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

I think if we have a "raise of hands" to see who's done it, I'm pretty sure most of us have.

 

As the creator, you have full edit rights over your own material.

Fill your boots!

 

What's a good era to start a book that is set on a planet that is free from political conflicts and galactic wars?

 

Hm, given that it's Star Wars, you're going to have a hard time finding an era that is free from conflict. However, there are many planets in AU and canon that have been generally free from conflict. Alderaan, for one. Bimmisaari, for another.

I suppose it would be best to feature Alderaan as a peaceful planet in your story before that moment in ANH when it was blasted into smithereens.

 

I would suggest the 1000 years of peace era that Palpatine ended

 

There are many possibilities in the pre-TPM period, depending on whether your story follows New Canon or Legends. You could also go for the timeframe between TPM and AotC if your fic isn't supposed to last for more than ten years; just place your world in a part of the galaxy where the Separatists haven't turned up yet. Or, if you're writing in the New Canon continuity, you can go for the years between RotJ and Bloodline (the Claudia Grey novel); the novel says quite explicitly that there wasn't much conflict in the galaxy as long as the First Order wasn't identified as a threat.

 

I would suggest after the Disney era, far, far away in the future

 

Heh heh heh... Posted the first part of my new Fanfic if anyone's interested.

 

Have there been any mentions of puppet theater in GFFA?

 

Don't think so. We've seen dancers & opera, but not much else in the way of performing arts. Not on film, anyway.

 

Gamiel There are a few mentions in the EU, but they're either in really obscure sources or mentions in blink-and-you'll-miss-it moments.

Naboo Puppet Theatre
Okari junk-puppets
Pixelito Puppeteers Union

 

Hey, I've been working on a couple stories recently but I keep hitting the same bump. . . I'm not completely sure how to write saber combat. I spent hours on differing sites studying the various forms, I can perfectly envision what I want to write but have trouble putting it to print, would appreciate any help.

Here is a fight scene I've written:

-------------------------------


“There is no emotion, there is peace,”

I recited the Jedi code as I slowly walked the large, rocky plains of Dantooine. Something I did often as to get away from the annoyances of training and other Jedi.

“There is no ignorance, there is knowledge,”

I’m a Cathar, joining the order was the best thing to happen to a weakling like me. Cathar society was very warrior prone, so to a skinny and physically weak non-fighter like me, I was not taken to very well. I’m on track to becoming a knight, the life of a padawan is a tedious one.

“Peace is a lie, there is only passion.”

I nearly jumped at the sudden, raspy voice. What stood almost parallel to me was a man dressed in the same brown Jedi robes as I.

He bore a black mask made of leather, the outline of his mouth, eyes, and ears were made out clearly. The man seemed to have taken care to cover every inch of skin he could. In his left hand he held a metallic cylinder with nothing seemingly remarkable about it, the most standard lightsaber one could get.

He flicked the weapon to life, a long blue blade appearing where once nothing stood.

“Dark Jedi.” I whispered.

I held my right hand straight out in front of me, calling upon the force my saber flew from my belt to my limb and immediately was ignited. I pointed the green weapon at the man, arm outstretched so it stayed about level with my chest.

The man wasted no time in attacking, using the force to augment his speed I barely deflected a blow directed at my face, in turn, the force of his strike causing me to stagger a bit. With a grunt, the dark Jedi holding the lightsaber with both hands slashed at me downwards horizontally.

I flipped backward, gaining some distance. I had little time to rest as a stream of lightning shot towards me, I met his blast by quickly pulling a small boulder in front of me with the force, it takes most of the attack, I still felt the burning pain surge through my left leg. I sent the huge rock flying towards the foe who cut it in two with his saber.

My only chance was to keep him at a distance, at most I could block and badly parry his moves, any sort of elongated clash I could not win.

I needed to use my best card, force stasis. I’ve devoted countless days to mastering this advanced technique and as a result causing both my saber fighting, as well as my other force abilities to suffer.

I quickly gathered my strength and with a growl, I stopped the charging man in his tracks, static energy surrounding his body. I pulled small rocks, stones, and pebbles from the earth to levitate around me, as many as I could. I managed to collect around twenty.

I let the stasis shield down and sent him flying into a tree with a strong force push, he dropped his lightsaber. This was my chance, I commanded every piece of earth I had gathered to shoot towards him. He yelped in pain as he was pelted, my move happening so fast that he could not react in time. His forehead and arms were bleeding badly.

