Analyzing our favorite stories: WHY do we love them?

keii4ii 2015-10-20 02:06:56 UTC #1

There are lots of really well crafted stories out there, but we don't necessarily enjoy every one of them. Not equally, at least. So what makes the difference?

Think of your favorite stories. What sets them apart from other stories within the genre? Don't just say "it's got really good art and a really cool story." This is all about being specific and analytical... or at least, trying to be!

To get started, I'll use a very old favorite of mine as an example: Mado-King Granzort
This is a kiddie mecha show from early 80s, although I didn't get to watch it until early 90s. By the time I saw it, I had become very disinterested in anything mecha. I didn't want to see some robots fighting... I wanted to see the characters slugging it out, fist to fist, body to body, add magic if desired! Oh yeah! Mecha just seemed so impersonal in comparison.

So what got me watching it? What got me to fall in love with it? #1, the robots had very little presence; they only showed up during the battle scenes. It was always the actual characters who moved the story. (And when the robots DID show up, they were accompanied by copious amounts of SPARKLE, which I appreciated as a magical girl fan.) #2, it featured a fascinating fantasy world reminiscent of fairy tales and childhood dreams -- like Goonies meets 100 different fairy tales meets anime.

And #3, the characters all had people who actually, genuinely mattered to them, including -- but not limited to -- each other. They did not exist in vacuum. They all came from somewhere, forming bonds along the way, letting the bonds shape them... and you could see that. Family, for instance, wasn't just an afterthought unlike in so many kiddie shows. The fact their past mattered to them made their present (and future) matter to me.

I own the remastered DVD set released a few years ago, and... to be honest, the show has not aged well. XD But the things I loved the most about the show are still dear to me. I think my comic actually shares a lot in common with it with regards to #2 and #3. Maybe even #1... specifically about sparkle? Maybe?

So why do YOU like your favorite story so much?

And does your comic have anything in common with it?

scythe 2015-10-20 02:46:39 UTC #2

This is going to sound very vague, but I like stories that transport me somewhere unfamiliar. I like to feel swept up by the setting and characters, and feel like I'm right there as they go on their journey. I noticed at a young age that all of my favourite stories follow the hero's journey pretty closely, and I've done the same thing with my comic.

keii4ii 2015-10-20 03:07:21 UTC #3

There's a ton of stories that take place in 'unfamiliar' places. What sets your favorite ones apart from the rest?

scythe 2015-10-20 04:03:44 UTC #4

You're asking me to articulate a feeling... so hard to do. But I'll try. There's a tingling in my chest, an unexplainable sense of wonder, as though I've been let in on an incredible secret that no one else knows. I wish I could analyse it more specifically, but that would probably take a treatise to accomplish. All I know is, I worked an reworked on my own story until I felt that same emotion, even up to the point where I shelved it for months and months just so I could see it with 'new eyes' and make sure that electricity on the back of the neck was real.

I suppose I could quote Joseph Campbell's explanation of the hero's journey, but even that is still pretty vague.

A hero ventures forth from the world of common day into a region of supernatural wonder: fabulous forces are there encountered and a decisive victory is won: the hero comes back from this mysterious adventure with the power to bestow boons on his fellow man.

All my favourite stories follow that template in one way or the other, including mine.

Another thing I could say is, some stories, while set in unfamiliar places, focus a lot on what's happening right there and then, without including an expansive setting with it's own history, politics and diverse cultures. All my favourites at least allude to a world beyond the focus of the plot.

Case in point, two sic-fi stories I love love love. Aliens and Star Trek. Aliens is a cinematic masterpiece, but it's focus is pretty narrow. There's not that much emphasis on the kind of society that they now live in, whereas in Star Trek, there's a detailed history, spanning across almost an entire galaxy, and even when it's not referred to specifically, it underpins the entire franchise. That's why I wouldn't count Aliens among my favourite stories, but Star Trek I would.

Having said that, that doesn't mean I want every story to have the kind of lore you find in LOTR or Star Trek. Sometimes it's much better to keep it mysterious, and just hint tot the audience that there's more out there. I think Star Wars, Terminator and the Matrix are prime examples of this. The more lore they worked into those stories, the sillier they got, whereas the originals still gave you that great sense of awe and really ignited your imagination.

CiciEnixa 2015-10-20 04:27:37 UTC #5

For me, a lot of the stories I've ended up falling in love with were the kinds that really brought out the worst in people, especially the main characters. I know, horrible, right? But putting aside my schadenfreude, these stories are the ones that make me sit on the edge of my seat for 9 hours straight because I want to know what happens next.

