The Fan Fiction Newsletter, Edition X -- May/June 2004

The Fan Fiction Newsletter
Edition X
May/June 2004


Page 1: Index & Newsletter News
Page 2: Reviews ? Before the Saga, Saga, Beyond the Saga
Page 3: Reviews - Classic, Vignette, Locked, TFN Archive
Page 4: Editor Recommendations
Page 5: Writing Tips, Trivia, Challenges
Page 6: Interviews
Page 7: Forum News, Advertisement, Past Newsletters, Credits

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[b][color=darkcyan]Page I

Newsletter News[/color][/b]

Happy June, everyone! For starters, I'd like to introduce myself as JadeSolo, the new Fanfiction Newsletter Editor. Though I have lost precious hours of sleep over markup codes, rest assured that I am still having fun in this position. A big thanks goes to the staff, who did a great job with the content. I would also like to apologize in advance if anyone is blinded by the all the colors. I wish [b]Kit'[/b] a fond farewell as mod ? hope to see you around soon ? and a great big welcome to the new mods, [b]Herman Snerd[/b] and [b]Dantana_Skywalker[/b].

A lot has been going on in the world of fanfiction, including a recent [link=http://boards.theforce.net/Fan_Fiction_Resource/b10304/15984248]Toronto Star article[/link] and an [link=http://www.petitiononline.com/swfanfic/petition.html]online petition[/link] to George Lucas, asking for the creation of an official award for fanfiction. Also, well-known Star Wars fan [link=http://www.theforce.net/comics/index.shtml#24017]Nathan Butler[/link] has been commissioned to write a story for [i]Star Wars Tales[/i] #21.

The newsletter itself will hopefully be beefing up its content, with more articles and a Letters to the Editor section. If you have a comment about anything in this edition and would like to submit a letter, PM [link=http://boards.theforce.net/user.asp?usr=1061409]the Editor[/link]. Feel free to express yourself, but please try to keep your comments concise. Also, remember to make a note whether you'd prefer your letter to be kept private. [color=crimson]I am also looking for volunteers to write reviews and articles[/color], so if you'd like to help out, or if you have a suggestion for stories to be reviewed, drop me a PM.

With that said, I hope you enjoy Edition X!

-The Editor

 

Page II

Reviews


[color=4d633c]Before the Saga[/color]

Title:[color=883805]Malice of the Sith[/color]
Author: [color=883805]Darth_n00b[/color]
Timeframe: pre-TPM; KOTOR
Status: In Progress

[color=e9ab17]Reviewer #1[/color]

Rating: Good
Comments:

The story takes place five years before the Knights of the Old Republic and is therefore centered around all original characters. You are lead to believe that a group of padawan learners are all that stand between the Sith and victory. As the three battle a Sith, one is forced to watch his friends die and is faced with his own anger and darkside. The story does seem to take a surprising twist at the end of the last chapter.

The lightsabre scenes were written very well. The author does a good job at making the reader feel what the characters are going through emotionally and physically. The original characters show promise but do need to be fleshed out more. It is difficult this early on to tell them apart and care for them. Hopefully the author plans to expand on them as they get further into the story.

Overall the story shows great promise and this reviewer hopes the author updates soon.

Quote:

No Dagon, fight it. You must! Trent silently pleaded. You are so close to completing the Trials, you?re nearly a Knight. You can?t give in to your hatred now.

[color=e9ab17]Reviewer #2[/color]

Rating: Good
Comments:

This is a great start, complete with an interesting twist. The plight of the main character, Dagon Fel, and his fall to the dark side is well-detailed in just a few paragraphs. The lightsaber action is also nicely done ? a lot of emotion to match Dagon's thoughts, rather than a blow-by-blow description. With some more background on the characters and the "slightly altered universe" they exist in, this will be a good read. I especially look forward to seeing more interaction between the now-fallen Dagon and his brother Trent.

Quote:

They advanced cautiously down the long stretch of corridor, trying to forget about their fear. Trying to embrace the Force and feel its comforting assurance. Trying . . . and failing. The closer they got the more ominous the feeling became. The feeling of death. Of hate, anger, and aggression. The Dark Side had already conquered this hall; their ability to use the Force was next to nil. They couldn?t sense, they couldn?t see, they couldn?t win. It wouldn?t be long now.

