In all of the fandom, we like to poke fun at the stories we see as "cliché." And in some cases... Yeah. We have every right to. But in others, I just don't get it.
Just because a story might have abusive parents in it doesn't mean its going to be terrible. In fact, that's what I'm trying to make Chains that Bind Us do. Use the cliche in the best way I can.
Okay, there are a lot of shitty stories using cliches. But there's only cliches that I can think of that need to die like right now.
-BEN is a pervert (because sexual harassment isnt funny, guys)
-Emo Main Characters
I have thoroughly dedicated myself to never using these two characters. Nowz let's be clear, Emo is different from punk or goth.
Punk is a rebellious, anti-everything attitude. Like part of the counterculture movement or something similar. It is also a music form. Against Me!, Linkin Park, and Placebo are all punk.
Goth is a style, not an attitude. It's dark, elegant, and subtle. Goth's dress in this way, and yes, they are stereotypically downers, but can be positive, happy, or upbeat. Goth isn't an attitude, its a clothing style. And goths don't do the spiky emo hair thing.
And before someone comments, no, there's nothing wrong with emos, but we have enough of them in our stories. Time to make more diverse characters.
Ah, now, my least favorite cliche in all of the creepypasta fandom. BEN is a stoner pervert. Oh boy, where do I start.
Well, let's start with the glorification of drug ussage. And since quite a few members of the pasta fandom are young, impressionable girls, this isn't good. And yes, in most instances, BEN is am addict.
I don't really have an opinion on marijuana, I don't care whether it's passed or not, its none of my business, but I don't think young girls should be idolizing stoner characters. It's just an opinion. I think marijuana is an adult thing, like alcohol, and younger preteens really shouldn't look up to an addict (and in most cases, yes, he is an addict) as much as some of them do.
And, ah yes, why I hate him most. If he were just a stoner, I wouldn't be too bothered, maybe a little, but he's also a "flirty pervert player."
This makes me mad. Really, really mad. Sexual harassment when BEN gropes a girl or hits on a woman who is in a relationship and wants to be alone is not funny. I can't believe I have to say that. It is not funny. I can't believe so many stories used this.
The fun part about creepypasta fan fiction is writing your own personalities for the pastas! You can do whatever you want! If I want to make Jack a brony, then so be it! If I want to make Slender Man an emotional unstable mad man, then so be it! If I want to make Jeff a grouch with a hatred for pumpkins (yes I just made that up) then so. Be. It.
There is no one cookie cutter personality. So why is it that everyone chooses one personality for the pastas? I'm incredibly guilty of it, mainly with Slender Man.
BEN: Stoner pervert
Masky: Shy sweetie with cheesecake (I'm actually really sick of that fucking cheesecake joke its in almost every single story and it isn't even that funny, I guess I could add that to the cliches I hate)
Jeff: Bland (In Iris for Jeff, I'm guilty)
Jane: Bitch (I'm guilty)
LJ: The Fun Uncle (I'm guilty)
Slender Man: Kind Gentleman (I'm guilty, so, so guilty)
Hoody: Major Creepazoid
Look at that! Look at all those cliches! Originality needs to be tapped into, right now.
Now, what did I mean in the beginning when I mentioned cliches can be done right? Well...
The main character can be depressed. Just give her a reason. And no, bullied isn't always a good reason. Give the character a reason to be bullied, an embarrassing flaw. Maybe they smell really bad, or their nose is crooked. Maybe they do stupid things or pick their nose, I don't know, something.
There has to be justification to make it more realistic, and therefore, more able to fall into and me consumed by as you wait for updates.
In real life, gorgeous emo girls with big boobies don't get bullied. I'm sorry, it just isn't a common occurrence. These stories are a kind of fantasy, and in order for it to be a good fantasy, we have to be sucked in. And we can't be sucked in when the story is unrealistic in certain aspects.
So, there's the bullying done right, but what about depression? Well, you have to know depression does not equeal suicidal. At all. Depression is a mental disorder involving a period of deep sadness for a two week period or longer. Suicidal tendencies are desires to take ones life.
Not every person with depression is suicidal. Anyone with depression needs to get help and talk to someone, and that is something that needs to be in the stories. Have BEN convince the girl to talk to a therapist and get medicated, or share his own feelings of depression and why she isn't crazy.
Even suicidal characters can be done right believe it or not. Just give them justification in what they're doing.
A few mean words from a bully won't do it. If the bully is constantly torturing the main character, then you have to understand, its not always that the person is so hurt by what they say that they take their lives or become depressed. Though, this is sometimes the case. It's that the bully makes them see something they hate in themselves. Or, the bully makes them feel unsafe and neurotic. All three of these are reasons for suicide and depression, but in fan fics, the first one is used way too much.
And how about not making he bully a one note bully character? How about depth? A back story? An actual reason for bullying? Something?!
On a quick side not, be very careful when talking about either of these things. You don't want to offend someone.
And the last things I want to talk about is abusive parents. And, like the bully, they need justification. Yes, some people hurt their children because they are severely messed up in the head. But this isn't always the case. There are sadists who just do it for fun, but it seems like that's the one in every story.
How about the girl causing a divorce between her parents and therefore, undeserved anger towards her? Or the child was an accident and forced a shotgun wedding, making the adults bitter and vengeful? Maybe the parent is a soldier with sever PTSD and doesn't even know they're hurting their loved ones, and is horrified when seeing what they did?
How about some humanity to these people? Like bullies, we make them so one note.
They're abusive because they're abusive.
The end.
No, that shouldn't be it. Why are they bad? How bad are they? Do they want to stop, or are they so sick in the head they enjoy hurting their child?
And without killing them off or sending them to the land of plot convenience, how about have the child tell them off and leave, and make it incredibly satisfying to see them get away? If it is a soldier with PTSD, have them send the kid away, knowing they aren't fit to raise them and are just being harmful. Something other than just being an abusive, terrible person. Yes, these people exist in real life, but we need to use other story types to add diversity.
And please try to be respectful towards abuse victims. Don't ever try to out sympathy with an abuser (parent of if one of the pastas are abusive). It ends up offensive to the thousands of women, men, and children who die every day due to abuse and neglect.
Respect, diversity, and justification are the three words of today. After this, we'll talk about adding LGBT characters.
