Original Characters
Sep. 16th, 2006 12:53 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
serafina20Today I got my wrists slapped by the mods at prisionbreakfic.com because my fic included "original characters" and I didn't warn for them. So, now I'm curious about as to what consitutes an original character that needs to be warned for.
In this fic, I created two previous cons that Agent Mahone chased. Mahone thought about them, I explained their crimes, their escape, how Mahone thought while "in their head" and their capture. I also mentioned he got married and divorce. Since the focus on the fic was Mahone, and the characters served as a fleshing out of Mahone's character rather than characters in their own right (no thougts, no diaglouge, no motivations; they're pieces of paper, nothing), it never occured to me that I might have to warn.
To me, the reason to warn for original characters is because they play a significant part in the canon character's narratives, as large a part as a non-lead character might play on a regular episode (romance of the week, freak of the week, random person they run across who stays until the end). In COTW, Damien, Grant, Mark, Chad, Sydney would qualify. Supernatral it's Rachel (I'm hesitant to include her parents because it's feasible that Sam and Dean run across characters like them in the course of the show, get information they need, and move on). Camille in Firefly. They are fully integrated into the fic, get their own scenes, have their own life. I'd definitely warn for them because there are readers who don't want to read fic that center or are heavily influenced by original characters.
Then, there are... support characters. Characters used to flesh out the world. They'd be on the show, but only have a line or three and used to further the plot by acting as plot devices, rather than characters in their own right. Like, let's say, the guys who harrassd Lana at the Talon in Season 2. Or guy number 3 that Sam and Dean talk to on a case. The orderly at SV General that flirts with Clark in one of the COTW eps. Or past cases mentioned in a fic to further develop a main character. They don't influence anything but the direction of the plot or development of a character, aren't there to be noticed for themselves.
These chacaters, imo, shouldn't need to be warned for. They'd be used on the show for the same reason. They make fics better because they deepen and enrichen the world. They take away nothing from canon characters and just add.
And yet, I"m being asked to warn for them. Which makes me paranoid. If I have a scene in which Mahone goes to the supermarket and interacts with a cashire, must I warn for that also? Or has a landlady that shows up several times to complain that his apartmen always smells funny, in a way to show that he's a regular pot smoker? Where is the line drawn?
So, I ask you: when do you think author's should warn for original characters. Whenever someone not in canon is mentioned/created, when they impact the story, or some time I've missed?
In this fic, I created two previous cons that Agent Mahone chased. Mahone thought about them, I explained their crimes, their escape, how Mahone thought while "in their head" and their capture. I also mentioned he got married and divorce. Since the focus on the fic was Mahone, and the characters served as a fleshing out of Mahone's character rather than characters in their own right (no thougts, no diaglouge, no motivations; they're pieces of paper, nothing), it never occured to me that I might have to warn.
To me, the reason to warn for original characters is because they play a significant part in the canon character's narratives, as large a part as a non-lead character might play on a regular episode (romance of the week, freak of the week, random person they run across who stays until the end). In COTW, Damien, Grant, Mark, Chad, Sydney would qualify. Supernatral it's Rachel (I'm hesitant to include her parents because it's feasible that Sam and Dean run across characters like them in the course of the show, get information they need, and move on). Camille in Firefly. They are fully integrated into the fic, get their own scenes, have their own life. I'd definitely warn for them because there are readers who don't want to read fic that center or are heavily influenced by original characters.
Then, there are... support characters. Characters used to flesh out the world. They'd be on the show, but only have a line or three and used to further the plot by acting as plot devices, rather than characters in their own right. Like, let's say, the guys who harrassd Lana at the Talon in Season 2. Or guy number 3 that Sam and Dean talk to on a case. The orderly at SV General that flirts with Clark in one of the COTW eps. Or past cases mentioned in a fic to further develop a main character. They don't influence anything but the direction of the plot or development of a character, aren't there to be noticed for themselves.
These chacaters, imo, shouldn't need to be warned for. They'd be used on the show for the same reason. They make fics better because they deepen and enrichen the world. They take away nothing from canon characters and just add.
And yet, I"m being asked to warn for them. Which makes me paranoid. If I have a scene in which Mahone goes to the supermarket and interacts with a cashire, must I warn for that also? Or has a landlady that shows up several times to complain that his apartmen always smells funny, in a way to show that he's a regular pot smoker? Where is the line drawn?
So, I ask you: when do you think author's should warn for original characters. Whenever someone not in canon is mentioned/created, when they impact the story, or some time I've missed?