Title:[color=883805]Come What Will[/color]
Author: [color=883805]Neon Star[/color]
Timeframe: pre-TPM
Status: In Progress

[color=e9ab17]Reviewer #1[/color]

Rating: Very Good
Comments:

The author has mixed two seemingly different genres and come up with a riveting story. The main original character , Enovan, is a vampire in the GFFA and becomes a Jedi padawan who has a connection to a young Xanatos. As the story progresses the reader is allowed to learn more about how the two are bonded and the difficulties they experience because of it. At times they are made to suffer because of it.

I was very impressed with the author?s descriptive writing and her ability to make me feel empathy for Enovan and his struggle to understand what he is. The scenes where he feeds on Xanatos are very reminiscent of Anne Rice and her Vampire Chronicles. Powerful with faintly erotic undertones. A highly under rated story.

Only complaint is that at times the dialogue seems a trifle stilted. Her characters all speak in a very clean and precise manner that doesn?t always flow well.

Quote:

"You must not sleep, Enovan, or you shall not wake again. Remember your promise, you will not leave Xanatos to that torment," he murmured to me once on the trip back to the ship.

[

 

Page III

Reviews


[color=ff82ab]Classic[/color]

Title: [color=00ced1]Elementary, My Dear Obi-Wan[/color]
Author: [color=00ced1]Frostfyre[/color]
Timeframe: JA/pre-TPM, Crossover
Status: In Progress

Reviewer #1

Rating: Excellent
Comments:

It is a pleasure to read and review this brilliant crossover. Many times, my eyes had been drawn to it as I perused the Classics forum, the cheeky title and the idea of Jedi interacting with the famous fictional detective catching my attention.

This is a layered story, with plots on several levels, mostly told from the point of view of Holmes? companion, Doctor Watson, with a few notable entries into the chronicle from Holmes himself.

The action is tight and well written, and the dialogue nothing short of brilliant, from the banter between the Doctor and Holmes to the pointed philosophical debate between one of the Jedi and Holmes, the characters all speak with clear voices and only very rarely does a modern reference creep in.

The author is a well-read fan of Sherlock Holmes? many adventures, and has included many fan favourites among the cameos within the story

This is not a slow story, in fact it almost moves too quickly. If I had a complaint, that would be it: the pace and character establishment of the first several posts gets swept away in too many mysteries too soon, and it jolted the flow of the story for me.

Having said that, it has made for a good reading experience so far, and I am eagerly awaiting the climax and denouement of this story.

Quote:

[Holmes] peeled off his fake nose and dropped it absently into his beggar?s cap. ?I?m going to go clean up, Watson, and then you and I are going out for a walk.?

?I don?t suppose it?s social?? I asked, a sinking feeling settling in my stomach.

?That depends on how you define ?social?, my friend.? He paused in the doorway. ?Bring your revolver.?

Reviewer #2

Rating: Very Good
Comments:

If you're a fan of Sherlock Holmes (and you're obviously a Star Wars fan, as you're perusing these boards), then you'll love this story. Were Sir Arthur Conan Doyle alive today, I'm sure he'd appreciate his creation's use in such a creative and intriguing format.

Our favorite villain, James Moriarty, is back, and Watson and Holmes are out after him. No surprises there. But then in comes a Jedi with an injury, an Obi-Wan Kenobi with no idea how he ended up in London but with a few ideas as to how to run operations.

I was initially skeptic about the concept of a Holmes/SW crossover, but I found this story both entertaining and intriguing. The voice of Watson (who, of course, narrates), is authentic, and the feel of the story is quite Victorian.

Wonderful characterization and a tense mystery combine to make this a very enjoyable read.

Quote:

Obi-Wan Kenobi eyed him for another long moment. "I suppose, then, Master Holmes, that you and I are somewhat in the same business then." He sighed and settled more comfortably against the pillows. "My master and I came to London looking for a thief. He had stolen something from an important..." he hesitated, seeming to search for an appropriate word. "...shipbuilder. Plans for a new design."

Holmes quirked an eyebrow. "You are not telling me everything, but no matter. Why are these plans so important that he would kill to keep them?"

"Plans for a weapon are always important, Master Holmes."

