MOD FanFic FAQ version 7.0

Hello! And welcome to Fan Fiction at TFN!

We're glad you are here, but before you jump right in an begin to post, please take a look at this FAQ and familiarize yourself with the ins and outs of Fan Fic here. Don't panic! at the size of this FAQ, its not as scary as it first appears.

Fan Fiction on this forum is for Star Wars fanfiction, where people write stories based in a galaxy far, far away. We pride ourselves of being a warm and inviting environment to share your work or just to enjoy some stories. It can be a little bit crazy and with any place on the internet, we have our unspoken rules and ways. If you read this FAQ and watch how other interact, you'll soon be a part of it too.

If you want to post your non-Star Wars Fanfic, please check out the NSWFF boards.




First things first...

Above all, please follow the Rules of the Jedi Council Forums as these apply board wide. More information can be found in the Rules and Announcements Forum.

To know the going ons of the forums and any changes to policy, check the Communications Forum also known as Comms.

The Mods​

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Your Fan Fic mods are mavjade and Briannakin. Moderators (also sometimes known as managers) are here to help you and to enforce the rules of the boards. If you have any questions or problems, it is they who you contact. The moderators for any specific forum can be found at the top and bottom of each forum. Moderators can be recognised by their titles and their colors. You can see what moderators are currently online on the front page under 'Staff Online Now'.

Administrators are the heads of the forums and in charge of the daily management of the forums. If you have a problem you don't feel comfortable going to a forums mods for the Admins are who you would contact. In the 'Staff Online Now' they show as red where mods show as green. The current Admins are Ramza, who is the head admin, JointheSchwarz and LAJ_FETT.




Index of this FAQ

I. Fan Fic Lingo

1. Upping
2. Pimping
3. Concrit
4. Thread manager
5. Abbreviations

II. Board Wide Rules/Lingo

1. Family Friendly
2. Baiting/Flaming
3. Bashing
4. Trolling
5. Profanity
6. Famous People
7. Real Person Fic

III. What are in the Forums?

1. Fan Fic Resource
2. Sub-Forum: Story Forums
3. Classic Fan Fic
4. Fan Fic Index
5. Sticky Threads

IV. Organization

1. Story Prefixes
2. Resource Prefixes
3. Other Prefixes

V. Posting in Fan Fic Resource

1. Fan Fic Forum Concerns
2. Redundant Threads
3. Appreciation Threads
4. Games/Challenges

VI. Posting in Story Threads

1. Sexual Deceptions
2. Sexual Reference
3. Slash/Same-Sex Relationships
4. Interspecies Romantic Relationships
5. Violence
6. Mature Themes
7. Religious Issues
8. Rating for Novels

VII. Socilization


VIII. Shared Usernames


IX. Promoting Fics

1. Why you can't promote fics
2. What counts as promoting
3. How do I get readers?
4. Tips for posting fan fic on TFN
5. Promoting other websites

X. Update Notifications


XI. Plagerism


XII. Writing Help

1. Help with writing/plot/characterization
2. General writing help
3. Writing tip or article
4. Co-writing/Round Robins

XIII. Discussion/Index Threads

1. Running a thread

XIV. Spoiler Policy



XV. Fun and Games

1. Mod challenges
2. Ongoing challenges
3. Other challenges

XVI. Last Words

Fan Fic Lingo​

Upping
Posting in a thread for the sole purpose of putting it on page 1. Incessant upping is considered spamming and will earn you a ban. When it comes to upping your story or replying to your readers, please exercise common sense and courtesy to your fellow writers. For story threads, the Rule of Thumb is allowing at least a day between posting a story/update and thanking your readers.

Promoting
Shamelessly promoting your story or thread, via mentioning or linking to a story. This is often done in resource threads or through PMs, and it's considered very rude and against the rules. Certain threads will allow you to mention your story freely, while others prefer that you don't (See a list of allowed threads in the section below) . If you're unsure if linking to a story is allowed somewhere, PM the mods or thread managers. If you promote your story in an inappropriate thread, it will be edited.

Concrit
Shorthand for "constructive criticism," and defined in Fan Fic as any suggestions to an author that would change the style/tone/plot of a story (see below for more details). Commenting on formatting details such as paragraph spacing is not considered concrit. You must have an author's explicit permission before giving concrit, whether publicly or privately. Any unsolicited concrit comments will be removed.

Thread manager
The person in charge of a particular thread. In the story forums, it's the author. In Resource, it's the person who runs the discussion or organises the challenges. Socks may be used if two or more people are managing a thread (see Shared Usernames for more details). Thread managers are responsible for ensuring the thread runs smoothly and bringing any problems to the mods' attention. You can contact the managers if you have questions about the thread.

Abbreviations
Common shorthands used on these boards.

