New OOTS products from CafePress
New OOTS t-shirts, ornaments, mugs, bags, and more
Results 1 to 8 of 8
  1. - Top - End - #1
    Pixie in the Playground
    Join Date
    Nov 2017

    Default Would you read a story about a fictional being that doesn't exist in writing yet?

    I've made up my own beings (example: vampires) and I was going to publish it so I took it down on wattpad [where I post my writings] (no one read it anyway), I don't think I'd publish it now and I want to post it on wattpad again but I feel like no one would be interested in that (considering my stuff got read instead of getting lost in the millions of other writings).

    It's a fantasy-romance where the protagonist is saved by the strange new kid in school (I know, so twilight but I wrote this first) and she is absolutely terrified of him but he doesn't give up on her and they obvs fall in love. Because of that they suddenly have to fight to keep the peace and flee the country where they take on a new life which suddenly comes crashing down around them and a whole fight for survival starts.

    So, what do you guys think - are you more likely to read something tried and true or something new and potentially exciting?

  2. - Top - End - #2
    Ogre in the Playground
    Join Date
    Aug 2005
    Location

    Default Re: Would you read a story about a fictional being that doesn't exist in writing yet?

    I have read a lot of different stories, and some of them have had truly and intentionally alien characters (Alan Dean Foster, China Miéville, the AIs of The Last Angel, etc). That's not a problem.

    I think your problem is finding readers, not people being uninterested in original creatures. Look into how other stories are presented online. There's aggregate sites for web fiction, lists in e.g. TvTropes, many stories have their own sites or WordPress blogs (A Practical Guide to Evil, Void Domain), some stories with similar themes are bundled together in a single site (e.g. wuxiaworld and other novel translation sites), some are even only available in forum threads (Tales of the Wyre, The Last Angel) etc. etc. See what works, what doesn't, and then imitate.

    You're trying to sell me something. The price is paid in my time, which I hold as quite valuable.
    Your sales pitch, this post, the way to catch my interest - it isn't very good. I feel like it describes your situation, not the story you've written. If you write a better blurb, it'd help.

    Also, your presentation - your language, your avatar name, etc - are not written as well as I'd expect of an experienced writer. Just like you'd dress up for a job interview, you should pay a bit more attention to your language when selling your story.
    Edit: On checking, I realised that moue is actually a distinct although seemingly a rare word. Originally, I thought it was a typo of mouse. Nonetheless, an online name that looks like a typo (even if it isn't) can end up giving a bad impression.

    I'm afraid my reply is a bit rough on the edges and might feel like intentionally aggravating, but I'm not sure how to say this in a kinder manner.
    Last edited by endoperez; 2017-12-10 at 04:26 AM.

  3. - Top - End - #3
    Pixie in the Playground
    Join Date
    Nov 2017

    Default Re: Would you read a story about a fictional being that doesn't exist in writing yet?

    Quote Originally Posted by endoperez View Post
    I have read a lot of different stories, and some of them have had truly and intentionally alien characters (Alan Dean Foster, China Miéville, the AIs of The Last Angel, etc). That's not a problem.

    I think your problem is finding readers, not people being uninterested in original creatures. Look into how other stories are presented online. There's aggregate sites for web fiction, lists in e.g. TvTropes, many stories have their own sites or WordPress blogs (A Practical Guide to Evil, Void Domain), some stories with similar themes are bundled together in a single site (e.g. wuxiaworld and other novel translation sites), some are even only available in forum threads (Tales of the Wyre, The Last Angel) etc. etc. See what works, what doesn't, and then imitate.

    You're trying to sell me something. The price is paid in my time, which I hold as quite valuable.
    Your sales pitch, this post, the way to catch my interest - it isn't very good. I feel like it describes your situation, not the story you've written. If you write a better blurb, it'd help.

