RikuDrak

Was slightly amusing.

Hmm looks fun. *registers then waits*

I'd vote "no" simply because my overall opinion towards fanfiction and its authors (I haven't found a single enjoyable, well-written fanfic anywhere where there are fanfics ever) is rather negative and skeptical, but I have to agree that there are plenty of original fiction authors that are bad at writing. They can't introduce their characters subtly, or in the way one should when you have original characters and just expect their reader to love them as they love them from just reading their name. I'm torn.

But I don't think that this is because of fanfiction... Neither do I, I believe it plagues even original fiction. I can't sit here and list of a group of causes or origins because there are too many and it's not like I'm an authority on it, but I feel that plenty of people forgot that writing, specifically published writing (whether it be on the internet or for money with an actual publishing company) is meant to be a ground between the writer and audience. A way for an author to convey their imaginations/passions/etc. for others in an entertaining way. This means you have to remember things such as plots, ups and downs, small detailed situations that give you a better idea of the characters, plenty of characterization and character growth in order for the readers to feel an attrction to them. Things such as dairies, loose pieces of paper you show to your friends when the visit, etc. are the types of things that are just playing around, getting feelings out and sharing with someone you trust. I feel these days those personal things are mistakenly being published and guised as the writing I described before, which can only make young unknowing generations have the wrong idea. Which progresses every generation. Not saying that those personal playings are wrong or stupid, I know just as well as anyone else that they are needed a lot of the time. I'm just saying that the distinction is obviously vague for many people. I learned in even high school what it takes to write anything from a poem to a short story to a novel, and probably 95% of the things I've seen on the internet do not fit those qualifications. I agree that it can be fun and challenging, it's just too bad that most of them are lacking. Though mentioning sharing with your friends goes back to the point I made above this, as well as what I mentioned earlier about people wanting attention (not implying you are doing it for that, so don't take it as such, just using your experience as an example of the situations that people who can get hopelessly addicted to that and end up making a lot of chapters with no substance). But, why would you even want to do that? Goes back to my first paragraph. This applies to both fanfiction and original. Or was that your intent and I just sort of missed it? >_< Quite possible. Also applies to my first paragraph. I feel there is a point to why the minds behind our favourite shows, books, etc. stop where they do and that should be left as is. I can only say I've felt a need for "more" when I was younger, so I sort of associate it with that, I don't have that feeling anymore. If I do, it usually subsides and gets sifted down to the general basic idea that I adored, which will eventually combine with other things to lead up to inspiration for something original. Which brings me to the plagerism part, despite it not being the focus of this thread. To go along with the comments about "true" originality etc.: I agree that it's hard to say something is *truly* original, because much like every other form of art, there is an inspiration. In my case, and I have assumed in most everyone's case that actually seriously goes about original work, it is a vast combination of inspirations. I don't think this in particular is plagerism, since it gets melted, molded, and churned up as something new in the creator's mind. This is what we can, at best in these days, refer to original work. Many themes will reoccur and probably many character types (stereotypes), but it's the details and work put into everything from portrayel to depth of society and character that makes things interesting, entertaining, and original to read. For me, nothing like this can occur in fanfiction, although I do support the idea of using original characters and an original plot and story line in an already created universe as a tribute to the original authors. It is sad to say, however, that sometimes (mostly pertaining to cartoons/anime/movies that are not devoted to portraying a world, or the world the characters are in is not part of the novelty) the things we like do not have these and therefore it cannot be done. Though even in series/stories/etc. where a world is fleshed out amazingly, there are plenty of people who just sort of skip out on it. I can't find where right now, but someone mentioned something fanfiction and using the setting so that you don't have to worry about fleshing it out. That's, in my eyes, just plain silly. It's not only lazy (as I think, even if one is familiar with a setting, it's important to describe it in detail- especially from the POV of the character(s)) but also boring. In my opinion, of course. I bet there are plenty of people out there that scare at chunks of paragraphs containing details, but then why should they be interested in reading? Movies are for that.

Exactly why I feel it should be left alone then. You can't get into the creator's mind, so create something on your own. Just adding to my previously stated opinion. Anyways, I'm going to have to say that I think people have grown to lose touch with what writing is. Or was. And that disappoints me.

Why the sudden jump in numbers? 9447

Nicholas Cage

was anything that

I think you should also not attempt to update when you have writer's block. Do something else to get rid of it, but don't let it eat away at a story. You should try and upload your best work, not upload for the sake of uploading because you haven't in a while.

Personally, I don't read fanfics. It seems to me that most of the time the characters are way OOC. Mostly because people have this strange need to pair up characters, especially ones that were never hinted at anywhere in the series/story/etc. I realize it's harder to get into the head of an already existing character than to make your own, but I also think there is no need to try. Really. 90% of fanfic authors, it seems to me (and this also goes for fanart artists, though those are a smaller majority than fanfiction authors because it seems the standards for fanart are higher than fanfiction), are solely in it for the attention. Or if they had at some point cared about their stories and writings, the horde of pre-teens and early teens writing their "omg sexy but why is there a plot?" "UPDAYTE PLZ" etc. have gotten to them, and they no longer worry about good writing. It because some silly game about typing as fast as you can to churn up as much as you can so that you get more idiot comments about being a good writer when you suck. I'm finding it difficult to get a hold on a good story. But I guess I set my expectations too high. Anyone that is serious about writing probably won't be posting things on AFF. It's just too bad that all of the people I've seen that agree with the bad standard of writing have no fics themselves.

B: Birch (we all saw that comming)

Not guilty G/NG: Ever been one of those younger (twelve or so year olds) writers that a lot of people complain about on AFF these days?

D: never!! Poor poes!! G/NG: Ever betrayed someone close to you

Drum'n'Bass Arena CD 1 from Andy C (hour long song)

decompression chamber on a very

"Krieg Im Paradis" by Das Ich

Not guilty. G/NG: Accidentally barged in on someone else's sexual interactions (with themselves, another person, etc.)

Bloodshed

Mine will probably change often too. It's currently Kadaj from Advent Children looking into the box with Jenova's remains in it when it got slashed open. I love the expression.

RikuDrak was invented when I started getting into forums on the internet. It was about the same time that Kingdom Hearts had come out. Riku, my favourite character from Kingdom Hearts, and Drak (a nickname I had on AIM for ages because of my fondness for dragons since I can remember). Slapped them together. I've been trying to move on to Reikaza, which was something that just popped in my head once and I liked it, but I absolutely love being called Riku. I'm fond of that nickname, even if in real life it would seem silly since I'm not Japanese.

Graphically, I wouldn't go into much. Definitely not rape, child or otherwise, and probably not any fetishes. At least not BDSM and the human excretement ones. As for including in my story (ie mentioning or hinting at something that may have happened), I don't think I have limits.

Most definitely not all, but the ones I could find the easiest/from the top of my head from the ones I've ever been interested in: Final Fantasy VII (Game) M/F Vincent/Tifa Cloud/Tifa Sephiroth/Aerith M/M Cloud/Sephiroth Cid/Vincent (Some people are pretty wierd) F/F Tifa/Yuffie Final Fantasy X (Game) M/F Auron/Rikku M/M Auron/Tidus (Which kind of scares me that it's so common) Auron/Seymour F/F Lulu/Rikku Rikku/Yuna

Addiction

"Rosenrot" by Rammstein

Never D: (Not guilty) And I'd hate to think that someone would. I like animals more than I like people. G/NG: Laughed at something tragic (ie. bombings, wars, stories of struggle, etc.)