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**Offical Novelization Thread**

Discussion in 'Fan Fiction and Writing Resource' started by DarthBane77, Jun 11, 2003.

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  1. DarthBane77

    DarthBane77 Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Feb 26, 2003
    Welcome to the Offical Novelization Thread: the discussion thread of Star Wars novelists everywhere. This thread is for help, information, disscussion, and all things novelized.

    I, currently have begun my first Star Wars novel as of a few months ago. It has been in planning since 1997. Now, for the first time, it is reaching novelization. It is one of a planned trilogy taking place many years following the battle of Endor, with all original characters, aside from perhaps R2-D2 and C-3PO(Which I haven't decided to use just yet). It follows the story of a young Jedi Knight as the New Republic(no longer called "new") begins to crumble under disputes and wars. I have currently completed the introduction and nearly the first chapter. Much of the plot is mapped out as well as many concept ideas.

    Is anybody else persuing such a project?


    Kit's note - I'm locking this thread due to the bad manners of both sides of the arguement. It does not pay to be rude or condescending, nor to respond by being rude (as hard as it is) when someone says something you disagree with. I'm considering restarting a similar thread with DB's ideas
     
  2. Lt_Jaina_Solo

    Lt_Jaina_Solo Jedi Knight star 5

    Registered:
    May 27, 2002
    I don't know if my story counts as a novel, but I have a story that's all plotted out and everything...it's currently 220 pages long, and I probably have about a quarter/third to go...Does that count as a novel?
     
  3. DarthBane77

    DarthBane77 Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Feb 26, 2003
    If you have more to go, then I would consider it a novel. Welcome to the disscussion! :)
     
  4. DarthBreezy

    DarthBreezy Chosen One star 6

    Registered:
    Jun 4, 2002
    Well, only Mods can make 'official threads', perhaps KIT would do the honors?

    Disscusion of 'novel leangth' fics... What makes it a 'novel' ? (In fan fic parlance as we've discussed the 'publishing'* aspects at leangth).

    When does a short fic enter the relm of novelisation?

    Did you plan on it being a short story and find it growing by leaps and bounds?

    What about 'story series'? Tying them together to make one? Is it feasible? Why or why would you want to or not?

    Lets go to it!


    *If you are unfamiliar with the LF policy on fan fiction and publication, see the FAQ at the top of the page!
     
  5. DarthBane77

    DarthBane77 Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Feb 26, 2003
    A novel is a piece of organized writting(in our case, fiction), that is of considerable length and centers upon a main character or group of characters or a movement over a period of time. It is sometimes followed with a sequal or sequals. A novel is typically fairly large and heavily organized. Fanfiction is not what I refer to my novel as, but for the sake of disscussion on this forum, I'll let it go as ff. Although, it is fiction written by a fan, it is far more complex and detailed than the tipical ff.

    Hope that clears a few things up, and I didn't mean to break any rules. I hope this thread is made "offical" as soon as possible.
     
  6. anakin_girl

    anakin_girl Jedi Knight star 6

    Registered:
    Oct 8, 2000
    We're all quite old enough to know what a novel is, so please don't insult our intelligence. Also, as posters on a fan fiction writer's forum, we also know what fan fiction is.

    I very rarely start threads myself so I don't know what the rules are as far as "official" threads, but the Fan Fiction FAQ is a good resource for any and all questions.

    In answer to the thread topic--my first piece of fan fiction, although I never intended for it to be a novel, has grown into one--it's in four parts right now--the first three are about 40 pages in Word, the fourth part, in progress, is currently 57 pages in Word.
     
  7. DarthBreezy

    DarthBreezy Chosen One star 6

    Registered:
    Jun 4, 2002
    I'm sure you didn't mean to come across as condesending as you did in that post...

    it is far more complex and detailed than the typical ff.

    This is the statement I find paricularly offensive. I have yet to see or hear of an author who does not put their heart and soul into their work... A short story can be complex and detailed and much more well written than the 'average' novel. Bigger does not always equal better. I was hoping to open this discussion up at bit more to other writers by instigating the questions rather than have such a narrow focus.