Anger took over the dark Jedi in full, with a pure animalistic roar he collected his weapon and tossed it at me, I easily dodged it, however, it seemed this is what he wanted as his fist; strength greatly augmented, landed on my chin in a painful uppercut. I tripped, falling on my back. The man instead of grabbing his own or my lightsaber jumped on top of me, savagely punching my face and chest. Despite the pain I quickly realized… he let his force shield down.

I couldn't help but let the sides of my lips twist into a minor smile. I unleashed an admittedly weak push, but it was enough to get him a decent distance away from me. The dark being charged again, this time remembering to cover himself in a shield. Gathering up most of my strength, I once again froze him in his tracks, his right foot raised slightly off the ground.

Despite my near-exhaustion, I commanded both my and his lightsabers to my hands, I jumped, flipping in the air, I landed directly in front of the man.

“You lose!” I shouted.

“Indeed,”

I jumped backward, accidentally dropping the stasis I’ve placed on the man and crashing into him.

What stood there was my master, Jedi knight Korris Morr.

 

Please note A scary bedspread I have moved your question to an already existing thread for such questions.

 

A scary bedspread - what specifically are you asking about?

 

I suppose how to write an elongated clash properly, like how to convey double-bladed combat or specialized forms. For example, One character I'm writing is an expert in Makashi, Their style is akin to traditional fencing. Standing sideways, blade pointed straight out with the other hand held upwards.

Kinda like this:

 

You are not alone in finding difficulty in describing lightsabre combat.

I have a fic stalled because my creativity has shut down on the subject.

I have a lightsabre, and in the past, have tried to replicate the moves on Youtube videos, so that might be able to help you somewhat.

Simple terms or moves can help, like a block can be used to stop a lightsabre hitting you, whilst a parry is where you block and bounce the opponent's blade away in another direction.

If you don't know how to write lightsabre combat in the first place, I'd say, keep it simple, rather than diving straight into "double-bladed combat"!

FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) - How did you know he was a Dark Sider? They generally have red lightsabres. Dark Sider would not be my first guess upon seeing a blue blade.

H&S (Health and Safety) - I'd watch that stretching an arm in front of you, when you have a foe with a lightsabre close by.

Have you looked up lightsabre combat techniques on Wookiepedia? Some of them are descriptive, which can help you avoid having to make up your own, as long as you elaborate.

For instance, When Anakin decapitates Count Dooku, the technique is called sai cha, if I recall correctly; you don't necessarily have to describe getting your two blades into a scissor formation, and the visuals of the plasma blades rubbing and sparking against each other during the action.

 

Personally I find lightsaber duels hard to describe so I prefer to describe the combatants' emotions rather that specific actions.

 

A scary bedspread Here are a few old threads that may be useful you. Unfortunately they're truncated, but at least page 1 of each one is available on the Wayback Machine (that's what 'WBM link' means after the thread title):

A workshop on how to write lightsaber duels (WBM link)
“A Great Place to Die” - Fight Scene Location Thread (WBM link)
Block, Parry, Strike! - How to use a lightsaber (WBM link)
Block, Parry, Strike! - The lightsaber index and discussion thread (WBM link)


About Makashi specifically, I remember that there was a good description in the AotC novelisation in the scene where Anakin and Obi-Wan duel Dooku. Or maybe that was RotS? I'd also look at classical novels that feature duels such as The Three Mustekeers; there might be ideas to glean there.

 

I would like to thank everyone who replied to my query, I appreciate it!

 

What is the weirdest sentient species in the GFFA?

 

Weird in what way? Physically, culturally, mentally, how they look, all of them?

 

Yeah, sorry. Physically.
I would like to avoid humanoids or bilaterians.

 

yahiko How about the Wol Cabas****e?

EDIT: Okay, the profanity filter ate up part of the word Here's the link, just remove the space in the middle: http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Wol_Cabass hite/Legends

 

Parawans (sp?) are pretty weird. They're floating jellyfish mushrooms, they were in a couple episodes of TCW.

 

yahiko some not even semi-humanoide specieas

http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Ruurian
http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Celegian

some somewhat semi-humanoide specieas

http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Vratix
http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Sludir
http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Sauvax
http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Kushiban
http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Filordus
http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Chironian
http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Dug
http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Colicoid/Legends
http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Thisspiasian/Legends

Do you mean http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Parwan ?