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Post by Scoutcraft Piratess on Dec 17, 2005 13:08:16 GMT -5
I agree about taechunsa's OOC dialogue. A big problem I've noticed with fanfiction is how fearful the author is of going OOC: the result is a nasty mess of limited stereotype. We only see so much of a character in the show--it's not unthinkable to consider how they might react in unseen situations once in awhile.
As for description... I'm sorry, but too many people have no clue how to write description! I do not agree that description is the only way to tell about a character. I've been turned off so many fics because a writer wants to write a romance novel full of gushy, flowery words that reveal a serious lack of talent.
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Post by mrpotty on Dec 17, 2005 13:32:36 GMT -5
My favourite writer Terry Pratchett once said that he doesn't think that a character comes alive because of a detailed description of what he looks like. It's the things he says or does!
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Post by Scoutcraft Piratess on Dec 17, 2005 13:44:30 GMT -5
My favourite writer Terry Pratchett once said that he doesn't think that a character comes alive because of a detailed description of what he looks like. It's the things he says or does! Precisely! Well-placed description can add wonders to a character's actions and words, but those actions and words already must exist of themselves. Some of the greatest stories I've ever read consist only of dialogue. |
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Post by ultimatenacotoppin on Dec 17, 2005 13:48:51 GMT -5
One thing that really helped me get the right 'voice' for each character was by emulating that character in real life for a day. It was a lot of fun too. But in each situation or conversation I encountered in real life, I tried to match what the particular character I was trying to be would do/say. I found quickly, that there isn't much difference between what Ron would do/say and what I would normally do/say and why a particular girl_friend of mine had nicknamed me "Ron". Trying to be Drakken was a blast.
Anyway, when I returned to write for a particular character, it was much easier to get their voice and actions in character. While I'm a purist in that I like my characters to fit the canon of the show, I think it is perfectly fine to have characters change. However, it can't be a sudden thing (i.e. Ron going all MMP super freaky fighting skills) without providing a convincing reason for that change. In other words, if you want a character to assume a different temperment, you have to grow a bit. A good example is Cyberwaith9's Ron in the Power Trilogy. We have been provided with why Ron has changed as well as Ron retaining core elements of Ron.
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Post by Scoutcraft Piratess on Dec 17, 2005 13:51:16 GMT -5
I like to think of an episode incident of a nature closest to what I intend for the character, take said character's reaction, and modify as necessary. Of course, character reactions tend to be up to interpretation...
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Post by taechunsa on Dec 17, 2005 15:09:04 GMT -5
My favourite writer Terry Pratchett once said that he doesn't think that a character comes alive because of a detailed description of what he looks like. It's the things he says or does! I love Pratchett's work. Good Omens is one of my favorite comedies. Orson Scott Card said basically the same thing in his book on characterization. He said that the least important detail of characterization is what the character actually looks like. I have found after reading other authors with an eye out for this that he is correct. Most authors never really describe what their characters look like other then necessary details. |
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Post by Deleted on Dec 18, 2005 0:12:29 GMT -5
As for description... I'm sorry, but too many people have no clue how to write description! I do not agree that description is the only way to tell about a character. I've been turned off so many fics because a writer wants to write a romance novel full of gushy, flowery words that reveal a serious lack of talent. I hope you weren't referring to me...  As for me, I started writing dialogue based stories, but now do more details with every passing chapter. I try to capture all of the emotions involved with what is happening throughout the dialogue. As for action scequences, I don't add as much detail. I try to keep the flow smooth so it doesn't take the reader a whole minute to read about how much just one punch hurt. |
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Post by Scoutcraft Piratess on Dec 18, 2005 10:52:41 GMT -5
As for description... I'm sorry, but too many people have no clue how to write description! I do not agree that description is the only way to tell about a character. I've been turned off so many fics because a writer wants to write a romance novel full of gushy, flowery words that reveal a serious lack of talent. I hope you weren't referring to me... . No, you're wonderful. There's a difference between description and over-description. |
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Post by Deleted on Dec 18, 2005 20:44:57 GMT -5
No, you're wonderful. There's a difference between description and over-description. Whew, that's a load off my mind. I was a little worried because since I started using more description, I've gotten far less reviews. I was beginning to think there was a pattern emerging. |
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Post by Sorsha on Dec 19, 2005 13:51:32 GMT -5
I would say dialogue... but too many people use only dialogue without really knowing how to pull that off. It comes off as quite awkward: You know, this random, disembodied voice floating out of nowhere.
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