Characters
H/L - Han and Leia
L/M - Luke and Mara
A/A or Ani/Ami or A/P - Anakin and Padme Amidala
S/S - The Skywalker and Solo families
J/J - Jag and Jaina
K/J - Kyp and Jaina
J/Z - Jaina and Zekk
J/TK - Jacen and Tenel Ka
Sabewan/Obidala/Siriwan – Obi-Wan and Sabe; Obi-Wan and Amidala: Obi-Wan and Siri
A/T – Anakin and Tahiri
B/J - Ben Skywalker and Jysella Horn
OC - original character


Timeline
Before- Before the Saga: takes place prior to the movies
Saga- Takes place during the time of the movies
Beyond- Beyond the Saga: takes place after the movies
EU - Expanded Universe (all of the books)
KOTOR – Knights of the Old Republic game, 4,000 before TPM
JA - The Jedi Apprentice books about Obi-Wan's youth before TPM
JQ - The Jedi Quest books about Anakin Skywalker's youth before AotC.
TPM - The Phantom Menace
AOTC - Attack of the Clones
CW – Clone War
ROTS – Revenge of the Sith
ANH - A New Hope
ESB - The Empire Strikes Back
ROTJ - Return of the Jedi
BBY- Before the Battle of Yavin
ABY- After the Battle of Yavin
NJO - The New Jedi Order books, 25 years ABY
YJK – The Young Jedi Knights books
DN – Dark Nest trilogy, 35 years ABY
LOTF - Legacy of the Force series, 40 years ABY
FOTJ- Fate of the Jedi Series, 43.5 years ABY
PT - Episodes 1-3, the prequels
OT - Episodes 4-6, the original trilogy
ST - Upcoming Episodes 7-9, Sequel Trilogy
post-RotJ - takes place after the OT
pre-TPM - takes place before the movies
inter-trilogy or IT - between the PT and OT trilogies

Genre/General fanfic/Other
AU - alternate universe
H/C - hurt/comfort
squad fic - fighter squadron stories
humor - lots of silliness
angst - anguish, torment, fear, anxiety
crossover or X-over - mixing Star Wars with another movie, tv series or book
'ship - short for relationship. Example usage: "I 'ship Jania/Jag"
shipper - someone who supports a specific ship. Example: "She's a hardcore Luke/Mara shipper."
songfic - a story based on the lyrics of a song
Obi-torture - Obi-Wan gets hurt and comforted
round robin or RR - multi-author story inviting more people to join in (also called an add-on)
ISRR – Interspecies romantic relationship

JC Board-Wide Rules and Lingo​

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These are the Jedi Council rules as they apply to Fan Fic.

Family-friendly
The standard applied to the JC forums. Stories in Fan Fic must adhere to this standard in descriptions of sex, violence, and torture. See "What can I post in story forums?" for more details. Technically, we do not follow the MPAA rating system, but we use this context to help us judge a whether or not a story’s fit for these forums.

Baiting/Flaming
A bait is a comment that elicits a particular (usually negative or TOS-violating) response from another user. Flaming is when one user attacks another.

Baiting Examples (meant to offend, but not necessarily offensive unless you know the context)
HAN: (to Lando) What's going on . . . buddy?

HAN: You didn't see us alone in the south passage. She expressed her true feelings for me.

ANAKIN: General Grievous. You're shorter than I expected.

LEIA: You came in that thing? You're braver than I thought.

Flaming Examples (obvious insults)
LEIA: I don't know where you get you delusions, laser brain.

HAN: Threepio, you tell that slimy piece of worm-ridden filth he'll get no such pleasure from us!

VADER: He is as clumsy as he is stupid.

ANGRY ALIEN DRIVER: Jedi poodoo!!

Borderline Examples (stop just short of naming names, or with strongly implied insults)
HAN: If we can just avoid any more female advice, we ought to be able to get out of here.

QUI-GON : The ability to speak does not make you intelligent.

OBI-WAN: Why do I get the feeling we've picked up another pathetic lifeform?
--examples courtesy of ophelia

In Fan Fic we don’t allow users to flame stories or discussion threads. A general rule of thumb is, "If you don't like, don't read it, and don't post in it." We also do not criticise spelling and grammar. People who might not know this will get a polite PM informing them of this "local" standard. For people who are well aware of it, this behaviour is considered flamebaiting.

In addition, users are free to express negative opinions, but the focus should never be other users. Discuss the stories, not the fans. Always be respectful and polite. The JC Rules of Conduct and Terms of Service prohibits abusing other users. If you receive a flame via PM, a administrator will need to access it, but once it's seen it will be treated as a post on the board.

Bashing
Incessantly making strong negative comments about a particular topic.

Trolling/ Thread-crapping
Posting in a thread for the sole purpose of derailing it or bashing.

Note: Jedi Council moderators can only act on events that occur at the JC. Report comments on other boards or in instant messaging to the management involved in those forums.



Profanity
Authors can use curses from the Star Wars movies and the books. The mods will edit anything on the disallowed list and will send a PM reminder. Repeat offences will result in disciplinary action.

These lists apply to all JC forums and are subject to change.

Allowable:

Hell
Damn
Douche (when not being used as an insult)
Crap
Ass / Arse and derivatives (when not being used as an insult towards another person)
Bitch (true dictionary definition, verb usage and when not being used towards another person)
Bastard (dictionary definition and some verb usage)
Penis / Vagina / any proper term for genitalia (only in a sheer biological sense and discussion)

Not Allowed:

Prick (except when used as a proper noun or a verb)
****er / **** / ****ing / Fap / Fapping / Jacking off / words that mean masturbating that aren't "MASTURBATING"
Handjob / Blowjob
Tosser
***k / ***king / ***ked
C*nt
****
Retarded (when directed at someone or something - demeaning)
Nigger / Chink / Gook / Coon / Cracker / Honkey (any racial slur)
Gay / Ghey / Homo / Dyke / Poofters (used in derogatory fashion)
Fag / Faggot (when used in a derogatory fashion)
S*it / *****
Cock/Dick (when used as slang for genitalia)
Tits / Titties
Pussy (when referring to anything other than in the feline sense)
Bitch (referencing another person) (also Bee-yotch, or Bi-otch, or Bitchslap)
Son of a Bitch (or it's acronym)
Bastard (when used as an insult to any person)
Whore (when used as an insult to any person)
Slut / Ho
******* / ********
Balls (when used as a flame towards someone else. e.g. saying you'll kick person X in the balls.)

