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0|0|0|||1||A Question About Characters|Nova Floresca||20:23:07|09/17/2013|Apologies for putting another writing topic on the pile%2C but something I remembered from reading the other threads%3A%0D%0A%0D%0AHas anyone else had a character just take control and run away with the story%3F I ask because over the course of my last project%2C I had two different characters promote themselves from %22window dressing%22 to %22I now own a major part of this chapter%2C worship me%21%22. Does this happen for anyone else%2C or should I be skipping the writers%27 workshop in favor of the shrink%27s office%3F%0D%0A%0D%0A%22It is a pink slip%2C hence why it %0D%0Ais pink.%22
1|1|0|||1||RE%3A A Question About Characters|Gryphon||20:40:12|09/17/2013|%3EApologies for putting another writing topic on the pile%2C but something %0D%0A%3EI remembered from reading the other threads%3A %0D%0A%3E%0D%0A%3EHas anyone else had a character just take control and run away with %0D%0A%3Ethe story%3F%0D%0A%0D%0AHA%0D%0A%0D%0A--G.%0D%0A-%3E%3C-%0D%0ABenjamin D. Hutchins%2C Co-Founder%2C Editor-in-Chief%2C %26 Forum Mod%0D%0AEyrie Productions%2C Unlimited  http%3A%2F%2Fwww.eyrie-productions.com%2F%0D%0Azgryphon at that email service Google has%0D%0A%5Bi%5DCeterum censeo Carthaginem esse delendam.%5B%2Fi%5D
4|2|1|||1||RE%3A A Question About Characters|Nova Floresca||21:58:44|09/17/2013|Well%2C it%27s reassuring to know %5Bdel%5DI%27m not entirely crazy%5B%2Fdel%5D this is a common phenomenon.%0D%0A%0D%0AStill trying to figure out how a character went from %22the sidekick%27s sidekick%22 to %22delivering the finishing blow to one of the main baddies%22 in 5 chapters . . .%0D%0A%0D%0A%22It is a pink slip%2C hence why it is pink.%22
2|1|0|||1||RE%3A A Question About Characters|Mercutio||20:53:42|09/17/2013|Honestly%3F%0D%0A%0D%0AThis is so common that it is weirder for it to NOT happen.%0D%0A%0D%0A-Merc%0D%0AKeep Rat%0D%0A%0D%0A%5Bsmall%5D%22The SPCA has several one-sheets on preventing heartworms and using pets to grow small replacement organs.%22%5B%2Fsmall%5D
3|1|0|||||RE%3A A Question About Characters|mdg1||21:09:12|09/17/2013|That%27s actually how Cor %26 I  got started.  Originally I was just helping him with some anime tech%2C and he gave me a cameo in gratitude... but somehow%2C over time%2C my self-insert kept on coming in handy. %3AD
5|1|0|||1||RE%3A A Question About Characters|Peter Eng||03:47:03|09/18/2013|%3E%0D%0A%3EHas anyone else had a character just take control and run away with %0D%0A%3Ethe story%3F I ask because over the course of my last project%2C I had two %0D%0A%3Edifferent characters promote themselves from %22window dressing%22 to %22I %0D%0A%3Enow own a major part of this chapter%2C worship me%21%22. Does this happen %0D%0A%3Efor anyone else%2C or should I be skipping the writers%27 workshop in %0D%0A%3Efavor of the shrink%27s office%3F %0D%0A%3E%0D%0A%0D%0AProfessional writers speak of this.  You%27re not only not alone%2C you%27re in some pretty good company.%0D%0A%0D%0APersonally%2C I like reading books by writers who have this happen to them%3B generally%2C it ends up making better stories.%0D%0A%0D%0APeter Eng%0D%0A--%0D%0AInsert humorous comment here.
