hey, i saw that FanPro tossed out some info on their website about submitting short stories for publication (reference:
http://shadowrunrpg.com/fanpro/webfiction_...idelines.shtml).
after reading it, i thought there were some good take aways that would probably to some degree benefit us as we create our own story here. so, here is their list of Do's and Don'ts for Shadowrun stories (i deleted a few that didn't apply...like spell checking).
DO: Use mature language and concepts. We want dark, dystopian stories, and these help present the Shadowrun world as such.
Make your stories very dark in feel. Actions have consequences. People die, and although personal to the characters, their deaths may be meaningless and inconsequential in the larger scheme of things. Injuries cause pain. Losses cause emotional trauma. Hope is rare; cynicism abounds. Escapism by any means possible is rampant.
Make the setting dystopian. The powerful elite are secure and far removed from base street-level activity. The underclass is scrabbling for basic survival.
Feel free to make characters anti-heroes. Everyone has a dark side.
Keep things as street-level as possible. The action should be low- to mid-level, at best. If megacorporations creep in, the characters are their employees, pawns, or both.
Make the shadows dynamic. With the exception of quiet back-alley tussles, the underworld should react swiftly to changes. Rumors pass through the nets at the speed of light. If an opportunity is seen, someone will lunge for it. If a weakness is found, someone will exploit it.
Integrate augmented reality (commlinks, shopping, advertisements, etc.) into every character's daily life.
Try to make your stories setting-specific. Using current, published Shadowrun settings helps breathe life into them, making them dynamic and believable.
DON'T: Have underworld characters who never change. Living in the shadows is demanding, dangerous and stressful. Shadowrunners who live past thirty are rare. Runners who retire comfortably are even rarer. Scars (physical and emotional) are common, not to mention implants and replacement parts.
Involve high-level characters if possible. Make the powerful faceless and potent. The heads of megacorporations should rarely be named. If their attention is turned towards the shadows, the effects should be devastating. Their power and influence is so massive as to be off the scale.
Create large-scale, world-shattering events or stories that do not conform to canon.
Forget about magic. Magic is an unexplained and powerful force that only a small (although larger than before) segment of the population can wield. It is feared and misunderstood by most. It is also viewed with fascination and awe. Rumors, half-truths and media/pop culture-inspired exaggerations abound.
Make antagonists into brainless, soulless cannon-fodder. They are people with lives, families, needs and fears. They may also have training, experience and budgets that equip them with the latest gear. In other words, they are not always a monolithic force, but they may not always be easily manipulated or mowed down, either.
Forget about prejudice and intolerance. Bigotry exists against metahumans, ethnicities, genders, classes of society, sexual preferences, (non)religious adherents, various (sub)cultures and more. While bigotry may be lessened in some respects in Shadowrun compared to present life, it is greatly heightened and worse in others.
Make characters into powerhouses. Being good at a few things is fine; being good at anything they touch isn't. Story happens when trouble does.
-silo