Update on previous ban on acronyms: Acronyms relating to and containing abbreviations for disallowed words no longer need to be starred out. (Examples: BS, FML, WTF etc.) Please remember that words on the Disallowed Words List must still be starred out in their entirety. Further, please remember that while these acronyms are allowed, flaming another user still isn't. So be mindful of how you address other users on the boards.


Note- In fanfics, whore,bastard, and slut are allowed as insults between fictional characters. Aside from dictionary definitions, other uses will be edited. In stories, however, we encourage you to find your own Star Wars curse words.


Famous people
In Fan Fic we accord famous people and those involved with Star Wars (or any other venture which might make their names known) the same level of respect we would fellow posters. This means that in spoofs, SW-meets-Earth stories, or discussions in Resource, we will treat a personal attack on a celebrity as an attack on a poster. This doesn't mean you can't critique work. Attacking looks or simply being cruel is not permitted.

Real Person Fic (RPF)
RPF is where one uses real people as characters in a story. This is not allowed on the JC.

What are in the Forums?​

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FanFic Resource
A Forum where both writers and readers of FanFic can seek assistance with writing and reading of Star Wars Fanfic as well as socilize with fellow writers and readers. Here you will also find important board information from your mods. It is organized by thread prefixes.

Sub-forum: Fan Fiction Before, Saga and Beyond
This is the heart of Fan Fic where the stories are posted. Before the Saga, The Saga and Beyond the Saga stories can all be found here organized by thread prefixes.

Classic Fan Fiction
Can be found from the main forums under Fan Fiction. These are stories that were written and posted before the split into Before, Saga and Beyond. This is a read only forum.

Fan Fic Index
A list of the most helpful and popular threads in FanFic Resource. Check here before starting a new thread to see if such a thread already exists. If you find a thread is locked, contact a mod to have it unlocked. If you think a new thread should be started as that thread is very old, contact a mod prior to beginning that thread.

Sticky Threads
These threads are permanently at the top of the forums and are threads that will not fall down the page. They are usually important and should be looked at frequently. Here in Fan Fic the FAQ and Index are stickied as well as any announcements we want you to find.

Organization​

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Both the Resource and Story Forums are organized by prefixes. These colored tags can be found at the beginning of most threads and can be used to filter to seeing only that specific prefix. Example: Click on the Before prefix in the story boards and only see stories tagged as Before.

Story Prefixes
To be used in the story forum. Use these tags to mark the era in which your story takes place. If your story falls into more than one era, tag it with the one where the majority of the story takes place.

Before - Any story that takes place before The Phantom Menace

Saga - Any story that takes place within the current movie timeline, from The Phantom Menace through Return of the Jedi.

Beyond - Any story that takes place after Return of the Jedi.


Resource Prefixes
These can only be used only in Fanfic Resource. If your resource thread falls under more than one category choose the one that fits the best.

Challenge - This tag should be used as an indication that this is a fanfic challenge. (Remember, a challenge needs to be approved by a mod before posting)

Characters - Although not as popular as they once were, this is for character and/or 'ship discussion threads. If a thread is a discussion on a character or 'ship and also an index for that character or 'ship, choose "Characters" as the tag.

Discussion - This tag is to be used when there is a discussion that pertains to writing or fanfiction. This tag should not be used for discussions on your individual fanfic, but fan fiction in general (ex: articles pertaining to fan fiction).

Index - This tag should be used for story indices of any kind (ex. characters, 'ships, type of fic etc.)

Resource - This tag should be used for threads that can be a resource to everyone. (Ex. Beta list, Star Wars words, writing workshops)



Other Prefixes:
These tags are to be used by the mods only but you should still be aware of what they mean.

Mod - This tag means there is something the mods need for everyone to know. It would be wise to read anything that comes up under this tag. It's the color red for a reason!

ModChallenge - This is an official challenge issued by the mods which means there are probably prizes involved in participating.

What Can I post in Fan Fic Resource?​

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This is the place to discuss things related to writing in genreal and Fan Fic, reading of Fan Fic, and to participate in challenges and games.

Fan Fic Forum Concerns/Questions
Forum-specific questions may be discussed in Resource. Wider issues, such as rules implemented by the site owners or concerns about the way Fan Fic is handled, should be taken to Comms. Please feel free to come to a mod with your questions but they may also be posted in forums. Below are some examples as to which forum they would belong:

Fan Fic Resource

• Should we hold the awards again
• Should we not allow character threads

Comms

• Should Slash be allowed in Fan Fic
• Should the language rules for stories be more in line with the board wide rules.

Questions regarding moderators should always be taken via PM/Convo. If you are uncomfortable taking an issue to a mod, you may take it to an admin.

Redundant Threads
If a thread is already present for the topic you'd like to discuss, we will most likely lock the new thread and direct you to the old one. There are exceptions for challenge and discussion threads (see below). If you have an idea for a thread, check the Fan Fic Index and the first few pages of Resource. If an old thread is locked, PM the mods to have it unlocked.

