Aside from the the usual promotion posts I'm curious to see people hot writing takes.
Mine:
Romance is best done a subplot/ not the main focus. Most book with romance as the main genre has the most forced romance like some are better off as friends.
Aug '24
Aug '24
Romance should only be included if there's a story to tell.
I ship some characters together, but they won't hook up in the story because it would distract from the plot.
I'm not a big fan of "pair the spares" in romance. When the 2ML and 2FL end up together, it seldom feels "earned" or "right" to me. Definitely shout out if you have examples where it works, but I've run into too many slapdash couples of secondary couples to say I like it much.
More writers need to realize that people can have deep and meaningful relationships without it being romantic/sexual in nature.
That's why I usually like stories that focus on family relationships because that's one of the few places where the complicated relationship dynamics can be explored extensively while also kept strictly platonic.
When it comes to romance, I hate where the guy or girl gets in a relationship literally because they are breathing. There is no reason for the person to like them. They aren't charming, or cool, or whatever... but the other person falls for them. And the worst is then the other person has to "work" to get them to open up/like them. In the real world, you move on as that person is not worth the effort, which is usually very one sided.
I have a few: Subverting expectations is overrated. Having a realistic ending just for the sake of having one is just... meh. And Not every villain needs to be redemed.
This might piss some folks off but my hottest writing opinion is that using common tropes absolutely can be a great tool. However, when they become overused every story looks like one another with just different character names.
Now for the real tea: tapas novels are literally like wattpad originals with it being the same plots over and over again. The stories thay are unique and deserve actual recognition are buried underneath and never get a chance to be forseen unless they get lucky.
Also this is a super hot take but, especially when you're learning how to really write, it's okay for your first draft to be your final draft. No one is expecting perfection first time around, especially if you're still learning. You can have a good story without having to go back and rewrite a second draft.
I don’t know if this is a hot take but I feel like it’s something that younger or newer writers need to hear.
It’s OK to make mistakes. It’s OK if your first work ends up having flaws. Not everyone on the internet are on some power trip to “cancel” you.
I guess some pockets of the internet love being hypocritical of larger creators and sometimes nitpick a bit. I have seen newer writers scared they’ll be next if they make a mistake or write something that might be slightly controversial. I don’t think this is the healthiest mindset to have. I feel like if you are someone who feels this way, maybe take time away from looking at those kinds of criticism and drama.
To be fair you can't really control who you like. In someone else's eyes they can be unattractive but in their eyes they aren't. And there nothing wrong in putting effort into getting them to notice you...to an extent
People always think that if the villain have a sad backstory they need to be redeem but I like it when it clear that the gone past being redeemable. E.g. Azula from atla
I always had women in my life who were working to get me to like them and who didn´t move on
and I´m not talking about stalkers. I think this is very common
I usually create pseudo-TVTropes pages for my work to build plot outlines and characters, so yes.
The problem with "tropes" and "cliches" is not that they're used in the story, but that the writer using it doesn't know what the purpose of the trope is beyond "everyone else is using this, so I better add it in because that seems to be what the audience is looking (i.e. willing to pay) for".
Likewise, "subversions" only work if it has a storytelling purpose beyond a cheap shock value or an obvious "look at how original and smart I am for not using [insert common trope here]" statement.
Bumping this up: a lot of 'strong' female leads in books now a days are just mostly for the forced kind of rep....with some exception
I think romance works well as a main genre, but it really is slice of life with a focus on the story of two people becoming a couple. Romance is just one part of a complex life but it can be a worthwhile focus if done well. Because so much of what makes a romance become possible has to do with the emotional development and progression of the characters, which is aided by interaction with other characters, in the end, a good romance is really a drama.
My opinion: To this day, western media still type casts most ethnicities. Hispanic, African Americans, asians, etc.
That wasn't my point. My point was if you didn't have anything to offer for them to like you. I bet you were not this. It's one thing if you are charming, funny, great personality, etc. Manga has a problem where the person is just there. They don't have a personality, they are a dud. Or worst, an asshole. I understand the logic as the reader can either put themselves in that spot or the reader can go "this guy is liked for doing nothing, maybe that will happen to me." This really doesn't happen in the real world.
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