From:
"Ryoko" <kathy@linuxgrrls.org> | Block
address
To:
allyn yonge <ayonge@yahoo.com>,
ffml@fanfic.com
Date:
Fri, 8 Sep 2000 19:18:32 +0100
Subject:
Re: [FFML] idea for new Fic x-over
Hi
My comments$$
On 5 Sep 00, at 14:03, allyn yonge wrote:
I am so full of warm-fuzzies I just have to comment.
^_^
Goodie!
{Everything is In My Opinion (IMO) ONLY}
everyones gotta have one... several if they're really
on a roll!
$$I've had some people take exception to my comments.
I always try to make sure that people understand
my C&C is IMO and NOT a personal attack.
{doesn't always work} <sigh>
My basic comment, as always, is that the author
should write what
she/he
wants to write. Write with joy and enthusiasm.
Uh-oh. That means i'm stuck with x-overs! ^_-
$$Write what you enjoy. Write the story you
would like to read.
On a more practical level, don't try to be so
specific. Don't try to force the elements of two
series together.
I wasn't really... in some ways, yes, i think to nerge
them you have
to place certain elements together (at least for
fusions like this) EG
for the Silorjin universe (cheers greg!) you know that
all Senshi
have to correspond at least at some level, to the
Saiyajin chars...
$$Ummmm, well perhaps. Again this in my opinion.
However when I write a cross-over or fusion I
use the original elements as "seeds", rather
than trying to make a one-to-one correspondence.
So here we need to set out that the younger generation
of fighters
are going to pilot vipers, merge that with their
fighting skills a
little
(or not, i may change that) and call them blue
squadron.
the elders get to fly the ship, Ranma gets t deal with
messes even
starbuck would envy etc. Then you need bad guys,
Kuno's are
ready made fore the purpose etc.
The trick is going to be writing them so they fit into
these elements
without losing their own identities!
$$ Everyone has their own methods of writing.
In my case your description seems to "detailed".
For instance, Ranma might not WANT to be a member of
the blue squadron. ^_^ That sounds rather silly to
some
people. However with my method of writing . . .
I'd drop Ranma & co. into this world and see what
they do rather than deciding ahead of time what
positions
they would have. Of course there are realistic limits
to this. But rather than making "specific" roll
assignments
I'd be a little more general.
Concerning the "Galactica" world view,
I'd set it up as coming from an "Asian"
culture. (as I recall the original series
was divided into different groups or
colonies) And I might/probably change
the name. I might use the Amazons for
naming conventions. In fact an
"Amazon" Galactica might be
a good starting point. Perhaps
change Galactica
Battlestar Hipolyta. ^_^
And an all female crew.
That could give you a starting point
for the plot right there.
Ranma, Ryouga, Kuno, etc.
have lost their Battlestar (although
the idea of Ryouga in command of
a Battlestar that's always lost is cute)
and have to switch to the Hipolyta.
Which only accepts women. (in combat
roles) ^_^
If you have Ranma keep his little "Problem"
you can have a sub-plot.
Fierce warrior Ran-ko.
Outsider male Ran-ma.
I'd ditch the whole arranged marriage
plot and let things develop naturally.
In this universe Ran-ma (or Ran-ko)
could end up with someone new. Or die
heroically. Or get pregnant. Who knows?
In this case, the basic idea is to put the Nerima
crew
into a "flee-for-your-life-from-the-BEM" story.
Ugh, I hate this - now I'm having Yamoato x-over
flashes!
> A nice basic space opera. If I were writing this,
I'd
set the stage in terms of hardware, cultural
conditions, etc.
Then add the BEM's, Nerima gang. Place over the
fire of plot
conflict and bring to a roiling boil. ^)^
What did I do wrong then? i'm interested to learn.
(and if the mods
let us this could provide a great lesson in how people
write, and be
relevent to several people as plot generators>
$$I don't think you did anything wrong. There are no
"wrong"
ways of doing things. There ARE, IMO, different ways
of doing
the same thing, some more effective than other. AND,
there are
an almost infinite variety of reader, all of whom like
different
kinds of stories. However, I have certain ways of
doing things
that I think are most effective. If you like the way I
write and the
stories I tell, then what I say may be helpful. If
not, then what
I say probably will not mean much.
I would NOT try to set things up as specifically as
in
this summary.
that was more just so people could have ideas of what
they were
going to do with the story as i'd thrown it out. I
don't expect those
specifics to survive contact with a plot<smiles>
$$Of course not. OTOH the only thing I can
make comments on are what you have provided.
