I personally don't really mind if there are a lot of stereotypical fantasy races (Fairies, elves, orcs, demons, mermaids, etc.), but I absolutely hate when they have the stereotypical characteristics without any reason (ie: noble elves, cute and kind fairies, dumb and always angry orcs…)
Top overused fantasy cliches?
(YUSSSSSSS)
- I hate love triangles and the ones where the main female has to be in love with the main male. In my story, the main female is asexual and she and the main males are just really good friend
- The stereotypical fantasy races are also quite annoying. I think it's fine to use these but, like, make them unique, instead of like my elves are just like the 18,000 other writer's
- The lead femme has to hate feminine things, like sewing. We want strong feminine females not just, oh, they're female
- Damsel in distress. Thought we'd see at least one reverse by now
- Gay people written more realistically
In response to the 'CHOSEN ONE' trope, the easiest way to fix this is to make your main character a side character. You can write your story the same way everyone does and have the main character be the one that saves the world through the power of luck and prophecy, or you make your main character the best friend, or the love interest, or the sibling.
If you write the story this way, not only does it kill the cliche, but it also opens up more options. The chosen one can get killed off, because they aren't the main character. The best friend can be jealous and turn into the villain, and you can easily write from the opposing side. The love interest can become fed up with having to be protected all the time and try to learn to protect themselves, in turn making them stronger than the chosen one, because they actually had to work hard to get better.
I totally agree with PenelopeL the best way to really spice up a fantasy book is to have a lot more representation of minorities.
Thanks! I'm sure I can't be the only one who reads a good, well-written book, and loves it, but at the same time: what if you made one of the side characters gay? Would it hurt the plot? There are queer readers out there! (This is a problem for me with realistic fiction also; just one [or two] minor characters! Please!)
I have one main-ish character that's gay and my main character is hinted as asexual.
And, yes, it is fantasy
THANK YOU
I wholehearted agree with you about the queer characters who definitely characters like that in I think every genre except for realistic, not saying it's so much better in realistic. It sort of annoys me and, like, if you don't like it, just don't read it
Yeah! And there are so many more straight books anyway. Shouldn't books have people of all races, genders, and sexualities? Sadly, publishing companies aren't as eager if they think it won't sell, and No oNe rEAdS gAy boOks, RIghT guYS?
I would give my soul do a lot of things for a good gay book. Like, if you don't like it, don't read it. Homophobes are way below what a human should be in intelligence anyway
Sadly, publishing companies aren't as eager if they think it won't sell, and No oNe rEAdS gAy boOks, RIghT guYS?
Probably a lot of publishing houses do this, but isn't true for all of them. I have come across a few in my hunt for publication that mention in their submission guidelines that they're on the lookout for books from a minority or LGBTQI+ perspective.
When people overuse magic. like some magic is cool but when everything revolves around magic and good and evil the story starts to become like every other magic story.
Yeah magic overuse is also quite annoying, because there are like, just so many books like that you sometimes jyst don't want to read it
Most of the tropes in JelloApocalypse's Fire Emblem video:
The king who is super evil but OH NO, he's actually possessed by the DEMON DRAGON EMPEROR KING POPE THING!
The "I may LOOK like a prepubescent child, but I'm actually a 2,000-year-old (magical race), so we can totally have a relationship that will get you thrown in prison in the real world!
The eleventh-hour old man character that is either overpowered or has no real purpose.
The psychopath that is only there to steal, pillage, loot, and kill everyone in his way (and they get away with it!)
"Oh man! I can't believe that my childhood friend has the sword that only the DRAGON WARRIOR can use!"
"Nah, it's only because of the strength I share with my friends!"
The penultimate final boss that you think is actually cool, but they have to die in a dramatic fashion to further the plot (usually with the last words being "…maybe we could have been friends… in another life" dies)
So you like shipping? How about with the old man? He's the only gay option! Pet his face to increase his affinity!
Literally every mook looking like a rock monster, teaching that "killing is okay as long as it's gross people."
OK that sounds…weird
Spellcasters that are recluses and old men who look like a puff of wind could blow them away
Dragons that are just monsters and have no capacity for intelligence and discussion about them or anything they have experienced
Orcs that are dumb as bricks
Half-elves, half-orcs, half-dragons (seriously, how does that even work?) are shunned upon by everyone including their parents
Villains are either an ugly (male) monster, human/humanoid with scarred face, or goth hot guy who smirks too much
Ugly monsters are male, female monsters are usually humanoid and seductive
Male armour = tasteful metal plates that cover the entire body, female armour = crosses taped to the nipples and crotch. Oh and fancy boots! (This is mainly in video games)
Funny thing, my main character is a Half-Dragon, and while the sizes of his parents could MAYBE be feasible, he's super uncomfortable talking about it. Most of it's just "How do you think it works?!"
Funny thing, my main character is a Half-Dragon, and while the sizes of his parents could MAYBE be feasible, he's super uncomfortable talking about it. Most of it's just "How do you think it works?!"
I don't anyone would want to know all the details…
Hey, you asked how it would work, and I said it was possible while sparing the Rule 34 material. It's up to everyone else to come up with that!
what is rule 34?
From the few stories I've seen with half-dragon characters, the dragons are generally shapeshifters that can take human form. (It still doesn't always make sense how someone with only half dragon-shapeshifter genes can then shift back into a full-on dragon.)
@That_One_Lavender_Owl_that's_into_Sci-Fi - Rule 34 is one of the made-up 'rules' of the internet
Spoiler - click to show.
Spoiler - click to show.
True
Male armour = tasteful metal plates that cover the entire body, female armour = crosses taped to the nipples and crotch. Oh and fancy boots! (This is mainly in video games)
I've come across a couple of blogs that 'fix' female characters' armour (from movies and video games or just fanart) and find them quite enjoyable. :)
I mean, the Monster Hunter games don't have PERFECT armor (for both males and females), but I enjoy that they mostly look like armor and not metal bikinis. Even the actual bikinis and streetwear have much lower defense than standard armor (but the Astalos headphones look SO COOL).
Haven't been on this site for a while, and in that time I've written a LOT- mainly in my fantasy book. I use a lot of the stereotypical "fantasy" creatures/peoples, but most of them have a feature that they don't have in most depictions- do y'all like that better than the standard creatures as they are?
I think it's better when you have the stereotypical thing but add features
@child_of_fire Okie dokie!