Tag: fanfiction

Posted in essay, fanfiction, writing

Fandom Writing Starter Kit: An Introduction

Posted on by sokorra

I started this series on Bubblews, but instead of a direct transfer, as I actually lost the copy, I’m starting a new.  So it’s  fresh version of an old post.

For those who are newbies to Fandoms in general, a fandom is a collection of fans who share a similar love for a show, movie, book, band, sports team, etc.  Although you often don’t hear people refer to sports as a fandom, it essentially is one.  Any time a group of people gather and enjoy the same entertainment, it’s a fandom.

Fandom writing therefore is fan created works relating to the be-fanned subject.  This is more popular in fandoms that are based on books, tv shows, and movies then other fandoms, but they still exist.  And it usually comes in two types: Meta & Fan-Fiction. Mainly in this series of articles I will be focusing on the latter. Continue reading “Fandom Writing Starter Kit: An Introduction” →

Posted in fanfiction, ncis, stargate, writing

Ponderings: AUs

Posted on by sokorra

After school let out for the summer I decided to go through my computer and finish the unfinished stories and start getting them moved over to the “Look how much crap I have written” Disk.  I opened the NCIS folder, having decided to start there and realized I had six unfinished stories. All of them were AUs in the sense that Kate Todd never dies in my stories (except in the Doom Fic, which she actually only dies for a few minutes) but I wondered if I should actually call them AUs.  For examples, I shall list the summaries of these WIPs.

1. Dirty Deeds

Basically I’m writing a cliché.  Kate and Tony have a one-night stand the night before his wedding to Bianca (an OC).  Much angst is held because Tony is confused, Kate feels guilt and confusion, Abby and the rest of the gang are wondering why the hell Tony is getting married and Bianca has issues of her own.  AU because Kate is alive and Tony is actually getting married, but still staying close to canon.

2. As the World Falls Down

Kate & Tony (are you getting my ship for this fandom yet?) babysit Tony’s half-sister.  Kate has a strange dream inspired by Labyrinth and decides to make a move on Tony.   It starts off as a fluffy one-shot but Abby & Tim wanted their turn. So its more.  AU Kate but stays close to canon

3. The Christmas AU 1

Tony and Kate spend Christmas together during the great Snow-in. Canon AU

4. The Christmas AU 2

Jen, Kate and Ziva own a book store.  Ari is a patient at a mental facility where he is watched over by Dr. Leon Vance. Ducky runs a clinic with Gerald and Jimmy, Paula Cassidy a jewelry store, Cassie Yates a drug store, Tony a movie rental place and Abby a computer repair center.  Tim is a writer known for spending time at the book store.  I forget what I have Gibbs doing.  AU AU

5.  Untitled

Tony decides to take a job in LA for a few months to put distance between himself and Kate.  This is how She realizes how much Tony actually does within the group dynamic.  AU season 3

6. The One with a Casino

Jen owns a casino. Ari wants her casino, so he sends his best man Peter to try and blackmail and otherwise terrorize a stubborn Jen out of the casino.  Kate is a PI (partnered with Tony) and comes to work undercover to catch Ari & Peter in the act. Gibbs is Jen’s wealthy but retired boyfriend, Ducky and Jimmy bartenders, Ziva is head of security, and McGee is a frequent customer to the table where Abby is the dealer.

There is more (including, I think, a McAbby ficlet) but I will stop there. Especially since this is supposed to be a reading/writing original fic journal. But the point is most of those stick to canon in the sense that they have the same missions, the same things happen to people, but its altered slightly by the fact that Kate (and at times Jen) lived to see another season.  But then I also have the Casino and Bookshop fics.  If its AU to have Kate alive, what do I call fics where its not even in the same setting as the original product.

What if I have Rodney and John as professors at Atlantis University instead of who they are on the show?  Do I call that Au or do I have another label for it.  Or what if I write a fic where Vala never got off the Prometheus the first time?

So what I am asking my few readers is How do you define an AU and whats canon fic.

Posted in fanfiction, Pet Peeves, writing

The Author Note

Posted on by sokorra

I read tons of fan fiction in my free time. And over time I have come across some things that have made me want to bang my head against the wall.  Sometimes it was atrocious spelling (if its worse then my own, its really really bad, believe me), other times it could be the lack of capitals or punctuation.  And often it is the author notes.

Author notes are for the purpose of speaking to the reader about whatever it is your story that isn’t explained within the story itself, or answering a common question in reviews for the last trouble, or even making a note about the song you listened to or an excuse why its late. I usually include people who helped in the brainstorming and beta’ing of the story.  It belongs at the top and/or bottom of your chapter.

Where it does not belong is in the middle of it.  Over the last couple of months I have constantly come across stories where I’m into the story and get thrown out because the author decided to stick an author’s note into a paragraph.  I spend a few minutes glaring at said author’s note and continue on.  On occasion I have found fics riddled with author notes.

As a reader I am begging the writers:  Please keep the notes to the start or the finish.  If you feel you need to explain something, put an asterisk or a number ala footnotes and explain it later.  Or just explain it in the opening notes. 

