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Author	Topic: The Essential Guide to OCs ~ The OC DeathCoaster: It's baaaaack! ~
rebel_cheese Registered: Jul '06	Date Posted: 1/3/07 10:18am Subject: RE: The Essential Guide to O.C.s - Congradulate our First Challenge Winners!
	Congrats to emeraldshadow and alley! They're both excellent fics . . . next time I'll remember to cast my vote. -----signature----- Padawan of princess_of_naboo E-married to the amazing padawanlost Member of Charon_Force The Incubus Cries: http://boards.theforce.net/beyond_the_saga/b10477/30141520/p1/?18
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emeraldshadow Registered: Oct '05	Date Posted: 1/3/07 5:29pm Subject: RE: The Essential Guide to O.C.s - Congradulate our First Challenge Winners!
	I can't believe I won! Futhermore, I can't believe I forgot to check the boards for so long. Crazy holidays. Is it to late for me to submit a challenge? If so I understand and I'm sure Alley thought up a great one. (By the way congrats, Alley!high fives Alley). If not, I'll think up something and PM it to you later tonight or tom. -----signature----- Mrs. Lovett: You're barking mad! Killing a man what done no harm to ya! Sweeney Todd: He recognized me from the old days. Tried to blackmail me. Mrs. Lovett: Oh, well that's a different matter then. For a moment there I thought you lost your marbles.
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PadwanKayla Registered: Jul '05	Date Posted: 1/6/07 9:01am Subject: RE: The Essential Guide to O.C.s - Congradulate our First Challenge Winners!
	Any chance of a new challenge yet or did I miss it? -----signature----- NaNoWriMo 2007 Winner at 87142! Sanity is just a frame of mind This is where the fun begins
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OCDatabaseSock Registered: Dec '04	Date Posted: 1/6/07 6:15pm Subject: RE: The Essential Guide to O.C.s looking to a promising 2007! - Date Edited: 1/7/07 6:41am (2 edits total) Edited By: OCDatabaseSock
	The New Essential OC Database Welcomes 2007 !!! First off, thanks to everyone that has contributed to this thread in 2006! Originally I hadn’t expected to debut the OC Database until the new year, but I’m glad my eagerness got the best of me because the first 6 weeks have been phenomenal thanks to you guys. Here’s looking at the next 52 and then some! Of course, I’d like to kick things off this year with some New Additions to the Index: Djo-Solo Family Values & Homecoming both by Jade_Max AND A Holocron of No Account by RebelGrrl There’s also some great Original Characters added to the database thanks to RebelGrrl and PadawanKayla! January 2007 Essential OC Challenge: Also want to thank everyone who entered and R & R the entries to our first challenge in December, I hope to have an equally strong turn-out all throughout 2007. So without further ado, the co-winners emeraldshadow & Alley_Skywalker both submitted the following themes for this month's challenge: To Love and Be Loved in Return-- (submitted by emeraldshadow) Your OC works up the courage to tell the object of his/her affection those three oh so difficult to say words and receives no response. How does your OC react? Without friends no one would choose to live, though he had all other goods. -Aristotle, Nichomachean Ethics (submitted by Alley_Skywalker) Base your OC fic on the quote above. You don't have to include the quote in your fic, just sorta’ work around it. You can make it angst, mush, etc -- that's up to you. Please PM me your submissions by the dues date of 1-18. (please see the complete challenge rules on page one of this thread, or feel free to PM me with any questions) Speaking of challenges; The 2007 Dear Diary Challenge; hosted by the_wandering_shadow is a great challenge for OCs on the Resource Board whereas you create a diary for your character that you’re going to contribute to all year long! Check it out here ! It's a great way to cover some unknown backstory for your OCs. The OC Story of the Month I told you I’d be re-instating the OCSTOM started in the George Doesn’t Recognize My Greatness OC Thread…and this year’s VERY FIRST OCSTOM is: Rogue_Pilot_2347’s Blade of Flame : 700 years before TPM a young padawan of Yoda's is sent to unknown space to search out two lost couriers. He stumbles upon a previously unknown system, and a fight between good and evil ensues, involving take-over conspiracies, and slavery. Please show R_P some love, and join me (nope, I haven't read it either) in making some time in your reading schedule for this great OC fic! OC Writing Tip #6 Character Association! Now while this thread tries to devoid itself of canon/EU characters, it’s not necessarily a bad thing to have some sort of loose affiliation with the established GFFA. Not every relationship with the “known universe” has to be labeled as Mary Sue-ish. A trivial interaction with Lord Vader, or a reference to an event in the Saga can be a great tool in establishing a connection with a reader. A couple of OC-Centric stories that accomplish this that stick out in my mind are Burn! Burn! Burn! by oqidaun, Sleeping and Dreaming by leiamoody and I, Boba by MsLanna; all of which are stories I have first hand experience in reading (although I’m sure there are many more examples out there) and all of which contain canon characters, not as the main characters; but are able to use them to keep their OC’s stories moving forward. While it’s the main task of an OC writer to simply expose as much as possible of the OC(s), it doesn’t hurt to have a little familiarity for his/her readers to latch onto, as long as you don't use it as a crutch. Then later on you can put those characters into a life independent of canonization. -----signature----- Remember: If it's a Mary Sue, then it isn't original...
