Fantasy Meme (it's been around LJ)

[author_by_night]

Eleven things I will strive my best never to put in a fantasy novel/fanfiction:

1. One dimensionalism, unless it's the point of a character. Sadly, some people just are. But most people have layers, and I will make this clear in the story.

2. Racist metaphors. They used to be a popular trend in older fantasy, and it bugs me when I notice them.

3. "Girl will die without a guy." There's a reason I didn't like most fairy tales as a kid, and some fantasy that I've seen still has that theme. Yes, love is great, but the girl is competent without one.

4. Sooper gurl. My characters will not fight in a metal bikini, be able to kill with their magcal fingernails, and they won't snog everything that moves.

5. "Well these are BAD BAD people because they come from a BAD BAD town/school/whatever." 100 out of 100 people cannot all be horrible. That's one of the things I actually don't about Harry Potter - the established "fact" that all Slytherins are EVOL. Granted, JK Rowling has said that's not her intention, but that's still how she writes it.

6. A place that's not our place - a different planet - but is exactly like ours with no explanation. This isn't because such plots are bad ;  it's because I simply cannot suspend disbelief that much. There are some exceptions, but not many; my universe, if I ever write it, is going to be in this one, but like in Harry Potter, one "we" simply can't see. I just can't understand how another world altogether could still have the same sort of people, the same class systems, the same type of government... to me, it makes no sense. There has to be some sort of way for the world to fit, even though it does still involve some degree of disbelief suspension.

7. Love triangles, unless it's in character. You can't make a really sweet Princess lead on two men. A cruel one, yes,  even a ditzy one, but one who's simply too nice to choose? Give me a break.

8. Only romance matters plots. Now, I'm all for all-romance, and I'm not saying romance shouldn't matter - it should. But plots where everyone can die, and the lovers are fine, but then one of them breaks a finger and the other lover goes insane... it just baffles me.

9. The character is raped and enjoys it, or forgives her rapist because "he didn't mean it." First, nobody wants to be raped. Second, a rapist can't not "mean it" - that's not possible, and I'm not going to go into detail why (I don't think I need to anyhow), but it isn't possible.

10. The character is flawless. Nobody can be flawless.

11. Rip-offs. Yes, most fantasy stories all have a similar theme, especially in terms of types of characters (the "slightly absent" father/mother figure, the mentor who dies, the companion(s), the reluctant character), but taking from every fantasy novel out there and putting it into my story? Absolutely not right.

Comments

[valerie-valerah.livejournal.com]

I liked the meme a lot. I won't steal it because I would just end up writing the same thing as you :P I do have to make a comment, however, on this: Granted, JK Rowling has said that's not her intention, but that's still how she writes it.

I think she writes it like that because it's from Harry's very limited point of view. In his mind, all Slytherins are evil, and you can't really tell him otherwise. I would like to see an example of a "good" Slytherin, although I think we did get one in HBP: Slughorn. I actually liked him, although I know a lot of people in the fandom didn't (including Harry, lol). He was a bit obnoxious, but he also seemed like an overall good guy. I would still like to see a "good" example of a Slytherin among the kids, though. After HBP, I don't think redeemed!Draco would be too jarring.

I like the last point you made. In all writing, especially fantasies, there's a fine line between using a well-known archetype and making it your own and ripping off something another author has done. You have a character who is the wise old mentor to your main character? Fine. You have a character called Bumblefore who wears half-moon specs and enjoys eating lemon drops? Rip off.

[author-by-night.livejournal.com]

Believe me, I have read books where they had "Bumblefore" type rip-offs.

For the Slytherin thing, see above. :)