    Also, your presentation - your language, your avatar name, etc - are not written as well as I'd expect of an experienced writer. Just like you'd dress up for a job interview, you should pay a bit more attention to your language when selling your story.
    Edit: On checking, I realised that moue is actually a distinct although seemingly a rare word. Originally, I thought it was a typo of mouse. Nonetheless, an online name that looks like a typo (even if it isn't) can end up giving a bad impression.

    I'm afraid my reply is a bit rough on the edges and might feel like intentionally aggravating, but I'm not sure how to say this in a kinder manner.

    Well, no, actually, I'm not trying to sell the story or find readers - I'm trying to find out what would be more comfortable for a potential reader. If I were to put two books in front of you would choose something you know or something you haven't seen before in the same genre of the first book, as is outlined in the last question.
    I have no issues with my ability to write, it's just something I'm curious about. Writing is just a hobby of mine as I seem to be fairly creative in this sense and always did well school with writing assignments and such. I wouldn't say I'm an experienced/advanced writer but I'm definitely not a novice writer either.

    And yeah, my username isn't a spelling mistake - just an old word that means: a pouting expression of annoyance or distaste. So its like ArcticPout I guess.

    You're a little off the mark but thanks anyway.

  4. - Top - End - #4
    Firbolg in the Playground
     
    Flumph

    Join Date
    Apr 2011
    Gender
    Male

    Default Re: Would you read a story about a fictional being that doesn't exist in writing yet?

    None of that matters. People do not care.

    What matters is the skill with which the story is told. A story skilfully told will entertain whether it contains brand new or totally hackneyed components. A story poorly told better have a damn big marketing budget.

  5. - Top - End - #5
    Ettin in the Playground
    Join Date
    Sep 2009
    Gender
    Male

    Default Re: Would you read a story about a fictional being that doesn't exist in writing yet?

    The question in the thread title is not the same as the one asked in the end of the post.

    To answer the former, yes, I gladly read works with non-existent beings. So do loads of other people. A rather big share of Speculative Fiction (the roof category for all of fantasy, science fiction, horror etc.) is about such beings.

    To answer the latter, yes, people frequently favor familiar over the unknown. So even on the field of Speculative Fiction, works by authors with reputation for quality output, and fictional beings with some amount of tradition around them, have wider appeal than unknown works.

    This is something that every original author needs to accept and work to overcome: to climb out of obscurity and get in the minds of people. It doesn't matter how good your story is if no-one knows about it. And contrary to what many people might think, a work is not its own advert. If the only thing that would get people interested in reading your story is reading your story, you've already lost. You need to actually distribute it and get it in the face of people so they'll read it to begin with.
    "It's the fate of all things under the sky,
    to grow old and wither and die."

  6. - Top - End - #6
    Troll in the Playground
     
    Flumph

    Join Date
    Nov 2006
    Location
    England. Ish.
    Gender
    Male

    Default Re: Would you read a story about a fictional being that doesn't exist in writing yet?

    Quote Originally Posted by ArcticMoue View Post
    So, what do you guys think - are you more likely to read something tried and true or something new and potentially exciting?
    This is the wrong question. For something to be "Tried and True" means an author who I already like, writing in a genre that I want to read, with a story I want to hear. That's a very, very small field, but one that will have almost immediate entry because all the factors are known.

    Outside that, everything else is "new", even if you are writing in the same genre: If you are not an author that I know then you are "new". After that you had better be - if not "exciting", at least "good enough" - or the first item I look at may also be the last.

    From my own point of view, There are a number of hurdles to cross before I read any story.

    Note that the first two hurdles are - frankly - absurdly difficult. To the budding writer it probably seems unfair that the first two criteria have so little to do with the bulk of your story (and in the publishing world are often not your fault either - at least in the online world you can take the responsibility...). However, they are many stories out there, and a potential new reader is not going to waste time looking for reviews before reading your story.

    Very roughly, the hurdles are:

    1. Genre, Title and Cover (AKA You can't judge a book by its cover, but guess what?)

    I tend to read Sci-fi and Fantasy, but am known to read almost anything (including romances) if I feel there is enough in the story.