6|1|0|||1||RE%3A A Question About Characters|BobSchroeck||08:56:28|09/18/2013|%3EHas anyone else had a character just take control and run away with %0D%0A%3Ethe story%3F %0D%0A%0D%0AOh%2C dear god%2C yes.%0D%0A%0D%0AWhen I first started laying out %5Bi%5DDrunkard%27s Walk II%5B%2Fi%5D %28set in %5Bi%5DBubblegum Crisis%5B%2Fi%5D%29 way back in 1997%2C Lisa Vanette was almost an afterthought%2C thrown in for continuity%27s sake.%0D%0A%0D%0ASomewhere along the line she became the number two point of view character for the whole story%2C my lead character%27s next-door neighbor%2C and the only person who was hip deep both in his adventures and in the Knight Sabers%27 activities.%0D%0A%0D%0AAnd then I wrote a silly scene%2C completely without context%2C where she temporarily gets telekinetic powers and uses them to simulate being a Sailor Senshi%2C and deciding to actually %5Bi%5Duse%5B%2Fi%5D that ended up adding a whole %27nother level to her personality%2C not to mention being directly responsible for turning one of my villains into a sympathetic character who actually did the heroic thing at the end...%0D%0A%0D%0A...and also spawned two sequels written by other people plus an entire parallel series of my own which %5Bi%5Ditself%5B%2Fi%5D already has had multiple payoffs.%0D%0A%0D%0AOh%2C dear god do I know about characters running wild.%0D%0A%0D%0A-- Bob%0D%0A-------------------%0D%0AMy race is pacifist and does not believe in war.  We kill only out of personal spite.
7|1|0|||||RE%3A A Question About Characters|MuninsFire||13:52:28|09/18/2013|All the freakin%27 time.  More to the point%2C they actively change aspects of their characterization behind my back%2C so when I go to reference how they%27d respond in a given situation%2C suddenly they%27re acting differently than I thought they would.  This can occasionally be somewhat disconcerting when%2C say%2C the hard-boiled detective%27s sassy secretary decides that she wants to drive an AMC Gremlin because it%27s %22ironic%22--and now I%27ve got a fantastically ugly car in the story--or when the villain of the piece decides that he wants a much more hands-off approach to management%2C so there%27s really no need for him to appear in a scene at all%2C thus ruining a perfect dialogue setup.
8|1|0|||1||RE%3A A Question About Characters|JeanneHedge||17:36:45|09/18/2013|[updated:LAST EDITED ON Sep-18-13 AT 05:37 PM (EDT)]I know I%27ll be corrected if I%27m wrong%2C but I seem to recall comments on this board about the original plan for the Symphony calling for Utena to be%2C if not a 1-shot character %28part of a joke about Kate%27s roommates at WPI%29%2C then a character that was very much in the background. Also IIRC%2C didn%27t Rina Dragonaar come on stage and refuse to leave%3F%0D%0A%0D%0AJeanne%0D%0A%0D%0A%5Btable border%3D%220%22 cellspacing%3D%220%22 cellpadding%3D%220%22 width%3D%2280%25%22%5D%5Btr%5D%5Btd colspan%3D%222%22%5D%5Bhr size%3D%221%22 noshade%5D%5B%2Ftd%5D%5Btr%5D%5Btd align%3D%22center%22 width%3D%2210%25%22%5Dhttp%3A%2F%2Fwww.jhedge.com%2Fmisc%2Foldowl.jpg%5B%2Ftd%5D%5Btd%5D%5Bfont size%3D2%5D%5Bb%5DJeanne Hedge%5B%2Fb%5D%0D%0A%5Blink%3Awww.jhedge.com%7Chttp%3A%2F%2Fwww.jhedge.com%5D%5B%2Ffont%5D%5B%2Ftd%5D%5B%2Ftr%5D%5Btr%5D%5Btd colspan%3D%222%22%5D%5Bi%5D%5Bfont size%3D1%5D%22Never give up%2C never surrender%21%22%5B%2Ffont%5D%0D%0A%5B%2Fi%5D%5B%2Ftd%5D%5B%2Ftr%5D%5Btr%5D%5Btd colspan%3D%222%22%5D%5Bhr size%3D%221%22 noshade%5D%5B%2Ftd%5D%5B%2Ftr%5D%5B%2Ftable%5D
9|2|8|||1||RE%3A A Question About Characters|Mercutio||19:32:29|09/18/2013|You know%2C I%27ve heard the thing about Rina before%2C and from my perspective if she %27took over%27 she must have been basically a faceless non-entity before%2C as I%27ve never found her all that overwhelming. She was part of that one heavily Amanda%2FDevlin arc back in the day%2C and then after that tended to only show up with... Amanda and Devlin.%0D%0A%0D%0AShe%27s pretty cool but as a reader I%27ve never found her all that center-stagey. Strictly supporting cast. Heck%2C almost supporting cast TO supporting cast.%0D%0A%0D%0A-Merc%0D%0AKeep Rat%0D%0A%0D%0A%5Bsmall%5D%22Stay tuned now for an hour of dead air%2C with the occasional hiss and crackle.%22%5B%2Fsmall%5D
