Hello, everyone!

My name is Tarklovishki; you might have read a couple of my Pokemon stories before I took them down to be rewritten - "Beauty Scars" to name just one. I'm starting to get back into the fandom after leaving and learning so much from the Harry Potter fandom, and I'm actually kind of appalled at the mess that this fandom is in.

I know that a lot of the writers for Pokemon are beginners, some probably around thirteen to twenty five, and some a lot older than that. I feel like most writers here need something to help them learn. I don't pretend to know a lot about writing; it's difficult, and styles vary from person to person. But I do know a lot of the basics.

Grammar and Punctuation.

Come on, guys. This is the easiest one. If you're old enough to sit behind a computer and type out these stories, then you're old enough to pay attention to English. Here's an example;

"Let's go and eat grandpa!"

"Let's go and eat, grandpa!"

It potentially saves lives. That little comma between "eat" and "grandpa" makes a whole lot of difference to the setence. The whole meaning changes. Make sure you read over every sentence and make sure that there are no mistakes. If you want your story to be taken seriously and given positive reviews, then you need to watch your punctuation.

A semi-colon (:) should be used to link a sentence.

This poor little guy (!) is only used when someone exclaims in either surprise or vehemence. It is not supposed to be put on the end of every sentence. Not every sentence is a revelation.

The full stop; here are two right ways to use it, and two wrong ways to use it.

The right way;

1. "Misty, I really think we should go home now," said Ash.

2. Ash said, "Misty, I really think we should go home now."

The wrong way;

1. "Misty, we really should go home now." said Ash.

2. Ash said. "Misty, I really think we should home now."

Ellipsis (...) are only used when someone is trailing off their speech or their thought process. They are thinking. Don't use ellipsis just because your character talks as if he/she is walking forever in a beautiful dream that must be admired with the longest, drawn out speech in the world. Harry Potter's Luna Lovegood did not do that, and she's a very imaginative girl who spends all her time in a dream.

Look at what I've done, okay? There is a right and wrong for everything, including punctuation. If you do not understand what I am talking about with this, then please don't hesitate to leave a review or message me for more information.

PLOT and DETAIL

These are the two most important things in a story. If you don't have both plot and detail in your story, you might as well stop writing your story. The plot of a story is used to further the story and give it meaning; it's giving your story a road to go down. Detail is giving us readers the picture in our mind.

Do not start the story in the middle of an action sequence unless you are prepared to give a paragraph or two explaining what is happening and why. I have lost count of how many times Ash, Brock and Misty are attacked by Team Rocket, and there's not even an explanation. What is Team Rocket after? Is it Pikachu or another Pokemon? Details!

Plot; establish it early. Is the plot for Ash to travel around the world again to collect all the Pokemon he missed so that he can be the greatet Pokemon Master in the world? Then develop that! Then bring in a sub-plot. Sub-plots take the story in a different direction without ever straying off the original course; Ash is still going to travel around the world, but is an evil organisation brewing that has the advanced power to destroy the world as we know it? Is Ash the only person who can save everyone?

EPITHETS

Don't use them. Calling Ash the "raven-haired boy" when Misty or someone else who knows Ash is a no-go, unless they have no idea who it is that they are seeing. Do not use someone's physical attributes to describe them. It is painful to read and actually turns a lot of people off reading your story.

Steer clear of epithets. It is okay to name someone at least three or four times in a paragraph.

CHARACTERISATION

Is really important. There are lots of generators on the web that will help you establish a well-rounded character, as well as plots. If you want me to give you the links for them, then message me your email and I shall send you the links. Having someone labelled as simply a klutz with a foot fetish is not a well rounded character. Everyone has flaws, fears and personal goals.

Make sure that when you build up your character, that you don't tell us everything about them, but actually show us throughout the course of the story. Don't tell us that Ash likes chocolate ice cream; show us that he likes chocolate ice cream by going to an ice cream parlour and picking out chocolate over the mint.

If Ash is a klutz, then don't have him trip over any given surface. Distract him with something, and have him bump into something or break something by accident. Have him bump into people when it was clearly his goal to step around them. A klutz is not simply a person who can't walk without tripping.

DON'T PLAGIARISE!

If you want to borrow something from another fanfiction, then ask the writer of said fanfiction. Don't automatically assume that you have a free pass to take whatever you like. When I was younger, about thirteen, which was four years ago now, I plagiarised. I didn't know what it was and that it was wrong, but I did it.

Originality is key to a successful story. No one does well if they blatantly copy from another's work.

HAVE FUN!

Writing is the freeing of the soul, okay? Take all these factors I've written to you into account (and don't bitch and moan when someone doesn't like your work, okay?), make sure you write while keeping your target audience in mind, and you're well on your way to being a fantastic writer!

So, as a parting note, to the people that read Beauty Scars, I want to thank you for the support you had given me when the story was still up. The first chapter will be up in late December/early January. I don't remember the title of my Palletshiping story, but I remember the key elements, and that will be up in 2012 at some point.

I hope you took this into consideration! 3