POPULAR: Simple Questions, Simple Answers

[Lugion]

As long as you're consistent with it, do what feels best to you. I stick to the traditional rules (although I do often want to pluralize Beldum as Beldums...), but I don't bat an eye when people want to do otherwise.

 

[Jaypom]

Usually I'll stick to using the name as singular and plural, I have hit the time where I try to use possesives on pokemon like Ralts where you cant put Ralts's, but instead Ralts' which doesnt even make a pronunciation difference.

 

[VeniaSilente]

Point is, you could make a good argument for whatever convention you choose to use

And that, I feel, is one of the strongest points of the Pokémon canon overall. There's so little in worldbuilding that is absolutely stated, be it from a Watsonian or Doylesian perspective, that working on it is pretty much like working with an original setting, only with ~10-15% of the work already "done" (in as much as GF cares about "doing") for you. Anything, from "what in the world do they even eat?" to "how do I spell names?", anything is open to rework and interpretation.

 

[matthewmayhem]

I have a prequel story in the works and I would like to know what you would suggest for a prequel. Here's what I came up with already.

As "Why Me?" (original story) was about a girl called Emily who was bullied by a boy, Tom, there would be something in "The Reflection" (prequel) to explain what made him a bully and caused such a change in him. It shows the reader he wasn't always so bad. Emily doesn't know/notice of course. It is done solely for the readers' benefit as she is left in the dark about it when we come to "Why Me?", which also shows us she already has a boyfriend. I decided that The Reflection must document how their relationship began.

Also, while Emily is first seen as a girl popular in school and hard-working, The Reflection reveals she wasn't always that good and the principal tells her of how he has got bad reports of her from her teachers. She makes a vow to turn this around.

Any comments/other ideas will be good

 

[AceTrainer14]

@matthewmayhem
Do you need two separate stories? You could easily use flashbacks and different perspectives in "Why Me?" You could have the scene of her being told she needs to turn things around at the start of the story. I think having a prequel in this situation is unnecessary.

 

[Lord Kyuubi]

I have a prequel story in the works and I would like to know what you would suggest for a prequel. Here's what I came up with already.

As "Why Me?" (original story) was about a girl called Emily who was bullied by a boy, Tom, there would be something in "The Reflection" (prequel) to explain what made him a bully and caused such a change in him. It shows the reader he wasn't always so bad. Emily doesn't know/notice of course. It is done solely for the readers' benefit as she is left in the dark about it when we come to "Why Me?", which also shows us she already has a boyfriend. I decided that The Reflection must document how their relationship began.

Also, while Emily is first seen as a girl popular in school and hard-working, The Reflection reveals she wasn't always that good and the principal tells her of how he has got bad reports of her from her teachers. She makes a vow to turn this around.

Any comments/other ideas will be good

I agree with AceTrainer14, though it does depend partly on what you plan to achieve in the prequel. If it's just extra background and backstory to the characters, it would probably be better off worked somehow into what you're already writing. Storywriting's a big enough workload as it is - I certainly wouldn't recommend trying to work on two things at once, particularly if they tie into each other so directly. With the reservation that I haven't read your story, the characters would probably be at their most interesting if all aspects of their character were present in one story, and with the details listed here, I don't see why this wouldn't be achievable.

I apologise if this isn't the sort of reply you were hoping for, but it does sound to me as if this content would be better included in the main story. A prequel needs to still be able to stand as a story on its own. If you have a separate plot and a lot of other ideas planned out that you haven't mentioned, a prequel might be a good idea, though I still wouldn't recommend working on two things at once. I don't know, that's just the idea I'm getting anyway.

 

[matthewmayhem]

Well there is also a school talent show which Emily prepares for after she hears about it and there are some other characters in the prequel (not mentioned in the original), but the story should show why they weren't seen in the other.
it's not so direct as you said. I forgot to say the story takes place over a summer term (about 6 weeks) and is a year before, so it is more interesting seeing the people how they were then. It's not like a follow-right-on thing (in which case i'd see your point, as it may as well simply be turned into one longer story)
hope it's more clear now

 

[Life]

I feel like this topic has been discussed before, but anyway...

So, while I was writing a capture scene I wanted to have the protagonist nickname their pokemon then and there, but struggled with how they would figure out if they're male or female (both for naming purposes and so I wouldn't have to refer to the pokemon as an "it" until they do find out). I suppose a gender neutral name works (which I've actually been giving the character's captures thus far) but that still leaves an issue with figuring out what pronoun to use. Is it too jarring to just have the narrator (who in this case is the character) start using the he/she pronouns after the capture? I thought about the character figuring it out through the pitch of the pokemons voice, but that seems a little unfair.

Does anyone happen to have an idea on what would be best? So far I've been going with the first idea I suggested. I suppose I should also note that the character doesn't have a pokedex or other piece of equipment that could let them know, either.

Thanks.

 

[Beth Pavell]

Well, assuming that the pokémon species doesn't have sexual dimorphism or the character wouldn't know the difference anyway ... you know, I'd just go with "it". That works just fine for genderless species anyway, I don't find it jarring.

You could do an "Eliot Reid" situation and have a name that doesn't "match" anyway

 

[Life]

I may as well do that, then. It feels less person, which is my main concern with using it, but that feeling does work better anyway for the portrayal I'm going for, so it has it's benefits I suppose.

Thanks again.

 

[Misfit Angel]

Perhaps the Pokeball or a Pokedex could enlighten the trainer? The R-Kit in Storm Island does that, although I don't believe it's ever been shown doing that. It probably doesn't matter a whole lot if you just start using he/she genders out of nowhere. Alternatively, you could just start with the he/she from the start if they're intended to be a notable character, such as a capture, while all of the fodder is listed as indeterminate 'it', although that could spoil the magic of who's going to be an important Pokemon in certain instances...

 

[Lugion]

For me, it depends on the character. Steven's Beldum is, of course, an asexual creature and thus genderless, but Steven refers to it using masculine pronouns, and most people well acquainted with Steven do as well. There'll be a character who refers to Beldum using feminine pronouns, though. It's a sort of subconscious perception thing.

 

[Life]

Interesting ideas. I never thought about having the pokeball have such a function, but it would be interesting to play around with the idea of what more can it do besides hold a pokemon. There's certainly a lot to play around with that I haven't though of, so hopefully the ol' noggin gets cranking in the next few days.

The character more or less picking a gender works as well (which is essentially how it reads now) though I wonder if that would make her appear too rash? But perhaps I'm worrying about it too much. I guess the only way to know is to play around with what reads best.

Thanks again again.

 

[Srebak]

Simply put, how do you write a form of government in your stories when you've come to have doubts about it?

For example, a fanfic story i'm trying to make good has a major country be an absolute Monarchy, but, no matter who i ask, people keep saying that monarchies have to either be constitutional (a government that grants the monarch no real power and makes them a figurehead to a more democratic government) or abolished and replaced by a more democratic society. People are firm that Democracy and Republics are the only right form of governments for major countries.

Am i saying Democracy is bad? No. But how can i write a story that has the main lead be an Absolute Monarch if i'm left with little reason to believe that Absolute Monarchy is good and too many hard argue with reasons that it's bad? And simply having the main character abolish the monarchy in favor a democratic government is not an option for me. The show the fanfic is based on had the monarchy in question be generations old, I don't think i could have it end with the main lead. Especially since i want his descendants to be on the throne with real royal power.

 

[Beth Pavell]

This should really be in General Questions, but anyway ... my advice is to go and read some history, that's the best way to write this kind of thing. Forget about whether you think it's a good form of government or not, you're not trying to write an ideal world after all.

Besides, absolute monarchies had their advantages at certain points in history. The idea of a monarch as chosen by God gives a firm foundation for a stable country, in an age where it's simply impossible to communicate in a way that would facilitate democracy. Just imagine trying to collect votes efficiently just from all the knights in 13th century France. Once that concept is challenged, just about every noble starts to think he's got just as much right to the throne as anyone else, and then you end up with bloody civil wars like the Wars of the Roses.

And finally, remember that people at different points in history had different priorities than we do now. In the modern developed world we tend to think of freedom of expression as being the most important right, but centuries ago property rights would have been far more important to the average man. When King John was forced to sign Magna Carta his barons weren't interested in being able to publish newspapers, they wanted to limit his powers to imprison without due cause

 

[Misfit Angel]

Democracies and republics are not the 'right' forms of government required for stability. Look at Saudi Arabia, it's an absolute monarchy. Flagrant human rights abuses can be the subject of much debate as to whether it's the right form of government, but it's at least a stable country.

 

[AceTrainer14]

I have a query I am trying to work around. I am planning a mini-series about Arnold Adiem from Dawn of Darkness, and there are two bits to the story. The main part is how he comes into possession of the Adamant and Lustrous Orbs, but he also at some point needs to come into contact with the encyclopedia which happens a decade or two later. Do you think it would be better to tell both stories in one, perhaps splitting it down the middle, or would it be better to focus on the main story of the orbs since thats the big plot and include the encylcopedia plot line later?

 

[0bs1d1an_kn1ght]

I have a good question: what would be a good fighting style for Lucario? Since I was thinking of making the Lucario in my fic isolated for the sake of training, something like the Tibetan monks, I was thinking of making their general fighting style like Lama mixed with some Bōjutsu, but what do you guys think?

And while I'm at it, what do you think is a good fighting style for Lopunny? My best guess would be Capoeira or Savate.

 

[Lugion]

I feel like Lucario would be a pretty versatile fighter and able to properly utilize many fighting styles. In your case, I'd say just go with what you think fits the story and character best.

And I agree with Savate for Lopunny.

 

[0bs1d1an_kn1ght]

I feel like Lucario would be a pretty versatile fighter and able to properly utilize many fighting styles. In your case, I'd say just go with what you think fits the story and character best.

And I agree with Savate for Lopunny.

Personally, I'd go with Capoeira with Lopunny, since I see them as the kinds of fighters who fight with flow and grace, and Capoeira seems to be just that.