forum Things You Want LESS Of In Books

Started January 21, 2019 by @evastardust groupRRAAAARRL

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I will have vampires. They will be demon spawn straight from the lore of Bram Stoker.

Yeah, I feel like supernatural creatures get demonized (pun obviously intended) by people who mock YA, but like….vampires, fae, angels, demons, and werewolves would be awesome if they were handled right!

I also have fae. They are elves. They are evil and eat people. Also they have magic arrows.

I have fae as well

And they are metamorphagi.

The problem with fae and other supernatural creatures in most YA works is they are all extremely shallow races, there's next to no depth or culture to that race and what is there just feels like a lazy half attempt. They're so romanticized that some writers think they can just throw them into a book and call it good. One of the reason Tolkin Is so fantastic is all of his species are well thought out, I'm not asking for tolkin I'm asking for real effort, With the mainstreaming of supernatural beings a lot of what makes them supernatural to begin with is being lost, a lot of them come from old Celtic, Greek, Roman, Norse, Scottish, Egyptian Mythologies (I am aware I'm missing mythologies) and the spooky, mystical qualities of these beings are being destroyed by the oversimplification of what they are. Elves are a great example of this, when you here about Elves in most fantasy you instantly have an image in your head of what they should be, but where in writing do you see there culture gone into, and effort being put into the creation of that culture.

Good stuff for me to remember as a fantasy writer.

I also have fae. They are elves. They are evil and eat people. Also they have magic arrows.

Ooh sounds fun

The problem with fae and other supernatural creatures in most YA works is they are all extremely shallow races, there's next to no depth or culture to that race and what is there just feels like a lazy half attempt. They're so romanticized that some writers think they can just throw them into a book and call it good. One of the reason Tolkin Is so fantastic is all of his species are well thought out, I'm not asking for tolkin I'm asking for real effort, With the mainstreaming of supernatural beings a lot of what makes them supernatural to begin with is being lost, a lot of them come from old Celtic, Greek, Roman, Norse, Scottish, Egyptian Mythologies (I am aware I'm missing mythologies) and the spooky, mystical qualities of these beings are being destroyed by the oversimplification of what they are. Elves are a great example of this, when you here about Elves in most fantasy you instantly have an image in your head of what they should be, but where in writing do you see there culture gone into, and effort being put into the creation of that culture.

IT'S TRUE AND YOU SHOULD SAY IT!
If you want YA with good fae, check out An Enchantment of Ravens! It's made very clear that they are not human, even if they appear more or less human at times, and they have things they can and can't do.

I also have fae. They are elves. They are evil and eat people. Also they have magic arrows.

Ooh sounds fun

Hey is a picture of my fey Jenai. (His eyes should be purple though.)

gah all of my supernatural creatures really stick to their origins and/or i focus a lot on creating a true culture for them so there's back story about why they are how they are.

Hey….can the Born Sexy Yesterday trope uhh….die a painful death?

???

Is that the "taking off glasses" type dealio?

Takes off glasses.
I can't see shit.
Anyhow, if someone takes off their glasses, it looks like your trying to dry your head off without a towel

You a new account for an older member?

Nah, just changed my name.
It's Lex/Logan/Whoever the fuck I am/I dunno

That is a very Lex username.

Wait, let me fix it.

Is that the "taking off glasses" type dealio?

No, it's the trope where a robot/alien/supernatural being is totally clueless about everything/has no idea how humans work, but is still super hot and everyone wants to fuck them.

Ah.

well thats not entirely implausible humans will screw anything

I mean you're not wrong, but the trope just really bothers me.
Why can't we see the human form a parent/child relationship with the alien or robot or whatever instead, and teach them how the world works?

That would be fun. I love Yui. (I know I know.)

Aka if Victor had been a good father.

What are you talking about? Your stuff?

No, Frankenstein. Although I do have a Victor who probably wouldn't be a great father because he's not super emotionally stable. Also he's 22 and not done with college so yeah no kids for him.

Ooooooh.

He'd be the Strict Dad and Henry would be the Fun Dad if they ever adopted though.
Okay, back on topic.
LESS! WHINY! MCS!
Like I love Luke Skywalker with my whole heart, but in 4 and 5 he was. so. whiny.

Especially when said MC is being whiny about romantic relationships.