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sindohte
Joined: 13 May 2003
Posts: 1621
Location: Rubbing up against an Elf
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 Posted: Thu Sep 09, 2004 2:07 pm Post subject: |
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| Roisin wrote: | .... although we did set our fic partly during the WOTR and immediate aftermath, we ended up with a fair number of OCs running around, both male and female, simply b/c we needed them to make a believable life/background for our OFC. Then sometimes we would just make them up b/c we realized we needed someone to fill a certain niche. "Need a Rohirric soldier here...Fynhelm!!"
And then there's Elladan and Elrohir, who are so thinly sketched in the book that they almost count as OCs.
Roisin |
You are right about our merry band of OCs running around our story. I know that I personally love writing about OCs because the challenge then becomes trying to figure out how to introduce this new character to the reader.
And don't get me started on Fynhelm. He is going to have a big role in our next story, I can just feel it. 
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SpaceWeavil
Joined: 27 May 2004
Posts: 23
Location: Looking at shiny things
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| Posted: Thu Sep 09, 2004 2:15 pm Post subject: |
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Well, from this thread I just got my first idea for a Legomance  4th Age one. Only my friend just told me it's a rubbish idea.
Mind you, she then went on to suggest that I write a story where Legolas goes to the Grey Havens and whilst he's there he falls in love with a mermaid, so I don't know how much weight I should give to her opinion any more....
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Roisin
Joined: 11 May 2003
Posts: 449
Location: U.S.A.
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| Posted: Thu Sep 09, 2004 2:17 pm Post subject: |
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| SpaceWeavil wrote: |
Mind you, she then went on to suggest that I write a story where Legolas goes to the Grey Havens and whilst he's there he falls in love with a mermaid, so I don't know how much weight I should give to her opinion any more.... |
Somewhere, Scribe is screaming in pain.
Roisin |
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Lossefalme01
Joined: 08 Jul 2004
Posts: 31
Location: Missouri, USA
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| Posted: Thu Sep 09, 2004 2:23 pm Post subject: |
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Argh! Too much to catch up on!  *deep breath* Here goes...
| Quote: | What I want to read is a story about Legolas that is also romantic, rather than a romance that happens to have Legolas in it.
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This is a very good point, and one that I will keep in mind as well. I think that my Legomance is safe from this point of view, considering that (as far as I can tell) the romance is secondary to the duties that Legolas and my OFC must perform. But who knows. I guess to really find out I'd have to ask my critiquers.... 
| Quote: | Many readers don't know that a MS used to be known as a self insertion character. They believe MS and OC are the same thing. The term MS has evolved into something different from what it used to be.
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I completely agree with this as well, and I think this change has actually happened quite recently, because when I started writing fanfic on the net it was just about a year and a half ago, and back then an MS was a self insertion character. Now I've heard the MS label slapped on just about every OC character out there.... 
| Quote: | And why is there such a proliferation of WotR based Legomances? Can we lay the blame at the feet of Peter Jackson for picking Orlando Bloom to play the role of Legolas and thus spawning the slew of stories?
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I think you can blame Peter Jackson and Orlando Bloom for lots of it.  Because... the movies are what inspired a lot of people who did not know about LOTR before to start getting into it, and of course Orlando Bloom inspired a lot of younger aged girls to get into fanfiction writing. So I think that does create a lot of the problems with so many bad Legomances, but as for why lots of them are set in the WotR time period, I think that has to do with a lot of what Cormak said, with those characters being the ones that people identify with more, but I also think it has to do with some impatience/laziness (as you mentioned Sindhote) as well.
However, after I finish "The Wall that Fell" I don't think I will EVER write another fic in the time period of WotR again! It's too much work... I think it's more work than having a story take place in a different period, because you have to work your OC and your plotline around the BOOKS and what has already been established. That to me is just exhausting, and I will truthfully be glad to be done with TWTF so I can move on to my next LOTR fic set in the 4th age! Then I won't have to write with the trilogy stacked next to me, and my poor books can have a rest from the constant page flipping they've suffered over the past year!
