Part 2 -- Martin Bennett, G.L. Sandborn, Kent Magami, Caroline Ann Seawright:
In <Pine.OSF.3.91.960624120214.10644A-100000@yoyo.cc.monash.edu.au> Martin Bennett <plunger@yoyo.cc.monash.edu.au> asks:
[Huge Scisors! CRUNCH!]
Here's a thought, though...
What if someone adds a character that is NOT them and is pure fiction? Is
that okay? Or is it really just the same as an author fics? Opinions?
IMO it's very different, so long as the character isn't themselves
with another name, since one of the major problems with Author (and
acquaintance) inclusion is a tendency either to indulge in egomania :) or to
forget that we know nothing about the characters, something that happens less
with entirely (Or perhaps I should say newly?) created characters as the
author has to define them for his/her own satisfaction. Also people tend to
be less reticent about showing a created character in all their imperfections,
and they do not have to like what they create.
***WARNING; _Dark Chronicles_ spoilers for what I've already posted,
ahead. Look for the dashes if you don't want to read.***
In my own 'fic, Johnathan begins as a *very* ordinary individual to
say the least, and if I ever find myself with a tenth part of certain aspects
of his personality I would hope to be put out of my misery. Joanna is a
savage, ruthless virago, full of rage, hate and desire to tear him apart,
without a trace of angst, depression or any of the emotions one would usually
associate with such behaviour. Not the girl one would ask out unless one had
a *very* impatient death-wish. Neither will save the multiverse, try to solve
Ranma's fiance problems, accept C-ko's tantrums, be sympathetic to Usagi's
whining, stand Priss's angst, or have much patience with Kei's temper and
impulsiveness. Both will however, as will every included character, anime or
created, be integral to the final resolution (if any).
--------------------
P-word.
In <199606240300.WAA15862@microlink.net> "G.L. Sandborn" <sandborn@microlink.net> responded to P-word's question:
[...]
Anyway, new characters MUST be intergral to moving the central
characters along a given plot path and MUST be included only because none of
the origional characters qualify for that manipulation. I know this is hard
for 'purists' (who insist that any inclusion damages the integrity of the
origional author's work) to understand.
I myself had a *great* deal of trouble with beginning DC for that very
reason. As an author hoping to publish several fantasy epics (currently in
the writing), I would be *outraged* should someone use my characters without
my permission. With this in mind, I set several conditions on DC, those being
more or less that it could not be sold, that no one could expand on it without
my agreement (and so compound the evil :) ) and that there would be no
scenarios using other people's characters that might offend them (based upon
what I can interpret of their intentions from what they have written). If
ever I reach the conclusion that this isn't enough, I'll give up and delete
the thing.
[...]
As for an author bed hopping with one of the characters, well, I'm not into
lemon fanfic anyway.
Nor I; apart from the fact that, unless the original author has
defined that as a characteristic of the character being used, this goes IMO
beyond the bounds of acceptable use of someone else's creation. One of the
most personally offensive examples of this to me is the plethora of perversion
written concerning the BBC Blakes-7 series characters. I won't get started on
that here, save to say that I can't even begin to comprehend it and would take
the culprits apart were such things done to my characters.
As Ranma said in Episode 4 of the TV series: "Leave me
out of your sick fantasies, pal!"
A *very* heart-felt nod of agreement.
In <Pine.OSF.3.91.960624210224.20057X-100000@yoyo.cc.monash.edu.au> Caroline Ann Seawright <kunoichi@yoyo.cc.monash.edu.au> writes:
Stray characters not in the origional cast are subject to the same
complaints; the character is really the author. I don't totally subscribe
Hmmm... Does that mean that Miyabi is me at ... toddler age? Wow...
Cool, I always wantd to be Ranma and Akane's kid! Hmm... maybe I'll have
Miyabi go marry Ryouga or something just to make my dreams come true,
and write an even hotter and steamier lemon scene between the 3 year old
[Brrrr! Enormous scisors and anti-nausea tablets at this point]
(Kent facefaults.)
Craig does likewise!
Kent: Um, Kun-chan...perhaps you'd better take your medication...
Kun-chan: *pout* Awwww... do I *have* to? *sniffle* But I wanna write...
C-koH: This had *better* be a joke.
Ah, why not!
Joanna <frigid smile>: Indeed it had! And if it isn't, just let me know when
you've finished making our displeasure `clear'; I've had *experience* in
dealing with people who try that kind of thing! <Begins to sharpen tiny
blades.>
[...]
Hmmm... I tend not to like many stories with new characters appearing...
though I still write one myself, sort of... but I wonder if it counts
because she's not doing much or anything really... But I guess growing
up through a series of fics could be considered 'integral'?
Miko: And what's wrong with new characters?
Johnathan: Yes, I mean *really*! I'm a shining example of just how seemlessly
they can fit into--! <SLAM! CRACK! CRUNCH! SPLINTER!>
Joanna <calm as ice>: I thought I told you I didn't want to hear your putrid
whining little excuse for a voice. Obviously there was something about this
you misunderstood. <slow, almost maternal smile.>
Kun-chan: Nothing... I just see a new name and tend not to read it because
new characters usually mean that that character 'fixes' all that's wrong
in Ranma 1/2 rather than using the characters to sort out their own
problems themselves...
Whoa! That's the last thing on my mind. Put my DC characters in any
situation and it's likely to be exacerbated 100-fold.
You do have a very valid point however. The fix-it-all otaku is
unfortunately all too common, especially for a first effort, one of the many
reasons I would not have attempted DC had I not been working for several years
on several original works of my own and had I not read a great deal of Anime
fanfic beforehand. Of (known by me) first efforts of this kind, I would rate
Twister as first and Bert Van Vliet a close next. Brett Handy would be in
there with them, but I can't recall whether OMG is his first.
[...]
Kun-chan...
Craig(going off to sleep after re-editing both of these
for several hours -- yes, I'm a pedant!)