Characters The Skywalker-Jade Revival Society Discussion Thread

I think they're all fun challenge ideas.

The wonderful thing about having such a large and diverse group of writers is that we each have different strengths. Romance, angst, mush, action, humor, suspense - all are good and necessary components of fiction.




I would love to be involved in a L/M Round Robin. The last RR I participated in was written by the Mara Jade Fan Club in EUC back in 2000. It was one of those RRs that someone-starts-writing and other-folks-join-in without any type of an outline or direction, and it rambled on until people lost interest and no one knew what the heck was going on anymore.

IMHO, the key to success will be to find someone with the time and organizational skills to keep it on track.

There seems to be a big enough interest in this thread. Anybody want to volunteer?

 

I'd volunteer, but I am having enough trouble trying to organize my own little fanfics I am writing. So, I hope there's someone out there with great skills to organize this thing. I'd LOVE to see one written, one that's well organized and thought out and has good twists and turns and a happy ending.


Here's an idea for the amnesia: Mara could also not realize that Luke (who she "meets" in the hospital after she starts to come around) is the Luke she still thinks she *has* to kill. Reverting to old ways would also give a chance to explore the Emperor's Hand Mara as well. Maybe when Luke realizes she reverted back, he has to get his friends and family to help him get her memory back before its too late.

 

I think Jedi_Liz idea for the story is great and I'd certainly like to paricipate, but currently I am not sure if I am really able to.

About organizing the whole thing, I have to admit I have never done something lke this before, so no clue what might be required. Are you talking about having the whole story outlined from the beginning and people are just getting their parts to write or does this mean that we still will be free to take our parts where ever we want, just following some basic rules based on the plotbunny provided by Liz and stick to "limited count of OCs" or not killing all the major characters in one post? .

In this case I would understand that organizing the thing means, to collect the no of participants, set up a threat for the story and make sure people get informed when it is up to them to write their part and then collect the entries and post them.

Is this what you have in mind? Like I said I have never done something like this...

cheers

VeryBusy

 

outlining would be a great way to figure out certain parts, with everyone who wants to write, participating. Authors could be assigned to "chapters" or "posts" and then have an alternative writer in case they have some sort of unexpected Darth Real Life kidnapping (it happens to us all).

Something like this:

1st Post: "Jane", alternative writer "Kathy"

2nd Post: Jenny, alternative writer "Kristy"

Of course that might be too complicated, but it'd be nice to have some sort of backup in case someone isn't able to write their post, sort of like a cowriter that can post it for them or write it for them?

 

Good questions and I admit that I don't know the answers.

Having a planned outline and authors sounds more like a collaboration than a round robin to me, but I've only had experience with one RR.

 

This is what I was thinking... , anyway, I don't think that there is a clear line between RR and collaboration. I checked a few link on Wickipedia and found some interesting things about guidelines for Round-robin storys and for Collaboration.

For me it looks like the # of guidelines we are going to apply lately will depend on how many time a coordinator could spend and if it will be decided that someone is going to own the story plot or not.

I hope I am not going to overstep my boundaries now, since I am still very new and did not often participate here, but as a minimalist I would say:

Agree on a starting point, for example lets use Liz' plot bunny and have someone write the first part maybe ending with Mara waking up in the hospital not recognizing Luke and then lets go from there see where peoples imaginations are going to take us

lets make a list of people who whant to participate and come up with a list so that everyone knows when it is his or her turn

lets agree on a resonable timeframe when a person has to give us a heads up that he or she is not able to finish their part

decide on min./ max wordcound per post (not too much so that this will be doable for everyone independent ofn where the story is going - maybe 250 min 1000 max

lets decide on a max No of posts (dependent on the # of participants)

anyway... these are just basics, but we surely should not be too restrictive here about the plot, since it looks like noone has really the time to own the plot itself and go into discussions with every author if something is going a planned as not...

