Making Fantasy "Original"

I'm stuck. I really want to write a great fantasy novel, BUT I always end up getting rid of it because it's too cliche and not original. And is good vs evil really all that cliche in a fantasy novel? Isn't fantasy SUPPOSED to be good vs. evil? Anyways, I really need help coming up with an original storyline. I'm not that good with coming up with stuff.

Hope you can help,
FlyingDream

Fantasy doesn't have to be good vs. evil, it just means the setting of the story is fantastical or has fantastical/fantasy elements.

It's ok for your story to be a little cliché, just make sure you develop it into something unique. For instance, my NaNo's plot is basically a quest story to destroy the bad guy. The not-so-cliché bits happen when the characters start to develop and the plot thickens. By the end, the story is unique and original (let's hope anyway. Oh God, I'm so behind! *headdesk*)

Really, you can't help but be cliché when first developing a story. So many stories have been told, it's hard to make a story sound original and unique. It's all in how you twist things and develop your characters. It's the little details that matter and help turn your story into something that's your's and no one else's.


Hmmmm, I have no clue if I'm helping you...^-^;;

My advice would be to worry less about whether your using clichés or not.

I say that because once you put yourself in that mindset, you starting getting mental walls and your creativity starts to become restricted. Stories have been around for a long long time, so it's ludracrous to think that any substantial piece of writing you may come up with is 100% original. Of course, I wouldn't purposefully embrace the clichés, but …

Which actually brings me to another suggestion. To me, writing is like doing a puzzle. I have the idea in my mind, the stuff I want to get on paper, but the trick is how I get it there. How can I present my ideas in the best way possible? You could use the same mindset for dealing with clichés. How can I craft a fun, involving plot that isn't cliché? And if it does incorperate a few clichés, how can I alter them in a new, creative way?

Just some thoughts.

I don't think it's bad to use good v. evil at all. Even if good wins, as usual. It's about HOW the good side wins. Getting there, that's where you should be original. And it's not the end of the world if you use clichés on the way. Just don't overuse them. Tweak them a bit even. They're hard to avoid really.

Using some clichés isn't so bad if they're paired with so many original ideas. Especially in fantasy where you have the opportunity to create an entirely unique world, it's nice to give people SOME familiarity.

I agree with the others- don't worry too much about it. Plan your story however you want, and watch as it develops into something great.

You can use good vs. evil, you don't have to.

Fantasy is really easy to get all cliched. There are a few ways in which you can deal with this (which I thought up just them, but seem to makes sense).

My first fantabulous-spur-of-the-moment idea: Try to think of it as a book and not a fantasy book. As in, do whatever you like. Don't restrict yourself by trying to fit your novel into the fantasy genre. You see? Keep your mind open. Like how you were wondering about whether or not fantasy is supposed to be good vs. evil. Don't worry about stuff like that. What fantasy is supposed to be is something not about "supposed to"s. Just write it.

My second fantabulous idea: Same applies to characters. Don't think "this is the HERO" or "this is the LOVE INTEREST" or whatever. Just write them how they are as people. If your hero (supposing you have one) does something un-heroic, that's fine. Don't know if you're having issues with cliches in characters, but something to try at any rate.

A third idea, which bears more weight than the others because I heard it somewhere else: Use the cliches. Just change them. If you've got a bit of a cliche going, people are going to think they can predict it, as they've seen it so many times before. So, you get them feeling all comfy with the cliche, then you dump it and run off in some other direction. Fun? Yes.

A fourth idea, this time for coming up with stuff: Dreams are good. I use them fairly often. Sometime I have a dream and it makes me think along some line I hadn't thought of before. I mean, you wouldn't grab the dream and just write it up. But using aspects of dreams can be fun. Also dreams are pretty weird. Which is also fun.

Fith, which has already been said but whatever:

It's ok for your story to be a little cliché, just make sure you develop it into something unique. For instance, my NaNo's plot is basically a quest story to destroy the bad guy. The not-so-cliché bits happen when the characters start to develop and the plot thickens. By the end, the story is unique and original (let's hope anyway. Oh God, I'm so behind! *headdesk*)

Exactly. Plots are allowed to be a bit cliched. And you can't really tell if a story is cliched just by a basic plot outline. The other stuff that goes on is what really makes it different.

And sixth, which may be a little hard after all the other ideas: Relax and don't worry about it too much. If you get it wrong this time, you can always try again. May not sound fun, but you get better with practice and world experience and stuff like that. Drop the "great" out of "I really want to write a great fantasy novel". If you try to hard to do things just right, they often turn out wrong.

There are no new ideas. Everything has been tried many many times. But the plot doesn't have to be terribly original in order for the style to be original.

Rather than typing my theory all over again, I'll point you to where I wrote it on johnny911's "Breakin Free'" forum...
post267048.html#267048

I dunno if that answers your question or not...


~Azila~

Pick a new genre. Seriously, Tolkien was ruined fantasy for the forseeable furture.

What it sounds like you need to do is write something different. I personally would chose Romance or something really dark and disturbing. When you feel ready, come back to the genre and start anew.
Keep in mind that the word "Fantasy" says nothing about good, evil, dragons, elves, dwarves, wizards, humans, orcs, magic, epic battles, or ancient evil. "Fantasy" mearly implies that the setting for your work is not earth as we know it. It has also adapted the meaning of taking place in the past, but even this does not have to be the case.




Finally: Why it is paramount that you write a good fantasy novel to begin with? I always come up with the idea before I write. If I don't have a good unique idea, I don't write. There is no pressure or restriction. My best advice for you is to write what every comes into your head, then classify it later.

Fantasy is really a genre that can't be blamed for cliche fantasy stories. It's fantasy: that means anything goes. If your worried about wether your story is cliche, think of how you can make it different! The only fault in a story with elves and dwarves and gnomes isn't that all the ideas have been taken: it's your fault for doing those cliches anyway! I know that cliches can be found in all stories, but if you don't want any more cliches, stop putting them in your story, cause we all do it, and fixing it will make your story better and more unique.

The only fault in a story with elves and dwarves and gnomes isn't that all the ideas have been taken: it's your fault for doing those cliches anyway!

These are not cliches. They are elements of the genre, just as the "hero's journey" isn't necessarily a cliche as much as it is an archetype. No, you don't have to use them, but just because you do doesn't mean that your story will be automatically cliched.

I find that cliche comes less from the elements of the plot and more from the actual way the author writes the story: what words he uses, how he structures things, etc.

Er, I didn't look at much of this thread. I'm a bit too sleepy to read all he posts. XD


Yes, hero's journey is just an archetype of the genre. Fantasy... I don't play around with that a lot. But really, anything will be orriginal if you put your own thoughts, ideas, and messages in it. Two writers could have the same story, and write it, but the meaning they put behind it, how they present the theme and what their theme says will be entirely different. Of course, lately, I've been focusing heavily on theme, symbolism, and meaning, much rather than plot so....I might sound a little nonsensical right now.

I would say, just write it. Because you are writing it, and not the next person, it will still be original. You will say something a certain way that I would never think of doing it, which will make the story yours--even if the plot looks like something from another story. And, it's your first draft; you're allowed to do anything. Just don't infringe copyright, and you're all good.

Wow, thank you guys so much! I didn't think about all this. You're right. I shouldn't worry a lot, and just write. Thanks again for your feedback, it was awesome.

FlyingDream.

well if you want my opinion about fantasy its about almost anything not possible. If its good vs evil than its the author's job to make a totaly different view from anyone elses. To show the feelings of the characters what they believe in and what they will do to help it come true.

There is nothing that is really good or evil. Its all in your opinion.