MOD FanFic FAQ version 8.0 - New 10/15/15

Hello! Welcome to Fan Fiction on the TFN Jedi Council forums! If you are new here, we recommend reading the Welcome New Users thread.

This is the quick guide to the rules here in Fan Fic. Please follow the links in the table of contents below for more in depth detail and open the "spoiler tags" for examples. This may look like A LOT, but much of it is lists and examples.

• Rules of the Jedi Council Forums apply everywhere!
• All fanfic must be "Family Friendly" - Which means PG or a mild PG-13. This applies to sexual references, violence and mature themes.
• Profanity is very limited. See the Disallowed Words List for more info.
• Linking to your fic is allowed in certain places in resource, but only where it is relevant to the discussion. (It is not allowed in threads marked with: Mod, Discussion or threads that have no prefix tag)
• Posting a thread asking if you should start a new fic, continue a fic, or replying to any thread with "Read my fic!" is considered promoting and is not allowed.
• Real person fic and original fiction are not allowed
• Plagerism is not tolerated, ever.
• If you have any questions after reading this thread, do not hesitate to message the fanfiction moderators mavjade and Briannakin

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~​

Table of Contents

1. Boardwide Rules/Lingo
2. Organization
3. Posting in Story Threads
4. Posting in Resource
5. FanFic Lingo
6. Socialization/Share Usernames
7. Promoting Fics
8. Update Notification/Plagiarism
9. Writing Help/Discussion/Index Threads
10. Spoiler Policy/Fun & Games/Last Words

 

JC Board-Wide Rules and Lingo

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

Family-friendly
Stories in Fan Fic must adhere to a family friendly standard in descriptions of sex, violence, and torture. See "What can I post in story forums?" for more details.

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.

Spoiler: Baiting Examples

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.

Spoiler: Flaming Examples

Flaming Examples (obvious insults)
LEIA: I don't know where you get your 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."


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 Words List and will send a PM reminder. Repeat offenses will result in disciplinary action.

• In fanfics, bitch, whore, bastard, and slut are allowed as insults between fictional characters. In stories we encourage you to find or use your own Star Wars curse words.

 

Organization

Fanfic is organized by thread prefixes. These colored prefixes can be found at the beginning of most threads and can be used to filter to see only that specific prefix. Example: Click on the Before prefix in the story boards and only see stories tagged as Before.

There are also tags that help you find the type of fanfics you are looking for.

Story Prefixes
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.


Beyond Legends - Stories that take place in what is now known as Legends- the former Expanded Universe. If your story takes place after Return of the Jedi and in the timeline of the Legends Expanded Universe or with those characters, Beyond Legends is what you want to tag.

Beyond the Saga - Stories that take place beyond the entire series of movies. So for right now, anything that takes place after Episode 9 and not part of the Legends timeline would use this tag.
Any AUs that have nothing to do with Legends continuity or characters, but takes place after Episode 9, use this tag.

Before Legends - Stories that take place prior to The Phantom Menace in what is now known as Legends, the previous Expanded Universe, including games. If your story takes place in that timeline or with those characters, Before Legends is the tag you want to use.

Before the Saga - Stories taking place before the series of movies. If your story is a prequel to The Phantom Menace but has nothing to do with happenings in the Legends EU, you would use this tag.
Any AUs that have nothing to do with Legends continuity or characters but take place before TPM, use this tag.

Saga - This tag will remain for stories that sweep through different parts of the Saga, as well as for older fics that might not get changed. Please use this tag sparingly.

Saga- PT - Stories that take place from The Phantom Menace up to A New Hope
Saga - OT -Stories that take place from A New Hope up to The Force Awakens
Saga - ST - Stories that take place from The Force Awakens through Episode 9

Saga -Legends - For any story that takes place within the Saga, but is part of the Legends continuity. Stories that are a part of the Legends timeline or with major characters who exist within the previous Expanded Universe. (Example: A story about Mara Jade as the Emperor's Hand, would be under this tag)​

Any AUs that take place without Legends continuity or characters and take place within the Saga should go in the most appropriate Saga tag.


Resource Prefixes
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 - 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, etc.)



Other Prefixes:
These tags are 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.



Tags
You can make your story easier to find with tags. Tags include things such as timeline, characters, genre and relationship. The tags are added to your story post and then people can search for tags to find stories that match that criteria.

Example: If you want to find a story about Luke that is angsty, you could search both of those tags and find stories that meet those criteria.

