1. How many pages should a chapter have?
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1. How many pages should a chapter have?
For me it depends. But generally I like to keep my chapters around 20 to 30 pages long.
It really depends on the right place in teh story to start and stop, rather than hwo many pages. Just allow enough information for the audience to think about and something interesting or important happening in the chapter that help further develop the story. I say maybe 8-9 pages on Word for me.
It depends how many things you want to say. And when you want your readers to take a breather. Hah.
i agree, it depends on the font if your talking about a book, but i think around 10 - 20 pages.
Imagine the story as a tv serial, and the chapters are the episodes. Now imagine how long you want each 'episode' of your 'tv serial' to be. There are many books I've read where they dedicate many many pages for long epic battle scenes, and then suddenly a 2-3 pages long chapter where two characters have a simple yet meaningful dialogue.
Recently, I've been watching a spate of serials with either really unsatisfactory endings, or irritating/bad plots that could've been better with some tweaking.
My question is, can anyone tell me if there are fanfics that are sequels of shows with such problems? Are there other dissatisfied fans out there like me who wished that a particular series could've ended differently, or the plot could have been developed in another direction? Anyone know where can I find them? Input would be much appreciated.
Actually, a while ago, I started a thread similar to this. Asking people why they are writing fanfics starring actors and actresses and not write a fanfics of TVB serials.
The thread veered off to how I would want to write a fanfic of the horrible DIF4, where it was revealed that Roger's a good guy and Louis was in fact an undercover for triads. Sorta like Infernal Affairs.
But I'm sure you're referring to Square Pegs now eh? :D
Part of the reason that I have decided to write 'The Black Dragon Swordsman' is that I haven't seen a good kung fu TVB series lately, so decided to write something original that I wouldn't mind watching on screen.
I've been getting very irratated by some of the stuff TVB puts out these days. Some of the plots make no sense or are recylced material of the 80s shows. If you've watched enough of them and remember the plot to recognise it.
So I would never write a continuation of a TVB series, if I didn't like the story and the characters.
That, as well as Lofty Water Verdant Bow.Quote:
But I'm sure you're referring to Square Pegs now eh?
But I think I'm referring more to 40+ episode shows. Since I've invested so much time watching them, I can't help but get pissed at bad endings. DIF4 is a good example. I also felt like smacking every character at the end of Golden Faith.
I'm an avid fanfic reader/writer of many genres, American drama, anime, etc. Those seem to be more condusive for better fanfics for some reason. Maybe it's because American dramas go on season after season, so there is more emotional investment on the audience's part.
Anyway, it would be great if you could write a fanfic sequel for DIF4, I'll read it!
You can go to http://www.winglin.net/fanfic/ to search for the fanfiction u want. I remember seeing a Lofty Water Verdant Bow sequel and a couple of TITS and Survivor's Law sequels.
Here is the url of Lofty Water Verdant Bow II:
http://www.winglin.net/fanfic/ltran13/
A couple of years ago, DIF IV sequels were all the rage. Now, I doubt many people want to write DIF IV sequels. Most just make Anne's character die anyway, and pair Louis & Jessica up indiscriminately.Quote:
Originally posted by Arashi
Anyway, it would be great if you could write a fanfic sequel for DIF4, I'll read it!
Merged the two threads together since it has to do with questions on fanfics. Hope its okay. :D
I've considered writing sequels but sometimes people haven't seen the series and writing a sequel to it would probably be for my enjoyment only. So I think it's better to write my own fanfic with celebrities or without them.
That kinda makes the word 'fanfic' moot, doesn't it? :p
Kidd - thanks for the url. I took a peek and umm, the whole thing reads like a bad radio talkshow. *cringe*
I'm actually going through HK and Taiwan search engines looking under "wuxia" for a LWVB sequel. I figure that there's a higher chance of finding good calibre work that way. So far, no sucess. Part of the reason is because I have no idea what is 'fanfiction' in Chinese, lol.
Arashi,
Have you tried searching for them in Raymond Lam, Michelle Yip, Tavia Yeung fansites perhaps they've archived the fanfic sequels there?
I think I'm in a conundrum here, SS.
I'll admit that I'm a fan of certain actors, but I don't care to be a voyeur or a swooning fan-girl. I've browse through several of the fanfics in winglin.net, but they drove me away from reading them because they read like the lives of actors themselves, and real names used just serves to detract me further from the story, if there is even one in the first place. Not to mention bad English and horrible ICQ abbreviations.
It might be impossible, but I want to believe there are a handful of writers out there who truely write TV serial fanfics because they are bothered by a particular story/series, and hope to do justice in their revisions. I've found such gems in many fanfic genres, and I want to think there are such people here too.
