I suppose the very first thing I should cover here is the difference between writing the plot and writing the story. Despite having similar names those two words mean different things, the plot is the sequence of events in chronological order, while the story is quite literally how the story is told.
For example if you want to explain the plot of Final Fantasy VII, you should really go Crisis Core Final Fantasy VII-Final Fantasy VII-Advent Children-Dirge of Cerberus. Whereas as we know the way the story's told is VII-Advent Children-Dirge of Cerberus-Crisis Core Final Fantasy VII.
The point is, there's this thing I like to call "Writing the plot as opposed to writing the story" basically what it means is...Actually it's easier just to show you an example, so here is how writing the plot looks:
And then Makoto said "I love you" and kissed Shiro on the lips, before both fell to the ground and made out.
See the scene above has no depth to it, there's nothing to really pull you in and all in all it's just bland and boring, so now let's write a story:
Makoto's dark brown eyes shimmered in the pale moonlight as she looked at the man before her "Shiro..." she said calmly, and yet with an apprehensive tone "I...I love you" she finally admitted both to herself and to Shiro, before leaning forwards and slowly kissing him.
See what a difference that makes? It not only adds depth to the scene but it pulls you in, and makes it more interesting while not only telling you about the characters and where they are, but I digress.
The next point I want to cover is to do with paragraphing, I'm sure you've noticed I do it a lot...Some would even say too much, but it works, a massive wall of text is not only less likely to be read by people, it's also more likely to cause eye strain, I'm not asking for perfect grammar and sentence structure like starting a new paragraph everytime a new line of dialogue is made, but smaller chunks of words are easier for the reader to digest, which is a good thing.
I suppose I should talk about the Mask itself, one thing that should be noted is that there's at least three or four different interpretations of the Mask to choose from, such as the original Comic, the two movies the Cartoon and the comics influenced by the movie/cartoon.
One key thing that's present in most depictions is the idea that it warps the person who wears it psyche, for example the A-typical mask wearer is a shrinking violet who becomes a loud, crazy party girl, but as every person is unique, so too should be every mask wearer.
I sort of covered this last time, but I'll try and be clearer by using examples. Let's take two popular characters with similar dispositions, Hinata Hyuuga from Naruto and Orihime Inoue from Bleach. For starters Hinata has a number of family issues to play around with, picture a daddies girl from hell if you will, you don't have to make the crush on Naruto her key character trait.
Meanwhile for Orihime, you've got a plethora of weird ideas and gags to mess with, consider the time she said she wanted to be a killer death robot when she grew up, you could have her be the most wacky and crazy Mask wearer we've ever seen, with once again the love aspect being played down.
I can't really talk about jokes considering we all have different taste in jokes and gags and if you try to force a joke you aren't comfortable with, the awkwardness will show in your writing, so I guess my best advice is to just go with the flow when you're trying to be funny, think of what makes you laugh and try to work it in somehow so that it feels natural.
There's not much more I can say except have fun and do what you want to do, in my experience trying to write a story which you aren't fully invested in is pointless, whether it's Mask stories or original content you shouldn't try to force yourself into writing, let it come naturally and you'll find yourself in the flow of things, and able to write much more then you thought you could.
You remember my Mask of Sigyn idea? Lately, I introduce it into a Mask RP that me and my friend NukeDawg where doing for time-to-time. Although the RP is no longer up -taken down due to personal reasons- I found myself enjoying the Sigyn Mask. Allows me to due the multiple Mask idea, without happening to strain myself over how to introduce a second mask without causing all kinds of problems and headaches. *Thinks for a second* Well, different problems and headaches than the ones your probably thinking of.
However, something just recently came up concerning that idea. If both the Sigyn Mask wearer and the Loki Mask wearer are on the same side (and possibly lovers to boot), then how do I create an opposing party who is able to counter a pair of indivituals with god-like powers (the Sigyn Mask's powers are rought the same as the Loki Mask's, my justification being that as a goddess, reality warping and superhuman abilities are natural to Sigyn. That, and her own powers have never been defined, so there is room for interpritation)? It's' easier when the Loki Mask wearer is alone, sense it's just one person. However, add in the Sigyn Mask wearer, and things just got complicated in a hurry.
Suggestions?
Now, something else I wanted to bring up. You recall me putting forth that Sigyn Mask causes whomever wears to become strongely attracted to whomever is wearer the Loki Mask, correct? Any cleaver suggestions on how to play around with that? There is the obivious idea of a married couple using them to rekindle their old magic, and I do have a few ideas looming around, but I would like to hear anything you could bring to the table.
Yes, I do realize this is kinda trivial, but bear with me. I really don't know how to make good titles concerning these kinds of stories. Most of the time, whenver I do Mask RPs with my friend NukeDawg, the RP is always titled "The Mask Returns" or "Rised of the Masked Ones". And I use them, all the time, and it's very repedative doing so.
So I was wondering, if you had any advice concerning Mask RPs/Story titles?
When it was Kellaway's turn to put on the Mask and become Big Head, the arm injury he suffered healed. However, whenever he took off the Mask, his arm was back in it's sling.
So, question. What happened there? Did the Mask heal Kellaway fully and the sling was merely in order to avoid unwanted attention? Or was his arm only healed while he wore the Mask?
I find it a little annoying when, in some Mask Fan fictions I've read, most just seems to assume the Mask turns the wearer into the same yellow suited character as Stanley's mask and even uses the same catchphrases when each 'Masked' character should be as unique as the person wearing it.