Fanfics 411

For some reason I felt like doing this all of a sudden. I have been reading fanfics for years and years and years (gosh! I'm OLD), and of course have discovered what makes a fanfic good and bad. And I want to share some of these findings with you all, in case you ever find yourself wanting to write a fanfic of whatever. Be Nabari, be another anime/manga, a book, a tv show, etc, etc.

Here are some rules in regards to writing fanfics:

Lesson #1: Characters.

If you are going to write a fanfic of your favorite whatever, its obvious that you must know something of these characters you want to write of. A good story is enjoyable when the characters are IN character and are believable in whatever situation you are putting them in. It is unforgivable to suddenly read an author's note that says this:

So, I don't really remember the names of Miharu and Yoite, and neither do their ages, so I am just going to make them up.

Er, hello? There is a thing called Google and Wikipedia. USE IT! And you call yourself a fan...? How can't you not know this simple stuff...? I kinda understand those who write Yoite as a guy *coughs* specially if they have only seen the Anime series, BUT COME ON!

This is pretty basic, and all who read fanfics would know that it is more enjoyable when their favorite characters remain with their same unique personality, than them suddenly starting to sprout wings and dancing la macarena (and I have no idea where that came from).

A easy way to avoid this: Research.

Lesson #2: OC

Ah yes.... Original characters. Who doesn't have their own original characters that one wants them to be unique and special? And wouldn't it be awesome to suddenly start putting them in fanfics, and have them marrying of your favorite characters! NO.

It is very, very, very, very tricky putting original characters in a fanfic. Why? Because it is very, very, very, VERY difficult not making them into Mary-sues (or Gary-stues). It is okay to have one or two appear as background characters, and them having their somewhat important role in the story. But do not have them take over the story. And specially, do NOT have them paired up with your favorite characters. That's just... Egh... Because, for some reason, they end up somewhat like Bella and Edward from Twilight, and your brain turns into mush. Believe me, it does.

And I do mean that is very, very easy to make an OC into a Mary-sue. Take a look at Yoite. Has he not have been so determined to have his wish granted that he was willing to kill people, he would have ended up as a Mary-Sue. Why? Look at all his special qualities: He is a pretty boy/girl, tragic story, turns everyone around him to his side, attracts the attention of the protagonist, and has super powers (though don't know if I should really call it that...). These things in anybody else would have screamed: MARY-SUE.

An easy way to avoid this: Not use OC.

Lesson #3 Grammar:

We all would love to believe that our writing is perfect, and its going to be understood by everybody, and be loved by everybody. Unfortunately, it doesn't work that way. We are humans, and we do mistakes. Some big, some small. It is harder to view your own mistakes. Because, when you are reading your story, you are actually reading it from your mind, not your paper/computer. A betta would be perfect to polish your story, but they are hard to find (I would know).

But if you want your story to actually be read, then pleaaaaaase edit your story. At LEAST three times. It's actually painful when you read a story that has a lot of potential, to be completely destroyed because you find mistakes in every sentence. And not just spelling mistakes, grammar mistakes too. As I mention before, it is easy to forget one here and one there. Most of the times everybody overlooks those, and won't even notice they are there. But wehn u ar writiing like dis, that is a just biig no.

For more information please watch a video I posted last year called "The The Impotence of Proofreading"

An easy way to avoid this: Edit!

Lesson #4:

Review! Review! Review! When you come across a great story (and we can all think which ones are those), please take a little of your time and review those stories. This is a great way to first, compliment the authors on a job well done, but most importantly encourage them to write more. And we all want more! More! MOOOOAAAAAAAR!

And while you are down that road, review my stories too! 8D *smacked*

So, what to do? Review! Review! Review!

I hope they are of help. Not that I was actually trying to be helpful. I am actually being spiteful, and making fun of some stories I have read. But, hey! Killing two birds with one stone! Yeshh... Plus, it was fun.

Have a wonderful day!
Ja ne

ARROW TO THE KNEE

Soon enough I will be posting here some fanarts I did for the game of Alice, Nabari and... Yeah others. I just can't think of them at the moment...

For now, here are some videos I found that I thought they were worthwile to watch.

Now, this one of Alice is amazing. Is one of the few videos that actually captures the very essence of the game. Meaning, they actually hint at the real enemy of the game, and the actual crime that is happening around Alice. Really good.



Now, this one is a Skyrim video. It won't make sense to anyone, but those who actually play the darn game as much as I do. I was laughing so hard at how much I understood the frustration of the guy. Some things that you go through the game make no sense at all, and its good that there is someone out there who thinks the same way I do. Plus I love accents.



Three words for this video:

THIS IS SPARTA!

Yeah, that...

Taking a break from Skyrim at the moment, I decided to take a minute to update a little my blog. I waaaaas going to change the layout to be "Valentine" like, but I have never been much into the holiday. Most of the time, I see how people use it as an excuse to get together with someone, only for the sake of getting presents. That's.... Not cool. 

Anyway, many things have happened to me this last two months. Weird things, cool things, bad things, and every day things.

One of the cool things is that I finally got the pet I always wanted. I got a corn snake! 

