Resource Fanfic Writer's Desk: Your Place for Writing Discussion, Questions, and Advice

I don't think the other jedi would disapprove to that skill, it is the "biggest talent" part I think they might disapprove of.

I think that even if you can feel and track a Force-bond it dose not mean that you will be able to follow it from point A to point B. Just because you know which way to travel don't mean you know how to get there

I say, not unlikley

 

Thank you, that helps

 

How important are lightsaber combat forms when writing duels? I've done some research but there seems to be a lot of information to absorb and I'm wondering how much value it adds to the reader to for example mention that Luke was primarily trained in Ataru but extremely proficient in Djem So or whatever.

In particular I'm thinking of the combat styles of Luke Skywalker, Mara Jade and Ben Skywalker if anyone has an opinion on what their preferred form would be.

 

I don't find the combat forms so important, since those was developed rather late in the EU:s history most stories with lightsaber combat made do without them.

When it comes to Luke I don't think that he use any form, he just fight with his lightsabre; Mara may know forms since she had a more formal training; when it comes to Ben I have no idea.

 

In terms of fight scenes, I don't think the form will translate very well. Best stick to describing the actions. The actual forms are more a visual thing and work better in animation and comics, as it can get confusing for a reader when they have to imagine what could be a very convoluted description. Stick to general descriptions of slashing, swinging, hits, misses, etc. and let the reader visualize the form themselves.

However, mentioning the form in a character description won't hurt, such as Master So-and-so is highly skilled at Form Such-and-such.

 

I've been doing a slow reread of the ROTS novelization and, man, that has some great lightsaber battle descriptions if you need inspiration. Stover mentions the forms a lot, which is more relevant to the PT Jedi, but aside from that the prose is terrific, very evocative (and in some instances way better than the choreography we got on the screen).

And like I've said before, always think outside the box. I thought this was an interesting way of describing both Luke and Mara's fighting techniques without getting too specific, from a short fic titled Stars Did Wander Darkling:

 

JadeLotus, my dear, this is what it looks like when we tell you that you have nothing to worry about.

 

Indeedy. That's one of my favorite short fics, since I so badly wish that conversation had happened that early on instead of, like, a decade later. Shee.

 

Thank you kindly, ThreadSketch. You know, that fic was supposed to be about Luke's sexy arms, and of course I got waylaid into angst and L/M sniping. Guess I should just trust myself, huh taramidala?

Re-reading ROTS was what got me thinking about styles in the first place since I think Stover uses them so well to inform character. I love that book.

 

Just wondering is there a better thread for discussing world building or do I stay here for that?

 

Hi, I'm a newbie in this forum and I have a few questions:
1. If I have a story about a jedi but an entirely new character, my own character, but sometimes may associate with the character from some of the sagas (Revan, Anakin, etc), the setting is in real life(our period of time), what exactly would that story be categorized as, and am I allowed to post that kind of story?
2. Say I've completed the story, where could I post it?
3. If I can post it on this site, can I post it somewhere else? For example, my blog?

I guess that's all the questions I have for now. I hope it's not inappropriate to ask these questions and I hope you answer this as soon as possible. Thanks

 

1. For AU like that, I wouldn't worry about categorizing it. If it involves characters from multiple eras, you don't need to era tag. If it invovles characters from one era, then use the tag, but tack AU to the title.

2. You could post it in this forum.

3. You can post it offsite, but that link would need to go in your sig and you wouldn't be able to promote it beyond that. However, you can post the story here and still have the blog link in your sig.

Hope that helps! Perhaps mavjade or Briannakin might be able to answer them better.

 

Hello Faiz Al Rasyid, points #2 and 3 that TrakNar said is correct, and basically what I was going to say. However, as for tagging it, Mav and I are quite picky about every story having a tag: if you don't tag it, we will. My suggestion would be to decide when the majority of characters you are using are from and put it in that category.

 

Considering PhD programs here on Earth can take upwards of 6 years, would anyone blink an eye if an author condensed that down to around 3 years in the GFFA? The student in question isn't a prodigy or anything, but is intelligent. And in case anyone wonders, this would be a degree in the humanities, not STEM or social science.

 

I don't see why not. In a highly advanced society, I'm sure educational programs could be accelerated in various ways, in addition to the student being sharp. Both technology and culturally different approaches to the time span of higher education could justify halving our normal degree programs.

 

Thank you TrakNar and Briannakin for your help. I can start writing now and as soon as I'm finished, I'm going to start posting. But it's going to take some time, because i'm going to try write it in two languages. English and my native tongue (Bahasa Indonesia).

 

Thanks for the input, ThreadSketch! Now, to follow-up: would this be something the author would have to explain, or is it something that the author could just have in their back pocket for world-building purposes? The education timeline is not a major plot point, but it is part of how the fic is framed.

 

I think you can just back pocket it.

 

My son once told me he wanted to be a lawyer. I looked up the requirements and all the law schools said, "You must have a four year degree before entering law school." They didn't care what the degree was in. I was thinking, 'If they don't care what your degree is in...then why do you need it?' I can understand needing English, but why would a lawyer need calculus or physics which are usually required courses in undergraduate degrees? Maybe the GFFA lets a person only take the courses they need for their field of study and has forgone the "well rounded student" crap. So, I think if a school can strip away all the useless courses and run a PhD program more like a trade school you could probably get an advanced degree in three years.

 

They want to do away with any and all core requirements prior to the student enrolling, This way, they can concentrate solely on law.

But for story purposes, bend the rules like crazy. If in some franchises, we can accept the possibility of a sixteen-year-old starship commander, then why not get a PhD in record time?

 

I know why they do it. I just believe the only core requirements should be the ones useful to a particular advanced degree. I immediately forgot everything I learned about calculus about five minutes after the final exam. What a waste of time and money.

But you are right TrakNar...the GFFA doesn't go by the same rules when you can have a 14 year old Queen elected into office on Naboo. What was that about? So I guess in the Star Wars galaxy anything goes as long as it fits the plot.

 

Are any of you ever fic-inspired by music? And I don't mean songfics based around lyrics - I mean entirely instrumental music. Do you ever hear anything off a soundtrack or from classical pieces and think, "Ooh, this is so atmospheric," or "This makes me think of..." and then write something based on the feels you get from it?

 

Not exactly based on the music per se, but a lot of the action sequences from my earlier fics were based on the soundracks from the various Mass Effect games, particularly Suicide Mission from Mass Effect 2. I'm a sucker for choral an orchestral music, especially of the "epic" subgenre.

 

ME TOO. So much.

 

I don't listen to classical or instrumental music so much these days, but I can get inspired by a lyric or a riff in a pop/rock/etc song just as easily I imagine. I've been known to write entire scenes or chapters based upon the emotion or idea that a single song gave me.