Passport to Great TV

So, Samantha Brown's new show has premiered on the Travel Channel--Passport to Great Weekends. In each episode, Brown goes to a new city in America and show how you can have a great vacation in one little weekend. And with gas prices and the economy the way it is, it looks like we'll be reducing our vacations to weekends for quite some time. Anyway, I saw the episode where Brown spends a vacation in Austin, Texas. One of the reasons I love Brown's shows is that she goes to places you wouldn't necessarily think of going nor would be high up on "Must See" lists in your travel brochure. She visits a place where the 50's are alive and well as well as tours much more of Austin musical scene. Brown also finds great places to eat and stay, revealing little tips to make your vacation much smoother and more enjoyable.

If you are looking for a good vacation place or just want to see other cities, I would suggest watching this show. And Brown is such a personable host, you feel like you are on vacation with her. I'd love to be her for a day or at least be her assistant!

This week Samantha Brown visits San Francisco and Miami. The shows air on the Travel Channel on Thursdays and repeat often. Check your local listings.

A Guide to Fanfiction, Little Addendums

Ever take a test, write EVERYTHING you could possibly cram into your essay, read it over so many times the words run together until you are certain this is the best you can do and you cannot add any more information. You hand it in and then when you get back to your room/next class, you suddenly remember about five more things you could've written. Well, that happens to me after I post my Guide to Fanfiction posts. So I've decided to add some extra information to help the aspiring fanfic writer out there.

Characters, Canon

A helpful hint if you are unsure if you can grasp the canon character properly is to write it than ask someone else very familiar with the fandom to read it. If they feel you have kept them in character, then keep going. If not, listen to their suggestions or consider writing a character you can grasp. However, that doesn't mean you can completely ignore them if they are important characters. For example, there is a story I'm reading that is set after the War of the Ring. It shows all the major characters except for Eowyn. She is completely ignored even when the company moves to Rohan. The author has stated this is because she felt that she couldn't grasp Eowyn's character, but to not even mention if she is in the room is unacceptable for such a prominent and heroic character.

Characters, Original

So, unsure if your character is crossing into Mary Sue/Gary Stu territory? Have no fear! The good people who are sick and tired of reading Mary Sues created a test. Google the term "Mary Sue Litmus Test." There are a good number of them. I would trust the universal Mary Sue test for all your original character needs as it also has a section for characters in an original story. There are tests that deal specifically with one fandom. I know Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings and Buffy the Vampire Slayer all have their own tests. Use them. There is a checklist and they calculate a score based on how many boxes you have checked off. There is also a list of things that will lower your characters scores. From that test, adjust according. If you are safe, keep writing. If you are on the fence, tread lightly. If you are slightly over, do a personality operation. If you are writing a flaming Mary Sue, hit delete and try again.

Description and Setting

We all have trouble writing description when first starting out and we have all been guilty of telling, not showing in our writing lifetime. I'm guilty as well. I've left some of my early stories up instead of deleting them in shame like I should. You can see how I've matured as a writer that way. (I'll post my fanfiction.net account in the next part of the guide). Here's how I suggest you work on description. Take a piece of paper or drag your laptop to a window. Look out and describe what you see. The people walking by, the leaves on the trees, the cars, whatever is out there. Move around to different windows. When you feel stronger, start looking around when you don't have any paper around then try to write what you saw from memory. Then pick a place--not a very specific place like Times Square or Paris , a generic place like a park or a grocery store--and write what you want this place to look like. Also become a people watcher, watch the little quirks that separate you from the guy on the subway. Watch the kid across the cafeteria and how s/he behaves. Writing is like any other skill--you have to work to become good.

And another thing for setting, I CANNOT stress this enough: RESEARCH! It is no longer up, but there was a story that had me worried for a bit. The author wanted to send The Doctor to Disney World but had never been there before. She apologized in advance if she didn't get it right. Once again, you can write about places you've never been to, but try to research it to the best of your abilities. Walt Disney World (and Disneyland) are very easy places to right about if you've never been there as there is a treasure trove of information about them. There are tons of pictures and videos done by people who have been there let alone by the Walt Disney Company. The Travel Channel and the Food Network love to do specials on the parks as well. Now of course you may not know all the little things you might learn by going to the parks, like the bathrooms in that portal from the middle of Frontierland to the middle of Adventureland or where International Gate is in Epcot, but you will have a good understanding of the park overall.

And that story I mentioned? She took it down, mostly because the reviews were asking that she research Disney World and also because she could not accurately portray The Doctor. Also, if you decide to send your favorite characters to Walt Disney World, I would appreciate it if you realize it is called the Walt Disney World Resort and is made up of three other parks than the Magic Kingdom. Seriously, send them to Epcot, MGM (oh, wait, Hollywoodland. That's going to take some getting use to) and the Animal Kingdom.

Next up: Writing a decent plot.

I Love the WHAT?

So, we've all seen VH1's "I Love the..." series, admit it. Yes, you've tuned in during one of those many marathons of it when they aren't doing a marathon of every America's Next Top Model episode ever. I started from the very beginning, watching "I Love the 80s" with relish. And the other two versions. I'm a child of the 80's after all. And then I rejoiced when they did "I Love the 90s" twice because, while a child of the 80's, I remember more from the 90's. And then I watched "I Love the 70s" both times with my parents just for the "Oh my God, I remember that!" or "I forgot that happened then!" conversations between my parents. And I love the commentators...particularly the regulars (HAL SPARKS! Sorry...).

