What do you *not* want to see in a story?

[ShiroiHikari]

I also think it's annoying how the main character always gets to be with the object of their affection/infatuation. Forget THAT. *is an evil authoress type person* >D

Hey..what's wrong with chick flicks? I don't like ALL of them, but they're not all bad either...o.O

Yeah, I get tired of sex scenes. I mean...you could just imply it, fine. But showing every detail? Um, no. And most of the time:
1. Characters are doing it for the wrong reason anyway
2. It's not necessary to further the plot

...so why can't they just leave it out...?

[uc pseudonym]

Because it sells.

This reason is the primary one most trends remain, and also why there will not be an end of these movies.

Producer logic: if the formula worked once, why not for the next seventy times?

[Fsiphskilm]

The thing is w

[Ashley]

I'm not sure if this has been mentioned or not, but what about "true life" romances, or at least more realistic ones. You know, the relationships that aren't perfect, show the ups and the downs, realistic portrayls of each end--i.e. the girl is not super smart and the guy dumb and muscular, etc. Make characters more round; i.e. girl is atheletic AND smart but worries a lot, guy is funny AND intelligent but clumsy, stuff like that.

Also, high school. I think all forms of media portray high school so unrealistically. The teachers are shown as kind, caring people with no other lives, the students all fit nicely into niches and no one questions there place, except for lonesome hero A who's whole story is finding "where he belongs". What about real high school problems, like scheduling, the social dramas, dealing with senioritis, friends turning bad, etc. Real life stuff rather than all that fluff and jazz.

[Bobtheduck]

So do you think for me to look at a list of clichés to try to avoid them would be "jumping on the bandwagon of jumping off the bandwagon?"

The unoriginality of originality? Betraying story integrity to be original? I've seen some things that try way too hard to be original, and they are almost unwatchable... I considered making something that had no human characters, no anthropomorphism, didn't take place on earth and dealt with nothing we deal with... Then I realised that THAT MUCH originality would probably never be understood by most people, if anyone but me, so I decided not to.

I want to be original, but not at the cost of a solid plot. I want to be structurally correct, but not at the cost of style. I want people to understand and enjoy, but not at the cost of the story I have to tell...

I don't worship the god of "creativity" (as a deified abstract concept), I want to worship the Creative God.


Sorry... I'm just in a very inquisitive mood.

[uc pseudonym]

Well... that's an interesting rant. To a certain degree I believe you are correct (something that has been done multiple times should not be condemned solely for that reason). Never the less, I have to say that there is a point when a stronger plot is actually weaker due to its overuse.

I think I'll end in agreement, though: I don't worship the god of "creativity" (as a deified abstract concept), I want to worship the Creative God.

[Haibane Shadsie]

The unoriginality of originality? Betraying story integrity to be original? I've seen some things that try way too hard to be original, and they are almost unwatchable... I considered making something that had no human characters, no anthropomorphism, didn't take place on earth and dealt with nothing we deal with... Then I realised that THAT MUCH originality would probably never be understood by most people, if anyone but me, so I decided not to.

Actually, I'd probably read something like that! When I write... sometimes, I'm more interested in the animals and ecology of my world than in anything else. I'd probably read something about animals/beings on another planet that wasn't antropomorphic! I'm weird that way!

I just sent in a science fiction story to a contest that people have told me isn't quite like any sci-fi they've read... It does focus on human characters, but it's definitely not hard sci-fi, not dealing a lot with machines and stuff like that... it's very nature-centric, I guess. It's about an alien who teaches these two kids who've crashlanded how to survive on her planet, how to live out in the wilderness.

About cliche's... they don't always have to be bad. I based my novel on cliche's. I have a catch, however - everyone in the story KNOWS about their particular cliche's. Everyone in the world of Rhlem is called into a "role" with the coming of a particular Cycle of good vs. evil fighting within the world... The history of the world is based on these Cycles and most of the characters having a particular role in them are born to fulfill that role - and they know it. The Hero's Companion KNOWS that she is a sidekick... the Hero's Teacher KNOWS that he is to be a mentor. I've been told by many who have read my novel or parts of it that it's not quite like anything they've ever read (though I based the world on cliche's!) I just did it in such a way as to poke fun at cliche's, though it's not a humor novel.


Um... pet peeves... Kid's movies that are made for kids, only for kids, with nothing in them for adults to enjoy. I'm talking dribble like the "kids save the world" plots... Particular in this category, also, are sequels made to make money off parents buying them for toddlers that totally ruin the characters in what was a good first movie. I love "The Lion King". I saw the sequel on TV... Lion King 2... and was like... GAH! Everything got totally butchered!

Oh, and Mave mentioned - "evil animal" "animal monster" movies. Gah. Those of us who know real animals, and seek to understand the true nature of animals... we should all be outraged by these. Animals do not kill for fun or because they are endless eating machines. Animals kill in order to survive, generally kill only what they need (or what is uneaten goes to scavengers, which benefits them), and tend to target sick and weak animals... PREDATORS ARE NOT EVIL. They are necessary to the balance of nature, and generally, do NOT want to hurt people - only to avoid us.