Topic 10:  The Contingencies of Form
The most common fanfic form is the narrative form, where the fanfic resembles 
a book or short story.  The other form used is a modified script form, 
essentially dialogue and some level of description of action and emotion.  
Some readers would have you believe that one is better than the other.  Don't 
listen to them.

Both forms have their strengths and weaknesses.  The narrative form seems to 
allow more self-introspection and appears to flow better, but it can also be 
confusing and bogged down in its own storytelling.  The script form allows 
greater reader interpretation and clarity, but the sparse style does not allow 
for much self-introspection, and anything written assumes a greater meaning 
(otherwise it would not be included).

This might be clearer in the following examples:

***** (script form)

Midori, Keiko, and Ayuki shove Ukyou out from behind her okonomiyaki cart and 
into the street.

Ukyou:  "What's the big idea?"
Midori:  "We're taking over.  Go have fun."
Ukyou:  "Hey..."

Akane seems to make up her mind, then touches Ukyou lightly on the shoulder.

Akane:  "Please, Ukyou.  Ranma and I would be happy if you joined us."

Ukyou looks at her, startled.  She then looks at Ranma (who seems a little 
surprised), then the three girls behind the cart (who look hopeful).

Ukyou:  "OK..."

***** (narrative form)

Ukyou finished setting up her okonomiyaki cart in front of Ucchan's in 
preparation for the festival business.  She was so busy that she didn't notice 
her friends approaching.  All of a sudden Midori, Keiko, and Ayuki were 
pushing her out from behind the cart and into the street.

"What's the big idea?"
Midori answered "We're taking over.  Go have fun."
"Hey..."

Ukyou watched the three girls as they finished setting up the portable grill 
and got ready to start cooking.  Akane watched her closely, her earlier 
conversation with Midori running though her mind.  Ukyou was Ranma's friend, 
perhaps his only friend from childhood.  She knew that Ranma would give up 
Ukyou for her, but she didn't want that.  Akane walked up to Ukyou and touched 
her lightly on the shoulder.

"Please, Ukyou.  Ranma and I would be happy if you joined us."

Ukyou was startled.  Was Akane offering some kind of peace branch?  Ranma 
seemed to be surprised.  He didn't know what was happening.  The three girls 
behind the okonomiyaki cart looked at her with hopeful faces.  They wanted her 
to go with them.

Ukyou didn't know if she could ever stop loving Ranma.  But he was in love 
with Akane.  She would only, and always, be just a friend to him.  Could she 
be just "a friend" to Ranma?

"OK..."

*****

As shown, the narrative form allows for greater exploration on the part of 
the writer.  But this can also be taken too far (or as my english teacher in 
high school would do, draw shovels across the page).

It may be that, like me, you can really only write in one form.There is no 
"right" or "wrong" form in that one is better - any more than a Ranma fanfic 
is better than a BGC fanfic.  What matters is that you, as the writer, 
accomplishes what you set out to do when starting the fanfic.

Some people have said that they cannot enjoy a story told  in one or the other 
of the formats.  That's their loss.  You can't do anything about it.

[Since I only can write in the script form, that's what the developing fanfic 
will be]

Future Topic:  Topic 11 - I Slept Through High School English