    Literally the first things I will see are the title and cover illustration. (Publishing online you may only have the title to work with), so to engage my interest you need a good title (and good cover illustration if that is possible in the medium you are using).

    OK... So, it's Fantasy (the "romance" is redundant unless your story revolves entirely around the romantic aspects - simply including a relationship in the story is not enough to make it a Romance.).

    No title. Well, you've lost me there, then.

    Suggestion: Tell us the title of the story - in the context of this thread it isn't all that important, but it is the first hook..

    2. Story Summary

    Strictly speaking, this is virtually level with hurdle no. 1 as in a real book the blurb is usually on the back (or inside on the dust sheet for hardcovers), but it will be the second thing I see when I pick the book up.

    Here's yours:

    Quote Originally Posted by ArcticMoue View Post
    It's a fantasy-romance where the protagonist is saved by the strange new kid in school (I know, so twilight but I wrote this first) and she is absolutely terrified of him but he doesn't give up on her and they obvs fall in love. Because of that they suddenly have to fight to keep the peace and flee the country where they take on a new life which suddenly comes crashing down around them and a whole fight for survival starts.
    And after that, you've lost me. You are describing what happens mechanically in the story, but giving no real idea of what the story is about and why I should care about any of the characters. Apparently, they have to fight to keep the peace, but I have no idea why they need to.

    Also, there is no need to compare it to Twilight (unless you are after the same target audience).

    I can best explain this by example: Your description is actually similar to some of the events in Girl Genius, so let me compare this with the first Girl Genius novelisation for a moment:

    Agatha H and the Airship City

    Years after the Industrial Revolution escalated into all-out war, Europa is controlled by tyrannical Sparks, mad scientists who rule over the hapless population with clockwork armies, bizarre inventions and unchecked power.

    At Transylvania Polygnostic University, frustrated student Agatha Clay appears to have nothing but bad luck. Incapable of building anything that actually works, Agatha seems destined for a lackluster career as a lab assistant. But when the University is overthrown by the ruthless Baron Wufenbach, Agatha is taken prisoner aboard his massive airship - and it begins to look like she may carry a spark of Mad Science after all.

    The title is a hook right there. Airship City? Sounds like an interesting concept.

    Then the first paragraph sets the scene. We have a world ruled by (potentially warring) Mad Scientists. The background is already introduced.

    The second paragraph introduces the heroine. It tells us clearly what her problem is and why we should care. It also only covers the first four chapters. The rest of the story (the male lead and the relationship between them) is then built up in the story.

    Suggestion: Re-write your story description. At the moment we have very little to engage with as we have no idea what the world is like or why we should care about the characters. What makes your story stand out from every other fantasy adventure that has boy-meets-girl in it?.

    3. First Page, First Chapter (AKA Hook, Line and Sinker)

    Obviously, we haven't got this far, but I'll add it for completeness.

    If you manage to clear the first two hurdles, then congratulations: I am now looking at your story. You have my attention. The trick is now how to keep it.

    The three things that are going to turn me right off are: Bad English, Bad Writing and Bad Storytelling.

    Bad English (Spelling, Grammar) is usually obvious within the first page. Bad Writing (Flow, style) can sometimes be picked up in the first page, but this is usually a little harder to detect.

    If there are no obvious issues in the first page, then the first chapter is the final stretch: Bad Storytelling - Can you tell the story I want to read, in a way I want to read it? Generally speaking I will know by the end of page three.

    Suggestion: This part is, of course, very subjective. I have given up on books that were very popular (and - to be fair - good stories) simply because I haven't enjoyed reading them. I can't really help here except to say that to be successful you need to learn how to write, and that is far more difficult than it sounds.
    Warning: This posting may contain wit, wisdom, pathos, irony, satire, sarcasm and puns. And traces of nut.

