Resource FanFic Orientation Guide - Newbies Check In Here! - Interview with a Moderator, Part Ace!

I have one! Free beta's for your story when you're the Master! When your padawan has reached the level of graduating, they get the fun privilege of beta'ing your stories! Okay, so maybe that's just me abusing my current and former padawans.

 

hey, I've got a weird question, does anyone know where the term "sock" came from? It's been bugging me for a while now...

Just curious, I know it's off topic...

 

Princess_Arulmozhi:

Hi - I saw your note about my luck in being adopted by a certain **wonderful** Master and I must agree.

Tomatoes, huh? That information could be useful in future...

My Master is indeed talented, and fulfills all the criteria on the above lists detailing what is great about having a Master!

Nice to "meet" you.

ojn

 

hey, I've got a weird question, does anyone know where the term "sock" came from? It's been bugging me for a while now...

You know what? I really don't know...

 

Pleasure's mine, ojn. Re the meeting, and the tomatoes

About the sock...it disguises your identity - doesn't it? Maybe they used socks to cover their faces, or something. Once.

Weird.

 

"Sock" comes from "sockpuppet," I've been told - concealing your identity/pretending to be someone else...

And, listen to Jaya, you should. A thousand padawans, she has had. But honestly, I wasn't adopted, and I haven't adopted anyone (though I do have an adorable virtual little brother ), but from what I've heard and seen, everything she, Nat, OJN, and Shidakis have said is right. Most of all, getting adopted means you have someone to help you out - whether it's in getting readers, in writing your story, in learning your way around the boards (in fanfic or outside of our little niche). A master can be a great help.


Jes

 

Name:MariahJSkywalker, or you can call me Ivory

Age: 19. Board(s) you post to the most: Beyond the Saga, EU community.

Types of stories you read/write: Humor, angst, action. I have only written one fanfiction so far, and it's a Tahiri angst one post.


Characters you read/write the most: I read alot of K/J, L/M, and Tahiri fanfics.


Advice on how to get involved in the community: Just post in the fanfics you like, give the authors feedback. They likie that.


One piece of advice you?d like to give newbies: Just post your story. Someone's und read it and comment on it, and from I gathered from the posters here they're pretty nice.

 

5. The ability to brag about how great your master is.

Oh, so NOW I find this out, hmm, Master Shidakis?

 

*goes off to see if an oldbie newbie can get adopted*

 

Glad to see I'm not the only one that question has mystified...

Oh well...

I posted in the adoption thread... I don't hold out much hope, though. We seem to have far more newbies than Masters. You don't send away the ones who don't get adopted do you? I didn't read the book, but from ya'lls descriptions Bandomeer does not sound like a nice place to visit...

 

I noticed that too, there's way more newbies than potential masters in the fanfiction adoption thread. There seem to be plenty of oldbies looking to adopt a newbie on the welcome board's thread though. Newbie writers must be a lot of work, LOL.

And who says those who don't make Padawan have to go to Bandomeer! I'm sure some Agricorps assignments are to nice, green agricultural worlds. *pulls out gardening gloves* Or there's always the lucrative career of Sith.

 

A lucrative career for the Sith? I supposed I could take the quick and easy path rather than asking for a Master...

Oh hi everyone. I'm just your everyday 20-something musician who has too much time on his hands sometimes.

 

Hi Ace, what sort of Musician are you?

 

Heh, a few weeks ago they were complaining that there were too many oldbies and not enough newbies. I'll hopefully be available to adopt again if either of my padawans ever advances. Silly padawans.

 

Hi Ace, what sort of Musician are you?

I'm a bass player. I mostly play metal and the blues, but I do throw some funk in there because funk is just that cool.

 

Rock on bass players!



*sigh* Wish I could play bass...


Well... I never had a master. When I first started out, we really weren't into this "adoption" thing. However, usually what someone did was find a user they liked and kinda looked up to them as a mentor. You followed their stories and did that. My mentor was Jane Jinn, and I learned a lot from her.

It's really a good idea to get a master. They can help you write, plus you make a friend!

 

Rock on! (I know, not funny...)

Glad to meet you Ace.

 

I've got a question about being Adopted...

I'll admit that I'm hesitant to do so. For one thing, I can be fiercly independant and I have no problem with asking questions of anoyone, not just one certain person. PLus I usually just research until I figure out the question myself anyway. And other than that, I don't see much of a point. I may be completely wrong, but I have the feeling that I've made friends here already, with out being adopted. And so it doesn't really seem like there's much point for me to ask to be adopted. Although being a Padawan might be neat.

