I apologize of this thread has been done before (I'll almost guarantee it has been ) What are some plots, couches and characters you hate? Are their any plot points you think have been done to death? Thank you in advance
Aliens invading Earth via space travel and being destroyed by a 20th century military (makes me cringe when i see hollywood movie trailers for it) Fantasies which stick to stereotypes too much. Like Dwarves, elves and humans and dragons and orcs. Kinda cool but its been seen a lot through movies, video games, books etc (for me atleast) Werewolves vs Vampires (twilight ruined it for me, sorry guys, i do love underworld though) There are some good and bad stories for this but I really feel its been recycled without anything refreshing. Apocalypses, like Mayan calander prediction events or things of a similar theme. Post apocalyptic events can be "okay", if something was created which could be related to but also be fresh (perhaps one from climate change and not nuclear war) could be kinda cool. The flawless Hero. No one is flawless, everyone makes mistakes and has their inner demons. There is some really good and refreshing content out there that follows stereotypes but does it in such a way that it is refreshing and appealing (look what Rowling did with wizard and witch stereotypes, you can't beat that) So I'm not cringing too much at everything out there, just things that try too hard but don't make something that hasn't already been done or milked into a desert by hollywood
I'm not really a fan of the ones from Ikea. They've been all the rage recently, but I tried one once, and I just didn't get the appeal. They're too plain and very stiff. I prefer them to be a little more squishy.
For me it would be: Girl who wears leather and kicks ass to be 'strong' and 'developed' Girl who is beautiful but she so isn't until a man shows her Epic fantasies with Germanic names inside You know what I'll plop just sex scenes and romances in here. I was talking about an idea for a book with my mates and they were just like 'ooh a sex scene would make it really good!' 'Er there isn't even any romance in what I've just described to you.' 'Well put romance in it at least!' Some how nearly everything I read these days has romance in it, they seem so squeezed in and trite too!
Taking cliché to mean 'overused'... I do a little eye roll whenever I see 'dystopian fantasy'. It seems to be the thing right now. In horror, when the protagonists don't kill the antagonist properly when they have the chance. In horror, noises coming from the attic and/or characters then going into the attic to investigate and something innocent like mice/bats jumps out. Millionaire/billionaire men in romance. 50 Shades of Grey has been a BLIGHT on the world in all sorts of ways. In thrillers, when an antagonist captures somebody, ties them up and talks to them for ages (usually revealing their masterplan), just long enough for the hero to come to the rescue. Just kill 'em already!
I guess that's the problem with everything being squarely (and somewhat cynically) aimed at the lowest common denominator. It makes me cringe to hear people say that you must have romance for the female audience; like women somehow can't just appreciate a good story. Far from enhancing the story, a romance that wasn't intended to be there I think is hugely detracts from the book. At best all you do is skip over it, at worst it makes the MC look like a teenager for falling in love over the course of 12 hours. That doesn't mean that romantic subplots are bad, they just need to make sense. If you're writing more character focused stuff then sure, looking into someone's love life can fit perfectly; a chance to let them be happy or vulnerable or to bring out the best in them. No problems. But in an action movie? For real? It's not even making it a better action movie! But then I don't have a bajillion sales either, so what the hell do I know?
Prophecies. Especially prophecies that only pop up in the middle of the series and by then you're already invested and have to keep reading.
"Look at me, you thought I was good, but I was actually evil all this time!" Kills a story for me almost every time. I personally think it is the laziest way of writing a plot twist if you just make a character look like a very nice person and they just suddenly appear to be evil, usually for no particular reason other than to advance yet another subplot, with a smug "I bet you didn't see that coming" expression on their face. No, of course we didn't, because it didn't make any sense. Other than that I'll just amen to the aforementioned Fantasy and inserted sex scenes. I know trends come and go, but this one is just not my thing. I would also like to add that I've really had it with al this dark and gloomy dramatic stuff. Every series or movie nowadays has to be either brutal, soapy, dark, or, preferably, all of the above. It was interesting the first couple of times, it has never really been fun, but now it's just plain boring. Wow, it feels really good to just get all that rant off of my chest, thanks John!
I've been whacked by some home truths reading this thread: Girl who wears leather and kicks ass to be 'strong' and 'developed' – okay it's a guy but TICK Epic fantasy with Germanic names inside – TICK Sex scenes and romances – TICK Investigate and something innocent like mice/bats jumps out. – okay the bats aren't so innocent but TICK The bats aren't so innocent because it's a vampire story – TICK Feeling I've pandered to the shallower reader, squandered own time and artistic integrity, feeling very nervous - TICK Come back you dark and stormy night, all is forgiven.
