Oooooo . . .Fanfic Ideas . . .chum in the water!

Just a couple of general thoughts:
1)Ideas are a dime a dozen. There are only about 3 Plots for writing
 fiction of any kind. (the exact number varies depending upon who you ask)

2)ANY idea can make a great story.  It all depends on what you do
with it.Shakespear did pretty  well ripping off fellow playwrights of the time.
I've read several anthologies by SF/F authors who were given a central 'seed' idea. All of the stories were very different, even though the basic idea was the same.

3) More important than an 'idea' IMO are the following elements:

a) Characterization: Create believable characters that the reader
can empathize with. The reader has to care about the characters
and what happens to them.

b) Dynamic Tension: there must be some 'problem to solve' (internal or external or a combination). This provides energy that drives the story.

c) Plot: This is the basic structure or framework of the story that supports the characters and Dynamic Tension.
 Jack Hodgins ( A Passion for Narrative) Plot: "a series of causally related events, involving some sort of conflict (or tension), leading (probably) to a climax and (possibly) to a resolution."
     

Some very good articles on writing SF/F (of fiction of any kind)can be found:
http://www.sfwa.org/writing/


Now to address your ideas a bit more specifically.

Idea #1:

Ranma as Lina Inverse.  Lets set up a very simple comparison table.
(BTW, this is NOT meant to be definitive about either character, so
please don't everyone get into a pi**ing contest over what Ranma/Lina
are *really* like.)

                         Ranma/Ranko                   Lina
                         small redhead               small redhead

                         short tempered               Very short tempered

                         Chaotic life                 Chaotic Life

                         Powerful martial artist      good martial artist Great Sorceress

Now certainly there are differences between the characters, but on the whole Ranma & Slayers are both adventure comedies, so the differences are more of detail than substance. Now I can think of a couple of different ways to write a Ranma as Lina story. But I'm a great believer in simplifying things. Ranma is already a powerful central character, so making him Lina is pretty much just having him change his costume.

Akane as Lina: My favorite choice, as anyone could guess. But, let's give this one a pass.
(If I were writing  Ranma as Lina, then Akane would have to be Gourry. ^_* Akane with the Hammer of Light <sigh> so many possibilities for destruction)

Kasumi/Nabiki:  My choice would be Kasumi. The conflict between her
present day persona and Lina provides dynamic tension right off the bat. An underlying theme could be "Lets cure Kasumi vs. Lina doesn't want to die(be cured back into non-existence)

Shampoo/Ukyou: see above with additionals such as 4000 years of Amazon History  left out a few things:
SHAMPO: "What Great Grandmother mean, First Ancestor named Lina?"

 Or Magic Okonomiyaki.

UKYOU: "Cod Roe and Udon Noodles from Yokohama, Mishma Beef and Spicy Pineapple from  a discount store! Chairman Kaga, shining like gold upon the Kitchen Stadium,, I call upon thee, swear myself to thee! Let the fools who stand before us be destroyed by the power you and I possess! IRON CHEF!!" 
:)

Ryouga: Actually my favorite. Unexpected, yet could easily be woven into Lina/Ryouga temper,combativeness. Ryouga getting lost could be the result of trying to find his way back to the Slayers universe.  Add Ryouga changing into a magic using redhead (gender problems plus people
confusing him with Ranko) adds another level of tension and a bunch of problems to solve.

Idea #2

The Kikimo characters needs some flaws. A beautiful genius after Ranma is simply one more fiancee in the mix. Shampoo, Ukyou, Kodachi, Akane . . .<snip a LONG list of male/female canon/fanfic fiancees> . . .Kikimo. . .

What makes *this* particular girl chasing after Ranma more interesting than
Shampoo or Ukyou or . . .???
Now, one thought is that Kikimo is a lesbian, and being a genius decides to
'cure' Ranko of the affliction of being <yuck> male.  Of course, Ranko doesn't want  that kind of cure so you've got dynamic tension there from the start. And Kikimo's flaw is a ruthless selfishness that puts what she wants above anyone else.  Make her sympathetic by showing she's like that due to her childhood/trauma. Feeling abandoned by her parents, something like that.

Your ideas are all workable, just depends on what you do with them. Hope this has been useful. And, as always, this is ONLY my opinion. Take what you find useful, ignore the rest. :)


BTW: for anyone interested I'm still writing. I've been busy with real life and getting a manuscript ready for the writers workshop at DragonCon. I'm hoping to get back to fanfic writing after DragonCon (sept 5 or so) Probably with a sequal to Cats have no tears, finishing up Tyger Tyger & Bedlam Fire and possibly a short InuYasha story. (Still working on Sukeban Senshi. Hammering out chapter 9 right now. Makoto, Queen Beryl, kissing hoods, spanking and trunks  and trunks of okonomiyaki. ^)^  It's all Ukyou's fault. I claim no responsibility. It wasn't supposed to be like this. Oh, and Luna is back. So blame her too.)

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