I'm gonna go ahead and say one of my fave genres: Fantasy, complete with all the magic hoopla. I'd even say magical girls. But to tell the truth, I'm not a fan of many magical girl series. Still, for some reason, some of my favorite anime are Ultra Maniac and Madoka Magica. Why?

Because while magic and magical powers are amazing, they don't fix your problems. Sometimes they even cause the problem, or make it worse. I loved these two series because the characters realize that having magic or doing things the "easy" way... these aren't going to make things perfect.

These series showed consequences (and very dire consequences they are when it comes to Madoka Magica), and I think it's these consequences, which we later call experiences, that really shape a person. It's the 'mistakes' we live with, the 'trials' we've gone through, and when your favorite character, that same character who may or may not have friends and family by their side, that same character that just broke down when everything they've known and loved is gone... it's that moment when you realize how much you feel for this character, how much you care for this character's story, because you've made that "Struggle Connection" with them. Suddenly, they're not a stranger to you anymore. It's almost cathartic.

So... yeah. (Wow that was long) For my comic, yeah, there's a lot of struggle, especially against other people. After all, despite my comic world being invaded by ravenous, vicious Demons, it's the inner demons that are more troublesome

AnnaLandin 2015-10-20 06:15:58 UTC #6

Ooooh, this is one heck of a question to answer! There's a lot to unpack for me, because I don't always really reflect on WHY I like things. Also, I don't have one single story to which I can point and say "this one is my favourite," so I'll be using several examples.

But here goes.

1.) Complex, real characters. I like a bit of depth to characters, a bit of a mystery to pick at and find out more about. I don't really have a set type of character I prefer the most - it all depends on context - but I appreciate it when they feel real. And, like real people, make mistakes, have prejudices, get confused, get angry over little things - and big things! - are selfish, are heroic, have their shining moments of glory, have personality quirks that are entirely theirs and aren't just there to carry the story forward. And I don't need to be cheering them on in every decision they make, or support them in everything they believe - in fact, I'm fine if I don't. I like problematic characters.

Just to name a random example - one of my favourite ASOIAF-characters is Jaime Lannister (and, to be clear, I'm speaking of the book-version, not the tv-show-version). He is, considered objectively, a terrible person. I mean "terrible" as in "chucks children out of seventh-story windows" kind of terrible. He's arrogant and thoughtless and cruel and horrible and throws children out of windows and yeah. He sucks. But the reason he's my favourite character isn't because I'm cheering him on in doing all these things - it's because he has complex reasons for doing them, and, at a certain point, starts working hard to change himself. It doesn't really matter if he succeeds or not - just watching him try is fascinating to me.

This is part of why I like longer-format storytelling - like books, or long-form comics, or tv-series. There's more space to explore that complexity. There's more breathing room for characters to be wrong, to make mistakes, and to have time to stay in that position for a while - the way real people do - before they can work their way back to being right. In shorter format stories - like, in movies or oneshot comics, or whatever - they need to go through that change faster, because there's less time for the story to play out in, and therefore less time for them to reach the end of their character arc.

2.) Worldbuilding. I'll admit - I'm a sucker for good worldbuilding.

I like stories that transport me to new places and explore new things, and do this with a sense of solidity and specificity. When I read a fantasy novel, I don't just want to be transported to Generic, White-Washed Medieval Europe version #34651. I want this to be a specific place. And if the story and the world allows for it, I want creators to stretch their muscles as much as possible. Don't give me Random Farming Village or Generic Castle. Give me mountains made of crystals! Give me islands floating in the sky! Give me worlds with three moons or two suns!

Stretch a little. Sometimes the shape of your story doesn't allow for floating islands or crystal mountains, but I want to leave the story knowing I've spent my time in a specific place; not just A Village, but this village.

Paying attention to even the tiniest things can help make a story feel grounded and solid, even if the setting itself isn't a huge stretch to imagine. Like in Mad Max: Fury Road - the war boys all greet each other by putting their hands together and interlacing their fingers. At first, this just looks like a regular weird gesture - until you realise that they are mimicing the shape of a V8-engine block. Which, in a world that is so car-focused, is actually a really neat detail.

3.) Moral dilemmas/conflicts. And I don't just mean situations in which the hero/ine has to decide whether to save an individual or a larger group of people (i.e: killing this one person will save the world, but killing people is bad!). I mean situations in which there is more than one right answer - or at least more than one answer that is possibly right - and conflicts in which it isn't good vs. evil, but rather someone who approaches a complicated problem one way vs. someone who approaches the same problem in another way.

