Dude13's Awesome Series

[lucyrocks73]

Is anyone reading Dude13's series on ff.net? You have to read "More than My Friend" first, or else you will be utterly confused.

Actually, we co-wrote "Wishing Only Wounds the Heart" together, but my chapters suck and his rock (Terrence lovers beware for the last few chapters, because although it has a happy ending, Terrence... well, I won't spoil it, and we wouldn't have put it in, but it fit...)

Hey, I'm not a Terrence basher. He cracks me up.

If anyone needs the link, PM me...

Comments, anyone?

-Marty 8-)

[Bloofanatic]

I'm reading them They're awesome I can't wait for the new chapter I really like the idea of the series (I'm not spoiling it for anyone you'll have to read them)

[Cassini90125]

I don't read fan fiction, but thanks anyway.

[Sparky]

I also, for people who don't know, *very* rarely read fanfiction. It's nothing personal, to anyone, really.

[ch3353-h4xx0rrrr]

I LOVE Dude13's stuff, and I too rarely read fanfictions. But it was really the only one I saw that had proper grammar, no OCs, and looked interesting.

Of course, I'm really not liking what he's doing with Mac's character. It seems like Mac's become some dependant, whiny, two-year-old who needs his mom around 24/7. But that's just my opinion.

[lucyrocks73]

Well, I'll see if I can talk to him about that and see if we can have that fixed. In the sort-of sequel I'm writing, I'm taking a different POV of both Mac and Goo's characters.

We'll see how that works out.

OCs... I HATE OCs. We have one, but he's gone now (it was Connor, and thank goodness we're finally done with HIM. I hated writing him, because I knew he so totally DID NOT fit in).

Thanks for the comments!!!
-Marty 8-)

[Voxxyn]

Dude13 is great... and no, it's not just because he's one of the few people who enjoyed and reviewed my highly-angsty story(*), because I've been a fan for some months before that.

Aside from the main stories, I absolutely love "Dating Woes". People can complain about the extreme fluffyness in that story all they want--but my heart warmed at seeing Frankie suddenly go from a scorned, bitter, snideful ex-girlfriend furious at everything to an affectionate, compassionate, motherly big sister who unconditionally loves her little brother.

THOUGH, I will admit, some of the one-shots can become over-the-top even by Foster's standards. I'm glad to hear that you and he will be taking a different approach to how he portrays Mac.

(* ~ Marty, I really hope you can forgive me for my OOC digressions on my story. I PROMISE all of my future fanfics will be more in-character and true to the show's spirit.)

---

EDIT: I just read the last few chapters for WOWTH, and... all I have to say is, THERE BETTER ACTUALLY BE A HAPPY ENDING, or I'll be depressed beyond any form of alleviation. With all due respect, I can't imagine how there can actually be a happy ending after what you two just did to one of the characters...

[lucyrocks73]

It will be a bittersweet ending... but I'm not going to ruin it for you. A lot of people are going to hate me...

Thanks for all of your support!!!


-Marty 8-)

[Kzinistzerg]

Yeah... I have to say though, while the fanfics are good, it still dosn't seem like... well, Foster's. It's like you have the same ideas, you know? Because There's a mighty large difference between animated TV and the stuff you guys write, such a difference in medium that it's really prety much impossible to mesh the two in my head. Not that it's your fault, but having such descriptive stories never fail to evoke the wrong images. Like, I realy can't imagine Mac... what with all the stuff that happens...

So enough of rambling, update soon and you guys are doing really well.

[LaBlooGirl]

Yes, his stuff is very good. I believe he wrote the one where Frankie, Mac, Bloo, and even Goo (I think) were trapped in a laundry chute.
That should have been an episode, if it was funny reading it, it would have been even funnier watching it! XD

[Dude13]

Well, after my good friend lucyrocks73's urging, here I am, finally with an account here on my own.

Thanks to everyone who's giving me their honest opinion on everything so far, and to everyone else, don't be afraid to speak your mind. It can be as critical as you want, I prefer any feedback to be as honest and sicnere as possible.

[lucyrocks73]

Oh, so *I* get blamed?

Just kidding.

I must say, it's interesting to read what people think of our story in a non-formal review setting...

-Marty 8-)

[Dude13]

I personally like it, it's a nice change to hear from others whose opinions we wouldn't nromally get to hear through just the review system.

[ch3353-h4xx0rrrr]

Of course, now when we make a comment it'll be awkward because the author is here. ;D

But I'll just be redundant and direct: I don't like where Mac's character is going, in any of your fics. He seems so clingy to Frankie nowadays. And really Sally Sob-Story-esque. =/

However, I do love the fics.

