Daytripper
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How do I make sure my fics aren't cringe and what can I avoid doing that will make them seem cringy?
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How to make my stories not be cringe?
- Thread starter Daytripper
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None of your bee wax!
Finding the meaning of life, somewhere...
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Is this a serious thread? Because this just screams "fucking around on the internet" then an actual question, (the fact that this is the internet doesn`t help).
Personally, I would say that you should allow your characters to do cool or interesting things, but not at the expense of logical actions, nor the story itself. People would rather read the characters going about their goals then just read the writer gush over how cool they look while being cool doing cool things that are cool. Neither do people want to read misery porn, or read a story about a character never having trouble except this one thing where they just can`t do it until the plot demands it. Drama is good but must come as a logical result of the characters own actions that is reasonable by the in-story logic set. The main thing is to be reasonable and not over power or reach the point you have to over correct to get a story moving. You don`t even need the main character to win, losing is just as good of an ending if it is handled well and is a gradual slope over entire-dy (from prolog to the last sentence) of the story. Along with the character pushing the story forward then just constantly having letting the setting pressure them into reacting.
A good example would be Azula from avatar being stuck in our world and having to fit in to survive: having her story start with her screwing up and use fire bending in public, which causes her to be hunted for her abilities, which in-turn leads to a adventure of figuring out the world while being on the run, being on the run leads to many smaller stories where whether by kindness or pure will she learns and grown her personality/wisdom. ( a reverse of the main show where Aang just when were he pleased rather then having to survive in a world out to get him) You could also do a few times where her ignorance or out right violent actions cause retaliation - leading to her injured in temporary or even permanent way,(like a gunshot wound or missing fingers/ear from a knife attack), and these having a affect hoe how she goes about her next actions. (lasting changes from actions/consequences is better then just rewarding the character with more power)
Otherwise, from what I`ve see is that you write mostly using franchises that are pretty steeped in internet culture, or are crossovers which brings back mostly negative emotions from 2004-2014 fanfiction: which was where I learned what Cringe means. I Personally don`t think of: Owl house, Gravity Falls-(I mostly think of all the Incest porn that sprung up around it), The Coffin of Andy and Leyley-(which somehow has Less Incest porn of it then Dipper and Mable do), and Hazben Hotel/Helluva Boss, and I don`t think of most Nick-toons, especially Danny Phantom, as good writing base as they tend to have very little in the way of serious grounding to build upon. If you do what to use them then it should be at a reasonable disadvantage to give a goal for the story. (whether that goal stays the same or changes as the story progresses is up to you, nothing needed to be locked down as you write.)
Personally, I would say that you should allow your characters to do cool or interesting things, but not at the expense of logical actions, nor the story itself. People would rather read the characters going about their goals then just read the writer gush over how cool they look while being cool doing cool things that are cool. Neither do people want to read misery porn, or read a story about a character never having trouble except this one thing where they just can`t do it until the plot demands it. Drama is good but must come as a logical result of the characters own actions that is reasonable by the in-story logic set. The main thing is to be reasonable and not over power or reach the point you have to over correct to get a story moving. You don`t even need the main character to win, losing is just as good of an ending if it is handled well and is a gradual slope over entire-dy (from prolog to the last sentence) of the story. Along with the character pushing the story forward then just constantly having letting the setting pressure them into reacting.
A good example would be Azula from avatar being stuck in our world and having to fit in to survive: having her story start with her screwing up and use fire bending in public, which causes her to be hunted for her abilities, which in-turn leads to a adventure of figuring out the world while being on the run, being on the run leads to many smaller stories where whether by kindness or pure will she learns and grown her personality/wisdom. ( a reverse of the main show where Aang just when were he pleased rather then having to survive in a world out to get him) You could also do a few times where her ignorance or out right violent actions cause retaliation - leading to her injured in temporary or even permanent way,(like a gunshot wound or missing fingers/ear from a knife attack), and these having a affect hoe how she goes about her next actions. (lasting changes from actions/consequences is better then just rewarding the character with more power)
Otherwise, from what I`ve see is that you write mostly using franchises that are pretty steeped in internet culture, or are crossovers which brings back mostly negative emotions from 2004-2014 fanfiction: which was where I learned what Cringe means. I Personally don`t think of: Owl house, Gravity Falls-(I mostly think of all the Incest porn that sprung up around it), The Coffin of Andy and Leyley-(which somehow has Less Incest porn of it then Dipper and Mable do), and Hazben Hotel/Helluva Boss, and I don`t think of most Nick-toons, especially Danny Phantom, as good writing base as they tend to have very little in the way of serious grounding to build upon. If you do what to use them then it should be at a reasonable disadvantage to give a goal for the story. (whether that goal stays the same or changes as the story progresses is up to you, nothing needed to be locked down as you write.)
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Daytripper
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Should I avoid being part of cringe fandoms and stop watching/enjoying cringe shows?
Oth
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Try to write in a clear and/or neutral state of mind, or wait a couple of hours after first draft and perform a second read-through to catch cringe issues. Often "good ideas" penned down in passion are not, or require some handling to toe the line, supposedly cringe scenes and/or fandoms can be made to work with some elbow grease.
Basically, avoid rushing out content or to post. Excitement tends to result in mishaps.
If possible, have a friend or beta to look over the scene, outside perspective. Yourself some time later can serve as well, after the initial rush is gone.
Ask yourself if copying the latest media you've just seen is truly a good idea.
Allcaps are the enemy. Even for shouting.
ADD: Enthusiasm is good for constructing the general body of a chapter/snippet, but tends to be a little clumsy. Let it do the heavy lifting and polish its product afterwards.
Basically, avoid rushing out content or to post. Excitement tends to result in mishaps.
If possible, have a friend or beta to look over the scene, outside perspective. Yourself some time later can serve as well, after the initial rush is gone.
Ask yourself if copying the latest media you've just seen is truly a good idea.
Allcaps are the enemy. Even for shouting.
ADD: Enthusiasm is good for constructing the general body of a chapter/snippet, but tends to be a little clumsy. Let it do the heavy lifting and polish its product afterwards.
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