DragonOfTheAerie
Vala
I'm really bored, and there hasn't been much discussion lately, so i'm going to try and get some angry ranting started. That's fun. (Friendly, tasteful angry ranting. Not the bad kind.)
I want to know what ticks you off. Specifically, what's something writers do in fantasy stories (be it ideas, character development, writing style...anything that goes into a book) that you CAN'T STAND. Cliches you hate. Character types you're tired of seeing. Writing style gimmicks that make you want to pull your hair out. Trends that need to die, like, yesterday. Most of all, the expectations that have basically swallowed the entire genre in one gulp and no one dares to question.
It's my theory that we all have this one thing that really, deeply bothers us, in the fantasy genre--and in fact it's part of why we write. I know that a lot of my motivation to write fantasy stories comes from the need to subvert the things that i can't stand in books i read.
I'll get some things started:
-Fantasy being all European based and about white people! (and when it's not, a thin veneer of another culture is painted on to give it this aura of spice and exoticism, instead of actually trying to step outside the culture you're part of and, i don't know, BE ORIGINAL?!)
-Being able to tell how a character is feeling by their eyes! I. HATE. THIS. SO. MUCH. "I saw the pain in his eyes." "Anger flashed through his eyes." "His eyes lit up with happiness." "His eyes darkened." "The look in his eyes told everything." I have NEVER seen a person's eyes actually change color based on their emotions. Neither have I ever looked into someone's eyes and seen *insert emotion here* 'in' them. What is that even supposed to mean? What is it supposed to look like? I have seen characters conjecture about how a character is feeling and then make life-changing decisions based upon it JUST BY LOOKING INTO THEIR EYES. Do a person's eyes actually show emotion? I typically read people's emotions based on their voice and body language. I mean, my eyes look greenish when i've been crying, so i guess there i something to be said about it, but...
-Main characters always being completely gorgeous and when they get scarred, it only makes them look cooler! Weird special eye/hair colors! Maybe this is just a YA problem, but in YA is is completely epidemic. It shouldn't be surprising, since teenagers are generally so obsessed with ideals of beauty. But all the same...Purple eyes? Gold eyes? Even green eyes shouldn't be as prevalent as they are, only 2% of the world's population has them. Also, not once have i read about a female character in a fantasy book having her face scarred. Fat characters, old characters--nonexistent (except the old mentor or the old healer/wise woman.) Disabled characters? They only exist to be disabled and smile weakly and create pity.
-Elves and dwarves! I know lots of you write about them, so no offense, but i just can't stand them.
-People peppering their story with every mythical creature that exists, pulling them completely out of context! TvTropes calls this the Fantasy Kitchen Sink, and i LOATHE it. Every creature every dominant culture has ever made up, re-purposed and thrown together into one story.
-"Strong female characters!" Basically everything the phrase "strong female character" encompasses drives me up a wall. In an effort to make female characters 'strong,' often they have no feelings, can beat up thirty guys at once, are seemingly unable to love or care for anyone, and say rude and snarky things all the time. The alternative seems to be weak, weepy females ready to melt onto the bronzed pectoral muscles of the nearest guy. Our ideas of strength (and women) are screwed up.
Come on, join in. Ranting is good for the soul.
I want to know what ticks you off. Specifically, what's something writers do in fantasy stories (be it ideas, character development, writing style...anything that goes into a book) that you CAN'T STAND. Cliches you hate. Character types you're tired of seeing. Writing style gimmicks that make you want to pull your hair out. Trends that need to die, like, yesterday. Most of all, the expectations that have basically swallowed the entire genre in one gulp and no one dares to question.
It's my theory that we all have this one thing that really, deeply bothers us, in the fantasy genre--and in fact it's part of why we write. I know that a lot of my motivation to write fantasy stories comes from the need to subvert the things that i can't stand in books i read.
I'll get some things started:
-Fantasy being all European based and about white people! (and when it's not, a thin veneer of another culture is painted on to give it this aura of spice and exoticism, instead of actually trying to step outside the culture you're part of and, i don't know, BE ORIGINAL?!)
-Being able to tell how a character is feeling by their eyes! I. HATE. THIS. SO. MUCH. "I saw the pain in his eyes." "Anger flashed through his eyes." "His eyes lit up with happiness." "His eyes darkened." "The look in his eyes told everything." I have NEVER seen a person's eyes actually change color based on their emotions. Neither have I ever looked into someone's eyes and seen *insert emotion here* 'in' them. What is that even supposed to mean? What is it supposed to look like? I have seen characters conjecture about how a character is feeling and then make life-changing decisions based upon it JUST BY LOOKING INTO THEIR EYES. Do a person's eyes actually show emotion? I typically read people's emotions based on their voice and body language. I mean, my eyes look greenish when i've been crying, so i guess there i something to be said about it, but...
-Main characters always being completely gorgeous and when they get scarred, it only makes them look cooler! Weird special eye/hair colors! Maybe this is just a YA problem, but in YA is is completely epidemic. It shouldn't be surprising, since teenagers are generally so obsessed with ideals of beauty. But all the same...Purple eyes? Gold eyes? Even green eyes shouldn't be as prevalent as they are, only 2% of the world's population has them. Also, not once have i read about a female character in a fantasy book having her face scarred. Fat characters, old characters--nonexistent (except the old mentor or the old healer/wise woman.) Disabled characters? They only exist to be disabled and smile weakly and create pity.
-Elves and dwarves! I know lots of you write about them, so no offense, but i just can't stand them.
-People peppering their story with every mythical creature that exists, pulling them completely out of context! TvTropes calls this the Fantasy Kitchen Sink, and i LOATHE it. Every creature every dominant culture has ever made up, re-purposed and thrown together into one story.
-"Strong female characters!" Basically everything the phrase "strong female character" encompasses drives me up a wall. In an effort to make female characters 'strong,' often they have no feelings, can beat up thirty guys at once, are seemingly unable to love or care for anyone, and say rude and snarky things all the time. The alternative seems to be weak, weepy females ready to melt onto the bronzed pectoral muscles of the nearest guy. Our ideas of strength (and women) are screwed up.
Come on, join in. Ranting is good for the soul.