Characters ♡ The OTP & Pairing Thread ♡ | Challenge #34 Posted: Sonnets Roulette! (4/17, p. 92, #2282)

I want to write romantic scenes. But I don't know how realistic they become. This is due to doubt. Hey, maybe they are realistic! *shrugs*.
Anyway, I feel OC/OC is easier. This is because I don't have to face with readers who say: OMG! Luke would never fall in love with that author insertion! Or Eh, I don't think Mara would cheat on Luke, and with Anakin! Don't you see how shudders.
One thing I feel important is if you want to establish an OC/OC, be patient, write a bunch of fics, short ones, long ones, middle ones, a baker's dozen, until they get to the point of will they won't they for readers. Luke and Mara didn't fall in love in Heir to the Empire. They didn't fall in love during the Jedi Academy Trilogy.

Edit: Hey on another topic, because I'm curious:
How do you guys pronounce Revan?
Ray Wan
or Re(first part of Wrestle) When
Or something else?

 

Discuss advantages/disadvantages/challenges/etc. of writing EC/EC vs. EC/OC vs. OC/OC pairings. Which do people find easiest/hardest? Which of those types have you tried writing, which have you not?

I've written all three types, to varying degrees of success. If the EC/EC is an established couple in canon, you have the reference material to how they relate as a couple, so I think in some ways that makes things a bit easier. With an EC/OC, you only have to worry about keeping one character in what has been established as their character traits so that makes that somewhat easier in that regard. OC/OC you have free reign to write them as you see them (or more likely as they see themselves) but you have to do more work to establish who they are and fit them into the fandom.

Typically, I think I find EC/EC or EC/OC easier than just OC's (I say as I've been writing OC relationships in NSWFF a lot recently) because you have so much established personality already. All three can be fun to read and write, I think it just depends on the situation and what kind of story you are going for.


Edit: I've always pronounced Revan Rev-van (Rev like you rev an engine)

 

I think that my closeness to SW has atrophied to the point where I no longer know Legend ECs enough to try to ship them with each other.

I know I have Isard as one half of an OTP, but that move was made years ago.

EC/OC I feel, gives a pairing some sort of validity that a pure OC/OC pairing perhaps would not, but one half being an OC gives you a sense of control over at least half of it, because you should know where your character is coming from, and how he, she, or it, handles certain situations.

 

EC/OC seems a bit easier because one character is already developed for you, but at the same time it takes effort to keep that EC "in character" which may be tricky or limiting.
OC/OC requires more investment and development but ultimately I find it more fulfilling because you get to follow their progress and journey.

 

Edit: double post.

 

Technically, they were already married by YJK happened, but because the comic was still be written the writers weren't allowed to say so, according to my Star Wars Reader's Guide. Also, Revan is pronounced Reh-van. Note the v.

 

I tend to write romances and I have pretty much been writing OC/OCs. I've written EC/EC ships before but almost always established ships, i.e., H/L or L/M. I would hesitate to write EC/OC because everyone pretty much knows who the EC is and they have their ideas about who that character ought to be with. (Of course, that being said, one of my most popular fics was EC/OC with General Hux as the EC. So never say never.) I don't think I would break up a ship that exists, for example have Leia married to Wedge or something like that. (Interesting, but nah.) The reason being that by changing their relationship you're also changing the character. Part of the deal with Han and Leia is that they love each other. The only exception to this would be an AU where one of the couple dies or is permanently missing. I've read some interesting AUs along those lines, though.

To answer the question, I find OC/OC easiest. I can control the characters and the readers have no preconceived expectations of them. EC/EC is the second easiest for me because the characters are already established and I'm just coloring in the lines already set up by Lucas or Zahn or whoever.

And I would pronounce it REV-an,

 

This is a pretty interesting question for me, because I've played around with all the variations: OC/OC (Raissa and Doran), EC/OC (Luke and Princess Clarys Antilles), EC/EC--canon compliant (Kanan and Hera), and EC/ "wrong" EC (Ezra and Mara). All of them have their challenges, but all of them can be fun.

I have to say that I almost found EC/EC the most challenging to do. Not only do you have to keep both characters in character, it almost seems like there's an "approved" way their relationship is viewed and/or written in fanfic. I think this used to be particularly true when we had an active Luke/Mara group. Kanan and Hera were a bit easier since they haven't reached the kind of iconic levels of L/M or H/L. The advantages to doing EC/EC-- you have a framework to go off of and a built in audience of existing 'shippers.

And then there's the fun when you break up an existing 'ship Oh boy, if you hadn't guessed, I find this form of 'shipping quite entertaining! I'm having fun playing against the idea of L/M as soul mates and the only possible match for each other. And, well, I really like Ezra, and he and this AU's Mara just seem to fit well together. I have to say, I worried about being denounced as a heretic for breaking up the shippiest of Star Wars ships, but surprisingly, no one has. Perhaps it's because my Mara is in kind of gray area as an AU version, or maybe it's just the generally positive community we have here. Either way, I think non-canon EC/EC ships can work if you can make them plausible. Could the two characters conceivably get along and fall in love? Is there more to the story than just pairing random characters (unless you're doing a crack!ship, in which case, go nuts )

EC/OC-- as divapilot noted, in a lot of cases, people do have their ideas about who that EC belongs with, but I think the key to making these types of 'ships work is that the OC has to be well developed on his/her own. If not, s/he runs the risk of coming off as nothing more than a prop, or even the dreaded Mary Sue. But I think EC/OC have the possibility of becoming some of the most interesting romances, because when they're well done, they bring out aspects of the EC you might not have considered, a chance to see them in a different way. It also lets you develop your OC in relation to the EC. I did this with Princess Clarys Antilles and Dark!Luke in "Under a Dark Sky". I hadn't meant for them to become a couple, but it worked in the context of the story, because it was Clarys's innate kindness and trusting nature that made Luke see what his life as Young Lord Vader was missing.

