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

Discussion in 'Fan Fiction and Writing Resource' started by Luna_Nightshade, Nov 24, 2011.

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  1. Sokolniki

    Sokolniki Jedi Knight star 1

    Registered:
    Jan 7, 2014

    Navigators would most likely handle this task when it comes to relaying information about simple physical obstacles to the helmsman/pilot and the commander... while Sensor Operators would handle the more specialized detection equipment. Unfortunately, I can't recall any other terms for those individuals whose sole purpose was to look at sensor readings and relay them to the helm and to command.

    In the real world use, for fighter sized aircraft, we know them often simply as "Copilot". The technical real-world terms are "Radar Intercept Officer" or "Naval Flight Officer." Then you have Electronic Warfare Officers who handled jamming and countermeasures.

    Not sure what terms are used for the equivalent individuals on the ships themselves.
     
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  2. pronker

    pronker Force Ghost star 4

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    Jan 28, 2007
    Monsters. Think Zillo Beast or a little bigger; they are non-sentient *though ZB had room for doubt* and are simply living their lives without malice, but doing that interferes with Our Hero's Mission. It is in the way or covering up something important, or perhaps is setting up a trap for catching food which Our Hero does not want to be. Our Hero is ethical and does not simply want to blast it out of existence, or perhaps he doesn't have the firepower to do it. How to make it move along? (Our Hero has the Force but is intimidated by the sheer size; apparently he does not yet believe that 'size matters not') I have only one idea: it's so large that getting inside it will not hurt it (much) so a plot point similar to Fantastic Voyage could be introduced, but then that is like a whole other story, too complicated for the basic thrust of the story, which involves a submarine. Would anyone have an idea for a tactic that would work and not be too involved?

    I've already searched http://boards.theforce.net/threads/...cism-towards-improving-combat-scenes.6767593/

    Thanks for any clues.
     
  3. TrakNar

    TrakNar Jedi Grand Master star 5

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    Apr 4, 2011
    I didn't see the "not too involved" aspect at first. So, my suggestion to use a giant mecha might be out of the question. :p

    Though, I have another thought, yanked from the Marvel Mangaverse Fantastic Four: Force construct of giant mecha? Have the Jedi go toe-to-toe with the kaiju in some awesome-looking giant Force construct, Super Sentai style!
     
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  4. Kahara

    Kahara FFoF Hostess Extraordinaire star 4 VIP - Game Host

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    Mar 3, 2001
    Depends on how bright, curious and aggressive your monsters are. Although they are huge, they may still be very skittish. Unfamiliar sights and sounds (lightsabers, for instance), mimicking something dangerous/poisonous (this might not require using the Force, depending on what skills/resources the hero has -- I'm thinking of Obi-Wan's dragon impression ;) ), dust in their eyes, distracting them with an interesting thing way over there (predators often investigate unexplained noises, so depending on how far the Jedi can throw things, that's a possibility), manipulation of other animals in the environment to distract the monsters (though that could be ethically questionable if it gets the other critter eaten), I'm-not-here mental camouflage, all could possibly work if the circumstances were right.

    Yeah, I really like monsters. :p
     
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  5. pronker

    pronker Force Ghost star 4

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    Jan 28, 2007
    My thanks to :

    TrakNar Great stuff - the illusion of Summon Bigger Fish *in principle* would make my monster a/fight back territorially briefly, thus adding suspense, or perhaps b/run for the hills immediately, galloping off and causing a minor groundquake as a menace. All good stuff for plot development. And, the insecure Jedi would learn how to do this remarkable thing and learn a lesson.

    Kahara Yes, I'm thinking of comparing monsters to RL horses here, how they are big enough to really do a person harm, and you have to be smarter than the horse to get it to do what you want. It's bothersome when the horse is smarter than you, as I remember! But yes, this monster could be timid - wonderful callback to Obi-Wan's krayt dragon mimic - distraction could certainly work, and if the monster is curious about that weird Jedi-made thing over there, it could investigate and thus remove itself as an obstacle.

    These things sound more doable than my new idea of coming up with pheromones to lure the Beastie away for some numnums - that's just too complex.
     
