Hark, an idea!

So, I have this odd fanfic idea in mind.

Basically, this tall, grey stranger in a trenchcoat and fedora wanders in and out of the fourth wall, dealing fates worse than death and ironic hells to karma-evading characters such as Dolores Umbridge, or Animal Farm's Napoleon. (this goes on my definition that the fourth wall is a boundary not just between fiction and reality, but also different works of fiction)

The thing is, he leaves big gaping holes in the fourth wall everywhere he goes, and so there's some leaks and things coming into these worlds, and that's generally causing problems. Basically, Grey (that's his name) is a deconstruction of the Fixer Sue.

It sounds interesting to me, but there's one problem.

I cannot write canon people in-character to save my life. I've already tried, and I'm pretty sure I failed rather miserably. Anybody have any tips? Or would this have to be some kind of collaborative writing thing?

edited 4th Oct '12 11:20:29 AM by Voyd211

If you have an idea you're sure you can't write, you have two options:

1. try really really hard and write it anyway
2. don't write it

Good luck.

Create original works with original characters.

Bam!

Or if that doesn't work with what you're trying to do here, you could create a bunch of Captain Ersatzes of the characters you want to work with.

edited 4th Oct '12 4:55:39 PM by YamiiDenryuu

Parody is a protected form of speech.

And exaggerated characters will probably be recognizable for who they are without much thought.

So here's the beginning of it. Basically, it establishes what Gray is like, what he's doing, and what the unintended consequences of his actions are.

I feel like I fudged Napoleon's last line, though.

I apologize for the double post, but I never got any response to this.

Are there any opinions on this concept and character?

Interesting character. I don't like the fact that he has the ability to cause so much damage to an individual without so much as touching them. Though that is scary, but it lacks the taking justice into his own hands.

You could possible justify that characters would act off kilter due to the fact that there is a rip in space spewing who knows what theoretical particles that would interfere with brain function.

Is there going to be someone trying to stop him or at least a victim chasing Grey down so that Grey doesn't finish the job?

I like the idea. You could do without the first paragraph though, characters like this thrive on mystery. I think it might work better to have the first scene parallel the original long enough for the reader to settle in, then jarringly introduce the new element without explaining it. Sort of see him through the victim's eyes.

Also I think Gray's motivations could use work. At the moment his work's just a 'duty' but I think it might be more interesting if he actually thinks like the sort of author that writes fix fics. Something's wrong with the universe and he needs to fix it, he hates the wrongness and enjoys making things right.

Also a minor point: 'exploded in pain' sort of implies his head actually exploded. 'Exploded with pain' might work better.

SO I altered the introduction a bit, as well as adding another victim.

I picked Napoleon first because he's easy to write. He doesn't really have a personality beyond "evil and ambitious."

I'm thinking Gray's next stop would be Airstrip One.

edited 21st Oct '12 9:54:05 AM by Voyd211

Umbridge did not evade Karma. JKR told us that she was sent to Azkaban after the end of the series.

Napoleon was a diminutive allegory for Stalin who also evaded Karma :(