Original character story fan club

There's a staggeringly good OC fic new at the Archive this week:

Memoirs of a Shadow

Check it out for a fascinating, off-beat, very noir look at the non-hero side of the GFFA.

 

My characters certainly run away with me. Mykael Shone was the one I had the most control over, but his villainous doppelganger, Alion Sangre, ran loose.

Alion Sangre was initially an OC bounty hunter conceived as a superbad@$$, sort-of-gray Dark Jedi with a ruthless streak. He also had a backstory to him that makes him almost two characters for the price of one. Then I started putting more details into him and plotting out his past and future, and he became this very dynamic, very conflicted creation. Sangre's basically a hard look at the Dark Side - not about trying to conquer the galaxy, but how light and dark can exist and struggle within the same character. Along the way, I tied him in with two EU characters and three other OCs that have a massive influence on him.

 

Greetings all! I am the Editor for the Fan Fiction Review Newsletter--if you have not read it, the link is in my sig. Currently I am considering the addition of an Original Character Story category. Is there anyone who would be interested in assisting with this project? It would require finding one new OC story a month and insuring there were enough people to review the story.

Please PM me if you are interested.

Thank you.

 

Apologies for bumping this with a shameless plug, but it was all Jane Jinn's idea... juuuuust kidding.

So...Alderaan is my first foray into fan fiction. The plot's admittedly grandiose (kid stumbles on the truth of Alderaan's demise), but my main intent is on a smaller scale: exploring people who don't have special powers or talent or connections or high birth: just ordinary people in extraordinary circumstances.

 

What a great thread this is!

I enjoy writing Original Character stories as well as those involving the original SW cast.

Looking forward to being a part of this!

Humaira

 

Welcome aboard.

lordmaul13

 

Welcome aboard, drippyzeo and Jedi_Humaira_Blaine! This thread is a little quiet at the moment, but maybe we could find something to talk about.

Um ... does anybody have any advice as to how to create original characters that are radically different from yourself? Maybe this is only a problem for me, I don't know, but it's hard for me to write characters who are radically different from myself. Any advice on how to jump over your own shadow?

 

Hmmm, interesting.

Well, I tend to write in character most of the time. I try to emerse myself in a particular character and write from his/her point of view.

Also, I tend to base my characters on people I've seen. It get's easier to describe them for one thing. For example, I may study someone who has a particular "look" or "personality" type and write based on that...

I hope that helps for now... But that is an interesting idea Jane Jinn.

And lordmaul13 and Jane Jinn , thanks for the welcome. I'm glad to be here.

Humaira

 

You definately have to work hard at making a character different from yourself.

Katha started out as my evil twin so to speak.. then I decided to have her come back to the light.. and in the process threw all of her original evil qualities into her sister's character.. funny how that works.

I think characters that are the total antithesis of yourself tend to be kinda flat as characters.

So, I would suggest having a few qualities that are like yourself but soem big blarring opposites

Also, it's interesting to have characters be your opposite in flesh (tanned instead of pale.. blond instead of dark hair... short instead of tall.. etc.) I had a few characters for RPGs that were like that.. and they were fun to play.

And welcome to drippyzeo and Jedi_Humaira_Blaine. I look forward to reading your stories.. if you have a chance please check out mine

 

You're welcome for the welcome Jedi_Humaira_Blaine.

As for your question, Jane, all I can say is hmmm. I only started writing again last January or so. Before that it was stuff for school 8 or 10 years ago. I can't believe it's been that long.

lordmaul13

 

So frustrating, isn't it, espacally when the stories are good and no one knows becasue they don't read them.

 

I've always liked OC stories better than canon ones. Maybe it's because everyone seems to make the same ones of Anakin and Padme, Luke and Mara, Han and Leia, Jaina and Jag...but I've found that most OC stories are very good, and better than a lot of the canon tales I've read.

And I don't know, but all the characters that I've ever made contain some facet of my personality. Some are more like me than others, but it's hard for me to write about a character than is the exact opposite of me. Personal experience really affects my writing, which may play a part in my inability to make personnages who are my polar opposite.

And my current OC fic is Juliene (NJO, Kyp/OC). It takes place during Balance Point, and started out as a way to explain what Kyp Durron was doing during that time but evolved into a fic where my OCs usually overshadow Kyp. Especially Juliene, Kyp's flaky Adumari nobility love interest. Right now, I'm cowriting it with Alion_Sangre, because I needed his help to fit Kyle Katarn and Jan Ors and one of his OCs into the story.

It's mostly humor/comedy of manners, but Vong and Peace Brigaders really come to the foreground during the rising action. However, since it's Kyp and mostly OCs, it only has a very small gathering of readers.

 

I've got to agree with you there. Another reason why is that original charactor stories seem to be better written (in my opinion anyway) or ones about the lesser known charators. I did a short one about Lumpy just before he went through his rite of passage and it turned out pretty good.

 

Katha...I'm in the middle of reading your story and the key character "Katha" is very interesting... It's nice to read such an intriguing Imperial p.o.v story. I only hope I can write as well as you guys...

I have more to read...I'll probably catch up on it this weekend...

Meanwhile, this thread needs an upping!

 

Being that I write original character fics and being that that's what I like to read as well I figured I'd walk in here and check this thread out. Can I get signed up? I see some familiar faces in here, so I would hope so.

 

Wow...this thread has really grown since the last time I was in here.

I have been working on an Imperial fic for a while (see my bio if interested) and one of the most enjoyable aspects was creating the characters and letting them come to life. At first I just wanted to do something different because I had recently discovered fanfic and saw many similar stories. So I began writing about two Imperial naval ensigns getting ready to leave the academy. I had one character waiting impatiently while the other struggled to get ready on time. I didn't have their personalities mapped out or anything...I just let them take over. When I write them, I live the scene in my mind and whatever seems natural for them to say, I write.

After writing the fic for a while, I began to jot down some character traits, mainly because I enjoy that sort of thing. I also began to explore the possibilities of the more minor characters, and in doing so, created some in-depth backstories for them.

I haven't really written a fic where the main character is completely opposite of me...mostly they tend to share a few traits here and there. Eventually though, I think I will end up doing so, and we'll see where it leads.

 

Hey wizard. I don't think there is any "signing up" here, per se. Just show up and you're in. The more the merrier, I'm sure. This thread has been pretty slow lately.

lordmaul13

 

I hate to advertise, but my OC fic has never really been on the top of the menu. Probably because it is exclusively OC. Mace Windu, Tarkin, Palpatine, Organa, and Piett all make cameos, but that's it.

I figure some people in here might like it. Link's in the sig...

 

Cam

I was reading through your fic but I got sidetracked. I'll try to catch up but I can't say when it'll be.

lordmaul13

 

Hey all, sorry I haven't been around in a while. Just added a post to my OC fic "Clone Wars The Hunt" for those who were following it. Drop in and give your thoughts.

 

Happy News! Lady_Moonbeam has decided NOT to drop her wonderful Purge-era story They Shall Not Be Burned. Offbeat OCs, and well worth a peek!

She promises to post on Tuesdays...