By: Saylor Sun
A recent trend in the growing Sailormoon community is fan fic writing. It has
been incredibly popular, but with more and more people a day gaining access to
the Internet, fanfiction authors have been springing up, and bringing with
them good, and bad fanfics.
Please don't get me wrong here; I don't set out to STOP budding writers, I
merely want them to realize that there are many points to ponder before you
write your own fanfiction.
1. "Is my fanfiction original?"
Now, c'mon people. There are around 18 thousand million
Serena/Darien or
Usagi/Mamoru fanfics out there. I know many of you feel they are the ideal
couple (as do I ^^;) but enough is enough. If you are going to write a
fanfiction about a classic, yet overused couple, keep it interesting, and most
of all, you must, MUST respect the love these two individuals have for each
other (see point to ponder #4)
2. "Why am I writing this fanfic?"
How many times have I smacked myself for seeing fics
posted that are out
ONLY to get awards? I'll just say many. You must have passion for what you are
doing! Please! If you are catching yourself thinking, ugh. Now I have to write
another stupid part to this stupid fic I started, then you should (in my
humble opinion), post a readme saying how you've lost your passion for this
story, and may continue it, one day. If you are forcing yourself to write, it
will eventually show.
3. "Do I even KNOW about Sailormoon?"
Ugh, how many fics have I read about how Chibichibi is
Usagi's second
daughter, or that Rei really hates Usagi's guts. I feel it is an absolute
NECESSITY to at least research what you don't know about a fanfic. If I see
one more fanfic about Black Lady being ANYONE other than Chibi-usa, or any
other wacky, off-the-wall type thing, I will go crazy. Simple as that.
4. "How would these characters act?"
Another horribly neglected aspect of fanfictions.
Here's the scenario: The
Scouts (ugh) or Senshi find, let say, Venus. They are all very happy to see
Miss Aino, except one thing: her and Usagi consistently fight (point #1).
Eventually, they all come up with a large, elaborate plan,and, being led by
Minako/Venus, they kill Usagi (point #2). Venus, the amazing and great senshi,
takes charge of the senshi, Rei gets her Mamo-chan who will have long since
given up on finding his princess, they all settle down and that's the end.
GAWD! Point number one: Minako and Usagi rarely, if EVER, fight. most of the
senshi are kewl with each other, and if they aren't, they at least tolerate
them. Point number two: None of the senshi (unless heavily brainwashed) would
EVER hurt Usagi. my point really being: please, at least watch an episode or
two with the senshi you'll be using, and see just HOW they would act!
Another fanfic pattern I will see a lot: Mamoru and Usagi getting married,
and he gets into drugs/alcohol/any other type of thing like that. He comes
home surly all the time, and beats her. She goes for help, and no one believes
her. NO! NO no no no no NO! This is so unbelievably out-of-character, it almost
makes me sick. Mamoru would rather cut off his own foot than hurt his
girlfriend/wife. I feel this sort of fanfic should be immediately re-written,
or at least the author should apologize to the public.
Now, I will get into the subject of the ever popular "senshi that never
were." GEESH, I have been mailed by around 30 angry newbies ranting about how
Sailorsun is THEIRS, and I have no right to take the name of Saylor Sun.
Sailorsun, Sailorearth, SailorX, and Sailorstar should be (and almost are)
officially property of any aspiring Sailormoon fanficwriter. These sailors
never were seen fit to actually be in the manga or anime, but the second an
individual gets an idea into their hot little hands, it should be free game
(as long as it's a good one ^^;).
Another common fanfic cliche is the oh-so-overused "long lost twin sisters
from the silver millennium." This has been the basic fanfic since the dawn of
time, and if you have just the right level of skill, then you can probably
pull this off, if you are lucky. I honestly think this topic is too much
trouble to go for, but if that's what gets you off, go right ahead.
I'm getting rather tired (it is around 2:30 now that I am writing this lovely
complaint list), so I'll try to wrap this up.
Please, we are in need of fanfic authors with skill, and I KNOW there are
many out there with the time, the skill, and the passion! Please, if you feel
that you can write a good story, DO NOT HESITATE!
Comments on this article can be sent to:
Saylor Sun.