But now, since I have Spring Break, I'm finally going to get the chance to start the fic I've been planning for the last month and a half. And I'm not sure which is more helpful- a beta reader or a Master...

I'm hesitant to use beta-readers, because I've gotten burned before. So burned that I went through five beta readers for three chapters of one fic and then decided that that was enough and I'll do my own beta-reading. And with a Master, as it's already been pointed out, you get a friend in the mix as well as someone who helps you out and can probably help you with beta reading.

Yet I'm not sure I can ask a Master to beta-read my fic for me, based on age. The reason I need someone to help me out is not because of spelling and grammar or plot points. I have my plot pretty much worked out and spelling/grammar is one of my strong points. But basically I need someone to help me with the very beginning of the fic- because I'm not exactly sure where I want to start- in the past or in the present and have to explain the past later on.

That I even think I've gotten worked out, though a second opinion would be nice. But I need someone to help me figure out how to edit the fic down so that it can go on this board. My plot idea is, at the very least, PG-13 and I already have some 'PM Scenes' planned. It's a dark fic and it will require fairly heavy editing to get it to meet the PG Guidlines. Not to mention that I'm not really sure of what a PG fic means, anyway. I don't think I've ever really written anything that has not been PG-13 or above and so I'm going to need a lot of help in figuring out what is appropiate. And I'm not sure if I can ask a Master to do that...

When I first joined the boards, I figured that once I was ready to post my fic, I'd get a Master. But because I'm so independent anyway, plus the nature of my fic, I'm not really sure anymore. And then I have bad experience with beta-readers, but I'm pretty sure a Master wouldn't desert their Padawan.

So basically, I'd like an opinion of what would be better- a Master or a beta-reader. In any case, they should be of legal age, so 18 and fine with reading dark fics- and I'm not sure I can ask anyone for that. It just seems weird to me to ask for help, whether it is a Master or a beta-reader, and then say that they have to be an adult. Doesn't really seem fair, but the fic requires it. I'm writing one version, which ranges from PG-13 to NC-17, and then from that, I'm going to have to edit the chapters that get posted here, hopefully with some help.

So should I bother at all with asking for help (again, I don't usually ask for help, so this is all strange to me, but I don't think I can do the editing on my own)? And if so, then what would be better- a Master? Or just a beta-reader?

 

So should I bother at all with asking for help (again, I don't usually ask for help, so this is all strange to me, but I don't think I can do the editing on my own)? And if so, then what would be better- a Master? Or just a beta-reader?

That's sort of a hard question to answer. Some People never get adopted. I am one of them, i was never adopted. I didn't even know what it was, and i think as far as my writing i've done fine without one. Some people like having a mentor to sort of help guide them along their first tread into fanfiction, cause lets be honest being a first time writer on this board, that has so many amazing writers is intimidating.

Your first paragraph reminded me of me when i started. I'm known for being fiercly independent and asking question when i want to know something. If you don't feel like you need to be adopted then don't. There is nothing wrong with that, it's not frowned upon if you don't get a master. Some of the best writers on this site, never had masters. Some of the best writers on this site have, but you should choose which path is best suited to you.

I understand where your coming from with the Beta readers. My first Beta reader was like a brother to me. I adored him, and he did great stuff with my work, not because he was a great editor but because we were on the same wave length about things. I used to joke that we shared my story, because he was so influential on what i did in it. He missed some spelling and grammar things, but he made up for it elsewhere. But he ended up moving and not having computer access, and i had to replace him. My second Beta reader is great. She does an awesome job editing my posts. She works like a dog on them, and i keep telling her not to work so hard. But i stand the chance that i'll lose her too, as she is going off to a new school next year.


This is the thing, if you just need someone to read your story and give a second opinion, I would be more than glad to help you. Without having the constrains of a beta-reader or a master. I don't think i should be anyones master, or at least i don't know if i've found the right padawan yet. As Far as beta reading, editing isn't my strong point. I have probably the most atrocious grammar on this site, not because i don't know the rules, i just don't care to think about them. But I can definitly be a spring board for you, for what is or isn't acceptable material for this site. If you're being too dark, or not dark enough. I'm going to be 21 in may, so i fit the age requirment.

