Check in: Wednesday 20th

[lilly_c]

Hope you're all having a good day, writing or otherwise :)

I've been awake since stupid o'clock and because I couldn't get back to sleep it give some extra time to look over a few notes for a chapter fic and couple of one-shots that I'm outlining and researching at the moment and I also got a bit more editing done too. I'm not sure what I'll be able to get done once I get home later today as I have to finish packing, ready for going home tomorrow morning for the weekend. We shall see what happens writing wise once that's done.

Poll #12871

Open to: Registered Users, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 4

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I have

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Written
1 (25.0%)

Edited
0 (0.0%)

Researched
0 (0.0%)

Sent to beta
0 (0.0%)

Posted
0 (0.0%)

Dealt with life
3 (75.0%)

My progress is

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Great
0 (0.0%)

Okay
2 (50.0%)

Why are you even asking!
2 (50.0%)

Discussion topic: original characters. Do you ever create original characters for your fic? Do you allow other writers to use your creations? Do you bring them back in your other fic? Use them once and forget about them?

I’ve only created original characters a couple of times. For one of my Killer Instinct fics I had to create Danielle’s family because she only mentioned her parents once in canon and doctors, rehab centre staff and patients, my other half also gave me a very cheesy title to use for a soap the characters would be watching. I’ve used the soap title a few times, Danielle's parents have come back twice (I think, been a while since I played with KI) but none of the other characters have made a reappearance of any kind yet.

I introduced a child, Robbie & Jackie’s 3-year-old daughter in an old Taggart fic, I actually plan to bring her back at some point and recently when I was working on Twice Unjust (again Taggart), I had to create Robbie’s mum, estranged dad they were mentioned in canon but never seen (plus there is some ambiguity with that particular element of canon too) and a small second family for his dad. I may be bringing his mum back in another fic because I really like her and his nephew too.

It’s never come up for me, others wanting to use my characters, but I’m happy for them to be used as long I get asked first and have a credit of some kind in their fic notes.

Comments

[elmyraemilie]

I do write OCs. I really enjoy it--gives the canon cast someone to work off of, which I think provides me with a better opportunity to reveal character and put the canon folks in new situations. It also pushes me a little as a writer, without pushing me the whole way into original work.

I haven't yet reused an OC, but there are a couple I would consider reusing if the right opportunity arose. One is an employee of the Ministry of Magic, and one is the Guildmaster of the Worshipful Assemblage of Potions Masters. That second guy--the story I wrote him in was a mess and will never be finished, so it's almost certain that he'll show up in some other piece.

[asecretchord]

Can I just say that I love the "Worshipful Assemblage of Potions Masters"? 'cause that is truly awesome!

[elmyraemilie]

Thankies! I was reading about the Chelsea Physick Garden and of course my mind went right to Severus Snape. Wizardom would probably have had guilds like the non-magical world did, back a thousand years ago or so.

What if Snape retreated to the Guildhall after the war? What would have to happen to get him out of there again? The Guildmaster, Lewys Prothero, has "the heart of a lion and the social delicacy of a marriage broker." And he really wants his friend Snape to get out and live a little.

[linaewen]

I am still dealing with a head cold that makes thinking very difficult, so I'm not making much progress in writing. I am spending time cleaning my office area, however, which will make writing more pleasant when my brain decides to engage once more!

I have several OC's who are recurring characters and they crossover into other stories, as well (some haven't yet, but will do so in the future). A couple of my WIPs, while different stories that take place at different times, are still about the same characters and their world, so my OC's are present and accounted for when needed in each of the fics for interaction with the canon characters. I have a couple of OC's who are very dear to me and are quite well developed, as a result; I love giving them a chance to participate whenever possible. I did kill one of them off since the story demanded it, but he's still present in a WIP that takes place at an earlier time, so I don't miss him too much. ;-)

[lea_hazel]

I don't write in series format much, but I'm considering reopening that question for certain stories. Mostly I want to explore as many different possible alternatives as possible. Of course, in my current main fandoms the definitions for what counts as an OC are a little more flexible than I'm used to.

Earlier today I had a pretty decent writing stretch. Ordinarily I would consider it better than OK but I'm on a deadline and stressed.