     
  8. DarthBane77

    DarthBane77 Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Feb 26, 2003
    I was explaining to DARTHBREZZY what set a novel appart from fanfiction in general. Settle down. Perhaps you should read first, speak later.
     
  9. Melyanna

    Melyanna Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    Jul 19, 2001
    A novel is a piece of organized writting(in our case, fiction), that is of considerable length and centers upon a main character or group of characters or a movement over a period of time. It is sometimes followed with a sequal or sequals. A novel is typically fairly large and heavily organized. Fanfiction is not what I refer to my novel as, but for the sake of disscussion on this forum, I'll let it go as ff. Although, it is fiction written by a fan, it is far more complex and detailed than the tipical ff.

    I'm afraid I have to disagree with this. First of all, a novel is fiction and is always fiction, I think.

    Organized? Not always. I've read some novels that have been pretty disorganized because that's the effect which the author wants. Try reading Faulkner sometime - he's not nearly as organized as some authors, but his longer works certainly qualify as novels. Organization has very little to do with the definition of a novel.

    I'm not sure what you mean by "period of time." The Catcher in the Rye certainly qualifies as a novel, but only covers a few days. A novel could deal with a few hours and still be a novel.

    Vignettes and short stories can also be followed by sequels. That's not something that's relegated to novels only.

    Last, I take serious exception to your last comment about "typical fan fiction." Fan fiction isn't as complex? Isn't as detailed? Try reading something by JediGaladriel, CYNICAL21, Darth_Tim, Sache8, padawan lunetta, RebelMom, or countless other authors at this forum. Heck, you could even read some of my stuff. I don't know how much fan fic you've read or what authors you've read, but I think a lot of people would take exception to the idea that fan fiction isn't "complex" or "detailed." There are a lot of authors who strive to make their stories as complex and detailed as possible - myself being one of them.

    Just because it's not professional doesn't make it any worse, or less thorough, or less enjoyable. Writing is writing, and fan fiction can be as "complex" and "detailed" as any professional novel.

    Mel
     
  10. anakin_girl

    anakin_girl Jedi Knight star 6

    Registered:
    Oct 8, 2000
    DarthBreezy also does not need her intelligence insulted.

    It is hard to read someone's intent in a post, but you did come across as quite condescending.

    And do not tell me to "settle down". You are neither my mother, my boss, or a mod.


    EDITED TO ADD:

    As far as you "letting" your novel "go" as a fan fic: If you're using George Lucas' SW universe, you don't have much choice--since you didn't create the universe, you are "playing in his playground", so to speak, and if you were to not call your piece "fan fic" and instead call it original fiction and try to sell it, you could be sued--even if you're using original characters. There is a lot of fan fic here that is written with entirely original characters.
     
  11. DarthBane77

    DarthBane77 Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Feb 26, 2003
    Breezy, please don't take offense. I meant that in a novel's length, there is often more room for character development and overall detail(as in more development into every aspect). I didn't wish to insult any ff writters. I write ff and I know it takes a lot of work. Not saying bigger is better, just more detailed due to more room to put detail into. A 500 page novel of mine has a greater pitch in detail than most ff. Not that its better at all-just more explainitory. Make sense?
     
  12. DarthBreezy

    DarthBreezy Chosen One star 6

    Registered:
    Jun 4, 2002
    IMHO, this thread needs a restart...
    Rudeness is not a way to get your point across.
    Edit

    See Mel's post... she has it in the nutshell.
     
  13. Lt_Jaina_Solo

    Lt_Jaina_Solo Jedi Knight star 5

    Registered:
    May 27, 2002
    *peeps up*

    I for one kind of appreciated the explanation, since I wasn't sure if my story qualified for a noval...And another thing, could you guys try to be a little more civil? Because it's kind of starting to freak me out...
     
  14. DarthBane77

    DarthBane77 Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Feb 26, 2003
    Wow. Harsh. I meant no harm. Excuse me if I came across the way you percieved. That was not my intention.
     
  15. DarthBreezy

    DarthBreezy Chosen One star 6

    Registered:
    Jun 4, 2002
    I've sent a PM to Kit asking if she could start an 'official' thread with the outline that I proposed... it would make it a bit more diverse....
     
