OCs vs ICs/FCs

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Golden Line

I have to admit I don't really like the denomination OCs  for characters that are put into an existing universe. I mean, how are you then supposed to call really original characters that have an original background and are set in an original universe? I think OC should better be used for such really original characters.

In the SSF chat, we pondered about the problem and Plantress figured it might be best to call characters that are inserted into an existing universe ICs, that is, inserted characters or maybe better inspired characters. As such it would be clear that they actually don't belong into the universe they were created for, but are inventions of their creators. Looks like some people want to use the acronym FC (fan character) for them - well, that's fine, too, as long as we keep them separated from real OCs. :)

And while we are at it, we can also find an acronym for canon characters, that is CCs.

And as SuzukaShin pointed out there might be characters that belong to several different existing and original universes, we might name these general characters simply GCs, so that we can address this version, too.

Lady Susan pointed out that we should best add HCs (historical characters), too, and Demon-Spirit thought that there should be another denomination for MCs, that is mythical characters.

Hopefully that now completes the list:

CC - canon character (e.g. Pegasus Seiya, Harry Potter)
IC/FC - inserted/fan character (e.g. Astreya or Himiko)
OC - original character (e.g. Alycia Blade or Sir Cayvyn)
GC - general character (e.g. SuzukaShin's Mitasi)
HC - historical character (e.g. Louis XIV, Cleopatra, Julius Caesar)
MC - mythical character (e.g. Pallas Athene, Lucifer, Isis)

I just replaced every "OC" in the descriptions of artworks of inserted chars I did with "IC (=inserted character). And if I see someone post an IC, I comment and just ask "if that is an original character, how do you call a really original character that lives in an original universe, too?" That way one makes people aware of the problem and hopefully change their notions. ^^

Here: stayka.deviantart.com/journal/… stayka.deviantart.com/journal/… stayka.deviantart.com/journal/…
And finally my OCs are truly OCs: stayka.deviantart.com/journal/…

So if you like this more consistent and easy-to-understand terminology, why don't you spread it in your journals, too?

More on the Subject:

You might also want to take a look at Milosflaca's journal as she explained things a bit more elaborately than I did: milosflaca.deviantart.com/jour…

SuzukaShin has another take on the topic you might want to read: suzukashin.deviantart.com/jour…

Here's Lady Susan on HCs: lady-susan.deviantart.com/jour…

A PSA from Tenn by Tenn1502 by :icontenn1502: addressed the problem some time ago already.

OCs and FCs by newborndeath by :iconnewborndeath:  And here we have Newborn's take!

Stamp: Fanchars are not OCs by Jammerlee

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Jammerlee's avatar
Nice legend, but there's one missing - semi-canons: [link]