You can find the post that fully explains the tags and has a complete list HERE

2/20/18 - Info on Tags added

 

What can I post in the Story Threads?​

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Only stories are allowed in the story sub-forum. 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 examples. We will ask you to edit anything more explicit. Examples are placed in 'spoiler tags' to save room.

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.

Spoiler: Example of sexual description limit

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?"


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... "


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...


--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
LGBTQIA+ relationships are allowed for canon, EU, Legends and OC characters.

Interspecies Romantic Relationships (ISRR)
If you have questions regarding suitability of a pairing, please contact a mod before posting. For some details, please open the spoiler tag, as this applies to only a few stories and is quite detailed.

Spoiler: Rules and details on ISRR

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.”). These rules specifically apply to "pairings".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 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:

• 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

• 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.

• 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.

Spoiler: Example of violence limit

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.​

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.​

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.​

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.​

And then she was dead.​

--dianethx, "In The Moment"​

​

Mature themes
Stories may be based on mature themes, such as drug abuse and torture, but the guidelines mentioned below must be observed. Instances of either should be treated with reason and within the "family friendly" guidelines.

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 than 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.

Spoiler: Example of torture limit

"[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.

--Arldetta, "The Enemy Beside You"

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!) to use as an example for your writing.

Spoiler: EU/Legend Ratings

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 Can I post in Fan Fic Resource?


This is the place to discuss things related to fanfic, writing in general, and to socialize with other fan ficcers. Mod announcements will also be made here.


Fan Fic Forum Concerns/Questions

We ask, if you have a concern or question about the Fan Fic forums to PM/Convo one of the mods first. If you are uncomfortable taking an issue to a mod, you may take it to an admin. We will see if we can solve it without further input. If we feel as though it should be brought to the Fanfic community, or the JC community, we will do so.


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 boards

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 promoting and we will ask you to delete it.

 

Current Fanfic 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. For story threads, the Rule of Thumb is allowing at least a day between posting a story/update and thanking your readers.


Concrit
Shorthand for "constructive criticism," and defined as any suggestions to an author that would change the style/tone/plot of a story. 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.


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


Abbreviations
Common shorthands used on these boards.

Spoiler: Character and Relationships

Characters and Relationships
H/L - Han and Leia
L/M - Luke and Mara
A/P - Anakin and Padme Amidala
J/J - Jag and Jaina
K/J - Kyp and Jaina
J/Z - Jaina and Zekk
J/TK - Jacen and Tenel Ka
OC - original character

Spoiler: Timeline/Era

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 (Pre-April 2014 EU is now known as Legends)
KOTOR – Knights of the Old Republic game, 4,000 before TPM
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

Spoiler: Genre/Fanfic

Genre/General fanfic/Other
AU - alternate universe
H/C - hurt/comfort
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 Lando/Tendra shipper.")
songfic - a story based on the lyrics of a song

 

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 this does not happen, a mod may take whatever action necessary to insure that the Fan Fiction boards stay focused on Star Wars and/or writing.

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.

c) In 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; story threads are not the place for in-depth conversations. 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. If the shared user name changes hands, the mods need to be informed of the changes.

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 in general is not allowed. There are specific types of threads (listed below) where you may link to your story that is posted here on these forums. Linking to a story off these forums is not allowed.

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 on other writers stories, join in on challenges and socialize with your fellow fan ficcers.

If people get to know you and see you around, see you 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. 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?
The rules of advertising and pimping does apply to self-published works.

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

Some people will ask to be notified when a story is updated via PM/Convo or by 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. First check the Fan Fic Index and/or search function and see if there is a thread on the topic, even old threads can have a lot of good info. If the thread is locked, ask the mods to unlock it for you. If you have a more specific question, ask in the Writers Desk thread in resource.

I have a good writing tip, or article. Can I post it?
Tips and tricks, and articles on fan fic are always welcome! Feel free to contribute to an existing thread 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, but they should not turn into social threads and any planning should be done via group PM (if the group is larger than 10 people, the limit for user PMs, ask a mod to create a larger group pm for you). The actual story should be posted in the story thread, not the Resource thread.


Discussion/Index Threads

Running a Thread
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.

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 s/he steps down.

 

Spoiler Policy

See the full Fanfic Spoiler policy with regard to what is and isn't a spoiler for new movies.

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
• Two weeks after a new movie premiere

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: Show 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. These threads will be marked with the Mod!Challenge tag.

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
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 non-Mod 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.


Last Words
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.

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



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, Jedi Trace, Commander-DWH and Luna_Nightshade. Current version written and revised by mavjade and Briannakin.