Things you wish authors would stop doing?

Discussion in 'General Writing' started by Adam Bolander, Jan 24, 2020.

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  1. jannert

    jannert Retired Mod Supporter Contributor

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    I think it's more understandable than that. When Lucas made American Grafitti (which, till Star Wars came along, was my favourite movie) he was on a very low budget—so much so that the hitherto mostly 'unknown' stars agreed to take a cut of profits rather than get paid a big salary. They all made out like bandits, of course, and many of them went on to further massive stardom (Harrison Ford being the big one, but also Richard Dreyfuss) but they made American Grafitti knowing it might not pay off. And Lucas also made Star Wars on a budget, because (yeah it's hard to realise) sci-fi movies weren't a big thing then, and nobody knew if it would be a success or not.

    However, with those two massive hits under his belt, he was able to come up with a huge budget for Empire, etc. So that gave him toys to play with, rather than having to improvise. (And crowd-pleaser/panderer Spielberg had his fingers in the pie as well, by then.) My own theory is that it was the improvising and doing effects, etc, on a shoestring that brought out Lucas's creativity. Once he got to use all the toys in the box, he kinda started playing with them, and lost sight of the originality he once had to employ. Shame, really. I don't think it's an accident that so many great movies ARE actually low budget movies. There is a spark there that gets lost, sometimes, when the huge budget appears and the expectations are high.

    While I started out using Star Wars as an example of what can happen if comic book characters start being taken too seriously, I realise I kinda derailed the train. We're supposed to be talking about books? Not movies. Damn. Anyway, I'll slink away and leave Star Wars to another day, another thread. Sorry about that....
     
  2. Iain Aschendale

    Iain Aschendale Lying, dog-faced pony Marine Supporter Contributor

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    Had I not joined the cross country team I might have been an extra in Lucas. It was filmed just a few towns over from where I lived, but our coach said that anyone who skipped pre-semester practice would be kicked off the team.

    Shoulda gone to the casting call, cross country did shit for me. The man was a petty tyrant.
     
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  3. Xoic

    Xoic Prognosticator of Arcana Ridiculosum Contributor Blogerator

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    The same applies to Spielberg as well. His best films AFAIC were his early and most personal ones, Jaws and Close Encounters, where he included a lot of his own personal experiences, and in the case of Jaws, the mechanical shark didn't work as well as he'd hoped so he wasn't able to go in underwater and film it's every move, doing barrel rolls and loops etc as he wanted to. He was forced to film like earlier directors had, and let the audience use their imagination for what was going on under the water.

    Yep, commercial success has spoiled many a potentially great artist.

    So, about those thing we wish authors would stop doing...
     
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  4. Robert Musil

    Robert Musil Comparativist Contributor

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    We...wish they would quit being commercially successful?
     
  5. Xoic

    Xoic Prognosticator of Arcana Ridiculosum Contributor Blogerator

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    No! We just wish they would stop becoming douches or sellouts. :D
     
    Last edited: Jun 17, 2021
  6. TK

    TK Active Member

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    Think i should change a character name of mine, seems like scooter wont be their name anymore
     
  7. TK

    TK Active Member

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    ITS SATIRE ITS SATIRE PLEASE I HAVENT WRITTEN A CHARACTER NAMED SCOOTER
     
  8. Cephus

    Cephus Contributor Contributor

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    Directors and writers have the same problems. A lot of authors who hit it big, they fall apart because everyone is terrified to tell them to knock it off. It's why you get so many bloated books, because people are afraid to tell them they need an editor. The same goes for directors. Once they're successful, they go off into la-la land and figure they can do no wrong. Look at Snyder and Army of the Dead. That was a complete mess that made no sense, but nobody told him no.
     
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  9. Azuresun

    Azuresun Senior Member

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    If I hit the big time, I intend to sell out as often and hard as I possibly can. :D
     
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  10. Ellen_Hall

    Ellen_Hall Active Member

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    Using words like "dissimulation" for internal monologue.

    I want to read your story, not decipher it. God. There's a difference between "intricately artistic" and "incoherently thick."
     
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  11. Some Guy

    Some Guy Manguage Langler Supporter Contributor

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    I wish authors would stop making me look bad!
     
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  12. Friedrich Kugelschreiber

    Friedrich Kugelschreiber marshmallow Contributor

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    it’s a good word though
     
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  13. J.D. Ray

    J.D. Ray Member Supporter Contributor

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    Would you rather have the character dissimulate? :cool::D
     
  14. Alex Mahon

    Alex Mahon Member

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    Something came to mind.
    Just because somebody has a degree doesn't mean they're clever, or cleverer than somebody who left school with nothing. And don't get me started on the Tomorrow War. I know it's a film but maybe books have been written in a similar vein. I mean, you can time travel but you can't kill an alien made of flesh. Really?
     
