Info The WNU Guide to Fan Fiction

The WNU Guide to Fan Fiction


Have you ever wondered what would have happened if Luke was turned to the dark side by Vader, and together they overthrew the Emperor? Or what if Qui-Gon lived and trained Anakin himself?

What about all those little moments in the movies or books that are just glossed over and never really fully explored? How did Anakin propose to Padme? What happened when Wedge and the other Rogues met at the rendezvous point, only to find their leader, Luke Skywalker, never turned up?

Many of these questions, and a whole lot more, have been explored in the medium of fan fiction. Fan fiction, often called fanfic, is a universal phenomenon in speculative fiction these days. Practically every new show, book or movie that comes out triggers some ideas in the fans, and inevitably, some of them take to setting their thoughts or ideas down in the form of stories.

Star Wars, being of such a mythic nature, has generated a large number of authors, and a larger number of stories: stories that have something for every taste, from romance to action and adventure, from Jedi vs. Sith to pilots in the New Jedi Order and beyond. Stories range in length from single posts (vignette) through to epic novel series in the hundred-thousand-word range.

The forums here that host these tales can be kind of confusing to the newcomer, so I’m here to act as your tour guide to Fan Fiction on the JC. Hope you enjoy the ride, and perhaps find something cool to read, and maybe even feel inspired to write and post some of your own ideas.



The Fanfic Forums

The JC has four fanfic forums. When you enter the Fan Fiction section, you’ll see:

Fan Fiction and Writing Resource: This is a place where you can discuss styles and types of writing, join character discussions, and pop in a social thread to say hi to your fellow writers. If you need fanfic- or writing-related advice or want to participate in a discussion or challenge, this is the place.

Before, Saga, and Beyond: Before we moved to these shiny new boards, the story forum was divided into three: the Saga, or the time period from The Phantom Menace to Return of the Jedi; Before the Saga, and Beyond the Saga. Now they’re merged into one forum, which you can get to by visiting the top of the Resource forum or in the the main Fan Fiction portal. This forum is just for stories. Even though the three forums have become one, make sure to tag your story as Before, Saga, or Beyond so your readers can find it more easily!

Non Star Wars Fan Fiction (NSWFF): This is the forum for all your non-Star Wars fanfic! We have stories, challenges, discussions, and more. Any story not set in the Star Wars ‘verse goes here.

Classic JC Board (Reply-Only): Even before we had three Star Wars fanfic forums, we had one. When traffic got too heavy, the boards were split, but the old stories remain for your perusal. There are some great classics there!


If you’re writing a crossover (stories where two different fandoms collide) that involves Star Wars, post it in Before, Saga, and Beyond. If Star Wars doesn’t play into your story at all, it goes in NSWFF.



Important Information

The JC is a family-friendly forum (trying saying that three times fast!), so stories should be kept PG-ish. You can visit the Fan Fiction FAQ for examples of limits for romance, torture, etc.

The general rule of thumb is “If you don’t like it, don’t read it.” Please don’t offer constructive criticism, publicly or through private message, of another’s work unless he or she asks for it. If you have problems with the story, just don’t read it. If you do like it, be sure to post a reply! It’s a great way to make new friends and show appreciation of their work.

We frown on pimping your story (posting about it in other threads or via PM). You can put a link to your story in your signature and mention it in writing discussions that are about personal examples, but don’t go talking about it everywhere. (It’s a great way to turn people off and make them not want to read it.) You can only send story updates via PM to people who ask for them. More info on where you can and can not post links to your story can be found in this section of the FAQ.

Upping, or posting in your thread for the sole purpose of bumping it to page 1, is considered spam and will get you a ban. If you wish to do story replies (saying thanks to those you read your story) between posting chapters, wait a few days between each time you post.

The best way to get readers is to make friends! Visit the social thread, reply to other stories, and join in discussions to meet people.


Great Threads

The Fan Fiction FAQ or NSWFF FAQ should always be your first stop! If you have questions that aren’t covered in the thread or need assistance, Fan Fiction mods (of both Star Wars and Non-Star Wars) Briannakin and mavjade or Mira_Jade are always around to help!

We recently moved the JC from IGN to Xenforo. If you have a fanfic-specific question about how to work the boards, post your question here.

For more info on how to navigate the fanfic boards, you can always visit our Welcome New Users guide or ask a question in our Fanfic Writer's Help Desk. We are a friendly community with members always willing to help.


Above all, be nice, have fun, and write! If you have any questions, feel free to contact the fanfic and NSWFF mods or post in this thread.



*Intro borrowed from original thread.
Updated September 2019 by mavjade.

 

Thanks, guys! Also, something that got deleted in my edits--Credit where credit is due; I borrowed the intro from the old thread.