What makes a good fic?

Here is my knowledge of what a good fic is comprised of:
–correct grammar
–wide vocabulary (depending on audience. For fimfic, this is probably applicable)
–canon
–appropriate length (example: a one-shot isn't going to be 200,000 words)
–interesting to readers
–somewhat original concept (I'm sick of pokemon crossovers already)

Care to add anything?

Comments

[World Theory]

Needs to pull you in, and keep you there. Good descriptions of the scenes are those that tell you enough to understand what is going on, but still allow you to imagine the minute and boring details like "how dirty is the welcome mat" (unless that little detail is important to the story). Some examples of good details to have are: expressions and attitudes of characters (especially when the character is first introduced (assuming they are going to be at least semi-important to the story) (descriptions of how a character acts can be given little by little), but since it is more important in an introduction it becomes less important later on as the reader begins to learn how that character acts, that is not to say you can't pop in a few reminders), when entering a new setting for the first time; describe what it is like; possibly what the architecture is like (a little more detail if it is uncommon, and a little less detail if it is quite common, if it is like another place you have already described in the story, it could be sufficient to say so, and mention any major differences with that other place), if one of the things your featuring in your story is insight into the experience of what it is like for the character(s), then you should try to describe feelings, sensory input, and thought processes. Remember to ask if the specific details you are adding are important enough to devote the portion of text you have for them. You want to avoid having way too much detail, and way too little detail. If the reader seems lost, and can't make sense of what is going on, you need more details for the important things. (It's hard to know what is important without reading the story.) If the reader if reading so many unimportant details at the wrong point in the story, that they forget, lose track of, or become disconnected to the emotions, of the story, then you need fewer details. Stick to what has impact, and what keeps you from getting lost.

Strong characters (you know, their history(past experiences), personality (behavior, desires, how they cope, and quirks (if any)), and maybe their physical condition/description) are good for a story. You don't even need to tell the reader all of the characters' history, as long as you know it, and are thinking about it when you contemplate how your characters behave.

I say all this from the perspective of an observant reader.

(I might be the tiniest bit obsessed with parenthesis…)

P.S. - You can get away with not staying true to cannon, as long as you make sure the reader know it is non-canon conforming ahead of time. The reader will assume it is cannon unless they have reason not to.