However, if you don't want to use me (which is fine, because i can be a little flaky sometimes, I am a college student ). I would advise getting another beta reader rather than a master to help you. You seem independent and well adjusted here, so you might need to be adopted. Plus a Beta reader will know what is essiantial to the story and wasn't isn't when you go to edit it down.

anyways thats just my two cents

 

If you don't feel like you need to be adopted then don't. There is nothing wrong with that, it's not frowned upon if you don't get a master. Some of the best writers on this site, never had masters. Some of the best writers on this site have, but you should choose which path is best suited to you.

Thanks. That's true, I suppose. And I'm not new to fan fic in general..just Star Wars. I have over five years of fan fic experience under my belt and some Star Wars fan fic experience- but in reading, never writing. Now I figure I'd like to try my hand at actually starting to write Star Wars fan fic, instead of just reading it all the time... So that kind of puts me in an odd position. Most newbies here are new to fan fic and writing in general, it seems, and I'm not- just on the Star Wars basis.


As for beta-readers... I wrote a fic (still am semi-working on it, by the way) and I posted the first chapter, asking for a beta-reader. I got several responses and chose one. She was good- until she got really busy and had to leave me. So I asked again and found another one. This one just disappeared on me, after receiving the chapter. Great, I thought. So I asked again and found another one, who was wondeful- until something happened and he disappeared. He said he'd be back, but he never did come back.... So I asked again and made a big deal about needing someone who really has the time to be one and wants to help me and everything and I found another one. And I sent them the chapter- and they disappeared. So I figured I'd try one last time, and found another beta-reader, who also then disappeared on me. After that, I figured I'd had enough. All I wanted was a beta-reader for one fic of mine- and they all disappeared on me. I got three chapters (chptrs 2-5) beta-ed and since then (it's been two years and 11 chapters) I haven't had one and it's been fine. I've also had different beta-readers for other fics, but they too always go missing... So I figured I'd spare myself the pain of getting one again...

, because i can be a little flaky

Oh, that's okay. So can I. And I'm a huge procrastinator and rarely have time and when I actually do have time, I prefer to read than write. So flaky I can deal with...

Editing isn't a problem- at least not in the grammar/spelling sense. My problem is content-editing, but the more 'language' editing is something that is one of my strong points, so you don't have to worry about not caring about grammar.

And I wouldn't mind using you, except that you have to be aware that my fic is going to contain some spoilers for ROTS. It's A/P and it involves messing with Padme's fate at the end of the movie, as well as what happened between Obi-Wan and Anakin and a few other more minor things. But it is spoilerish and I don't know your views on spoilers...

If you dont mind the spoilers, PM me and I'll tell you more about the fic. I'd go into it here, but it's a long and complicated fic that will probably span to be an epic, so I don't want to really clutter up this thread.


You seem independent and well adjusted here, so you might need to be adopted.

Umm...do you mean I might need not to be adopted? Because otherwise the sentence doesn't seem to make much sense with what you wrote before it...


And thanks a lot for the advice- I think I will go find a beta and pray that my luck is better this time. Otherwise I'll just try to do the editing by myself and pray that I get it right...

 

real name: elyse

age: 20

i dont write so the rest is irrelevant

tho i like to read: l/m, h/l, j/k,

there should be a "i dont write, i just read" club.

but i might be the only member. tehe

or maybe an author to random reader reach out program

 

Welcome, elyse.

I don't know if there are any just reader clubs, but even as a reader, you can participate in the character discussion threads and other threads of that nature. There is also a 'Reviewing Challenge'- though I'm not exactly sure what it's called. But it should be on the first page or two of this forum, since it was at the top yesterday.

And if you're looking for fics, you might want to try out different character indexs or ship indexes.

Anyway, I hope you have fun here and you find stuff to read.

 

Support Your Local Writers: The Review Challenge

I've only managed to read a couple of fics out of that thread, but they were both amazing... I definitely reccomed the thread if you're looking for a readers only support group. It's the closest I've seen. I bookmarked it for whenever I'm looking for someth ing to read.

 

Thanks for finding it, pokey. I meant to look for it myself but kind of forgot... and it is an awesome thread. Sometime I'm definitely going to have to participate.

 

As a fanfic writer who has done writing for a long time (though this is the first spot I've had it for others to read), I can offer a bit of advice for other newbies.

Don't be afraid to think outside the box with your characters. Whether they're OCs you've created, or Canon characters you use, think of them in the most outlandish situations and occupations. Think of their responses to simple questions and problems, and don't be afraid to take the ideas and run with them! You might have a great parody fic in the end if you do!