(Hopefully it's this general board, not the other general board, that this message should go to.)

I've been kicking around an idea in my head, nudged in various directions by various things I've read, of trying my hand at fanfic... specifically, an Evangelion/Sailor Moon fusion. (Moon Kingdom and Dark Kingdom fought using giant robots/youma. 1999 lunar mission discovered remains, accidentally breached seal on moon, Second Impact carved moon into perpetual crescent. 14-year-old Usagi Tsuniko is recruited by SELENE to pilot against Dark Kingdom forces now attacking earth from moon.)

Anyway, the reason I bring this up here is that, well, I'm gonna want prereaders. (No, I'm not taking individual offers at this time; like I said, I'm still kicking it around, and I wouldn't want to waste your time if this never leaves the metaphorical drawing board.) Thing is, I'm not really sure where one gets them.

So, since the Eyrie staff was in this position once upon a time (before they were famous and all), and since there are other fanfic authors posting here, I thought I'd ask: what's the best way to get resources like that? Is there a mailing list? A Web site? A newsgroup, perhaps? Or should I just wave once I actually have something written and hope folks take notice?

>So, since the Eyrie staff was in this position once upon a time
>(before they were famous and all), and since there are other fanfic
>authors posting here, I thought I'd ask: what's the best way to get
>resources like that?

I can't help you with this question, I'm afraid - ours found us. The original readership of UF consisted of our friends at WPI who were in it. Everything else came after it hit Usenet.

--G.
-><-
Benjamin D. Hutchins, Co-Founder, Editor in Chief, Netadmin
Eyrie Productions, Unlimited http://www.eyrie-productions.com/

>what's the best way to get
>resources like that? Is there a mailing list? A Web site? A
>newsgroup, perhaps? Or should I just wave once I actually have
>something written and hope folks take notice?

First off let me say this "Holy Toledo!"
But for the snippet of you question I must say I don't know of a mailing list or a NG but I think there is a web site out there, I have seen it but I'd be fucked to remember where and when I saw it..
I might have it crossed referenced on my sites link page (of DOOM) @ http://www.geocities.com/area51/3917/thelinx.html (Note it will take TIME to load up since it's over 350K) I think http://www.fanfiction.com or is it .net has a link to resources.. I just don't remember and don't have the time to go out and hunt them down any more :(
Hope this helps.
Fan
PS take a look at the front part of the geocities site and see IF you can find anybody from here... (whistles innocently)

*De-lurks*

Why not just go and do what gryph suggested and see if friends or family would pre-read (mainly the ones who are into anime and such).

-elo

"I distrust Camels and anyone else who can go a week without a drink"

*Re-lurks*

>Moon Kingdom and
>Dark Kingdom fought using giant robots/youma. 1999 lunar mission
>discovered remains, accidentally breached seal on moon, Second Impact
>carved moon into perpetual crescent. 14-year-old Usagi Tsuniko is
>recruited by SELENE to pilot against Dark Kingdom forces now attacking
>earth from moon.
>

Mindwapring and a tad scary .
I like it.

>No, I'm not taking individual offers at this time; like
>I said, I'm still kicking it around, and I wouldn't want to waste your
>time if this never leaves the metaphorical drawing board .
>

Take into consideration that , even if most people on this list have a life at least one of them(me) does not(not very much of it anyway) . I'm almost always in the process of boring my head off and ready to read anything.

Anyway , the family-and-friends way is pretty good . I've tried it on numerous occasions and it actually gives you something of a clear perspective (and boosts your trust in your own abilities).

-Griever
anyone requiring a read-tester , no matter how warped the project is , can reach me under - griever@wp.pl - .

>(Hopefully it's this general board, not the other general board, that
>this message should go to.)
>
>I've been kicking around an idea in my head, nudged in various
>directions by various things I've read, of trying my hand at fanfic...
>specifically, an Evangelion/Sailor Moon fusion. (Moon Kingdom and
>Dark Kingdom fought using giant robots/youma. 1999 lunar mission
>discovered remains, accidentally breached seal on moon, Second Impact
>carved moon into perpetual crescent. 14-year-old Usagi Tsuniko is
>recruited by SELENE to pilot against Dark Kingdom forces now attacking
>earth from moon.)
>
I can't resist, though I'm not slamming the concept:

METTALIA: FREEEEEE! After thousands of years, now it's the time to CONQUER EARTH!

SELENE: METALLIA HAS BEEN FREED FROM HER ETERNAL PRISON. BRING ME TEENS WITH ATTITUDE.