10|2|8|||1||RE%3A A Question About Characters|Gryphon||20:42:24|09/18/2013|%3EI know I%27ll be corrected if I%27m wrong%2C but I seem to recall comments %0D%0A%3Eon this board about the original plan for the Symphony calling for %0D%0A%3EUtena to be%2C if not a 1-shot character %28part of a joke about Kate%27s %0D%0A%3Eroommates at WPI%29%2C then a character that was very much in the %0D%0A%3Ebackground.%0D%0A%0D%0AThat was indeed the plan%2C though I hasten to stress that it was %5Bi%5Donly%5B%2Fi%5D the plan before actual construction began.  You know the old saying about battle plans surviving contact with the enemy%3F %3A%29%0D%0A%0D%0A%3EAlso IIRC%2C didn%27t Rina Dragonaar come on stage and refuse %0D%0A%3Eto leave%3F%0D%0A%0D%0AAlso basically true%2C though that%27s a slightly different situation.  Rina wasn%27t a secondary character who suddenly and violently became primary%2C she%27s a character who was intended to be %5Bi%5Dincidental%5B%2Fi%5D - just somebody who was there to direct someone else from one place to another - and instead she developed into a solid supporting castmember.  She didn%27t elbow anybody else in the eye to get there.%0D%0A%0D%0A--G.%0D%0A-%3E%3C-%0D%0ABenjamin D. Hutchins%2C Co-Founder%2C Editor-in-Chief%2C %26 Forum Mod%0D%0AEyrie Productions%2C Unlimited  http%3A%2F%2Fwww.eyrie-productions.com%2F%0D%0Azgryphon at that email service Google has%0D%0A%5Bi%5DCeterum censeo Carthaginem esse delendam.%5B%2Fi%5D
11|3|10|||1||RE%3A A Question About Characters|BobSchroeck||08:49:24|09/19/2013|%3EThat was indeed the plan%2C though I hasten to stress that it was %0D%0A%3E%5Bi%5Donly%5B%2Fi%5D the plan before actual construction began.  You know the %0D%0A%3Eold saying about battle plans surviving contact with the enemy%3F %3A%29 %0D%0A%0D%0AI seem to recall you telling me in email some ten years ago that the Kate-Juri relationship was also something that the characters went ahead and did on their own without your involvement beyond just typing it down.%0D%0A%0D%0A-- Bob%0D%0A-------------------%0D%0AMy race is pacifist and does not believe in war.  We kill only out of personal spite.
21|4|11|||1||RE%3A A Question About Characters|Gryphon||12:13:32|09/22/2013|[updated:LAST EDITED ON Sep-22-13 AT 12:14 PM (EDT)]%3E%3EThat was indeed the plan%2C though I hasten to stress that it was %0D%0A%3E%3E%5Bi%5Donly%5B%2Fi%5D the plan before actual construction began.  You know the %0D%0A%3E%3Eold saying about battle plans surviving contact with the enemy%3F %3A%29 %0D%0A%3E%0D%0A%3EI seem to recall you telling me in email some ten years ago that the %0D%0A%3EKate-Juri relationship was also something that the characters went %0D%0A%3Eahead and did on their own without your involvement beyond just typing %0D%0A%3Eit down. %0D%0A%0D%0AYes%2C quite.  I find this %5Bi%5Doften%5B%2Fi%5D happens with characters%27 relationships%2C in particular%2C more so than with%2C say%2C events%2C career choices%2C that kind of thing.  I query them as to what they want to be when they grow up and they shrug and leave it up to me%2C but for the really personal stuff%2C they want to drive.  And that%27s fine... usually... except when it creates awkwardness%2C but then%2C that%27s true to life%2C so I shouldn%27t complain about it too much.%0D%0A%0D%0AI should%27ve come up with a much more reasoned and serious answer than %22HA%22 to the original post%2C and I apologize for that.  