But recently, I caught a marathon of "I Love the 80's 3-D" when there was an ad taking up half the screen (don't you hate that?). "I Love the New Millennium." The HELL? It's 2008--the decade isn't over yet, VH1! You couldn't wait two more years to air it in 2010? Remember the election of 2000? Gladiator? Lord of the Rings? Finding Nemo? That other host of American Idol? 1 Night in Paris? Dick Cheney shooting his friend? 2007?

Of course we do, VH1. It was only a few years ago. Enough time hasn't passed for us to forget. Except for maybe that other guy who hosted with Ryan the first season of American Idol. Brian Dunkleman? But no one really cares much about him anyway, it was ALL about Kelly Clarkson. But seriously, why do we need this NOW?

Oh, well, I'm still watching it. And now I want to go back and rewatch the "Numa Numa" video. That's definitely one of those things you go to when you're feeling down. That and that penguin knocking his friend down.

Oops!

So last night I gave my recap of the latest episode of "Legally Blonde the Musical: The Search for Elle Woods." But I had some problems with Blogger and I rewrote that recap a few times. And the final version has an omission: my favorite Elle Wannabe!

So, in an earlier recap I gave my three favorite Elle Wannabes but I forgot my absolute favorite: Natalie! And I feel bad mostly because she was omitted due to the fact I could never remember her name. I know, I know. I can't even remember my favorite's name? But hear me out: she looks like a girl I went to college with. So I always want to call poor Natalie "Nikki." So if I screw up and mention someone named "Nikki," I mean her.

Here's hoping for a Natalie-Emma final!

Serious

So the ending of last night's episode of "Legally Blonde the Musical: The Search for Elle Woods" was intense, wasn't it? Of course, I'm getting ahead of myself...

The girls sent to the casting room return sans Lindsey. There are tears and hugs as the show starts to reveal some of the friendships between the girls. There's tiny Autumn hugging tall Celina while Natalie asks if Emma needs to talk since Lindsey was eliminated. Apparently, they were close. Naturally, the question "What did they say?" gets asked. Unfortunately, it is asked by Cassie S. So the girls then turn it into a confrontation that would've made Tyra Banks proud had it been on America's Next Top Model. The girls tell her how upset they were over the fact she "threw them under a bus" at judging. They also tell her that she takes everything personally and that she is ostracizing herself. Cassie S cries that she doesn't know how to relate to girls and doesn't have any girlfriends. Now, while I myself and some of my girlfriends prefer our male friends over our female ones, I still have girlfriends. And I also feel that Cassie's cattiness doesn't help things much either.

The next day, the girls get their call sheet and go off to meet...Teddy and BooBoo who play "Bruiser" in the show. The dogs also brought along their trainers, who teach the girls how to interact with the dogs on stage. Haylie Duff tells the girls that they will be having a sleepover with the dogs like Laura Bell so they can bond. The challenge winner will be the girl who bonds the best with the dogs. Most of the girls do. Cassie S bombs. Autumn is chosen as the winner and she brings Celina along as a friend. They go to a doggie boutique where they are met by Richard (H) Blake, who plays Warner in Legally Blonde the Musical. While I'm wondering why they keep dropping the initial, I still friggin' love him! I've seen him in three different musicals: "Hairspray" (Link), "The Wedding Singer" (Glen) and, of course, Legally Blonde. After the cast was announced, Broadway.com did a video interview the actors and Blake aptly noted that he usually plays the jerk boyfriend. But I still love him. His wife is so lucky!

Meanwhile, Emma our ex-smoker has developed a cough which worries her as the next audition is coming up. And what will our Elle Wannabes be performing? The song "Serious" with Richard (H) Blake! The ahmahzing Seth Rudetsky continues to help them while apparently still rocking his 70's hairdo from "The Ritz." He and the assistant choreographer helps the girl nail the part where Warner tells Elle he is dumping her, not proposing. Now, they've been showing this clip for a long time: Seth telling a girl that "none of the judges wanted [her] back." I kept thinking, "How could you be so mean, Seth?" The girl though is revealed to be Bailey and when put into context, I could now tell that it was meant to help her realize Elle's devestation at that moment even before he said "Just kidding." After her rehearsal, Emma rushes to the doctor's, who tells her she has bronchitis but Emma is determined to do the audition anyway.

At the auditions, the following girls nailed it: Emma, Lauren, and Natalie. Bailey and Rhiannon were okay. They were the safe ones. Celina, Cassie S and Autumn found themselves being sent to the casting office. Cassie S complained about it in confessional, saying she was working "her ass off" and that she did pretty good for "not having seen the material before." The HELL? She's trying out for the show and she didn't even watch it? I mean, I understand it's expensive to come to New York City and see a musical. But MTV taped it and aired it a good month before auditions. Would it have killed her to watch it once? Then in the casting office, she was told she would be a good understudy or swing because she still had much to learn. She whined, "But that's not going to make me a star!" Neither is that attitude, honey. And in response to Celina's defense, bookwriter and judge Heather Hach utters my favorite line of the series: "What part of you thinks that Legally Blonde is about being subtle?" And poor Autumn uses the "I had a bad day" excuse, which flys as far as "I've never done/had/been _____ before" does on America's Next Top Model. Celina is unceremoniously cut and tells Autumn to win it for her.

But wait, there's more! The judges inform Cassie S and Autumn that they will be doing a double elimination and sending another one of them home. And then they cut Cassie S. It wasn't too surprising because Autumn was the stronger of the two and not as arrogant. But Cassie S was the bitch. They are usually kept around for drama. Oh well, now someone else has to be the bitch.