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  6. Kahara

    Kahara FFoF Hostess Extraordinaire star 4 VIP - Game Host

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    Mar 3, 2001
    But pheromones could be a good solution too! It would work if they had A) previous knowledge of what animal they were going to encounter and B) access to a lab where they could synthesize something ahead of time. A pheromone lure might serve to create a longer-lasting distraction than some of the other methods if the character had a way to spread it around a wide area (say, by spraying it from a ship while flying over.) That could keep the animals busy for a really long time because they would be following it all over the place.
     
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  7. Sokolniki

    Sokolniki Jedi Knight star 1

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    Jan 7, 2014
    As a hunter and wild life conservationist, I learned a lot of animal behaviors to better evade detection, both to evade detection so as to better stalk it, and to avoid unnecessary confrontation with potentially dangerous animals. Previously suggested things would be doable to be sure, and Pheromones are really more of a proactive approach to the issue and runs the risk of making your character seem like he's walking around with Batman's Utility Belt.

    Force Illusions are nice, but it seems from your wording that he is not yet proficient in this, and straight up using force illusions does run the risk of a deus ex machina type situation. "Oh, I could really use a force illusion right now, oh wait, I'm suddenly very good at it just because I needed to be so lets do this!" I know that Jedi are capable of this sort of thing since they are often dependent on their instincts, but I personally have never been a fan of this sort of thing.

    But to build on the idea of not just illusions, but also the use of the force to move rocks somewhere else, you could have your hero be briefly spotted and attempt to run away. When the monster chases after him, you could have your character break line of sight as he frantically attempts to make use of what he knows to solve this monstrous problem he has run into, probably cursing that he hadn't tried as hard as he should have to learn how to utilize mind tricks having focused more on telekinesis and lightsaber training because he thought they were "Cooler". Then he thinks to take off his cloak and hide somewhere, using telekinesis to move his cloak along as though he were still in it to lure the beastie past him so he can approach the objective safely, swearing to himself that he'll take the more mental disciplines of the Force more seriously once he gets back to the Academy... that way you can have your hero learn his lesson, without it being "Out of Nowhere."

    That way you can make your character seem clever with the tools already available to him without him "learning complex disciplines" on the fly and as he needs them, or even perhaps to incorporate a significant inability to perform certain basic forms of the general disciplines and is forced to find ways to emulate or overcome them through the abilities he is able to utilize, or even through the use of non-force techniques such as... actual negotiation, making him more relevant than his comrades when dealing with Troydarians, Hutts, and guards trained in disciplines to resist the Jedi Mind Trick.
     
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  8. pronker

    pronker Force Ghost star 4

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    Jan 28, 2007
    Sokolniki All to the good as advice, thanks and yes, he's not yet at the point of being super-confident, since he's a young adult not yet 20. He's clever, though. I like the idea of him flashing back to his training and wishing he'd focused more on certain necessary, non-flashy disciplines. So much to ponder ... *goes back to sketching monster, with accompanying scale of (human) Jedi. Jedi does not stand as high as monster's pinky toenail*
     
  9. Gamiel

    Gamiel Chosen One star 9

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    Dec 16, 2012
    Do we know what abilities/techniques the Wardens of the Sky's have? How are they organized? Have anybody used them in their story? Also am I alone to want to see them covered in the SW equivalence of old school seaman tattoos, yarr
     
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  10. Sokolniki

    Sokolniki Jedi Knight star 1

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    Jan 7, 2014
    From the looks of the pictures, they are fond of using telekinesis projected through a fist/foot rather than near exclusively through an open palm, and release the wave of energy at the moment of impact. Equipment wise, they avoid using blasters, but some appear to be willing to carry one. They'll likely be schooled to some degree in espionage techniques focused on remaining concealed.
     
  11. Gamiel

    Gamiel Chosen One star 9

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    Dec 16, 2012
    How do people do to distinguish characters when you have around five of them talking to each other? I can not think of any way beside repeated uses of "[name] said" or the Aleksis Kivi method with the name before the sentence. Also this conversation take place in the beginning of the story so I can not use that many character ticks.
     