[Kzinistzerg]

I have to partially agree, the latest development is kindof going overboard...

[Dude13]

To be honest, it?s just a bit of an odd situation to be in whenever I write. On one hand, I?d rather stay as true to the show as I can when I write, meaning I avoid giving the characters complete personality transformations (emo/goth Mac, to use a particularly infamous one in example) and I try and keep their true nature intact. But then again, whenever I create a new piece, I always have the particular plot to consider too, so there will be some changes.

And of course, I?m no professional storyboard writer. I write simply because I enjoy writing, I never work with the exact mindset of creating a work that I can sell of as an actual episode of Foster?s. Whenever I work on a new story, I just look for an idea I can have a good time writing about, and thus of course with this in mind, I?m not exactly going to create something that?s one hundred percent loyal to the show. While I try and avoid tremendous changes in any of the characters? natures, there?s going to be some inevitable differences to be dealt with. That?ll probably explain some of my more outrageous and over-the-top stories ? they were bizarre, undoubtedly, but I had a blast transforming those ideas from mere scribbled notes in a shabby notepad to full-blown fanfics.

That?s basically more or less what I have to work with, it?s a very weird conflict. I try and keep everyone true to the actual cartoon, yet also I have the dream of bringing my particular plot ideas to life and trying to enjoy actually writing them as much as I can. Of course, I can?t have every character in my stories be absolutely perfect and process while turning every fanfic idea into the full-fledged story I hope to create. Inevitably, the two ideals clash, and thus I end up getting some problems in my stories that need to be dealt with. To be short, it?s a very imperfect system I use, and my apologies for the long, rambling explanation.

But nevertheless, at least I can get feedback in case I?m really going overboard anywhere in particular so I can try and fix whatever those issues happen to be. The more honest and sincere that feedback is, the better.

Ack, so I guess I have another kink that needs to be worked out. To be honest, this issue I seem to be having with Mac?s character flew completely under my radar. Yeah, I know that he tends to act more mature and intelligent than many of the older characters in the show, which is one of the major aspects of his character in particular. But then again, he is still just an eight-year-old, and so I thought then that he had the right to act like he was only eight from time to time, meaning he?ll get upset, he needs comfort and reassurance every now and then, etc. But now I?m guessing I went too far with that idea, and I now I must make sure I don?t make a similar error in future stories.

I?ll se what I can do!

[lucyrocks73]

Of course, now when we make a comment it'll be awkward because the author is here. ;D

Hey, I've been here a while (although, Dude13 should get all the credit, because in my opinion, he is the better writer out of the two of us)... :D



Ack, so I guess I have another kink that needs to be worked out. To be honest, this issue I seem to be having with Mac?s character flew completely under my radar. Yeah, I know that he tends to act more mature and intelligent than many of the older characters in the show, which is one of the major aspects of his character in particular. But then again, he is still just an eight-year-old, and so I thought then that he had the right to act like he was only eight from time to time, meaning he?ll get upset, he needs comfort and reassurance every now and then, etc. But now I?m guessing I went too far with that idea, and I now I must make sure I don?t make a similar error in future stories.

I?ll see what I can do!

(*coughboldedtypeblatentlycopiedfrommye-mailcough*)

Just kidding around. Hey, don't be so hard on yourself... Every writer has something they have to work out. Mine is, as everyone tells me, "telling but not showing".

Mac's character just happens to be yours, and as I keep telling you, THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THAT.

-Marty 8-) (who only keeps pretending to be mad to get everyone's goat, to clarify)

[Kzinistzerg]

I meant the really really recent developments. I think the handling of the characters so far has been fairly realistic so far and well done. And it's nice to see the characters in weird situations.

[Dude13]

Ha, I'll actually be the first to agree with you - the plot of "Wishing Only WOunds the Heart" is extremely over the top, which is exactly why lucyrock73 and I are having such a blast writing it.

[Kzinistzerg]

Well hell, if it's fun, do it! I's kind of overkill on the Mac situation, though... I mean, this is... Well, I find all of your stories utterly hilarious, in a good way, even the really depressing ones becuase of the juxtaposition of the characters and events (Speaking of which, is it physically possible for Frankie to hug Mac? Can she fit her arms aorund his head?). The whole "well, this happens, and then this happens, and just to add to the fun, this happens" part seems almost Monty-Python-Esque. I just keep getting pictures of a nature similar to that family guy episode in which the Kool-Aid guy bursts through the wall.

