Whew

The command line alone left me sitting for about 10 minutes.

and some are saying 'only ten?'


 

by Richard Lawson

The art of writing is one of self-expression.

Writing perhaps, but not fanfiction. At least not solely.

 

So then, you're going to write a fanfic using someone else's characters.
What rules are there?

My answer:  there *are* no rules.

gah.

  My first real twinge of conscience came when I was writing "Autumn",
since it grew to contain a real kiss between Ranma and Akane.  That's
all, just a kiss, but Takahashi had never never allowed that kiss,
either in the Manga she wrote, or in the anime written under strict
license.  I knew at that time I was stepping outside the canonical
bounds of Ranma 1/2, and that since the Manga had not ended ("Autumn"
was written when the stories of volume 36 were running in Shonen Sunday)
I was mindful and hesitant that Takahashi might end the series with a
kiss, and that I was writing a story that a number of people might read
before they saw her version, and that their appreciation of her scene
might be in some way tainted by my work.

I wonder if others feel this taint? And. . .

I wonder if GT took it to the next logistical degree by writing
fanfiction ON fanfiction with Bottleneck. . .
As others have before him, what would you say to them?

  On the contrary, Takahashi-sensei has left us plenty of evidence with
regard to Ranma 1/2. We have the 38 Manga volumes, penned literally by
her own hand. We have the 18 episodes of the original anime series (2 of
which contained non-manga stories), and we have 143 'hot fighting
stories' episodes, of which 76 (more than half) were not taken from the
manga, and we have 6 OAVs, (3 non manga) and the 3 movies, only one of
which came from the manga. Those 81 non-manga stories were created under
license, and therefore provide direct physical evidence as to what sort
of stories Takahashi-sensei would feel comfortable with.

.  .Takahashi would feel comfortable with writing or having a part in.
But those above mentioned are completely separate fields. Japanese anime
movie industry, manga industry, you simply can't apply that kind of
psychology to fandom. She couldn't have been thinking entirely of fandom
for such things, maybe only partially if at all.

Why are there OMAKE spoofs on some series of anime? Looking at a couple
off the top of my head, VG AI, and BlueSeed, I can tell the author had a
hand in those, and boy do they step out of the boundaries of the series.
Who could forget Kusanagi, Murakumo, a centipede and a spider playing
Mah-jongg?

Just a bit askew. . 

 

  Lawson points out that Takahashi has herself created stories "from
purely humorous to horrific". The fact that the "horrific" so evident in
her other works is conspicuously missing from Ranma 1/2, both in the
manga and licensed anime, is irrefutable proof of her intentions that it
not be there.

Eeehhh, those are really hard to define. Especially in Ranma1/2 which
touches SO many things. something more direct, like Kimagure Orange
Road, only has so many variables to play with. SO a lemon with their
cast going at it like bunnies, or a super dark, morose, EVERYONE DIES,
simply is out of place.

The gratuitous, if somewhat comical, violence of Ranma1/2 can loan to
something along those lines, but in KOR, there isn't even a shade of
that area. (Maybe  some in the anime. . )
 

  Ranma 1/2 contains no murder, no rape, no suicide.  There are dark
episodes where major characters come close to death, but they do not
die. Ranma is even forced in the last story arch to use lethal force,
but he is saved from the consequences of his action because his opponent
has rejuvenating powers. In Ranma 1/2 we are frequently exposed to the
naked human form, but we are not exposed to the blackness that lies
within the hearts of man.

Streaking. . . use windex.
 

  Inuyasha, Takahashi's new series, takes a dark turn. Innocent
bystanders are frequently killed, and villains are dispatched with
blades of living blood. The nature of Inuyasha is distinct from Ranma
1/2, here the stories are bloody and murder is normal.

yet it has some wild takes that have to be seen to be believed, like
checking Inu's ears to see if they're real.
 

The economic impact Joseph refers to can also work both ways.  I have
had many people tell me that they've acquired "All Purpose Cultural Cat
Girl Nuku Nuku" tapes after having read my Nuku Nuku fanfiction.  This
despite the fact that my fanfiction is much more serious than the anime
on which it's based, and that "Transitions" is a very depressing story
that introduces tragedy to what's supposed to be a light, fun comedy.