>Anyway, the reason I bring this up here is that, well, I'm gonna want >prereaders. (No, I'm not taking individual offers at this time; like
>I said, I'm still kicking it around, and I wouldn't want to waste your
>time if this never leaves the metaphorical drawing board.) Thing is,
>I'm not really sure where one gets them.

Now this leads to its own pluses and minuses, especially when you're starting out. The trouble is, that in all likeliness, the odds on you getting constructive help on the parts you want to are pretty slim at first. Perhaps you could find one or two people online who'll give you the right direction, but I wouldn't precisely hold your breath. I've shopped many thing about, to get (rather frustratingly) the comment 'coool' or 'I like this' and not a thing more or elaborating on why they thought so. Not what's feeling off, not anything about odd structure, etc. (Trust me, there are many individuals who accuse me of wearing an Encounter Suit in my spare time considering how I mangle the english language.)

The best source is what they said above, especially if you have friends who are fans. Listen to what they're saying, and if someone makes even minor comments, try to follow up and see why he or she brought it up. If you find a nitpicker, you might have found your blessing and curse at the same time. The good news is he or she will help you tighten things up, will help you see flaws you weren't expecting, etc. The bad news is, they will prove that there will _always_ be something off or niggling. Unless of course, you're at the level of publication without editing (news flash: Most published authors aren't at that level). There comes a time where, especially when it's for your own enjoyment, you'll have to say 'it's good enough, I think'. And hope that you'll get any commentary back. Honestly, don't hold you breath (especially for your first work), but if it does come, it's rather gratifying.

I would look for some of the various general anime fanfic development lists. It will add to the chances of someone responding, but there is also usually a problem of volume on the list. So your mileage may vary on response day by day, let alone by who else is posting what.

Good luck to ye.

--Mek

Getting usefull C&C has always been the biggest bugaboo about writing for me. There are ML's out there, for example, the FFML is back up, and there is The Couch ML (visit sofaspud.org for info).

However, even with friends and aquaintances, I've had very poor luck. And sending it into a ML is a lot like that old cartoon with bugs and daffy on stage. You know, the one where bugs does a simple soft shoe and the crowd goes wild, but when daffy goes on stage its so silent you can hear crickets???

That's about what its like for me and ML's. ::sigh::

___________________

Vaughn doesn't know I exist. I guess this explains why the rest of reality keeps ignoring me as well. >_<

>Getting usefull C&C has always been the biggest bugaboo about writing
>for me. There are ML's out there, for example, the FFML is back up,
>and there is The Couch ML (visit sofaspud.org for info).
>

Used to sub to FFML, never subbed to the spud.

>However, even with friends and aquaintances, I've had very poor luck.
>And sending it into a ML is a lot like that old cartoon with bugs and
>daffy on stage. You know, the one where bugs does a simple soft shoe
>and the crowd goes wild, but when daffy goes on stage its so silent
>you can hear crickets???

>That's about what its like for me and ML's. ::sigh::

That's about the right of it, especially if your stuff is a) unpolished, b) you're retreading an idea, or c) Too Many Established And Interesting Authors Posted Works That Day.

c) is, ironically, the reverse of RAAC, where you sometimes are drowned out in the crap of the people who post endless and endless drivel. It's a bemusing catch-22, and why a reputation is golden sometimes.

>c) is, ironically, the reverse of RAAC, where you sometimes are
>drowned out in the crap of the people who post endless and endless
>drivel. It's a bemusing catch-22, and why a reputation is golden
>sometimes.

And also why it makes it nigh-impossible to post without a reputation. I'm reminded of a joke from an old NBC sitcom, where the punchline was something to the effect of "You've got to -be- in to -get- in?"...

Anyhow, Zenigame, I'd certainly want to be on-board for that... but my best advice to you is simply "If you build it, they will come". Not quickly, not consistently, and sometimes in a frustrating fashion, but if you continually put out material that is good, consistent, and tells a good story, then people will start to notice, and you will slowly gain recognition. And all the while, you're telling a story that you want to tell anyways - and that's the point of writing, when you get down to it. If you're not telling a story that you want to hear, then you might well be telling a story nobody wants to hear.
-Eliot "And this could easily be the springboard for a rant about why I dislike RAAC" Lefebvre
-=()=-
We're only given a little time in our lives to waste. Make the most of it.
Electronic Transcendance Productions
Producer of, um, stuff for an unspecified time-period.