And the producers seemed to have realized this as next week's challenge has the girls picking out the weakest among them. And Autumn runs out of the audition apparently.

A Guide to Fanfiction, Part Four

Here we are now, Part Four of this little (ha!) guide. I hope this is helping some of you would be writers out there. Today, we'll just tackle one entire subject:

Setting

Now, I'm sure there are people out there who are thinking "Why do we need to focus on setting for a fanfiction? It's already there!" True, but that's not even half the work. Remember how in the last section we discussed description? I mentioned that good description can make the setting its own character and used the example of Hogwarts. Naturally then, Hogwarts is generally the setting of many a Harry Potter fic. Likewise, Rivendell or Gondor or Rohan end up used as various settings for a Lord of the Rings story. However, just writing "The Fellowship was resting in Lothlorien" or "Harry and Ron were in the Gryffindor common room" isn't enough setting. Of course, the authors have described these places so RESIST the temptation to merely open up The Fellowship of the Ring or a Harry Potter book and copy what Tolkien or Rowling wrote word for word. That's called "plagiarism." It's illegal and can get you kicked off most reputable fanfiction websites. It is okay to open those books and read what the author wrote so as to make sure YOUR description is similar to the original vision. In fact, that would be preferable than to you redecorating the Gryffindor common room as long as it is in YOUR own words.

Just a few words to the wise regarding certain settings. In the Lord of the Rings, neither Rivendell nor Mirkwood have castles. Rivendell is NOT a city. It is located in a valley and is a haven. It is an outpost, just the Last Homely House. Likewise, Mirkwood is called so because it is mirky. It is being invaded by Sauron's darkness and spider attacks are common. For safety, the elves live in caves. So describing Thranduil and Legolas' living quarters in grand statements that would better suit Versailles is rather laughable amongst Tolkien fans. Now, that's not to say there AREN'T times when you can play with setting. There are places that aren't really expanded on in Lord of the Rings where you can't use a little creativity to describe. Ithilien is rebuilt by Faramir and Eowyn after their marriage--what do you think the city would look like? Also, what about where the Haradim live? What is Mordor like now that Sauron is gone? Also, Hogwarts in Harry Potter is a large castle that has many nooks and new passageways that Harry and Company never explored. Why not have them explore those now?

But setting isn't just the place your characters are located at the time. There is also an emotional setting. How do the characters feel? The setting of a dark woods, properly shown and not told, can inspire your readers to feel the fear your character feels. A well placed rain shower or thunderstorm can reflect the character's sadness or inner struggle. Sunshine or bright settings can evoke an air of joy and peace.

In conclusion: Just because you are writing a fanfic, don't think your work on setting is done. It is a greater challenge because you must describe some place in your own words someone else has already written about. Rise to it, get it right and the fans will be more appreciative.

Next up: Dialogue!

A Passionate Love Affair

I seem to have many love affairs, sadly none with a living human man right now. Well, sad state of my love life aside, I must say I heart a channel. Most of my friends love the Food Network which is all fine and dandy but now a channel I would leave on for hours (like my roommates used to). The Travel Channel, however, is the one I would leave on. I like when they devote programming to haunted locations, like haunted hotels or towns. I love a good ghost story.

I also absolutely love Samantha Brown, who hosts a good number of shows on the channel. She's just so bubbly and personable, you get the feeling she'd be your best friend if you were to meet in real life. She would also be a great travel buddy because A) she has the Travel Channel account behind her and B) she's able to network with people to be able to make the most wherever you are, whatever you are doing. She also has the best job in the world because the station sends her to these places for work! She gets to stay in luxurious hotels, go to vineyards, visit exotic locations and do things that would make your bank account cry. She has a new show on the channel starting soon: Great Weekends With Samantha Brown. I'll put up the date and time later as well as what I think of the show!

Also, the Travel Channel is as tight with The Mouse as I am, maybe even tighter since they can go behind the scenes. I love when they devote a whole block to the Happiest/Most Magical Place on Earth (either Disneyland in Cali or Walt Disney World in Florida). They've even sent Brown to their hotels and the parks as well. I would love to have such a close encounter with the park. Heck, I would love to go back to Disney World.

So, anyone out there in cyberland had a channel they don't mind putting on and realizing three-to-six hours later you haven't changed it?

New Classics

So, Entertainment Weekly has published a list of 1000 new classics in various fields, cultivated from the past 25 years. Among these lists includes one of the 50 new stage classics. Here are the top five:

1. Angels in America (1993-94)
2. Rent (1996)
3. August: Osage County (2007)
4. Doubt (2004)
5. Jersey Boys (2005)

Not much complaining from my end. These five shows have redefined American theatre in the last few decades and touched on some serious issues: AIDS, family dysfunction, the scandal in the Church, etc. It is great to see Rent honored so as it prepares to close the original production. Among some of the other shows who made the list include:

8. Avenue Q (2003)--Tony Award winner and continues to wow audiences at the Golden Theater nightly. Also, who doesn't love "The Internet is for Porn"?
12. The Phantom of the Opera (1987)--Tony Award winner and now the longest running musical in Broadway history. Andrew Lloyd Webber is planning a sequel to this megahit (more on why I don't think that's a great idea in another post) and the half-mask is a Broadway icon in and of itself.
13. The Lion King (1997)--The only Disney show to win the Best Musical Tony. It is a truly remarkable show, an artistic triumph. And we all love "Hakuna Matata," no matter who is singing it.
15. Les Misérables (1987)--The longest running musical in the world (thanks to the original London production, still running). Now, it isn't the happiest musical in the world. Let's face it, everyone basically dies. (Spoiler alert?) But audiences still flock to the musical and still love the songs, especially that ingenue classic "On My Own." Also, Forbidden Broadway loves to mock the show.
16. Wicked (2003)--Okay, not so much ground-breaking, startling and artistic, but it is a classic buddy story--Elphaba and Glinda--and the struggles friendship goes through. Also, Stephen Scwartz's music is great--even if we have now been subjected to a thousand renditions of "Defying Gravity." Besides, this show brought people--especially a younger audience--back to the theatre.
22. Into the Woods (1987)--SONDHEIM! Enough said. For more reasons why, listen to "No One is Alone."
33. Hairspray (2002)--Tony Awarding winning play that brought some pep back into Broadway! With a great message and even greater music, this was a definite. Besides, who doesn't love a little camp?
43. Spring Awakening (2006)--Tony Award winner that was ground-breaking, startling and artistic. It's the anti-Wicked! Of course, this musical also earned comparisons to number 2 "Rent" as the show for the next generation. I may still not get the "choreography" of the show, but I get the story. It's still not something I would go see with my parents though.

For the full list and EW's other lists, please go to: http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20207076_20207387_20207063,00.html

Are there any plays/musicals you think the magazine left off that should be included? And anyone who suggests "Cats" will be in for a world of hurt.

A Guide to Fanfiction Part 3

And we continue!

Research, An Author's Best Friend

Okay, you've decided you are going to write a fanfic. You sit down and start writing. It's that easy, right? WRONG! Even if you weren't going to write fanfiction and write an original work, you can't just start writing. Every author has to do research of some sort. It's as my writing professor says, "Write what you can get away with. But to get away with it, research it." I used a New England town once in an original story. Had I ever been there? No, but I looked it up. I read all the information I could and studied pictures. Likewise, you don't have to be a medical genius to write a House or ER fic. However, it would be wise to research some diseases and medical practices so that you aren't pulling things out of thin air. It makes you, the author, sound ignorant and stupid and causes your audience to not trust in your abilities. And it's not like it's relatively hard to do research. We live in the internet age. Use Google, use Wikipedia...there is a place for you to find information. And it gives your writing authenticity. For example, there's a fic that's set in 19th Century France. However, the way the author portrays everything reads more like 21st Century America. Her story would've been improved slightly had she: looked up French names, French customs, French laws, etc.

So do the research. Don't just type something up and post it. Especially if your story takes place in a world outside of modern-day America. And also, remember that things are different in Omaha than New York City. And we will point it out.

Showing, Not Telling (AKA Description)

In fanfiction, there are two camps when it comes to description: bare bones and too much. There needs to be a "happy medium." In the bare bones camp, they are guilty of telling things rather than letting the reader "see it" or they tell the reader one thing, but what little they have shows another thing. For example, there is a fic where the author tells her readers that two of the main characters are in love. However, from what we've seen, it is more likely he's infatuated and she's suffering from Stockholm. Syndrome. He's killed one of her brothers, burned her house, killed her sister-in-law as well as the entire village, then kidnapped her at gunpoint--it's definitely Stockholm. I also think in the bare bones camp, they author is so excited to get their OMG! awesome idea out into the world, they don't bother building anything up. The sooner Legolas falls for their Sue, the better. In the other camp, too much description often bogs down the story and bores the reader. You don't have to describe every little thing nor do you have to use very flowery imagery. Sometimes simple is best. Also, description does not have to be wasted on characters or things we will never see again. I don't need to know what the server at the restaurant your characters are eating at looks like down to the shoes on his feet. Likewise, we don't need to know every article of clothing your character wears nor need to know every costume change.

Description should be used to expand the setting, which can be its own character. Honestly, can you imagine Harry Potter without Hogwarts? The school is a character in the books. Description can also be used to expand on characters. We'll use clothing again as a way to do this. Compare these:

A: "She always wore the most expansive clothing and liked fashion a lot."

B: "She wore the classic little black dress, accessorized down to her ridiculously high heels. It looked as if she had just walked off a Paris runway, not disembarked from a New York City cab. Her tastes were best served by Gucci or Versace or some other high-end European fashion house sold on Fifth Avenue. Nothing was a cheap knock-off from some third-rate retail store or, worse, Wal-Mart. She had probably never stepped foot in a Wal-Mart in her entire life; she's probably break out in hives if she did so."

Which paints the better picture in your head? Option B, right? Good description used properly can propel a story from mediocrity to greatness.

What You Want!

Time for another "Legally Blonde: The Search for Elle Woods" recap. And I think the bitch of the show has revealed herself. Finally. There's usually one from casting week on Top Model.

After Cassie O's departure, we start with Lindsey and Cassie S's triumphant return to the loft. The next day, the remaining Elle wannabes go to a health center where they meet the ahmahzing Seth Rudetsky to work on their stamina to do an entire show. (By the way, Seth is my favorite columnist over at Playbill.com. Check it out! Onstage and Backstage, updated every Monday). So the girls have to sing while jogging, biking and bouncing on pink exercise balls. In the end, Seth picks Lauren as the winner, which didn't sit too well with the other girls (who thought ex-smoker Emma was a better candidate). Lauren wins the opportunity to get a mani/pedi with Orfeh ("Paulette") and can pick a friend. She chooses Cassie S, saying she was impressed that the girl was able to bounce back from near-elimination to really stand out. However, in a confessional, Cassie S. (they still haven't dropped that initial!) is anything but gratiful or flattered, saying she was chosen out of pity. Smelling the bitch yet?

