Kaseywolf
Having ideas I'll never act on
- Joined
- Nov 4, 2019
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I read a lot of stories but these are the things I see in a story or don't see and can tell if the story is or isn't going to be good for myself.
This does not mean the story is good or bad, but it does help me decide to drop a story or not most of the time. As with everything there are exceptions.
Rule 1. The self insert knows where or what they inserted into.
This is key, a self insert story, most of the time, has to know the source. 85% of the time when the si does not know the source the story suffers a very simple problem. How is the si going to change anything or do anything if they don't know what's happening. Sure they can interrupt a story just by being there but not as much as you would think. The butterfly effect doesn't mean shit if you don't make a concerted effort to make a change.
Rule 2. The si needs a goal.
This is generally good writing advice in general, where are you going in the story. What is the self inserts motivation and what is the end goal of the story itself stated, or not. Now I find having a *stated* goal does not mean it has to be the *end* goal. A stated goal just gives the reader a direction the mc is going and for those who know the source can think of a few ways to achieve that goal themselves. That isn't to say that's going to be the goal that ends the story. A common goal is to return home but most of the time the mc drops that goal. Usually because they fall in love.
Rule 3. Crossover or no.
I *Hate* crossovers that fuse two worlds together. There is a few exceptions, hp has a pretty good masquerade and that let's it insert into some cool worlds like a certain magical index or something. Worlds that don't already have a masquerade in place generally. Otherwise? Crossovers, true crossovers, don't ever make it very far and in si stories it's even less likely. Having aspects like say adding new tech the mc can make because of powers or something isn't really a crossover but it's not going to harm a story in of itself.
This covers the big things and I think, as a writer one needs to consider heavily of they are going to keep or toss one of these three rules. Everyone is different and that is ok. This is my opinion and like I said there is a few exceptions that toss these rules out and I've enjoyed those stories well.
What these rules really mean though? They are my guideline for when I write, to determine and decide on the core aspects of my story. Whether it's an si? Am I going to fuse worlds? What's going to change? How is the mc going to *Make* those changes?
I don't make outlines as such, highly recommend you do if you write, but I do make sure I have a clear idea of what I want to do with any story I write.
As you can tell I havnt published anything I've written because I've scrapped most of it.
This does not mean the story is good or bad, but it does help me decide to drop a story or not most of the time. As with everything there are exceptions.
Rule 1. The self insert knows where or what they inserted into.
This is key, a self insert story, most of the time, has to know the source. 85% of the time when the si does not know the source the story suffers a very simple problem. How is the si going to change anything or do anything if they don't know what's happening. Sure they can interrupt a story just by being there but not as much as you would think. The butterfly effect doesn't mean shit if you don't make a concerted effort to make a change.
Rule 2. The si needs a goal.
This is generally good writing advice in general, where are you going in the story. What is the self inserts motivation and what is the end goal of the story itself stated, or not. Now I find having a *stated* goal does not mean it has to be the *end* goal. A stated goal just gives the reader a direction the mc is going and for those who know the source can think of a few ways to achieve that goal themselves. That isn't to say that's going to be the goal that ends the story. A common goal is to return home but most of the time the mc drops that goal. Usually because they fall in love.
Rule 3. Crossover or no.
I *Hate* crossovers that fuse two worlds together. There is a few exceptions, hp has a pretty good masquerade and that let's it insert into some cool worlds like a certain magical index or something. Worlds that don't already have a masquerade in place generally. Otherwise? Crossovers, true crossovers, don't ever make it very far and in si stories it's even less likely. Having aspects like say adding new tech the mc can make because of powers or something isn't really a crossover but it's not going to harm a story in of itself.
This covers the big things and I think, as a writer one needs to consider heavily of they are going to keep or toss one of these three rules. Everyone is different and that is ok. This is my opinion and like I said there is a few exceptions that toss these rules out and I've enjoyed those stories well.
What these rules really mean though? They are my guideline for when I write, to determine and decide on the core aspects of my story. Whether it's an si? Am I going to fuse worlds? What's going to change? How is the mc going to *Make* those changes?
I don't make outlines as such, highly recommend you do if you write, but I do make sure I have a clear idea of what I want to do with any story I write.
As you can tell I havnt published anything I've written because I've scrapped most of it.