The main reason I wrote a Legomance was because his character was left so open, and one of the things I really like to do in fanfiction is to go inside characters whose backgrounds aren't well known. So that part was too tempting for me to resist, and then of course with Orlando playing the part in the movies, that gives you the looks, and then you've just got the whole package! As for why I chose to set it during the WotR, that was because at the time that was era I knew the best, so I was most comfortable writing for that period. However, I have now changed my mind, as I mentioned before, and will probably never do it again! But yes, if you come down to it, that was the first idea I had and I didn't want to take the time to look for others.
| Quote: | | That definitely spurred me with my writing efforts. A story about Legolas exploring some of those background issues, such as his family life, etc., not touched upon in either the books or the movies is fascinating. I am curious to see what people can do with those blank spots in his life. Like who were Legolas's friends? |
YES! Those things intrigue me as well! Which is why I'm glad I'll be able to still cover some of them in "The Wall that Fell" and also why I'm anxious to work on my second LOTR story which will go much more into detail with those questions!
| Quote: | | You don't know how many people I have hounding me for Legolas and my OC to kiss and get it on. I"ve written 29 chapters and they haven't done anything yet. I've actually lost readers because it hasn't happened soon enough. So impatience is definitely there! |
That's happened to me too! LOTS! It's rather annoying, actually. But that's probably another reason why so many Legomances out there are lacking, because the authors are aiming for that certain reading group (who seem to make up a lot of the readers at ff.net, actually) because they think that if they don't then no one will read or review their story!
| Quote: | 1. My Legomance is NC-17 from paragraph 5, and the right-off-the-bat explicit smut is a major plot point. Is is salvagable?
2. When I read one of those "If you don't review, I won't write any more!" things, I immediately stop reading, delete the notepad review I'd been working on, and add that writer to my super-secret list of Ficwriters I Will Never Read Again.
3. I rarely review a story if the writer of that story hasn't left at least one review on this archive. Those folks who post their stories and then just sit back and wait for the reviews to roll in squick me. If you're gonna beg, at least give.
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1. Oh really? Okay, I'm definitely gonna have to go and read that one!!! I need to read some good Legolas smut, because I wrote one short ficlet on that subject and haven't been able to write Legolas smut since.  Perhaps your Legomance will get my smut gears turning again! LOL.
2. I must confess I do the exact same thing!
3. I don't get to read fanfics much, but it's not because I don't want to. It's because I have school, homework, work, three of my own fanfictions that I'm writing all at the same time, three fanfic writers I beta for, and a husband who also likes to use the computer now and then. However, when I do read a story I try to at least leave a review, because other people are kind enough to take time out of THEIR busy lives to leave me reviews! But still, I don't get around to reading much.... 
Well I think I've covered about all of it so far, and so I'm off to do some writing! All this Legolas talk has got me in the mood! 
_________________
Though here at journey's end I lie
in darkness buried deep,
beyond all towers strong and high,
beyond all mountains steep,
above all shadows rides the Sun
and Stars forever dwell:
I will not say the Day is done,
nor bid the Stars farewell. |
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SpaceWeavil
Joined: 27 May 2004
Posts: 23
Location: Looking at shiny things
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| Posted: Thu Sep 09, 2004 2:29 pm Post subject: |
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| Roisin wrote: | | SpaceWeavil wrote: |
Mind you, she then went on to suggest that I write a story where Legolas goes to the Grey Havens and whilst he's there he falls in love with a mermaid, so I don't know how much weight I should give to her opinion any more.... |
Somewhere, Scribe is screaming in pain.
Roisin |
I told her the idea had probably been done on FF.Net already...
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Cormak
Joined: 08 Jul 2004
Posts: 12
Location: MA, USA
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| Posted: Thu Sep 09, 2004 2:38 pm Post subject: |
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Lossefalme, you brought up something that's really true. Writing a OC into the WotR is really difficult. I've spent hours pouring through the books and agonizing over things I have written. You don't want your OC to overpower the story because they are a new addition but you do not want them to sit forgotten in the background either. I find it easy to leave the book and movie behind and write my own scenes!
I don't write for the readers or reviews, I write for myself. Writing is a creative outlet for me. I do not rush for anyone because it affects my writing. I have to be in the right frame of mine to write and hounding me isn't going to work. Nope! I love getting reviews like the next person, but I could give or take the ones that say "Great story, write more now!". I really love the ones that pick apart my work in a nice way. I'm all about improving. Funny though, how I haven't gotten many more of those since Lossefalme became my beta. |
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Thuriniel
Joined: 29 Jul 2003
Posts: 665
Location: Watching the purple sky fly over me ...
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| Posted: Thu Sep 09, 2004 2:43 pm Post subject: |
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| Lossefalme01 wrote: | The main reason I wrote a Legomance was because his character was left so open, and one of the things I really like to do in fanfiction is to go inside characters whose backgrounds aren't well known. So that part was too tempting for me to resist, and then of course with Orlando playing the part in the movies, that gives you the looks, and then you've just got the whole package! As for why I chose to set it during the WotR, that was because at the time that was era I knew the best, so I was most comfortable writing for that period. However, I have now changed my mind, as I mentioned before, and will probably never do it again! But yes, if you come down to it, that was the first idea I had and I didn't want to take the time to look for others.
