How to write a good sequel, Okay, it's meant for videogames but it's still solid advice Options

[MorriganAensland]

http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/v...tion-On-Sequels

Yahtzee does raise a lot of important points, and even though he *was* talking about videogames I think a lot of these ideas carry over to writing very just as well. When you write a story, don't plan on making sequels that just retread old ground, like having a romantic couple break up and then fall back in love again in the sequel. Take their relationship in a different direction (like how in Spiderman, Peter Parker decides he can't be with Mary Jane because he doesn't want to endanger her, but in the second he understands he has to be honest with himself that he does love her).

This also applies to fan-sequels. If you watch a show and want to do a fanfanfiction story set as like another season for it, don't just retread old ground. I can't even begin to count all the WITCH stories that start with the usual "bunch of girls get the heart and fight a bad guy" or for Winx "bunch of girls decide to form a club". Jeez. Do something different. It's not that hard to do when you bother putting effort into it.

There's a lot of good stories here and usually the good ones pull me in because they *do* do different things. Jahnavi's prequel about Faragonda and Griffon's time as students was always a blast and I liked P-Girl's different stories too because I never knew exactly what I'd get but she'd put a lot of effort into them.

So... yeah.

*hops off soapbox and quietly destroys it*

Anyways, just wanted to pass that on.

[P-girl]

Thanks for saying this.

I'm not to big a fan of fanfic 'sequals'. Especially in the W.I.T.C.H./Winx fandom, there's the always-dreaded 'Next-gen' thing. Either new girls, or kids from the couples who're basically carbon copies/sued up versions of their parents (Or they act suspiciously like the author and some friends). Admittedly, they can be done right and interesting, but those are rare and in-between. Like jsispitz's artwork. Most likely because she actually combines the traits of both parents, creating fun and unique, but also recognizable characters.

/shameless plug and rant

This post has been edited by P-girl: Apr 7 2010, 8:16 PM

[MorriganAensland]

^_^

Why do you think my crazy WITCH-crossover thing is going to be told from the perspective of the people you'd expect to be the *villains* of the story?

[P-girl]

Sounds cool enough. Maybe I'm going to read it. W.I.T.C.H. is one of those things I'm not a fan of, but respect nonetheless.

[winxclubrox23]

Like jsispitz's artwork. Most likely because she actually combines the traits of both parents, creating fun and unique, but also recognizable characters.

SQUEEEFABRY!

Amen! I'm not really sure HOW many Winx 2nd generation fics I've read, and the characters were all clones. Like SERIOUSLY. If Musa had a daughter, for example, the chances of her always wanting to wear pigtails is slim to none.

[MorriganAensland]

I might have to look into that then. If it's good art then regardless of the source I'm sure to appreciate it.

[P-girl]

You should, try out the Fan-art gallery. She has some of her work there. (Granted, not really much of her 'Next-Gen'-stuff, but hey, that's what Deviant-art is for)

Now that I've read the actual article you posted..... Man this sounds familiar. I had this when venturing in (For me) a fairly unknown fandom, Totally Spies. A little one-shot about the one interesting villain of that show: Tim Scam. Well, most reviews complain about O.O.C.-ness. But now that I look back with this article in mind. THIS is exactly what happened. They put this guy on a pedestal. I didn't make him the flawless criminal mastermind they see him as, and that's an 'Insult to his character'..... yeah.... in short, they probably didn't like it because I happen to paint him less-then-perfect for not putting him on the pedestal these girls have for him. Not really an incentive to keep writing for a fandom. That's why I'm scared to go into certain fandoms to try something new. Certain people get pretentious and closed-off. They accept only one characterisation of a character, while more are possible, and interesting. Another example: Me and my friend's arguing over Sergei Dragunov's (Of Tekken-fame) past and mental issues. I think brainwashing is involved. He thinks not, and that Dragunov is actually abusing the Russian Army for his own goals. However, we both agree that he had mental issues from the very beginning and that he's ax crazy. The thing is; we accept each other's theories. We discuss them, but in a friendly manner. We accept each other's characterisation, even when not agreeing, since it's both possible, and both interesting.

.....

I'm glad you're back, Morrigan. No one else can get me ranting and analysing like this.

This post has been edited by P-girl: Apr 8 2010, 8:51 AM

[MorriganAensland]

I'm back because I missed this place.

4chan's great and I love it, but this place was the forum I'd go to and know that even if I disliked the series I didn't have to dislike the people that watched it. I came here to be an annoying troll and I've made great friends here instead.

Incidentally...

[SHAMELESS SELF-PLUGGING]

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/5771629/1/

[/SHAMELESS SELF PLUGGING]

Only the prologue's up, and it's going to take a while for me to start work on it because Shin Minako's taken longer than I would've liked, but at least it's a start.

[P-girl]

Yeah. Co-incidentally, you've brought some of your opinions to the table that were quite interesting.