Harry Potter Canon Plus Guidelines

[Taure]

Canon+ Guildelines
By Taure

Introduction

Some years ago now DLP created Potter Law: a series of fic writing guidelines. This was a mostly humorous exercise led by and executed brilliantly by Merrill. Though a lot of Potter Law does give good advice, I think the principle aim of that project was always to have a bit of a laugh.

It occurred to me to write a more systematic and comprehensive set of guidelines for what I believe makes a good Harry Potter fanfiction. This is a collection of my personal preferences and I do not seek to impose them on anyone else. It also allows me to compile in a single place all my current thoughts on the Harry Potter world. The series of articles which became ôMagical Theory by Adalbert Wafflingö is now somewhat outdated.

These guidelines are - I believe - canon compliant, and as such some may find them interesting or useful. Note that I say canon compliant, not canon itself. Some of what I say here is supported by canon, either in whole or in part. However, much of it is also ôfilling in the gapsö. It should be clear to the reader where these bits are. I have tried not to directly contradict canon. However, I have done so in two places. I have indicated this next to the rules.

As a result of the part-canon, part-fanon nature of these guidelines, I think of the universe they describe as ôcanon+ö.

The guidelines are split into four categories: magic, world, characters, and story. Predictably, magic is the largest and up first.

<a href='https://docs.google.com/document/d/1IBMX0ygrdg0l2uBxjSb8-f3YocgfIBerYwvQISmJW6g/edit' target='_blank' rel='nofollow'>The Guidelines</a>

 

[Avider]

Conflict should be driven by your characters: by their personalities, by their strengths and weaknesses, but their hard-won skills and relationships.

The use of but is inappropriate.

 

[Schema]

I think any definition for a "Good Harry Potter Fic" is idiotic.

Good job limiting creativity.

 

[Taure]

I can't count the many ways in which that statement is stupid. However, let me provide you with a couple:

1. The guidelines are in no way binding.

2. While subjectivity does of course enter into the equation, there are some quite clear objective signs of bad writing. Inconsistency, lack of realism, lack of believability, lack of conflict, and unsatisfactory resolution of conflict come to mind.

3. The guidelines are clearly stated to be just for this "canon plus" universe, which I like to play in and other people might enjoy playing in too. However, this does not bar the creation of other HP universes.

4. There's plenty of room for variation within these guidelines.

5. I've written a fic that's possibly among the 5 most AU fanfics out there. The idea that I'm trying to limit creativity is laughable.

 

[Schema]

I can't count the many ways in which that statement is stupid. However, let me provide you with a couple:

1. The guidelines are in no way binding.

2. While subjectivity does of course enter into the equation, there are some quite clear objective signs of bad writing. Inconsistency, lack of realism, lack of believability, lack of conflict, and unsatisfactory resolution of conflict come to mind.

3. The guidelines are clearly stated to be just for this "canon plus" universe, which I like to play in and other people might enjoy playing in too. However, this does not bar the creation of other HP universes.

4. There's plenty of room for variation within these guidelines.

5. I've written a fic that's possibly among the 5 most AU fanfics out there. The idea that I'm trying to limit creativity is laughable.

1) No one ever said the were. But even trying to say they are a guideline for a "good" fic implies not following the golden path would result in a bad fic. Thus encouraging writers to work in your constraints.

2) Note what was in quotes. Of course there are guidelines to good writing. If anything raise awareness that there are proper resources to learn writing. Narrowing down from general to specific is the mistake.

3) It is kind of a granted that the universe won't be 100% the same as in the books. If it were there would be no change in the story. But notice how some stories have a nice little AU Tag? That is for anyone operating outside the general HP verse with reasonable exceptions. Now if you are trying to say that this "canon plus" will be instead a quality control distinction, you have more faith in humanity than many.

4) See point 3.

5) The fact that you are encouraging people to write between your narrow boundaries which will supposedly magically increase the quality of the story says otherwise. Someone who sucks at dialog will still suck at dialog.