As an official judge in the پرستار Fiction category, I feel I should share a few tips with the contestants :)

1.    Do research! Watch the دکھائیں یا read the book over and over again, until آپ get the facts right. For my The Following fic ‘Foster Careless’ I had to watch episode 6 The Fall at least 4 times to get everything right and I had to look up a few cast members to know their character's name. It also wouldn't hurt to watch and read interviews. Annie Parisse once کہا that her character was such an outside of the box thinker that she could understand why people would look up to Joe Carroll. This helps my story, because now I know I have to write Debra as an open minded character.

2.    Take a few things from the دکھائیں and build your entire story around that.

3.    Don't copy what آپ have seen on the show. Some people simply write exactly and only what they have seen in the show. Those people lack imagination, inspiration and writing skills.

4.    Stay true to the concept of whatever you’re writing for.

5.    Don't ask people what they want آپ to write. If you’re a good writer, you’ll have enough ideas of your own.

6.    Get out of your comfort zone. As a writer, آپ can't afford to be close minded یا to be afraid you're going to hurt someone.

7.    Only use OC's when they serve the story. If آپ only use them to fill up page space, leave them out.

8.    Be empathic! When آپ write an angry scene, try to be angry. Put yourself in the character, and feel what they feel. آپ can’t expect your readers to cry when reading a scene, when آپ haven’t cried when writing it.

9.    Take heed of what other writers tell you. Just because a dozen people tell آپ your story is good, doesn't mean it actually is. It's a good thing to check your reviewers.

10.    Portray your characters the way they are portrayed in the book/movie/series/anime/etc. Just because آپ name a character Damon Salvatore, doesn’t make him Damon Salvatore.

11.    Don’t لوڈ اپ your first draft. It’s going to be full of spelling and grammar mistakes, and probably a couple of plot holes. Always double check your story.

12.    Pay attention to the details. The smallest detail can lead to another storyline.

13.    Write مزید than one storyline, and make those storylines blend into each other.

14.    Don’t go too fast, یا too slow. Try to keep a steady pace in your story. آپ don’t want to get to the ending too fast. But don’t fill up the pages with unnecessary crap, either.

15.    Don’t think about getting reviews, favorites, یا follows. Just write with your heart.

16. This one's for اگلے year's contest: if you're thinking about participating, start writing now!