Shipping original characters

[BohandiAnsoid]

While shipping is mostly done with existing, canon characters and that is part of the point. However, shipping original characters also exists and is done for many reasons. Sometimes it is for existing characters (yours or otherwise) and sometimes it is done to show a relationship type rather than for particular characters.

So, I would like to discuss this subject. What do you think about it?

 

[Alexander Corrino]

A friend of mine is a novel writer and when she published her first novel I ended up shipping two of the characters (her OCs in fan fic terms, I suppose) and even wrote a little ficlet about them. She considered it an honor, and not just because we're friends.

I see a lot of OC fan fic being written these days in various fandoms, and I'm happy about it. Time to get it out of the "only weirdos do that" and "oh no, Mary Sue and/or Gary Stu" corner. As a shameless self insert writer (I know, self insert is technically not OC, although close enough I guess) I welcome this trend of acceptance. Of course, you never get as many readers with OC stories as you get with canon character stories, but eh. I can only speak for myself as a fic writer here, of course, but I enjoy writing fics that focus on canon characters AND self-insert fics.

 

[Will The Serious]

@Robert Bruce Scott used one of my characters in one of the writing challenges. He asked if it was OK. Of course, ship-away. It IS an honor to know my writing has had that deep an impact.

-Will

 

[Robert Bruce Scott]

Of course, you never get as many readers with OC stories as you get with canon character stories, but eh. I can only speak for myself as a fic writer here, of course...

I ship my OC, but the romance stories are usually in the background. In my Star Trek Hunter series, there was a moment between (OC) Justice Minerva Irons and Will Riker in which they were reminiscing a romantic (well, sexual) encounter that had happened nearly 40 years earlier. In Star Beagle Adventures, there's a rather steamy encounter between Ezri Dax and (OC) Captain Rhonda Carter.

But the vast majority of romance in both STH and SBA happens in the wings and there more to give color and verisimilitude to action/adventure series. People hook up. A series that doesn't have some of that isn't going to feel very real.

Okay... coming up in Episode 14, a major storyline will develop as a direct result of a certain vulcan/human hybrid ensign doing the dirty deed with a giant space shrimp and her rock-encrusted, mushroom symbiont...

Of course, ship-away.

Thanks for the kind words and for letting me borrow a certain sexy andorian for a night of wild abandon...

Full disclosure: I wasn't shipping Luscious, but I did get her very, very drunk...

 

[Will The Serious]

Full disclosure: I wasn't shipping Luscious, but I did get her very, very drunk

Very very very drunk.

I guess I wasn't fully aware of what "shipping" meant. Anyhow, my above comments still stand.

-Will

 

[Bynar0110]

My OC Claire McCallister had a really interesting first Date with Kathryn Janeway in my fic Edison. It's kinda funny now after rereading it.