I guess this is all I have to say for the moment..


Just ignore me if I do not make any sense....

cheers,

VeryBusy

 

I think Busy did a good job with the guidelines. something loose is always good around here. I'd like to be on the list. It will be good to write again without having to plot a story out.

 

*Shudders* I remember those days of the huge and nebulous round robins that were everywhere... and never finished.

 

Like i said, I have never participated in one... but I think I remember some weird things while still in lurking mode in regards of FanFiction.

so whats about having a defined end point dependend on the amount of writers... for example if we have 10 participants the story has to be finished with the 40th post for example so everyone basically knows how much to extend the plot dependend on when he writes.

Hmmm..... don't know if this is going to make sense but if we agree for example that the story definetly has to have an happy end, it won't be sensible to bring up a new OC who is going to seduce Mara in the 39th post.

Maybe we could say, that before submitti8ng your entry you have to get approval from the one who has to write next that this is something that it resonable.

This give everyone a little bit responsibility.

cheers,

VeryBusy

 

Collabs and RRs are fun...I've been in several. I'd love to do this one, but time is short, even though summer approaches. I will be keeping an eye on it if you guys do one. Over the summer me and a friend from school are going to post a collab here, so watch for that.

Keep in mind though...while the "amnesia" idea is interesting, you might want to scan fanfiction.net and a bunch of other places (like the early, classic fiction board) to see just how many stories there are that are similar. I'd hate for you guys to fall into the ff.net (Also called The Pit) trap of repeating the same storyline a lot. I've seen that one way more than once. Several times, actually. I'm not saying don't do it, but just be careful if you do. Find some way to make it unique and utterly yours if you do use it, else it will end up being something the older authors will shy away from. And SJRS (being several, SEVERAL years old...I started it when I was 15...I'm 20 now) has a lot of loyal readers from the very beginning who've read a lot of stuff like that. You wouldn't want to lose them.

As I stated earlier, I MISS YOUR FREAKING FACES OFF. I will be returning this summer, with a friend in tow. Muwahahahaha!

 

WHEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!! Is the friend--does the name start with an O? I'M SO THERE!!!!

 

We miss you as well, Emmi! But looking forward to that collab.

That's a great plot bunny. I also have a Mara/amnesia story that I've been plotting and playing around for a bit, ginchy can attest to this. LOL! While I'd also love to participate, as it's an idea I enjoy lot's, I'm having trouble even updating the one story I've got going on currently. That said, I'd love to be PM'd when the excitement starts!!!

 

ginchy knows all!! bwahahahahahaaha!



Hey, Emmi!

Sounds like there is a lot of interest in the round-robin. I will be excited to see what y'all come up with!

 

Oh, Miranda!! The amnesia plot? How L/M-ish is it? And how much ooey-gooey romance? Lands, but I have a one track mind. Duh!

 

Haha, no...my friend doesn't have a name on these boards yet, lol. But rest assured, it's going to be interesting.

Good luck to the RR-ers!

 

You do... you do! Ginchy-girl, you're like the CIA of knowing a tale's inner-workings. lol!

So far the plot's very L/M-ish, my friend! There will be romance but there will also be angst. To be it's like peanut butter and jelly. It's hard to have an amnesia plot without the two playing off each other. Thanks for asking, I do think along the same mushy lines as you. It's hard not to with great characters like Luke and Mara.

 

considering that many of us that are writers have *very different* styles, I doubt the story would be the same as any on other fanfiction sites. And I seriously doubt we'd *lose* readers. L/M is fairly popular. You could say many of the L/M stories out there are similiar (especially the "romance after Thrawn trilogy instead of waiting 10 years" fanfics). But since they are written by different writers, they are all unique in the writing style and usually the plot.

If anyone is serious about the fanfic, I could set some sort of free message board site up for discussing how the story would go if its more of a collaboration than a "round robin".

