HELP: Linking to Bulbapedia when new species show up?

[Autofire]

This was originally going to be a question on the "Simple Questions, Simple Answers," but as I typed up my post, I began to realize it might not be such a simple question, even if the answers probably can be simple.

So this is my first time writing a story of this scale (and getting this far). I'm not really sure what to do when a pokemon shows up for a first time in the story. I have a couple of choices:

• I assume that the reader already knows what each pokemon looks like. I won't waste a knowledgable reader's time, but I've had times where I was reading someone's story and I could not visualize what was going on. Granted, I should have just pulled up Bulbapedia, but I didn't think to at the time.
• I assume the reader doesn't know any of them and describe what they look like. This makes sure no one gets left out, but it also could get tedious. Also some of the species look pretty weird so describing them seems kinda tough.

As a bit of a compromise, I'm considering turning the first reference to a given species into a link to the matching Bulbapedia entry. This way, the first time an uncommon species appears, readers can follow the link and get an idea of what I'm talking about. But I'm also worried that having readers go to Bulbapedia pages will disrupt the flow.

I don't think I need to bother for well known species (e.g. Lucario, many of the Kanto pokemon, most of the starters, etc.), so that should help a bit. But I want to also give some of the weirder pokemon some time in the sun, so...

Does this seem lazy? Should I be describing things? If I use links, should I link to the Bulbapedia article or just a picture? (I also notice that the default theme doesn't highlight links at all. I've underlined these, but is there a decent way to make it clear that they're clickable without being too noticeable? Changing the link color could maybe make them invisible with certain themes so I want to avoid that.)

 

[Greninjaman]

Sounds like a good idea on paper, but...
I mean, yeah it makes things a bit easier for the reader to understand what Pokemon you are talking about...

What you could also do is have a separate spoiler tab and put in the current team, like so:

Spoiler: Team

Pikachu
Eevee
Bulbasaur
Charmander
Squirtle

Along with pictures of each one.

 

[Beth Pavell]

A very strong rule would be to always assume your audience know what each species looks like. Most people simply will. Some of your readers may not have played the most recent games, but by the same token you really have no way of knowing whether they just haven't got to the latest generation, or whether they lost interest shortly after IV.

When it comes to visualising action, it's really less a case of explaining that magnemite is spherical and flanked by magnets, as it is about thinking of the action as a narrative, not a battle report. Thinking about how pokémon actually move is a good start here - how does a butterfree's flight differ from a wingull? Does a gengar produce its Shadow Ball in the same way as an umbreon?

 

[Autofire]

Having a separate section could work, yeah. I'll consider doing that, though part of the problem is that some of these characters show up and start being important in the middle of a section, so I would then have to decide whether I want to show their image before or after they appear. (In an ideal world, I would be making illustrations, but I have neither the time nor talent, I'm afraid...)

Since this is a forum about Pokemon, assuming readers already know the Pokemon makes sense. And I don't know much about the games following XY, so nothing brand new will be showing up.

My main concern is based on my past experiences reading things here. Though I'm familiar with most of the Pokemon, there would be times were I would develop a mental image of a Pokemon that was totally wrong. Say, if I incorrectly assumed an Eevee is bipedial, then I would be confused holds something in its teeth. Maybe this is more of a personal problem, since I tend to maintain a mental image of what's going on when I read things. Maybe that's kinda weird, but... idk?

On the topic of visualizing action, I absolutely agree. IMO, action needs to flow well yet be interesting. If a lot is happening at once, I'll keep descriptions brief and keep things moving. Though the story is being told in 3rd person, it's generally going to be from someone's perspective; if they don't have time to notice something, it's not getting brought up. (On that note, that's part of why I don't want to be describing Pokemon; unless the character has never seen the species before, they'd just think "Oh, it's a ____," and carry on.)

But almost all of the characters in the story are Pokemon, so they're important all of the time, not just during action scenes.

Also, I'm not referring to moves by name very often. When I do, it's not enough to just say "The Umbreon fired a shadow ball." That's just telling you what's happening, and I'd rather "show and not tell."

 

[Nitro Indigo]

I'd recommend describing a Pokémon, but keep it brief. I once read a fanfic which described Chesnaught down to the minutest detail, and that was my least favourite part. Just describe its shape and colours, and the readers will get the idea. If you're writing from a characters' perspective, what's their opinion of the Pokémon? Do they think it's beautiful? Ugly? Scary? Cute?