[LegolasLover]

I think it is a good idea and am willing to help in (almost) any way I can. All you have to do is ask.

[dolarabee]

Why not do it all digitally to give a chance to all the interested members, and once edited and put together, you can just print it out and bind it ever which way you want? And for those who'd rather use it on computer, well, they have that option too.

Just a thought,

do.

[Leila]

Do you mean give the choice to have a printed copy mailed to them or a copy sent/available to them on the computer? Is that what you mean?


How about anyone who wants to help with this say so on this post and I'll make a list? Think that will work?

Anyone got any ideas?

[rorrah]

[Leila]

[Viv]

[Viv]

Also recommended for anyone writing stories about elves: Morgoth's Ring, edited by Chris Tolkien. This is one of the HoME (History of Middle-earth) series of books. It includes a very handy section on Laws and Customs of elves. And it has the Debate of Finrod and Andreth, a long discussion of elf-human differences and relationships.

[Leila]

[Leila]

[quote="Viv"]You may want to contact Scribe directly and see if you can merge your project with hers. It would be redundant for two groups to do this at once, without working together.[quote]

True. I might do it later.

[Una]

I think the easiest way of distribution apart from binding (which is a lot of money to cough up) is to prepare such a guideline in Word format and/or PDF and then put it online for anyone to download and print out. This way there is only toner/ink and paper costs to consider for each member as well as for a folder.

Just my two Euro cents

Una

[Scribe]

What I was intending with the creation of the Library was exactly that, a repository of information for fan fiction writers. As a writer who’s dabbled in a few fandoms, it is not an exaggeration to say that the Tolkienverse is the hardest for a fan fiction writer to tackle simply because of the overwhelming complexity of the source material. While more experienced writers live by the code of research, younger authors, just recently introduced to the books by way of the films, the discipline has not yet set in.

While we’ve learnt to distinguish between the dreaded Mary Sue, what the fandom has yet to be able to discern is the difference between a fangirl writing about her favourite lust object (in this case almost always Legolas) and a very inexperienced first time author who was so moved by the films that the desire to write something, even without research is overwhelming.

We’ve all been there – yes even me who some people consider a pretty damn good author. I won’t go into detail about my stories involving Han Solo and Jabba the Hutt when I was thirteen which I found in a box about a year and a bit ago and read. My first reaction was deep embarrassment; my second was to THANK GOD the Internet wasn’t around back then. Suffice to say those stories were out on the street the next day and I even made sure the garbage man put it in the crusher….no evidence of my MS will ever surface (as if at 13 I would know what to do with Han Solo anyway:D).

Getting back to the point after this terrible detour into the dark side, is that if there was a guide of how to write fan or in general write; I would have appreciated it back then. The Internet for all its freedom of expression does the disservice by allowing an author to post before she is ready for her work to read. The evolution of our skill is displayed for all to see and though this is our own choice, it leaves us open to flaming and criticism. Older, more mature authors can take this for what it is, younger ones do not.

My hopes for the library is to expose new authors to guides of how to write Tolkien fan fiction because of all the critiques on the web, Tolkien fans are the most unforgiving. It is impossible for Melia to be taken simply as an OFC in general now matter how good I write her and I don’t blame the fandom for largely thinking this, not after seeing ff.net and what’s been inundating the fandom since the arrival of the oh so delicious Mr Bloom. A Tolkien fan who truly enjoys the character of Legolas would be driven to distraction with all the drivel that is out there.

The challenge is one of the things I’m going to incorporate into the Library. I also surf the net for good essays and articles that might help. That’s one of the reasons why I would like those of you who come across such things to let me know. The larger the library is, the more useful it will be. The Reality Bytes section is a place to new essays but eventually, they too will find their way into the library.

Leila’s idea of creating an online repository is a good idea and I hope she will contribute to it. This will be an ongoing process and I hope to have participation of more people in its upkeep. It is my hope that eventually the Library will a useful resource not only of OSA’s members but anyone who wants to write good fan fic.

[Una]

I could contribute on the techniques of writing and of beta reading (both from writers and beta readers POV). I have done it for S:AAB and Orlific fanfiction writers, so it would be easy to edit it to fit the LOTR fandom.

Una

[Viv]

[Leila]

I may contribute something to it.....maybe. But right now I need to hurry up and write my submission for the challenge, since the due date is coming up VERY soon.

**********

I'm just 17 but I've long since thrown anything at all I've written before the age of 14. And now I'm about to start tossing out most of what I've written between then, when I moved the summer before going into high school, since I've joined this site. I've just finally realized recently just how bad they really are. Most of them are Harry Potter or Lord of the Rings fanfics. The only one I remember and like is the one I wrote for this site. And I feel that the only reason it turned out as well as it did is because of the guidelines. My sis isn' t too fond of them (you know it's true), but I feel they help. Just thought I'd mention that. Um....yeah...

[Viv]

Well, we're all developing writers... there isn't a fic on this site that's fit for professional publication (tho some are really really close). I'm glad you're here, growing with all the rest of us, becoming better writers.

And remaining squealy fans.