A Question of Loaning out OC's

Hi everyone,
I guess I'm more or less a newbie still on the forums. I've completed one long story thread and am on a second right now but I still feel like I'm learning some ropes here.

In anycase, I've read a lot of people's interest in the idea of swapping original characters w/other authors and allowing various authors to use their creations. And I was curious how one goes about lending out characters...

I'm not doing this for an egostroke or anything but I'd actually be quite interested in seeing how other writers portray characters I've written so I guess its more of a curiosity thing. Plus, I'd love to get a chance to write other people's OC's as well.

Is it just an arrangement you can do w/an author you already know or is there some place or thread around here I'm not seeing to do the OC swaps?

--Joon

 

I don't believe there's a thread about character swapping.

I would imagine that writers would only loan out their original characters to somebody they knew well and trusted to write their character fairly, or more importantly, not to kill that character off.

 

There -was- a thread in which Neon Star offered her character Atrus to any taker.

But my opinion on the subject is that nobody can write characters as well as that person who came up with them in the first place.

 

I guess it depends on the person. Take myself for example. I have my original characters in a set storyline and have strong ideas for their characters. So I'm not too keen on letting anyone I don't know well use them, because that means they won't know me or my ideas for the character well. They might unintentionally change or add something that shouldn't be messed with.

However there are people I know and trust, who I let use them.

So I think it's mainly an asking the individual author thing, because not all people are as over protective as me.

 

I've borrowed someone elses original characters, it's very daunting. I think it's best to work with an author you already know and who has read your stories, meaning they already have an interest in your characters.

Jane Jinn said, "But my opinion on the subject is that nobody can write characters as well as that person who came up with them in the first place."

That's so true.

It is a great experience though, for the borrowing author. I've learned a lot from it.

 

The main thing it boils down to is, if you want to borrow someone's character, ASK PERMISSION. And be ready to tell the author exactly what you're planning to do with them.

I haven't borrowed anyone's... yet... but who knows what the bunnies will bring...

 

Everyone does make a good point Joon. Yes, definately get permission from the author if you decide to borrow an OC.

Ultimately it does boils down to comfortability: does an author who creates a character confident enough that the character can work/survive another author's vision of that character?

Currently I have characters, events, and ideas being borrowed by fans of mine because I am giddy to see how they can take those things and 'sell' them; see, with creativity credit (another thing: if you borrow a character, give credit where credit is due with the Author's name; story also is feesible.) many benefit and not just you.

Also I am working on a fic which I created the character in a past fic, had a friend of mine here on the boards define the character further, and now I am using that character again. Not only is it unique, but it's challenging and a thrill.

 

ehhh...wow. thought this thread was dead in the water after I'd posted it.

I guess to make my own intentions clearer, i was asking in case any one was willing to use OC's that I'd created. Call it an author's ego stroke or just plain....ego-stroking curiosity but I was curious how characters I'd created were seen by other authors out there.

I'm currently nearly finished writing a thread w/OC's I've spent a lot of time w/and felt it was time to move on but was just gripped by a nostalgia that made me hate the idea of them just being abandoned in cyberspace.