Yes I am sorry. I have done it again. I just felt like I had finished MGINAA when a thought occurred to me. There are thousand of Mary- Sue out there just begging to be original. So this is the same style as MGINAA (Meg Giry is not an Alto) But with different content. You can read this without reading that but you might read it useful.
PS. New C2 Project Opera. Accurate info Fiction. I started recently.
Review responses to last chapter of MGINAA. (In the vain hope you read this story)
Charlemagne: I have to admit you got me stuck their. I do remember a reason but I can't think of it. When I remember I will email you. Thanks for Reviewing.
Marianne Brandon: First off let me say what a big fan I am of your writing. I was stunned when you reviewed. (I didn't jumped about or anything ;) ) . I really liked your story and character. Firstly because she has personality and secondly because she is an Alto. Being a Mezzo I love it when not all characters are Sopranos. You are one of the few people that give me the strength to read OC'S. Its sad because I think deep inside I know that Erik wouldn't have got Christine unless she had some more backbone. (Though still an E/C Shipper.) I look at a mix of both in the hope to find something as good of yours. I hope you don't mind but a I quote some of your review. To prove that you can write a good Oc. Thanks again for your review.
mrs. Malfoy: Is your user name Mrs Malfoy and you don't sign in?. I don't want to add a random user. You have you be a member to be on C2. Thanks for being so loyal.
Phruity: Believe me I don't watch the OC. I don't know why I added that in actually. I HOPE it was not Erik talking in my head…. Well you know they do say TV ruins your mind..
RozzandMaya: I don't hate ALW. But it is so easy to ipck up all his pieces. I makes me wonder sometimes. I didn't know that to marry SB he had to leave his wife and children. Men. I need an Erik. Ps SB sing PIE JESU with Charlotte Church made me hit
My head for ages.
Nabira: I could not believe the sex change stuff until I saw it. I don't work. Btw KEEP WRITING YOUR STORY. It's great not to have a singing ancestor for once. Love live the flautists.Ps. Got a cold and no voice and am meant to be on TV on Thursday. Crud.
The Common Wind Deity: I think I think in fragments so I will never be able to write properly. Oh well. I'll just be journalist cos no singing for ages. (I've got a sore throat and cold.
GAKDragonMCP: Thanks for the help. BTW any advice on explaining the difference between a pop and an opera voice. I know a bit but its not my area of expertise. Thanks.
Estelle Tiniwiel: Ahh AS'S hmm im looking forward to next year. I can add you if you like. You don't have to do anything. Just if your read a story and its musically accurate go to the review box and click add to c2. I'll invite you anyway.
Mary Sue is not an Energiser Bunny!
In Which Erik Will Survive.
My Dear readers….. I have yet another message from the Opera ghost.
While he has been busy recently (Cough Andrew Cough). He still feels there is a big gap left in the writing of stories and musical accuracy. Last time he covered information mainly used in E/C fics. However he now feels strong enough to take on the mother of wrongness E/C with on O in the middle.
That's right kids.
E/OC.
Due to a rise in this type of fiction. Erik feels it is necessary to devote more time trying to save as many Oc's from getting Mary- Sued.
Let him make himself clear. In no way is Erik saying the all OC stories are inaccurate or terrible. This is not the case.
Erik feels a good way to start is by quoting from a review that he got from Marianne Brandon (writer of A Piercing Light of Hope) she gives some of the best advice for any writer embarking on a story.
"…emphasize the importance of RESEARCH when you're writing
something of a historical nature! I went to the trouble of finding out what
composers (and authors and poets) were alive before or during the same time as
PotO and I'm so glad I did. And if you can't find a suitable opera, make one
up! Or at least a title.
It never DID seem right to put modern-day lyrics into these things."
Some Oc writers wonder why their 20000 word story of the adventures of Maria Susan only got 16 reviews. YOU CANNOT JUST SAY IT'S BECAUSE IT'S AN OC. Last time I check Marianna Brandon had 600 reviews. Another good OC writer Mandy the O had over 2000. Of course it helps that they are amazing writers with original plots. But another aspect is the Accuracy of their knowledge. And the fact that their characters aren't the star or best singers.
