At 01:44 AM 11/23/96 -0500, you wrote:

I've been reading the Talswapr awards and other fanfic reviews, and it
seems to me that alot of the critics seem to enjoy the more
serious Ranma stories, a departure from the usual Takahashi mayhem.  My
Ranma/SM fanfic basically sticks to the original formula, and I've only
gotten positive responses to it (no flames), but I was wondering if most
people enjoyed the more serious Ranma stories.  I feel expanding the Ranma
characters or placing them in different situations is fine, (Mark
Latus does a great job of this) but think many people go beyond that and
change the characters.  Do people actually prefer vast differences in the
Ranma characters they know and love?  Or is the original hijinks Takahashi
started prefered? 

       I personally do not know but I think the general preference of
readers lean in the direction of "serious" fics, rather than "original"
flavor MAINLY, IMHO, because absolutely nobody can equal Takahashi-sama at
her wackiness and intelligent story lines and all that.  

I agree on this point.  I don't even attempt to write like her because I
know that I can't do it.  Period.

       However, I strongly urge you to write however you like, with
whatever theme you choose to infuse the story with (Humor, Drama, Action, or
a combo of all three [which Takahashi-sama does with uncanny ease])

       And as for this IC/OOC thing, it seems as if people generally like
IC stories more than OOC stories 

       But, if those OOC fics JUSTIFY their OOC-ness of the characters with
either 1) Good Reasons or 2) Parodic Entertainment or 3) Erotic
Entertainment, then those fics are on par with, nay, often bettering many IC
fics.  

I write Careful Destiny seriously because that's how I am IRL.  That's the
way I see life, and hence how I write.  I'd *like* to write with more humor,
but I just don't have enough experience at it.  So, for me, it's not a
matter of choice;  it just is.

       Anyways, one parting sentence on this topic. You can't please
everyone, so write what YOU want, not what THEY want, or your fic will fall
apart.  Guaranteed.

Amen!  I don't write for others when I write CD.  I am glad, however, that
others enjoy the story.  (Although, given the lack of response to the
just-released part four, I may have turned a few people off to the story...)


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Later,                        |  Oh GOD!  He has a web address!!! 0_0
Todd Hill                     |  ** http://www.newberry.edu/sstalker **
Newberry College Computer Lab | Author: UY - The Prince and the Lecher
Newberry, South Carolina      |         Ranma 1/2 - Careful Destiny
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