[Dude13]

Frankie can hug Mac, but only if she wraps her arms around his body.....ha, I never took the poor little guy's head in as a factor before though, so that still has to cause some kind of difficulty for the two.

Interesting point you have there relating my stories to the Monty Python style of comedy. Of course, I won't disagree at all, considering the ludicrous situations I create for the characters, which range from dealing to fear of turkeys to getting jammed inside a laundry chute. Good point you have there!

.....Although now methinks Frankie and Mac are going to do a lot less hugging in future works.....that, or I'll feel a little weird about it every time I have them do it.

[Kzinistzerg]

Well, I mean, even if she does hug him around the torso it's gotta hurt his neck, keeping his head out of the way and all. See, this is one of the reasons the media are so incongrous.

[Dude13]

You're right, no matter what, it does unfortunately get in the way. There's even cold-hard evidence for that too - when she hugs him out of relief in "Store Wars", it's a pretty awkward-looking embrace, as it is when she carries him about when they flee into hiding to escape mall security.

http://www.fosters-home.com/screengrabs/1/11-0030.jpg

Ack, his head gets in the way no matter what.

[lucyrocks73]

Hehe...

Guess who also has a large head?

(*Marty starts to sing show tunes*)

"YOU'RE A GOOD MAN, CHARLIE BROWN! YOU'RE THE KIND OF REMINDER WE NEED... YOU HAVE HUMILITY, NOBILITY, AND A SENSE OF HONOR THAT IS

VERY
RARE
INDEED!!!"


(*whistles innocently*)

Let us compare the size of Good Ol' Charlie Brown's head and Mac's head (although I think we are getting fearfully off-topic now)...

Charlie Brown:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/b/b4/CharlieBrown.jpg

Mac:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/2/2c/Mac102.png/110px-Mac102.png

Well, it depends if you think circles or squares are bigger...

And to get back on topic, Dude13, I will have a rough draft of chapter sixteen to you by tomorrow...

-Marty 8-)

[Dude13]

Not to be hard on poor little Mac, but to be frank, Charlie Brown's head seems to be more in proportion to his body, while Mac....um, doesn't exactly enjoy that same luxury.

And what do you mean we're getting fearfully off-topic? If anything, this is exactly the kind of issue we need to deal with here. For example, this quote from chapter ninteen of "More Than My Friend/Falling Apart":

Immediately the boy snuggled contentedly into her embrace, throwing his arms around her and nestling his head inside the crook of the girl?s neck

Now that I read over that, I wonder; how on earth is Mac's head going to fit in there? Is Frankie's neck long enough to accomodate it?

http://www.fosters-home.com/screengrabs/4/408-0065.jpg

Maybe........

Then again, maybe it's not that big of a problem. Or at least the hugging issue isn't that bad, seeing that Frankie has some experience holding creatures with oversized heads:

http://www.fosters-home.com/screengrabs/4/408-0051.jpg

Let's be honest, Cheese's head-to-body ratio is grossly disproportionate. But if Frankie can handle that, as seen here, maybe simply giving Mac a hug isn't a big a challenge as we originally though it to be.

[lucyrocks73]

Hey, I am a Peanuts fan extrordinare!!! Well, I guess you're right about Chuck's head... but not when he was younger!!!

(*searches internet fo pics of Charlie Brown in the 50's*)

Er... well, this isn't the best pic, but I don't have time to scan my huge collection of Peanuts books.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/c/c5/Completepeanutsvol15052.jpg/180px-Completepeanutsvol15052.jpg

(*wallows in shame*)

Just kidding... Yeah, think Mac I definately has a larger head...

What is it with Craig McCracken and characters with large heads?

(*speeds off to find another picture*)

Okay, here's Mojo Jojo... I have a t-shirt with him on it somewhere from when I was eight...

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/1/1a/Mojo_jojo.jpg/320px-Mojo_jojo.jpg

Once again, I don't think any of this proves any point.

Weeeeeeeeee... But putting random pictures on the forum is FUN!!!

-Marty 8-)

[Dude13]

Whoa! Old Charlie Brown and Mac definitely share the same unfortunate issue of an oversized head. Mojo Jojo suffers from a similar ailment, but not to the extent that Mac does. True, that crazy monky does possess a grossly undersized waist and lower body, but Mac's head is more or less practically the same size of the rest of his body.

