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Author	Topic: The Essential Guide to OCs ~ The OC DeathCoaster: It's baaaaack! ~
OCDatabaseSock Registered: Dec '04	Date Posted: 11/25/06 2:31am Subject: RE: The "New" Essential Guide to Original Characters (OC Index/Database) - Date Edited: 11/25/06 2:33am (1 edits total) Edited By: OCDatabaseSock
	leiamoody posted: Sort of like the OC Greatest Hits Collection (no "Pina Colada Song", though. No one needs Rupert Holmes in their lives). Exactly. (although I fancy myself more of an "ale" man) -The index has received its weekly update with the following stories: Someone to Watch over Me by VaderLVR64 Aether Way by Eldritch (Sean Allen) & Pouring Fire by newcomer PHOBSON. Welcome buddy! -Also the Character section has been updated with several donations from that OC-aholic himself: The_Face -Keep an eye out this coming week for our Numero Uno challenge… OC Writing Tip #1: Characters need to be flawed! Everybody has flaws, and characters that don't can come across as unreal, and possibly uninteresting. Don't always go for the confident, pretty, and good at sports persona. Feel free to give them bad habits, or insecurities, maybe a physical characteristic you may normally find unappealing. Could their "perfection" be their flaw? Look around you for inspiration; are all the people in your life pictures of perfection, or are they perfect just the way they are; idiosyncrasies and all? -----signature----- Remember: If it's a Mary Sue, then it isn't original...
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Corran_Fett Registered: Jan '05	Date Posted: 11/25/06 3:29am Subject: RE: The "New" Essential Guide to Original Characters (OC Index/Database)
	OCDatabaseSock posted: -Keep an eye out this coming week for our Numero Uno challenge… Lookin' forward to that. OCDatabaseSock posted: OC Writing Tip #1: Characters need to be flawed! Everybody has flaws, and characters that don't can come across as unreal, and possibly uninteresting. Don't always go for the confident, pretty, and good at sports persona. Feel free to give them bad habits, or insecurities, maybe a physical characteristic you may normally find unappealing. Could their "perfection" be their flaw? Look around you for inspiration; are all the people in your life pictures of perfection, or are they perfect just the way they are; idiosyncrasies and all? A very good point. That's why I tend to hate several SW canon characters because of their perfection... but then, take Corran Horn: his character is so incredibly written by Stackpole, that you really think you know that guy... he seems to believable, just because of his flaws - those things that make a personality, after all. But, that being off-topic, I personally should've sticked to this "rule" way earlier... in the beginning of my "writing career", I didn't really stick to that - something I want to improve, now. That said, I have a general thing to say to everyone: with the idea of the Character Index, another thought came to my mind. I think lots of you know Wookieepedia, here... there's also a Fanon version of this, something that I think is most suitable for OCs: the SW Fanon Wiki. You obviously think now "What kind of nonsense is this?" (I thought that, too, when I first hit on the site), but when you think about it, it's more than suitable for the needs of a fanfic author who writes OCs. On the Fanon Wiki, there are lots and lots of really AU and nonsense articles, but the advantage is, that all articles you write there have no single connection to the others... each author can thereby sort of create his own little index of OCs or events in his fanfics - and nobody's allowed to edit your articles without your permission. So, to cut a long story short: I think it's great to create profiles of your Original Characters, their history, their character traits etc. etc. - I myself have already created to articles about two of my OCs, and I'll give you one of them as an example: http://swfanon.wikia.com/wiki/Gladus_Tite . You might notice that nearly all of the links in there go to the Wookiee, not to Fanon Wiki, because I tend to stick to canon and continuity as good as possible, and some articles up there are really nonsense, after all. If some of the writers you might get inspired by this, we could add links to their articles to the Character Index. Any thoughts about this appreciated. -----signature----- The other side of the NJO, featuring Mandalorians, Vong, and Peace Brigaders in a thrillride full of betrayal and intrigue... When Few Stood Against Many \| http://boards.theforce.net/b/b10477/25253415/ - http://corranfett.deviantart.com -
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MsLanna Title: CR GSFF Central = Offizieller Burger Brater Registered: Jul '05	Date Posted: 11/25/06 4:22am Subject: RE: The "New" Essential Guide to Original Characters (OC Index/Database)