Before Lauren and Cassie S. are whisked away, Haylie Duff reveals that the girls will be performing "Ohmigod You Guys!" for the judges. The girls freak. At the manicure place, the winners ask Orfeh for some advice and she in turn asks how everyone is getting along. She's probably seen a few episodes of Top Model, so how does she think everyone is getting along? Lauren says that everyone is getting along fine while Cassie S. confessionalizes that that is a big lie and there is bitchery in the house. While I think she is the bitch, I must admit she's right. I went to an all-girls school and it can get down right catty even when you're friendly! The next day, the girls learn that not only will they be singing Elle's part in "Ohmigod You Guys," they will also be singing the Delta Nu girls part as well--acting as back up when they aren't auditioning. Seth practices with them and then the girls go home to practice again. Cassie S. practices but some of the girls aren't into helping her. Uh oh.

I wish the audition scenes were longer. At least on "Grease," we got to hear full performances by the contestants. Here, we only get little snippets and it's hard to base a person's potential on about a minute or two of singing. However, the stands out for me were Emma, Autumn, and Bailey. After Cassie S's performance, the judges asked her if there was anyone she thought should go home. And she played right into their trap, but realized her mistake to try to backpedal out of actually naming anyone. The other girls weren't thrilled and seemed surprised that a girl could be such a bitch and were disheartened to see her be saved from the casting room. Ladies, please view America's Next Top Model Cycles 1-10. Focus on such bitches as Robyn, Bre, Bianca, Renee, and Dominique. Note also how far they made it in the competition. In the end, four girls were sent down to the casting room. The judges decided to send Lindsey home.

AFI!

I love the lists put out by the American Film Institute (AFI) despite the fact that a friend of mine can't seem to understand that international movies aren't going to be considered by something focusing on America. Anyway, this year, the institute is counting down the top ten films in ten different movie genres. They kicked off the countdown with the best in animation. And just like I predicted to my family before it started, Disney dominated the category. Only "Shrek" was the non-Disney movie on the list, though I agree with my dad that "Polar Express" should've made it on the list. The animation in the movie brought the computer generated movie to a whole new level. And the story about believing is always a welcome addition. And a welcome respite from the usual Christmas movie plotlines: another "It's a Wonderful Life" knock-off (which placed in the top 10 fantasy lists, capped by "The Wizard of Oz"), "A Christmas Carol" knock off, or the poor man's version of "Groundshog Day" (which also placed in the top 10 fantasy list).

But honestly, there is no surprise that Disney would dominate the list. Walt Disney set the standard for animation with "Snow White and the Seven Dwarves" (which was the top animated movie on AFI's list) and kept finding ways to raise the bar--"Cinderella," "Bambi," "Fantasia," etc. (All which placed). And to this day, Walt Disney Studios strives to make Walt proud and the Disney name at the forefront of family entertainment and animation, such as partnering with Pixar ("Finding Nemo" and "Toy Story" also placed). It is the reason why many other animated features such as "Anastasia" and "The Swan Princess" are often mistaken for being Disney when they aren't. And I was glad to see my favorite movie "Beauty and the Beast" place on the list as well, the only animated film to ever be nominated for a Best Picture Oscar. (It lost to "Silence of the Lambs").

And you know that somewhere, there is a publicist for the Disney company sitting in a cubicle typing up a press release trumpeting the fact that nine out of the top ten best animated movies of all time (according to AFI) were Disney movies. God, I wish that were me!

A Guide to Fanfiction Part 2

A continuation from the last post about this.

Characters (Cont)

So, we we've already discussed the canon characters and that it is best to keep them in character as much as possible. Now, it's time to discuss the Original Character. These are the characters we as authors create to interact with the established canon characters. What makes a good OC? Well, first, they should be well-rounded. They should have good qualities, such as being friendly or a strong warrior or smart as well as bad, such as being gullible or vain or painfully shy. A balance of these qualities helps create a 3D character that the reader can relate to and will not mind invading their favorite fandom. Remember though: The readers are coming for the characters they already know and love. They don't give a damn about your character in the beginning. It's your job to make them care about your character as much as the canon ones.

So, let's discuss how NOT to write an Original Character. You should avoid Mary Sue and her equally repugnant brother Gary Stu at all costs. There are various definitions for a Mary Sue, here's mine: a perfect female character who most likely has a tragic background of some sort, is introduced into the story and immediately takes it over. She may or may not be one of the following: an excellent warrior, royalty, magical, be the lone surviving member of a race or nation, etc. A Mary Sue is usually overly described which is sometimes the only description in the story. (More on good description vs. bad description will follow later). Let's use the Lord of the Rings most infamous Sue as an example. She is a girl from "our world" who lost her twin brother and was raped who falls into "Middle-earth," becomes a member of the Fellowship because she is a prophesized heroine, is falling in love with Legolas and vice versa while Boromir stands by and lusts after her. It is later revealed that she is the sole survivor of a lost country, royalty, magical and if she doesn't fall in love with Legolas Middle-earth is doomed. Here that? That's the sound of Tolkien spinning in his grave. Now this Sue also has no redeeming features: she is arrogant, rude and patronizing--all which the author mistakes as "wit" so she is often smiled at rather than chided. She is right now so powerful, the quest is virtually a moot point and she cannot feel the call of the Ring.