It%27s just that it%27s happened to me so many times in the past - for that matter it is%2C I fear%2C in the process of happening to me %5Bi%5Dright now%5B%2Fi%5D - that I could come up with nothing beyond a Hollow Bark of Laughter when confronted so open-facedly with the question. %3A%29%0D%0A%0D%0AWell%2C I say %22fear%22%2C but really%2C it%27s one of the best parts of being a writer%2C to me%2C when stuff is just %5Bi%5Dliving%5B%2Fi%5D.  But at the same time it%27s a little like being the %5Blink%3Arobotchicken.wikia.com%2Fwiki%2FUnplanned_Invasion%7CUFO driving instructor%5D in that one episode of %5Bi%5DRobot Chicken%5B%2Fi%5D.  %22Dammit%2C no%21  Not that one%21  That%27s the CLAW%21  You DON%27T NEED the CLAW%21%22  Complex feels%2C as the kids probably don%27t say these days.%0D%0A%0D%0A--G.%0D%0A-%3E%3C-%0D%0ABenjamin D. Hutchins%2C Co-Founder%2C Editor-in-Chief%2C %26 Forum Mod%0D%0AEyrie Productions%2C Unlimited  http%3A%2F%2Fwww.eyrie-productions.com%2F%0D%0Azgryphon at that email service Google has%0D%0A%5Bi%5DCeterum censeo Carthaginem esse delendam.%5B%2Fi%5D
22|5|21|||1||RE%3A A Question About Characters|Nova Floresca||15:28:09|09/22/2013|If it makes you feel any better%2C I sort of expected an answer like that. At the time I asked though%2C I was watching a couple of characters who had originally been put in the story simply to show that I Have Done My Research run the hell away with my entire arc%2C and then cackle and take the red crayon to my outline for the next arc.%0D%0A%0D%0AIn the future%2C I should probably change my signature to %22This is probably a stupid question%2C but . . .%22%2C and then just let that be the first line of my posts.%0D%0A%0D%0A%22It is a pink slip%2C hence why it is pink.%22
12|1|0|||1||RE%3A A Question About Characters|Terminus Est||13:28:15|09/19/2013|I dunno about running away with the story %28largely because I haven%27t actively written anything in a while that wasn%27t RP%29%2C but I%27ve got a character in my headspace that absolutely refuses to leave%2C no matter what I threaten him with.%0D%0A%0D%0AUnfortunately he%27s a canon character from the Castlevania game that some people wish didn%27t exist %28Lament of Innocence%2C namely Joachim Armster%29%2C so I can%27t just toss him wholesale into my novel-in-progress and see what happens%2C though I%27ve been toying with an adaptation of the core concept to fit the setting %28and%2C y%27know%2C %5Bi%5Davoid lawsuits%5B%2Fi%5D%29.%0D%0A%0D%0AI know I%27m outing myself as a bigger-than-average-even-here geek by admitting to online RP%2C but has anyone else here ever had that problem%3F  
13|2|12|||1||RE%3A A Question About Characters|Nova Floresca||19:17:05|09/19/2013|I%27ve got one similar to that%2C but reversed%3F- an original character for some fiction I hope to get Actually Published Somday. All%27s well and good there%2C but she%27s about a swap of weapon proficiency feats away from one of the girls from Puella Magi Madoka Magica%2C which is giving me no small amount of heartburn.%0D%0A%0D%0AAlso%2C you want geeky%3F Try running a pen-n-paper%2C using the setting and situations of a story you%27re working on%2C just to see how the situation might play out. %28And then writing it the complete opposite way%2C if only because your players are crazier that a burlap sack full of wet ferrets.%29%0D%0A%0D%0A%22It is a pink slip%2C hence why it %0D%0Ais pink.%22
14|3|13|||1||RE%3A A Question About Characters|Mercutio||20:30:59|09/19/2013|%3EAll%27s well and %0D%0A%3Egood there%2C but she%27s about a swap of weapon proficiency feats away %0D%0A%3Efrom one of the girls from Puella Magi Madoka Magica%2C which is giving %0D%0A%3Eme no small amount of heartburn. %0D%0A%0D%0AThat%27s good%2C though%21 The girls from Madoka Magica were good characters. You should steal them in the night%2C file off their serial numbers%2C slap on a new coat of paint%2C and then see where they take you.%0D%0A%0D%0AThe more art you consume%2C in general%2C the less original your own production of art is going to seem to you%2C because you%27ll see pieces of it everywhere and will%2C in fact%2C rip it off without even realizing you%27re doing so.%0D%0A%0D%0AAnd that%27s okay. Nobody is original.%0D%0A%0D%0A-Merc%0D%0AKeep Rat%0D%0A%0D%0A%5Bsmall%5D%22Wheat and wheat by-products%3A by Americans%2C for Americans%2C in Americans%2C %5Bi%5Dwatching%5B%2Fi%5D Americans.%22%5B%2Fsmall%5D%0D%0A