I see the net effect of fanfiction's impact on the original works as
zero or plus, myself.  The creation of fanfiction is more likely to
interest people in there series on which they're based.  The existence
of sharp contrasts are more likely to make us appreciate the original
characters more.

Precisely.
 

Let me say that I've seen both sides.  I did have one person write to me
telling me his reaction to the first Ranma 1/2 movie.  He talked about
how, at the end, when Ranma and Akane are onboard the floating ship and
are looking at each other out of the corners of their eyes, all he could
think about was Kentaro.  :)  Certainly not what I intended when I wrote
"Thy Outward Part".  So Joseph's point is well-taken.

Doh.

I think that such individuals are forgetting the roots of these works,
which, no matter anyone's ego or pride, is what is really important. The
root.

No offense, Richard, but a choice between a fanfic and the original
would leave the fanfic community disappointed. But since authors don't
always fill in the gaps we feel need filled, we still have something to
do when we run out of original work to admire.
 

Joseph Palmer

  We have no right to these characters at all, so we certainly can find
no right to rewrite a character to "provide contrast". Contrast means
'To set in opposition in order to show differences.' Recasting the same
character in opposition to their "quintessential qualities" is self
defeating, since it demonstrates that those very qualities are not so
quintessential after all. It is this dilution of the essence of the
original story that I find the most disheartening. The message, (whether
intentional or not) is 'See, this series wasn't so special after all, I
can recast these characters into the same banal plots of crime, violence
and hate we get every night on television.'

Harsh, Joseph.

But somewhat true. What is Ranma if he doesn't act like Ranma, or do
martial arts? no longer Ranma, just a guy who resembles him and changes
sex. Just as soon name the guy Akira, or Zenko, or something.

  Having written all that, I can recall a number of good stories that
successfully provided contrast, (for example the good Kirk - bad Kirk
Star Trek episodes) but they do so by providing an unbroken connection
and a positive return to the original characterization, and a plot
device to explain the abnormal behavior.  The slightest flaw in that
connection damages that character forever in the mind of the reader.

This brings up another issue to me. Is it just the characters to keep
true to? Or the entire setting, situation, theme and even place? Ranma
in Upper Philly? Tenchi stationary on Jurai? Armitage underwater? Porco
Rosso in space?

Another boundary subject to others views. . .

_______________________________________________________________________

                          "Writing and Rules"
_______________________________________________________________________

Joseph Palmer

  Writing is all about rules. It's about spelling and punctuation,
rhythm, cadence and sentence structure.  Those who break these rules do
so only by making their own. (The rare orthodox sentence shines out of
'Finnegans Wake' like a shiny nail in a box of rusty screws.)

  If we write non-fiction, our pen struggles beneath the burdens of
truth and fact. If we write science fiction, we must know our science,
or be prepared to invent a whole new one. If we write history, we must
honor documented facts. If we write historical fiction, we must weave
our story without disturbing the threads of time. Even if we write pure
fiction our pen is still gently bound, for we may not libel, nor may we
plagiarize.

Its not always plagiarism. Its a tribute!!

Seriously, there is a difference in A) Quoting a separate work.
b)copying for story purposes
c)copying and claiming credit as your being the original.

A and B are subject to leniency. C is not. C is wrong.
 

Joseph Palmer

  e. e. cummings demonstrated only that it is possible to make up his
own rules, and he ground the capital letters from his typewriter to
enforce his rules. Writing without any rules is like music without key
or time, it is but noise.

bad, bad choice of reference. Nowhere is there a parallel here. And of
course this is if you think an anglican developed music system of rules
was the first and only. 5 line staff, key signature. . .

Nope. not the only, and definitely not the first.
 

  Publishing a nonfiction book filled with libel and fabrications will
likely land the author and publisher in court. I don't believe that the
declaration that "There are no Rules" is likely to hold much sway with a
jury.

Mr cummings wasn't writing non-fiction was he?
 

  Fanfiction is the use without permission of proprietary, copyrighted
property. (We do not write fanfiction, we commit fanfiction.) :)
Copyright laws are rules of a sort, and while writing a story and
leaving it spinning on our hard disks can be considered fair use,
publishing them in the internet breaks that copyright law.

How?
 

