peace

[essyjane]

I just want to speak out on a few things that have been bothering me. First off would be the names. I know lots of people with the same name. I don’t see what the big deal is if someone uses a name that has been used in a minor role. If you think about it, these people are pulling out a name that they like that they think would match their character. They’re putting their own personality into this particular character. If we keep fighting over names people have already used, there won't be any names for anymore characters that means no more stories.

I know people with the same hair color, eye color and same style of clothes. Sure, you want to be original but at what cost? Sometimes people sit there and yell at others who pick a job that is somewhat similar. So what? How many Lawyers are in the world? How many Journalists are there? Don’t you think there would be a number of vets in Hazzard?

Please don’t fight over stupid things.

Thanks

[DaneyDuke]

Essy (and everyone else),

I respectfully disagree with you. There are BILLIONS of names and THOUSANDS of occupations, HUNDREDS of vehicles.

There is no reason for any created character in a small town like Hazzard to have the same name, job or car. It's about respect.

Hair and eye color are a different matter because there aren't so many choices.

I tell ya if another Daney came along, I'd pack up and leave... because being orginial is not a stupid thing.

Are you or anyone else willing to pay that price?

Daney

[Kristy_DUke]

Originality and Creativity is NOT a stupid thing and I don't believe I heard anyone call or say it is stupid. I have worked hard and fought hard to keep my originality, but it has now seemed to slip...what was once was original in my eyes don't seem so original...my ideas don't seem as original as they once were or where they started out to be. Which could be a part of my problem, I don't know; but I do know I will continue to work on it and use the ideas I have set out with.

I understand where both of you are coming at and support you both, you both are great friends of mine and I want to thank you for all that you have done for me, for listening and trying to help on my writing. I think the only person that can help me with my writing now, is me. Thank-you for your support, thank-you everyone for your support in my writing.

People has a right to be protective of thier characters and who they are...I know I am. I would be the first to stick of for Kristy and Garrett, to thier personalities, looks, occupations , to names. But there is soo many occupations that one can pick, if one person picks out of her head that she wants to be a secetary for Hogg without even thinking of Kristy or what not...that really isn't copying if she can prove and writes it differently. Hair and eye color are limited yes and there is many names out there...but if you have a character and a certian name fits perfectly, then why shouldn't you use it? I mean yeah, if it was like Kristy or Garrett who is a majoy role in my novels, that is one thing to be upset about, but if the name happens to be a minimal character's name and the person's character don't appear to look like or have the same trait as the minimal character...it dont' nessesarily count as copying I wouldn't think.

I doubt that I am making any sense here, but I am typing as I think of it of how I feel about it. I don't think it is fit to argue over names to a character that is placed like once or twice in a fic when someone picks it out of her head for her character (unless the name is creative or made up). Now if someone picked out a minimal character out of one person's fic and built her character to have the same eye color, personality, hair color and looks, yeah that is something to be upset about and what not, but if someone just has the name with a diff. profile, then that is different I would think. Yes there are several job occupations out there, but in a small town there aren't always that many job occupations -everyone has thier likes and dislikes and perhaps two people like the same kind of work, why can't they both use that occupation for thier character if it is different? I don't know, just something to think about I guess.

I don't know exactly what started this or what not, but as I said I see where you both are coming from. All that is my view point of it all. ~a minimal character's name or occupation isn't worth loosing friends or fighting over. I live in a small town and I can tell you there is several names that is repeated, even in the day care I work at there is a few kids' names that is repeated, one name is used on THREE kids. So what is the big deal? If someone used the main character like Kristy, Daney, or Essy; yeah that would be something to stick up for, but a minimal character that only shows up a couple of times?

And Daney, I don't think anyone wants you to leave or wants to use your character. Daney is as part of you as you are of you! I don't think that is what Essy is talking about...using your character or anyone elses character- what I understand is that she wants to create her own character with it's own personality and what not, but not to fight over a name or an occupation, when she picked it out for her character. I don't know, but that is what I got and I may not be making any sense here...