Gunslingers in the Old West. Aaargh.... I love stories set in the Old West—in fact, I've written one myself. But that 'classic' white hat/black hat shoot-em-up thing? There are so many other stories to be told about that period that reflect the reality of the time and place. Genocide, immigration, bravery, perseverance, hard work, laziness, bigotry, rawness, the trappings of civilisation, entrepreneurship, exploitation, cruelty, camaradarie, self-reliance, community-building, nearsightedness, farsightedness, the appreciation and destruction of an unspoiled landscape—all of these topics are great fodder for any writer. It was a pivotal time in the history of the USA and deserves a more balanced treatment than it gets in fiction, most of the time.
I don't read many vampire stories (not out of any cliché hatred, they've just never caught my imagination) so I don't know if that's a cliché in your sub-genre, but in general horror it would be refreshing to find there IS actually something scary in the attic. So please don't be disheartened by my post! And hey, it could be worse - I'm writing a romance, so according to some people my whole thing is one big cliché.
And (more movies than books) why do they always flick the switch three times when they discover the lights don't work?
The series I'm reading right now is all about some gunslingers, but there isn't a white hat to be seen. No-sir-ee-bob. Not a one. I've never been one for Westerns, so maybe I'm benefitting from no prior exposure. Anywho, the books are hoot. Also, they are NSFW.
Dude, You've got Loki in your user name; I would have figured that your stuff was filled with Germanic overtones, not just names. *****And now for something completely different***** For me I can't stand "good Christians." That will get a book tossed in no time. (Provided, I don't burn it first!) Seriously, why are Christians supposedly good and everyone else is evil? Why is it that a cross keeps away the bad things? Just once I'd like to see a book where and kid is facing down evil and whips out his cross only to a priest materialize out of thin air and molest his sorry arse, while saying something along the line of, "And you thought that thing was for protection? Stupid kid, it's a beacon for pedophiles! Next stop for you is the bishops private rooms." Or maybe a multi-millionaire televangelism can get caught using his cross to blind the IRS specialist who has caught him in the midst or tax evasion and a pyramid scam? Or maybe some fundamentalist can get caught using his cross to brand the asre of wife number 5? I don't care . . . just something other than "good Christians," please . . . As far as I'm concerned that is the worst cliché out there.
When a lead protagonist has a perfectly decent romantic relationship with a non-protagonist, but then the relationship is destroyed so that the protagonist can be paired up with another lead protagonist. I'm a Christian, and I'm horrified by exactly the same thing.
I am too with the Christian thing, and I'm Christian myself! Just once I want to see a Jewish protagonist fight demon ass with Jewish symbols. Maybe have something like... “Your cross won't work on this,” Sarah cried. “It's too powerful. Let me handle it.” Jessie nodded, relieved and scrambled to the corner. Sarah turned to the demon. “Now you know what will happen when you fuck with a Jewish girl and her friend!” she snarled. “Come at me!!” <cue epic fight between Sarah and demon creature>
There was the X-Men issue where Dracula tried to turn Storm into one of his brides (Jew) Kitty Pride and (Atheist) Wolverine both tried to repel Dracula with crosses to no avail, but (Christian) Nightcrawler's cross and Kitty's Star of David worked.
What's the title of your story? I kind of want to read that. At least the dude's wearing leather, not clanking around in a suit of armor like some certain poor Germanic king learned during the First (or Second?) Crusade.
I hate the long, dragged out romances that everyone knows won't work out. Then the author wants you to feel bad because it's "tragic". Those are really tiresome. I also hate when a character makes repetitive, bad decisions. It can be realistic sometimes, but it's not particularly interesting.
Honestly, I've seen those things enough times that "hypocrite priest" and "pedophile priest" have become cliches in their own right. Often, they end up being just as shallow as the "always good Christian". Personally, I loathe most Chosen One stories. Especially of the "peasant child finds out they have royal blood and becomes monarch" variety. Why anyone thinks a peasant with no experience at ruling should run a country is beyond me. Also, evil overlords with no reason for what they do.
The serial killer who taunts police. So tired and incredibly overused. Though it probably came into fashion to provide direct conflict between the MC cop and the killer. (mostly horror) The character with some magical or psychic ability. The cop who suffers alcohol and drug abuse, marital problems, trouble with the boss, etc. Flaws are nice, but these flaws are worn to the bone. The tough female who is essentially a man with boobs. And they're large boobs.
I really hate stories that feature the good protagonist overcoming the evil antagonist. Talk about boresville. I über-hate stories that feature the anti-hero protagonist in morally ambiguous situations. Ooh, you're so cool for going against the crowd. Not hipster at all! Also, I mega-loathe those stories that don't fit into either of these two categories. I get it, you're being "artistic." News flash: nobody cares that your 25th century tone-deaf, hyper-sexual space cowboy who believes he is a reincarnation of Haruki Murakami is meta-meta commentary on Americans' views on work-life balance.