Honestly though, over half of my stories I have Frankie and Mac hugging or something, but now it's really bothering me....how is she managing to pull that off?

http://www.fosters-home.com/screengrabs/4/408-0066.jpg

That eight-year-old has a skull wider than a twenty-two-year-old's entire body!

[ch3353-h4xx0rrrr]

Well, PBL, in the... second long story, I think, it's revealed that Frankie always thought of Wilt as her imaginary friend. And Wilt always considered Frankie his Kid. ;)

[Kzinistzerg]

Well also keep in mind that children do have larger heads in proportion to body size than adults. And yes, this is a fairly common style. I mean, have you guys seen Calvin? (The kid, here. Blake Superior and Richie were loosely based off of Calvin and Hobbes, who are like Mac and Bloo, just different parts to each of them. You have to read the comic.)

http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a77/KzinistZerg/calvinandhobbes002copy.jpg

[Dude13]

Ha, I'm definitely no stranger to that particular little kid and his beloved tiger, as proven by the complete collection of the comics up in my room.

Well, at least we've proven that disproportionate is no exclusive problem for cartoon children, rather it is extremely common.

Although that's not exactly going to make Frankie's ability to hug Mac any easier...

[Kzinistzerg]

Yeah... I have a bunch of their comic books, that's actually a photo I just took out of "the days are just packed."

It's amasing how similar those two pairs are, really. They're both works of art.

Now, can you PLEASE put Mac and Bloo in a wagon? PLEASE?


EDIT: also, south park, anyone? Disproporttionate?

[Dude13]

If I did put them in a wagon though, would it be the same? Yes, it would be a boy and his imaginary friend, but I don't think Bloo and Mac would be able to share the deep intellectual discussions you'll see on the wagon rides of Calvin and Hobbes. Instead, I picture Bloo recklessly steering a wagon through the forest with Mac doing nothing but screaming himself hoarse, lamenting how his imaginary friend managed to persuade him into trying such a stupid stunt.

Hobbes and Bloo aren't exactly on the same intelectual level.

Also...yeah, you're right about South Park. Okay, so I guess it's official at this point, large-headed children are a classic standard in cartoons.

[Kzinistzerg]

No, but Hobbes and Mac sort-of are. I think Calvin just dosn't use his genius to any good end, he hinks up schemes comparable to bloo's and then uses them.

I mean, Stupendous Man? Tracer Bullet? Spaceman Spiff? Stupendous Mas meets rosallyn?

I think you could have them on a wagon, you just wouldn't get the reflections on life. Bloo would proabbly find something intersting like an anthill and insist on taking Mac to see, or soemthing.

[Dude13]

True, so I guess Bac and Bloo are like Calvin and Hobbes except that their roles are a little reversed, with Mac and Hobbes being the more sensible ones and Calvin and Bloo being much more....erratic, I guess. They're far from a pair of fools, but most of the time they're not exactly logical in their thought patterns.

Anyway, I'm trying to pciture a Mac/Bloo-Wagon Scenario in my mind at the moment. Bloo would definitely be the one to instigate what would certianly be an extremely ill-fated trip, and he'd probably lure Mac into joining him through trickery of some sort, though how I have yet to figure out....hmmm...

[Bloofanatic]

since we seem to be talking about big heads

http://s49.photobucket.com/albums/f269/ashmyangel/th_Tommy.jpg

I'd like to introduce you to Mac's twin brother lol just kidding

[Dude13]

Just kidding? THose two could DEFINITELY at least pass off as each other's cousins. Gah, that's a really uncanny resemblance there.

[lucyrocks73]

Well, that's weird.

Seriously. What show is that from?

-Marty 8-)

[Bloofanatic]

it's from Robotboy one of my fave shows Robotboy is so cute and that's Tommy my 2nd fave

[kageri]

That's why it's so hard to draw Mac and Bloo hugging. Mac's head practically eclipses Bloo's entire body.

Frankie does have an abnormally long neck.

[Dude13]

Ha, what a dynamic duo we have here: Giraffe-Girl and Big-Head.

[lucyrocks73]

Hey, this forums been dead for a while... let's get it moving again!!! I'm trying to get time to work, but I've been so busy lately...

I will (*attempt*) to have it done by the end of the week. I have nothing tomorrow. Yipee.

-Marty 8-)

[Dude13]

Woohoo! Thats exactly the spirit I like to see, yeah!

It'll be a challenge though - Basic Mandarin Chinese is proving to be much, much, much, much toughter than I originally anticipated, although the general title of the class itself is a dead giveaway.

