Character and Plot Development

We are writing FAN fiction, that means we are borrowing characters and events that have already been fully developed. We already know their personality. We already know what they look and act like. We already know what happened throughout the entire series.

When writing fan fiction, we have to consider the actual characterization and timelines of what we're writing. If we don't it will be unrealistic and hard to believe. The easier it is to believe, the easier it is to picture a story and the characters we're writing about.

Now. That isn't the same case for an AU story. AU - Alternate Universe, which means it is not based off of the actual events of the series in one way or another.

Say an AU would mean Luna was a school girl, and Artemis was a professor, and they were working on an experimental android to replace computers and human companionship of people that have passed. That would be an AU based story.

I'm not going to delve into it too much, but basically in an AU you can have a character who is normally one way, appear completely different and or you can rewrite- where, when and how their planet, lives and purposes… or anything of the original series, completely different.

You have to give a plausible reason for this characters personality and the setting of your plot.

Give the readers an idea of their background, where they came from. What the timelines is, when where and how are good starter questions to answer for yourself.

Defining moments on what made them who they are currently, why they act a certain way, if their super strong or athletic give reasons as to why, how and when that happened and etc. Asking questions helps, because it gives us possible answers to think about and use.

Where does the setting take place? Why does it take place there? Does the setting change? Why? Where? Why? What is the purpose of this place? Why? What does it have to do with your character? Why? Who are the other characters? Why? What are they like and why? What is their purpose in the story? Why? Is there romance? Why How do they meet? Why? How do they end up liking one another? Is it one-sided at first? Why?

Always ask yourselves questions about your story and what you want to do with it and then ask yourself WHY always as why, but make sure to ask lots of questions like when, where, how, what, how and why.

I'm going to do some rough draft examples of character and plot development.

The story is going to be centered around Chibiusa. It's the 21stcentury Crystal Tokyo and war has broken out. It will NOT be AU, as the story is set during Chibiusa's teenage years in the future of the Sailor Moon series, and the present OZ wars of the Gundam Wing series.

Now that I have my setting and main character, here is the beginning of my plot development. I'm going to map out, WHERE and WHEN my story is starting to take place.The first draft and map may be subject to change once the chapters actual get written it is entirely up to the author, sometimes my plans change for a story, sometimes, they don't.

So far the city has completely avoided the war, but Chibiusa is displeased with their part and role of staying out of it. She wants to help the confused people of the earth and colonies. She doesn't believe they should be fighting amongst each other.

They had left crystal Tokyo soon after the space colonies were made because that is when the first wars broke out. Since then they have lived on the moon and stayed out of humanities never ending thirst for control and bloodshed. Neo Queen Serenity and Neo King Endymoin telling Chibiusa that humanity needed to figure it out for themselves, and that they couldn't help them with that, it is their own decision they need to find without any help.

The Cinq kingdom had taken over their old palace, missing the great leaders and trying to preach their views of peace in hopes the people of the Neo Silver Millennium would return.

For years, Chibiusa watches over the earth and colonies and rooted for the Cinq kingdoms success but was disappointed when one day, the Cinq was attacked and destroyed.

For ten years, she avoided looking down at the earth, her home until one day she came back to her balcony and saw a glow coming from the south pole. She saw a large war machine in the shape of a men self detonate, and she gasped in horror. She had had enough.

Like her mother before her, she was going to escape to earth. Only she wasn't going for the scenery, and she wasn't going for love. She was going to save humanity, so they could move back to her rightful home. Crystal Tokyo. But you always find what your not looking for, and Chibiusa finds romance, in the form of reincarnated Helios. Prince Millardo.

Her four asteroid senshi after having found out of the princesses disappearance, lied to Queen Serenity and told her they were going to Saturn's Palace and were going to train there.

Neo Queen Serenity pretended to believe them and told them to watch over her daughter, and for all of them to be careful, with a vague mysterious form of advice following.

After they leave, Sailor Saturn steps out of the shadows from behind her Queen, asking why she let them lie. Neo Queen Serenity knows her daughter is no longer a child, and she along with her powers have matured. She said that she herself had had her adventures and destiny, and she knew now that adventure and destiny was calling to her daughter.