Well I think I've covered about all of it so far, and so I'm off to do some writing! All this Legolas talk has got me in the mood! |
Legolas character is very open just because we don't know much about him ... we know enough to make him interesting, but there are a lot of details that are missing. Sort of like Elladan and Elrohir ... I like how Roisin referred to them as "semi OCs" ! I find peripheral characters such as Legolas easier to work with simply because I can almost treat them as OCs. Take someone like Aragorn or Frodo or Galadriel and then things get complicated.
I am yet to see a Legomance taking place in the Battle of the Five Armies ... I think that would be incredibly interesting. Alas, I'm one of those who chose the war of the Ring/Fellowship, and the only redeeming comment I can make of my fic is that my OFC never messes up the number 9 ... and quite on purpose. I was incredibly tempted to send her with the Fellowship from Rivendell, but somehow logic (and if only I would've paid attention and used canon!) kicked in and I introduced my OFC in Lorien.
Would I write another Legomance? Absolutely not. Why? Because I'm sappy and romantic and I find myself totally unable to have Legolas hook up with another female. I don't mind at all seeing him with other partners in other fics, but in my universe, I just can't.
In the case of a challenge, I might consider it, but right now, as far as my writing goes, I'm done with Legomance.
And talking about writing ... you're right, all this talk of Legolas is putting me in the mood for working a bit on the last chapter of my fic ... so there I go  !
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Lossefalme01
Joined: 08 Jul 2004
Posts: 31
Location: Missouri, USA
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| Posted: Thu Sep 09, 2004 7:41 pm Post subject: |
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| Quote: | | You don't want your OC to overpower the story because they are a new addition but you do not want them to sit forgotten in the background either. I find it easy to leave the book and movie behind and write my own scenes! |
You're absolutely right! And that's a hard thing to do, really! But at least you take most of your stuff from the movies, even though you do add in some stuff from the book as well. I somehow switched from basing TWTF on the movies to almost completely basing it on the books, and since my OFC is a part of ME and happens to be right in the middle of the action I can't just leave out and skip over certain things, which makes it all a very exhausting process!  Meep.
| Quote: | | I don't write for the readers or reviews, I write for myself. Writing is a creative outlet for me. I do not rush for anyone because it affects my writing. I have to be in the right frame of mine to write and hounding me isn't going to work. Nope! I love getting reviews like the next person, but I could give or take the ones that say "Great story, write more now!". I really love the ones that pick apart my work in a nice way. I'm all about improving. Funny though, how I haven't gotten many more of those since Lossefalme became my beta. |
Aw! Thanks for saying such a nice thing, Cormak!  That's an encouraging thing... that must mean my comments are useful after all, eih? Hee hee.
As far as writing for yourself, I am also like that. I write for myself, and I cannot rush myself for anything. That's why it takes me more than three months for one chapter sometimes. I just can't sit down and throw out some crap. I have to WANT to write the story, and then I take my time in writing it. Readers might get impatient, but then at least when I finally post my chapter it's worth their while and not some rubbish!
| Quote: | | Legolas character is very open just because we don't know much about him ... we know enough to make him interesting, but there are a lot of details that are missing. Sort of like Elladan and Elrohir ... I like how Roisin referred to them as "semi OCs" ! I find peripheral characters such as Legolas easier to work with simply because I can almost treat them as OCs. Take someone like Aragorn or Frodo or Galadriel and then things get complicated. |
Exactly. They are MUCH easier to work with and in my opinion much more fun to write! You don't have to be so paranoid about bending/breaking/trampling canon with the more peripheral characters such as Legolas/Elladan/Elrohir... and btw, those twins are some of my absolutely FAV characters! I would love to do a fic with those two one of these days....
| Quote: | | I am yet to see a Legomance taking place in the Battle of the Five Armies ... I think that would be incredibly interesting. |
That WOULD be incredibly interesting... hrm....  Hee hee.
| Quote: | | and the only redeeming comment I can make of my fic is that my OFC never messes up the number 9 ... and quite on purpose. |
Mine neither! And also quite on purpose. Though I never intended mine to ever mess up that number... her introduction never really interfered with that or anything so I never had to worry about it too much.
HAHA... yes this thread is really good for inspiring Legolas writing! I've just posted my newest chapter though, so now I've got a whole new one to start! AGH!