Arashi,
Perhaps you'll have better luck on investing some time to write your own sequel to Lofty Water Verdant Bow. I did a search on google.com too and nothing came up except some that already showed the bad radio talkshow link you already saw and some french site on chinese tv series and movies.
-SS
Not really, I want to pair Jessica and Sunny up. Have Louis killed.Quote:
Originally posted by junny
A couple of years ago, DIF IV sequels were all the rage. Now, I doubt many people want to write DIF IV sequels. Most just make Anne's character die anyway, and pair Louis & Jessica up indiscriminately.
Yeah, it would be interesting. Roger escapes from jail and tries to convince Sunny that he was quite in fact a cop, and Louis the spy.
Bang bang.
Annie, ashamed of her ways, begged Roger for forgiveness. But Louis, being the crazed bastard he was. Shot his own most beloved Annie to death. Before turning the gun on himself.
Ah, Infernal Affairs.
I've wanted to be one of these people. Unfortunately, I'm writing an anime fanfic, and that one's probably gonna be my very last fic before I retire from fanfic-writing for good. And there're only 2-3 chapters left. Of course, since I'm not a fast writer, I might have one more year to go. Haha.Quote:
Originally posted by Arashi
It might be impossible, but I want to believe there are a handful of writers out there who truely write TV serial fanfics because they are bothered by a particular story/series, and hope to do justice in their revisions. I've found such gems in many fanfic genres, and I want to think there are such people here too.
But I'll still be around to toss ideas.
If there's no one doing this, Arashi, this can always be a great place to start. Let's be the innovator instead. (after all, I myself was the first writer of fanfics starring Jpop artistes! Okay, maybe just a group of them...)
do people actually read fanfics? :)
If you mean this forum.
Then yes, there are very little readers here.
If you meant whether people do read fanfics in general... well, I doubt you would ask something like this.
no offense, just curious.Quote:
Originally posted by Eliar Swiftfire
If you mean this forum.
Then yes, there are very little readers here.
If you meant whether people do read fanfics in general... well, I doubt you would ask something like this.
and suet seung, do you actually really read every story and update around here? you very dedicated!
I read only when I have enough time, but mostly I'm too busy working on my own fanfics.Quote:
Originally posted by SkineePanda
no offense, just curious.
and suet seung, do you actually really read every story and update around here? you very dedicated!
What do you mean update around here?
Thanks.
:typin: :D
None taken. Though I was rather taken aback by the question. Had no idea whether you were asking whether people read fanfics IN THIS FORUM, or whether people read fanfics IN GENERAL. Cos' if you meant the latter, then you obviously haven't been to fanfiction.net, schnoogle.net and the likes of high-traffic fanfic sites. But then, those don't allow fics starring chinese celebrities though. Har har har.Quote:
Originally posted by SkineePanda
no offense, just curious.
fanfiction.net sucks.
I usually read fanfics that are here at SPCNET, because they are more of my type. The winglin fanfiction forum is too messed up now and over-dominated by bad quality stories as well as a bad delivery in words as well.
Of course, I don't have the time to read everything now that exams are coming up, but I usually tune in ones that I have started in the holidays!
And the stories that people recommend me to read are real jokes (esp. in the winglin forum)! I think people are playing tricks on me! I don't like porn! :o
And most stories elsewhere are almost identical.
Always, some nice girl working for a cool guy who may/may not be a playboy, and falling in love, then this crazy chick steps in splits them.
Some rich girl in the ancient times falling in love with a poor guy, and after lots of obstacles, she is set to be married off to another rich guy/emperor/prince, and they elope wth/without premarital sex.
And some, OMG, are like a group of girls, against a group of guys, liking and hating each other, then some other people come in between them and then girls start fighting over guys, guys marries/dates another girl, and then this never-ending lover multi-angle begins!
I've even been recommended one of HZGG 4 where Zhi Hua dies with a very unbelievable plot and the main characters just repeat their actions over and over again!
I really appreciate the original ones, which have:
- A believable plot
- Developed characters (at least main characters)
- Deep motives for the villians that are worth the trouble they cause
- Twist (if suitable)
I just foudn one here:Quote:
Originally posted by Arashi
That kinda makes the word 'fanfic' moot, doesn't it? :p
Kidd - thanks for the url. I took a peek and umm, the whole thing reads like a bad radio talkshow. *cringe*
I'm actually going through HK and Taiwan search engines looking under "wuxia" for a LWVB sequel. I figure that there's a higher chance of finding good calibre work that way. So far, no sucess. Part of the reason is because I have no idea what is 'fanfiction' in Chinese, lol.
http://www.winglin.net/fanfic/lwvb2/
Thank you for the url. :) However, I must agree with you that most of the new stories at Winglin are bad for the reasons you mentioned before. Some of my posts are way longer than what they write for a chapter.Quote:
I'm still holding out to the fact that someone in this forum has to know what 'fanfiction' means in chinese, because I'm sure there has to be a worthwhile LWVB fanfic out there. Regardless of language, there will always be people who can't stomach a particular ending and seek to redress it.
