Maybe we had a post like this before, but I haven't seen one recently. (The Mythic Scribes Blood Pact? Which is still a go for those that committed )As writers we sometimes need to lay bare some of our issues as writers that may hold us back. Sometimes by putting a magnifying glass on the problems you have, it can make it so you pay more attention to eliminating them or ultimately just decide to embrace them. I've embraced some of these below, but I'll share with you ones that have caused/continue to cause me issues.
1. Mixing modern language with sword and sorcery style fantasy.
I've often had comments about how the modern language of some of my characters jars people from the story because I guess there is this assumption that all fantasy worlds are medieval or can't use modern language in them unless they're urban fantasy. That's something I've struggled a lot with, but I actually find that it works for some of my stories and doesn't for others. This is a sin I'm not sure will be eliminated because I do like to combine modern conventions with fantasy stories. Call it anachronistic or whatever, I guess.
2. Cursing
My characters curse a lot. I don't so much mind it, but I know it may turn off a segment of readers. I tend to read books and watch movies with lots of cursing in it, so foul language doesn't make me bat an eyelash. I do tend to try to use cursing only when people are angry though or if it's a particular character that just curses a lot. Not sure what to do about this one.
3. Extreme Violence
I know lots of people are getting turned off my grimdark style fantasy fiction nowadays. Some say it's had it's day in the sun and people are looking for more optimistic fiction again. That may be true, but I also think as writers we can't worry much about trends coming and going. My fiction tends to be violent. Lots of monster battles, blood, etc. Most of the time I do it as my aesthetic of having over the top violence. Kind of like Mortal Kombat style. I don't take it completely serious most of the time. Sometimes it's satirical and sometimes it's darker and more serious. My original background in horror fiction keeps this ingrained in my style I suppose. I have written non-violent fiction before, so I don't think I HAVE to do it, it's just a sin I drag around like Bernie from Weekend at Bernie's.
4. Was and Were
Not something I can completely eradicate, I know, but in my first drafts I see lots of was and were everywhere. I snipe them out when I can, but there are just some instances where I find it hard to do. I wonder how other people feel about this (I see it in published fiction all the time, so I guess it's not that big of a deal).
5. Bloated Cast of Characters
I love having lots of characters, but sometimes many of them are completely unnecessary. I've since taken a more proactive stance toward this, eliminating named characters unless they actually have some significance to the plot. I also tend to think if a character showed up one time, that means they have to show up over and over again. Either that or I have to show them die. I don't know why I do that, but I have this apprehension readers may say "What happened to so and so?" Something I'm definitely working on.
6. Need to Write Everything
My feeling of wanting to jump around to different genres may limit me in a marketable way once I start publishing. Or maybe it'll help me. I don't know. NO ONE KNOWS!
OK, so those are some of my sins. Some are more bearable than others. Feel free to share some of your sins and how you feel about them (accept them, change them, or do away with them). If you want to comment on some of what I listed, go ahead, too.
1. Mixing modern language with sword and sorcery style fantasy.
I've often had comments about how the modern language of some of my characters jars people from the story because I guess there is this assumption that all fantasy worlds are medieval or can't use modern language in them unless they're urban fantasy. That's something I've struggled a lot with, but I actually find that it works for some of my stories and doesn't for others. This is a sin I'm not sure will be eliminated because I do like to combine modern conventions with fantasy stories. Call it anachronistic or whatever, I guess.
2. Cursing
My characters curse a lot. I don't so much mind it, but I know it may turn off a segment of readers. I tend to read books and watch movies with lots of cursing in it, so foul language doesn't make me bat an eyelash. I do tend to try to use cursing only when people are angry though or if it's a particular character that just curses a lot. Not sure what to do about this one.
3. Extreme Violence
I know lots of people are getting turned off my grimdark style fantasy fiction nowadays. Some say it's had it's day in the sun and people are looking for more optimistic fiction again. That may be true, but I also think as writers we can't worry much about trends coming and going. My fiction tends to be violent. Lots of monster battles, blood, etc. Most of the time I do it as my aesthetic of having over the top violence. Kind of like Mortal Kombat style. I don't take it completely serious most of the time. Sometimes it's satirical and sometimes it's darker and more serious. My original background in horror fiction keeps this ingrained in my style I suppose. I have written non-violent fiction before, so I don't think I HAVE to do it, it's just a sin I drag around like Bernie from Weekend at Bernie's.
4. Was and Were
Not something I can completely eradicate, I know, but in my first drafts I see lots of was and were everywhere. I snipe them out when I can, but there are just some instances where I find it hard to do. I wonder how other people feel about this (I see it in published fiction all the time, so I guess it's not that big of a deal).
5. Bloated Cast of Characters
I love having lots of characters, but sometimes many of them are completely unnecessary. I've since taken a more proactive stance toward this, eliminating named characters unless they actually have some significance to the plot. I also tend to think if a character showed up one time, that means they have to show up over and over again. Either that or I have to show them die. I don't know why I do that, but I have this apprehension readers may say "What happened to so and so?" Something I'm definitely working on.
6. Need to Write Everything
My feeling of wanting to jump around to different genres may limit me in a marketable way once I start publishing. Or maybe it'll help me. I don't know. NO ONE KNOWS!
OK, so those are some of my sins. Some are more bearable than others. Feel free to share some of your sins and how you feel about them (accept them, change them, or do away with them). If you want to comment on some of what I listed, go ahead, too.
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