16|4|14|||1||RE%3A A Question About Characters|BobSchroeck||09:16:01|09/20/2013|%3EThe more art you consume%2C in general%2C the less original your own %0D%0A%3Eproduction of art is going to seem to you%2C because you%27ll see pieces %0D%0A%3Eof it everywhere and will%2C in fact%2C rip it off without even realizing %0D%0A%3Eyou%27re doing so. %0D%0A%0D%0AThis is one reason why TVTropes.org is dangerous to the beginning writer%3B if you start paying too much attention to the building blocks of fiction%2C you start developing the erroneous impression that you cannot be original%2C because you%27re only recycling stuff that other people have used for millennia.  %0D%0A%0D%0AThis is pure bullshit%3B it%27s like being a chemist and thinking you can%27t create a brand-new compound or synthetic because the hundred-and-someteen elements have been used in %5Bi%5Dso%5B%2Fi%5D many other substances already.%0D%0A%0D%0AIt is never the building blocks that are original.  It is what you combine them into that is.%0D%0A%0D%0A-- Bob%0D%0A-------------------%0D%0AMy race is pacifist and does not believe in war.  We kill only out of personal spite.
19|5|16|||1||RE%3A A Question About Characters|Nova Floresca||15:50:16|09/20/2013|I have a quip I made up on a sticky note hanging over my workspace%3A %22The Greeks invented tragedy and the Romans invented treachery%2C and it%27s all been remakes since then.%22 Oversimplifying things%2C to be sure%2C but it%27s a way to remind myself that just because somebody has done something once%2C doesn%27t mean I can%27t do something similar. And it works. Well%2C most of the time%2C anyway.%0D%0A%0D%0A%22It is a pink slip%2C hence why it is pink.%22
17|3|13|||1||RE%3A A Question About Characters|Terminus Est||10:25:03|09/20/2013|I%27ve yet to meet a playerbase that %5Bi%5Dwasn%27t%5B%2Fi%5D like that%2C and I gladly number myself among them.%0D%0A%0D%0AAs for Madoka...  I have to admit%2C I got about four episodes into the anime and had to stop.  Holy %5Bi%5Dhell%5B%2Fi%5D.  %28I got the Rest of the Story from a few friends of mine later%3B that it ended on a not-quite-so-low note doesn%27t help the fact that it was... well%2C what it %5Bi%5Dwas%5B%2Fi%5D.%29
18|4|17|||1||RE%3A A Question About Characters|Nova Floresca||15:46:30|09/20/2013|Yeah%2C Madoka is pretty intense%2C but I admire the show for not flinching and pulling a Mai-HiME style reset at the end. %28I liked MH quite a bit%2C but they did bin quite a bit of stuff to get their happy ending%29.%0D%0A%0D%0A%22It is a pink slip%2C hence why it is pink.%22
20|5|18|||1||RE%3A A Question About Characters|Terminus Est||04:20:00|09/21/2013|I%27m also fond of Mai-HiME %28and quite a few other things%2C but let%27s not get into the fact that I%27m far too invested in anime here%29%2C and the ending did feel a bit cadged.  Then again%2C I%27ve always been a fan of the idea that the hero is supposed to triumph and somehow Make Things Work Out%2C so I didn%27t -hate- it.%0D%0A%0D%0ASword Art Online is%2C I feel%2C one that got the equation just about perfectly right.  First 13 episodes%2C there%27s no backsies - if a character dies%2C they%27re gone%2C and they%27re not shy about killing off someone that%27s likely to have grown on you.  And then there%27s the later half of the series%2C which... well.  Let%27s just say%2C you don%27t want to watch episodes 15%2C 23%2C or 24 if you%27re easily triggered or squeamish.  They handle the ending really well in that one %28both of them%2C actually%29%2C though%2C so it%27s worth the suffering in my %28admittedly not-easily-triggered%29 opinion.