When its in the middle of your story it throws the reader off.  Its like floating through a river and suddenly a rock appears.  Also, half the author notes within the story I have seen tend to be commentary rather then explanations.  If you want to do that, do a fic commentary like people do for television shows.   I find the “And he danced to the hokey pokey. (A/N: I love that song!)” to be greatly annoying.

Also, if you feel something needs to be explained, have another character explain it.

I don’t want to sound mean or make it sound like those who do this aren’t good writers.  All I am saying is that I have stopped reading fics before because of excessive internal author notes.  Keep them to the before or after area, and not the during, please.

Posted in fanfiction, writing

Possible Fic Openers

Posted on by sokorra

Found a fortune cookie the other day that seemed perfect to open a chapter with, kind of like how some start it off with a lyric.  Here is a list so I don’t forget them.

Though I am not naturally Honest, I am so sometimes by chance.

Compromise is always wrong if it means sacrificing a principle.

Your ability to love will help a child in need (this is not one I’ll probably use.)

A sense of humor is one of your greatest assets

One cannot know the best that is in him

Experience is what you get when you don’t get what you want.

Posted in fanfiction, ncis, stargate

Question to my readers

Posted on by sokorra

Which is a better way to start a story based on a crime show

a)  The body of the Petty Officer is found

b) the gang is told about the Stargate program at lunch with Kate

c) Tony has lunch with Kate

d) Tony and Kate are having dinner together, catching up when Tony gets the call that a body is found.

Posted in fanfiction

Fandom Pet Peeves

Posted on by sokorra

Over the last couple of days I have come across story after story where the author doesn’t seem to understand one thing.  Author Notes should not be in sections.  They should be together, either at the top or the bottom of the story.  You can have notes at the top and at the bottom, but not through out the actual story.  It pushes the reader out of the story.

The story section of your fic should not include author notes, author commentary, or author questions.    The header of your story should not be longer then the story itself.  if you have that much to explain, you have more writing to do. 

Sorry about this rant but it is becoming a pet peeve of mine to be reading a story and suddenly have the author talking to me as if I was watching a commentary.  If you really want me to know it, place it with your header or footer.  Don’t interrupt story time.

Another thing that gets me?  When people post that they won’t update untill so many people review.  Its not going to happen.  That just makes people want to run.  Your fic is not a good hostage.  If people are going to review, they will.  Asking for reviews is ok, especially if your making sure people know you want con-crit. But saying you won’t post till people review might make your reviews go down.  

Posted in fanfiction, ncis, stargate, writing

As yet untitled NCIS/SG-1 fic prologue

Posted on by sokorra

 

Author’s Notes:  This is a rough draft.  I plan on writing more into this.  Especially at the end.  Delve more into Nicholas, and in particular his relationship with Tony.  Katarina;s name may also change.  She’s dead (I’m trusting Gibbs and not Tony on this one, because the writers didn’t keep a correct way of wiether she was alive or not.)

Spoilers: All 10 seasons of SG-1, first 5 seasons of NCIS, particularly seasons 1-2.   Nothing heavily episode related, but NCIS and SG have things that are said in them that filter through out the whole show (like people teasing Tony about the Transsexual he made out with)

Basically, right now know that Vala and Cameron are at the SGC, as is Sam.  Sam & Jack are involved in a serious relationship.   Paul Davis has been promoted to Lt. Colonel and is currently helping Kate set up an investigative section of Homeworld Security.

Ziva and Tony are kinda together.  They aren’t holding each other to any sort of commitment and both are thinking of ending it, amicably.

Jenny did not die.  So ignore anything about the season 5 finale or later.  Kate did not die, but she hasn’t been working at NCIS since her attack (where she did die, but they were able to bring her back with the technology the SGC had available).

Umm….yeah, thats basically it I think.  If not I’ll revise this later on.  Proabably when this becomes a publishable –at-an-archive stage.

 

Continue reading “As yet untitled NCIS/SG-1 fic prologue” →

Posted in fanfiction, ncis, stargate, writing

The problem with stories that go on in your head is..

Posted on by sokorra

That you get scenes that are totally not part of the story being planned.

Like I have this scene in my head of Kat (who, given that I see her being a little like Abby, might actually in fact be like the person I know as Kat) wanting a pet Iguana but Tony saying no (and Kate laughing her butt off about.).  Now she just wants a pet, so she moves on to other animals trying to find one that her parents will allow (and that their apartments will allow).  And during a case, there is a dog that has to go up for adoption because its owner died and it has no one to take of it, so Tony decides that its the perfect pet for Kat, since its a older dog whose been around alot of people, and for some odd reason it just hits him as the right thing to do.  And Kat is very happy about it.

But given the story takes place when Kat is 2 and not 6 or 7 like she would be in the scene above, it gets annoying when that is the scene that’s running through your head.

Why can’t it be the scene where Jack and Gibbs argue over jurisdiction?

Ooooo…Jack and Gibbs in the elevator conference room.  Discussing whose got what rights and coming to an agreement……