So, I think as we were....I think we were discussing the fine points of bulky-headed eight-year-olds and unusually slender-necked redheaded redheads.

[Kzinistzerg]

Has anyone noticed that mac's head is actually 9 times his body mass?

And eduardo has pancake feet.

[Dude13]

Nine times his body mass? Where does one bring up that kind of statistic?

Ha, mind you this is being asked entirely out of curiousity...there's no way I'm going to try and argue with you on the matter of everyone's favorite disproportionately-built eight-year-old.

[lucyrocks73]

It's not hard getting Mac's head perfect in PhotoShop, I'll give you that. Where Lucy gives me great difficulty, Charlie Brown with his round head and Mac are easy with the circle tool and "Rounded Rectangle" tool.

And that in its self is a great accomplishment in my book.

-Marty 8-)

[Dude13]

Hey, despite all that the little guy has to put up with, at least Mac has a buddy who mostly likely knows of all the ups and downs of being a disproportionate child.....

http://www.fosters-home.com/screengrabs/3/37-0033.jpg

Honsety, has anyone taken a good look at Goo, recently? She's all limbs, has a head three times wider than her body, and absolutely no torso or anything of that sort. How can she stand up with so much weight on her neck compared to the rest of her?

No offense meant or anything - those too oddly-designed children can hang out with each other as much as they can, because honestly, I'm a massive fan of MacxGoo.

[Kzinistzerg]

Look at mac's head. three of mac'storso/legs can fit in side by side. since his head is 3d or at least square from all angles i"VE seen, that means it's a 3x3 grid and that is 9.

Goo's got a torso, but yeat, it's teeny. I mean ,look at wilt!

As for your most recent story bit...

jeez, this is stuill going on? At least terrence redeems himself, i have to say. I'm glad he does. The manner in which he does so is... interesting... i wonder how Mac will react. After all ,terrence's future after his redemption will be rthe same as was presumed in the toehr stories, so it's not THAT much of a change.

sorry about spelling in this post, no time to correct!

[CG]

Hello off topic!

I think discussion of head to body ratio should be somewhere else instead of in a discussion thread on a writer's fanfic series.

But that's just me.

[Dude13]

Ack! Sorry! Sorry!

It's not just you, CG, as much as it is overhwelming true that we have wandered quite a distance from the original topic. Ugh, we gotta see what we can do about that.

Anyway, to answer Kzinistzerg, yup, it's still going on, and lucyrocks73 and I still have about two chapters left to go in it - although exactly when and how we're going to get to those we have yet to figure out. She's an overworked high school student, and I'm a currently overwhelmed college freshman - Basic Chinese I is taking up much, much more time then I originally planned on.

And as much as I'd also like to work on something else at the same time I'm co-authoring wit lucyrocks, not only is the extra time not there currently, but I also tend to get too many inquiries through both reviews and private messages inquiring simply why I haven't updated "Wishing Only Wounds the Heart" in a bit.

They have their right to be curious, I guess, but after a while of the same thing, it tends to get a bit irksome.

[lucyrocks73]

She's an overworked high school student, and I'm a currently overwhelmed college freshman.

That cracked me up, because we both know it's the truth... I'm currently waiting for my ride to play practice, ha.

Hello off topic!

coughIsaidthatawhileagocoughcough...

Ha ha, just kidding.

So, any disscussion on the latest chapter?

Make sure you put them in spoiler tags so no one who doesn't want to read something too soon doesn't have to!!!

-Marty 8-)

[Kzinistzerg]

It wasn't all that off topic, actually, because we were kinda discussing the dynamics of frankie and mac hugging, which was in the fics. So yeah...

I don't particulaily go for spoiler tags, so i just write a response i nsuch a way that only soemne who has read the story wil lknow what i'm talking about.

[Dude13]

Ha, true about the hugging versus Mac's head proportion - wait, so did we ever come up with a conclusion to that, or am I basically having them perform a paradox every time they embrace at all in anything that I write?

Ooooh.....Marty, how'd you make that effect with the spoiler tag? I'm not exactly a tech-savvy individual....or to be more precise, I'm as far away as such a thing as humanly possible.

(Ha, and I like the little Goo Go Gaga/Lucy Van Pelt thing you got going there...gah, it took me waaaaaaaay too long to figure out I was calling you "luckyrocks73, ack.)

[Bloofanatic]

I liked the latest chapter it's really getting dramatic.

[Dude13]

Aw, thanks!

Ha....and I have no idea what else to say to that.