Title:Han Alone
Author: [color=00ced1]Knight-Ander[/color]
Timeframe: post-ROTJ, AU
Status: Complete

Reviewer #1

Rating: Very Good
Comments:

A fast-p

 

Page IV

EDITOR'S RECOMMENDATIONS

Title: The Last Stand of Coleman Trebor
Author: dan-yoda
Timeframe: AOTC
Status: Complete
Comments:

What a great piece to tell the story of (what else?) Coleman Trebor's last stand! With just four lines to a stanza, and 10 stanzas in all, dan-yoda has a poem that uses simple rhymes but flows really well. It's an easy read and a wonderful ode to an oft-forgotten casualty of the Clone Wars.

Quote:

He rose from a young Jedi
To the biggest fish in the see
He soon joined the council
But death would come soon to thee.

 

Page V

Tips, Trivia, and Challenges


Once again, we have for your learning pleasure, Ray Terr and Questa Nanser, here to help you add a little punch to your writing!


FRED THE ANCHORMAN: Hello everyone, and welcome to Book Talk! We're coming to you live from the JC Studios, where we're just about to interview Ray Terr and Questa Nanser about their experiences with some common repetitively redundant grammar errors they've found recently. They've been complaining about unnecessary elaboration for weeks now, but their recent best-selling book Yes or No: Saying What You Mean, has brought their efforts on this front to the attention of the public. So, without further ado, we welcome to the set Ray and Questa!

[Applause]

RAY: Thank you, Fred.

QUESTA: It's an honor to be here.

FRED: Let's get down to business. Ray, why don't you start off by telling us a little about your book?

RAY: All right. Well, the whole process started almost two years ago, when we began to realize how repetitive humans really are. I mean, think about it ? how many times does each of us mention the weather in one day? More than once, I'd say, and not because there's any pressing need to mention the clouds, but more because there's a pressing need to say something.

Then we began to look for this repetition in written works. While some repetition is included in text for its literary value, much of it is unwitting on the part of the author. And so we came up with some tips for helping authors say what they really mean without resorting to redundancy.

FRED: That's interesting. Questa, do you have anything to add? Perhaps something about the main ideas the book focuses on?

QUESTA: We have a few main ideas that we'd really like for our readers to absorb. First, many words have meanings so specific that you don't have to clarify them in any way; in fact, attempting to qualify them will result in reader confusion or annoyance. Second, avoid using distinctive words more than once per every couple of paragraphs. And third, you don't need to describe everything about the character at every turn. You are allowed to assume that the reader, by the time he or she has passed the initial description of your character, has a vague image of what your character looks like.

FRED: Now you've already gone over some of these ideas in your seminar on description that was made available last month, but would you, Ray, like to give us a quick overview of the first point?

RAY: The first point was directed at people who tend to specify where no specification is warranted. "He grinned with his mouth" is a classic example of unnecessary wording. With what other body part is he going to grin? His foot, maybe?

"She sped quickly" is another good example. Speeding implies quickness.

FRED: Hmm. Questa, would you like to tell us a bit about the second point while we digest the first?

QUESTA: Actually, Fred, this one is self-explanatory. Don't use the same word twice. Of course, you're going to end up using "the" and "a" and probably even "and" more than once in a paragraph, but if you've already mentioned that the heroine is "elegant," don't tell us that she's "walking elegantly."

Of course, if she trips and falls and breaks her elegant heels and has to make an inelegant exit, then describe it. But don't use "elegant" or any variation thereof.

FRED: We're a little short on time here, but we'd like to have you go over the last point, Ray.

RAY: I'll make it quick, then. Simply put, the last point tells authors that the characters look a certain way and don't change unless they are hurt or dye their hair or don some sort of disguise. So it's not necessary for the authors to inform us that the characters' eyes are brown, blue, green, orange, pink, etc. every time their eyes alight upon something. Changes in clothing, haircut, or other dramatic aspects of the characters' appearances are worthy of description; mundane details that the reader already knows are not.

FRED

 

Page VI

This month's interviewee is one of the pillars of the fan fiction boards. She has an extensive portfolio of stories - both solo projects and round robins - including The Right Place at the Right Time, Crash Course, Talon Intelligence Squad, The Jemmiah Chronicles. She is known for her excellent action stories and fascinating original characters. Without further ado, allow me to introduce...


Lilith Demodae


What is your first memory of Star Wars?