  12. Sokolniki

    Sokolniki Jedi Knight star 1

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    Jan 7, 2014
    Look for distinctive traits or combination of traits to describe them as you lead into dialogue... Such as "The Blonde Woman" or "the man kneeling over the body." Things like that.

    I'll sort through my story to find a prime example of it.
     
  13. Findswoman

    Findswoman Fanfic and Pancakes and Waffles Mod (in Pink) star 5 Staff Member Manager

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    Feb 27, 2014
    And as for character tics—I assume you're referring here mainly to verbal ones—it's not at all a bad idea to introduce a few even very early in the story as a way to distinguish different characters in a dialogue-only situation. Things like dialect, idiosyncratic speech patterns, etc. count as distinctive traits of the kind Sokolniki mentions above.
     
  14. Findswoman

    Findswoman Fanfic and Pancakes and Waffles Mod (in Pink) star 5 Staff Member Manager

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    Feb 27, 2014
    Hope no one minds this double post, but I do have a question:

    Is there a GFFA equivalent of "like squeezing water [or milk or whatever] out of a stone"? As in something like, "Getting the information out of him was like squeezing water out of a stone"?
     
  15. pronker

    pronker Force Ghost star 4

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    Jan 28, 2007
    That's an interesting phrase - would that be like 'getting information out of him is like pulling teeth?' That's more familiar to me. Then the teeth could be 'rancor's teeth' or 'Wroonian teeth' or whatever. There's 'you can't get blood from a turnip' but that seems to imply getting money from someone who hasn't any, a phrase describing something impossible.
     
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  16. Findswoman

    Findswoman Fanfic and Pancakes and Waffles Mod (in Pink) star 5 Staff Member Manager

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    Feb 27, 2014
    Yes, exactly along the same lines as "pulling teeth" (which I guess is the better-known expression). "Pulling rancor teeth" would work handsomely. Thanks! :)
     
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  17. pronker

    pronker Force Ghost star 4

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    Jan 28, 2007
    You are welcome - I am currently struggling with ways to characterize OCs who are singers - how to show that in a story, make them more than just 'oh hey they are singers believe it' - any thoughts?
     
  18. Findswoman

    Findswoman Fanfic and Pancakes and Waffles Mod (in Pink) star 5 Staff Member Manager

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    Feb 27, 2014
    Singers! As a musical type myself, my curiosity is piqued. ;) Well, what kind of singers are they? Professionals? Amateurs? What kind(s) of music do they sing? In what venues do they/have they performed? Any specific connections to the musical traditions of their home cultures (e.g., Rodian drama, Brentaal opera, etc.)? Those are all things that could aid in characterizing them. Is the fact that they sing a major story factor, or just a side detail?

    (Incidentally, the "milk from a stone" thing I was asking about is for a something involving singers, too. Kewl! ;) )

    And also incidentally, while we're on the topic of SW fiction involving musicians... does anyone have access to that story "Rebel Bass" that appeared in SW Gamer no. 6 some years back? I used to have that issue but it doesn't seem t be in my files anymore.
     
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  19. Gamiel

    Gamiel Chosen One star 9

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    Dec 16, 2012
    I am also interested. Some of my characters are ryn and I work with the idea that all ryn are musicians.
     
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  20. pronker

    pronker Force Ghost star 4

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    Jan 28, 2007
    Great! Glamorous Wartime Singers would be a catchall description. Professional, yes ... maybe a personal family history of musicians, but no grand tradition, no. They are traveling around, sort of an Outsider's Viewpoint of Jedi and canon characters. Good idea about the major/side aspect, I think they are going to be major, though as a WIP, anything can happen!

    Hope you find the 'Rebel Bass' which I am taking to be about music and not a fish [face_batting]
     
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  21. ThreadSketch

    ThreadSketch Jedi Master star 4

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    Dec 22, 2013
    All right, having another go at questions, 2 totally unrelated ones:

    1) Technical expertise on the Executor (Wookieepedia can only do so much) - specifically, how much control does the bridge crew have over the entire vessel? Obviously this ship has an enormous crew, but if only the officers on the bridge are left behind, is the SSD still able to remain relatively functional, and how much of its weaponry can still be deployed? And on a slightly sillier side note, how in the worlds do people get around that ship in any reasonable amount of time? :p Would it be too goofy to think that, in addition to turbolifts, there might be some sort of tram system to allow for quick horizontal travel across the ship?

