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  1. In Memory of LAJ_FETT: Please share your remembrances and condolences HERE

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. Findswoman

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

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    Feb 27, 2014
    "A rancor of a man"? "A wampa of a man"? Even "a bantha of a man"? Really, methinks any of those large, furry (or non-furry) GFFA beasts would work perfectly well. :D
     
  2. Goodwood

    Goodwood Jedi Master star 5

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    May 11, 2011
    Bantha? Nek?
     
  3. TrakNar

    TrakNar Jedi Grand Master star 5

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    Apr 4, 2011
    A gundark of a man?
     
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  4. jcgoble3

    jcgoble3 Chosen One star 6

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    Nov 7, 2010
    I think this one works best.
     
  5. Mando-Man

    Mando-Man Jedi Master star 2

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    Dec 1, 2008
    'He was a rancor of a man' would be my suggestion
     
  6. Viridian-Maiden

    Viridian-Maiden Jedi Master star 1

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    Aug 14, 2013
    Hi all! I think this was mentioned once before, but is there a way/place to dump wikipedia-type notes on my fan-created information? There was some mention about a wiki with fan-created planets - can I use it for other things too? For example, I have an OC who's also from an original species and I wanted to put down some information about social structure and culture that might help the reader but which the story itself might not be able to fully explain. I also have an invention that I mention once or twice and I'd possibly like to link to a place where the reader can see how I envision the invention functioning. In that case, it's probably easier for the reader to overlook the parts they don't understand than the bits about the social structure of my original species. But I just wondered if the fan content wiki is the best place to put that?

    On the other hand, do you think it's better to just try and include this information as much in the narration of the story as possible? I.e. am I failing as a writer/would you think I'm doing poorly as a writer if I don't find a way to make these things understandable and not resort to outside wiki-style notes of additional information?

    Thank you sincerely.
     
  7. TrakNar

    TrakNar Jedi Grand Master star 5

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    Apr 4, 2011
    Star Wars Fanon Wiki would be the place to do it.
     
  8. Chyntuck

    Chyntuck Force Ghost star 5

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    Jul 11, 2014
    It's unavoidable that you'll have more information about whatever species/planet/culture you create than what makes it into your fic. If you could see the pages and pages of notes I have about all sorts of stuff, you'd feel less lonely :) I like to think that having extra material is a sign of having well thought-out what you're writing. I also think that how much of that info makes it into your fic has mostly to do with your purpose when writing this fic, e.g. is it a fic about the species you developed, or is it a narrative in which this species plays a role, or is it a narrative in which the species merely makes an appearance?

    Oh, and stop worrying about failure and post. We're all waiting for the sequel to 37:35, you know ;)

    EDIT: Gamiel I vote for 'rancor'
     
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  9. Gamiel

    Gamiel Chosen One star 9

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    Dec 16, 2012
    I want something that say hairy as well as big and strong, maybe I should go with wookiee?
     
  10. Goodwood

    Goodwood Jedi Master star 5

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    May 11, 2011
    I think you should go with wampa. Wookiees are people, too, and the metaphor sort of falls in on itself when you're using a sentient species as the comparison point. Bears are animals, as are wampas, and the phrase harkens back not only to physical characteristics, but behavior as well (Wookiees have fairly strict ethical codes).
     
    pronker likes this.
  11. Chyntuck

    Chyntuck Force Ghost star 5

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    Jul 11, 2014
    I agree with Goodwood that you should pick a non-sentient species. Wampa is good, and in the less aggressive big-and-hairy category there's bantha as well.

    EDIT: here's a question of my own. Is there a starwarsy equivalent to the Mohawk (haircut)?
     
  12. Gamiel

    Gamiel Chosen One star 9

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    Dec 16, 2012
    That is true but at the same time so are my characters not that political correct...

    But how well know are wampas? I mean we who have seen the movies know about them but what about the normal people in GFFA?
     
  13. stellarmagic01

    stellarmagic01 Jedi Master star 4

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    Nov 1, 2012

    They're better known then you'd think. Apparently the Wampa is a species which has been found on multiple planets and adapted to multiple climates. Dromuund Kaas is home to a breed of wampa adapted to the swamps, and so forth.
     
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  14. Gamiel

    Gamiel Chosen One star 9

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    Dec 16, 2012
    Did not know that, so I will probably use wampa.
     
  15. Goodwood

    Goodwood Jedi Master star 5

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    May 11, 2011
    Seems to me like wampas are basically the GFFA equivalent of bears after all, stellarmagic01, because bears are just about everywhere and come in all manner of varieties (polar, grizzly, Kodiak, brown, black, etc.), each adapted to their own environments.
     