15|2|12|||1||RE%3A A Question About Characters|pjmoyer||20:37:44|09/19/2013|%3EI dunno about running away with the story %28largely because I haven%27t %0D%0A%3Eactively written anything in a while that wasn%27t RP%29%2C but I%27ve got a %0D%0A%3Echaracter in my headspace that absolutely refuses to leave%2C no matter %0D%0A%3Ewhat I threaten him with. %0D%0A%0D%0A%3EI know I%27m outing myself as a bigger-than-average-even-here geek by %0D%0A%3Eadmitting to online RP%2C but has anyone else here ever had that %0D%0A%3Eproblem%3F %0D%0A%0D%0AMy online writing and RP characters are long-term residents in my head.  I had to build a character lounge for the lot of them%2C and every few years I need to install an addition.  I should be due for another upgrade in less than a year%2C though at least at this point%2C Korra will be available to help with the foundation laying.  %28Nobody wants to live in a reinforced igloo%2C though%2C so she can%27t help there.%29.%0D%0A%0D%0A--- Philip%0D%0A%0D%0A%5Btable%5D%5Btr%5D%5Btd colspan%3D%223%22%5D%5Bhr size%3D2 noshade%5D%5B%2Ftd%5D%5B%2Ftr%5D%0D%0A%5Btr%5D%5Btd width%3D%2265%22%5Dhttp%3A%2F%2Fwww.eyrie.org%2F%7Eaerianne%2Ffoth.img%2Fgaia_ser_philip_saber.jpg%5B%2Ftd%5D%0D%0A%5Btd%5D%5Bfont color%3D%22%230000dd%22%5DPhilip J. Moyer%5B%2Ffont%5D%0D%0A%5Bfont color%3D%22%230000aa%22 size%3D-2%5DContributing Writer%2C Editor and Artist %28and Moderator%29 -- Eyrie Productions%2C Unlimited%5B%2Ffont%5D%0D%0A%5Bfont color%3D%22%230000aa%22 size%3D-2%5DCEO of MTS%2C High Poobah Of Artwork%2C and High Priest Of the Church Of Aerianne -- Magnetic Terrapin Studios%5B%2Ffont%5D%0D%0A%5Bfont color%3D%22%230044aa%22 size%3D-1%5D%5Bi%5D%22Insert Pithy Comment Here%22%5B%2Fi%5D%5B%2Ffont%5D%5B%2Ftd%5D%5Btd width%3D%2265%22%5Dhttp%3A%2F%2Fwww.eyrie.org%2F%7Eaerianne%2Ffoth.img%2Fgaia_aeri_coat_sword.jpg%5B%2Ftd%5D%5B%2Ftr%5D%0D%0A%5Btr%5D%5Btd colspan%3D%223%22%5D%5Bhr size%3D1 noshade%5D%5B%2Ftd%5D%5B%2Ftr%5D%5B%2Ftable%5D
23|1|0|||1||RE%3A A Question About Characters|Gryphon||01:17:35|09/25/2013|[updated:LAST EDITED ON Sep-25-13 AT 06:20 PM (EDT)]One downside of obeying the characters%27 whims I%27m surprised nobody%27s mentioned is that you get to take the blame yourself when they color far enough outside the lines to dismay some readers.  There you are congratulating yourself for your artistic integrity and someone goes %22WTF that is the DUMBEST I don%27t even how could you think ruined FOREVER cancel my subscription if I have one. %2FRAGEQUIT%22%0D%0A%0D%0AOTOH%2C the great Hunter S. Thompson once said of being a journalist that the hell of it is%2C you get whipped when you%27re right and whipped when you%27re wrong%2C but it feels a little better when you%27re right. %3A%29%0D%0A%0D%0A--G.%0D%0A%22Juri and Kate%3F%3F  Ewww%2C crypto-lesbian subtext%21%22%0D%0A-%3E%3C-%0D%0ABenjamin D. Hutchins%2C Co-Founder%2C Editor-in-Chief%2C %26 Forum Mod%0D%0AEyrie Productions%2C Unlimited  http%3A%2F%2Fwww.eyrie-productions.com%2F%0D%0Azgryphon at that email service Google has%0D%0A%5Bi%5DCeterum censeo Carthaginem esse delendam.%5B%2Fi%5D