[lucyrocks73]

Apparently no one else does, either... c'mon, let's revive this thread!!!

Okay, who's irritated at me because I haven't finished chapter sixteen yet?

(*watches everyone raise their hands*)

Uh oh...

-Marty 8-)

[Dude13]

Ha, who's here to raise their hands?

(A tumbleweed rolls by)

Yeah.....been a while since anything's happened in this thread.......

And not sure what else to say, except that I'm probably putting off my philosophy homework right now.

[Kzinistzerg]

*picks up the tumbleweed and waves it i nthe air*

By the way, i think it's acceptable to show them hugging, becuase if you'll notice, they really have stretchy limbs. I mean, wilt is super-stretchy, but everyone else has the occasional stretchy arms or legs in order to show them doing somehting, like Mac climbing up the wall or hugging Mr. Herriman.

[Bloofanatic]

Apparently no one else does, either... c'mon, let's revive this thread!!!

Okay, who's irritated at me because I haven't finished chapter sixteen yet?

(*watches everyone raise their hands*)

Uh oh...

-Marty 8-)

Don't worry I'm a very paitent girl lol

[Dude13]

(To Bloofanatic) Thank you! We need more like you out there.

(To Kzinistzerg) Hmmmm.......to be honest, I have yet to factor in a stretchy limb aspect, which is a welcome argument for our hypothesis, "Can a redhead hug an eight-year-old with a massive head?"

So far, I think our answer is yes, but it's not exactly easy.

:frankiesmile: :macwor: - Yikes, even here, his head just dwarfs her entirely, making for very awkward embrace-related logistics.

[GrimTheLost]

:cheese: (:frankiesmile: :macwor: - Yikes, even here, his head just dwarfs her entirely, making for very awkward embrace-related logistics.

That is great.:cheese:

[Dude13]

Ack, unfortunately, it's true both there and the show - not that I have nothign against Mac of course, I love the litle guy to death - but unfortunately, he just has a bit of a disproportionatly-sized skull to deal with.

Ugh, methinks once more we may be rambling a bit off-topic once again, unless anyone has something new they'd like to add to this "intellectual discussion" of ours.

[lucyrocks73]

I made a thread for us to discuss this...

Here's the link:
http://www.fosters-home.com/forum/showthread.php?p=9039#post9039

Somehow I doubt it'll get many replies though, because things jut work that way.

-Marty 8-)

[Dude13]

Woohoo! Glad that we have all fixed!

Though now methinks this thread is going to be abandoned entirely, as that discussion formed the foundation of all talk that went on here.

Um.....anyone has any comments for me on anything I've written ever or for lucyrocks on our joint story "Wishing Only Wounds the Heart", feel more than free to speak up, we'll always be ready to listen to hear what you have to say!

But if you're here to only discuss disproportionality in the character's heads and bodies - then as of now, unfortunately you're in the wrong thread.

[Voxxyn]

I've been wanting to ask this for a while: do you not like Eduardo and Coco as much as the other characters, or something? Because they almost NEVER appear in your stories.

[Dude13]

Ha, finally, something to make this thread actually be on topic for once....

Wow, and that's actually a really, really good question. To begin with, it's not that I have anything against them, not at all. Now that I think about it, maybe it is because simply put, I prefer the standard set of characters I use most of the time in my stories.

Then again, I'll be honest when I see this is the first time I've actually had to stop and think about it - yikes, and I've been writing Foster's fanfics for over a year too, ack, shame on me.

Maybe it's because in all the story ideas I've come with, their prescense was just never necessary for anything, thus their complete lack of appearances. Also, I'll be honest, personally I find that it's nearly impossible to write Coco into anything because zany and lovable as she is, a lot of my stories can tend to be very dialogue-driven, and unfortuantely, her vocabulary is extremely limited. That of course brings up the whole subject of how to let readers know what she's saying, whether that's clues given by the other characters, flat out translations (not really a fan of that method), etc. It gets difficult with her.

Unfortunately, I have no such excuse with poor Ed. He has an accent, yes, but that's hardly a problem. Ack, that's more or less an enigma why he's barely made any appearances.

So at the moment, I think mainly it's because yes, I probably do prefer the others above those two (sadly enough) and thus every story idea I come up with is designed specifically to involve all the others.

Now I feel kind of bad for excluding them, ugh....

Honestly though, that was a really good point you brought up there. If there's anythign else you want to ask (or if I did a lousy job of answering this question) feel more than free to ask.