	I love Tip # 1. IMO, most stories are driven more by a character's flaw than by his abilities. If nothing goes wrong, where would the story be? I like challenges. Not that I'm doing many of them, but they're so inspiring. -----signature----- "You will kill yourself trying to live up to their expectations." "That's okay for me." Cuyir adate jate, bal droten ori'dush Proud Master and buir'ika of Commander_Ducky. My New Title: Lords and Ladies of the Empire
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OCDatabaseSock Registered: Dec '04	Date Posted: 11/25/06 10:34am Subject: RE: The "New" Essential Guide to Original Characters (OC Index/Database)
	Corran_Fett posted: I personally should've sticked to this "rule" way earlier... in the beginning of my "writing career", I didn't really stick to that - something I want to improve, now. Yeah, I think we've all been guilty of that at one time or another. And what's this? Are you pimping sites on my thread C_F?!?! Actually that's not a bad idea, especially if authors have images to go with their OCs. I myself do the same thing, I have the whole dossier thing...eyes, height, yadda-yadda-yadda. But I also have a short history for each character, nothing too detailed; but hitting the important points of their past, with room to expand later. If anyone, besides C_F , has image links, or decides to create a file in the Fanon Wiki, just PM me a link and I'll annex the character's profile to include the link. I'll also add the link Corran gave us to the Wiki Fanon to the list of OC related sites at te beginning of the thread. I'm glad everyone is looking forward to the forthcoming challenges, I just want to give a heads up to the OC Dueling Circle regulars, I know they've been itching for a challenge for a while now. Expect some news, if not a challenge by Monday or Tuesday. And last but certainly not least, I ammended the Databse to include leiamoody's OC, Nalieza Fejier. Sorry I almost missed that earlier. -----signature----- Remember: If it's a Mary Sue, then it isn't original...
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SilSolo Registered: Mar '04	Date Posted: 11/25/06 10:59am Subject: RE: The "New" Essential Guide to Original Characters (OC Index/Database)
	I sometimes base OCs on people that I can't stand. -----signature----- http://boards.theforce.net/beyond_the_saga/b10477/27517284/p1/?11 Like this quick sketch: http://www.deviantart.com/deviation/32848083/ ? Then commission me. Prices are negotiable.
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Alley_Skywalker Registered: Sep '05	Date Posted: 11/25/06 2:43pm Subject: RE: The "New" Essential Guide to Original Characters (OC Index/Database)
	Wow! This looks great Bravo C_A you've done a great job on this! -----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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correllian_ale Title: Manager Emeritus Registered: Jun '05	Date Posted: 11/25/06 4:32pm Subject: RE: The "New" Essential Guide to Original Characters (OC Index/Database)
	SilSolo posted: I sometimes base OCs on people that I can't stand. Here, here. The best villians or antagonists are the ones I draw off of people from work. Annoying customers are a great source of negativity. Thanks Alley. -----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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Alley_Skywalker Registered: Sep '05	Date Posted: 11/25/06 5:55pm Subject: RE: The "New" Essential Guide to Original Characters (OC Index/Database)
	Lol. It's nfun to base OCs off of people you know. Most of the time that's what I do: I base my OCs off of people I know...whether in general, the negative side of their personallity, or the positive. Sometimes that get inspired by characters from other books or films. I've got an OC Jedi knight based off of my dad in his less "glamourouse" moments. -----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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SilSolo Registered: Mar '04	Date Posted: 11/25/06 7:00pm Subject: RE: The "New" Essential Guide to Original Characters (OC Index/Database)
	correllian_ale posted: SilSolo posted: I sometimes base OCs on people that I can't stand. Here, here. The best villians or antagonists are the ones I draw off of people from work. Annoying customers are a great source of negativity. Thanks Alley. I did that for a main OC once. Her name's Starflare and she's based on a combo of someone I don't like and a girl who couldn't stand Shanghai. -----signature----- http://boards.theforce.net/beyond_the_saga/b10477/27517284/p1/?11 Like this quick sketch: http://www.deviantart.com/deviation/32848083/ ? Then commission me. Prices are negotiable.