I want stories in which I can sympathise with both sides, and in which the characters realise that the opposing side isn't necessarily evil or terrible or 100% wrong; they're just opposing you for good, sensible reasons, but now you have to fight them any way because you cannot live with yourself if their side wins. That kind of thing.

4.) Consequences of actions. This plays into both points 1 and 3. I don't like it when heroes get away with doing things they shouldn't get away with, just because they're heroes. If there are rules, you can't break them just for one character and get away with it. A lack of consequences makes for a boring story. If, as in the previous point, the character has to make a tough decision, it is NOT fun when the creator then turns around and makes all potentially bad outcomes go away. If you choose to save the individual, then the bad consequences have to happen to the bigger group. If you choose to save those millions of people, then guess what - bad things have to happen to the individual, if that is the conflict you've presented to me.

You can't just wave that away with a deus ex machina where whoops, I guess there WAS a way to save both of them, and the hero didn't even have to think about it!

As for how this plays into my own stories... Well. I like to think I'm building a cast in Grassblades that is complex and have layers and depths to them that may not be immediately obvious, but which are definitely there. Masahiro is somewhat problematic in that he's not actually a very pleasant man - he's grumpy and rude and very much focused on himself, and he takes this terrible mood out on a little girl. He helps people, but it's not exactly his mission in life - a lot of the time, it happens by accident.

And the antagonists won't be bottomlessly evil people; they'll just be people, who are doing things that need doing. It just so happens that their goals are in conflict with Masahiro's own.

And there will be plenty of hard choices made, conflicts encountered and consequences lived with as the story goes on.

mariusthered 2015-10-20 07:46:00 UTC #7

personally i'm just looking to escape, and from an early age books and comics have given me that.

I guess this is why I like your comic so much it's the first story Iv'e read about Korea and that part of the world, plus the other fantasy stuff. new culture and ways of life are always interesting and reading about them is a poor mans way of travel. To add books can also make you go to other worlds and times a limitless expanse of escape from the mundane.

fanyart 2015-10-20 15:54:57 UTC #8

Hmm, this is an interesting read...

@scythe I like the second case you mentioned, where there is little lore that just hints about the world being larger. Lore is nice when I get invested in the characters but most of the time I don't care about it, so sagas like LotR are not for me.

I love stories about character interaction with limited number of characters. There can be some extras, of course, but I get bored when cast keeps adding, it's hard to remember who's who and the interactions become blurred. I often lose interest in these.
I rarely watch anime (I'm more into reading comics and manga) but I remember watching some really stupid anime (which title I fortunately don't remember) just because I fell in love with the interaction between the group of main characters. I even managed to survive the fanservice there, which is otherwise a nowayinhell for me

An example of a good story that comes to mind was anime Steins;Gate. I might have been biased a bit towards it because some time before it aired I wrote a story that was quite similar to it in many aspects (but I dropped the story precisely because I didn't want to be accused of plagiarism, though some ideas from this old story are kept in my comic World of Wishes), but except the first half being a bit tedious (might have been because I didn't understand the jokes there) it was one of the best stories I ever encountered. It had a perfect build up and the story actually came back to the beginning at the end (which I love in stories). Every action and decision had consequences that cost the characters something. And the whole story was driven entirely by a limited number of characters who all had their purpose, so you could easily guess the culprits.

This anime also made me realize the importance of an ending that wraps everything up and of happy end. While watching it by the end I thought "if this doesn't have a happy end, it will be a total failure". Too often we see open endings whose authors claim to be generous enough to leave the interpretation to the audience or bad endings just for the sake of not having a happy ending. 99% of that is just laziness of the author to think up a proper ending.
Since then I'm putting all my might into the endings of my stories. Because I believe ending makes 95% of the impression of the whole story.

That was well analyzed, @AnnaLandin ! I also like characters who have some secret to keep us curious about

keii4ii 2015-10-20 19:09:27 UTC #9

Trainwreck characters spiraling further downward make for fascinating stories, indeed. One of my favorite stories is like that -- Silent Hill 2.

I usually cringe when I see this one brought up in this kind of a context because those words are extremely subjective, to a point where it's meaningless to bring them up. But here you've actually explained what you mean; there's still room for subjectivity, but at least we have something to work with. I appreciate that SO much, and agree with you. I'm not a big fan of stories where the plot writes the characters 100%.

ChanYE 2015-10-20 21:49:31 UTC #10

i like fantasy,horror and slice of life i think thats what its called.
i like fantasy more bc it takes me to places were while i read, i visualize it in my head, what teh characters look like, what the setting looks like and bc its a fantasy place, it makes it just all that more appealing.

