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Filler ideas? (Writing Help Needed)

Discussion in 'Creative Zone' started by Nova Ozuka, Feb 8, 2017.

  1. Nova Ozuka

    Nova Ozuka Hex Maniac

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    I need help with filler for the trip through Union Cave in my Pokémon Fic, Pokémon Resonance over on Fanfictrion. (Link in my sig)

    In the last chapter I wrote-not the one I last uploaded mind you-Zero, the main character, an Alolan trainer, and Cia, a mysterious girl, just left the Pokémon Center on Route... 32 I believe? Anyway, the story would get boring if my character went literally everywhere without nothing happening on the way from Point A to Point B. I don't want another character yet as I already added Cia two chapters before the one I finished, and the Alolan trainer and her Pokémon the chapter after that.

    I don't want the cast to expand too quickly, otherwise I'll end up with as many characters as the Sonic franchise. Okay, that's a little extreme, but I believe I made my point. Now I know what some of you might say: "A good story doesn't need filler." Well that isn't necessarily true.
     
    How would I know that some of you would? I saw a guy asking for the same thing I am now on Yahoo. What separates him from me? He provided no information to work with.

    There is such a thing as a plot progressing too quickly. It can make the story confusing. Filler provides opportunity for extra fluff and character development. You don't need the next plot relevant event to do that. Skipping around too quickly causes you to miss a lot of opportunities with character development.

    Anyway, if you need more information on everything that's happened so far in order to help, PM me. If I spoil anything about the story, I'd prefer to spoil it for as few people as possible. Before you suggest Team Rocket or anything like that, it's set in Johto after the Pokémon Games. That means none of the teams, with the exception of Snagam from Colosseum and XD and Ex-Team Plasma, would currently exist.

    Zero is being chased by a Pokémon Hunter, but I'm saving her for Ilex Forest, where the chapter(s) that takes place will be based off the movie Pokémon 4Ever. Maybe I'll even get to include a crossover with the Pokémon fanfic Phases of Change by Skaterblog. And now I'm getting ahead of myself.
     
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  2. WavePearl

    WavePearl Believer in Possibilities

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    Do any of the other characters have goals outside of wanting to be the very best, like no one ever was? Is one of them a coordinator (since the show implies there are Contests in Johto)?
     
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  3. Nova Ozuka

    Nova Ozuka Hex Maniac

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    Zero's goal is to just collect the 8 gym badges from Johto in a year so his parents will let him be a trainer. This way he can visit some old friends in Kanto. The Alolan Trainer is working towards juggling being a coordinator and collecting all 8 gym badges. Right now, she's tagging along to help keep Zero out of trouble.
     
  4. Cadbberry

    Cadbberry Dad: 76.... Or Cad: 76

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    You can always have them go on a side quest to find X Pokémon for someone else or a kid lost their Pokémon and they offered to go find it.
     
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  5. Skittle

    Skittle daijoubu

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    When I write filler, I focus on character development. In my fanfic, I've had a few "filler-ish" chapters. One of them was a Pokémon battle, where that helped establish that one character was signing up for the League challenge after someone made him almost rethink his goals and he wasn't going to take his rival's comments to heart. It also helped establish that he was a very nervous battler.

    Straying away from my story, use filler chapters to help make a strong cast. Maybe show more of how the characters interact and really seal the deal so people know that these two are the best of friends. And you could always put in a "mini plot"- like in my fic, our heroes stopping to help a young boy get his stolen Pokémon back. Bottom line, fillers are great to really show why people should like (or dislike in the case of an unfriendly rival) your protagonists and logical- a Pokémon Trainer isn't gonna walk around all day and have a life-changing experience everyday.

    And if you can't think of anything, try what the TV show does- maybe show off a new Pokémon that your protags will face one day so they can have a better sense of the world around them and they know how to combat this Pokémon in the future. Maybe have them fight and the aftershocks show how much they care about each other. Just some ideas off the top of my head. With all of this in mind, good luck on that chapter! :D
     
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  6. UnstoppableGamer

    UnstoppableGamer Attention Seeker~


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    (Jumping off of Skittle a bit) I'll use my own story for my basis~

    I think it would be best to create filler based on random, unrelated events. For example, chapter sixteen of my fanfic is simply the characters finding themselves on a ghost ship. This adds literally nothing to the plot, but allows me to introduce a minor character, show Lux and Axew's growing bond, and drop some hints about a certain character. Why they went on the ghost ship? Simple. A character felt challenged, so they dragged the rest of the group along.

    So, you can use filler like that. Develop some bonds, introduce some people, set up some brick jokes, etc. Good luck in your filler, Ozuka~
     
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  7. Mandriel

    Mandriel Valor Knight

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    I usually add a conversation that either reveals more about a character, develops a character or strengthens the bond between the characters (sometimes all at once). Maybe throw in some kind of conflict that gets this chapter's subplot moving such as a Pokémon getting snatched by a predator, finding somebody in trouble, getting hopelessly lost...
     
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  8. Nova Ozuka

    Nova Ozuka Hex Maniac

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    The best I could come up with on my own was having Cia get separated from the group inside the cave, but I couldn't figure out how to make it work. First, the group has two water types and grass types, so Onix, who is the only wild Pokémon that would likely appear that's big enough to work, would be a cakewalk for the two trainers. Ignoring that, Cia is a little girl. She isn't necessarily going to be that easy to spot even when wearing a lot of white.
     
  9. JadeFox

    JadeFox Valor Veteran

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    I'm agreeing with everyone else; filler chapters aren't as boring if you add something interesting to the mix (I.e. stolen Pokémon, lost somewhere, finding stuff, conversations). I personally like conversations because I usually get more enveloped in dialogue. I don't know what your preferred style is, but for the getting lost part with Cia... a cave in perhaps? Separating the group?
     
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