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

OC Writers Anonymous: Step on a Jawa and break Shmi's Back

Discussion in 'Fan Fiction and Writing Resource' started by oqidaun, Aug 22, 2005.

Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.
  1. Exeter

    Exeter Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Feb 2, 2005
    I'm a sucker for canon stuff. The Star Wars universe is so large that you can just about do anything with OCs that doesn't involve black hole cowboys or deus-ex-supernova...I prefer to create stories that "could have been" and intertwine them in existing canon. Yeah, it usually means a lot of research, but for every hour of writing I usually do two or so hours of research (at least until I've digested a significant amount of facts to satisfy my appetite).

    I come up with a lot of stuff on my own too, but I don't see why OCs, your own planets/cultures, and canon characters/events/places can't coexist. It takes a bit of work to make it fit within the bounds of credibility, but I think in the end it's more satisfying, at least in my opinion.
     
  2. East_Coast_Ryder

    East_Coast_Ryder Jedi Youngling star 2

    Registered:
    Aug 22, 2005
    Depends on what it is. I'm pretty open-ended, though I figure if I go too far into the future it really won't matter anymore. But I'll stay canon if I feel like it. Sometimes, however, there's just too much EU to digest.
     
  3. lindemacil

    lindemacil Jedi Youngling star 1

    Registered:
    Jun 16, 2005
    I am all about the canon. I try to find niches for my characters in what already exists in the GFFA, and I do invent a few things as necessary (after all, there are still gaps in what's known), but for the most part, I stick to what's said and done.

    And, I admit it, I love doing research. I could pore over books all day long, going through the minutiae, and nothing would make me happier.
     
  4. Commander-DWH

    Commander-DWH Manager Emeritus star 4

    Registered:
    Nov 3, 2003
    I am such a canon nut. Over the years, I've read almost all of the EU material, so I know a ridiculous amount to start with. I've been known to curl up with the Completely Unofficial SW Encyclopedia. And when I was packing books for school this year, I made extra sure to bring my Star Wars language book, so I can have a character speak droid- correctly. The Huttese section will be helpful as well... after all, who doesn't want to use the phrase "Jeeska do sookee koopa moe nanya" (Keep your suction cups where I can see them!)?

    I mean, I'll definitely fill in the blanks where it's not really specified, but I aim to write so that it doesn't contradict what's already there.
     
  5. Jennifer_Lyn

    Jennifer_Lyn Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Jun 8, 2005
    I like fitting my OCs into canon as well. I feel like such a beginner with all of this that it's very helpful to have a framework in place to work from. It makes the writing easier, for me anyway. It also helps me learn how a good framework can be set up. Lucas left us a ton of nooks and crannies to work with, whether he intended to or not. I love finding some obscure planet or tiny little reference from one of the books and creating a whole story around it.
    Yeah, sometimes it can be a bit of a crutch. I often find myself writing OCs as support for canon characters. I usually have at least a mental backstory for them, though. I now have a growing collection of plot bunnies for OCs I've created as a result of writing for challenges.
     
  6. Shadowolf

    Shadowolf Jedi Master star 2

    Registered:
    May 4, 2005
    Canon is the guideline, yes, but I don't strictly follow it. I try and start out with cannon but then I tend to get to a certain point where "what if?" comes into play and ZOOM! off into the AU realm I go. With my two OCs, one is currently in the canon GFFA (may change if I can't kill him off in the Purges) but the other one is in an AU because well...she's Obi-Wan's padawan. Sorta automatically makes it an AU right there, huh?

    There are just too many possibilities with the canon characters & thier interactions with OCs to stay completely within canon for me.
     
  7. maderic

    maderic Jedi Knight star 3

    Registered:
    Oct 8, 2004
    How closely do you adhere to the canon in your OC stories? Why or why not?

    Cannon plays an enormous factor in writing any fanfiction for me. I take the time to map out different events and try to fit the story to a timeline that would make sense with the official cannon material. Though, if I can't find a hole for an OC to squeeze into, I make one. ;) My best examples for this would be The Fallen Shroud, where I've taken Serra Keto (non-original character in the exact definition of the word), surrounded her with a few OC's and have them constantly interacting with cannon characters while staying with a storyline that adheres to the cannon timeline.

    :)
     
  8. GrandAdmiralV

    GrandAdmiralV Jedi Youngling star 3

    Registered:
    May 30, 2005
    I consider anything in the films to be absolutely canon and try not to deviate from it at all. With the EU works I tend to be a little more flexible. At one point I had read most of the EU stuff, but now I'm really behind (I haven't read any of NJO books, for example). So my Boba Fett-based story, Blood and Ashes, doesn't really match up with what was written in Tales from Jabba's Palace or Tales of the Bounty Hunters, but Dust of Empire, my new story, really does try to fit into the EU as it was written up to Kevin J. Anderson's Champions of the Force. Even when I go slightly outside canon, however, I still do a lot of research to make sure that the facts I'm using fit into the greater GFFA. A lot of the time I think of the OC first and then start working on how that person will fit in with canon characters and situations. It's sort of like putting a puzzle together. :)
     
  9. Jennifer_Lyn

    Jennifer_Lyn Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Jun 8, 2005
    I guess it makes sense that most of us seem to want to utilize the canon, doesn't it? I mean, that's what makes it SW fanfiction instead of some other fandom or even original writing, right?
     
  10. Shadowolf

    Shadowolf Jedi Master star 2

    Registered:
    May 4, 2005
    To an extent I completely agree with you. Without the basic story none of us would have a GFFA to write in. But at the same time, it's still the GFFA whether Palps survived his confrontation with Yoda, or Luke actually embraced the Dark Side & became his apprentice two seconds before the Death Star blew up (...hmm, don't like that example). To me what makes it Star Wars and the GFFA is the Jedi vs. the Sith, Corrilians & Bothans (living together, mass hysteria! -ahem, sorry), blasters & lightsabers, YT1300 frieghters & X-Wings...you get the idea right? It's the setting, the over arching concept of the Force, more of the ancient history sort of stuff than the main story Lucas has told us. That's a wonderful highlight, but it can be altered into AUs without losing the core of what makes it the GFFA. :)
     
  11. _JM_

    _JM_ Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    Jun 26, 2001
    I treat the SW canon in the same way as I would any other setting. Just as there is plenty of room for all the fictional Royal Navy Captains in the Napoleonic Wars to be having adventures without needing to contradict history (or not too badly) there is plenty of room for OCs in Star Wars. A novel can have a throwaway line about something or other, you know it hasn?t involved any of the canon characters, so you can explore the events with your own OCs.

    EDIT: When I say with your own OCs I would include characters that have appeared in a novel or (perhaps) one of the movies but had only appeared very briefly. If there has been a one page incident (like the confrontation between the NRDF Captain and the two Senators in Destiny?s Way) involving characters that had never been seen before and are never seen again then if you tell the backstory or the further adventures of one of those characters then since you would be inventing almost everything these could be counted as being OCs by anything but a strict definition of the term.

    An example would be George MacDonald Fraser who took Harry Flashman from his appearances in Tom Brown?s Schooldays and has written a series of novels amplifying and expanding the character.
     
  12. lindemacil

    lindemacil Jedi Youngling star 1

    Registered:
    Jun 16, 2005
    I've always figured that I don't like AUs much because the story is the story and you can't break away from that. It's a narrow view, I realize that, but it's how I feel. "What Ifs" that involve changing major plotlines just don't interest me. While I've read some here that I've come to enjoy, I probably would never write one myself. I'm happy enough with getting my OCs involved in canon experiences that can be explored past what is already known (such as life on Naboo for the Berne family and being part of the Jedi Order for Cynari).

    I think the hard part is deciding what's canon and what's not. Obviously, the movies are. EU is a bit trickier and more flexible. I'm willing to accept someone else's idea that the JA/JQ novels are canon, but I'm not of that opinion myself. I consider the Clone Wars comics to be canon, at least for my own interpretation of the GFFA. That's just personal preference, and that's fine. I like that each author has their own views of how the GFFA works. It gives fanficiton a twist of individuality.
     
  13. wendynat

    wendynat Jedi Youngling star 3

    Registered:
    Jun 8, 2005
    Discussion topic: Canon and OC writers
    Ah, and this opens the lovely can of worms of what each author considers canon. For me, I consider the movies to be canon, and I adhere strictly to the movie timelines and events when warranted. However, with the EU, I am more flexible. Mainly because I'm not familiar with all of the EU stuff, and also because the EU itself is self-contradictory and at times contradicts Lucas' movie canon.

    For me, I don't see much need to change the main movie storylines - as others have mentioned, there's a huge galaxy there with countless planets that aren't ever named in canon, but you know they have to exist. So it's very easy to fit new locations and OCs into GFFA without stomping all over movie canon's feet ;).
     
  14. correllian_ale

    correllian_ale Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    Jun 20, 2005
    When I say canon, I refer to the films & the EU; which were after all authorized by Lucas Film. The senior editor of the EU novels Sue Rotini, has openly talked about Lucas' decisions on plot lines and character directions. (I honestly don't think he's very aware of all EU stuff) As long as authors don't try to contradict or or cover topics he wanted exlusively for the films, he seems to be disinterested in the EU.

    But alot is open to interpritation, even w/o the use of OCs. Take ROTS for example, Obi-Wan is quick enough stop the atuo-signal for jedi to return to the temple on Coruscant. It's almost implied that there are definately more jedi than Kenobi, & Yoda.

    Even take into account that Mace Windu is diffinatively dead. We know he fell from Palpatine's office, but we were never specifically told he was dead. I agree with the previous posts, there is a window of gray area to work with. Even the EU writers have been know to change facts to fit something that may have contradicted Lucas & the films earlier.

    I've come to enjoy what-ifs, and AUs since I stared here, but would rather prefer things that try to fit in canon style.
     
  15. Miana Kenobi

    Miana Kenobi Admin Emeritus star 8 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Apr 5, 2000
    How closely do you adhere to the canon in your OC stories?
    Why or why not?


    I do both. As of yet, I only have 2 stories where there are no canon main characters. Most of my OCs work right alongside canon characters. However, as fun as throwing in OCs to canon is, it's also incredibly fun to bend canon and head straight into AU.
     
  16. oqidaun

    oqidaun Manager Emeritus star 5 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Jul 20, 2005
    Invariably, the discussion of canon brings up the issue of AU (things are proceeding as I have foreseen) and I'd like to guide the discussion towards the topic of characterization.

    I am a canon fascist. I research every thing to the point of obsessive compulsive behavior and I find it all to be great fun. When I make a mistake or a slight change I tend to over apologize to my readers and I'm not above putting footnotes in a story. That's just me.

    I've seen some nicely written AU, but I'm not a big fan of the genre--I'm just not a 'what if' kind of person. I'm going to make a generalization (not a scientific one, but one I did think about--bear with me, I broke my toe this morning and my brain's only partially functional), a lot of people shy away from OC in general, yet AU tends to be a tremendously popular genre. I'm not bashing AU and I will continue to reitterate that I've seen extremely well done AU, but a lot of AU tends to run the risk of turning canon characters into OCs with trademarked names.

    I'm going to dump a load of military grade plutonium on the discussion:
    What about characterization and canon characters? I know this is a sacred cow [face_cow] and we're not "allowed" to critique characterization, but why are more allowances granted to poorly characterized "canon" characters than reasonably well-written OCs?

    Are people just duped by a name?
     
  17. Commander-DWH

    Commander-DWH Manager Emeritus star 4

    Registered:
    Nov 3, 2003
    Well, at the risk of sounding like a trampled OC writer... yeah, I think people are far more willing to read something with a name they recognise, even if the personality has been completely fubared. There's an image in their head they can connect the actions with, and it's just one degree more familiar than a completely new character. It's one of those inertia things. Sorta.
     
  18. AlisonC

    AlisonC Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    Aug 27, 2005
    I would rather read a fic with well-written OCs and some canon characters than one with all canon characters that are basically somebody's OC's with the names, appearances, and identifying details of canon characters tacked on. There are some excellent stories out there that employ OC's, and let's face it - is there really a clear difference between new characters in fanfic and new characters in the EU (ignoring that one is published for pay and one is not)?

    I was very tempted to write an out-of-character fic like that and decided to just save the ideas for some original fiction.

    I like OCs, sometimes. It depends on how well they fit into the plot and the universe, and how well the other characters are written. I use OCs at times. *shrug* It's all good.
     
  19. Miana Kenobi

    Miana Kenobi Admin Emeritus star 8 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Apr 5, 2000

    Definitely agree. I'll admit, as much as a lurker as I am at times, when scanning over listed stories, my eyes mainly focus on ones with characters I know/love in them. And the sad truth about OC stories is that it's harder to draw a crowd if you're writing about unknowns than about canon characters.
     
  20. correllian_ale

    correllian_ale Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    Jun 20, 2005
    I think that in regards to canon characters getting better publicity, is that yes the are they have star power that brought us to this dance, but yet readers tend to forget that Luke Skywalker, Ben Kenobi, Han Solo, Darth Vader, Princess Leia, and the rest were all OCs to begin with. Not one person went to see STAR WARS because they recognized the characters of Chewbacca, or C3-PO & RD-D2, they went because it was a good story that made you interested in those OCs. I will now return to refering to them as canon.

    As far as poor characterization of canon characters goes, even the EU novels does poor a poor job. Leia is the only character I have seen reliably portrayed. Luke has been everthing from, the whinny kid from Tatooine, to a reckless young jedi, to a Yoda wannabe. And that's just in the EU novels. There was no character development over time (chronologically speaking) and his personality seemed to change with the author. I use Luke as an example because he was the worst case I've seen in both EU, and fanfic (although Anakin is gaining). Don't get me wrong, many write Luke very well, but the "Son of the One" seems to get the most abuse.

    I think OCs get a rough time because a first time reader is usually thrown into this character, hoping to find a familair trait to anchor him/her with. I know myself, i find it hard because I "know" the character, but to convey it so others get to know the OCs, and enjoy them (whether it's love them, or love to hate them). Readers tend to know what's out of character for the canons, but it's harder for OCs unless they (the readers) have a basis for comparison, or the author develops them sensibly.
     
  21. oqidaun

    oqidaun Manager Emeritus star 5 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Jul 20, 2005

    Hey, me too!



     
  22. Fluff-Slayer

    Fluff-Slayer Jedi Youngling star 2

    Registered:
    Jun 12, 2005
    Yeah, uh...what they said. [face_worried]

    Oqi, what do you think about creating an OC-ficcy index? (Or is there such a thing in existence already?)

    We need to stick together like the big happy family that we are! :p
     
  23. Jennifer_Lyn

    Jennifer_Lyn Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Jun 8, 2005
    Hi ya'll!
    Look it's me, on the weekend and up past my bedtime! Beware, wacky comments may ensue!

    Anyway, canon characterization. I'm pretty much an obsessive stickler with that. I do my darndest to get Obi-Wan right, and I hope that someone would tell me if I'm off. It's the thing that keeps me from writing characters like Mace Windu, et al, because I don't feel like I can get inside their skins. The one place I can really accept "incorrect" characterization is if it's a humor fic, but then the rules are pretty much off on those anyway. Otherwise, it makes me cranky, though if the fic is really good, I'll probably overlook it. From what I've seen though, often it's not the author trying to write OC-type stuff, but simply their inexperience or laziness showing through. I'm sure I'm an example of this. :p
    I gotta agree with correllian_ale, too. After reading some of the amazingly wonderful characerization on these boards, I've found I have little tolerance for some of the shoddy craftsmanship in the "official" EU. Just because you call him Luke doesn't mean that the words you put in his mouth is what he'd really say. I get the impression that while the pro-fic authors may know how to write decently, they don't really know the EU that well or at least not the characters they're writing. I think Luke's EU characterization is a perfect example of that.
    And OCs? I think they definitely get the bad end of the deal. We all know that otherwise we wouldn't be here would we? I know from personal experience that being able to put Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan, etc in your title line is going to get you many more readers than "various OCs". But then, yeah, they're the reason we're here to begin with, so I don't get ruffled about it. I love them, too, after all. When it comes down to it, if I feel like an OC is not getting the attention they deserve, they are my creation and I can just pull them out of here and put them in some original fic.
    If any of this came off cranky, my apologies! [face_worried]
     
  24. oqidaun

    oqidaun Manager Emeritus star 5 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Jul 20, 2005
    Awesome idea and excellent group, i.e., more than two folk project.

    All together kids, "We are family...I got all my sisters and me..."

    Let's talk logistics in PM world.
     
  25. lazykbys_left

    lazykbys_left Jedi Padawan star 4

    Registered:
    Feb 17, 2005
Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.