The very first thing I can recall is sitting pressed up against the TV watching the award ceremony at the end of ANH. I?m not certain I had any idea what it was actually about, but it must have really caught my attention. I have a photo of myself and my little brother, holding crossed flashlight lightsabers in front of the Christmas tree. We?re both in footed pajamas and I think I might have been three at the time, though I honestly don?t remember that event.


What made you start writing fan fiction?

I?ve sort of been doing it all my life. My little sister and I would lay awake at night talking, and she?d ask me about any ?evil thoughts? I?d had during the day. I knew that plagiarism was a bad thing and that using other people?s work was plagiarism, so I thought I was being bad, altering other people?s stories or inserting my own characters into them. It wasn?t until I was in college that I was introduced to the concept of fanfic, and that it was at least quasi-legal (provided proper credit is given) and that I certainly wasn?t the only one doing it. After that I actually started to write them down, though it took me a bit to work up the courage to actually post one.


What particular experience or event made you decide that the Jedi Council Fan Fiction boards were the best haven for you?

A couple of good friends of mine were always talking about theForce.net and the fun things they were doing there. I finally decided to check it out. I liked the standards that were set, the friendly supportive atmosphere, and the nice people that frequented the boards here. I?ve been other places now, and this is still my favorite place to hang out.


How did you become involved in the Jemmiah Chronicles?

I found "Lions and Tigers and Padawans, Oh My!" about half way through it and loved the humor. Humor has never been one of my strong points, and I admire those who do it so well. When Jemmiah started "A Night to (Almost) Remember" I took the opportunity and joined in. I?m awfully glad I did. It helped me hone my skills at writing humor and introduced me to a great many wonderful writers.


Can you tell us a bit about the process of writing in the many round robins that you have contributed to?

Most of them have been sort of free form. You post who your character is and then do what you can to keep the storyline moving and interesting. This often works quite well, since any one person isn?t solely responsible for the plot. This means there?s less lag time, and the things other people do can spark ideas for you and get you going again if you hit a slump.

The last Jemmiah Chronicles story, "The Lion Sleeps Tonight", we actually had a tentative time line, places certain groups of characters would meet up, specific things we wanted to have happen ?sometime?. This gave us a good basic structure, but also left us free to fill the rest of the space with whatever we could come up with to get our characters into and out of trouble over and over again.


What was the inspiration behind ?Crash Course??

For a long while I belonged to a group of SW fans called the Qui-Gon Jinn Discussion List. There used to be a weekly chatroom meeting where we could discuss, chat, roleplay, or whatever caught our fancy. One evening we somehow got on the topic of motorcycles. One of the ladies (forgive me, but I can?t remember who) treated us to a detailed description of Qui-Gon in biker leathers, astride a harley. It was such a strong image that I just ha

 

Page VII

Forum News

Well, the main news is that Kit? has stepped down as manager, in order to have more time for RL and writing. She promises she?ll be around. She?s missed already!

Stepping in to try and fill her spot was so great a task we decided to appoint TWO new mods: Herman Snerd and Dantana_Skywalker. They?re a great addition to the team, familiar with all the areas of the boards, and we hope you?ll make them welcome.

The other big news is that the name of the Writers? Resource Forum changed to the Fan Fiction Resource forum. This came after quite a few members of the community expressed concern that readers would feel excluded. After a false start, and a tie vote, it passed easily. We?re still trying to get all the headers updated; and apologize for the delays.

The Summer Challenge is up, sponsored by red_rose_knight! Everyone is encouraged to dive in and tackle the theme of "Building Bridges".

The only other thing we?ve noticed is that there is a lot of subtle baiting and flaming going on in discussion threads. We are all here because we share a love of Star Wars, and to have fun and relax with other people who love Star Wars. We love it so passionately that it is easy to get upset at people who interpret it differently. But take a deep breath, swallow the initial response, and just respect that there is room in the GFFA for a lot of different points of view. Please, let?s keep our reputation as the second-best behaved group of users on the boards!

-Mistress_Renata


~*Advertisement*~

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The Praetorian Guard ? instilling fear and authority since Palpatine's election.