[MinDuke]

I agree with both Daney and Kristy, there are UNLIMITED choices for jobs, names, cars, ETC.

Essy what you just basically posted is the GREEN light for people to copy from others when it really isn't necessary. That's what being a writer is all about, CREATIVITY And ORIGINALITY if a person can't come up with their own original character that doesn't copy off someone else than that person shouldn't be writing because they obvioulsy don't have an imagination in the first place... Think about it... Essy would YOU like another Essy that works in the Hazzard Post Office and drives a 69 Charger to be created?

Min

[DaneyDuke]

Essy,

I didn't mean to come across angry... because I wasn't.

I also ask you politely to think about this... do we really want people to think Hazzardnet is in turmoil when it is not?

I would like to see peace, respect, honor and friendship brought back.

Thank you.

Daney

[MaryAnne]

Actually, both of you aren't wrong. Essy's right, we shouldn't fight over silly stuff like similar names or similar jobs of characters. Daney tho', is right too. There is a certain amount of respect that should be adhered to.

All of us, I know, tend to get a bit possessive about our characters. This is natural. We want to make sure we remain unique within cyberHazzard. Some of us have been around long enough that various "knock offs" have come and gone. I myself get suspicious of any other female law officers who take a likin' to Rosco that come strollin' into Hazzard. But I don't make any big deal out of it and continue to focus on my lil' world of MaryAnne.

CyberHazzard is a small world. Despite what Daney said, there IS gonna be some similarities here and there with characters. There's only so many ways somebody can be related to a Duke or Coltrane or whatever. Like Essy said, a lot of people you know in your daily life have the same names. A lot of the girls in Hazzard end up working at the Boar's Nest. There's gonna be some jobs that just don't fit into Hazzard County. Like plow truck driver. Ain't no snow. LOL

And sure, there's hundreds of cars to drive but...who wants to roll into Hazzard in a Ford Pinto?? There's an element of hot rod/muscle car that reigns supreme in Hazzard. But there's no need to get upset because your character drives a Pontiac and some new character comes in driving a Pontiac too. Pontiac makes a lot of different cars besides Firebird/Trans Am. It could be a GTO, LeMans, Grand Prix, Catalina...ect. Same thing with Chevy. There's more to Chevy than Camaro's, Impalas and Chevelles. And who says it can't be a custom jobber?? How about a '41 Chevy Coupe, chopped, blown and bad?? 8)

Anyway... if somebody comes along into Hazzard and blatantly (and clearly) copies/imitates another character it is frowned upon. But the true test of any writer is, is your character unique within your own mind? Are you over reacting to some new character because they have a similar name or drive a similar car. Are they truly acting just like your character or is jealously blurring your vision of this character? Respect is a two way street. Sometimes the writer of the new character doesn't realize that something they've done is that similar to an already existing fanfic character and their intentions were not malicious. A little benefit of the doubt goes a long way.

About my only advice to new comers is to do your homework. Know what's out there already and do this not so much to make sure you're character is gonna be unique...and remembered, but do it because this is the community you're coming into. Take some time to get to know yer neighbors.

And my advice to current cyberHazzard writers is to keep your character visible and active! If somebody comes along that you think is copying you (but probably truly *isn't* copying you) packing up and leaving isn't the answer. If I had done that when some MaryAnne knock off showed up in Hazzard, do you have any idea how many years ago I would have left???

Hazzard endures because we're all still here. Let's keep it enduring.

Lisa

[MaryAnne]

I hate it when I get distracted when posting...all y'all beat me into this thing that's for sure. ROFL

[DaneyDuke]

The Deputy is right y'all. 8)

No, packing up and leaving isn't the answer... but I have known people to do just that.

It all comes back to the golden rule of being good to one another.

[LittleRedVicki]

Sorry I'm not on everyday like y'all, but I do have a family to take care of and taking care of myself until my baby boy comes next month.

I agree with y'all 100%.

We shouldn't be arguing about our characters. We shouldn't be causing any conflict towards each other.

All of us together have created a lot of original characters. I created my character Vicki back in Late 1998 out of the back of my mind, and NOT from copying off anyone else.