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GraySaberFreque Registered: Nov '06	Date Posted: 1/6/07 8:05pm Subject: RE: The Essential Guide to O.C.s - New Challenge and a New OC Story of the Month!
	OCDatabaseSock posted: OC Writing Tip #6 Character Association! Now while this thread tries to devoid itself of canon/EU characters, it’s not necessarily a bad thing to have some sort of loose affiliation with the established GFFA. Not every relationship with the “known universe” has to be labeled as Mary Sue-ish. A trivial interaction with Lord Vader, or a reference to an event in the Saga can be a great tool in establishing a connection with a reader. A couple of OC-Centric stories that accomplish this that stick out in my mind are Burn! Burn! Burn! by oqidaun, Sleeping and Dreaming by leiamoody & and I, Boba all of which are stories I have first hand experience in reading (although I’m sure there are many more examples out there) and all of which contain canon characters, but not as the main characters; but are able to use them to keep their OC’s stories moving forward. While it’s the main task of an OC writer to simply expose the OC(s), it doesn’t hurt to have a little familiarity for his/her readers to latch onto, as long as you don't use it as a crutch. Then later on you can put those characters into a life independent of canonization. Now that's somjething I'm afraid to do. Cause I'm bound to represent the cannon characters incorrectly and be flamed. -----signature----- Without (10,000 ABY)-http://boards.theforce.net/beyond_the_saga/b10477/26293075/p1/?16 Padawan to Correlian_Ale Member Of The GDG Member Of the Anti-Hapan Society [CENTER][IMG http://www.wizards.com/magic/images/whatcolor_isred.jpg [/IMG][URL=http://www.wi
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Meredith_Kenobi Registered: Jul '05	Date Posted: 1/6/07 9:05pm Subject: RE: The Essential Guide to O.C.s - New Challenge and a New OC Story of the Month!
	GraySaberFreque? I have never ever ever seen any one flamed on the fanfiction boards. So don't let the fear of that hold you back. Everyone on here encourages, and and....they're incredible. The new challenges look fantastic!! Am I allowed ot do one of each if I have time? I don't remember if we covered this yet or not. -----signature----- Proud to be ZaraValinor's Padawan Delighted to be brodiew's Master
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OCDatabaseSock Registered: Dec '04	Date Posted: 1/6/07 9:23pm Subject: RE: The Essential Guide to O.C.s - New Challenge and a New OC Story of the Month!
	GraySaberFreque posted: Now that's somjething I'm afraid to do. Cause I'm bound to represent the cannon characters incorrectly and be flamed. Mere_K is quite right my friend, it's all love here! (I know there's an IG-88 fic that you keep close to your heart) Meredith_Kenobi posted: The new challenges look fantastic!! Am I allowed ot do one of each if I have time? I don't remember if we covered this yet or not. You have the time?!?! I say go for it. -----signature----- Remember: If it's a Mary Sue, then it isn't original...
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Meredith_Kenobi Registered: Jul '05	Date Posted: 1/6/07 9:25pm Subject: RE: The Essential Guide to O.C.s - New Challenge and a New OC Story of the Month!
	That's why i said IF I had the time Thankee! -----signature----- Proud to be ZaraValinor's Padawan Delighted to be brodiew's Master
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GraySaberFreque Registered: Nov '06	Date Posted: 1/6/07 9:27pm Subject: RE: The Essential Guide to O.C.s - New Challenge and a New OC Story of the Month!
	Meredith_Kenobi posted: GraySaberFreque? I have never ever ever seen any one flamed on the fanfiction boards. So don't let the fear of that hold you back. Everyone on here encourages, and and....they're incredible. The new challenges look fantastic!! Am I allowed ot do one of each if I have time? I don't remember if we covered this yet or not. Thanks, but I'm still afraid of getting the characters wrong. -----signature----- Without (10,000 ABY)-http://boards.theforce.net/beyond_the_saga/b10477/26293075/p1/?16 Padawan to Correlian_Ale Member Of The GDG Member Of the Anti-Hapan Society [CENTER][IMG http://www.wizards.com/magic/images/whatcolor_isred.jpg [/IMG][URL=http://www.wi
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Meredith_Kenobi Registered: Jul '05	Date Posted: 1/6/07 9:34pm Subject: RE: The Essential Guide to O.C.s - New Challenge and a New OC Story of the Month!
