Reusing the same OC

[Jaded_Star]

I hope I am posting this in the right forum. I thought as it is not about developing an OC it would be best here.

I'm trying to actually finish my current story, which is a long one, and in the interim to combat writer ADD, I've wanted to do some one shots. The problem I'm having is working with characters. I tend to write star wars fics, and there aren't many cannon females I would want to use. Making up a new character just for random sex seems... well odd. But will it come off as annoying if the OC from my main story starts popping up everywhere? Will her sudden increase in sexcapades turn her into a marysue?

So good, bad, any advice would be greatly appreciated.

[Guest jj19]

If you have something that is more a setting than a fandom (in that you are able to keep out of the canon characters way), then by all means use a recurring OC. Just be careful with the normal OC problems of SI. Writing in a recurring OC who hangs with the canon crew is harder to pull off well.

But as always, there are rules for a reason, but you can break them, just measure twice, cut once if you do break them.

[CloverReef]

I think it can be very tricky to have an OC keep showing up in multiple fanfictions. Not impossible, just tricky. A few people would say that would make it mary sue, yeah, but it really depends on the character itself, and how she interacts with the canon crew. If everyone she comes across in every fic she's thrown into wants to bang her, that might be a problem.

I've been out of fandoms for awhile, but from what I can tell, fandomers are a lot more picky about OCs nowadays. It'd probably be best to be extra careful in not making her stickout any more - maybe even less - than canon characters. But if she's a main char, that might be hard. I'd tread lightly if I were you, but don't get discouraged. You can get away with a lot when it comes to oneshots!

[Jaded_Star]

All good advice, though I'm still not sure what to do. Ironically its because I want to avoid creating a bunch of mary sues that I want to reuse the same character, that and laziness.

I completely agree that seeing the same character popping up everywhere can be incredibly annoying, depending on the character. Since it's my character though I don't find her annoying, which I think makes me a poor judge. I'm probably over thinking this.

I think I also like OC's a lot more than the average person. I've never gotten what all the hate was about for OC's. Sure some of them suck, but people suck, so it makes sense that characters suck too.

[canterro]

the problem is, that people tend to place the character in certain environment; if you create it in one story, it's hard to adjust to the same person with completely new world, friends, and so on...

[Jaded_Star]

the problem is, that people tend to place the character in certain environment; if you create it in one story, it's hard to adjuct to the same person with completely new world, friends, and so on...

Aside from the main stories (all centered around the OC) and the one AU I wrote the stories with the OC are all pretty brief. where/when the characters are is pretty anonymous. I also tend to use the same cannon characters.

I guess that's the problem. I really just need a woman for sex. Does it matter who she is?

[canterro]

Aside from the main stories (all centered around the OC) and the one AU I wrote the stories with the OC are all pretty brief. where/when the characters are is pretty anonymous. I also tend to use the same cannon characters.

I guess that's the problem. I really just need a woman for sex. Does it matter who she is?

well then, you just can give her a different name and it should work

[cowgirl65]

d there aren't many cannon females I would want to use. Making up a new character just for random sex seems... well odd.

So good, bad, any advice would be greatly appreciated.

I know I'm getting in on this late, but this is a big problem in my fandom (The Big Valley) as well. No recurring female canon characters and the mains are all one family! Add to that it would be out of character for any of the mains to have random sex and you have a perfect environment for the arrival (horror!) of MarySue/GaryStu (unless you're into incest)

I run my OCs (on this board and the G/PG board where most BV fanfic exists) through numerous MarySue litmus tests to try to reduce their MSness and try to keep the focus on the main canon characters.

Anyone have any other ideas?

[Satai Delenn]

Interesting. I guess I don't understand why people have such a problem with OCs. I've got a story I've been trying to write for a while, and it contains an OC as a main character. I had plans to make a sequel of the current story and it would contain the OC since she's a main character in this fic, and she would be essential to the next fic. As I said, I really honestly don't understand why people balk at OCs.

My feeling is, if the story is well written, and the OC is an integral part to the story and possibly another story, then by all means, use him/her.

[Jaded_Star]

Interesting. I guess I don't understand why people have such a problem with OCs. I've got a story I've been trying to write for a while, and it contains an OC as a main character. I had plans to make a sequel of the current story and it would contain the OC since she's a main character in this fic, and she would be essential to the next fic. As I said, I really honestly don't understand why people balk at OCs.

My feeling is, if the story is well written, and the OC is an integral part to the story and possibly another story, then by all means, use him/her.

I have a feeling there are more people who like, or are indifferent to OC's than there are OC haters. Just like anything else in life, if you like something, and are satisfied with it, you're less likely to review it and talk (or complain) about it than you would be if you didn't like, or were unhappy with it. I don't think it was until I started posting on boards with more authors than readers that I became aware of OCs being an issue. This may be because the other boards I posted on were pretty Star Wars specific, and there are very few female cannon characters.