This is something that I've been doing alot of, that is, introducting new
characters into various fanfics, most notably, Megumi Shirow, who is featuered
in a good number of my Ranma fanfics.

        Is there any guidline on new characters or what?

Hmmmmm....I don't know of any guidelines or some such thing on original 
characters, but they pop up in various fanfics, mine included.  With the 
various essays on aspects of fanfic writing coming out now and then, I suppose 
the topic will be discussed at some point in the future.

As for what I could say, it stems from the feedback I've gotten from Aa! 
Megami-Sensei!, which is my first fanfic work.  I ended up learning quite a few 
lessons concerning characters thanks to the comments (read: complaints) I've 
gotten over the past several months.

1) Don't overload the fic with too many characters at once!

This was the biggest complaint I've gotten about my work.  Simply put, I 
introduced too many new characters at once early on, and several of my readers 
needed a scorecard to keep track of them.  Since then, I narrowed the focus to 
fewer characters and left the rest for supporting roles now and then.  
Eventually, the number of original characters will be reduced even further once 
I graduate the bunch and send most of them off in their own directions in the 
storyline.  If you have several original characters, introduce them gradually 
and decide which ones are going to get more focus overall than the others.  
Also, switch focus now and then if you have more than few original characters.


2)  Make sure the characters have something to contribute to the story and fit 
in with the setting.

Again, this was one of the big complaints about some of my original characters, 
since they didn't fit in too well with either the Ranma 1/2 or the Aa! 
Megami-sama storylines, even when you account for the UY touch of introducing 
aliens to the shared continuity.  Some characters fit in quite well, like 
Buffy, Jun, and Suzie, all of which have some tie to one universe or the other. 
Others, like Billie, Mackie, and Dozul, had less of a tie-in and I ended up 
relegating them to secondary status for the moment.  This ties in with #1.


3) Make sure the characters are good ones.

This would go for *any* character in *any* story, really.  Flesh them out and 
figure out what makes them tick and how they get along with the other 
characters.  How he or she would react to Ranma's curse should they find out, 
for example.  Could they put up with Kuno?  Will they chase after Ranma (if 
female), or respect one of his engagements (and which one would that be?)?
I've found that it's better to sit down before hand and type/write out a good 
character description and history.


Those are some things I that I can come up with from the top of my head based 
on the C&C I've gotten on my fics.  I'm sure others can add to these with even 
better suggestions.

 

Geoff Walker, THE TYRANT PAX, Hentai Omega
Offical Grand Inqusistor Of the Cult of Nabiki Tendo
Also: Nene Romanova, Tsujimoto Natsumi, Kasumi Tendo
Tomoe Hotoru, Rei Hino, Ami Muzino, Ten'ou Haruka, Yuri, Belldandy,Ryoko,
Urd...and Many others walker@mail.accent.net

Hmmmm...I wonder what position I hold in the Cult of Urd, being the shrine's 
caretaker and all...


Peter L. Ward          falcon@best.com          Kyusaku on IRC #Anime!
Caretaker of the Urd Shrine (http://www.best.com/~falcon/urdhome.htm)

"If you see something this big, with eight legs, let me know so I can
kill it before it can develop language skills!" - Ambassador Londo