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  1. In Memory of LAJ_FETT: Please share your remembrances and condolences HERE

Discussion Fan Fic Pet Peeves?

Discussion in 'Fan Fiction and Writing Resource' started by alienyouthct, Jul 30, 2002.

  1. Jedi_Lover

    Jedi_Lover Chosen One star 5

    Registered:
    Nov 1, 2004
    My pet peeve is getting reviews saying what I am writing is unrealistic because there is no way these SW characters would be so stupid...but I am having the characters doing almost exactly what they did in the profics. Face it, in the profics they did stuff that didn't make much sense at all. Mara going off to face a Sith alone, Luke and Mara allowing Ben to become part of the GAG secret police, sending Anakin and a bunch of other kids on what turned out as a suicide mission, ignoring Jacen's odd behavior after they knew he spent months being tortured. Can anybody really read the profics and say their actions are completely reasonable? Why should a fanfic be bound by common sense then?
     
  2. Skywalker_T-65

    Skywalker_T-65 Jedi Grand Master star 6

    Registered:
    Nov 19, 2009
    Because people must have the characters act the way they want to? I've just given up on writing them the way people want...I own every episode of Stargate, if I say they act this way, then they darn well do!!


    (I say SG since I like it more than SW, and I am horrid at SW fics :p )
     
  3. Jedi_Lover

    Jedi_Lover Chosen One star 5

    Registered:
    Nov 1, 2004
    I wrote something like that once in the Author's Comments after a flaming review over at FFN. I said "THIS IS AU! That means if I want Palpatine and Darth Vader to break out in song like they are on an episode of Glee...I can do that!" I have never had any problems with reviews here, but FFN they don't have the same "No Critique" policy as this place does.
     
  4. Skywalker_T-65

    Skywalker_T-65 Jedi Grand Master star 6

    Registered:
    Nov 19, 2009
    I get a LOT more reviews on FFN, but if anyone flames me I fight right back. Or just delete/report the review :p

    God I love that delete feature... :D
     
  5. Jedi_Lover

    Jedi_Lover Chosen One star 5

    Registered:
    Nov 1, 2004
    You can delete anonymous reviews, but last I checked you cannot do the same with people who signed in. Or at least that is the way it used to be. I know things have changed in the last few months, but I haven't been able to remove a review that was totally unfair. The reviewer complained in a very nasty way that I was making fun of the SW characters. I responded, "It is listed as an AU Parody!"
     
  6. Skywalker_T-65

    Skywalker_T-65 Jedi Grand Master star 6

    Registered:
    Nov 19, 2009
    You can only report signed reviews. Not as good, but its still something.

    Some people just take things too seriously.
     
  7. Valairy Scot

    Valairy Scot Manager Emeritus star 6 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Sep 16, 2005
    If the complaint is along the lines of "out of character" for a labeled AU parody, my advice is to laugh at their utter lack of comprehension and ignore it.

    If the complaint is about a more serious story, I suggest at least listening with an open mind before deciding if the complaint has ANY validity or not. Usually it's just a different POV that one has every right to ignore, but occasionally there may be a kernel of truth in there that will pull you back or a clue that you didn't set up the situation as clearly as you wished.

    I've had an emotional breakdown scene (and a romance scene) for Obi-Wan before which would be wildly OOC if I didn't take pain-staking steps (excruciatingly slow build up) to set it up so it would be IC and I've helped a fellow author "pull back" a bit some scenes that were pushing a canon character's believability (always her choices of course and input via request).
     
  8. Jedi_Lover

    Jedi_Lover Chosen One star 5

    Registered:
    Nov 1, 2004
    It was labeled a parody. I got 26 reviews over at FFN and 25 reviewers thought it was funny, but one reviewer gave a flaming, F-bomb laced, angry review. It was vicious enough that I wondered about the person's sanity.
     
  9. Valairy Scot

    Valairy Scot Manager Emeritus star 6 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Sep 16, 2005
    Which is exactly why I say ignore such an ignorant post (yeah, I know, easier said than done) but those you can at least laugh at. The ones that categorically state your character is OOC or your attempt at humor is anything but or your attempt at drama is sheer melodrama - those are the ones that make me question my own writing (not that I've had those specific complaints, but you get the idea).
     
  10. Skywalker_T-65

    Skywalker_T-65 Jedi Grand Master star 6

    Registered:
    Nov 19, 2009
    I have yet to have that happen to me. I'm probably lucky in that regard.
     
  11. Jedi_Lover

    Jedi_Lover Chosen One star 5

    Registered:
    Nov 1, 2004
    You are lucky. I just hate it because it really screws up your muse. I sometimes don't want to finish a story after being flamed. Writing is very difficult for me. I enjoy it but it doesn't come easy.
     
    pronker likes this.
  12. pronker

    pronker Force Ghost star 4

    Registered:
    Jan 28, 2007
    It might make a writer develop a real tough shell, and close off to any suggestions at all ... one writer I know of doesn't post until the story's finished, specifically stating that 'don't input, because it's done already!!' [face_plain]
     
  13. Skywalker_T-65

    Skywalker_T-65 Jedi Grand Master star 6

    Registered:
    Nov 19, 2009
    Err...what's the point of posting something like that in the first place? If you don't want input...why bother posting it?
     
