𝐒𝐄𝐂𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 𝐂:
Twilight fanfiction aid
𝐢𝐢𝐢. Creating a timeline for an OC

So, let's first discuss the Timeline for an OC (Original Characters). Let's go with the Human OC timeline first. There are generally five timelines in which your Human OC can be introduced if we follow the movies/books.

The first movie is Twilight—or it can be started way before Bella arrives in Forks. Commonly known as the "New Student" OC. Usually, friends with Bella because Bella starts their first day the same as your OC or the "Old Student/Local" OC that hangs out with Jessica and Angela's crowd, or the OC who has a different friend group or the loner OC. or the OC that studies at the Rez and is a part of the tribe. That is the most common introduction for OCs from what I have read since I started reading Twilight fics. For an OC paired with a shifter, you have creative liberties with this since they are not involved with the Cullens—they can be studying at the Rez!

The second movie is New Moon. It's usually more of a "Local" OC that has witnessed everything that happened between Edward & Bella but didn't care enough to interfere because the OC and Bella aren't really close, but they decided to befriend her because they pity Bella, then your OC gets involved with the whole Bella & Edward love affair. OR a human OC that does not live in Forks, and if you plan to write an OC paired with a Cullen, it's usually the 5-month period of their leave from Forks that an OC meets a Cullen in the new city they resided in—the Cullens are skeptical to get another human involved, especially what happened with Bella but it works out along the way. For a Human OC paired with a shifter, it's really a blank canvas because nothing much is happening with the shifters except Victoria in their borders, or usually, they save the Human OC before Victoria makes her a meal.

The third movie is Eclipse. The Human OC is another "Local" OC that got kidnapped by Riley and turned into a vampire to be part of the Army. Bella is her childhood friend; Charlie is very worried about her. They usually have a past romantic involvement with a Cullen—the OC is still mad that they left. The reason this OC went to Seattle is to move away from Forks (because the Cullens are back, and they don't want to be involved with them anymore), but still wants to be near it or for college and study at Seattle University. Or, a local in Seattle, OC, that got kidnapped by Riley, but this time, the mating bond snaps during the battle in the clearing, and the Volturi let her leave because they know the importance of the mating bond to vampires. Or if your OC is paired with a shifter, they usually escape with the shifters because the shifters felt the imprinting bond snap. Yey! Your newborn OC has been blessed to live another day!

^^^ In Eclipse, a Vampire OC is usually introduced, with the Cullens needing aid to defeat the newborn army. They asked for the Denalis, but the Denalis didn't want to; Jasper didn't consider Charlotte or Peter. So they resorted to a friend, normally Carlisle's old friend, who is a nomad. The Vampire OC agreed to help, and after learning that one of the Cullens or Shifters is their mate, they decided to permanently stay in Forks.

The fourth & fifth movies are Breaking Dawn, parts 1 & 2. Now, it is fully creative mode time. There are various ways you can introduce your OC in this timeline. Let's start with the "Local" OC. They attend Bella & Edward's wedding because they're a long-time friend of Bella, then one of the Cullens/Shifters they are paired with feels the mating/imprinting bond snap. The love interest that's a Cullen or a Shifter has been harboring an infatuation with the OC for a while now but hasn't acted upon it, OR the OC has been pinning over the Cullen/Shifter. OR, the OC is usually Bella's cousin who got invited to the wedding, and they got introduced to the Cullens/Shifters (I have read a fic that the OC cousin is a vampire hunter and knows about the shifters/vampires) So it makes it easier with them learning about the supernaturals, you know? Or a Vampire OC who is usually introduced as the vampire that the Cullens asked for help to be a witness for Renesmee not being an immortal child—the Vampire OC's backstory could be anything! Go wild with it.

Let's talk about the pre-twilight timeline. No Bella. This is where the OC is a "Local," Obviously. Then, they are present when the Cullens arrive in Forks, so they witness and hear every rumour of the Cullens. They learned the Cullen lore and stuff like that, OR because they're cool and nonchalant like that, they don't care about the weird kid and go about their day until one of the Cullens (typically the love interest or Alice) becomes their partner in biology or a random school project. Alice usually had a vision of them. Alice invites them to the Cullen residence (which is cool and chic). Then all of the students asked the OC questions about what they're like they're either admired or grew jealous of the OC—it's usually Jessica or Lauren, LOL. This time, it's VERY chill compared with when your OC gets introduced to Bella in Twilight. Like they went on dates, no trouble or conflict, or you can make one or don't. They've been together from freshman until junior year, then Bella gets introduced, then shit goes downhill with that.

^^^ Adding to that, a Vampire OC can be in this if there's already an established relationship/bond with the paired Cullen. The pre-twilight Vampire OC is usually written about their experience of moving to Forks, how much they hate or love it, and a sneak peek into their backstories. I didn't add a shifter because they have the treaty and stuff, and it isn't very easy.

Now, the post-twilight timeline. Everything has already happened. Edward & Bella's plot is done, but this time, they have Renesmee Cullen, Jacob Black, Leah & Seth Clearwater involved in their big family. This is purely a creative choice because there's no plot to use anymore; you can create your plot and make them go through shit again! But this time, it's not because of Bella. It's because of your OC! The post-twilight timeline really depends on the fiction writer and what they want to do. Maybe it is a Vampire OC or a Human OC—obviously, if it's a vampire OC, there won't be any complication except if they were a member of the Volturi—they left because they don't want to be with the Volturi anymore. After the confrontation, the OC saw how different the Cullens are because of their familial bonds.

