McAnally's (The Community Pub) > Author Craft
What do you wish would be done MORE in urban fantasy?
Hell's Belle:
--- Quote from: JamiSings on December 16, 2007, 06:04:15 AM ---Frankly there's too many YA books where some girl or boy is "a bit of an outsider" cause they're part something or other - and they're the heros of the story. I want an adult novel where she is just an ordinary human being who happens to get sucked into kicking undead or fairy butt. And preferably she'd be fat and short like me cause I'm sick and tired of the Xena-wannabes. Maybe she can find something that would help her. Or maybe she could just have a talent that actually helps in kicking supernatural butt. Since I've always wanted to be the inspiration behind a fictional character let's just use the fact I can sing and sing well as an example - She manages to calm down a rampaging werewolf by crooning the Beatles' Yesterday or Glenn Miller's Moonlight Cockstail to it. (Music hath charms to sooth the savage beast and all that.)
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Fixed it. ;D
I don't agree. YA novels often show kids that don't 'fit in' that they, too, can still be a part of something important. How many kids have felt alienated, only to read books that show not only is that a normal part of development, but that even the 'oddballs' have potential for greatness?
A lot of books feature 'ordinary' people thrust into extraordinary circumstances. I've found that many are actually graphic novels, so a trip to the comic store might yield some gratifying results.
Or you could write your own story, since you want something to be based on yourself. I think one of the big problems facing authors is that they have to appeal to a broad market, which means people of all shapes, sizes and talents having to identify with the main character. They can't go too esoteric or specific or they'd end up losing a large part of the market.
JamiSings:
--- Quote from: Borealis Belle on December 16, 2007, 06:16:45 PM ---Fixed it. ;D
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Actually, the quote actually DOES go "Music hath charms to sooth the savage breast." Just a bunch of prudes didn't realize that the author meant "a savage heart" rather then boobies so they changed it to beast.
As for the YA novels - working in a library I KNOW there's a lot of "the oddball is the hero" books. But I don't see why there can't be one like that for ADULTS. We feel like freaks sometimes too you know.
And I have ZERO writing talent. Trust me, I suck. I can't write to save my life.
Hell's Belle:
--- Quote from: JamiSings on December 16, 2007, 06:20:25 PM ---As for the YA novels - working in a library I KNOW there's a lot of "the oddball is the hero" books. But I don't see why there can't be one like that for ADULTS. We feel like freaks sometimes too you know.
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Doesn't just about every fiction book out there fit that bill, in one way or another? I'm trying to call to mind a single story that I've read lately that the hero/heroine fit into society...and I guess I've been reading a lot of oddball/hero books.
And I confess to going back and reading a lot of YA novels. Blood and Chocolate being the most recent of the lot.
Suilan:
I would like more real-world politics in urban fantasy novels. They usually have supernatural stuff galore and real-world stuff like technology and having normals around that might not be aware of the supernatural, but rarely do real-world politics make life hard on the wizards/witches/supernaturals. Of course, the politics can't be too current, or they'd be outdated by the time the book got published. I wouldn't mind if the author made it all up (as long as it's believable and there is believable interaction between the countries.) Say, in the near future Europe has finally grown into one state (except, unfortunately, it turns out a fascist state.) And the U.S. have gone communist. :D And the supernaturals find themselves in the middle of increasing international tension on top of their own problems.
Anyway, I would like a story about wizards/witches/supernaturals coming from different countries, with believable national/cultural differences on top of their supernatural differences. Of course that would require that the author actually knows a thing or two about some country other than his own.
(Only recently I tried reading a YA novel where the main character has a German au-pair girl looking after him. Although the story is set in 200X, the au-pair girl reads like she's from the 1930s. Makes it really hard to suspend my disbelief. But I shouldn't complain, at least she's one of the good guys. :D)
JamiSings:
--- Quote from: Borealis Belle on December 16, 2007, 06:35:22 PM ---Doesn't just about every fiction book out there fit that bill, in one way or another? I'm trying to call to mind a single story that I've read lately that the hero/heroine fit into society...and I guess I've been reading a lot of oddball/hero books.
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I've noticed though that they're often the oddballs because it turns out they're part-something or other. Rarely does it seem that the teen is a normal pure bred human being. Which is what I'd like to see. A normal human, who doesn't fit in too well because they don't fit society's standards of behavior or beauty or what have you. Who turns around and saves people without any special powers, special charms, etc. Just whatever normal talents they happen to have and a bit of brain power.
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