Appreciation Threads
Such threads for authors, stories, and OCs are not allowed anywhere.

Games/Challenges
You must have moderator approval prior to posting. See Fun and Games for more info.

Polls
Just as we don't allow threads that ask what story you should write/characters you should use/era you should write in, we also don't allow polls of this nature (in resource or the story boards). It's considered pimping and we will ask you to delete it.


Self-Publishing
Self-Publishing is becoming more and more popular and we are ecstatic that some of our fellow writers are using this method to get their works seen, but please keep in mind that the rules of advertising and pimping do apply to this as well.

You may have links to your novels in your signature or bio, but please do not talk titles, plot synopses, sales numbers etc. in threads. You are more than welcome to take those conversations to PM if you would like to know more about someone's work.

What can I post in the Story Threads??​

Only stories are allowed in Before the Saga, Saga, and Beyond the Saga. Narrative fiction, poetry, parodies and screenplays are all acceptable formats for the story forums. Links to stories on an outside site are not allowed and will be removed.

Prefixes are used to separate what era your story is posted in. When posting a story, pick the correct prefix, Before, Saga or Beyond. If your story falls into more than one category, choose the prefix where most of your story takes place.

As stated before, Fan Fic holds a family-friendly rating, which does not necessarily mean PG in the traditional MPAA sense. Because of these standards, we’ve instituted several guidelines for story content. Included here are "high water" marks donated graciously by several authors. We will ask you to edit descriptions that are any more explicit.

If you are unsure if your story is appropriate, PM/Convo the mods with the excerpts you are unsure of and we will let you know. It's always best to err on the side of caution.


Sexual depictions
a) An example of the absolute limit for explicitness in sexuality. Very little is mentioned specifically here, and it is very much consensual.

Anakin pulled her in even closer. "Oh Padmé," he whispered softly into her ear. "Never, never, never think that..." he started to undo the fastenings on her coat. It was an oddly heavy coat for the season, and he figured that even in the chill of the flat she would be hot. He slipped his hands inside and to his surprise, they met bare flesh. Anakin pulled away and looked at Padmé, thoroughly puzzled. ​

​

Padmé smiled sweetly at him and began to finish undoing the buttons. ​

​

"I wanted to make my apologies to you... in person," she said huskily, and dropped the coat to the floor where it pooled around her ankles. The only thing that adorned her now was a pair of slip on shoes that were quickly and carelessly kicked aside. She kissed his open palm, delighting in his reaction. ​

​

"I'm sorry Ani..." she whispered, and then began to tease his finger tips over her lips suggestively.”Can we kiss and make up?" ​

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Anakin only nodded dumbly at first and pulled her back down onto the bed, closer to himself. He finally found his voice, choked as it might have been. "Only good part of a fight," he murmured into her ear. "Making up... next time... skip the fight... go straight to this... " ​

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Padmé began tracing kisses down the front of his body, undressing him as she went. Very quickly, she realized that her plans for an apology were being very, very, well received indeed. Very... ​

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--Darth Breezy, "The Rocker Chair"​

b) Stories depicting sex with minors are not allowed. For these forums, a minor is anyone below 18 years of age. Romantic pairings are fine, as is a minor holding a crush on an adult, but these may not cross into sexual relationships.

References to anyone under the age of 16 being involved in sexual relationships are not allowed.

Minors (16 and 17 year olds) can be referenced as being involved in consensual sexual relationships, but in no case are they to be involved with anyone over the age of 21.

Sexual references
As opposed to sexual depictions, addressed in ratings, sexual references may simply be comments made in passing.

a) Mentioning prostitution is generally acceptable, although it should not be glorified; and again, sexual encounters cannot be explicit.

b) Mentioning incest is questionable and would depend on context. Depictions of characters engaging in incestual practices or incest as an ongoing theme in a story is not allowed. Incest is defined as sexual relations between blood relatives. A pairing with Mara Jade and Anakin Solo, for example, is allowed provided that Anakin is a legal adult.

c) Rape can be discussed but should not be graphically depicted, or, if it can be helped, depicted at all. The emotional and practical fallout is fair game.

d) Sadomasochism, even if it is consensual, is not acceptable.

Slash/ Same-sex relationships
The previous policy on same-sex relationships has been rescinded. There are no restrictions on who can be written in LGBTQ+ relationships including but not limited to canon, Legends, and EU characters.

Interspecies Romantic Relationships
If you have questions regarding suitability of a pairing, please contact a mod before posting.

a) For a definition of pairing:
Pairing = Sex, fooling around, romance/marriage
Non-pairing = Dancing, holding hands, a light kiss, feelings that are not acted upon, unrequited love, passing reference to familial relationships (e.g. “I'm part Twi'lek, part Selonian.”)

b) All pairings that appear in the EU are allowable. For example, in the X-Wing Series, there was a pairing of Face Loran (a human) and Dia Passik (a Twi’lek). Therefore, a human/Twi’lek pairing with different characters is allowed in Fan Fic.

c) Species involved in the pairings should be sentient species, meaning the species have language and culture.

d) Alien/Alien pairings - where the participants are sentient beings of opposite sexes - are allowed.

e) Human/Alien pairings - the human may only be paired with another humanoid. The definition of humanoid for Fan Fic is as follows:
1) For each species considered, if the character could be played by an actor in a suit (this includes pre and post-CGI era), then it is considered humanoid and is allowed. Examples: Wookiees, Neimoidians, and Ewoks.