And OC/OC--the best part is they are both your creations and no one can say you're writing them wrong! The disadvantages: OC stories have a harder time getting an audience and you have two characters who must be fully developed. Ideally, these characters need to have a life and a personality outside of their relationship to each other, and how they act in the relationship needs to be consistent with that. Don't have your cynical, world weary Jedi suddenly make up cute nicknames for his beloved or shower her with sentimental gifts (unless he's doing it ironically ) Raissa and Doran were my first OC's and my first OTP, and they were really developed in tandem with each other. They have a lot in common, but they have quirks that drive each other nuts. I guess they're probably the easiest of my couples to write, but that's partly because they have been with me so long.

 

The deadline for the challenge is tomorrow morning (for me) and mine is not finished. I've been working on it, but jet lag is slowing me down, even now 4 days later. I hope to get it done, but seeing as how I've not even gotten to the actual pairing yet, I don't know that I will. Unless I wake up at 5 am again, then I just might.

*goes back to writing before I crash*

 

Knowing pretty much nothing about Revan, I just say it how it's spelled.

 

I am late with the write up, so an one day extension is fine by me.

 

Really? Oh well then.

 

Wait. Were we supposed to start voting yesterday? Or should we wait for everyone to say Yep, completed? and Captain Rakkaus says go and vote?

 

Don't ask me, but I think we should wait until we get the go ahead.

 

The voting post will be completed by the end of the day.

 

Okay then...

 

CHALLENGE #5 - CRACK!PAIRING FEST:: VOTING

We have a total of three entries this time. To those of you who didn't get in - you can link your entry and I will add it to the list and say that it's not eligible for voting.

Guidelines

You have two weeks to vote. Voting closes at 17:25 (that's 5:25 PM) Central European Time on September 5th, 2017 (check the world clock). The votes will be counted and announced later that day or the next day.

- You may not vote for yourself.

- You may not post your vote in public.

- You can vote whether you took part in this challenge or not.

- Votes of challenge participants and readers count the same.

- Please, take the time to read all the stories, leave a review if possible, and vote for the story that, in your opinion, fits the spirit of this challenge most.

Once you know whom you're voting for, send a message to @Captain Rakkaus with the subject Crack!Ship Challenge - Voting and the name of the author and the link to their story in the post body. PLEASE, INCLUDE THE EXACT NAME OF THE AUTHOR, THE STORY NAME AND THE LINK. I mean it.

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Entries

The entries are listed in alphabetical order, by author's username. For non-Star Wars stories, a link to the Wikipedia entry on the fandom has been provided for your convenience. For all stories, links to characters have been provided, too, unless they're characters from the SW films, or OCs.

The sock has gone through everything posted so far and left a little supportive "Like" on all stories, or story chapters/parts, if there was more than one.

● Ben Has Been in Here Before by MartyAvidianus aka DARTH_MU
featuring Ben Skywalker and Abeloth

● One Last by Nehru_Amidala
featuring Eli Vanto and Agent Kallus

● A Steamy Romance by Raissa Baiard
featuring Evie the caf maker (OC), Chopper and Garazeb Orrelios

Please, let me know if there are any errors in the above listing!

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Good luck, everybody!

 

I'd disagree on that, if I am reading this correctly. I don't think you have to introduce a long backstory for OCs in order to set up that they will fall in love. I agree that OMG ITS TRU LURVE right out of the gate is a bit unbelievable, and you don't want them to be slobbering all over each other in post #1. But sometimes attraction hits right away. In my OC romance, I didn't need to create any individual, separate backstories. The love story was the main story, so the attraction was there from the beginning. It was never a will they/won't they issue; the reader always knows they would, and the story becomes how do they handle the challenges that life is going to throw at them and still maintain their relationship.

I guess it all comes down to what kind of story are you writing. If the romance is the main conflict, then cut to the chase and get these OCs paying attention to each other romantically. If the romance is a secondary conflict then I would take more time and make sure that the main story I am telling is in the forefront and not distracted by the romance between the navigator and the ship's cook or whatever.

 

Yes indeed divapilot. It all depends on what story the author is writing. Hey! The navigator and the ship's cook! A fanfic waiting to be written!

 

Could not resist...

 

um....
Poet,

Pavilion that is stable like a Ship.
This pavilion is constructed by looking at the shape of a boat, looks just like a ship when looked from the outside. Great place for a person to meditate.

Edit: Might I inquire about the location of such a pavilion?

 

Let's all go to the Ship Hut!! We'll ship all of our 'ships together in one place! (No ship battles allowed!)

 

So, I guess that means no Battleship?

 

Let's all list them:
Beside the Canon films which contains H/L and Anakin/Padme
We have in the fanfics: Han/Bria. Luke/Mara. Siriwan. Obidala. Sabewan. Marakin. Luke/Shira Brie. Benella. Beniri. Janen. Jahiri. Luke/Callista. Ben/Abeloth (Aben). Chopper/Zeb/Caf machine. Eli/Callus. Eli/Thrawn. Thrawn/Ayesha. Nagina(OC)/Lor San Teka. OC/OC. Hux/OC. Luke/Ari Nyros(OC) (Lukari). Siri/Ferus Obi-Wan/Padme.
I must have missed some.

 

^ Thrawn/Minerva and Eli/Lyste.
For the last time DARTH_MU, I do not ship Thrawn/Eli. Wherever did you get that idea?