Discussion You Know You're a Fan Fiction Writer When...

I've seen it used like "damn."

 

I use "fierfek" a lot as a substitute for standard-issue F-bombs, as well as alternating the position of the h and t in the English word for scheisse.

 

Bull Sith.

 

If anyone hasn't seen it yet, this article (http://abelgpena.blogspot.com/2014/01/star-wars-mouth-like-intergalactic.html) has a nice list of Star Wars swears, helpfully organized by category (such as "Ewok Snub Snubs", "Mandalorian Maledictions", and "Son of a Who?") The Wook has many of the curses too, but they lump all slang words together in one article.

 

Karen Traviss' Mandalorian expletives are quite inventive, good rich soldierly cursing.

 

I definitely have to start using that from now on!

 

How the smeg those that work?

 

I used to say di'kut during bouts of road rage in the car. Really I was going to say something else but I would realize the kids were in the car and change it to the Star Wars Mando swear word. "Watch where you are going you dic...um...you di'kut!"

 

YKYAFFW:

...when you know that "fierfek" isn't a Mandalorian swear, but the Huttese word for "poison."
...when you've knowingly used it that way in a fic.
...when you invent your own GFFA-style swears and/or acronyms involving said swears (SNAKU—Situation Normal, All Karked Up).

 

...when you research sleep phenomena, hypnotic induction techniques, meditation techniques, and dreams for a story.
...when that story still sits either unfinished or not even started at all.
...when you just like to do the research so you can learn new and weird things to impress your friends and family.

 

Here's one.

...When you proceed your own funfiction as actual canon and look like a complete idiot before your friends and fellow Star Wars Fans. Yup happen to me. The good thing everyone now is insisting to finish my fanfiction, which is encouraging.

 

I've done that with an audio adaptation of canon material. The ad libbed lines and additional scenes for the sake of better transitions and for the sake of the listener started to become confused with the actual material, and for a while, I had to keep reminding myself that the stuff we inserted into the script wasn't actually present in the comic we're adapting.

Didn't stop us from forming a very solid headcanon, though.

 

When you stay up until snooze-o'clock in the morning making just one more edit before posting.

 

Sounds like Team Rocket has a new scheme up their sleeve. Though I think they used a Drowzee to do something similar before.

 

YKYAFFWW...

...coming across a story labeled under the Romance/Angst genre whose main character is Captain Firmus Piett (?!!) leads to this series of reactions:


As in, "Whaaaaaa...??!"

to

"THIS IS GENIUS, WHY DIDN'T I THINK OF THIS BEFORE."



(I kid you not, this is actually a thing.)

It's just a fun reminder to think outside the box and remember that fanfic really has no limits to creativity (well, barring stuff that's irredeemably ridiculous or gross).

 

Ha, yeah. Though there are differences in people's ridiculous/gross-o-meter. Some time ago, someone posted in the Worst Pairings Thread (the home of all pairings unmentionable and usually physically impossible) with the suggestion of Booster Terrik/Ysanne Isard.

I didn't even go through:

I was just:

 

*dies*

Yeah, that's actually too hilarious to despise. Especially if there were a Wes Janson commentary in there somewhere.

 

YKYAFFW if...

...you spend a significant portion of your time thinking of ways to bend canon for shock value.
...you've actually outlined and/or drafted up an AU story (or stories) to follow those twisted rabbits.
...you've published any of the above.
...you think know that at least some folks out there will hail you as a hero for having done so.

Note: This is all in good fun.

 

ThreadSketch

I know, right?

If it were someone other than Booster, I'd be all "ouch, well that would end quickly and in praying mantis-like fashion." But somehow I can halfway see to Booster and Iceheart being compatible, in a crack-tastic sort of way. Assuming there was a great deal of unexpected character development on the part of both, and/or it took place in a very peculiar AU. And I still want to see the expression on Corran Horn's face when he finds out.

 

...your new post gets views and likes but you're still worried that it sucks because you haven't gotten any posts.

I think this happens a lot in My Little Pony fic. I haven't read any of these stories, just their synopses, and I would still like an extra large bottle of brain bleach, please.

On the flip side, you want to write a story where the one of the major 'ships end up with other people, but you're afraid you'll lose readers.

 

Personally, I generally use likes to let authors know that I enjoyed the post and will comment later. Of course, that can mean a few chapters later. Depends on how fast the writer goes and whether my real life schedule devours me alive (again. Life is pesky that way.)

 

And then I get devastated when I find out that somebody else has already done it, in a fantabulous way, so I can't pull it off.

I once came across a fic with Wedge/Mara that was...really dark and depressing. But still well-done.

 

Oh yeah, I understand how pesky life can be. It took mine almost ten years to settle to the point where I can write again.

It's partly my own insecurity (I just want to be loved *sniff*) and partly the fact that the last time I was on the boards, there was no "like" button, so you never knew how many people read your story and how many people clicked in and thought it was a steaming pile of bantha poodoo.

Wedge and Mara....huh. There's a couple I would not have come up with.

 

Re:3) (Still her) You actually check out dozens of books on marriage, pregnancy, miscarriage, and parenting, reading about 7000 pages for a story that lasts less than 100.

Guilty is charged.