24|2|23|||1||RE%3A A Question About Characters|The Traitor||04:56:15|09/25/2013|Agreed. Of course%2C it%27s easier for me%2C because I write crackfics that are%2C my more charitable readers assert%2C dumb as a box of hair%2C but you still get people going %22No%2C Hermione wouldn%27t act like that%2C she%27d use magic and not stomp them with her gigantic clockwork mecha%21%22%0D%0A%0D%0AThen I point them to the second half of that sentence%2C and they feel silly.%0D%0A%0D%0A---%0D%0A%22She%27s old and lame and barren too%2C %2F%2F %22She%27s not worth feed or hay%2C %2F%2F %22But I%27ll give her this%2C%22 - he blew smoke at me - %2F%2F %22She was something in her day.%22 -- Garnet Rogers%2C %5Bi%5DSmall Victory%5B%2Fi%5D%0D%0A%0D%0A%5Bsmall%5DThe phrase of the day is %22just go with it%22%21 Can you say %22just go with it%22%3F Very good%21%5B%2Fsmall%5D
25|2|23|||1||RE%3A A Question About Characters|Nova Floresca||17:32:39|09/25/2013|%3EOne downside of obeying the characters%27 whims I%27m surprised nobody%27s %0D%0A%3Ementioned is that you get to take the blame yourself when they color %0D%0A%3Efar enough outside the lines to dismay some readers.  There you are %0D%0A%3Econgratulating yourself for your artistidc integrity and someone goes %0D%0A%3E%22WTF that is the DUMBEST I don%27t even how could you think ruined %0D%0A%3EFOREVER cancel my subscription if I have one. %2FRAGEQUIT%22 %0D%0A%0D%0AI once received a complaint that the way I presented a scene differed from how it originally happened in canon%2C to which I wanted to reply%2C %22Isn%27t that the point%3F%21%22%0D%0A%0D%0A%22This is probably a stupid question%2C but . . .%22
26|3|25|||1||RE%3A A Question About Characters|Gryphon||18:22:04|09/25/2013|%3EI once received a complaint that the way I presented a scene differed %0D%0A%3Efrom how it originally happened in canon%2C to which I wanted to reply%2C %0D%0A%3E%22Isn%27t that the point%3F%21%22 %0D%0A%0D%0AIn situations like that%2C I often have recourse to one of my favorite film-and-television lines%3A Denis Lawson as Dreadnought Foster in %5Bi%5DHornblower%3A The Fire Ships%5B%2Fi%5D%2C bellowing to a fellow officer who has accused him of making an insulting remark%2C %22I congratulate you on your %5Bi%5Dperspicacity%5B%2Fi%5D%2C sir%21%22%0D%0A%0D%0A--G.%0D%0A-%3E%3C-%0D%0ABenjamin D. Hutchins%2C Co-Founder%2C Editor-in-Chief%2C %26 Forum Mod%0D%0AEyrie Productions%2C Unlimited  http%3A%2F%2Fwww.eyrie-productions.com%2F%0D%0Azgryphon at that email service Google has%0D%0A%5Bi%5DCeterum censeo Carthaginem esse delendam.%5B%2Fi%5D
27|2|23|||1||A Simple Request|Gryphon||00:01:24|12/11/2013|Should I at some point restate the above bloviations in re artistic integrity and letting the characters lead come hell or high water%2C someone will please beat me to death.%2A%0D%0A%0D%0A--G.%0D%0A%2AFIGURATIVELY%2C YOU FOOLS%0D%0A-%3E%3C-%0D%0ABenjamin D. Hutchins%2C Co-Founder%2C Editor-in-Chief%2C %26 Forum Mod%0D%0AEyrie Productions%2C Unlimited  http%3A%2F%2Fwww.eyrie-productions.com%2F%0D%0Azgryphon at that email service Google has%0D%0A%5Bi%5DCeterum censeo Carthaginem esse delendam.%5B%2Fi%5D
28|3|27|||1||RE%3A A Simple Request|twipper||09:48:46|12/11/2013|%3E%2AFIGURATIVELY%2C YOU FOOLS %0D%0A%0D%0ABah.  You%27re no fun at all.%0D%0A%0D%0ABrian%0D%0A
29|3|27|||1||RE%3A A Simple Request|Peter Eng||12:25:59|12/12/2013|%3EShould I at some point restate the above bloviations in re artistic %0D%0A%3Eintegrity and letting the characters lead come hell or high water%2C %0D%0A%3Esomeone will please beat me to death.%2A %0D%0A%3E%0D%0A%0D%0AI suppose I could arrange for somebody to beat you to death.  Assuming that you%27re using the definition of %22beat%22 that is used in %22I beat him at poker.%22%0D%0A%0D%0APeter Eng%0D%0A--%0D%0AAny other definition is probably right out%2C although sufficiently creative ones...