Kura 2015-10-20 22:15:05 UTC #11

I tend not to over think why I like something to that kind of extent, so that would be a pretty difficult question for me to answer. Even when I get that "I don't even know WHY I like this so much" feeling. I just kind of leave it at that and don't care if I figure out why, while being content that I'm not ripping it apart piece by piece like I do with things I hate.

I guess I duno?

Characters and plot that I'm interested in that can work together without one defining or dictating the other?

Stories that don't treat me like a simple minded child that needs to be hand feed information like I'm still having trouble distinguishing right from left. (That doesn't mean I don't like something being explained, I mean, I can't read author minds. Just the manner in which things are explained)

I guess those are the big things.

AnnaLandin 2015-10-21 04:59:56 UTC #12

Yeah, it's one of those tricky things to explain properly. I wanted to write "strong characters", but THAT term gets tossed around so much that it's kind of watered down, and so many people believe that a character can only be strong if they're kickass badasses with attitude, and that's just not what I mean when I use it.

I want characters who feel like people, not like cardboard cut-outs being dragged along by the demands of the plot. Like, unless I'm reading/watching a parody or an homage to an older style of storytelling, I hate the moustache-twirling villain who is 100% evil with no redeeming qualities, because that's boring to me, just to name one example.

... Perhaps I should have written "fully realised characters", rather than "real". I want all three dimensions, not just one or two.

TristanJensen 2015-10-21 12:53:06 UTC #13

Some of my favorite stories have been (in the order I've read them) Percy Jackson (All five books), The Kane Chronicles (the first two), Treehouse, Time Gate: Reaper, and The Ables...

1) I've always enjoyed stories that seem almost in reality. Generally where you read about someones normal life but its very obvious something big is happening in the background.

2) Detailed Characters are another big thing. Most of my favorite stories are text based or have minimal or no backgrounds so I heavily rely on the characters being well written so I can differentiate between them. I also really enjoy conflict between main characters so they seem more believable (but not so much that its no longer interesting)

3) I'm a sucker for foreshadowing. I have a pretty good memory so If I see something from 5 or 6 chapters ago coming back with some importance I'll be all over that like white on rice and a glass of milk and a paper plate in a snow storm*

4) Fantasy, Action, Sci Fi are genres I really like... yup.

I think those are the only real connections I could make between all the stories I enjoy.

*If someone gets this reference let me know, Its pretty vague

thorbjornlyk 2015-10-21 13:44:57 UTC #14

So now I decided to post the forum because of this post ^.^

I can read nearly every genre and enjoy it, but I would say that wether I love a story or not comes down to 3 things:

(In not particuar order)

Originality:
However calming and nice I can find reading a story with standard magic in a standard world with a somewhat standard plotline, seeing new takes on a classic genre gives me a bit of a rush, this is probably why I enjoy web fiction so much, it allows the authors to go past the editors critique and write the story they want.

Worldbuilding (in which originality is a very important)
I am a great fan of Brandon Sanderson for a lot of reasons but what really sells him for me is his worldbuilding. Because he is insanely good at looking at the bigger picture of the world. The language, culture and religion in his books are all based around the factors that play into the world.

The worldbuilding creates the premise of my coninued journy throughout the world so for me it is very important that the worldbuilding is solid. Fx as described in Sanderson third law of magic (which can easily be used for worldbuilding too): Expand what you already have before you add something new.

Fantasy/Sci-fi
I read other genres from time to time, but Sci-fi and fantasy is the genre in my heart, it is an escape from reality I suppose a journy into the unknown to get away from the real world for a time.

Interestingly even though Lord of the Rings fit all those perfectly I still find it boring, I suppose a last factor called "don't let me get stuck for hours reading exposition" could be added.

tsukin 2015-10-21 22:11:53 UTC #15

ooooo wow, I could go on about this topic. Sort of a toughie. Sometimes my reasoning for being obsessed with a story can be kind of well I won't say lame, but narrow minded, like for me the Young Avengers will always have a place close to my heart solely because at the time, it was one of the first stories I'd read that actually had a positive depiction of a homosexual relationship, which was kind of important to me at the tender age of like 14, considering 90% of the time anything I read or watched ended in the gays either breaking up or dead.

But anyway that aside stories that tend to catch my eye are the stories that when I finish them I go "whoa. well that was a mindfuck". I like stories that make me think about "what-if"s in the universe. And I also like stories that are intensely psychological, where it's more about the characters growth and emotional responses to situations than anything flashy like the action. That's probably why X-Factor (the 2005 edition) is one of my favorite comic series ever. The characters have legitimate problems and to me at least, come off as very REAL, which I really enjoyed. Plus it was super noir, packed with interdimensional travel, super powers and even the occasional demon.