2) Characters that are CGI creations, or part-CGI creations, but which could have been played by an actor in a costume in the pre-CGI era, would count as humanoid. Example: Gunguns.

3) Beings such as Yoda, who was played by a puppet originally, or Sebulba, who in The Phantom Menace was a CGI creation, but who would have been played by a puppet in the days before CGI, is not considered humanoid.

For EU characters, there are too many to list, and moreover new ones can appear all the time. Therefore if you have a character from a species only used in the EU that you would like to pair with a human, and you have a question about the suitability, contact a mod with the pairing in mind and a description of the EU alien. If possible, references such as books and page numbers where their characteristics are considered should be provided.

If a human/alien pairing exists in the EU, this obviates the rule, and that alien's species may be paired with humans in stories.

f) Labeling is required. Therefore, if you have a fic that involves an interspecies pairing, please label this in your subject line so that people who wish to avoid such fics may be warned. The label suggested is "ISRR" for Interspecies Romantic Relationship.

Violence
This example demonstrates an absolute maximum for the depiction of violence. If an author has a piece that is even approaching this level in terms of explicit depiction, it should be PMed to a moderator before being posted to be verified as staying within the limits.

With a sudden burst of speed, she was there. The rebel rushed forward, screaming rage and obscenities, her vibropike slashing high then low as the blood lust pushed her toward the Jedi. Etched in stark lines of hatred, her face was painted a crimson mask of gore and death. ​

​

As she shoved the pike toward the Padawan, he leapt aside, hoping to escape her fury. She twisted into his path, reaching forward to spear him and rid the universe of the Jedi abomination. But it was too late. ​

​

With one quick thrust, the woman was impaled, the lightsaber blade plunging into her chest. A red mist blossomed out, blood heat turning cool in the air, and covered them both in a fine spray. In the green glow of the saber, the crimson haze darkened, devastation apparent in black gore. ​

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For a brief instant there was silence between them. And suddenly, the insane grunts of her uncontrolled Rancor rage spiraled into high-pitched wails, screams of searing agony. ​

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Qui-Gon just stood there, frozen in the moment. ​

​

He did not hear the shrill echoes of destruction going on all around him. The raucous curses and whispered pleas for mercy, the exploding pulses of detonating bombs, the faint song of far-away birds were without meaning. All he could see, all he could hear, all he could feel was her hoarse howl of bloodied pain. ​

​

She moved then, pulling fiercely at the light spearing her chest, as though she could pluck the torment from her body. But she did not understand that it was already too late. Instead, her hand sliced apart, the fingers falling away and downward, making soft plopping sounds as they hit the blood-soaked ground one by one. Her voice gone in the scorching agony, the mewing whimpers grew fainter as she stared at the Padawan. And then she slumped sidewards, collapsing into the saber. ​

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Qui-Gon tried to shut off his blade but not soon enough. Her body fell apart as the light sizzled through flesh and bone. Her life's blood spurted out in a scarlet cloud, coating everything. As the woman collapsed into pieces, one shortened arm seemed to reach for her errant fingers. ​

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And then she was dead. ​

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--dianethx, "In The Moment"​

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Mature themes
Stories may be based on mature themes, such as drug abuse and torture, but the guidelines mentioned above must be observed. Instances of either should be treated obliquely.

a) Drug use
Drug use should not be shown in great detail and certainly should not be glorified under any circumstances. It should not be used for humorous purposes.

b) Torture
Torture is similar to drug use and rape in that it should be alluded to, rather then actually shown. Its use in a story should also be limited.

1. Generally, no more than three instances of described (instead of alluded to) torture should occur in the entire story. In general more than one instance of described torture within a single story post would also be considered excessive. Ongoing torture may only be alluded to, not shown, and only IF it is necessary for the story.
2. As a rule of thumb, any torture sequence that goes on for more than two screens of text is going to get an automatic request to edit. Within that limit, extremely graphic depictions (which go beyond the excerpt below) may also be asked for an edit.
3. An example: While it is clear what is happening here, Arldetta only mentions a few specific actions, and often in a distant way. The focus is more on what Obi-Wan is feeling rather than what is happening. It is also less than half a screen long.

"[That may be so, but you have been gone for hours. And that is still an offense.]" Slightly calmer, the small floating man pulled a strip of flexi-steel ribbing from a shelf behind him. His hand moved down to the controller, once again activating the impulse. Obi-Wan was rendered immobile as waves of torment crashed through him. A new agony ignited as the strip landed across his shoulders. Quickly and efficiently, Watto flogged the boy. Fifteen lashes in total were dealt but they were enough to make the suffering child cry out in protest. After the last stroke fell, Watto spat down at the imp, “[You’re lucky you’re getting off light. Now close up.]” The Toydarian flew away without another thought. Curled in on himself, Obi-Wan wallowed in his wretchedness. Hugging himself to fend off the anguished remonstration of his body. Tears streaked his dusty cheeks, leaving distinguishable trails. He remained on the floor waiting for the distress to abate enough to allow movement. ​

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--Arldetta, "The Enemy Beside You"​

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Authors who exceed the limits on any of these issues will be asked to edit their work until it complies with the board standard. As these are real issues, and serious ones at that, we ask that you always treat them with tact, caution and respect.

