Guide To Making Better Fanfictions

Note: I'm not saying that I'm perfect and setting myself as an example. I have made some of the same mistakes I'm going to address here. This guide was formed by me and my friends based on our experiences of fanfiction, like how the good ones were good, and how the bad ones were bad. This is simply a reference Guide for anyone who wants more appreciation or better revision of their fanfictions.

The do's and don'ts

each of these will be gone over individually, explaining and giving examples of what makes or breaks a fanfic.

DO:

-research the topic as much as possible.

-include details and facts from the topic of the fan fic (ie. the TV show, movie, book etc. that the fiction is based on)

-ask other's opinions

-keep the story as much along the lines as possible

DON'T:

-change character's personalities and stories drastically.

-use details and events that contradict the canon plot

-add incest or ship characters that are not canon-ly suggested couples.

-abuse suspense 

Try to learn every small detail of each character event, etc in the plot of the canon. In characters, think about their actions, about what type of character they are(static, round, flat, stock, etc) and what their motivation could be for their actions. (basically have empathy for all the characters involved). Any symbolism, themes or other techniques should also be noted.

mention canon events and characters as much as possible. Just don't overdo it. For example, mentioning random, less developed characters not needed in your fan fiction's plot can be confusing. Too many details may also overwhelm the reader.

try to get critiques as often as possible. Listen to serious critiques only. People who only say "i don't like it" or "it's stupid" won't help and will only make you depressed. People who suggest changes should get more attention than those who merely state an opinion.

don't change Canon "facts". If the fan fiction directly opposes events or characters' personalities, or adds unlikely "facts" of their own, this will not fit in with the commonly accepted plot. Though cameos are OK, don't add a ton of characters from every show, book, etc that you like.

too much suspense will make a story boring quickly. If not enough relevant events happen, the reader is just left waiting for something to happen, and may quickly loose interest. Vagueness and mystery should also be avoided. I reread one of my first fan fictions, and even I couldn't follow the story because of all the mystery involved.

DON'T SHIP OR USE FANCEST
even though it may be acceptable to use incest and mature topics in some fan fic context, please refrain from doing so as much as possible. Shipping characters, or pairing them up noncanon-ly should also be avoided, because it shows some bias and opinion against the main story. This will cause a narrower spectrum of readers to appreciate and enjoy your fan fiction. I've lost interest in other people's fan fictions, and even art, for writing fan fictions about characters I liked having sexual relationships with other characters or OC's. A little bit off topic, but here's another no-no: DO NOT HAVE MATURE OR SEXUAL ROLL PLAYS IN PUBLIC CHAT AREAS. this ruins the website, game, etc. that we are on for others. I was on a facebook app once, and a few people started doing that on the public feed, oblivious tho the fact that CHILDREN PLAY THAT GAME.
please put a filter on whenever necessary, please.