* The OC should not interfere with the canon characters' basic personalities. (i.e. the canon characters should not go OOC (Out Of Character) simply because of the original character's presence.) For example, do not have Boromir (or anyone else) turn into an evil rapist just because the OC is so damn irresistible. * The OC should not dominate the fan fic to the extent that all other characters and Middle-earth become non-existent. * The OC should have plausible powers and attributes. There must be good canonical explanations for any powers/hair colour/traits that your OC has. * The OC must have a solid background. That's not to say you have to spend an eternity describing the OCs childhood - however, the OCs background information (i.e. name, race, family, appearance) should fit in with Middle-earth. Do not invent new family members of existing characters unless the canon is vague on their ancestry. Extensive family trees can be found in the Appendices of RotK as well as The Silmarillion. * The OC should be realistic and have depth to his/her character. An OC that is too perfect, or has too many powers is not believable and not fun to read about. * OCs should not cause plot holes. Whatever adventure they get embroiled in - make it reasonable. Why would the fellowship want this 12-year-old girl to join them? * While it is interesting to have an OC with a detailed background, please try to limit the device of having her abused, raped, sold into slavery, etc. Not only have these been done to death but after a time strains credibility when an OC is subjected to so much abuse and then rises to the occasion instead of being a gibbering wreck. * Modern Age OCs - If the OC should originate from a universe other than Middle Earth, she will enter Middle Earth with no prior knowledge of it. In other words, no character is going to enter Middle Earth with knowledge of THE TRILOGY. Open Scrolls strives for quality and this reeks of nothing but LAZY PLOTTING. The OC should not be able to speak the language instantly unless there is a very good reason for it. Westron is NOT English. If the OC HAS to join the Fellowship, please provide a reasonable explanation for it. Elrond has been a leader for a very long time, it's going to be a compelling reason that convinces him why an unattached female, with no wilderness skills, who doesn't speak the language, should accompany nine males into the most dangerous place in Middle Earth.
SoA:
# Modern character insertion - Modern day people fall into Middle-Earth # Mary-Sue's - OFC's, even in romances with canon characters, are not automatically Mary-Sue's. But if she joins the Fellowship or requires you to seriously violate canon, steals lines from canon characters or changes the course of the story.....she is more than likely a Mary Sue. No Mary Sue parodies either, please.
SoA's guidelines are much better than OSA's, in some respects better than HASA's, because they are friendlier in tone. However, I am seriously put off by the long list of what you may not submit there.
I agree - of course - that it is the right of the site owner to ban as many genres for whatever reason from their site.
Nevertheless I think that it is discriminating to exclude so many sub-genres of fanfiction, and it seems to me that this is the consequence of a mindset prejudiced and biased against those sub-genres.
Once more, that is only my own personal opinion about the guidelines that those archives are based on.
It is an opinion that has nothing at all to do with the authors and reviewers at those archives.
As I already said, many of my friends post their stories there, and probably review there, too, and I am very happy if they are happy there.
So please accept my apology if my opinion has offended you.
(no subject)
Date: 2006-02-12 10:45 am (UTC)OSA:
SoA:
SoA's guidelines are much better than OSA's, in some respects better than HASA's, because they are friendlier in tone. However, I am seriously put off by the long list of what you may not submit there.
I agree - of course - that it is the right of the site owner to ban as many genres for whatever reason from their site.
Nevertheless I think that it is discriminating to exclude so many sub-genres of fanfiction, and it seems to me that this is the consequence of a mindset prejudiced and biased against those sub-genres.
Once more, that is only my own personal opinion about the guidelines that those archives are based on.
It is an opinion that has nothing at all to do with the authors and reviewers at those archives.
As I already said, many of my friends post their stories there, and probably review there, too, and I am very happy if they are happy there.
So please accept my apology if my opinion has offended you.