[lucyrocks73]

I think you covered it well, Dude13...

Edaurdo is actually one of my favorite characters. I've never really found a good plot line in my head that has to do with him, so that's my excuse. The accent is very fun to write...

The thing is, comedy really isn't my specialty- I couldn't write it to save my life. I stink at it. The ocasional comedy I use is intertwined with drama. And what does this have to do with Eduardo and Coco, you may ask??

Well, like many people cannot see some characters in an dramatic light, I can't really see them as anything other than comic relief. I'm not saying that they aren't important characters, because they are. I'm just saying that I see them more in a comedic act, like some people don't want to see Goo or some other characters in an angsty light.

And there are a lot of lights that are and aren't on in that last paragraph.

So that would be why I, personally, have not written them very much. Although, in the next story I'm writing, Coco is included for some of it.

That was a really crappy explaination. But it's there.

-Marty 8-)
P.S.- I hope it was okay, Dude13, that I posted that in your thread...

[Dude13]

Haha - Marty, you were the one who started the thread to discuss our story, "Wishing Only Wounds the Heart."

Honestly, you of all people deserve to post as much as you want in here.

Yeah, but I agree with you one hundred percent, it gets a bit difficult to use them fot drama or anything of that sort - then again most of my works are comedic, so that I think now I just flat-out don't have an excuse for not including them. For my more serious ones yes, but for the others....eh, my bad...

[lucyrocks73]

I love Ed- he's so much fun to write (and yes, I've written pieces that will never be seen, posted, or e-mailed to anyone, because they embarass me).

I can't write comedy. I physically can't. I LOVE reading it. My brain just isn't quick with humor like that. If I come up with something, someone has probably heard it a million ways in different context somewhere.

Sarcasm, though- I can do sarcasm.

Dude13, you are really talented, because you can write exceptionally in BOTH drama AND comedy.

(*claps*)

-Marty 8-)

[Dude13]

You can actually write Ed into stories? My hat is off to you, because after a year of barely using him, I honestly doubt my ability to actually do a decent job of writing the poor guy into anything, much as I love him.

And Coco....poor Coco, I can't do a thing with her.....

Thank you so much for your extrarodinarily generous comliment, but my comedy pieces aren't exactly ingenius bits of humor. Heck, I'll be the first one to admit that they can go extremely over the top and cross the line like it's their job, whcih is odd seeing as how basic the plotlines can be, including -

- Four characters jammed inside a laundry chute
-Fear of turkeys
-A bad flu bug being mistaken for demon possession
-Someone's cursing far too much
-Cross-dressing

My standards aren't exactly high for the humor ideas - some people might see a turkey and think "bird", I look at it and see "instant story idea."

[lucyrocks73]

My standards aren't exactly high for the humor ideas - some people might see a turkey and think "bird", I look at it and see "instant story idea."

Oh, don't you see?? That is why they are so ingenious. You take the smallest thing and make it funny. Your stories are things that are so believable, yet so not because of the setting.

Craig McCracken once used an example somewhere of this same type thing (an interview I once read somewhere...). He imagined a group of brightly-colored imaginary friends on a background of a Victorian mansion. Tat clash- the odd and unordinary with the ordinary and simple (yet ornate, when are talking about the mansion)- is exactly what your humor stories have- something simple that everyone sees and walks right by on a regular basis, but can have humor to it that only people like you can see.

You see, the true nature of a writer is to look at something and say to themselves, "What if..."

You do that with things people might not think of- while using already estabilshed characters, which is quite a feat (you know how hard it is to keep them in character).

Not many people can come up with a plot around turkey, or a laundry chute, or any of the things you listed. I sure couldn't.

You ARE a genius, whether you realize it or not...

-Marty 8-)

[Dude13]

Oh, don't you see?? That is why they are so ingenious. You take the smallest thing and make it funny. Your stories are

You do that with things people might not think of- while using already estabilshed characters, which is quite a feat (you know how hard it is to keep them in character).

-Marty 8-)

Haha, know it, and STILL having plenty of trouble getting it down

[Dude13]

Ack, ack, ack, CRAP! Totally sent that post WAY too early. Yuck!

Ack, the first part was originally meant to point out the difficulty of keeping someone in character, of whcih none of us can get that down perfectly.

But also, I wanted to bring up this - I mean, so maybe I can see "laundry chute" and get an idea for a short humor piece.

But WHO was it who worked out the entire plot of a particular story (ha, how about we codename it "WWOTH") all by herself, while I was absolutely coming up with jack squat and had actually begun to panic because I honestly thought we had no ending?