Stories where all the characters are a little morally gray versus black or white is another thing I like. Because its the thoughts behind what they end up choosing that makes the choice in itself powerful. That and morally gray character have sooooo much room in their reporitore to do things with.

scythe 2015-10-21 22:58:12 UTC #16

Interested to hear what you think about the Percy Jackson movies. I haven't read the books but I've seen both movies.

riverfur 2015-10-22 01:19:04 UTC #17

I really like shows with huge ensemble casts--it creates a lot of opportunities for diverse personalities, appearances, etc. It also makes humor feel easier and more natural because the humor is produced by interactions between characters. I especially like stories where there's a main group of characters (say, 4 to 7) who work together as a team (my two FAVE stories, Stand Still Stay Silent and Steven Universe, follow this format).

Character driven stories are MUCH more fun to me than plot driven ones.

I also super appreciate good, complex world building like a lot of other people on this thread have already pointed out. I love fictional stories that take place in rich worlds you can tell have lots of lore and culture and interesting oddities that may not even be part of the storyline.

This one's a bit...subjective??...but for me personally, a story should feel fun. I really dislike DARK, GRITTY stories where everything is FRAUGHT WITH PERIL and everyone is SERIOUS. This doesn't mean that I can't enjoy something darker in tone, but stories that are SERIOUS ALL THE TIME are just really, really boring to me.
There's enough serious and gritty stories on TV and in books and in comics and in the movie theater. I want to make fun stories because that's the kind of story I like!

PotooGryphon 2015-10-22 17:29:12 UTC #18

I want to pick a story that has recently grabbed, since it's fresh, current in my brain, and has left me me with that ache that happens when you complete a story you're super into, (the "Now What?" feeling).

Hmm... But how do I talk about this story without people getting angry about spoilers?

I know! I won't mention the name of it, characters names, or give away any of the story. Just focusing on its tropes/character qualities. I think this could work.

So the first thing that grabs me about the story are the characters.

The main character is a silent protagonist, so instantly it's easy for people to attach themselves to the main character and be them, putting themselves directly into the story. Everything that happens becomes deeply personal as if it's happening directly to the audience of the story. The fourth wall is really just a thin veil and even sometimes broken, however it's not a shattering experience since the audience has already placed themselves in the story.

The supporting cast of characters each have their own unique personalities that make them extremely unique, identifiable, memorable and lovable. Even the common enemies in random battles that the main character faces are rich in personality and have small backstories that are quickly and briefly presented.

So the major story trope that has stood out to me is the meek has all the power. The story's main character is the smallest and weakest looking among the rest of the cast, however, (like in most animes) they also have the most power due to their resolute determine spirit. The main character is also the catalyst of change in a grim realm where characters are losing hope. So there's the full gambit of characters that wish to kill the MC to capture their spirit and use it for change, neutral characters that are just living their life, and peaceful characters that would rather live in a bleak realm then kill the MC. And ultimately the MC has a choice of using their power to get what they want or use it to help out the other hopeless characters to achieve their goal.

Stories that have strong contrasting themes like the meek rising above the mighty and being an underdog, get to me. They're really hopeful stories that present the idea that all things are possible no matter who you are.

Stories like that where I get so invested are sometimes a detriment. There's the lingering "Well Now What" feeling, even if it had a full satisfying ending. There's a bit of a gap the progression of the story was filling that is now... just there. This is probably why fan art, fan fics, and fandoms are a thing. Help fills the "Now What".

Oops is also a tale of an underdog character rising up above an evil mighty force. Perhaps not to the extend of this story that has hooked me, however, I definitely write what I know and love, and meek vs. Mighty is one of them.

ChanYE 2018-02-04 07:46:34 UTC #19

Dear algernon
a story about a mentally challanged man getting the opportunity to be smarter than anyone else.
why is this my favorite story? because the character has flaws, feelings, there are many conflicts that take place.

Mari 2018-02-04 15:12:53 UTC #20

I like extreme angst. But like grown-up angst. Stuff about depression and abuse victims and stuff. Though these kinda stories need to have a happy/hopeful ending imho, since it's so depressing from the get go.

One perfect example of this is the korean novel "Our Happy Time" by Gong Ji-Young. I don't really want to spoil it to anyone, but the premise is that a suicidal young woman visits a death row convict every week. It broke my heart into a million pieces :(. I've never cried so much while reading anything. It was also adapted into a manga by Sahara Mizu, which is really good too. There's also like 50 japanese and korean dramas & movies based on the book.