I didn't even own a computer of my own back then and I didn't have access to the internet until my boss got it on his computer in late 1999.

For instance, my character Vicki is similar to Maryanne's character but isn't in a lot of ways. In earlier stories (1978-1982), Vicki was a Hazzard county deputy & a god-daughter to rosco, but from Spring 1983 on, she was a Chickasaw County deputy when she quit her job & started working for Sheriff Little, even if Bo dislikes her working for him. LOL!

I like it here in Hazzard. I have been around for almost a year and a half now.

Y'all have always been real nice & helpful in giving me comments about improving my characters. Maybe I do have a few bugs here & there with my characters, but they can & will be worked out.

Y'all have been great to be friends with here in cyber Hazzard. I will always treasure our friendship.

Always keep smiling, even though things don't seem quite right sometimes.

Take Care & Have a Great Night!

Vicki

[essyjane]

I was on a computer in a store and saw the posts a few of ya made earlier. I was gonna explain what I meant by what I said but it cost 1$ for five minutes and I was grounded off my own computer. See, it didn't come out exactly right. I didn't mean that they're supposed to sit there and copy you. To say that would be totally wrong. Daney, if someone just up and called their character Daney I would be pretty freaked out because that is very original. I don't mean your main characters either. If they copy every aspect of your character, that would make me disappointed. Everyone has the right to their character yes.

And Kristy, you got it right on.

I want to be able to choose a name like Billy Bob and not worry if it was in one of your stories four years ago that I haven't read for one reason or another or a story that is recent that I haven't really had time to catch up on. I only get to go on the computer so many times a week. I don't get home that fast and sometimes I don't get to see your stories because sometimes I just forget to read them. I am very busy in the school year with after school drama and stuff. I just don't have time to go through every story and carefully read if that's one of your bad guy's names. I don't know if you chose Gordan as your grocery bagger or Peter Cowboy as your best friend/ partner. Sure, there are 100's of names but who really has time to skim through the baby book of names or the phone book when they get stuck? I just pick familiar names. I just don't have time. I have had to choose doing round robins with people because I can't write my own fic right now by myself. Besides that, I have chosen an even bigger project, my own personal Novel that I wish to have published.

I really don't have to explain everything because MA said what I wanted to say perfectly THANK YOU DEPUTY

Sorry, I didn't say it very well.

Min, I wasn't trying to post a green light to anything. I was trying to say something that was on my mind and man did it come out wrong.

Sorry again

[MinDuke]

Everyone...

Perhaps a little more THOUGHT should be put in posts BEFORE they are posted and perhaps the forum is NOT the best place to air grievances with friends. I for one think that if you have an issue with someone shouldnt it be worked out PRIVATELY not PUBLICLY. And as for going through a baby book for names... Something worth doing is worth doing WELL, if its worth doing you MAKE the time to go through a baby book for JUST the right name...Why be lazy about something like that?

After all... our parents didnt RUSH through a baby book and give us just ANY old name so why do the same to a character?

Think about it....

Min

[MaryAnne]

I agree with Min , that the forums is not the place to air personal grievences BUT this is an issue that all of us have dealt with at one point or another. (The post itself wasn't 'personal' in that it named names...like "so and so is being a bleepidee bleep bleep and copyin' this that and whatever.." ect... ) I think by having this discussion we all understand one another now and are on the same page in regards to this issue.

As for names, and like me you don't have a baby name book...check out the links section at dukesofhazzardfanfic.com. There's a baby namer link there and you can put in search criteria including (but not limited to) how many syllables, gender and origin (Hebrew, English, French, German ect...I found it helpful when I was doing my Hogan's Heroes story. LOL)

Lisa

[LittleRedVicki]

That is something to think about y'all, going through a baby book to name your character. I'm not even using a baby book on naming my child when he comes next month. Some of my names came right out of the bible! LOL!

Some of the names that I come up with for any of the characters that I created are people that I actually know in my family!

Have any of y'all ever done that before in a story??

That is something to think about...

Take Care! Have a Good day tomorrow!

Vicki