AFAA: draft 1
WOOT I AM DONE.
First things first: explaining my reasoning. Because no one wants to read a massive essay on the inner workings of writing, I've tried to be as simple and as short as possible--I made 50,000 characters my landmark 'cos that's one post on-forum. So, coverage as opposed to depth, with the result that there are things in there (such as ( Read more... )
First things first: explaining my reasoning. Because no one wants to read a massive essay on the inner workings of writing, I've tried to be as simple and as short as possible--I made 50,000 characters my landmark 'cos that's one post on-forum. So, coverage as opposed to depth, with the result that there are things in there (such as ( Read more... )
Actually fine with the story types--it's only one sentence, and sums things up fine. Perhaps mention scripts and how they aren't smiled upon (against the rules, right?) here?
Yes, consistency of tenses, that should be stressed.
Brought to light something I had glossed over, but--inanimate objects as characters? Looking again, I don't think that that definition of character is really very good. The fact that something happens to a priceless family heirloom--for example it gets smashed--might be important to the plot, but does that mean that the vase or whatever is a character? I think not. Perhaps something capable of reacting to actions imposed upon it is more like a character?
Actually I think that's a bigger issue than it appears, but I really meant to go to bed awhile ago and I don't think I want to go into it. In short, inanimate objects are rarely characters, and just because something happens to something doesn't make it a character.
I did also think "more examples" for the punctuation stuff, but there really isn't room for that and this isn't supposed to be primarily a mechanics guide. What you have is fine, I think, and covers most major stuff, but adding a link to something more complete would probably be good.
I actually thought the address of canon was more or less fine as is; while it's certainly an important issue, it is a perpetual source of drama, and we don't want that happening in a sticky thread. It can also get pretty nuanced, and discussions of it are probably best held in other places. I think that there's enough there to get the main point across, without risking working people up over it.
Actually, the games to fanfiction kind of weirded me out--it seemed oddly specific for a mostly general guide (no "TCG to fanfiction?" "Anime to fanfiction?"). The stuff you put in there was good, though. Perhaps renaming it and merging it with some other sections would be better? It mostly looks to be talking about realism (considering whether turn-based combat would really happen) and adapting other media to writing. Things like sweatdropping or "blasting off" seem like they could work as well under the same heading in such a case. What works in other media doesn't always work in fanfiction, basically.
I was also miffed that there really wasn't much about reviewing/responding to reviews, but then maybe that would best be addressed by a separate thread as it is on PC. But I thought that was some of the inspiration behind the idea to replace the AFAA?
Two posts also probably isn't a big deal; there isn't any real natural split I see coming out of this one, though.
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Have fun relating this to what he said, PD! =P *is loving his two screens atm*
Ayup, genres does seem less necessary as the others. Or more Pokemon-fic-centric ones would be more helpful here - could be merged with them later on? General genres though = not too important.
*skips mention of misplaced modifier*
Hmm... upon reading that Mary-Sue statement picked out, it probably could do with some rethinking - more on how they are bad would be more beneficial to new authors.
*skips some more*
Mixing/merging the different stuff on paragraphs mentioned would be best as well IMO.
Yay same two things I thought seemed rare as well (straight/strait, etc). Those two there by Negrek seem to fit better. (Or your/you're, but its/it's is pretty similar, so meh).
More explanation on OOC and IC as well with an example or two would be helpful, IMO.
...good point - 11 is an odd number to arrive at there. =P
Setting/general plot 'conflict-climax-resolution'/etc points being perhaps too simple for newbies point - after pondering, I'll have to agree, at least that it is far more simple than the rest, and it is possibly too simple for those. Tense/POVs and all - the more complicated should stay for sure, though.
Additions to description would be good as well *points to mentioning before about recalling negrek have a few posts around on those - could probably find them again with a bit of effort if needed?* Linking to other important threads also should happen - seems almost like it should be a given, actually. Pokemon plural problems seem a smaller problem and hence less of a need for them (I don't often see that problem, leastways), but if you decide to go and ignore restricting to one post, then go for it.
AND response to response to mine:
Hmm, I suppose... it does some it up, suppose I just felt that it was less necessary than others for the 'cutting down to one post' purpose. But only if cutting down was needed further, really - else it can easily stay.
*adds more support to adding something about tenses, and the character definition*
As said before (partly), also agree that a link to more examples on punctuation seems the best opition there.
On canon - hmm. We, we do know it IS a drama lama in itself. >_< Point taken. Probably best to leave as is then as it does its job.
Some additions to the 'games to fanfiction' part seem warrented as well, actually, such as sweatdropping and all that jazz and how it carries over (or doesn't into writing) can be justified in getting additions. (Now I'm also thinking of instances where many a beginning author will say '20 minutes later', '117.cm further', etc... and when I was guilty of similar things XD).
And yes - I don't think that more on reviewing/responding to reviews would be out of place there. It is in itself a pretty big part of the fanfic forums out there, after all.
*waves the 'use two posts for the heck of it and you can always have both posts contain 30,000 characters each or something if you want balance/somewhat more of a natural split between them?' flag and leaves*
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