Case (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
case) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
fandomsecrets2009-02-17 04:18 pm
case) wrote in fandomsecrets2009-02-17 04:18 pm
[ SECRET POST #774 ]
⌈ Secret Post #774 ⌋
Warning: Some secrets are NOT worksafe and may contain SPOILERS.
101.
[Dr. Kureha from One Piece]
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102.
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103.
[Lulu, FFX; Sister Psyche, City of Heroes]
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104.
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105.
[Doctor Who/Gossip Girl]
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106.
[CSI]
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107.
[Ouran High School Host Club]
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108.
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109.
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110.
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111.
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112.
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113.
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114.
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115.
[No Rest For the Wicked]
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116.
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117.
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118.
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119.
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120.
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121.
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122.
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123.
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124.
[The Office]
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125.
[Avatar]
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126.
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127.
[Being Human]
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128.
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129.
[Diamond Head]
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130.
[Prince of Persia]
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131.
[X/1999]
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132.
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133.
[Being Human]
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134.
[Blackpool, previously linked wrong]
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135.
[Doctor Who / Spirited Away]
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136.
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137.
[Scrubs]
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138.
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139.
[Linkin Park, Leave Out All the Rest, Avatar, Zutara, Twilight]
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140.
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141.
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142.
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143.
[The L Word]
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144.
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145.
[Scarlet Pimpernel]
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146.
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147.
[Joe Oppedisano, photographer]
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148.
[Lucy Lawless]
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149.
[Girl Genius]
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150.
[The Remus Lupins, Alex Carpenter]
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151.
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152.
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153.
[Can't Hardly Wait]
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154.
[Red vs. Blue]
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155.
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156.
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157.
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158.
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159.
[Johnny the Homicidal Maniac]
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160.
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161.
[Sarah Jane Adventures, Mr. Smith]
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162.
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163.
[Criminal Minds]
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164.
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165.
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166.
[Barney Stinson (Neil Patrick Harris); How I Met Your Mother]
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167.
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168.
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169.
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170.
[Charmed]
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171.
Notes:
Secrets Left to Post: 09 pages, 213 secrets from Secret Submission Post #111.
Secrets Not Posted: [ 0 - broken links ], [ 1 2 - not!secrets ], [ 1 - not!fandom ], [ 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 - too big ], [ 1 2 3 - repeat ], [ 1 - unreadable ].
Current Secret Submissions Post: here.
Suggestions, comments, and concerns should go here.
160, Writing Advice
That said, I create OCs for my fanfiction all the time. A recent story of mine for le fandom Trigun was told from the POV of a character I made up. There is a lot of prejudice against OCs out there (after all, most people who read fanfic want to read about the canon characters they already love/hate/know). I've been told that my OCs are realistic and interesting and people who "normally don't like to read about OCs" have made an exception for mine.
The secret, in fanfiction particularly, is to make your character serve the plot rather than the plot serve the character. If the character is to interact with canon characters, they must never overshadow them. Anything in depth about them has to show them in the light of being "a real person" - they'll make mistakes and not all the misfortune brought upon them is somebody else's fault. They don't have to be completely inept at everything, but they shouldn't be good at absolutely everything, either. Everyone has strengths and weaknesses. I, for instance, love doing creative things but I suck a altheticism in a big way.
I also like writing characters with a variety of viewpoints. While I think every character you create reflects aspects of yourself, they shouldn't reflect every aspect. Try creating characters who aren't like you in some way - perhaps they have a belief that is different from yours - try writing that in a way that *doesn't paint them as necessiarly wrong.*
If you are creating OCs that are essentially versions of yourself, then you probably *aren't* justified in your annoyance because, in all honesty, it is an extremely RARE person who can see themselves objectively. You might be able to see some behaviors and attitude of yours in hindsight and judge yourself objectively later, but the fact remains that we just don't see ourselves as other people see us - and, as said by others on this thread, you may be embellishing your characters - perhaps without meaning to, but it's really *hard* not to write out a personal fantasy and not do that.
I hope that I was not uncessarily harsh. I really do want to help how I can, to give advice from my own experience. I've been a fanfiction writer for about 10 years now, give or take. I've waded through a lot of suck.
Re: 160, Writing Advice
Re: 160, Writing Advice
I think this really is the key -- actually to all OCs, even in original stories. It's so easy to fall in love with a character you make up, to spend eons thinking of all his favorite hobbies, the tiny details of his background, his preferences and philosophy on life, and every little thing connected to him. And that's really fun -- for the writer.
But the audience is sold on the character through the plot. The readers have to be sold on the plot before they'll be sold on the character.
Re: 160, Writing Advice
Cardinal rule of writing.