On Thu, 25 Apr 1996, Ryan Mathews wrote:
I'd like to issue a mild challenge. If you are someone who writes
RANMA fiction and only RANMA fiction, try writing one story in another
universe. I know there's plenty of non-RANMA fic out there, but there
could be plenty more if more writers would be willing to take the first
step into an as yet unexplored region. Especially new writers; don't
be afraid to start off with something other than RANMA.
I've done that. No one noticed or cared :)
I bet noone on this list can even identify the story I did that had NO
Ranma. Not even a hint of Ranma. Not even a SHADOW of Ranma.
Except Jeff Hosmer, who doesn't count for this challenge, cause he helped
me think it up :)
So be quiet, Jeff :)
I do have a pure BGC story if I ever finish it though, hanging out on the
backburner, called Bubblegum Messiah...Unfortunately, I can only work on
it when I'm in the right mood, which comes rarely.
Although, I must say I can see why new writers are drawn to RANMA.
It's so easy to write the characters. Most RANMA characters'
motivations can be summed up in a single sentence, which makes it good
for a first try. It's the simplicity of RANMA which keeps me away from
Same applies to 90% of Anime, like the Dirty Pair :P
it as a writer; I just don't feel challenged by it. Of course, it's
possible to get radical with any character, but in the case of RANMA, I
have to feel that assigning depth to any of the characters is the
literary equivalent of staring at a pattern of lines until you see it
change from eyestrain. There's nothing really there that you haven't
completely made up.
I'd disagree, but we could argue fruitlessly about this for a million
years...To the extent that it is true, it also applies to about 90% of
the anime I've seen.
Virtually any and all fanfic require you to add depth to the characters,
anyway, unless you're gonna just repeat what's already been done.
-- On new writers not getting any commentary: I wasn't aware of this,
since, as I've stated many times, I write far more than I read. I must
say though, that IMHO those who do comment should take it upon
themselves to encourage new writers. We need all the new blood we can
get.
I wrote for three months before I got even a hint anyone had ever SEEN
any of my stories, but that was pre-FFML.
I have to wonder what consitutes "new", since this list is constantly
growing and turning over. Quantity is, of course, important when it
comes to recognition. Someone like me, who puts out one sizable work
every six months or so is not as likely to be known as someone
currently pumping out a serial (especially a RANMA serial). A friend
of mine visited #ffml and had trouble finding anyone who knew who I
was. And I've only been in this business since 1991. :-) Oh,well...
I know who you are, but then we meet once a year at Katsucon :0
Basically, it's a matter of getting people to START reading your
work...eventually you can build up your own fanbase...but that takes
time. I know I skip over a lot of fanfic cause I have limited time and
just don't read if I have no idea of the author's quality or lack thereof.
On the other hand, I also skip anything that I've missed the first part
of, cause I usually don't have enough time anymore to go back and read
first parts...Thus I'm probably the only person on this list who hasn't
read any of Careful Destiny...
Okay, can't resist a plug: I'm working on "Galaxy Police Mihoshi's
ACADEMY DAYS", the story of Mihoshi and Kiyone's first meeting, which
will illustrate just how powerful Mihoshi is. (Really! The anime's
full of examples if you look in the right places...) I'll have the
first chapter for your perusal shortly, hopefully after this weekend.
Hope you folks will enjoy it. Thank you and good night. :-)
I'm looking forward to it :)
John Walter Biles : MA-History, Ph.D Wannabe at U. Kansas
ranma@falcon.cc.ukans.edu http://falcon.cc.ukans.edu/~ranma/falcon.html
http://www.dhp.com/~wraven/john/index.html
If you've ever watched the game warden through a gun sight...
You might be a redneck.