Religious issues/blasphemy
Stories should not make fun of or otherwise insult real life religions. Faiths may be addressed, however, and religious icons may be used in humorous ways as long as it's kept in mind that the faith itself is never attacked. In other words, one might use a Book of Genesis style to spoof a character or an event in Star Wars, but not vice versa. Of particular note: judgment will not be based on which religion was the spoof basis--a slur on Hinduism or Buddhism (or any other religion) is to be seen the same way as a slur on Christianity.

Ratings for EU novels
In the Star Wars films, violence is limited and not particularly graphic, there are very few torture scenes, and sexual themes are downplayed. Bear in mind that not all of the Star Wars literature published meets these standards. For reference, here is a listing of suggested ratings of some officially-issued books, as determined by a panel of board moderators (with special thanks to our colleagues in Literature, for their input!):


Jedi Apprentice - PG
Legacy of the Jedi -- G

DEL REY (Early):
The Han Solo Adventures -- PG
The Lando Calrissian Adventures -- PG
Splinter of the Mind's Eye -- PG

DEL REY (Normal):
Darth Maul: Shadow Hunter -- PG
Rogue Planet -- PG
Cloak of Deception -- PG
The Approaching Storm -- PG
Tatooine Ghost -- PG
Survivor's Quest -- PG
Star Wars Galaxies: The Ruins of Dantooine -- PG

DEL REY (Clone Wars):
Shatterpoint -- R
The Cestus Deception -- PG
Medstar I -- PG/PG-13
Jedi Trial -- PG-13

BANTAM:
The Han Solo Trilogy -- PG-13
Shadows of the Empire -- PG
The Truce at Bakura -- PG
The Bounty Hunter Trilogy -- PG-13
The X-Wing Books -- PG-13 (some PG)
The Courtship of Princess Leia -- PG
The Thrawn Trilogy -- PG
The Jedi Academy Trilogy -- PG
I, Jedi -- PG
The Black Fleet Crisis -- R
Children of the Jedi -- PG
Darksaber -- PG
Planet of Twilight -- PG-13
The Crystal Star -- An abomination.
The New Rebellion -- PG-13
The Corellian Trilogy -- PG
Hand of Thrawn Duology -- PG

JJK - G
YJK - PG

DEL REY (NJO):
Vector Prime -- PG-13
Dark Tide Duology -- R
Agents of Chaos Duology -- R
Balance Point -- R
Edge of Victory Duology -- PG-13
Star By Star -- R
Dark Journey -- PG-13
Enemy Lines Duology -- PG-13
Traitor -- NC-17
Destiny Way -- PG-13
Force Heretic Trilogy -- PG-13
The Unifying Force -- PG-13

What about Socialization?​

Conversations within a thread that stray from the thread’s theme are considered off-topic and should not be allowed to overwhelm the thread. It is the responsibility of the person who begins a thread or hosts it to redirect the topic of discussion when necessary. If for some reason this is not possible (the host is not online for an extend period of time) and no other user has stepped forward to refocus discussion, a mod may take whatever action necessary to insure that the Fan Fiction boards stay focused on Star Wars and/or writing.

If you're in doubt, your friendly fanfic mods will be happy to help you figure out which conversations on your thread are pertinent and of interest to all, and which ones are likely to be perceived by your readers as off-topic, exclusive, and of interest only to the few involved.

a) Any discussion of Star Wars, writing, or fanfic writing/stories is considered on-topic. Discussion of Star Wars actors are considered on-topic only when the discussion pertains to the actor’s portrayal of his/her SW character. A discussion of the nuances of facial expressions that Natalie Portman brought to her role as Padme is on-topic, but a discussion of her stripper performance in "Closer" or discussion of a recent sighting in LA is not.

b) In general, five posts out of every twenty five should have something to do with the topic in hand. This is merely a guideline, and we mods will exercise common sense in evaluating this. If, for example, one whole page in a thread ends up getting derailed, but the pages before and after all contain discussion that is on-topic, it’s not necessary for a moderator to step in. Pages and pages, however, are not acceptable.

c) On story threads, readers can leave feedback, and authors can reply to their readers’ feedback. But all should take care to not excessively "up" stories or keep them on page 1 with random chatter. Please be considerate of your fellow fanficcers in this respect.

Shared Usernames​

The JC forums forbid sharing usernames. It makes enforcement of rules more difficult when the mods can't be certain which person it was who actually broke the forum rules.

However, Fan Fic allows shared usernames for stories or index/discussion threads under the following conditions:

a) You must inform the mods of the shared username and everyone who has access to the name.

b) The shared username can only be used in the appropriate story forum within the story thread itself, or for discussion threads, in the Resource Forum in the appropriate thread.

Under no circumstances can the shared name be used elsewhere. Should forum rules be broken under the name, every person who shares access to that name will equally share in whatever punishment is doled out.

Promoting Fics​

Promoting your fic is not allowed except in threads where express permission is given.

Why you can't promote your fic?
If we allowed fic promotion it would be all that resource would have. Everyone wants people to read and comment on their fics but everyone saying "Read my story!" would get annoying really quickly.

What counts as promoting?

• Slipping a link or a name of your fic into conversation or into another thread.
• Starting threads asking if you should start a story, continue a series, include a character, asking for advice specific to your story or anything of that nature.
• Placeholder threads where you state your intention to start a story.
• Commenting on a fic and then saying 'Check out my fic'.
• Sending an unrequested PM/Convo or tagging a person in your story thread

Where can I link/mention my stories?