    2) Kornell "Uli" Divini - I've heard of this character, and am considering using him in a minor, though still important, supporting role in a fic, but have not yet been able to read the novels in which he's featured (I'm, uh, on a limited budget [face_blush]). Again, the Wook can only describe so much. What is his personality like? Is he a cynic or more of an idealist? Prideful, humble, or somewhere in-between? On the job, does he like to use a lot of medical/technical jargon in his dialogue, or does he prefer to speak in layman-friendly terms to other non-medic characters? Having a background from Tatooine but education on Coruscant, is he more "refined" in his speech and mannerisms or more laid-back and Outer Rim-y? And by the time of the OT, would he be around or past middle age? I'd like to utilize him in my story because he'd be able to better relate to one of the main characters, but if I can't find out enough about him, I'll go ahead and create an OC for the role.

    I appreciate the help, to anyone who can answer!
     
  22. Kahara

    Kahara FFoF Hostess Extraordinaire star 4 VIP - Game Host

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    Mar 3, 2001
    I think personality-in-addition-to-the-basics (which is covered on the Wook) is the kind of thing that people will chalk up to personal interpretation. With minor book characters, few will notice anyway. You can also just say "this character is canon but my version may not completely match the actual books." I wouldn't be turned off of a story by that kind of disclaimer.

    Actually, I've recently been trying to break myself of the "must read twenty books I don't have time for, and possibly go back to school for several PhD's before I'm allowed to write this fanfic that I want to write for fun" belief that I somehow acquired. Canon details can be great flavor, but they don't need to be the entire dish. It's fairly rare that readers notice and nitpick over that kind of thing. I worry a lot more about the real-world details. That, however, is my own hang-up that you don't need to imitate.

    Well, now I feel like I just committed some sort of uncommonly foul fanfic-writer taboo. :p Guess I'm supposed to go back and say "No, you have to be perfect, perfect, perfect!"
     
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  23. TrakNar

    TrakNar Jedi Grand Master star 5

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    Apr 4, 2011
    ThreadSketch - For your first question, if the officers were to leave the bridge crew on their own, they'd be able to run the ship. However, if only the bridge crew remained while other crewmembers (such as engineering) were gone, and the ship were to suffer a problem, they might not be able to run it as effectively, depending on how well-versed in the care and maintenance of a vessel that large. Eventually, someone in the bridge crew would take command.
     
  24. Gamiel

    Gamiel Chosen One star 9

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    Dec 16, 2012
    To my understanding turbolifts also go horizontal
     
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  25. pronker

    pronker Force Ghost star 4

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    Jan 28, 2007
    ThreadSketch The books were excellent and reminiscent of the M.A.S.H. TV program, so I recommend them highly for plot and interesting new characters and I hope you come across a copy somewhere ... ; Divini, well, I read the books on first publication, so here's what I remember:

    What is his personality like? In the MedStar duology, he's practicing his profession to the utmost of his ability, not a pure idealist, no, but at 19 he's certainly not jaded. He has goals, one to be away from war. He and Barriss Offee share some 'meaningful' dialogue, she being basically unreachable and he reaching out to form some human *more or less* contact, and I took to mean that he admired and possible desired her, while she flirted around with the idea but basically said 'no.' His youth really came through well via the authors, and by the OT and 'Death Star', he had aged to 40 or thereabouts, still doing the right thing, surviving and trying to thrive in the Empire, while looking for a way out.

    Is he a cynic or more of an idealist? I'd say more idealist than cynic, he's saving lives and it's more than just a job to him.

    Prideful, humble, or somewhere in-between? In-between, he seemed quite well grounded.

    Jargon-using?that I remember the other characters being in awe of his skills, so he seemed a little lonely, but he didn't use jargon to non-medics.

    Having a background from Tatooine but education on Coruscant, is he more "refined" in his speech and mannerisms or more laid-back and Outer Rim-y? Relaxed.

    And by the time of the OT, would he be around or past middle age? Somewhere around 40s in OT.

    Happy writing!