Actually, I think otherwise. Most Chinese people who watch it (esp. living in HK) can feel the ending is stupid, but most will only post up one or two lines going briefly over what they want (e.g. Rain dies, Michelle gets saved and marries Raymond), and not a detailed, deep piece like a sequel or alternate ending.Quote:
Originally posted by Arashi
Thank you for the url. :) However, I must agree with you that most of the new stories at Winglin are bad for the reasons you mentioned before. Some of my posts are way longer than what they write for a chapter.
I'm still holding out to the fact that someone in this forum has to know what 'fanfiction' means in chinese, because I'm sure there has to be a worthwhile LWVB fanfic out there. Regardless of language, there will always be people who can't stomach a particular ending and seek to redress it.
The longest sequel I have seen of a series in Chinese is that Magic Warriors thing from Taiwan with Steve Ma.
And they make up names for the sequels that it would be hard to guess the title, such as "Extended Fate"/"Back to Life"/"Love again", etc..., versus the simpel english "LWVB fanfic".
But you can always try and guess.
So do you know what is the word 'fanfiction' in chinese? Can you tell me?
I don't necessarily need to read fanfics for the TVB series because I've read Liang Yu Sheng's novel and felt the same dissatisfaction. Wuxia novels are now a rage in mainland China and the Chinese have a much higher literary standard than Hongkongers. Furthermore, novel readers tend to have a longer attention span and are more willing to expend time writing something about their favourite novel. I could try my luck in that direction, but I dearly need to know what 'fanfiction' is called to begin my search.
同人小說 = 'fanfiction' in chinese
(not sure whether you peeps can read the chinese words...)
Well, I believe the term is originated from the Japanese words. 'Fanart' is doujinshi in Japanese, and fanfic is um... doujin something, I think. And doujin is 同人 in its kanji form.
If you can't read it.
Go to http://home4u.hongkong.com/entertain...k/index-4.html
Look at the Heading.
That's it.
Updated
I've updated the Fan-Fiction Index with Helpful Writing Tips and sites. Check it out.
I saw this in the Fan-Fiction Index:
#20 DECISION - riches-to-rags plot deals with the fall (destruction) of Protagonist due to dominating character trait that eventually destroys their success.
Decision? :rofl:
Main character's destroyed by the bad decisions he made?
wow, just visited winglin
hmmmm.......having celebrities star as your characters sort of defeats the whole purpose of imagination isn't it? lol Everyone looks like edison, celia, jay chou, maggie q, ekin, etc. :D
Fanfics are like that. I mean, if you write an anime or game fanfic, you'll be using characters from somewhere else too.
Unfortunately, unlike anime and game fanfics, people who write celeb fics usually won't bother to develop their own characters or add intriguing new self-created characters into it.
If they don't use celeb their stories won't be called fanfiction. :pQuote:
Originally posted by SkineePanda
wow, just visited winglin
hmmmm.......having celebrities star as your characters sort of defeats the whole purpose of imagination isn't it? lol Everyone looks like edison, celia, jay chou, maggie q, ekin, etc. :D
Fanfiction is either fiction that involves existing fictional character like Harry Potter, Buffy, Clark Kent, Legolas etc or celebs like the one in winglin.
The writers may not exercise the imagination on the various characters' look, but they still need to exercise their imagination to create a good plot and characterisation.
Btw having celeb stars in a fic also helps attract people to read it.
Yes. Most people would rather read a badly written fic with their idols in it than a well-written fic which doesn't feature celebrities they luv.Quote:
Originally posted by kidd
Btw having celeb stars in a fic also helps attract people to read it.
Thanks, Eliar. I know what's the word you're talking about now. Didn't think it'd be the same as the Japanese 'doujinshi'. :)Quote:
Originally posted by Eliar Swiftfire
同人小說 = 'fanfiction' in chinese
(not sure whether you peeps can read the chinese words...)
Well, I believe the term is originated from the Japanese words. 'Fanart' is doujinshi in Japanese, and fanfic is um... doujin something, I think. And doujin is 同人 in its kanji form.
If you can't read it.
Go to http://home4u.hongkong.com/entertain...k/index-4.html
Look at the Heading.
That's it.
No problem.
By the way, love your review of Square Pegs. Heh heh heh.
Glad you like it. :)Quote:
Originally posted by Eliar Swiftfire
No problem.
By the way, love your review of Square Pegs. Heh heh heh.