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It may not have been the first but MV1 is almost certainly the biggest and most complex shared universe fanfiction community on the Net. Starting as a couple of friends plotting 'What If?' stories after the travesty that was Heroes Reborn it has grown into a thriving community or readers, writers and reviewers. However, with over 70 titles and a five year continuity span, it can be a tad confusing for a newcomer. This article should give you a better idea of how to get started as a writer.
The Basics
As you're reading 'Heroes' I am going to assume you know what fanfiction is _ if not, you'd better look elsewhere.
A good starting place is just to surf the sites and get a feel for the Branches.
The What?
MV1 is divided into seven branches, each with a separate editor. I edit the INTERNATIONAL branch ( for stories set outside the US, like Alpha Flight etc). The other branches are _.
AVENGERS - edited by Mark Beaulieu ( spotlighting the Great Team and stories of their members.)
COSMIC - edited by Kell Carpenter ( For 'out of this world' stories incl. FF, Thor and Captain Marvel.)
TAPESTRY - edited by Barry Reese ( Tales of other times and other realities.)
DARK LORE - edited by Alex Maggi ( The dark, gothic, magical corner of the project.)
MARVEL KNIGHTS - edited by Chris Hatfield ( Crime on the streets beware! Daredevil and Spidey..)
FOUR CORNERS - edited by Randy Lander ( Four colour, action adventure from the X-Men to Hulk.)
The branches are collections of titles that are similar in content or characters. The entire thing was born from the imaginations of a group of rabid Avengers fans, so the original project was biased towards that side of the Marvel Universe rather than the X-verse. That has changed nowadays, but there is still no X-branch, alongside the Avengers branch.
MV1 also has titles within the branches that you' won't recognise. These are the 'Creator Controlled' titles - new titles, with a mixture of new and old characters. It's widely accepted that some of strongest work on the project is in these titles. Watch for All God's Children by Mark Bousquet, The Vault by Randy Lander, Seekers by Barry Reese and Realpolitik by Jess Nevins. ( There's a title called Crusaders by some British guy called Gow that some people like too_..)
So How Do I Get Onboard?
Step One
E-mail one of the Branch Editors (BEs) and have a chat about the project. We're all nice people ( honest) and have years of experience on the project. If one of us can't answer your question, the others will between them.
OK - lets dispel one myth. The editors do not edit. They post the stories and help new writers get their feet wet in MV1. They are more like Branch 'Janitors' rather than editors.
The basic rule is that a new writer has to complete three short 'anthology' stories and a limited series before they can grab one of the ongoing books.
Harsh? Not really. MV1 has seen quite a turnover of writers in it's time and it desperately needs a period of stability. By using these anthologies as a 'cooling off period' for enthusiastic new writers, it allows them to see the project at work and get used to the way it works. MV1 isn't as strigent in it's writing requirements as some fanfic sites - we just want one story every three months, but you would be shocked to discover how many people can't manage that!
It is also most likely that at this point you'll get a polite 'Thanks, but no thanks'. MV1 is big and there are already a lot of writers floating around it. Sometimes we just close the doors for a while. Don't worry though, you can always come back later.
Step Two
Float your ideas past the appropraite BE. Here is where the work really starts, and the lesson on MV1 continuity starts. Are we sitting comfortably? Then I'll begin_
Continuity in MV1 starts at the end of 'Heroes Return #4' and runs for five years after that date. Remember these are comic years though, not calender years. You can set your story anytime during that period - as long as the character(s) you want to use are free, and it doesn't interfere with the previous appearances of the character or the future appearances. You check the availability and the other appearances of the character on out Lists site ( maintained by the Living Database, Alex Maggi.)
This is where 50% of new writers fall down. When you choose a character you really need to read the other appearances and take them into account when you write the story. And that goes for the villains too!
Step Three
OK, you've managed to track down a free moment in the life of the character and you've got a villain maybe. What now? Well, this is where you write the story. The style that you use is up to you. Some writers use third person, past tense, others use present tense and others ( like me) tend to jump around a bit_Go with the flow. You can write in prose form or script. There is no need to HTML your work if you don't know how, as the BEs will be able to help out. Just enjoy the writing.
It would also be a good time to join the two MV1 lists now.
MV1Talk is a onelist group that discusses the work on MV1. There are reviews, title discussions and some spoilers from the writers. It's a good laugh.
Faux-Marvel is the writers list where we thrash out the details of the project and the character continuities. This is far more business-like but it is the engine that runs the project.
Step Four
Step Five
Some hints from the front lines _..
DO double check the stories that 'feed' your stories - both before and after. DO maintain an active dialogue with your BE - they are your best friend. DO have fun when you are doing this. Never forget it's all for fun!
DON'T plan on getting onto the BIG books straight away - they have waiting lists.
DON'T try to launch a 'new' title when you could be writing a current one - we've been down that track before.
DON'T worry if you don't get hundreds of reviews straight away. They will come.
MV1 is great fun and the feeling of community and completion when a piece of complex continuity comes off can be wonderful. Why not drop by the site and see what we've got. I guarantee you'll find something you like!.
Once you've written the story, post it to the BE and then sit back and expect the plaudits__
It's been a long haul, but you've done your short stories and are ready for that ongoing title. What to do? Look to the MV1 Titles Page and see what is available to you. You'll be surprised what juicy titles you can get. The vast majority of the books are free after the current writers run. Again, it's just a process of approaching a BE and getting approval. Once you've got the title, read the previous issues, check what happening in critical issues around it and then _ GO FOR IT!