  16. Gamiel

    Gamiel Chosen One star 9

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    Dec 16, 2012
    Now I want to see the wampa equivalence to panda :p
     
  17. ThreadSketch

    ThreadSketch Jedi Master star 4

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    Dec 22, 2013
    My search on the Wook for this particular subject wasn't very successful, so I'm looking for help from y'all - is there any instrument currently existing in the EU/GFFA that's equivalent to a piano? Not an electronic keyboard, but an actual piano or something akin to it. If there isn't, does anyone have any suggestions for what a SW version of a piano could be called? I haven't been able to think of a name that would make it reasonably non-Earth-y but still potentially recognizable as an instrument that's played like or sounds similar to a piano.
     
  18. Gamiel

    Gamiel Chosen One star 9

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    Dec 16, 2012
    Well, I would probably use piano, if it is a piano but then again I plan to use Telharmonium for synthesiser
     
  19. Goodwood

    Goodwood Jedi Master star 5

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    May 11, 2011
    How about "acoustic keyboard"? It has the same meaning and carries the same connotation as "piano," because that's basically what a piano is, plus it has the advantage of being culture-neutral. I don't know who invented the piano or gave it its name, but it may have been someone who was not a speaker of English. Plus it's open for modifiers, such as "grand acoustic keyboard", "upright acoustic keyboard" and others.
     
  20. Findswoman

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

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    Feb 27, 2014
    As to keyboard instruments that already exist in the GFFA, there's Max Rebo's instrument, the nalargon—which, granted, has an action more similar to an organ than a piano (since makes its sound using air instead of striking strings with hammers), but is nevertheless an acoustic rather than an electronic instrument, and it's played using a keyboard.

    Now as for coming up with a name for something piano-like in the GFFA... the best I can do is share the approach I personally take for inventing GFFA musical terminology, which is based on my own background in music history and which I know won't work for everyone, but here goes anyway:

    The name "piano" is short for "pianoforte": piano in Italian is "soft" and forte is "loud," and they are so called because they were among the first keyboard instruments on which players could control the volume level at which they were playing by touch alone (i.e., hitting the key harder gets you a louder sound—which isn't the case on harpsichord or organ). When the first piano-like instruments were invented in the first third or so of the 18th century, they were called gravicembalo col piano e forte (which basically means "harpsichord with soft and loud") and fortepiano (just "piano" and "forte" in reverse order). So one approach could be to take those early names for the piano and make a few tweaks to them: something like "gravicem" or "fortepian" or even "gravi-pian." That way you have a name that's somewhat recognizable in that it's related to (historical) Earth terminology, but it's still unfamiliar-sounding enough to fit in in the GFFA. (In a similar vein, I might call a harpsichord in the GFFA "clavicem," "harpsikon," or "arpicordion"—all of which are based on various historical terms for that instrument.)

    Hope that helps—again, just sharing my own thought process. :)
     
  21. ThreadSketch

    ThreadSketch Jedi Master star 4

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    Dec 22, 2013
    That's a more sophisticated approach to how I sometimes name foods that I'm not already lifting from the EU - I'll often look up either the scientific name of its equivalent plant, or its name in different languages and create a mash-up to make a new name. I like this method. :D

    Thank you Findswoman, Goodwood, and Gamiel for your help and suggestions!
     
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  22. Chyntuck

    Chyntuck Force Ghost star 5

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    Jul 11, 2014
    Findswoman Since we're at it, you wouldn't have a suggestion for a GFFA version of "oratorio", would you?
     
  23. Gamiel

    Gamiel Chosen One star 9

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    Dec 16, 2012
    I am working on a gunslinger Force tradition that is not just jedis with guns and was wondering what Force skills and techniques they should have?
    I have already decided on Force guided shot; Enchanted sense/s; Enchanted physical ability; Healing meditation and the usual combat skills/techniques. What more should they have?
     
  24. Goodwood

    Goodwood Jedi Master star 5

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    May 11, 2011
    The Coruscant Nights trilogy features a main character who can deflect blaster bolts with blaster bolts! I think they call themselves the Grey Paladins or something.
     
  25. Gamiel

    Gamiel Chosen One star 9

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    Dec 16, 2012
    Found them on Wookipeedia, they don't feel like what I am looking for. The 'Paladins Force skills/techniques that are mentioned are Force guided shot; Enchanted sense/s; Enchanted physical ability; Iron fist and the usual combat skills/techniques. Nothing really new or interesting.

    Also: do anybody know what the 'Paladins actually do besides being combat monsters?