_________________
Though here at journey's end I lie
in darkness buried deep,
beyond all towers strong and high,
beyond all mountains steep,
above all shadows rides the Sun
and Stars forever dwell:
I will not say the Day is done,
nor bid the Stars farewell. |
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Ceana
Joined: 03 Aug 2004
Posts: 34
Location: Portland, OR
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| Posted: Fri Sep 10, 2004 2:20 pm Post subject: |
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I'm almost ashamed to say this, but Part 2 of my Shimmer Saga will be my attempt writing a Legomance. Maedhros' End (Part 1) is helping me learn that canon Elves can stay in character with a few of my own tweaks to add a little substance here and there. Part 2 is really me trying to see if I can actually write a Legomance without making everyone throw up. I just got so sick of those horrible "Girl falls into Middle-earth/Legolas falls in love with her" stories, I just had to try. Or shall I say, will try.
BTW-Marnie IS the best Elf writer. She does write some slash pairings, but her other stuff is great.
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Ceana
How much fun do I have to have before I go to Hell! |
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Ceana
Joined: 03 Aug 2004
Posts: 34
Location: Portland, OR
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| Posted: Fri Sep 10, 2004 3:20 pm Post subject: |
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Well, now I'm really red-faced. I replied to this thread before I realized there were more than 1 page of comments. Sorry.
This thread is very good. The one thing that I found almost impossible to get my head around in most Lego/OC-mortal stories is the fact that they almost always find a way for the OC to become an Elf or (Valar forbid) Legolas get to "choose" to be mortal. That's just wrong in my eyes. You marry a mortal, you're going to lose her someday. And as far as I know, Legolas wasn't part of Elrond's family so there's no choice for him. Just a little peeve of mine.
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Ceana
How much fun do I have to have before I go to Hell! |
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Scribe
Joined: 15 Sep 2003
Posts: 4
Location: Betelgeuse
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| Posted: Fri Sep 10, 2004 4:03 pm Post subject: |
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| Ceana wrote: | Well, now I'm really red-faced. I replied to this thread before I realized there were more than 1 page of comments. Sorry.
This thread is very good. The one thing that I found almost impossible to get my head around in most Lego/OC-mortal stories is the fact that they almost always find a way for the OC to become an Elf or (Valar forbid) Legolas get to "choose" to be mortal. That's just wrong in my eyes. You marry a mortal, you're going to lose her someday. And as far as I know, Legolas wasn't part of Elrond's family so there's no choice for him. Just a little peeve of mine. |
I know what you mean. When I wrote Easterling, that was my OFC's biggest problem with pursuing any relationship with Legolas. Even as I drew near the end of the fic, I kept getting innundated by emails from readers asking me at what point was I going to make Melia an immortal - which really was missing the whole point of me writing the Easterling to begin with. For me, Easterling ultimately is a tragedy and I tried to reflect these in the latter stories that involved the two of them, the realisation that their time together was finite. I wanted to stress the whole point of why it was generally a bad idea for elves to pick human mates, at least one's that don't have the choices of Elrond's line. It was necessary that Legolas lose her in the end and that was how I wrote it. |
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Ceana
Joined: 03 Aug 2004
Posts: 34
Location: Portland, OR
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| Posted: Fri Sep 10, 2004 5:18 pm Post subject: |
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| Quote: | | I know what you mean. When I wrote Easterling, that was my OFC's biggest problem with pursuing any relationship with Legolas. Even as I drew near the end of the fic, I kept getting innundated by emails from readers asking me at what point was I going to make Melia an immortal - which really was missing the whole point of me writing the Easterling to begin with. For me, Easterling ultimately is a tragedy and I tried to reflect these in the latter stories that involved the two of them, the realisation that their time together was finite. I wanted to stress the whole point of why it was generally a bad idea for elves to pick human mates, at least one's that don't have the choices of Elrond's line. It was necessary that Legolas lose her in the end and that was how I wrote it. |
Right oh! The added tragedy that there isn't a "happy ending" just adds to the story I feel. And of course, two boxes of Kleenex help. 
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Ceana
How much fun do I have to have before I go to Hell! |
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inglor
Joined: 26 Apr 2004
Posts: 853
Location: Not here, not there, not anywhere
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| Posted: Fri Sep 10, 2004 5:24 pm Post subject: |
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1st, on Topic:
I rarely read Legomances, unless they are short and NC-17 and then I'm just reading for the porn . Though I have read a few longer ones like Easterling that I have enjoyed. Again, it is like the Mary Sue issue, if it is well written, engaging plot good characters, ie good writing, I'll read it, this is where I tend to look at ratings, reviews and a good intro.