Erik is surprised that Writers have no idea how off putting it is to reader's to read yet another story in which the girl is made the lead.
Here I will cover the ver worst Mistakes of them all. In this example Time-Travel story
. Deliberately not spell checked but I won't correct that at the end.
Marie woke up.
"Where am I?" She asked.
Madame Giry answered .
"You are in 1870. Don't worry I mysteriously now everything about you. Now go and audition for the lead"
"OK"
Marie goes to the stage. Monsir Reyer says.
"Ah yes their you are!. What a relief we have a performance tonight and forgot to cast the lead. Sing"
Marie smiled before singing perfectly.
"Go on now go walk out the door
just turn around now
'cause you're not welcome anymore
weren't you the one who tried to hurt me with goodbye
Did you think I'd crumble
Did you think I'd lay down and die
Oh no, not I
I will survive
Oh as long as i know how to love
I know I will stay alive
I've got all my life to live
I've got all my love to give
and I'll survive
I will survive (hey-hey"
While doing this she belly dances have magically changed into pedal pushers.
Everyone claps.
"Wow" Say Monsiuer Reyer. "You are the lead and also we forgot to cast the lead ballerina so you can be that now as well"
Hiding in box 5 Erik listens and watches the whole performance.
"I love Marie and want to teach her singing. She is way better than Christine"
Back on stage. Marie asks
"What's the musical?"
Madame Giry answers.
"Grease.
The End (Erik you can come out now)
You have no idea how often this plot takes place. I will now list the mistakes. For times sake I will just do the ones connected to music.
THE SEVEN DEADLY SUES
1. Now go and audition for the lead"
To even get an audition in a place like the opera Populaire you would have to have studied music (have proof) and performed in tons of operas in the chorus. There is no way they would audition a random girl.
2. "Ah yes their you are! What a relief we have a performance tonight and forgot to cast the lead. Sing"
They would have already had a lead. They would have 2 understudies for the lead and one for every other part. I KNOW IT DOES NOT SAY THAT IN THE MUSICAL BUT IT IS JUST A MUSICAL AND NOT ACCURATE.
This is plain common sense. It would be impossible for anyone to have a part and sing it in the evening. There is too much to learn and would not be up to a high enough standard. Even if the character knew the part already each stage is different and the same play can be directed in a completely different way.
3. Marie smiled before singing perfectly.
What? No warm ups?
4. "Go on now go walk out the door…
Ok maybe the song is an exaggeration but the point still stands. Now way would the music director recognise any kind of pop/musical song as real singing. My singing teacher still believes that classical is the only type of music and he's an Opera singer. That style of singing only started in the 1920's and uses a different part of your voice. That type of singer would not be able to project. I will go a lot into more detail later. Just don't have them sing it. How about a nice Aria?
5.While doing this she belly dances and has magically changed into pedal pushers.
If she wore any kind of trousers or did any kind of modern dance she would be arrested for indecent exposure. There is no way she would get in for classical dance doing the Macarena.
6"Wow" Say Monsiuer Reyer. "You are the lead and also we forgot to cast the lead ballerina so you can be that now as well"
I don't pretend to know tons about ballet. (Perhaps someone could help me there?) But I do know that all Ballerinas would have had to train from about 12.It would be difficult to be a ballerina and an Opera singer at the same time and the body structures are so different. (Cough Christine Wrong Cough)
As I have said before it would be impossible to be Prima Donna and Prima Ballerina. As they may be on at the same time. Also because it is hard work. Marie is not an Energiser Bunny. She can't keep going. Again as before there would be an understudy Prima. If there wasn't one of the trained girls would do it. Like Meg Giry. Who would not be singing.
7.
"What's the musical?"
Madame Giry answers.
"Grease.
Why God Why? Do I even have to explain this? DO NO USE MUSICALS. (Collapses in heap) Please just no…..
Erik would like to point that here are many other mistakes in that piece that will be covered. Namely where he fall in love with her. But those are the basics
He will also go into detail on some sins later.
Ok now for the harsh truth.
If you stories had any of these traits in it then your character is a Sue. Not necessarily as badly written as mine but the truth remains.
Next Chapter. Why laptops wouldn't work in Erik's lair
