I love the fantasy genre. However, there are things that drive me nuts about it- particularly on the Internet, where many amateur fantasy authors publish these days.
So I decided to do a list of things that I thought were wrong with the "faults" in the character profiles I keep seeing. And from there it went on to a rant about the beginnings of stories. And from there...
I've done several of them now in my LJ, and there are people hinting that it would be easier to keep track of them on a website.
So here they are.
(You probably know this if you're here, but it bears repeating: I'm not setting myself up as the world expert here. These are problems that annoy me, and the solutions I would suggest. Gathering from the comments I've gotten, they are also things that annoy other people- sometimes. If you don't agree, that's fine, and you can feel free to contact me and argue. However, I prefer reasoned argument to outright flames if you do that. Reasoned argument is also more likely to be answered.
There's also not a lot that can't be forgiven with good writing. I've read and enjoyed books that have the flaws I rant against in less skilled writing. So you can tell me, "Well, there are exceptions!" and I will agree that there are always exceptions. However, many, if not most, amateur fantasy authors don't have the skill to pull them off, and many people don't even realize that, for example, having a teenage character be flawless and abused and special is a problem. So there is going to be writing to which these apply, and it's that writing that annoys me).
And now, after that extremely long digression...
The rants!
Rant on Character Flaws in Profiles- Including things like, "Well, she's not good at dancing!" and "She bites her nails! That's a flaw!"
Rant on the Beginnings of Fantasy Novels- Why starting with a paragraph of action and a long history of the surrounding kingdoms isn't the done thing.
Rant on the Hero's Childhood- Reconsider having your child be the physically abused angsty kind.
Rant on Fantasy Teenagers- No, I'm not really interested in reading about the adventures of Alexandrina Silverhair from the isolated village of Parapet who has suddenly discovered she can wield the Power of Nine. Why? Read on...
Rant on Fantasy Languages- Why apos'trophes and caPital leTters in random places make me want to hunt the author down.
Rant on Secondary Characters in Fantasy- Why do they always get such short shrift?
Rant on Religion in Fantasy- Some otherwise good fantasies are ruined by the author's need to preach. How to avoid that.
Rant on Destinies and Prophecies- I hate these ideas. Mock them I shall.
Death and Battle Rant- Swords aren't for throwing, and other ideas that should be common sense.
Rant on Magic Systems- This was split into two posts in my LJ, but I'm putting it altogether here. Just because.
Rant on the Use of Animals in Fantasy Fiction- How to avoid making your readers think that all your animals are made of metal.
Rant on Justice and the Legal System- Don't fantasy authors ever get tired of stupid guards?