IMO it's very difficult to make meaningful
commentary on a plot outline or an idea.
Much better for you to write about
30kb and throw it on the FFML
for comment.
need to give the characters freedom of choice,
room to grow. Otherwise the story is too wooden.
/me whistles cheerfully and points at the manga
$$?? Are you saying the manga (Ranma) is wooden?
Or that the manga did give room to grow?
In either event, we're talking about YOUR story, which
as prose will be very different from manga (esp Ranma,
which
was a very visual slapstick).
I've got a little essay, complete with fanfic, in
the
works to demonstrate this very point.
great!
For anyone interested in my thoughts on writing
fanfics be on the
lookout for
Bedlam Fire. A little story that's my take on how to
write a Ranma/Green Lantern cross over (plus essay
on the evolution of the story)
when's it due?
$$Working on finishing the story now. I've done about
45KB since
I last wrote to you. I've gotten about 2/3 of the
essay done. I HOPE
to get both out by next week. But I'm getting a lot of
good feed-back
from my pre-readers on Sukeban chp. 8 and I'm working
oh helping
my good friend update the page she's done for my
fanfiction.
BEM= Bug Eyed Monster for those too young to
remember Eando Binder, E.E.(Doc) Smith, H. Beam
Piper,
etc.
who, Hmm.....<eg> and who?
$$<sigh> ^_^;;;
The younger generation.
Eando Binder (Earl and Otto. They had another brother,
Anton, who was an artist.)
A quickie bio may be found at :
http://members.tripod.com/~gwillick/binder.html
They were pulp writers in the 1930's and 40's.
They started writing SF after being "fans" for several
years.
{fanfiction writing can lead to greater things. ^_^)
I've always LOVED their stuff. "Anton York, Immortal"
& "Adam Link, Robot"
are two classics.
E.E. (Doc) Smith, Lensman, Skylark of Space, etc.
http://www.wheels.org/lens/
One of the GREAT old time writers. He and Hamilton
used to via for the title of Universe Destroyer. (They
both
built HUGE space ships/armadas for grand space
battles.
Smith put engines and BIG guns on planets and used
them
battleships in space. Then the BEM's did something
bigger. ^_^)
Great fun, and a classic.
H. Beam Piper. <sigh> He died too soon. He would
have been one of the greats. He IS one of the greats,
we just
missed out on so much. He wrote "the cosmic computer",
"Little Fuzzy",
"Lord Calvin of Otherwhen", and many, many short
stories.
If you can only have a few books, I recommend:
H. Beam Piper,
R.A. Heinlein
Keith Laumer (written before his stroke)
Murry Leinster
Hmmm, well actually I can't recommend only a few. <BG>
But Piper is a MUST. Wonderful, wonderful stories.
Great
historical detail. Believable characters. Wonderful,
fantastic stuff.
Sailor Moon/John Carter of Mars
Ranma/The Shadow
Hana Yori Dango/ Armaggedon 2419 by Phil Nowlan (the
original Buck Rogers novel)
hows about Dominion and buck rogers? <eg>
$$Dominion??? That sounds familiar.
RK/Little Orphan Annie (I'm not joking. I LOVE
L.O.A.)
LOL!
$$It really would work, Keep the characters and most
of the characterization. Just change him . .
.slightly.
Move away from the sword and more toward using
his wits, as Annie does.
There are other possibilities of course. What if RK
were
a girl? How would that change the story. ???
I hope this give some idea of how I think
a Ranma/Battlestar should be done.
Hmmm... well, nope<grins> But some good tips on ways
to do it!
$$I tried.
<Gleeful> Lets do a ranma Lensman ... nah, prolly
wouldn't work.
$$Lensman??? That's a LONG series. I get tired
just thinking about it.
Besides, I prefer using an "idea" rather than
actual characters or story elements.
And the "idea" of Lensman is VERY convoluted
and developed over many volumes. That would
be an epic. Now parts of the basic idea . . .
An intergalactic cop with a telepathic
parasite, something like that might work.
Again, elements of the idea to _start_
your story.
3x3 eyes / The highlander? (oh! now that I CAN see!)
Ryoko
I need a hero!
Mail Eternal Power, MAKE UP!
$$Lie down in a cool dark place with a damp
cloth on your forehead until you can't see
it anymore. ^_^
=====
"When I get a little money, I buy books;
And, if any is left, I buy food and clothes."-Erasmus
"A man is a small thing, and the night is large
and full of wonders." -Lord Dunsany
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