She orders Saturn to follow after them and to watch over them in their journey. She says she knows that she cannot protect her daughter and she cannot stop these events from happening but says Saturn's destiny is tied with Chibiusa by their timeless friendship and kindred souls. She tells her only Hotaru can protect her and sends her off with words to be careful.

This is a basic BEGINNING plotline.

From this I can probably map out three chapters, give or take. It's only thebeginningof a story.NOTthe middle.NOTthe ending.

Where

The Moon. The Cinq Kingdom. The Cinq Kingdom, The Earth. The Colonies.

A story has more depth when more places are in the picture, don't overload it though.

When

This story has a few different defining moments in various time periods.

When- Neo Queen Serenity's and King Endymion's rule when Chibiusa is a teenager after she's stopped going to the past when her senshi training is complete. They are moving from Crystal Tokyo to the moon when the wars break out.

When- The Cinq Kingdom decides to try and rebuild Crystal Tokyo in hopes for bringing their otherworldly deity's back to them.

When- The Cinq Kingdom is eventually destroyed.

When-The present, when the battle between Zechs and Hiiro is fought and Hiiro self destructs and Chibiusa runs to earth to help. That is where the current timeline will branch off of.

WHO

Chibiusa and Hotaru. The Asteroid senshi. Millardo (Reincarnated Helios) and Hiiro. The other pilots. Obviously filler characters will be needed. Like Relena and Noin, because those are the women who are originally involved in Zechs and Hiiro's life.

WHY

Always ask yourself this question for anything pertaining to your story. These are some of my answers to the why questions for my plot.

because like mother like daughter, Chibiusa has her own destiny to live as Sailor Moon and her own battle to fight.

It's her and her senshi's time to fight and her and Hotaru are connected by the red strings of fate. Their timeless friendship. Their past nightmares as Black Lady and Mistress 9. Their love for each other and their future romance.

Helios lived in the past, not the present and he lives amongst the dreamers guarding Elysion, but becomes Mamoru's job when he becomes kings, because their jobs are the same. They are nearly the same. Helios is reborn, with the power of Endymoin and Serenity, as Prince Millardo.

Because of the red strings of fate, when he reborn he is reborn as a prince, to the kingdom that in it's place honors Crystal Tokyo. Because Chibiusa is a princess, and her kingdom is Crystal Tokyo.

Because Hiiro was raised with one purpose. To stop the war. To be the best soldier. To kill.

Because Hotaru exists as the Goddess of Death. Her only purpose before Serenity saved her, was to end the world in silence. Until Serenity showed she could hope and protect and that her power meant hope, because life can only be reborn from death. She was born to kill. But now she knows she can live to protect.

Because the four asteroid senshi are awesome, and deserve love too. And so do the other pilots and four on four is perfect! As long as character development is realistic.

WHAT

-Is the cause, action and reaction. What is the consequences? What happens? What's the objective? What's the relationship? Etc.

War causes Chibiusa to leave home. War causes Chibiusa to flee to earth after she'd been forbidden.

Her objective is to help create peace and end the wars.

Her senshi follow.

They are separated. Chibiusa and Hotaru with Millardo, and eventually Hiiro and the senshi with the pilots.

Chibiusa discovered Millardo is Helios. Millardo doesn't remember being Helios at first. Hotaru helps Hiiro heal.

Fights, battles, wins, losses, words of wisdom and words of anger and etc as the fillers.

HOW

How were the colonies made? How did they decide to go to the moon? How did Chibiusa finally decide to go to Earth? How did she go to earth? How did her court know she went to earth? How did Neo Queen Serenity know they were lying? How was Saturn in the right place at the right time? How does Chibiusa find out about Millardo being Helios? How does Millardo remember being Helios? How to the asteroid senshi get along with the pilots? How does Hotaru get close to Hiiro?

Some questions lead to more questions, like why? So answer then and you'll have an easier idea of what to write from such a small idea.

Also to get inspired, read the manga, watch the anime. Read fanfiction, watch TV, read other books. Do anything that inspires you! It will help you write and be more creative.

(P.S. this is an example of a plotline. I have not written it yet, maybe I will maybe I won't. If there is anyone interested, let me know.)

4/17/2012 . Edited 4/17/2012 #1 Report