If writing in the Lord of the Rings section, DO NOT make your character immune to the call of the Ring. It is like Pandora's Box or the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil. It is temptation and we all are tempted. Also, do not be afraid to let your character give into the Ring, like Boromir. However, like Boromir, don't forget to plan a good redemption arc. Everyone loves a good redemption arc.

More on these Sues will follow in the section entitled "Thou Shalt Respect Canon At All Times" since these girls often break many rules laid down in a certain fandom.

Tenth Walker

Hmm, this post seems to mostly be about Lord of the Rings. That's okay, I call it "Mary Sue Central" anyway. The "Tenth Walker" is a subset under the Mary Sues because more often than not, they end up being one--like our example Sue. For those who don't know, there were NINE members of the Fellowship of the Ring: Frodo (the Ring-bearer), Sam, Merry, Pippin, Gandalf, Aragorn, Legolas, Gimli and Boromir. That's it! Nine was the number chosen because there were NINE Nazgul or Ringwraiths. Symbolism and it comes in handy in case of a one-on-one fight with them. A good friend of mine over at Fanfiction.net has posted her own article regarding these characters and has let me post it here.

http://telcontar-rulz.livejournal.com/2392.html
Please do read this. She herself as written an excellent Tenth Walker fic that respects canon and brings a new twist to the story.

A List of Winners

Here's a list of winners I've compiled:

Rondi Reed (August: Osage County)—Best Featured Actress in a Play
Jim Norton (The Seafarer)—Best Supporting Actor in a Play
Bartlett Sher (South Pacific)—Best Direction of a Musical
Stew (Passing Strange)—Best Book of a Musical
Boeing-Boeing—Best Rival of a Play
Lin-Manuel Miranda (In the Heights)—Best Score
Andy Blankenbuehler (In the Heights)—Best Choreography
Alex Lacamoire and Bill Sherman (In the Heights)—Best Orchestrations
Laura Benanti (Gypsy)—Best Featured Actress in a Musical
Boyd Gaines (Gypsy)—Best Featured Actor in a Musical
Anna D. Shapiro (August: Osage County)—Best Direction of a Play
Mark Rylance (Boeing-Boeing)—Best Leading Actor in a Play
Deanna Dunagan (August: Osage County)—Best Leading Actress in a Play
August: Osage County—Best Play
South Pacific—Best Revival of a Musical
Paulo Szot (South Pacific)—Best Leading Actor in a Musical
Patti Lupone (Gypsy)—Best Leading Actress in a Musical
In the Heights—Best Musical

These are the major awards. For a complete list, visit Playbill.com!

Also, did I miss the In Memoriam?

Lullaby of Broadway

Well, let me start with a bit of a confession: I wasn't that excited about this Broadway season. I didn't go into the season looking forward to a certain production and as the season continued, nothing else really sparked my interest. Fortunately, next season doesn't look the same (I suggest everyone get ready for [title of show] now) but I'm still an avid watcher of the Tony Awards. I'm not going to do a blow by blow, but just the musical numbers. (A list of winners will follow in a separate post).

The Lion King (Circle of Life)

Now that's how you kick off an awards show! The Disney musical is celebrating it's 10th year on Broadway and is still going strong. This number proved it. The costumes, the music, the performances all made it one spectacular opening. Let's hope the show keeps the momentum.

Having host Whoopi Goldburg come out in a lobster suit was genius. I've missed having a host for the Tony Awards and I think she'll be brilliant.

Cry Baby (Upset)

Could Cry Baby pull off an upset? I must say, I loved Hairspray and after seeing this number, I'm thinking I might enjoy John Waters' second musical offering. The tune was catchy, the performances were fantastic and the dancing just blew me away.

Also, John Waters shout to any Tony fans in jail was brilliant. You know there is someone somewhere hiding in some prison's dark corner watching the awards ceremony and trying not to get caught. Either that, or they are all in the cafeteria somewhere cheering that they were mentioned.

Passing Strange (Keys)

Passing Strange has a new fan. I found myself tapping along from the moment the music started to the moment it ended. Also, the story sounds universal: someone trying to figure out what they want to be in a world where everyone is telling you what you should be. And the music and the lyrics...I may also now be a Stew convert.

Gypsy (Everything's Coming Up Roses)

A classic Broadway song performed by one of Broadway's best leading ladies--Patti Lupone. This should be good. And this number rightly received a standing ovation. I absolutely love Lupone--she has such a great voice. And this is someof Sondheim's best lyrics and who doesn't love that Jules Styne score? If you've never heard the Gypsy Overture, I suggest you track it down. The opening chords send a chill down your spine.

I am wondering now after that Phantom of the Opera bit, how many times Goldburg is going to remind us she won a Tony. Seriously. Oh well, at least they are trying to involve more of the other Broadway shows.

South Pacific (Melody: Nothin' Like a Dame, Some Enchanted Evening, I'm in Love, I'm in Love, I'm in Love)

Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II redefined the American musical with "Oklahoma" and they kept churning out classic musical after classic musical. "South Pacific" is one of their best, taking place on a small Pacific Island during the war. This rival at Lincoln Center looks to be spectacular. There was an article in the New York Times the other day that said it was going to come down between South Pacific and Gypsy in the Best Revival of a Musical and they are right. Both are well-loved musicals who have received excellent stagings from what I have seen in their Tony performances. However, I'm afraid that Kelli O'Hara--as talented as she is--stands no chance against Patti Lupone for a Tony. Viva la Patti!

