Discussion Fan Fic Pet Peeves?

I get a lot of my OC names from the Star Wars name generator. Recently I noticed one of my OCs had the same name as another fanfic writer's OC. I guess I should go somewhere else for names.

 

I always Google them for that reason. I have gotten both profic names and fanfic names.

If they do match, I'll just smush a first name it gives me with a last name it gives me. Sometimes I just change a few letters

 

For many of my names, I'll make anagrams of other names, or I'll use the Karen Traviss method: consonant vowel consonant vowel consonant. Basically, hitting random letters and I end up with stuff like Hehif Gens, Loheb Zoehd, and Webik Rason.

 

Yeah, I do that...Origami Fish over on FF.N clued me in to that idea. I also use names of obscure 'celebrities'...race car drivers, skiers, tennis players...I figure most people have no idea who Hekki Kovalinen is, so I could use his last name and no one would be the wiser! (Okay, I didn't...but I could.)

 

I recently created a "character" for my AU Verse named 'Coruscant Antilles' who is a fairly direct reference to a certain fictional archaeologist.

I once named a character in one of my non Star Wars fics after a missing child. It might be a twisted way to make sure she is never forgotten.

 

Corellia Antilles says hello.

 

Since we're on names and peeves, I don't like 'imaginative' respellings of names to make it scifish. I am fine with Real World Names but I prefer a commonly recognisable form if you are using one rooted on Earth.

 

I also don't mind using common names, but I don't like reading words that have obvious ties to Earth. They drink caf in the SW universe and not Irish Coffee. They may eat pastries but I think if they were eating Baklava it would pull me out of the story.

 

Earthisms have always been an element of SW though. Yet, I can understand everyone's tolerances differ. I mean technically the films shouldn't be in English or any Earth language if you don't want ties to Earth but it needs some types to be understandable. I think the same applies to the EU materials.

 

That's a given, but mentioning an Earth country or saying they are drinking Coca Cola while eating Pizza is a bit much. I always wondered if it was acceptable to say earth as in dirt. It is the name of our planet, but at the same time it is also used to describe the ground.

 

Earthisms and Earth names just sound so out of place to me that sometimes when I see them in fic I cringe.

I agree that some alienification of names can sound and look silly, but at the same time a name like "Jane" or "Katie" look strange to me. For names I usually go by the films and books as templates and try to use something that's a legitimate Earth name but...perhaps not an English one.

 

I would have no problem with pizza as long as they mention some non-earth ingrediens on it

 

I've never seen an Earth country or Coke mentioned so I think you're being a bit extreme. There already very Earth names and elements all over SW. Pizza or coffee is fine to me if the ingredients are somewhat alien like Gamiel said.

 

I've seen cola and pizza. I have also seen foods based on countries or Earth regions such as champagne (named after area in France) and even French fries.

 

I did a scene involving my OC pigging out on candy. I couldn't find any articles on it on Wookieepedia, so I just called them "sweets".

Pretty much, if it exists in the SW universe, but under a different name, call it by that name. If you're not sure, either call it something generic, or give it a SW-esque name.

Sent from my stupid little astro droid using TapaTalk 2.

 

I would use chips, as in fish n' chips instead of French fries

 

Coffee is "caf", kitten is "pitten." If an Earth thing exists under another name, use that. Anything else just tells me you haven't done your research.

 

When I have a question about SW food and drink, I go to the Wiki. I have gotten a lot of information from there. There are all kinds of lists of food and drink, as well as whether or not humans eat or drink it.

As for names, I've never tried creating my own original. I just use familiar ones. I may give it a go sometime though. It sounds like fun.

 

I disagree…this isn't a history thesis…it's a story done for fun. I know most of the common 'replacement' terms: turbolift, transparisteel, duractete, caf…but I'm not going to take the time to look up and check to see if there's a different name for 'tent' or 'jambalaya'.

What's funny, to me, is that there ARE SW terms for the days of the week…but NOBODY uses them. Why? Because they have no meaning to us. 'Thursday' means something. To use 'zhellday' is just showing off, IMO.

 

http://boards.theforce.net/threads/...valents-a-helpful-index-for-writers.26188263/

This was lovingly compiled some time back ...

 

Okay, so I wasn't as clear as I could have been, and I overstated. I was mostly referring to the "common" replacements, most of which take about two seconds of asking here in the Resources thread to find out.

I'll disagree with you on the days of the week though. While yes, the SW terms mean nothing to us, "Thursday" sticks out like a sore thumb, IMO. I actually wish people used the SW terms more. I only know of one author who has used them.

 

^^^Ah…I'm with you now. I will concede that the 'common' terms are ones we should use.

The problem with the SW days is this: we have weekends where people congregate and do things together on…with a five-day week 'in universe', when does this occur? Do people work 4 days and get one off? I can't see a two-day weekend and a three-day work week. Is there a two-day weekend every other week? Surely they don't work everyday until the festival season. Do you see my problem? ALL of us here live on a 7-day week…trying to imagine a one with 5 days becomes problematic.

 

Han did mention Sunday School in a Marvel comic. Perhaps there are seven-day weeks on Corellia.

And in terms of peeves, comedies that aren't funny or are painfully contrived. I've read many a humor fic in which the humor was lost on me, or it was a poor attempt at slapstick, though the comments and reviews would say that the fic is funny as hell. It's not as if I lack humor, as I find various lines amusing, I'll laugh at amusing situations, and if the prose has an amusing line, it will get a chuckle out of me, as will humorous descriptions. But, those fics usually aren't labeled as comedies, whereas the comedies are dry, contrived, and overall very bland.

Must be just me, as everyone else likes them. :/

 

SiouxFan, I definitely think the number of days is problematic. Hell, the entire SW calendar is problematic. Anyone who's ever tried to compose a fic outline using the SW calendar knows that pain and frustration.

That doesn't mean I think we should be using "Monday, Tuesday..." etc in fic. Everyone's MMV of course, but that just throws me out completely.

 

Too true! I tried timing my story to a five-day week…and gave up after about two chapters…I'd like to know who came up with the 'canon' calendar..someone who doesn't really understand society, apparently. Maybe we should come up with a better SW calendar…you know, one that makes sense.

Nah, I'm with you…I don't like being told, 'Hey, this is funny.' Good comedy speaks for itself…I dislike 'laugh tracks' on TV for the same reason.