (November 8, 2016 7:40 am)

**Posted by ukaunz** November 8, 2016 7:46 am

I think you need to convert your file into HTML, so you get the < > tags. Which text editor are you writing your story in?

**Posted by ukaunz** November 8, 2016 7:50 am

Oh, maybe you should read this before you follow my advice!

http://archiveofourown.org/faq/tutorial-posting-a-work-on-ao3?language_id=en#pwtrte

AO3 · **Posted by GimmeCat** November 8, 2016 10:20 am

I use Scrivener- and it looks like they have a section on that on the help page. Thanks! I'll give their advice a try next time I post.

**Posted by kgreen20** November 8, 2016 8:02 pm

I use HTML on AO3 myself, for my stories.

AO3 · **Posted by GimmeCat** November 10, 2016 5:52 am

Welp, I tried the suggestions to copy as basic HTML, and then I tried copy as regular HTML, and neither of them work. When I paste it into the editor it looks good. Looks absolutely perfect. Then when preview or post it, it strips all formatting. Sigh. I hate doing things the long way.

**Posted by This Is The Phantom Lady** January 23, 2017 12:17 pm

How do you deal with abusive comments?

I received a very personal, and abusive comment on my story today... it was actually so personal that the person was blaming me for being a victim of abuse etc. (and later it transpired the person hadn't read the story properly...)

I'm a little shaken, but I'm trying to take it on the chin, and laugh about the fact that they actually took time out of their day to type that up; spelling errors and all...

But how do you handle it?

I've taken a screen shot and shared it on Tumblr etc, for amusement... but I don't know if that's the right thing to do. I am also so far leaving the comment up... so people can see what an idiot she was...

What would you do?

**Posted by Vhanja** January 23, 2017 12:38 pm

To me, it depends on what it is. If it's just a slightly rude/direct way of giving constructive criticism (which I have received), I try to take the advise even if I don't like the way it was given.

However, if the comment is plain abusive with no construcitve content, I try to distance myself from it. The comment says nothing about the author and everything about the person giving it. I agree that leaving it just shows the stupidity and shame of the person who wrote it.

Sorry you had to experience that, Phantom. Internet is a harsh place where people become idiots behind the safety of their computers. Just keep in mind that it only says it all about them. It can't say anything about you, because they don't know you.

Last edited by Vhanja (January 23, 2017 12:41 pm)

**Posted by ewige** January 23, 2017 4:25 pm

I'm sorry it happened, Phantom.

**Posted by This Is The Phantom Lady** January 23, 2017 4:34 pm

Thank you for the comforting words. You are so right, Vhanja. It says A LOT about the person.

I hate to admit that it did get to me a bit... (the story is based loosely on my abusive ex idiot etc. and it's never nice when you're still going through a healing process to be told that it was probably your own fault and that it doesn't happen to just everybody so there was a reason it happened to me etc.)

I knew it was a risk, and it always is when you choose to be honest online and share something that's less than butterflies and pretty skies... but yeah... luckily my boyfriend has been a great support and I'm happy this happened after I've had some therapy. If I had been weaker... yeah.

I'm trying to be strong here, and I'm refusing to reply to the comment directly. Someone on Tumblr was so sweet and sent me a nice review and that helped too.

I won't stop writing, though. It's my story. It's my work, I never wrote it for anyone else in the first place.