This can apply to the Vampire OC timeline.

The no twilight timeline. This fic is set in Forks, but the plot of the movies/books doesn't apply to it. It means no Volturi conflict, no James & coven hunt, no Riley & Victoria army. It solely focuses on your OC and the chosen Cullen/shifter love interest. It's usually fluffy, chill, and wholesome OR can be much more chaotic than the Twilight plot; it's a fic writer's choice.

OR, it's a timeline set in the 1920's or regency. They're still human. But it's just a different year/setting in which they met one of the Cullens. The OC usually gets turned into a vampire, and then they proceed with the Twilight plot. For example, my new Twilight fic, Sinta, but the difference is my OC is already a vampire in the story. This timeline is a blank canvas! It won't affect Bella & Edward's plot because it is set in a different year!

Or it's one of those heartbreaking stories that they choose not to; the OC creates a family of their own, and they die human, but the Cullen that they're paired with never seeks anyone else, wanted to be mated to anyone else except the OC that died. Edward often uses the story as a reason for Bella not to turn into a vampire. Then Edward goes into the deep dive of the story—it's not his place to tell, but he still proceeds when Bella asks why that particular Cullen is so depressed with their life.

Of course, the "New Student" OC doesn't work out if Carlisle Cullen is the love interest or Charlie Swan; I'm not mentioning Sam Uley because canonically, he's nineteen years old in the books. He just looks older in the movies. Don't start with the Vampire Romance doesn't care about age because I will not accept that shitty reason. MAKE SURE THAT YOUR OC IS OF LEGAL AGE.

What about Edward and Bella? He's a lot older, and Bella is 17.

Edward looks physically seventeen and is in high school! I'm not excusing it, but if you pair a high schooler with Carlisle Cullen, who is a doctor, Carlisle would seem like a groomer and pedophile, and we don't want that! Plus, Carlisle wouldn't even agree to do that. He'll separate himself and create distance from the OC and make no connections with them until they're of legal age and can make decisions of their own.

Suppose you plan to pair your OC with Edward, Rosalie, Emmett, Alice, or Jasper. The high schooler OC is fine because they are physically seventeen, eighteen, or nineteen. I hate to admit it, but that's just the norm in vampire romance, and especially in Twilight fics. But if your OC is paired with Carlisle Cullen, who is physically twenty-three years old. Charlie Swan is forty-one years old; make sure that your OC is of legal age, and don't make them a high schooler, I BEG. I read Carlisle's fics that the OC is a baker, a florist, or a nurse, and that works well! I have not read a Charlie Swan fic because there are so few of them, sadly.

Now that I have explained the different timelines. The question still stands. How can you create a timeline for your OC?

Well, what is the plot that you decided on first? Have you decided to follow through with the movies/books? The pre-twilight/post-twilight plot, or the no-twilight plot? Where do you want your OC's story to start?

If you decide to follow through with the plot of the books/movies, the decision for a timeline is easy because you just have to follow it and add an OC into the story. If you don't want to stick with the cliche. You just have to make your twist and add uniqueness to it.

For the no-twilight plot. With a different era/year. If you're a history geek, what part of history do you want your OC to be in? Let me give you an example–keep in mind that my OCs are already vampires. My first OCs, Genevieve Stone & Greyson Stone's backstory, started during the Salem Witch Trials—because I was interested in it and wanted my OCs to be part of that. Then, my new OC, Corazon Cecelia Salvador, was born during the American colonization in the Philippines and was involved with World War 2 when the Japanese occupied the Philippines for three years. In both fan fictions, I was very hyper-fixated at that particular time in history, and that's the reason I wanted to write about it.

When it comes to these kinds of settings, you have to do meticulous and detailed research. It may be fictional, but you want to stick with the FACTS. I don't encourage changing any part of history! You can add creative liberties but always stick to what occurred and change nothing major. Creating your OC in a different timeline is usually pretty difficult to do because it's a whole other society. The rules of the modern world don't apply to those, so research is the key!

Usually, the OC that was born in a different year has a different body language, like Jasper, he was born in the 19th century, he joined the war, of course, he has military training, and he is known to be reserved, quiet, and have a different stance—a soldier stance. He speaks differently, too, because he is southern—has an accent, and doesn't use modern lingo/slang.

Bella told Edward that he speaks like he's from a different time. Edward was born in the early 20th century when formal language was the standard. So, you have to consider all of the factors if you want your OC to be born in a different era/year. The qualities that a person had during those eras/years add up to the personality of your OC.

If the story is set in a different place and has a different timeline, Give your OC a sparkle of the chosen country's culture! It makes it more fun to read about!

If you're a beginner with writing a Twilight fic, of course, I'm going to suggest that you follow the plot of the movies/books, and there's no shame in using a cliche personality for your OC because you're only starting. We have to start somewhere, eh?

But if you're confident enough, you can create your OC lore and be unique! Test your writing skills and challenge your imagination. There's nothing wrong with being different because sometimes being different is good! Readers may stick with cliches—because they have an attachment to the books/movies, but an original plot sticks out like a sore thumb, and that can get you a lot of interactions because of how original and different your fic is! Some readers tend not to read Twilight fics with added fics because of uncertainty.

Following the books/movies means a happy ending, but a fic with a twist means there's no guarantee that the story will have a good ending or be purely tragic. But hey, some readers like pain, so do what you want, and while you're at it, enjoy it!

Always remember: