The Fan Fiction Newsletter, Edition VIII -- March 2004

The Fan Fiction Newsletter, Edition VIII
March, 2004

[image=http://img39.photobucket.com/albums/v121/Xaara/shamrock.gif]

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

[image=http://img39.photobucket.com/albums/v121/Xaara/celtkn2t.gif]

[color=2E8B57]Page I:[/color]

[color=008B00]Newsletter News:[/color]

It hasn't been a fast-paced month, but the reviewers here have worked diligently to produce another wonderful newsletter. Although we intended to put the Valentine's Day reviews out near the middle of the month, I underestimated the amount of time and the sheer magnitude of the task. However, we are including a Valentine's Challenge review page with this newsletter ? so enjoy!

In this newsletter we have?*gasp*?a contest! Yes, ladies and gentlemen, in honor of St. Patrick's Day, we've set the first line of an Irish poem throughout the first page of the newsletter. Just find the little green letters, piece them together, and send me the title of the poem and its author. The prize for the first PM to arrive? An interview to be published in the next newsletter, and the opportunity for you to recommend any JC fic of your choosing, whether it be yours or another particular favorite. Who can resist the chance at a moment in the spotlight? (Hint: There are a total of 35 letters to be found, and they're all in the order they appear in the first line of the poem.) Contest closed - see my post. Congratulations to the winner!

As always, if you're interested in reviewing, finding stories for us to review, writing an article, conducting an interview, or if you just want to make a suggestion or comment, please PM [link=http://boards.theforce.net/pm_send.asp?usr=1061409]FF_Newsletter_Editor[/link] or [link=http://boards.theforce.net/pm_send.asp?usr=703467]Xaara[/link]. Your help would be much appreciated.

?The Editor



Recommended Reading:

[color=008B00]Before the Saga:[/color]

[link=http://boards.theforce.net/Before_the_Saga/b10475/11213150/?135][color=228B22]Tomorrow's Rage[/color][/link] by [color=228B22]Healer Apprentice Lina[/color]

Reviewer 1:

Rating: Very Good

Comments: Healer Apprentice Lina has some very strong characters; it seems I'd have to read Momento to completely understand, but the plot works very well.

Quote: He knew exactly what the Jedi saw when they looked at him. He was a killer, but a young killer. No more than a boy. A weak, foolish boy.

Well, why not let them think that? Just for now...

????

Reviewer 2:

Rating: Excellent

Comments: I am not a huge fan of OC unless there are major canon characters; I am more a fan of stories that are mainly around canon characters. However this story has made me re-think that standard.

In Tomorrow?s Rage, the author begins to weave a stunning tale that unfolds right before your eyes. You can picture the characters as though they were part of the Star Wars family.

The author through her words and imagination draws you into the story to the point where you are feeling sorry for the characters?whether they be Jedi or not.

I for one shall be keeping an eye on this lovely chapter, and pray that there is an update soon, for even reviewer can get a bit impatient.

Quote: Knight Bilal stood talking quietly to Faal, whose features were twisted into a mask of worry. Turning to Lewix at his approach, Knight Bilal gave the younger Jedi a neutral, official glance. ?Padawan Winchard, I have a few questions to ask you regarding your time in the [

 

[color=2E8B57]Page II:[/color]

[color=008B00]Locked Thread Recommendation:[/color]

[link=http://boards.theforce.net/message.asp?topic=6505598&start=6507749]It Was Cold[/link] by SenatorLeiaOrgana

A humorous view of Luke's thought processes as he's suspended (upended?) by the Wampa on Hoth. Luke stays true to his character throughout, which is an extraordinary feat, as he's upside-down and not in the normal serene Jedi state. Very short, very sweet, and very funny.

[color=008B00]Bunnies Up for Adoption into Good Word Processors:

by JadeDjo[/color]

1. Where did the Rebels get the money to fund their little rebellion? Because even if they were all volunteers the equipment necessary to run an operation of that kind needs some kind of capital.

2. How do the Jedi of the Old Republic or the New function? Is everything donated (ex. ships, equipment)? Are they an independent business? Are they sub-entities of the government and so entitled to a part of the budget?

[color=008B00]March Writing Tips:[/color]

This month, we're going to talk about something that people often, well, talk about ? dialogue. Namely, we're going to discuss four essential points to remember while writing good dialogue ? the placement of punctuation, the capitalization of nouns indicating who is speaking, the capitalization of new sentences within dialogue, and the placement of action that occurs between spoken lines.

1. Placement of Punctuation:

Punctuation belonging to the speaker's statement goes inside quotation marks. When someone speaks, he or she finishes what he or she is saying within the quote. Punctuation attached to the sentence outside the quotes (usually a reminder of who's speaking or a description of actions) goes outside the quotation marks. When you think about it, the way we write quotations makes sense.

Also, when someone quotes someone else, the inside quote should be indicated by apostrophes instead of standard double quotes. See examples below:

[blockquote]Correct:

"I don't know about this whole writing business," Ray Terr said.

"Don't worry," Questa Nanser said. "It's not as complicated as it seems. A wise man once said, 'Time flies like an arrow. Fruit flies like a banana.'"

"You're not making any sense. How will I remember all of these rules?" he asked.

Incorrect:

"You won't have any problems", she said ",because, you'll realize that when someone's speaking, he's creating complete sentences within the framework of larger narrative structure.".[/blockquote]

2. Capitalization of "He," "She," and "It."

"He," "she," and "it," though they do indicate people and/or animals who may be speaking, are not proper nouns. They are capitalized only when used to begin a new sentence.

[blockquote]Correct:

"Hey, I get this!" he exclaimed. "This is starting to make sense."

"I knew you'd understand sooner or later." She smiled at him. "Now let's get on with the example."

Incorrect:

"But wait a minute?" He continued. "How will I know when not to capitalize the 'he' that means 'me'?"

"Is your 'he' part of a different sentence?" she raised an eyebrow. "I thought not. Therefore, your capitalization of it is wrong."

"Ah, but you're also wrong," He said, "because you didn't capitalize 'she' in your sentence."

"We're demonstrating, Ray."[/blockquote]

3. Capitalization of the Continuation of Sentences:

When the indication of who's speaking interrupts a sentence, the second half of the sentence is not capitalized, and there is a comma instead of a period after the indicator. When the indication of who's speaking comes between two complete sentences, the author should place a period after the indicator and start the new spoken sentence with a capital letter.

[blockquote]Correct:

"Well," Questa said, "we're almost on th

 

[color=2E8B57]Page III:[/color]

Hundreds of people have written about love letters over the years. Love, its trials and its rewards, is one of the most discussed subjects on this (and may we assume any other?) planet. In February our writers put out an amazing volume and quality of work focusing on a love letter, and we've come up with a few sentences and a 1 ? 10 rating for each. Enjoy!

[blockquote][image=http://img39.photobucket.com/albums/v121/Xaara/th_heart9.gif][/blockquote]

Before the Saga

"Untitled" by jacen200015 - I liked the way this vignette balanced the two letters between Xanatos and Zenia, the woman he loves. The realization that she loved him but not enough to abandon her duty to the Jedi was very satisfying. A solid 5/10

"Aluvian Rosewood" by ViariSkywalker - The use of memory to introduce the letter between Brann's parents was a good one. I liked how the story mixed past and present to tell the sad story of his parent's life. The letter itself was relatively happy but his mother's sense of foreboding was a nice counterpoint. A fine 6/10

"Will You Read the Letter?" by Ty-gon Jinn - The letter had a very good old-world feel to it with formality and just a touch of humor. I liked the subtle give-and-take between the two sisters as well. A nice 6/10

"What Was Never Meant to Be" by Jedi_Nifet - I liked that the letter was delivered several years after it was written and it was obvious that someone else (likely Obi-Wan) has sent it after Qui-Gon died. I really liked the ending. It made the whole story much stronger. A good 7/10

"Is Hope Lost?" by Jade_Skywalker - I really liked this story. It showed a slave's life very well, especially how little the owners really care about their property. I especially liked that Kalisha thought of Conner at the end. A good 7/10.

"That Crazy Little Thing Called Love" by Shaindl - I loved this story. It was innovative and heart-stopping hilarious. The use of the droids/cruisers names was a very subtle touch of whimsy. Kept laughing at "get a hanger" - LOL. A brilliant 10/10

"In the beginning..." by Nerpherder - It was rather sad that the future evil Emperor was in love with a woman that didn't love him back. It was an intriguing take on his life. A nice 5/10

"From the moment I saw You" by ca_tron - I found this rather sad - that Obi-Wan loved someone but that love was not returned. To tear up the letter and then have the woman call him to gush about the man she loved was a really nice touch. A nice 6/10

"Love You, I Do" by Happy_Hobbit_Padawan - I absolutely loved this story. The cutesy names that Yoda and Yaddle kept calling each other were hilarious but strangely disturbing. I couldn't stop laughing. A brilliant 10/10

"Simply Ben" by Reihla - This was a really sad story. I especially liked that Qui-Gon decided to send Obi-Wan's discarded letter. At least, Obi-Wan had some closure when he heard the news of his love's death. A sweet 7/10

"Obi-Wan: A Friar of Verona?" by Knight_Dilettante - I really liked that this story had me guessing if the letters between Madama Jocasta Nu and Qui-Gon Jinn were love notes or something else. I loved the ending when you find out that it was just translations of old love poems. Very well done. A wonderful 9/10.

"Picnic" by obaona - This story was amusing. I really found the subtle byplay between the two to be quite funny. The use of ephemisms (kata and picnic) for other activities was very tongue-in-cheek. A good 7/10

"Dearest Ulic" by NarundiJedi ? This vignette was able to tell a slice of the story of co

 

[color=2E8B57]Page IV:[/color]

[color=008B00]Forum News:[/color]

Farewell March! Welcome April, the month of Easter! In the past month, the boards have maintained a steady posting speed ? never exceptionally fast or incredibly slow. Everyone seems to be preparing for exams at their educational institutions or paperwork at their workplace. However, there have been a number of significant changes to the Fan Fiction forums.

The most noticeable change is Fan Fiction?s new appearance. As you can see, all the five forums have a unique banner, designed to showcase the material that lies within. For example, Beyond the Saga has a banner that shows EU characters ? the majority of the images are from NJO book covers. Thanks goes to obaona (Before the Saga banner creator), Melyanna (The Saga banner creator), duskwings (Beyond the Saga banner creator), and red_rose_knight (Before the Saga colour scheme creator, and Classic Stories and Writers? Resource banner creator). Additional credit goes to Raven, our technical administrator, for the humourous ?Poof? comments in the sidebar. Everyone did a fine job. For more information or the opportunity to congratulate these users, see [link=http://boards.theforce.net/Fan_Fiction_Writers_Resource/b10304/15185084/?1]this[/link] thread.

While the winners of Valentine?s Day Love Letter Challenge for every category have not been announced, the Before the Saga champions have already been congratulated and given their awards. First place went to Reihla and her story, ?Simply Ben?, which, between the three judges, accumulated a massive 136/150 points! Reihla was awarded with 120 hours (5 days) VIPship. In second place were Shaindl and her story, ?That Crazy Little Thing Called Love?, which, between the three judges, accumulated a score of 135.5/150 points! Shaindl was awarded with 73 hours (3 days) VIPship. Finally, third place went to Happy_Hobbit_Padawan and her story, ?Love You, I Do?, which, between the three judges, accumulated a score of 134.5/150 points! Happy_Hobbit_Padawan was awarded with 24 hours (1 day) VIPship. As you can see, it was an extremely close vote. The other categories will be announced very soon.

On another note, the administration has issued a reminder about Drug Use in Fan Fiction. The reminder can be found [link=http://boards.theforce.net/Fan_Fiction_Writers_Resource/b10304/15288053/?1]here.[/link]

The Fan Fiction Handbook and Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) has, once again, been placed atop of the WR board as a sticky. If you have any questions about this document, please contact a Fan Fiction mod.

While we?re on the subject of Fan Fiction mods, I have decided that it?s time for me to step down and pass my position onto a successor. I?ve modded these boards for the past year and have enjoyed doing so, but considering the fact that many things are beginning to change in my personal life, I thought it would be best to leave the boards in someone else?s capable hands. This does feel like the end of an era for me, and I know I?ll be tempted to jump on the computer, visit JC, and answer mod questions after my resignation. I would appreciate it if you left a message for me on [link=http://boards.theforce.net/Fan_Fiction_Writers_Resource/b10304/15362755/?94]this[/link] thread or PMed me. I don?t know who will be filling my role in the newsletter staff, but I?m sure that Xaara will find a replacement. That does mean that this is my last forum news. I wasn?t, however, able to write the vignette reviews this month. As I type this section, the administration is currently debating who will replace me as the third Fan Fiction mod. Best wishes, all! An additional thank you to Jane Jinn and Xaara, the two newsletter editors I have had the pleasure to serve under.

In the spirit of February?s ?Forum News?, I have recommended several interesting Fan Fiction-related discussions below:

~ [link=http://boards.theforce.net/F

 

Another stellar job everyone. I especially liked the writing tips this month - I do those incorrect ones all the time! And the reviews for the love letters were very helpful.

Great job.

For anyone that didn't know where the Love letter threads were - here they are

[link=http://boards.theforce.net/Before_the_Saga/b10475/14850998/?0]Before the Saga[/link]

[link=http://boards.theforce.net/message.asp?topic=14851007&replies=0] The Saga[/link]

[link=http://boards.theforce.net/message.asp?topic=14851011&replies=0] Beyond the Saga [/link]

 

We already have a winner: Rogue_of-Peace! He answered the question posed in Newsletter News correctly, naming both the poem (Personal Helicon) and the poet (Seamus Heaney).

He'll be interviewed for next month's newsletter, he'll be able to pick one story - any story - to be our feature for April, and he'll have the opportunity to take an all expense paid trip to...wait a second...

Congratulations!

-Xaara

 

Great job on the newsletters, Xaara, both this one and the one before! I can't believe you guys reviewed all those love letter stories! Whew! What a lot of work.

I really liked the writing tips and I'm looking forward to the Further Adventures of Ray and Questa.

Oh, congratulations, Rogue_of_Peace, on winning the poem contest!

 

To everyone who worked on this month's newsletter, great job!

And to whoever reviewed my two Challenge viggies, thank you so much!

Xaara, you're doing incredible work - we knew it would be hard to replace Jane, but you've filled the shoes wonderfully.

Shaindl

 

That was just fantastic. I thought it was especially a great touch making an addition about the love letters. It really showed how much work everyone did for them and also made me think hard about what all the judges must be going through in deciding the winners.

 

Wow, nice reviews! That must have taken some time But I think some of the stories from Beyond the Saga got left out. I know for sure that there was a Yuuzhan Vong story (by Tahi, I think). I didn't see mine (aka JadeSolo's), either, and I'd like to know what the reviewers think of it.

Ahhh! I completely missed the challenge! Oh well, great job, everyone.

I love those ads

 

The Newsletter is always an enjoyable read. Especially the reviews and the advertisements.

 

Awesome job, everyone, like always. Ray and Questa were funny and informative, and the advertisement was hilarious. Don't forget!! - LOL. I also noticed the "gww." in the ad's URL. Nice touch.

I'm amazed you went through all the love letter entries. That's a lot of work.

And, well, [face_shocked] I honestly never expected to get reviewed. All I can really say right now is thanks!!

Keep up the great work.

-Katie
Thumper

 

But I think some of the stories from Beyond the Saga got left out.

Do you mean for the love letters? That may have to be amended... If not, well, the newsletter can't hit EVERY story.

 

I have to ask - and I don't mean to be rude - but if you thought my story was good but rated it a 6/10, why is that?

You can be honest with me, since I am working on getting this vignette archived. I really want to know if the reviewer was just not interested in Ulic and Nomi as characters or if I could do something more to build them up and flesh out the story. Also, and this may sound silly, but does it have something to do with it being a sad story on a happy, romantic holiday?

I just want to get something more out of this than a repeat of what the story was about and a label of "good" when 6/10 is failing in the American school system.

Jae Angel

 

Fabulous work by all! Another wonderful issue of the newsletter!

FYI ? I?ve added the ?Forum News? section. I apologise for being a tad late. Thank you for letting me serve on the newsletter staff.

Amsie

 

Excellent job on the newsletter guys. And I think, maybe, y'all need to sit down and rest after reviewing all those letters. Whew.

To those who reviewed my story thanks. Made my day.

I love those ads.

 

Wonderful job, as usual, Xaara! And congrats to ROP!

Thanks for the blurbs on the Valentine stories as well! Always nice to get reviews!

~Rogue

 

Fantastic. It was such an unexpected joy to see my story reviewed and then a response to the VD Challenge. Such wonderful submissions to that.

 

Heh. This is the first Newsletter issue I've read, although it undoubtedly won't be the last. Nice.

Thanks, whoever did the VD challenge blurbs, for the good review. Also ... loved the ads.

Nem

 

Bringing it up to the top!

 

Hey who did that grammer thing? I thought that was really neat. Your examples were really clever, you should sell it to a school, could keep the kids awake in their grammar lessons.

 

Great job once again gang!

 

I enjoyed the newsletter very much. I checked out some stories I may not have read otherwise. Great job!

 

I enjoyed the newsletter very much, but just a quick point I'd like to make: I know that my contribution to the Valentine's Day Challenge wasn't on the list of challenge contributions you discussed, and it looked like everybody else's was (You can feel free to correct me if I'm wrong )

Anyways, awesome job. I'm going to have fun checking out all the stories you guys talked about.

~LtJS

EDIT: And yes, I'm aware the new Newsletter came out