And no, I mean a "real" corn snake. Not putting any hidden meaning behind it, so I have an excuse to play with it. The darn thing is too smart for its own good though. Two days in, and it sneaked off. Gods know how it did it, but took me a couple of weeks to find it. Well, one of my cat found it. Kinda of funny. The snake was looking at the cat. The cat was looking at the snake. All the while the two were wondering how in the world they were going to eat one another (or that is what it looked to me XD). Fortunately I have always been a fast learner, so now I have improved the conditions where it lives. It won't sneak off again. I have called it Sora, cause I still have no idea of its male or female... Or both *kira'd*

One of the weird things that have happened, is that one day the anime shop were I go decided to do a "release" party for the Vampire Hunter manga that was coming out. It was either the manga or the DVD. I have never been much into that series. What interested me was that they say we could cosplay as vampires at the party, and so I did. I arranged a friend to drop me off at the store. Of course, once I am there, I see everybody either dressed up normal, or cosplaying as other characters such as Bleach or Hetalia. I decided to check what new merchandise they had. I found the body pillow of Sebastian (several in fact). One of them had him laying like on a bed with this leer look on his face. You know... the leer look. It makes you squirm, blush, squirm some more, look to the side blushing, and walk away like you did something bad. Then I moved to the manga section, and was seeing if there were any new titles that would be interested to read. I was kind of ignoring all the people around me when this guy walks to me and says.

Guy: Hi. I just came in to tell you that that girl over there *points* wants to call you.

Me: ... *stares at him*

Guy: So, you don't mind if we call you. Right?

Me: ... *shakes head*

Guy: Also, she said that she wanted to buy you a puppy.

Me: ... *has a wtf face*

All the while the girl was completely red on the face, and laughing non-stop in embarrassment. She kept trying to stop the guy from continuing with what he was saying. I decided, not wanting to make things more awkward, to just let it go, smile, and walk off. It was later that I found out that these two have never meet before either. Makes you wonder why the heck this conversation took place then. 

And of course, there is skyrim. There is nothing I haven't done in that darn game. I am the arch-mage of the college of Winterhold. The leader of the assassins group called the Dark Brotherhood. I am the leader of the Thieves Guild. I am, of course, the dragonborn. I am married, and my wife has already tried to kill me... Several times... Plus I think she is cheating on me, cause there is always this guy in the house too. Plus my wife calls me Love. I am not into nicknames like that. Not after a guy (who cosplays as Grell) started to call me endearing names in Gaia at least...

And this all is just the tip of the iceberg. Just exactly how many things are there to do in this darn game? Will this EVER end? Will I have my old life back one day? *sighs* I miss it... But then I took an arrow in the knee...

My family is not exactly happy with me at the moment. If there is ever one thing you do NOT, ever, ever, EVER do is ignore your mom calling you. Nope, don't do that. Big mistake, BIG. 

I apologize for this weird post. There was just some stuff that I had to let out, and there is nowhere else to put it. So it's out. You can ignore it if you like. I will. 

Have a wonderful weekend! Ja ne

Nabari no OU, Chapter 72

FINALLY I AM DONE!!!

I'll probably never, EVER, do it again. But it was fun... In some parts... Somewhat...

Final chapter is here! I had to do it before the final mangas came out in the bookstores (at least, where I am from), because, otherwise, it would have been for nothing.

Now, before I actually start going on with the spoilers. Here is the link!

Chapter 72

From here on, I warn everybody, are spoilers of the last chapter...

It's kind of funny how in this chapter you can see clearly how Kouichi resembles Miharu's father. I don't know if it was his (and the mangaka's) intention, or because the mangaka tends to make her character resemble one another by accident sometimes. 

If it has been Kouichi's intention to look like him, just because he admired him very much or something, I can kind of see how the conversation between him and Miharu would have been.

Miharu: Stop looking like my father!

Kouichi: Stop looking like your mother!

Miharu: ...

Kouichi: *smiles*

Me: *writes down* Kouichi one. Miharu zero. 

Another funny part is where Miharu, for no reason apparently, keeps saying on and on Yoite's name. Yoite. Yoite. Yoite. Yoite. And people said I was exaggerating whenever I would portray Miharu like that. Tells you how much you know, ha!

And, let's face it, it's fun saying his/her name. Yoite. Yoite. Yoite. Yoite.Yoi-

Okay, okay. I'll stop.

It must have been long ago since I had read the final chapters, because I can't remember what was the importance of that rock when Shijima showed it to Miharu. If someone can help me remember, I would greatly appreciate it. Or I will just go back in a couple of days to read the chapters again.

For now, that part just goes like this to me.

Shijima: Just as how this stone changes it's shape... Somehow, somewhere in the future, we will meet again.

Me: *whispers* What's with the rock?

Common Sense: *whispers* Must be a circus thing.

And here I never thought I would ever quote Bug's Life. Ever.

And no, sorry. Yoite still remains dead. But I have to admit that this is one of the best endings I have ever read. And believe me, I do read a lot. I am really happy at how the mangaka kept Nabari's ending in both the manga and the anime. That is one smart woman. Unlike some people who had also perfect endings... And decided to kept on going with a second season... Not that I am talking about a particular anime of a demon in mind of course. Nope, not at all.

Hope you all enjoy it! I am no expert at this, so of course you might see some strange things here and there. I was, of course, doing it for the fun. And also, because it was unfair that the final chapters were only found in Spanish and not in English. So here you go!

Have a great day everyone!

Ja ne