Past Newsletters

Newsletter I, March 2003

Newsletter II, April 2003

Newsletter III, May 2003

Newsletter IV, October 2003

Newsletter V, November 2003

Newsletter VI, January 2004

Newsletter VII, February 2004

NewsletterVIII, March 2004

Newsletter IX, April 2004


Credits

Reviewers
obi_ew
Shaindl
Padawan_Travina
VaderLVR64
_Derisa_Ollamhin_
Xaara
Pallas-Athena

Interviews
leia_naberrie

Forum News
Mistress_Renata

Editor/Organizer
JadeSolo

 

That looks wonderful, everyone! Jade, you've done an excellent job of taking over the newsletter - it looks nice and fresh and spring-like.

I loved how many reviews there were this time around. Now I certainly have my reading list for the next few weeks.

Great job!

 

I meant to just browse through this issue, so you can imagine my surprise when I discovered a review of Han Alone.

Thank you to the reviewer. Yes, I do have issues with spelling and grammar, sorry ( ), but I wrote that without a spell-checker and without a beta, so it's understandably raw.

A sequel is collecting dust on a shelf, unfortunately, so I'm not sure when I'll get to it, if ever.

Again, thanks for the review.

 

Great job, Jade! You've done a marvelous job taking over from Xaara. Glad to see that such a great tradition has continued.

Shaindl

 

Great work, Jade! And to all the others who helped make this a fantastic edition.

The advertisement was hilarious and the writing tips were quite helpful. A very enjoyable read.

 

Jade Good job. I plan on reading the fics that have been reviewed. I especially liked the ad!!! Did you do that?

Renata Now, you have my curiosity up. Since we're #2, what group is the most behaved group of users on the boards?

 

I loved the newsletter. Very informative. My only complaint is that it was kind of small. I want more reading material. Forgive me.

 

You're welcome, K-A. Thanks for writing such a groovy story! If you'd like a detailed constuctive critique of the story, I'd be happy to work through an intensive clinic with you. Just let me know!

Second best behaved... I think our beloved Mistress means to imply that the ModSquad are the best behaved. Such blatant untruths should not be tolerated: isn't6 that against the TOS? I'm going to PM a mod and compl...- curses! (To quote Jon Stewart) "Damn you, Voldemort!"

On a complete tangent, 'Voldemort' would be a great user name.

EDIT: Nevermind. someone already has it. And LordVoldemort, and DarthVoldemort.

SECOND EDIT: Forgot how to speel "edit".


*Derisa*

 

Wow! I'm impressed Jade! I didn't know you had it in you!

 

Wow, I just want to say a hearty Thankyou to those who reviewed Working in Darkness! I couldn't be happier with those comments, i'm still awestruck! Thankyou so very much!

Loved the advertisment, too

And the Tips, Trivia, challenges and interviews are all excellent Great newsletter! Congratulations to all involved!

 

Second best behaved... I think our beloved Mistress means to imply that the ModSquad are the best behaved.

LOL, no. Costuming and Props is generally considered the best-behaved (an occasional troll, but I don't think I've ever heard of a flame war).

Still, I know I'M proud of being number 2... hey, it works for Avis!

 

Liked the alliteration in the advert.

Another great newsletter.

 

I'm so happy to see two reviews rating Spirit Warriors as Excellent. I think ophelia is an amazing writer; she blows me away with every post. It's defintiely a story that many, many more people should be reading! I'm glad it got some press, it more than deserves it

I intend to read the rest of the newsletter this afternoon, but now I'm off to church.

-sj loves kevin spacey

 

Helpfull and informative as always.

 

*faints*

I hate to pull a Sally Field here, but a big mushy THANK YOU to whoever reviewed me! You don't know how much this means to me! Soooooo much work...but it's worth it!

And congrats to being Editor now, Jade!

 

Hello!

Thanks to the reviewer of "To Walk the Sky". AS you can imagine, the story did come from my own experience and I was glad for it to be well received.

Keep up the good work all involved!

Rido

 

Well, here I am, back from the dead after slaving away with those markup codes. I definitely had in it me - I just decided to, uh, ignore other work for a while.

Glad you all enjoyed it! Time to start on the next one.

 

I just decided to, uh, ignore other work for a while.

At least you have your priorities straight.

I especially enjoyed the "lesson" from Ray and Questa. Things to keep in mind when I write.

 

Hey, you guys snuck this in while I was on vacation! I love to read these, so I'm glad I found it, LOL!