 

Jedi_Liz posted:

considering that many of us that are writers have *very different* styles, I doubt the story would be the same as any on other fanfiction sites. And I seriously
doubt we'd *lose* readers. L/M is fairly popular. You could say many of the L/M stories out there are similiar (especially the "romance after Thrawn trilogy
instead of waiting 10 years" fanfics). But since they are written by different writers, they are all unique in the writing style and usually the plot.

If anyone is serious about the fanfic, I could set some sort of free message board site up for discussing how the story would go if its more of a collaboration
than a "round robin".

This is so. In the case of Mara and Luke getting together early fics, I've read many of these; they're all unique and all delightful. Part of that's writer talent, plotting. And the other part is, I love that whole idea anyway.

Hee!! Now I'm totally riveted by this whole Mara gets amnesia idea: so whenever this starts, however, please link it here or in the MJS thread. I don't wanna miss a thing!

 

You know, I've read Mara get amnesia a few times, but I've never seen Luke get amnesia... Just throwing that out there.

I might participate. I'm actually not that fond of the amnesia idea in general, but everyone else seems to like it, and since I'd be working with such a talented group of people, it might be fun.

 

Different styles have nothing to do with originality of plot, Liz. In fact, with a collab, it's even more important to work out the differences in style so that the story flows correctly. If styles are too different between posts then people get confused and lose interest.

I'm not saying you'll lose readers with that plot, I'm saying you'll have less to begin with. I've seen it so many times (in so many different fandoms) that I can't even begin to count. The story is your choice, your decision...but as someone who reads a lot of fanfic in a lot of different fandoms, trust me...that plot has been done so many times it isn't even FUNNY. If you decide to use it, then it'd be in your best interest to start thinking of some twist to put on it.

For example: Luke and Mara are married, Mara's pregnant, and somehow loses her memory. But maybe she doesn't lose it all at once. Maybe something is stealing her memories because they need a certain one. She might not lose her memory all at once...only a little at a time. Or maybe her doctor is hurting the baby in some way and modifying her memories about it...only the doctor screws up the memory modification. The drama of "lost memory" should probably be relegated to subplot while something else more interesting is moved to the forefront. I wouldn't have her revert to EH Mara, though...like I said, it's happened lots of times.

Just my two cents...you can do what you like with it.

 

I think Emily has some very valid points here, but I must say currently all those considerations about the plot and about how to gain interest of the readers are going to scare me off.

I think on Wookiepdia is a good summary on how a collab could work.

Collaborative fiction

Well, if you want to start something like this going for the next TF.N award for example all those points Emily made are really important , but then I am probably not one you will consider t collaborate and PMs to the writers in question should be send out already.

... I just thought we want to have some fun right now...

Isn't this what Jacen is doing with Ben in DN an LOTF?

Okay.. what I just wanted to say, I would like the Plot Emily just sugested just the same and in principle I would go with everything right at the moment, just because I would love to do something together with you people... (and if it is only ome coordination stuff or a short mushy interlude during the story time)

Anyway, I am not around here for long but I am reading L/M FanFiction for about 10 years now... I would say there is nothing that I haven't consumed , but I aree with Liz most of them are truely unique even if the Plotbunny is the same ever and ever again.

Maybe this wuld be good as a discussion topic to start with here, and which could give is some more ideas (just to show that the "lost memory" plot is not the only option).

Since people are writing about Luke and Mara for ages now! What are the plot bunnies you usually enjoyed and look forward to read, independent of the author who wrote?
Is there anything you always click on when it is mentioned in the subject line?
Or is there anything you do not even bother to look at, even if you are a Fan of the Author normally?

I have this imagination that we could maybe come up with something funny where we are going to include most of the topics we like in a very limited number of post (dependent on the number of participants) and see if it could make a resonable story.
Okay this will most probably end as a parody.... but just for the fun of it...

cheers,

VeryBusy

 

Just as an aside: I have no idea what's going on in Star Wars lit right now...I stopped reading anything in whole after Vector Prime unless it was written by Zahn. So something I suggested might be already there and I didn't know it.