30|4|29|||1||RE%3A A Simple Request|Gryphon||12:33:23|12/12/2013|%3EI suppose I could arrange for somebody to beat you to death.  Assuming %0D%0A%3Ethat you%27re using the definition of %22beat%22 that is used in %22I beat him %0D%0A%3Eat poker.%22 %0D%0A%0D%0AMan.  Imagine being beaten at a game so badly you die.  That%27s some serious losing.  I%27m reminded of that bit in %5Bi%5DHitchhiker%27s Guide%5B%2Fi%5D about shame still being a terminal condition in some parts of the galaxy.%0D%0A%0D%0AThen again%2C I suppose for some values%2C Wild Bill Hickok was beaten to death at poker.  Or actually%2C he beat the other guy.  To his own death.  Hmm%2C no%2C that metaphor doesn%27t work at all.%0D%0A%0D%0A--G.%0D%0A-%3E%3C-%0D%0ABenjamin D. Hutchins%2C Co-Founder%2C Editor-in-Chief%2C %26 Forum Mod%0D%0AEyrie Productions%2C Unlimited  http%3A%2F%2Fwww.eyrie-productions.com%2F%0D%0Azgryphon at that email service Google has%0D%0A%5Bi%5DCeterum censeo Carthaginem esse delendam.%5B%2Fi%5D
31|5|30|||1||RE%3A A Simple Request|Nova Floresca||14:05:00|12/12/2013|To paraphrase a set of lines from %5Bi%5DBlack Dragon%5B%2Fi%5D%3A %0D%0A%22He was found floating in the river with his neck snapped. I thought you said he died of natural causes%21%22%0D%0A%22He crossed the Yakuza. Around here%2C that %5Bi%5Dis%5B%2Fi%5D natural causes.%22%0D%0A%0D%0AIn re%3A the originating circumstances of this subthread%2C there is definitely something in the wires that leads internet critics to be more belligerent with authors. A notable case is in the Horus Heresy series of novels%2C where a commentator told one of the main authors to his face that his %28the fan%27s%29 own theory of how things happened was more correct than what the author actually wrote.%0D%0A%0D%0AIn some respects%2C I%27m glad my work hasn%27t become that popular. I salute you%2C Gryphon%2C for remaining sane after dealing with the critics for this long.%0D%0A%0D%0A%22This is probably a stupid question%2C but . . .%22
32|5|30|||1||RE%3A A Simple Request|Peter Eng||12:32:11|12/13/2013|%3E%3EI suppose I could arrange for somebody to beat you to death.  Assuming %0D%0A%3E%3Ethat you%27re using the definition of %22beat%22 that is used in %22I beat him %0D%0A%3E%3Eat poker.%22 %0D%0A%3E%0D%0A%3EMan.  Imagine being beaten at a game so badly you die.  That%27s some %0D%0A%3Eserious losing.  I%27m reminded of that bit in %5Bi%5DHitchhiker%27s Guide%5B%2Fi%5D %0D%0A%3Eabout shame still being a terminal condition in some parts of the %0D%0A%3Egalaxy. %0D%0A%3E%0D%0A%0D%0AHmm.  Maybe I meant more like%2C %22I beat him to the kitchen.%22%0D%0A%0D%0APeter Eng%0D%0A--%0D%0AInsert humorous comment here.