Grease (Grease and We'll Always Be Together)

Mentioned in an earlier post, I got sucked into the reality-show-to-cast-a-musical genre with Grease: You're the One That I Want. So I was pretty excited to see this performance of Grease, introduced by original Danny Barry Bostwick (bet you didn't know that!). These are songs we've all sung to at one point or another and tonight had pretty good performances of them. Max and Laura seem to be doing well and the dance routine they performed during Together--WOW! Though, Kathleen Marshall seemed to have hijacked some of the choreography from the movie. "Grease Lightning" I can understand--everyone can do that dance. But the one from "We'll Always Be Together"? Come on!

And Now, the "We Weren't Nominated But The Theatre Wing Is Still Letting Us Perform" trio!

The Little Mermaid (Part of Your World)

Kinda hard to base off such a short performance. Part of Your World is such a Disney classic that it's hard hearing someone that's not Jodi Benson singing it, but Sierra Bogess does a good job of making the song her own. I will eventually see that musical as "The Little Mermaid" is my sister's favorite Disney movie. I'm still bitter over the fact they closed my favorite "Beauty and the Beast" for this show.

A Catered Affair (Vision)

My mom declared her love for Faith Prince and I can see and hear why. It was a beautiful song performed by a beautiful voice.

Young Frankenstein (Deep Love)

A song about a man's dick sung by Karen Walker...I mean Megan Mullaly. Pretty good. I'm still not seeing Young Frankenstein unless the movie is on TV. Sorry, Mel Brooks.

In the Heights (96,000)

You know, if I won the lottery, I'd take the money and go on a world sightseeing tour. I'd go visit theaters in a whole bunch of different countries. Or I'd buy a second home to live in England. That would be nice. Now, onto the performance. Wow. I've heard only good things about In the Heights and this proved why. Now, I'm not a big fan of rap and seeing a musical filled with it is not my idea of a good time, but the way the rap is mixed with the other musical styles doesn't bother me. And Lin-Manuel Miranda (already a Tony Award winner early tonight) is just adorable and talented. I'm rooting for In the Heights now!

Sunday in the Park With George (Move On)

Once again, let me proclaim my love for Stephen Sondheim. It's hard not to appreciate his music and his lyrics and Sunday in the Park With George is no different. I can see why they transferred this British production here to America and I think Jenna Russell is absolutely superb. Though the tune for most of her (Dot's) lines came straight from "Into the Woods." Don't try to fool me Sondheim, I know it! Oh well, he's only stealing from himself. And bravo, good sir, on your Honorary Tony.

Upset! Okay, not really. But in the South Pacific v. Gypsy slugfest, South Pacific just walked away with the Tony for Best Revival. After all the other wins, I thought Gypsy would get the big nod. Well, I'm sure Rodgers and Hammerstein are patting each other on the back up in Heaven.

Xanadu (Don't Walk Away)

I'm sorry Xanadu, but it's going to take more than that performance to get me to come see your show. I've seen the movie. I know how horrible it is. I love the music and I'll buy the CD, but see it? No way, Jose! Anyway, I love Cheyenne Jackson and Kerry Butler. And I must give that woman props for doing the show in roller skates. Mary Testa and Jackie Hoffman look like they steal the show every night. And I love the fact they stuck Tony Randall out in the audience to sing his part. The guys sitting next to him were like "Great, we end up with the lucky seats."

Rent (La Vie Boheme and Seasons of Love)

It is such a shame that this wonderful, amazing musical is ending it's fantastic run after 12 years this September. I've seen it twice and each time blew me away. And if you haven't seen it--you have the summer to do so. And if you can't get to New York, wait for either a tour or the filmed final performance when it comes to a movie theater near you. La Vie Boheme always makes me want to get up and dance as well as be proud of being a writer, someone who creates, myself. And who hasn't shed a tear at Seasons of Love, such a poignant yet joyful song? And you can tell the show is much beloved: Marisa Tomei was jumping up and down in her seat, Patti Lupone was clapping along and looked like she was about to cry, and several were singing along. And it was great to see the original cast, whom I all love--Anthony Rapp, Adam Pascal, Taye Diggs (What was with the bow tie?), Idina Menzel, Daphne Ruben-Vega and others. One question: Did anyone see Jesse L. Martin? Cause I sure didn't.

And Patti just won the Tony, like I knew she would! Congrats, Patti. And what a great speech: "Shut up, I've been waiting 28 years to do this!" What a way to end it! I hope to see her back on Ugly Betty soon!

WOOT! In the Heights just took home the night's top prize. Congrats Lin-Manuel Miranda and your awesome cast and crew. I'll be there as soon as I can! After all, I've seen the Best Musicals of the past five years. Why stop now?

A Guide to Fanfiction

Okay, I'm a regular over at Fanfiction.net and throughout many years of reading fanfiction, I've learned what makes a good fanfiction and what makes a bad one. So, if you don't mind a bit of ranting, I'm going to share it. Because I feel there are people out there who need to know this.

Definition

Look, I'm sick and tired of fanbrats whining, "It's fanFICTION." You have to stop putting the emphasis on the last part of the word. It's as I told someone else earlier who whined about it. If you don't want people nitpicking you and telling you your doing it wrong, DON'T WRITE FANFICTION! Seriously, if you want to do whatever you damn please, write your own damn story. There's even a place for you to post it--Fictionpress.com. If you're still up to fanfiction, remember that the emphasis goes on the first part: FANfiction. It is stories written by fans for fans. You must respect the work at all times. Readers are coming so that they can be pulled back into their favorite book/television/movie/etc and not because you are such an OMG! Amazing writer.