Now...Warning: Severly OT!!! I am trying to get Marnie here and I will do some promo for her:
| Viv wrote: | | SpaceWeavil wrote: | | My latest craze is Celeborn / Galadriel stuff |
This is slightyly OT, but Inglor recommended an author who does Celeborn/Galadriel particularly well. Her pen name is Marnie, and her stuff is on Stories of Arda. The one I thought captured Celeborn beautifully and heartbreakingly was Battle of the Golden Wood.
Oh, eek. I just rec'd something not on OSA! If anyone knows this gal, please ask her to post her stuff here so I won't feel like such a traitor.
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| Ceana wrote: |
BTW-Marnie IS the best Elf writer. She does write some slash pairings, but her other stuff is great. |
I am currently trying to get her here, she's a slash fan but I told her there is a wealth of people her who would appreciate her non slash stuff. She has one fic here at OSA: That Tall Fellow Next to Galadriel; A short essay about Celeborn . She has left her email address on file so give her a shout if you feel the need.
Inglor
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Owner of the phrase: "merciless attention" so authorized by Viv |
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Lossefalme01
Joined: 08 Jul 2004
Posts: 31
Location: Missouri, USA
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| Posted: Sat Sep 11, 2004 11:42 am Post subject: |
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| Quote: | | I just got so sick of those horrible "Girl falls into Middle-earth/Legolas falls in love with her" stories, I just had to try. Or shall I say, will try. |
Well, not ALL Legomances are about the "girl falls into ME/Legolas falls in love with her" bit. I don't really like those either, they are usually 10th walker stories and I've already given my opinion about those (although I am now willing to give most of them a shot, as I also said before ). HOWEVER, I have recently found myself bitten by that insane bunny and want to write one of those "modern girl in ME" stories! I must say though, it was totally brought on by the challenge "Stuck (Really) in Middle Earth". Hee hee. But the more I think about it, the more I think I want to write the stupid thing... so maybe I should just register for the challenge and let my bunny out? Hrm....
| Quote: | | For me, Easterling ultimately is a tragedy and I tried to reflect these in the latter stories that involved the two of them, the realisation that their time together was finite. I wanted to stress the whole point of why it was generally a bad idea for elves to pick human mates, at least one's that don't have the choices of Elrond's line. It was necessary that Legolas lose her in the end and that was how I wrote it. |
I am a HUGE sucker for tragedies, so you can bet I will eventually be getting around to reading Easterling! It sounds absolutely brilliant! (and realistic!) I know most people like happy endings, and kindly remind me of it in nearly every review they leave for TWTF , but I just think there's something about UNhappy endings. I always have a great respect for the author who has the courage to stand up against the hordes of readers and make their story turn out for the worst instead of the better. And I really admire you for sticking to reality, Scribe. Having my OFC be mortal, I know what you went through, and you have no idea how much I've struggled with that whole mortal/immortal thing. I'm inclined toward unhappy endings, truthfully, but for what I have planned beyond The Wall that Fell, I'm going to have to go with something more conventional. *sigh* However, hopefully I've put a twist on it to make it a bit more interesting... heh heh.
As for my love of tragedies, I've been letting that out in one of my Orli fics, and my next LOTR fic is going to be a lot darker and lot more realistic, I think. I just can't resist!  I love to be mean to my characters...
But I'm surely going to read Easterling, because I know just from the sound of it I'll love it!!!
_________________
Though here at journey's end I lie
in darkness buried deep,
beyond all towers strong and high,
beyond all mountains steep,
above all shadows rides the Sun
and Stars forever dwell:
I will not say the Day is done,
nor bid the Stars farewell. |
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satianalucky
Joined: 23 Jan 2007
Posts: 0
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| Posted: Tue Jan 23, 2007 1:39 am Post subject: |
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I generally will glance through the first chapter of a Legomance simply because I want to know if they are changing up the story and making it interesting. I think the best Legomance out there is "Destiny's Ring" as far as OC/L. She made me laugh, she made me cry, she made me read it at least *cough* four times.
I've read horrible stories where he falls head over heels in love with teenagers and cries like an orc stuck a spear with nails stuck out of it up his rear. I've read stories where he ages faster than the other elves so he can age with a human OC. Stories where the Mary-Sue is so perfect that it sets my teeth on edge.
But everyonce and a while there are good Legomances and that's why I keep reading. :wink |
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