Plus, as just proven here, and by the plethora of spelling and grammar errors one can see in anything I write, I'm far from computer savvy.

[lucyrocks73]

Well, I'm okay at coming up with the general plot lines of entire stories (as if I haven't had to diagram a plot THOUSANDS of times in English class), but how many times, when dealing with individual chapters have I asked you for help??

It's like knowing what's going to happen in a movie, and watching how it unfolds.

I'm REALLY bad at the tiny things. I detail unimportant things, and other crap.

YOU can truly write.

-Marty 8-)

[Dude13]

I'm far from any Ernest Hemmingway of William Shakespheare, I'm just a guy who enjoys writing Foster's fanfiction in his spare time - something we both have much, much less of now that the new school year is up in full swing.

I think however that you're fantastic when it comes to the big picture - the basic idea and plot that is absolutely essential to every story. I don't just automatically come up with good story ideas - what I do is I come up with three or four horrifically bad ideas until I can come up with anything remotely reasonable.

And in some instances, I actually mistake those horrendously atrocious plots for legitimate story lines and start to write them until I need to realize how God-awful that story is.

Every writer has their strengths and weaknesses. I have them, you have them, we all have them.

[lucyrocks73]

And more specifically, I have them.

In the words of my English teacher last year: "You are one of the best writers in this class," (*snorts*- yeah right), "but you 'tell' and don't 'show'."

After a few weeks, I started describing everything in sight.

But now my problem is that I don't use enough indirect characterization- the characters tell too much about themselves. They never shut up.

Which is why, I've found, that first person is the best point of view for me to write in. Why? Because I apparently (or so my English teacher put it THIS year) relate to the characters more when I am putting myself in their position.

So, (and this could be why my writing is taking forever) I started writing EVERYTHING in first-person, and then switching it to third person.

And although I think I'm improving a little (read my eariler fanfiction and you'll see), I still think I suck.

-Marty 8-)

[Dude13]

And although I think I'm improving a little (read my eariler fanfiction and you'll see), I still think I suck.


It probably can't compare to the grade-A garbage I wrote on my first FF.net account.

I actually had one about four years ago before my current one, and believe me, every single piece I wrote was cliched, God-awful trash, to say the very least. No lie, I actually deleted all remnants of that particular period in my writing history long ago, everything I wrote then was simply just that terrible.

It took me a while to get where I am now. Trust me, you're already doing infinitely better than the total hack I used to be. You are a good writer.

[Kzinistzerg]

Hell ,you guys are BOTH good.

Writers progress over time. My early stuff is really really bad, but I think i've improved.

Cross-dressing? CROSS DRESSING? when was THAT in a fanfic?

[Dude13]

Ack, I KNEW I shouldn't have used THAT as an example.

It was one of my much weirder, stories, "Slight Misunderstanding."

[Kzinistzerg]

Well, I jsut read the two new short stories you have up, and, yay! Except for the one with goo. That was not Yay. It is, however, an interesting story.

[Dude13]

Ha, thank you for the blunt honesty, it always helps out.

Yeah, it's always a bit risky using Goo in anything....people either seem to love her or hate her in most cases. Nevertheless, thank you so much for the sincerity!

[Kzinistzerg]

I don't hate her, i just am adverse to that type of happening involving any characters.

[Dude13]

Ack, sorry for just assuming without checking first! Sorry, sorry!

Thank you for the honesty!

[lucyrocks73]

Our co-authored story is now finished; but we're thinking about writing together again. It was a lot of fun; Dude13 is a GREAT co-author.

-Marty :goo:

[Crash-N-Cortex]

Dude13's fan-fics are really cool. I like to read them while I have the chance. He is a great author. He does make good use of Mac, Bloo, Goo, Frankie, Wilt, Madame Foster, and Mr. Herriman.

[Pawbah]

Dude13... I was staring at the name for a moment before it clicked in my head. I know Dude13, I used to be obsessed with some of those stories...More than my Friend... Man, I love Dude13. I should read what you have written recently.... :wiltshock: OMG I just checked.... you have been one busy dude. More than my friend has a sequel now? Holy smokes. I have a lot of reading to do.

[lucyrocks73]

First chapter of the new story is written (sort of), but we have a lot of plot development to work on before we post anything.

For our last fic, we had everything planned out before we started to write, and then we just worked out the itty bitty details as we wrote.

-Marty :goo:

[KazooBloo]

seems awesome.