 

Amnesia was just an **idea**. I did that with a story I wrote w/ VaderLVR. That story was an Anakin/Padme story, though. And you'd think the idea wouldn't have been popular, but once everything turned out okay, the readers were happy. *shrugs*

I was just throwing out a suggestion. Stealing memories........that sounds sort of hard to do..what do you mean by "stealing memories"? Do you mean like a memory charm?....And I'm not sure if I like the idea of a doctor hurting the baby or causing a problem that would hurt the baby (that is IF she was pregnant). And it wouldn't necessarily be EH Mara that she reverts to, but she doesn't remember Luke. Maybe she reverts back to working for Karrde days. Perhaps some dark jedi (like that one in the JAT, not Exar Xun, but the one that was mentioned in I, Jedi?) could use some sort of dark power?

This is what I imagine it would be like:

Mara is leaving the appointment, then maybe the Force disappears on her (sort of like entering an area w/ Ysalimiri?) and she doesn't even notice (since her danger sense doesn't warn her in time) that someone is following her. Perhaps its an enemy? Or perhaps its a crazy Paparazzi. Then she gets knocked on the head or something. When she wakes up at the med center, she doesn't recognize Luke. In fact, she asks where Talon is or something? This would cause Angst and basically L/M would have to fall in love all over again.




I haven't seen any Amnesia stories on theforce.net boards(and sometimes its hard to know characters in the story if none are mentioned in the title) involving Luke and Mara (anyway) & I checked fanfiction.net and didn't find any there (L/M amnesia ones). Of course we can throw out some more ideas other than mine. I'm welcome to other ideas - of course I'd probably only be a reader due to my own fanfics.


Feel free to throw other ideas into the plot bunny cage. We have two ideas so far (I think?) (And, actually Luke getting amnesia would be quite interesting, especially if he reverted back to his teen years and asked where his Aunt and Uncle were. )


Luke (looking at Mara): Who are you? Are you one of Camie's friends?
Mara (glaring at Luke): Luke, you don't even remember your own wife?
Luke (staring at Mara again): I'm a little young to have a wife.

Mara looks at doctor.

Doctor: It seems your husband has reverted back to a time when he was much younger.


Luke: But I wanted to go to Tosche station to pick up some power converters!


Mara: Um, Luke, you're not 19 anymore. You're (insert age here).


Luke: Who are you again?

 

Well, in terms of ff.net, I wasn't just talking about Star Wars. Amnesia is a pretty commonly taken storyline--it's been done with Star Wars, Harry Potter, X-Files, Supernatural, Sailor Moon, any number of other fandoms that exist. I know I've seen it done with Mara more than once. Luke I've never seen before. That sounds kind of interesting, especially if he were reverting to farmboy Luke.

Like I said, I wasn't saying don't do it. I was just saying be prepared to come up with some pretty unique stuff if you want your story to stand out. It would probably be better for the amnesia to be a side effect of what's *really* going on. I say that because I know that it's easy to get lost in the drama of "OMG you don't remember me"...and focus on that instead of what's really going on. I've *done* it before. One of my ongoing stories involves amnesia, and I'm saying it as someone who has done it. It's really easy to focus on the emotional drama and completely lose sight of what was causing it. I had to scrap and rewrite an entire storyline because of that. That's why I'm wary of the plotline itself, other than the fact that it's kind of universal.

EDIT: I don't know how the doctor would be 'stealing memories'. It was late at night and I was pulling stuff out of midair.

I don't like the idea of the doctor hurting the baby either (again, I was pulling stuff on the fly with that) but then again neither would Mara, nor Luke. And once they found out and got sorted out with memories and things, there'd be some interesting scenes to be had. (I *love* overprotective 'Daddy' Luke.)