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This is to all authors, and just my general opinion. It no way reflects on
any particular individual. When I say 'you', in this message, I mean people
in general.
First of all, I'd just like to say that any C&C that you receive on your
stories is a compliment to your writing skills (good or bad). You, the
author, have generated an emotional response in the reader to the point that
they are willing to take out some of their valuable time and write you about
your story.
So unless it's a flat out flame mail, you, the author should be:
1. Grateful that the person was willing respond to your story
2. Consider the fact that they just might be right in whatever they're
complaining about (of course, if they're praising you and your work, all the
more power to you :)
Second, on the topic of OOCness.
IMHO, the ONLY time a character should deviate from their normal behavior,
is if the author can justify it using circumstances in their story. Now,
that may generate a 'duh, like I didn't know that!' on the part of many of
you, but I've read, or should I say, tried to read, many stories where the
character of one or more people are changed, with no justification.
There's nothing wrong with writing a character that's OOC. In fact, many
fics I've read have been where people have gone under personality changes
and I have throughly enjoyed them. In most cases, if not all, the change
has been explained and justified by events in the story.
Some examples:
1. Jamie & Bridget Wilde's The Final Ripoff [Simpsons][Highlander][Fusion]
Man was that funny! A lot of characters were OOC (Flanders a homicidal
maniac? BWAHAHAHA!!)
2. DB Sommers Nabiki - New Horizons
Nabiki get's married, has a kid, and (sort of) figures out how to juggle
(and enjoy) a career and motherhood. So where do I start on
OOCness...Nabiki having a kid? :)
The one thing I am very thankful of from my prereaders is that they
constantly challenge me on keeping my characters in character. BUT they're
not so closeminded that when I change their character in the story, and HAVE
A REASON FOR IT, they don't jump down my throat saying "The Ranma in the
manga/anime/a fic that I once wrote wasn't like that!"
Third, and finally:
We're doing this for *fun*. Don't take it so seriously!
I was very disappointed in the people that responded negatively to Gary
Kleppe's "Ranma chooses smooth over chunky peanut butter" fic. It was a
nice, lighthearted piece that was suppose to reflect on the absurdity of
people complaining about OOCness in a previous fic. Or at least that's what
I got out of it. And what happened? People complained because it "wasn't
up to Gary's usually high standards."
What a load of bull! Stop being so critical and enjoy what people write!
Of course, if it's a truly horrible fic, then they deserve what they get...
;)
I can't wait for the flames I get for this. :)
Adam