You can not mention stories in social threads, general discussion threads, or MOD threads. These threads will either have no tag, a blue discussion tag, or a red MOD tag. These are general discussion or policy discussion threads and there is often little need to post a specific story.



You can mention stories in resource threads, character threads, index threads, and challenge and Mod!challenge threads. These too are clearly marked. If you mention a story in these threads that is not relevant to the discussion or if people think you are monopolizing the thread, we will ask you to take it to private conversations. If you are self-promoting your fics, it will be removed.



Linking along with mentioning a story is up to the discretion of the user, however, if a link or mention is clearly not needed, it will be removed.



Here is an example where a mention of a fic would be considered not needed or self-promotion:

Someone in the Writers Resources says something along the lines of: "I'm working on my fanfic "Titles -R-Us" where Han crashes the Falcon on Wayland and I wanted to know what language native beings there speak." That is sliding your fic into a conversation where it isn't needed. The person could just as easily say, "What do the natives on Wayland speak?"



So How do I get Readers?
The best way to get readers is to read and comment yourself, join in on challenges and socialize with your fellow fan ficcers. If you see a discussion on your favorite character or relationship, join in! Read and comment on stories that have characters or 'ships that you will be writing, these people will most likely by your readers. Get a Fan Fic Master and/or beta as these people will read your story and other will see them reading your story. Most participants of challenges read others fics from that challenge, join in!

If people get to know you and see you around, commenting on their fics and others, they are much more likely to check yours out.

Be patient, sometimes it takes some time for people to get to know you and your writing style. Just keep writing.

Other tips on getting people to notice your story ​

(These are not mandatory by any means but is somewhat ingrained in the culture here.)​

• In your subject title, include a little bit about who is in the story and what kind of story it is. Example: Title Goes Here- H/L, L/M ~ Angst, H/C~
• In your first post include more information including who is in your fic, the genre, some clue as to the timeline, and perhaps a summary.

Example: ​

Title: My Title Goes Here​

Author: Mr. Han Solo​

Characters: H/L, L/M, Solo kids, Ben​

Genre: Humor, Angst, H/C​

Timeline: Middle of NJO​

Summary: The summary of the story would go here​

Notes: Anything else you would like your readers to know such as your inspiration or who was your beta ​

Can I promote other websites?
Promoting a website unrelated to TheForce.Net is not allowed outside of the proper thread. Check the Fan Fic Index for official places to advertise. A thread containing an advertisement of another website will be locked on sight. If you want to promote your own website your sig is the best place to do so.

All promoted websites and advertised links must adhere to TFN standards. If a site requires registration and cannot otherwise be viewed by non-members, only the pages accessible to non-members need to be family-friendly.


What about promoting my self-published novel?

Self-Publishing is becoming more and more popular and we are ecstatic that some of our fellow writers are using this method to get their works seen, but please keep in mind that the rules of advertising and pimping do apply to this as well.

You may have links to your novels in your signature or bio, but please do not talk titles, plot synopses, sales numbers etc. in threads. You are more than welcome to take those conversations to PM if you would like to know more about someone's work.

Update PMs/Convos or Update Tags​

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Sometimes it's hard keeping track of all the stories you read, so many ask for update and/or story notification. These can be via PM/Convo or via being tagged in the thread. This is only allowed if explicitly requested by the reader, otherwise this is considered spamming/self-promotion and the offender will be warned.

If someone requests update notification for a specific story, this does not mean they would like to receive them for other stories or new stories unless you are specifically asked to contact them anytime you start something new.

Readers who receive unwanted PM or tagging updates should alert a moderator. Readers who asked for PM or tagging updates but no longer wish to receive them are responsible for alerting the author on their own.

Plagiarism​

Plagiarism is deliberately copying an author's work and claiming it as your own.

On TFN, plagiarism is an extremely serious infraction and will result in a minimum of a 3-month ban.

a) If you suspect you've been plagiarised, see a suspicious story, or you've been accused of it, follow this procedure:

1. PM the mods with links to the original story and the alleged plagiarism. Be aware that similar plots or characters is not necessarily enough to warrant a call of plagiarism. Users often get the same ideas for a story.
2. All the stories in question will be reviewed by the mods considering such things as plot, characters, similar details. We may also ask all involved parties to provide any notes and outlines for their stories.
3. If a story has been deemed an act of plagiarism, the thread will be locked, story content removed, and the author banned for three months. If not, the thread may remain open, but we will not tolerate any negative remarks toward the author regarding the incident.

b) If you borrow material from a profic author or any real-life material in general (such as song lyrics or poetry), the original creator must be credited.

c) Before borrowing from a fellow fanfic author, you must ask that author's permission first, even if the fanfic is posted at another site. (This includes re-writing, re-posting, embellishing someone else's fanfic, or using their OC.) Even after having permission, you should credit the original author and if appropriate, link to their story. Failure to do so could result in a ban. If you are unable to contact the original author for permission, PM one of the Mods and we will discuss it on a case by case basis.

Writing Help​

What do I do if I need someone to help with my writing/plot/characterization?
You need a Beta. A Beta is someone who helps with all of the above and usually grammar, punctuation, continuity and sometimes to will be your cheerleader. Some beta's are very involved and offer ideas and possible solutions and some will just read and correct grammar/punctuation, you should find a Beta that suits your need. You can find someone to be your Beta in the Beta Readers Index.

