1> Much shorter.  In a very short story you can excuse low work on 
     characterization, just a plot and as you said, maybe a point ...

I totally agree.  When I wrote it, I was aiming for roughly 13K, because 
that seems to be as much as my news reader can send at once (for when I'll 
post it to RAAS).  As it turned out, 28K to 30K is about as short as I could 
make it.

Try cutting out the extraneous plot . . . there are alot of parts that 
would be jump off points for in depth characterization.  We don't need to 
know Ranma has a period unless you are going to go in depth on how he 
feels about it and how it affects who he is . . . If Ranma takes a magic 
potion that makes him pregnant, then speed up the time line by having the 
full gestation period be a month.  Throw in a scene or two where Akane 
forgets Ranma is pregnant and attacks or almost attacks him.  
Characterize Ranma enough to have him worry for the child and then run 
off to China . . . Have the others follow out of concern (or if your 
going for the big bad world feel, to cure Ranma of this motherly dimensia 
thats over come him).  

Anyway, I'm sure you see what I'm saying by now.  I think it could work 
in an abstract way, if you trim it down to the bare bones . . .

Matthew Trotter, who asked for my advice anyway?