NOIRTRASH
Literotica Guru
- Joined
- Aug 22, 2015
- Posts
- 10,580
https://prowritingaid.com/art/374/8-Ways-to-Make-Your-Story-Boring-.aspx
Many LIT authors are masters of boring.
Many LIT authors are masters of boring.
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Dunno, JBJ, that list is not only old-hat but it seems straight out of one of those usual college courses that bear no relation to the commercial world.
Personally, if you actually 'follow a list' then for sure you are going to end up being boring to experienced readers - because they can see every single move you're going to make, because they've seen that stuff all before.
I spend a lot of time going to movies and saying (out aloud, can't help it) "Uh-oh, here's the New York writer's school 'conflict' bit about to come up right on cue." I hate it.
The first Jaws, Poltergeist, Alien and Gremlins movies were very enjoyable because the concepts and special effects were fresh, new and untried. But with each sequel, they became more and more - you've guessed it - boring if not downright pathetic. Some people obviously love being bored by the same-old as the continued success of the Star Wars saga proves whereas the majority moves on. As a writer, if you hit upon a formula that you can repeat time and time again with little effort in order to gain the same, predictable adulation from the same set of readers, why change? It's the Star Wars syndrome.
https://prowritingaid.com/art/374/8-Ways-to-Make-Your-Story-Boring-.aspx
Many LIT authors are masters of boring.
I know, right? It's like classical music. Same old 200 year old shit over and over. Sure, some of it was innovative then, but who the hell would listen to that ancient crap today when there is lots of new innovative music to listen to?
What value could there possibly be for an orchestra to make new recordings of 200 year old music? Same instruments. Same notes. Comes out the same. Beyond me.
rj
I know, right? It's like classical music. Same old 200 year old shit over and over. Sure, some of it was innovative then, but who the hell would listen to that ancient crap today when there is lots of new innovative music to listen to?
What value could there possibly be for an orchestra to make new recordings of 200 year old music? Same instruments. Same notes. Comes out the same. Beyond me.
rj
Lets call fads within categories "genre" (its what they are) and stipulate MEET THE BEATLES of 1964 aint MAGICAL MYSTERY TOUR of 1967.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OUT7W4mrF_0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d2_wuNkRE40
STEVE MILLER BAND 1969
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hEPy_fe91yw
POET AND THE ONE MAN BAND 1970
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cgMNzPdbRl8
PINK FLOYD 1971
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RFYYzzDhR6c
PINK FLOYD
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-9SgJzsCTK4
Couldn't agree more. Innovation is great and vital for growth. And your examples clearly show that growth. But there's value in revisiting where we've been as much as new places we might go. I picked the classical music example intentionally because I know you appreciate it. Two hundred year old organ music can still delight and surprise. It's no different with storytelling with words. The plot/sheet music might be the same, but the players are different.
I enjoy your threads if I haven't mentioned it.
rj
Hey now! You can't use actual facts in a JBJ thread.
We've just learned that in Trump's America (A Parallel Universe) there are alternative facts so anything goes now.
rj
Quite a number of Lit stories are boring because the author has failed to ask the following questions; "Who are my characters, and why would another person find them interesting?" Poorly developed characters in uninteresting situations = boring.
Obviously not everyone is going to like my stories, but I know that I always try to create interesting characters and stories.
For example, one of my stories is about a 19-year-old guy and an 18-year-old girl. What's interesting there? I set the story in an Italian-American neighborhood in New York in the early 1970s, and made the girl the daughter of a Mafia Boss, and the young guy an employee at a business owned by the powerful mobster. Having the young man grapple with his crush on his bosses seductive daughter due to his fear of her father and his Mob associates I thought made for an interesting story. True, this story might not to be to everyone's taste, but I have done my best to make it interesting.
Bitching about the readership and saying they are stupid and boring and mouth breathers gets you nowhere.
To paraphrase Lester Maddox: Literotica won't improve until it gets a better class of readers.