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  15. Cave Troll

    Cave Troll It's Coffee O'clock everywhere. Contributor

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    I have no idea about the movie you speak.

    But, in one set of lore and massive universe that
    doesn't have time travel, the average Gaurdsman
    with his issued flashlight wouldn't be able to kill
    some aliens of flesh and bone without some heavy
    firepower to bolster their piddly lasgun. :p
    A Hierophant is a bio-titan and is massive. So
    good luck putting it down with that flashlight, while
    it runs over and impales you on its poisoned barbed
    tendrils.
    [​IMG]
    In short not many universes can deal with a Tyranid with any degree of
    effectiveness or ease.
     
  16. Gravy

    Gravy Senior Member

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    Currently Reading::
    NOTHING! Because who can stand to read and write at the same time?!
    Forcing a romance in a story, just because.
    Having the main character fall in love with the first and ONLY female character in the story.
    Please. Stop.
     
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  17. Shayne

    Shayne The Virus Queen

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    I read/listen to erotica books and honestly hate it when the female seems thirsty for the man. I just want the guy to chase the girl for once.
    Jmo.
     
    Last edited: Jul 13, 2021
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  18. Accelerator231

    Accelerator231 Contributor Contributor

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    This can be pretty interesting as a thriller or horror.

    Imagine that you're in a closed time loop. You continuously cycle across one month of preparation before the aliens attack.

    If this was any normal hell yeah American movie this'll be all the time they need.

    Unfortunately you're fighting the Tyranid swarm. And even an entire decade is too short a time.

    Your mission? Live as long as possible.
     
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  19. Cave Troll

    Cave Troll It's Coffee O'clock everywhere. Contributor

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    I think it's due to the writer's not wanting to put in more work
    into plot, and so they cheat and bypass important elements
    that would ruin pretty much any other genre.
    But I've noticed that in my modest dive into it as a reader too.
    I read one story where the female MC was just shy of having
    a penis, in how she went after this rando Death Metal guy
    it was ridiculous. Granted the whole story was ridiculous,
    with the main love interest being cursed by witches to be
    a demon, and the MC's ex being half Bob Ross and half
    John Rambo. o_O
     
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  20. Shayne

    Shayne The Virus Queen

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    That last part had me laughing!
    I would love for them to put more work into their writing! Some of them good of been really good.
    Most of them don't even make sense and it makes you wonder if you missed something. Make it make sense.

    I read this one book and it was only the first chapter, okay! Just met and this girl was SO into this guy's look and he was being a total asshat to her. After insulting her, he invited her to his place and she agreed. The guy was like "Oh, just like that? I don't need to do anything else? Alright."
    Let me tell you when I almost threw my phone:nosleep:

    I couldn't read it anymore. Also sorry for ranting:superwhew: this just happened recently.
     
    Last edited: Jul 13, 2021
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  21. Xoic

    Xoic Prognosticator of Arcana Ridiculosum Contributor Blogerator

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    Well, I mean, it happens. There are a lot of women who really dig the bad boys and like to be mistreated by them, hence the massive sales of 50 Shades of Gray. In fact that might be why you're seeing so many similar stories now, all trying to follow in the wake of one of the most popular books of our time. Once something hits that big publishers scramble to find more like it. That's why there's so many Twilight clones with vampires and werewolves in romantic situations with human females.

    Edit—I just realized what thread this is. My bad, what I said has nothing to do with whether you want to see authors keep doing that stuff or not!
     
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  22. Shayne

    Shayne The Virus Queen

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    You still have a point though. Unfortunately I know someone who is one of them. It inspired to write my 'healthy' erotica novel that I'm working currently working on.
     
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  23. Xoic

    Xoic Prognosticator of Arcana Ridiculosum Contributor Blogerator

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    Well there ya go!! Be the change you want to see in the world!
     
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  24. Shayne

    Shayne The Virus Queen

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    :superagree::D
     
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  25. Azuresun

    Azuresun Senior Member

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    Oddly enough, I have the opposite problem with a lot of romance / YA, where it so often feels like the guy has to do all the work of initiating the relationship. It's really noticeable in the YA novels, where she's too busy kicking ass and saving the world to have any interest in that girly romance stuff buuuut still accumulates 1-3 ideal boyfriend candidates by the end of the first book.
     
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