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Corran_Fett Registered: Jan '05	Date Posted: 11/26/06 2:25am Subject: RE: The "New" Essential Guide to Original Characters (OC Index/Database)
	OCDatabaseSock posted: And what's this? Are you pimping sites on my thread C_F?!?! That was not my intention. I have nothing to do with the SW Fanon, and no reason to advertise for such a weird site, lol.^^ And since pretty much nobody except from you read my post, I doubt it does really matter...^^ OCDatabaseSock posted: Actually that's not a bad idea, especially if authors have images to go with their OCs. I myself do the same thing, I have the whole dossier thing...eyes, height, yadda-yadda-yadda. But I also have a short history for each character, nothing too detailed; but hitting the important points of their past, with room to expand later. Yep, same here. I also tried not to spoiler the fics, there. OCDatabaseSock posted: If anyone, besides C_F , has image links, or decides to create a file in the Fanon Wiki, just PM me a link and I'll annex the character's profile to include the link. As I said above, apparently no one apart from you read my post, or if so, didn't think it was worth replying, so chances are you can pretty much squash that idea. -----signature----- The other side of the NJO, featuring Mandalorians, Vong, and Peace Brigaders in a thrillride full of betrayal and intrigue... When Few Stood Against Many \| http://boards.theforce.net/b/b10477/25253415/ - http://corranfett.deviantart.com -
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OCDatabaseSock Registered: Dec '04	Date Posted: 11/26/06 6:52am Subject: RE: The "New" Essential Guide to Original Characters (OC Index/Database)
	Corran_Fett posted: As I said above, apparently no one apart from you read my post, or if so, didn't think it was worth replying, so chances are you can pretty much squash that idea. No way C_F! No squashing of a sound idea. Obviously on JC there's not really room for that sort of thing, but I'm sure as it catches on, people will be more inclined to use te Fandom Wiki. And I know for a fact that several of OC authors have a photobucket(or the like) page filled with pics of their OCs. So definately PM me the links people (along with your OC data if their not already listed). -----signature----- Remember: If it's a Mary Sue, then it isn't original...
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The_Face Title: Ex-Manager Registered: Feb '03	Date Posted: 11/26/06 9:56am Subject: RE: The "New" Essential Guide to Original Characters (OC Index/Database)
	That fanon wiki is interesting. Kind of a strange idea. Any characters that have an entry there, it would be pertinent to have a link I think. But what do I know? That tip about flaws is an important one. They're very important. If anything, I might suggest basing your heroes on people you don't like. You, would, of course, have to give them some redeeming qualities, but it would be an interesting exercise. -----signature----- "Writing is a socially acceptable form of schizophrenia." - E.L. Doctorow
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PadwanKayla Registered: Jul '05	Date Posted: 11/26/06 1:55pm Subject: RE: The "New" Essential Guide to Original Characters (OC Index/Database)
	This is an amazing thread! Thanks for all the hard work you've already put into this. I think a monthly challenge is a superb idea like the challenges they have in the canon character threads. Also, love the idea of the writers' tips. I think the first tip is one of the important ones so you don't get into the Mary-Sues. Nothing wrong with have a physically perfect character as long as they have some character trait that makes them human. How much conflict can a character get into if they have all the answers to everything?! -----signature----- NaNoWriMo 2007 Winner at 87142! Sanity is just a frame of mind This is where the fun begins
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rebel_cheese Registered: Jul '06	Date Posted: 11/27/06 8:42pm Subject: RE: The "New" Essential Guide to Original Characters (OC Index/Database) - Date Edited: 11/27/06 8:43pm (1 edits total) Edited By: rebel_cheese
	OCs are the focus here in this 62 ABY probable AU, although J/J, Ben/Jys, and Valin/Syal, Krayt, and Leia are all in it: http://boards.theforce.net/beyond_the_saga/b10477/25668699/p1/?0 -----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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JadeSolo Title: Manager Emeritus Registered: Sep '02	Date Posted: 11/27/06 11:14pm Subject: RE: The "New" Essential Guide to Original Characters (OC Index/Database)
	To writing challenges, I say party on! Could their "perfection" be their flaw? Absolutely. I thought of Sandra Bullock in "Two Weeks Notice." She's not necessarily perfect, but she sets such high standards for morality. This, of course, creates problems in her relationship with Hugh Grant (and I'm sure there are many jokes to be made about him, but that's for another time ). Anyway, there's always that one person, whether in your class or at work or part of your family who's just so damn perfect. Maybe that perfection isn't always a flaw, but it sure annoys other people. They're bound to ask, "Why does that person have to be so perfect? Can't Mary Sue screw up once in a while?" In fact, I think it makes for great humorous tension. Wow, I really hope that made sense. I'm running on three hours of sleep. -----signature----- "If you expect a kick in the balls and you get a slap in the face, it's a victory." "May God bless you and keep you always...I mean that in a civic deist way." -Prof. Siegel "No guaranteed money, but all guaranteed fun!"
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