Characters

There are two parts to this. First, the established canon characters. These are the real reason why someone clicks on a fanfiction story. They want to see the characters they love in a new scenario. So please respect the characterizations the authors or writers have established for their characters. Study their personalities, their quirks, their strengths, their weaknesses. Don't just write about them because their actors are hot. Hermione from Harry Potter is an average looking studious young woman with bushy brown hair and slightly big teeth who isn't lusted over by every boy in the school. She is not suddenly going to return from summer vacation as bombshell blonde with big breasts, a perfect figure, a sudden focus on getting into someone's (Harry/Ron/Draco/Fred/George/Snape/Remus) pants nor is the entire male population (including those that haven't hit puberty) going to start chasing after her. Also, Erik from the Phantom of the Opera isn't some misunderstood sexy man who was wrongfully scorned by Christine. He's an ugly, twisted, murderous, obsessed man who also happens to be a genius with the voice of an angel. In other words, don't change the characters to suit the story. Change the story to suit the characters.

Since long post is long, I will continue this probably Monday as tomorrow (err, today) is the Tony Awards. And that will probably be another long post.

Next: Mary Sues, Tenth Walkers, Setting, Canon, Romance, Alternate Universe and others. Hmm, this might take longer than I thought...

A Sad Day...

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080614/ap_en_tv/obit_russert;_ylt=AooV1ATXvomVZSqUZSiuAPHQbbUC
Tim Russert passed away yesterday. I was quite in shock. The journalism field has lost a well-respected and talented colleague.

My prayers go out to his family and friends at this difficult time.

Woods, Elle

If you click the link I've provided to Playbill.com, you'll see that Laura Bell Bundy, the original Elle Woods in Legally Blonde, will be leaving the show next month. That means whoever the lucky winner of MTV's reality show (see post below) will be taking over.

I haven't been able to see any of the show's Nielsen ratings, so I'm not sure how much of a box office boost the winner will provide to the show. I do know that I'll probably go see it, though I've yet to see Grease, which I should do before Max Crumm and Laura Osnes end their runs in the show.

Ohmigod You Guys!

Well, let's start at the beginning. Last year, NBC debuted "Grease: You're the One That I Want" in hopes to cast the next Sandy and Danny in a revival of "Grease," that movie musical you all watched at your sleepovers and sang "Hopelessly Devoted to You" badly into hairbrushes with your girlfriends. As a lover of Broadway, I was skeptical of this show and tuned in to see it crash...as well as for some background noise.

I was hooked. Here's an article I wrote all about it: http://media.www.maristcircle.com/media/storage/paper659/news/2007/03/22/Entertainment/America.Votes.For.Broadways.Next.Danny.And.Sandy-2785368.shtml

Anyway, I soon followed up with "Any Dream Will Do" and just finished "I'd Do Anything." But those are for another post about my love for British television. This post is about the next American offering in the reality show casting game--MTV's "Legally Blonde: The Search for Elle Woods." Now I loved the movie and the musical, but I was a little anxious to watch this show until I decided to embrace the fact I love these shows.

The show started with the usual casting episode. I hate these episodes because they throw all these people at you that you'll probably never see again after the 30 minute mark. And you can't really root for anyone because you keep confusing the contestants in your mind. Now "Legally Blonde" did it in a better manner: 50 girls were quickly wittled down in the first ten minutes. In a final fifteen format, it was easier to watch and keep everyone somewhat straight. However, during what should've been an intense moment (Of the final two girls, who will stay and who will go?) fell flat because all the girls put through were interviewed in a dressing room. One of the final two was interviewed in such a setting; the other was interviewed in your doctor's waiting area. Gee, I wonder who was the one who went through?

Last night, the final ten moved into their pretty sweet loft and dove right in to the competition. They worked on acting, performing a scene from the musical. The winner, Bailey, got to meet Nikki Snelson ("Brooke Wyndham") with fellow contestant Lindsey. Elsewhere, the other eight girls practiced for their upcoming audition. In front of the judges, they performed a scene with Snelson, who was instructed to drop a line. She dropped the same line which the editors always counted down to. All the girls panicked. Some though just jumped in with their next line, the others didn't say anything leaving that long pause that anyone familiar with acting knows isn't a dramatic one but a "Someone dropped a line!" one. In the end, Cassie O. was sent home by the judges. I always feel bad for the first girl sent home on America's Next Top Model. Does anyone remember her? And will that be poor Cassie O's fate? And will they continue to call the other Cassie "Cassie S"?

And as for Haylie Duff as host...well, she's no Graham Norton, but she's not as bad as Ryan Seacrest. Thank God for small blessings.

Welcome!

I am a college graduate boldly going...where a million college graduates have gone before!

I'll be honest. I never really saw myself getting into the whole "blogging" thing. I have my own personal diary, which of course I will keep. I've been keeping it since I was nine and I'm not going to give up now. But over the course of the past few months, I realized that I have opinions. I have my takes on things. And I figured why not share them?

Aren't you lucky!

So, what to expect? Anything really. I'll share what I'm reading, what I'm watching, what I'm listening to...Warning, I tend to shy away from the mainstream radio. I'm a fan of Broadway musicals, so be prepared for that. In fact, June 15th is the Tony telecast. And I'll be providing my commentary on the ceremony (and perhaps peppered with my sister's comments. The two of us during an awards show is pretty interesting).

So, here's to good things to come!