On Fanfic. . . again. . .

[catscradle]

Can I mention again characterization and it's importance in fanfic? I've just read about a dozen GW fics in which all the characters were either unrecognizable or widdled down to caricatures. Bastard!Heero or Emotionless!Heero. Weepy!Duo or I'm-on-acid!Duo. Effeminate!Quatre. Seme!Trowa. Uke!Trowa. MegaCrankyMysogynistic!Wufei. And my favorite Mallrat!Pilots.

Three dimensions. Is that too much to ask for? I know not everyone can write well and we should encourage everyone to write and have fun. . . but 90% of the stuff out there is so unreadable (and this is across all the fandoms, not just GW). So when I see readers replying to the cardboard fics and commenting on their greatness and bypassing the quality well written fics, well. . . I feel the need to vent somewhere.

I thnk if people just asked themselves some questions first. Would Heero really say that? Is that how Duo would really react to that? Is he the type that would cry, or would he get pissed instead? Just think about what the characters would do - not what you or your friends would do. They're different people. That's why they have different names.

Characterization is key. I can forgive a bad plot if the characterization is at least on target.