  16. Melyanna

    Melyanna Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    Jul 19, 2001
    But detailed doesn't automatically mean better. Strangely, not everyone has the time to read that much. And just because you can saturate a story with detail doesn't mean you automatically should.

    I think you're making some blanket statements here that may not be true. You say "most fan fic" a lot - well, I think you might be surprised at how many people write really long fan fics.

    I'm in the midst of a 500+ page story myself, and a series of well over 1000 pages, and not all of it is super-detailed. Sometimes it's needed, sometimes it's not.

    Sure, you have more time for complexity in longer works, but that doesn't mean that shorter works automatically don't have complexity or detail. I wish I could show you some of the original works of a friend of mine - more detail than most authors could ever hope to use, and in the space of five or six pages.

    So in the end, whether or not something is a novel has less to do with its complexity and more with its length. Again, I point you to Faulkner... "A Rose for Emily" is one of the most complex pieces I've ever read, and it's only about ten pages long.

    Mel
     
  17. PadmeLeiaJaina

    PadmeLeiaJaina Force Ghost star 6

    Registered:
    May 23, 2002
    But detailed doesn't automatically mean better.

    Yes, if you want the ultimate case in point of that try (and I emphasize TRY) reading Faulkner's The Sound and the Fury. It is considered to be one of the greatest pieces of modern canonical works by an American writer. The first part of it, written as free-thought association by a mentally deficient character Benjy is nearly incomprehensible on the first reading. Case in point, it is hailed for its groundbreakingly different way of entering into the mind of a character.

    People who write fanfiction do it for a variety of reasons.

    Why do I do it? First off because I detested how the publishers splintered off the SW story during the EU. I wished to write up my own universe of what would happen instead of the Vong invading our beloved GFFA and wrecking havoc on all of our characters lives.

    I consider my first trilogy "Destinies Entwined" that I wrote on these boards to be novel length (and in fact won an online award for it being cited as novel-length, so I guess I'm not too far off ;) ) I pride myself for expertly weaving together a myriad of intricate plot-lines and in-depth character analysis into my saga and stories.

    I do not outline. Outlines annoy me and stilt my creativity. I allow my story to unveil through my fingers. Does this make me a 'lesser skilled fanfic writer'? Most certainly not. I have a major cliffhanger, finale sequence in my mind and let my fingers direct me to that point at the story. I find that I, and my characters get led down roads and side alleys that I would have never expected had I sat and planned everything ahead of time. My writing is richer and fuller as a result.

    Would I ever have expected to write a 600 page monster when I first started writing DE last summer? No way! I've never written anything longer than 20 pages beforehand. And that was even painful at the time.

    Writing fanfic reawakened the writer within me. Other tales that do not belong in the GFFA are whispering to me... and begging to be written. I hope that one day when I start to do so that I can get them published. Even if that does happen and it is considered novel length, I will never view it as my first novel written. "Destinies Entwined" has, and will always hold that honor.

    And I couldn't be prouder. :)
     
  18. Boba_Fett_123

    Boba_Fett_123 Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    Aug 6, 2002
    "Typical" fan fiction? That just put me in a bad mood. You think that you're better than the rest of us just because you wrote a novel?? [sarcastic clapping] Do you think that we have no talent, or something?

    And length? Length has nothing to do with anything!!! Ra Skywalker just finished a Tenel Ka fic; the thread is less than 3 pages long, yet it has the best characterisation of Tenel Ka I've ever read, fan or pro fic, and is more complex than any SW story that I know of. Myself, I've written a series of five books; together, they most likely total under 50 pages, but I like to think of them as "good", and I know I've had a lot of fun writing Shira Brie, and I feel she is the best character in the story.

    Try not to be so condescending, cuz you won't get anywhere that way. Just so long as you realise that you are no better a writer than anyone here, then I'm good. But please don't treat us like children!!!

    Boba
     
  19. anakin_girl

    anakin_girl Jedi Knight star 6

    Registered:
    Oct 8, 2000
    *applauds Boba*

    Preach it, brother.

    You said everything I wanted to say.
     
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