  14. pronker

    pronker Force Ghost star 4

    Registered:
    Jan 28, 2007
    It was not on the boards, but on the writer's personal LJ, so ... didn't need input? was popular enough as a writer to sail on merrily? By 'input,' *meaning suggestions to storyline*, there was a good bit of input in the form of reviews, but none otherwise, since it was finished.
     
  15. Skywalker_T-65

    Skywalker_T-65 Jedi Grand Master star 6

    Registered:
    Nov 19, 2009
    Ahh, that makes more sense :p

    I thought they didn't want any input (as in, no reviews and such).
     
  16. Jedi_Lover

    Jedi_Lover Chosen One star 5

    Registered:
    Nov 1, 2004
    That makes sense. The story is done. So tell her you like it, dislike it or whatever, but don't say you should have done this. Of course for my fic Alter of Waru I was done and people kept saying they would have loved it end another way. I ended up writing two alternate endings. It worked out pretty good. But in that case there were a few ways the story could have ended and all were pretty nice endings.

    I found out that when I try to write and finish the story before posting it...I don't finish it. I need the pressure of posting to make me write. I was the type of person who started her term paper the night before it was due. I am a horrible procrastinator in that way. But when the pressure is on my OCD kicks in.
     
    lukemaraben likes this.
  17. Skywalker_T-65

    Skywalker_T-65 Jedi Grand Master star 6

    Registered:
    Nov 19, 2009
    I'm not really a procrastinator, but I do quickly lose interest if I don't have reviews egging me on. That is probably why I only finished one fic :p
     
    pronker likes this.
  18. Jedi_Lover

    Jedi_Lover Chosen One star 5

    Registered:
    Nov 1, 2004
    My new pet peeve. People who PM angry messages at you because they don't like what's going on in your story. Now I remember why I really like TFN better than FFN.
     
    Admiral_Volshe and Iverna like this.
  19. Briannakin

    Briannakin Former Manager star 6 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Feb 25, 2010
    ^ Thus why I have never posted any of my stories on FFn. Also, the whole uploading thing confuses me. I'm a copy and paste person.

    A thing that bugs me is when people expect a diary to be a work of literary art or up to par with 3rd person POV stuff. I'm currently doing a diary of a 14 year old boy - of course it's not going to be a technically wonderful piece of work - I'm going to write it like a 14 year old would.
     
    Admiral Volshe and pronker like this.
  20. pronker

    pronker Force Ghost star 4

    Registered:
    Jan 28, 2007
    This may have been mentioned previously, but folks who ask for a sequel when you've shot your wad in a ... one-shot ... and have marked it 'complete' not 'WIP' ... are a/flattering and b/sort of difficult to answer. It's a teensy peeve, I suppose.
     
  21. pronker

    pronker Force Ghost star 4

    Registered:
    Jan 28, 2007
    It seems like they could be blocked, but yeah, that first gripe from them would be a downer.
     
  22. Jedi_Lover

    Jedi_Lover Chosen One star 5

    Registered:
    Nov 1, 2004
    I spent some time seeing if you can block a specific people, but I could find a way.

    pronker I would look at it as a compliment. Nobody asks for a sequel to a crappy story. I think a good majority of my stories started out as a one-shot and I was asked to continue. I get this a lot since I do the challenges. So I get a bunny and write a short story for that specific challenge. Then I agree to continue and it goes from a 7K word fic to a 70K word story.
     
  23. pronker

    pronker Force Ghost star 4

    Registered:
    Jan 28, 2007
    You have my admiration for writing to a challenge! 7k to 70k, oh how those little phrases grow and grow ... well, if they didn't, wouldn't be much fun.

    Hmm, it did seem like there was a banhammer over on ffn. Maybe I could poke around tomorrow.
     
  24. smuggler_vola

    smuggler_vola Jedi Padawan star 1

    Registered:
    Oct 13, 2012
    Check out the Star Wars archive over at FFN and you'll see some good stories and some...other stories. I don't really see mine as over-the-top but people seem to like them. I just get annoyed when I'm browsing through and I see the same freaking over-used plot over...and over...and over...it gets old after two or three people have made it.
     
  25. pronker

    pronker Force Ghost star 4

    Registered:
    Jan 28, 2007
    Yes - and the age of many posters is apparent, as well. Simply search 'ROTS AU' and see all the variations!

    http://www.fanfiction.net/community/From_the_Top_Shelf/87245/3/0/1/

    This has some decent writing about the animated show, using its characters and settings - and a host of answers to interesting challenges.