On Writing Fan Fiction (Rules & Advice)

[TogetherAgain]

On (I think) a similar note to what Effralyo was saying, if you can, try to avoid describing eye movements that the actual puppets wouldn't be able to do. For example, it's very tempting to have Miss Piggy roll her eyes, Rowlf blink, Kermit open or close his eyes, and so on. But it's very difficult to imagine Kermit's eyes opening and closing when he doesn't even have eyelids. Instead of saying, "Kermit opened his eyes," try saying "Kermit woke up" or "Kermit looked at _____" It's kind of hard to do sometimes, but it's worth it to the reader.

 

[Beauregard]

But, Yey! Beau can blink! And Gonzo can "Waggle his eyebrows."

Just topying with ya, Toga. You have a good point.

 

[Fozzie Bear]

On (I think) a similar note to what Effralyo was saying, if you can, try to avoid describing eye movements that the actual puppets wouldn't be able to do. For example, it's very tempting to have Miss Piggy roll her eyes, Rowlf blink, Kermit open or close his eyes, and so on. But it's very difficult to imagine Kermit's eyes opening and closing when he doesn't even have eyelids. Instead of saying, "Kermit opened his eyes," try saying "Kermit woke up" or "Kermit looked at _____" It's kind of hard to do sometimes, but it's worth it to the reader.

This is what falls into "artistic licensing," really. We all know that REAL frogs can blink their eye lids. So, for the sake of realism to the characters a fan-fic writer might have him do something like that.

However, it's also the "artistic license" to stay true to the puppet forms we all know the characters as--ie, being literal.

Personally, in my story, I'd write Kermit as waking and blinking his eyes because I would hate to know he was sleeping with his eyes open all night. That's just weird to me to think of that, and gross considering what crawls around on us at night while we're sleeping, or rubbing his eyes on his pillow as he turns and tosses at night. Ouch.

When I complete the re-write of my Pigs In Space fan fic and someone reads it with a literal mind about what they know from the show they will not enjoy the story. Likewise with my next Muppet fan-fic which will come way on down the road.

 

[Effralyo]

Another good advice.

It will look awesome when in some places instead of plain text, text, text, the story will go as a poem, returning then back to the text. E.g., like in my fanfic - 'The Little Indigo':

Cross-roads,
Five ways,
Come and go
Nights and days...

-
and then comes an usual text. Trust me, it will add more charm to any story...

 

[Effralyo]

"No, don't split me! I like my body whole!" Beauregard cried.

By the way, another very tenderly written line. UUUmmmm! Adore it. Perhaps it was the line inspiring me to create the Swallowers.

 

[Effralyo]

Ah, yeah, adore it! (Hehe, the post duplicated... )
<Goes to wait for new advices and find her own>

 

[Gorgon Heap]

Research:

The next story is planned to focus on Bear on Patrol, but I'm researching the precincts of New York, looking up maps, and compiling information because I want to know the area I'm working with (street names, etc.) to give the story more realism...plus, I want folks to be able to look things up on google if they want and find out more about the places I mention. I just think it'd be neat.

I ALMOST set the scene in Memphis for BOP, but decided against it. I figured where they are isn't named in TMS, but we all think of Brooklyn or Mahnattan for that sketch instead. I've put out a call for info from folks who live up there for help, but no such luck.

I think it's Texas, actually. In the James Coburn episode, Banana Nose Moldanado's wanted poster said "State of Texas" on it.

David "Gorgon Heap" Ebersole

 

[Gorgon Heap]

I wanted to add a tangent to Fozzie's research comment: research the characters.

The Muppet characters that we all work with are multi-dimensional and were crafted with subtlety by Jerry Juhl et al. It's easy to forget certain aspects of the individual characters, such as Boober's vocabulary or Kermit's dry, reaction-based one-liners or Sam the Eagle's closet ignorance on cultural figures, and when writing fan fiction it's good to know the full range of character traits at your disposal.

David "Gorgon Heap" Ebersole

 

[Beauregard]

Good point. And be carefull, I think, giving characters lastnames, religions, etc, because fan's reading whill assume this to be the truth and thus perhaps fall into a trap in one of their stories. For example, I said that Grover gave the Fraggle Pebble back the next year, but someone missed that and would have sworn they saw Grover give it back in MFC.

 

[Beauregard]

Good point. And be carefull, I think, giving characters lastnames, religions, etc, because fan's reading will assume this to be the truth and thus perhaps fall into a trap in one of their stories. For example, I said that Grover gave the Fraggle Pebble back the next year, but someone missed that and would have sworn they saw Grover give it back in MFC.