Shuma Gorath wrote:

A while ago, a person on #fanfic mentioned how detrimental it
is to the fanfic for it to be tagged "original."  Now, I think
I understand how such can do so.  As many have told me when I
put out my first fanfic...this fic is dangerously close to being
simply that: a fic.  The biggest problem I have with this fic
has nothing to do with the grammar (which is just fine) or the
story presented thus far (which has, thus far, enthralled me more
than the typical fanfic.)  It is, rather, the surprising absence
of Ranma and Co. from the "fanfic."  There is an appearance
in Chapter 1, yes; i, for one, find the Ranma presence much too
sparse.  The second and third parts, although very good reads,
had no Ranma characters present.  Okay, you are devloping your
character...but there still should be some tie between your
character and the Ranma Company right now.  Immediately.
Too much originality may kill your fanfic.  By the time they
read 10 k into your fic, they'll be wondering where are all
the Ranma cliches they've come to know and love?  As much as
this fic is original, you might want to try to put in constant
reminders that, "Yes, indeed.  This is a Ranma fanfic."  Could
it compromise what is being communicated in the story?  Yes indeed.
Could it deter others from reading this fanfic?  No.

I once told one of my critiquers that "...the story and the ideas
communicated in thif fic take priority above all else..."  The
critic responded with "My god, you're putting a moral in this
thing?"  After explaining to him that it's not necessairly
a moral I'm trying to communicate, he added, "This better be one
DAMN GOOD fic if I'm going to read it..."  By making this so
original, you are putting yourself under greater pressure to make
this fic a...how shall one say...the next great fanfic?  Perhaps.

I don't read many Ranma fanfics.  This is mainly because I'm not
fully versed in the Ranma univers.  heck, I'm not fully versed in
any anime universe.  I read it because of two things: the "original"
tag and all the dark tags.  This is probably not going to be the
case with others.  They will read it because of your claim that
this is a ranma fanfic.  Two chapters have just went by with nary
a peep out of our beloved Ranma characters.  Please consider
giving the Ranma characters more of a presence in this buildup of
the character of Genjuro.

Sklathill