    "The main skill of a good ruler seems to be not preventing the conflagrations but rather keeping them contained enough they rate more as campfires." Rogar Demonblud

    "Hold on just a d*** second. UK has spam callers that try to get you to buy conservatories?!? Even y'alls spammers are higher class than ours!" Peelee

  7. - Top - End - #7
    Ogre in the Playground
    Join Date
    Aug 2005
    Location

    Default Re: Would you read a story about a fictional being that doesn't exist in writing yet?

    Quote Originally Posted by ArcticMoue View Post
    You're a little off the mark but thanks anyway.
    As a reply to your actual question, not the one I imagined:

    Sometimes I want to read genre stories where I know what to expect, sometimes I want something new.

    When I want tried-and-true stuff, I am rather critical of the quality of writing, because I've already read a lot of similar stuff.

    When I want something new, a strong or unique idea can do a lot of the work in keeping me interested. However, newness isn't necessarily about a new creature or a new power, but a new situation, context, viewpoint, literary style etc.

    Some examples:
    I read Sorceress's Orc, because the context of an orc as the male lead in a romance novel was unique. i'm not a regular reader of romance novels. In this case, it's the familiar thing (an orc warrior in a fantasy world) in an unfamiliar context (he's the bodyguard of a sorceress falls for him) drew me in.

    I read A Practical Guide to Evil, because the blurb and the first chapters sold me the idea of villains building orphanages and getting the kids jobs so the would-be heroes don't get heroic back stories. It's not a typical fantasy genre story but it's built on them.

    I read Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell because it was described as a Jane Austen novel with wizards.

    I read Chinese fantasy stories written by amateurs, then translated by amateurs, and can find enjoyment in the new ideas and unfamiliar cultural context even though I feel like only a few works are of high quality.

    If I wanted to read a vampire romance novel, I'd either want a very well-written one, or an interestingly different one.
    I wouldn't read a vampire romance story about a forbidden relationship with a dangerous dark boy and a normal girl fated for each other (etc etc) whether the boy was called vampire, vampyre, strigoi, werewolf, cursed prince, dark knight, monster, etc.

    I did read one that promised me a Beauty & the Beast but with elemental mages.

    I read one where the human girl was a vampire hunter, and her vampire beau was her boss in the vampire hunting business and also vampire-apocalypse already happened hundreds of years ago so there's a lot of hunting.

    I've read a few romances about girls discovering their secret magic powers and then ending up with gloomy whatever's in a medieval fantasy setting.

    I read one where the male protagonist turned into a cursed state (kinda half-zombie half-cursed once-blessed thing) on his first appearance and was put on a minster colony, and the rest of the book was more about discovering what's going on than typical monster angst.

    A new monster isn't really a draw for me. A new context would be, and a new monster might work to establish that, but might not be enough in its own, since a monster romance book with a different monster could just be more of the same.
    Last edited by endoperez; 2017-12-10 at 10:15 PM.

  8. - Top - End - #8
    Titan in the Playground
     
    2D8HP's Avatar

    Join Date
    Dec 2015
    Location
    San Francisco Bay area
    Gender
    Male

    Default Re: Would you read a story about a fictional being that doesn't exist in writing yet?

    Um, what do I read and why?

    I will only list one 19th century (A Prisoner of Zenda by Anthony Hope), and one 20th century (The War Hound and the World's Pain by Michael Moorcock) novel, because otherwise the list will get too long, so I'll mostly limit myself to some 21st century works.

    I suppose all of them involve humans encountering the fantastic?
    Extended Sig
    D&D Alignment history
    Quote Originally Posted by JoeJ View Post
    Does the game you play feature a Dragon sitting on a pile of treasure, in a Dungeon?
    Quote Originally Posted by Ninja_Prawn View Post
    You're an NPC stat block."I remember when your race was your class you damned whippersnappers"
    Snazzy Avatar by Honest Tiefling!

Tags for this Thread

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •