Topic 11:  A Noun is a Person, Place, or Thing
Unfortunately, the more I think about it, the more I think that writing with 
good mechanics is intuitive.  You either can do it well or you can't.  The 
only difference between writing and speaking is that you have more time to 
decide what words you're going to use.  Mechanics includes sentence structure, 
word choice (e.g. homonyms), and story structure (pacing).

The only suggestion I can make on improving the mechanics is to read.  Not 
fanfics; but books, magazines, and newspapers.  Mechanics are important 
because, like characterization, bad mechanics can cause the reader to give up 
because he doesn't understand what you are trying to say.  In the meanwhile, 
try to get someone who does speak and write standard english fluently to 
proofread your work before you send it for mass consumption.

Let me illustrate the difficulty that using bad mechanics can cause by 
writing a dialogue in pidgin (Hawaiian local dialect - expletives not 
included) which is not exactly wrong, but it is a system that most people will 
not totally understand:

Ranma:  "Why you wen stay go wack me, Akane?"
Akane:  "Cause."
Ranma:  "Cause why?"
Akane:  "Cause cause.  You stay screwin' wif Shampoo, ass why!"
Ranma:  "Not!"
Akane:  "Yes!"
Ranma:  "Bull-eye!"
Akane:  "If you no stay screwin' Shampoo, why she was in yo' futon this 
	morning?"
Ranma:  "She wen sneak in, ass why!  Why you no stay belief me?"
Akane:  "Why I should believe you?"
Ranma:  "Kulekule, you stay drive me all futless!  Fine den!  No believe me!  
	I no care."


Topic 12:  Pass The Ketchup
I called this section "pass the ketchup" because it involves elements that are 
not needed, but can add to the reader's (and writer's)  experience.  So 
they're the condiments of fanfic writing.

Subtopic 1:  No Habla De Espanol  (japanese)
Subtopic 2:  *POW!*  (sound effects)
Subtopic 3:  Taz Hate Flashback (flashbacks)
Subtopic 4:  I'm a Poet (poetry, songs, themes)
Subtopic 5:  Where's Waldo?  (cameos)
Subtopic 6:  I'm Hip!  I'm Happenin'!  (in-jokes)

Future Topics:
Topic 13:  The Little Engine That Could (writing the thing)
Topic 14:  Self-Editing For Fun And Profit 
Topic 15:  What Do You Know?  (outside commentary or lack of same)

I included the preliminary for topic 12 now because I wanted to know if anyone 
had any more subtopics to add to it.  Just from the recent batch of posts, I 
think I can add:

Subtopic 7:  I Am Thor!  The Thunder God!  (author's inclusion)

JK