What do I do if I need help with general writing help?
Examples: Jedi/Sith, Earth Words vs. SW words, fight scenes, etc.
Check in the Fan Fic Index to see if such a thread already exists. There is a ton of good information in those threads. If that doesn't answer your question then ask a mod to have that thread unlocked. If there is no such thread, then you may create a thread so long as the topic stays general.

I have a good writing tip, or article. Can I post it?
Tips and tricks, and articles on fan fic are always welcome! Many threads cover genres and styles. Feel free to contribute to them or start a new thread if one doesn't already exist.

What about co-writing and round-robins?
In a round-robin or group fiction, authors take turns writing or taking on the different roles in a story. You may post threads asking for co-writers. Planning threads for RRs are allowed, but they should not turn into social threads. The actual story should be posted in the story thread, not the Resource thread.

Discussion/Index Threads​

Running a Thread
As stated above, discussion/Indices threads are the responsibility of thread managers. There are many types – discussion alone, discussion and index of relevant stories, challenges and index of responses, etc. Regardless of the type, it falls to the thread manager to stay on top of thread, whether that entails updating an index or issuing new discussion topics. Two or more users may co-manage a thread, in which case they may use a shared sock.

Before starting any thread of this type, first check the Fan Fic Index as well as the first 10 - 15 pages of Resource for any similar threads. Then contact the mods for final approval. This is not meant to limit discussion threads. Rather, it ensures that no one's stepping on any toes, and it cuts down on redundancy.

a) In most instances, a sock should be created when starting a 'ship- or genre-based thread, especially one with an index and challenges. This makes it easier for the thread manager to hand the thread over to someone else if she steps down.

b) In general, every index should be contained in the corresponding discussion thread. For example, an index of Aayla Secura stories should be listed in an Aayla Secura discussion thread, rather than a separate thread. An exception will be granted to an index so large, it slows the thread down.

Spoiler Policy​

We follow the same Spoiler Policy as the Literature Forum, which is that spoilers must be denoted what the spoiler is for and include a spoiler tag:

• One month (30 days) after a novel release

• One week after a comic book release

As a matter of courtesy, please do not post major spoilers in thread titles. To make a spoiler tag use the markup code:[ spoiler ] [/spoiler](without the spaces). It will look like this:

Spoiler

Someone will now have to click to see the spoiler.

Please preview your post before posting to make sure your spoiler tag is working.

Fun and Games​

Mod Challenges
Several times a year the mods hold challenges where anyone may participate and usually colors are awarded as prizes. Some challenge are done every year and others are random.

On-Going Challenges
These are challenges that continue either yearly or very frequently and don't need mod permission to continue on as they have previously had permission. They include but are not limited to the Dear Diary Challenge, The Drabble Challenge and the Monday Mush Mania challenge.

Other Challenges
Many fanfic writers and readers enjoy hosting challenges in a wide range of topics. Some have deadlines and some continue as long as they need/want to continue.

Challenges are allowed but we ask that you ask a fanfic mod before starting a challenge. This is not to discourage challenges but sometimes when one challenge is started, many more are started and we don't need 10 quote challenges going at the same time. In all likelihood, your challenge will be approved but we may ask you to wait a while if there are a great deal of challenges already going.

If you have any idea for a game or challenge or would like to supply a prize for your challenge, please contact a Fan Fic mod.

Colors for Challenges
Previously only mod challenges and the occasional other challenge has been allowed to have colors for awards, but after quite a few people asking we have come up with a colors for challenges policy. That policy is as follows:

1. Only 1 non-mod challenge where colors are eligible may be running at a time.
If your challenge currently is colors eligible (i.e. the winner(s) get colors as a prize) and someone else wants to host a colors eligible challenge, it will be discussed how long your challenge will remain colors eligible if it is an ongoing challenge. If it's a one time challenge, the new host will be given a date as to when they may host their challenge, which will be sometime after the previous challenge has ended. If it's an ongoing challenge and the decided time is up, you may continue your challenge but winners will not receive colors.

2. Only free standing challenges that would be open to writers of any era may be color eligible, no discussion threads or indices may host a challenge for colors.

3. Color eligible challenges must have a clear winner. It can be discussed between the host and the mods how many winners there are and how long the colors may be given. The mods have the final decision on how many people and how long the winners will receive colors based on the complexity of the challenge.

4. If your challenge only has a few people participating over a certain period of time, your challenge may become no longer colors eligible. (This will be discussed between you and the mods, before the decision is made.) The host of course would be free to continue the challenge without the winners getting colors.

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Last Words​

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We mods enjoy our time here and hope you will too! Remember sometimes tempers flair and the best thing to do is step away. We're all here because we love Star Wars and fan fic. If you ever have a problem or a question, please contact us... that's what we're here for. ​

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If you ever have idea on how to make Fan Fic a better place, feel free to let us know!​

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Updated 5/29/15 with new same sex relationship policy​

Updated 1/18/15 with new promoting an linking of fics policy.​

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FAQ originally compiled by JediGaladriel, Herman Snerd, Julie and Talon_Squad_Leader. Subsequent edits and revisions by Kit', Mistress_Renata, Healer_Leona, VaderLVR64, JadeSolo, oqidaun, and Jedi Trace. Current version written and revised by mavjade, Commander-DWH and Luna_Nightshade. ​

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