	Meh, I say: don't be. Just try your best! Everyone percieves characters differently, you know? And besides. If you don't try, no, you won't fail, but you certainly won't succeed either. -----signature----- Proud to be ZaraValinor's Padawan Delighted to be brodiew's Master
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RebelGrrl Registered: Jan '06	Date Posted: 1/6/07 9:49pm Subject: RE: The Essential Guide to O.C.s - New Challenge and a New OC Story of the Month!
	GraySaberFreque posted: Thanks, but I'm still afraid of getting the characters wrong. This is where a beta reader comes in helpful. A second pair of eyes can help you spot any glaring errors and help you feel more comfortable with your portrayal. I had a beta that I send my Kyp Durron bits to for my non-OC story, and I'm far more comfortable and secure with writing him now than I was before I had the help. I think there's a topic on the board for people seeking betas. You can always ask someone who's characterizations you enjoy if they'd mind helping you. The worst they can say is 'no'. -----signature----- Well-behaved women seldom make history. You can't fix stupid and you can't reason with crazy. Happiness is a warm Hoojib!
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the_wandering_shadow Registered: May '05	Date Posted: 1/7/07 3:33am Subject: RE: The Essential Guide to O.C.s - New Challenge and a New OC Story of the Month!
	GraySaberFreque posted: Thanks, but I'm still afraid of getting the characters wrong. That's just like me. I've gotten better with that over the years. But listen to this one and you'll know true paranoia For my diary fic I want at least one entry to feature some OCs that I haven't written in over three years. I wondered if I could still write them. Geez... Anyway I hope something bites for one of these challenges because I really want to participate. -----signature----- Daniel Paul Harms (1958-2007) Seph Danthar's diary @ http://boards.theforce.net/the_saga/b10476/29688948/p1/ lordmaul13's partner in crime
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Alley_Skywalker Registered: Sep '05	Date Posted: 1/7/07 10:25am Subject: RE: The Essential Guide to O.C.s - New Challenge and a New OC Story of the Month!
	Thanks, but I'm still afraid of getting the characters wrong I know what you mean. I'd loe to write some Qui and Xani stuff but I'm too scared of butchering their characterization. Really Obi and Ani are the only main canon characters that I'm comfortable with, when it comes to characterization. But that's only 'cause I read and write them like ALL THE TIME...lol. -----signature----- Knight of the Fanfic Order (trained by oqidaun) Master to CodyMonKenobi & mujapple-juicey Proud Obi/Ani shipper! Facades: http://boards.theforce.net/the_saga/b10476/24152038/p1 Class of '09 forever!!!
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leiamoody Registered: Nov '05	Date Posted: 1/7/07 3:47pm Subject: RE: The Essential Guide to O.C.s - New Challenge and a New OC Story of the Month! - Date Edited: 1/7/07 3:51pm (1 edits total) Edited By: leiamoody
	I'll admit that I had a hard time writing Han on certain occasions when I was doing Sleeping and Dreaming. That's probably why it took me over a bloody decade to actually step away from the fear and finally write it. Because I like Han as a character, but I'm not drawn to him in the way that others are. To be honest, I started out as a Luke girl (at the grand old age of four ). I didn't like Han until he got frozen in carbonite. Does that sound horrible? Well, fine, but the point is that while it's difficult to write canon characters at times, it's not impossible. Read as much of the characters' backgrounds as you can (believe it or not, the roleplaying games sourcebooks were a really good inspiration for me in being able to decipher not only Han but also Leia and Luke as well). Watch the movies again, but really watch them. I mean, keep rewinding a scene back until you get the feeling of the character you want to write. If you're writing one of the EU characters, you actually have a better advantage because you can keep staring at the written words until that character starts to make sense to you. (You could do this for the Original Three if you want, I suppose, but their characterizations are all over the place in the EU, so I don't know if this would work as well as using the movies). -----signature----- "Pabst Blue Ribbon!"
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correllian_ale Title: Manager Emeritus Registered: Jun '05	Date Posted: 1/7/07 4:55pm Subject: RE: The Essential Guide to O.C.s - New Challenge and a New OC Story of the Month!
	I find writing canon characters is easy, especially ones from the films. All one has to do is watch them a few times (and who here hasn't watched their favorite a few times), and gt a feel for the character. You remember their voice, their speech patterns, and their way of expressing themselves. You learn how to "know" how and what sounds normal for such-and-such. When it comes to orignal characters however, you don't have the luxury of an actor's performance to fall back on. You have to create that character's "voice" from the ground up. I know I can personally spend an inordinate amount of time just developing a how a character would speak by having them participate in conversations in my head. Having epiphanies, or moments of reflection for a character is one thing; but you don't want your rough and tumble bountyhunter to suddenly sound like Edgar Alan Poe. Characterization for an OC is twice as hard, especially if you haven't developed them enough to "know" the next thing to come out of his/her mouth. Stringing together consistancy for an OC has to be one of the most difficult task I have in writing them. Agree? Disagree? Your own thoughts? -----signature----- Consider this my "throw back" jersey... I govern my life around my own personal code of ethics, and I suggest that you do the same.
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