For the past several months, we've been bringing you a "Featured Fanfiction" for the month. We're going to change it up a little more and use this system of Top Fic recommendations in place of the Featured Fanfictions.

We're striving to give everyone quality fics written by our members to read to showcase a story or an author that we think is exceptional. You will see a new fic being recommended twice a month, so make sure you're checking back into this thread. If we recommend a fic, you can be sure that it is worth a read!

Let me introduce our Fanfiction Panel to you. Several are staff members who have volunteered more of their time to read and recommend fics. Others are regular members who want to give a little something back to VTM.

Insomnia
clara morgue
Potions Mistress
nevillesgirl
etphonehome
Hilly
and
pepperimp

Occasionally, we will have guest panelists, as well.

These guys have shown great dedication to the panel so far, and they are all very qualified to recommend these fics to you! They each take the time to leave reviews for fics they've read, offer suggestion to help improve writing, and a lot of them are excellent fic writers themselves! You will notice that a lot of them have also been chosen as featured fanfiction authors, and you can rest assured that we have a good system worked out for choosing fics so that we aren't totally biased.

What this means for you:

If you read a fic that you absolutely love and think it deserves to be recommended, please send a PM to one of our panelists. We'll check it out and see if it meets with our requirements, and you may see it featured as a VTM Top Fic.

Keep writing! We're always going to be on the look out for a great fic, and the only way we'll continue to find them is if you continue to write them! We look at everything to select our top fics: one-shots, contest entries, archives, and current chapter fics.

Get a beta! If you're writing, you need a beta just to catch mistakes that you might not have noticed. It's a lot easier finding mistakes in other people's work than it is in your own, so having a good beta editor will improve the quality of your writing. When we select fics to recommend, we look at the over all quality of the story (structure, plot, flow) as well as the finer details (grammar and proper HP terminology). A beta editor will help you! We've got a few VTM approved betas who are always willing to look over fics. I'm always looking for more, so if you think you want to be an official VTM beta, just send me a PM and I'll send you an application.

Feedback! If you're a fic writer yourself, you know how improtant it is to receive feedback on what you've written. I strongly encourage all of you to write a couple of lines of comment on what you've read. The authors really appreciate it. It's difficult to find the motivation to continue writing if you don't know if you're work is being read or appreciated, and the way to encourage your favorite authors to continue to write is to tell them!

We will provide you with the title, author, a brief summary, and the link to the fic we are recommending. Please use their feedback thread to leave your comments.

Do not post your own recommendations in this thread. This thread is for Fic Panelists only. Any other posts will be deleted. We have a general recommendation thread where you may list the fics that you recommend. Please use that one instead.

If you're interested in being on the Fanfiction Panel, you may let me know. I will only seriously consider those who have written a fanfiction, who regularly post feedback, and who have passed the beta test. At this time, I'm not looking for any more panelists, but there may be a point in the future where I'll want another, so you may PM me and I'll keep you in mind when I'm searching.

We're starting Top Fics on September 1st! Check this space, and keep reading and writing!

The 30 Points Plan, by happy-potter, is a fun and entertaining look into the development of the relationship between James and Lily. Many people have wondered how Lily went from hating James to marrying him, and this fic gives us a sweet yet humorous possibility into that mysterious union. Throw in a little Sirius, Lupin, and Pettigrew and you have a party on "paper".

So, if you're looking for a fun, feel-good fic, that stays true to the characters, this is the one. We hope you enjoy it; I know we did!

Many of us were a bit disappointed by the lack of info from Lupin and Tonk's death. We had no way of knowing if they found each other or not before the end. Five Minutes to Midnight, by Hilly, gives us some hope and a bit of closure to their untimely demise. Staying true to the characters, she is able to give them the good-bye they deserved.

I highly recommend you check this fic out, but just make sure you have some tissues on hand.

Be Careful What You Wish For, by EliasOsiris, is a wonderfully descriptive two part fic that gives an insightful view into the development of Tom Riddle’s character, as well as a rare glimpse into his mind. Taking you through Riddle’s confrontation with his family, Be Careful What You Wish For shows just one of the things that helped to create Lord Voldemort as we know him.

If you’re looking for something darker, this fic is well worth a read!

The Unknown Potter: Death Eaters' Revenge, by steppy40 is a highly descriptive, well-written story about, you guessed it an Unknown Potter! This story is actually the sequel to, The Unknown Potter which I strongly recommend you read before reading Death Eaters' Revenge as you will learn the importance of this exceptional original character! I have enjoyed both fics immensely!

The Unknown Potter: Death Eaters' Revenge takes place after the final battle and introduces some new characters as well as new conflicts. You didn't think all would be quiet after Voldemort was defeated, did you? Quite often you will be left with a cliff hanger, as steppy40 loves to tease her readers!

I highly recommend taking the time to read this story. It's got it all: action, romance, comedy, and drama. You will read it wanting more!