*Note that I don't claim to know anything and anything I say is up for debate :)
Part Two: Cliches, my dear long-lost-super-powered-brother-who-happens-to-be-the-most-handsome-guy-in-the-anime?
First, I'd like to say that I didn't really have enough room in the title, so I put "anime," but it could really be whatever you're basing your FanFiction off of.
Anyway.
What is a cliche? Well, for the purposes of this chapter, a cliche is something that gives me a dire headache. Pretty much anything irrational or... so on.
Cue small example:
The boy jumped over the box, running downtown as fast as he could. His mother was dying, and he had to s-
"Hello, young man," said an overly handsome man who happened to be named Cyrus/Sasuke/Smithers/Whatever, as he grabbed the boy by his wrist. "Don't worry, I saved your mother. That's because I'm actually your long lost brother and I'm here to give you a Pokemon/Ninja thing/Gadget/Thing so that you can rule the world."
Okay, maybe that isn't the best example, and maybe that isn't that huge of a cliche, but whatever. Anyway. We readers find it annoying (and more plot-educated people will... well, we'll get to that) and it doesn't work.
Do you feel a sense of pleasure at giving your main character (Who happens to be modeled after you) every single powerful Pokemon/Ninjutsu/Thingamaboberooskie in the entire world of Irockland?
Well, it'll kill your book. Well, after subsequently murdering your plot.
Here is a crudely written out basic plot diagram:
------------C-/\
-------------/----\_D___
---------B/
___A_/
Um, okay, that wasn't that great but hopefully you get that it's kinda like a mountain. Skip all the -'s...
A) This is the start, also known as the introduction or whatever. Usually veeeeery short. I mean, how would you like it if Frodo took twenty-viewer-minutes to actually start out on his quest for the ring? Or even start out on his first quest? Or to start ANY CONFLICT AT ALL!?
B) This is the rising action. This is because there is conflict. What not to do:
The boy used his superpowers to save the day. Hooray.
To use The Lord of the Rings again as an example, was Frodo challenged? Were there obstacles? Sure, you can give him an all-powerful ring, BUT HE CAN'T USE IT. A point here is that IT HAS TO BE HAAAARD FOR THE CHARACTER. And no, don't say
The boy found it very hard to use his superpowers to save the day. Hooray!
If you're not willing to give up what you want your character to have/be at the start, then your book won't be good. Give it up. Feel happy. Make obstacles. Torture your character. And so on.
C) This is the climax, before the end of the book. This is the biggest obstacle for the character and your reader's heart should LEAP! And be all suspenseful.
AND if you can't achieve that without using a trick like: A) Supershort chapters B) Cliffhangers C) You get the point
Then your climax isn't that powerful and you need to change it. Cliffhangers may be awesome, but if your climax is weak it still won't help your story.
D) Falling action/Resolution: Pretty much the end. Epilogue, so on.
I'll be back soon with more :)
