Subject: Re: [FFML] Evaluating Stories
From: Jamie and Bridget Wilde
Date: 7/3/1998, 7:18 PM
To: kukuru@worldnet.att.net, ffml@fanfic.com
Reply-to:
wildeman@psn.net

kukuru@worldnet.att.net wrote:

Jamie and Bridget Wilde wrote:

   All the points on the sniped part are all very true for best sellers and
other works that bring in the money. Characters to die for, plot to rattle
your brain, a staff of high paying professors to look over you grammar and
spelling, and would generally stalk the author or curse his grave if it was
not finished. I'm teasing of course, but well spoken.

Heck, I'm not even *that* picky, but nothing will turn me off faster
than a fic that features grossly OOC characters (with no justification
for said OOCness), a weak (read: contrived) or obviously pointless plot,
consistantly bad grammar and spelling mistakes, and bad formatting.

I hate bad grammar/punctuation/spelling/format simply because it makes a
'fic difficult or even painful to read. Why should I bother?
 
 Not everybody can achieve this of course. What I would look for is to be
as said entertaining and would wish there was more or a sequel, even if
just a little and maybe tempted to actually wright one. Grammar is
important but most of the time it's fair enough for me. I read drafts all
the time and I may wince a couple of times but nothing beyond that. Tell
the author if grammar is a problem [Did you ever have the line "Oh this is
nice, but work on you grammar." I have had much of that and I would say
"sure" all the same.]. 

When I do C&C, such things are pointed out by me. The sad fact is that
most of the 'fics that I shitcan were written and posted on the spur of
the moment, without a single critical read-through on the author's part.
Pre-readers are great, but I would be extremely upset to consistantly
pre-read a story that suffered from so many easily spotted defects.
Pre-readers are for catching those few mistakes you've missed, or
pointing out a plot-hole that eluded you, or gently reminding you that
one of your characters was sure acting kinda weird (OOC). I'm
pre-reading a fic for someone right now, and because I spend less time
chasing stupid errors, I can devote more time to actually critiquing the
story's important parts -like plot, setting, dialogue, and such.

Plot and characters are hard to define. You like it or maybe you don't. Same 
goes with the plot and idea, I guess. 

Too often I'd happily settle for having a plot. Any plot. As I said
earlier, spamfics and comedies can get away without a plot, but any
serious work of fanfiction suffers. When I said you should plot things
out in advance, I wasn't advocating that the author should fix every
single detail in stone before he starts writing. I certainly couldn't do
that. A simple progression of events, with some idea of what the author
wants to get across to the reader is quite sufficient.

For me I might delete something say, purely Ryouga if there is no Ranma 
while someone would do the opposite. There is nothing wrong with delete, 
some things are just no so likable.

That will always be a factor in fanfiction writing. A dedicated
Shampooite might well axe a 'fic that makes  'Poo a purple-haired bimbo.
The devout of the Church of Ukyo will delete a fic that portrays her as
anything less than a Saint. I've received C&C for "Ruler of the Raging
Main" asking me if it was going to become another "Ranma and Akane Get
Together" 'fic -because the reader hated those kinds of stories, hated
Akane in general, and wanted to see something different. I won't discuss
the future of ROTRM right now, but I will say this:

Like David Lerman said, can a fanfic be well written from a technical
standpoint and still make you hate it? Quite obviously, yes. You will
never escape this as an author. Someone is going to dislike (maybe even
hate) your work, for no reason that seems rational to you. If you can
manage the technical aspects of the work, regardless of your plot, you
will at least get some readers to finish your story.

I absolutely hated Richard Lawson's Robotech 'fic "To Be In Love." Its
premise went against every personal belief I had in Robotech fiction. It
was well written however, and he rationalized the premise I hated so
much very effectively. So I read the whole darn thing despite hating it
with every fiber of my being. I even sent C&C to Richard telling him I
didn't like it and why. If his story had been rife with bad spelling,
poor grammar, and lousy formatting, I would have deleted it.

All authors have their critics.

I wonder how long before this thread is going to be banned.

You're askin' the wrong guy...

J. Austin Wilde
-- Come and see the fanfics and food of Bridget and Jamie Wilde! wildeman@psn.net http://www.psn.net/~wildeman