Richard Lawson

  Joseph splits hairs when he talks about "making up your own rules"
versus "no rules".  Obviously when you go against established tradition,
you're making your own rules.  The point I'm trying to make is that you
should never feel limited by someone else's rules.  Feel free to make up
your own, and don't worry about those who might call it "noise".  Just
so you understand the risk you are taking:  that by creating your own
rules, you may limit the appeal of and the audience for your work.

   Joseph does make a valid point about libel and plagiarism.  Obviously
there *are* some rules.  Just as obviously, the very act of writing
fanfiction breaks those rules.  However, since the industry at large
turns a blind eye (and in fact, copyright-violating manga has its own
industry in Japan), we pretty much get away with it.

A complete INDUSTRY. multiply FFML exponentially and add money, and you
get a comicon and the industry behind it. .. .

But this isn't industry, ne? its fandom.
 

  Lawson's made a strategic retreat. In his opening statement he said
with great force and authority that "there *are* no rules", now that's
been toned down a bit to: "Obviously there *are* some rules." Rather
than needling him for a paragraph or two, I'll get back to the heart of
the matter.

  There is another rule we must face, and that is the rule of law.
Copyright law was not created as a roadblock to our creativity, it was
created to protect the economic and artistic rights of the original
author. Copyright law has this to say about fanfiction: (paraphrasing)
"Don't."

  Fiction is unique. It's not found in the ground like the elements, nor
is it part of the universe to be discovered, like mathematics. It is the
willful creation of man. Neither the fibers of the paper nor the
pigments of the ink are fiction, only the words and ideas.

not even the words. Just the idea.
 

  As authors, we should be especially sensitive to the rights of other
authors. As fan fiction authors we must additionally recognize that our
works are distributed worldwide, for free, and are frequently more
accessible than the original. We must recognize that if our vision is
different, and we assert that vision with great force and skill, that we
are violating the artistic rights and intentions of the original author.

Internet is funny that way. We wouldn't be having this discussion 15
years ago if we were some kind of pinup board, or a once a month panel.
 

  Lawson asserts with regard to creativity: "I don't think there should
be [any rules]." Just because we are writing fanfiction, it doesn't mean
we are issued us a special "artistic learner's permit" that grants us
unrestricted use of the original artist's vehicle.  When we take that
vehicle out for a spin, we owe it to the original author to return it in
the same condition (and top off the tank). If that vehicle is unique or
rare, we should take extra care not to damage it.

Since we can't really speak to the author, we are also burrowing without
letting them know.
 

  Those assertions carry much authority and force, yet I can find no
evidence or argument to support them.

Richard Lawson

When trying to define my "strategic retreat", Joseph holds up a Red
Delicious and attempts to show how different it is from a Florida
Seedless.  To the original question, "What kind of a fanfic should an
author create?", I said that there were no rules; feel free to create
any fanfic you want.  Do you want to publish it on raac?  Then there

AND HERE IS WHERE THE SEMANTICS GET US.

In the writing an existence of fanfiction, there ARE no rules or laws.
When you begin to try to expose it to others, whether on paper, data
file, HTML, RAAC, or even speech, that is when the rules start piling
up.

I am proceeding from the assumption that you have decided to learn how
to drive in your neighbor's car without permission.  And, indeed, most
neighbors these days are turning a blind eye to the fact that their cars
are being used for this purpose.  For good reason, too: their cars, if
you follow my arguments above, are generally more valuable to them after
they've been used in this manner.

That is a very pompous view to take, and yet is quite valid. Kind of
like not saying "I'm better than you," even though you both know it.

An author THRIVES on fandom because without that, their publisher
doesn't make any money, which means the publisher doesn't like authors
that don't make them money, which means the author no longer can widely
expose or publish their works. with Fandom in its proper place, it
stimulates the cycle.

in an improper place, it smothers it.

That is the inherent ethical problem with fanfiction; Not staying within
the authors boundaries, because that issue is too specific. Rather, do
we help the original work with our fan appreciation, or damage it?


Take internet publishing of Ranma images. That essentially kills the
poster industry, yet I can find hundreds of image galleries and shrines
of them.

And then there a *.MOV and *.FLI archives, and even worse, MP3 archives.
These, without a doubt, damage it and smother.

But Fanfiction?

All Rights Reserved.

I think we all know this part. and if there is someone who doesn't,
refer them to me, and I'll explain it to them.

and above all, keep writing!

-TJ Hamilton
-Colliding SYmphonies Head
-FFIRC Head