Predictability (more for the readers than writers)

[Deadman_Deluxe]

A good place to start for a writer would be to think of what you haven't seen or read in other zombie films/fiction - and then go from there. Great concept ... i like it But then there is always the risk that with it NOT being so "cookie cutter" most people around here simply won't understand that you are actually trying to do something fresh or "new".

[deadpunk]

You're telling me "Testament" is cookie cutter? I'd say this is one of the few that managed to dodge that bullet. Benjamin03 actually asked me once what my favorite story here was, and I believe that was the title I gave him. The reason? It actually had no zombies, yet took place in an LD world. As Deadman_Deluxe suggests, thinking outside the box also has it's risks, particularly with this genre for some reason. Yet, I blame readers for this. I think most folk that are not entwined in writing LD Fic make the mistake of assuming that it is a subgenre of Horror, and not Sci-Fi. And at it's basest form, LD Fic deals mainly with survival and the continuity of the human species, which is more Sci-Fi than horror. As for PLOT v. Character Development... characters will always break or make a story, for sure. But, I'd say plot is equally important. It seems the stories I liked least on this site had one thing in common: lack of plot altogether.

[benjamin03]

I'd say this is one of the few that managed to dodge that bullet. Benjamin03 actually asked me once what my favorite story here was, and I believe that was the title I gave him. (lol quote thingn doesnt work with me - It does when an Admin fixes it for you!) Yup he surely did , i think the things u said DP are completly right, and i also think that when u first get a taste for the zombiegenre as many youngerppl / teens do ( by watching dotd i started actually) u like the old cookiecutter theme , but then like me whenu have read lots of zombie stories , kindly offered by hotd ( thankyou neil ) u begin to crave for a newer thing , like most of u diehard hotd veterans . I mean for normal " beginnerlings " of teh LD genre those stories woulod seem liek total crap , i know they did when i got here first , but now i begin to feel it to . benjamin P.S : DP why haven't u answered my mail ?! : (

[deadpunk]

((What mail? I never got anything Ben, send it again?)) I agree that after several readings, or after newly entering the LD Genre, most of us begin to look for the next step. The question then becomes; how far can you step before you leave the genre altogether?

[Exatreides]

Aye cookie cutterness becomes quite...Old and craptacular as you read through fic after fic of teenage boy becoming a hero and saving the world, getting the girl, and riding into the sunset with a katana and m60 machine gun at his side. However Fics that are original in their idea's or fic's that are deep in the char's development tend to get much higher ratings, and much more suport then the Cookie. If you can make a story with a six headed talking zombie who controls his minions telepathicly and plots to overthrow the U.S goverment Go ahead (If you can make it good) If you can make a story with a teenage boy who suddenly is thrust into the hero arena and must save the world Go ahead(If you can make it good) ect ect

[benjamin03]

I must say tho , that i also am searching from more special stories these days , but when i read " Of mice and dead " ( DP's story ) i still loved it , i think it also has some kind of thing to it that the more normal LDfic has ( u have to admit DP , boy saves the dya , boy gets girl ) tho it is brought out in a very different way ( it's like a cookie-cutter , but AWESOME cookie-cutter , it's one of the cookie-cutter stoires that pretty much still own for me ) and i just reread it for the second time ( finsihed the last pages an hour ago ) . So to those of U who have membership , go read it ! and u ll be pleasantly surprised ! It gives a new but very realistic ( thats y i loved it so ) swing to the stories .When is the second one coming , i can't wait ?! Benjamin ( k DP ill resend tonight )

[Neil]

I'd say this is one of the few that managed to dodge that bullet. Benjamin03 actually asked me once what my favorite story here was, and I believe that was the title I gave him. The reason? It actually had no zombies, yet took place in an LD world. As Deadman_Deluxe suggests, thinking outside the box also has it's risks, particularly with this genre for some reason. Yet, I blame readers for this. I think most folk that are not entwined in writing LD Fic make the mistake of assuming that it is a subgenre of Horror, and not Sci-Fi. And at it's basest form, LD Fic deals mainly with survival and the continuity of the human species, which is more Sci-Fi than horror. As for PLOT v. Character Development... characters will always break or make a story, for sure. But, I'd say plot is equally important. It seems the stories I liked least on this site had one thing in common: lack of plot altogether. I never thought of that before, but you're right, LD sort of does live most of the time in SciFi, with periodic jumps into horror!

[deadpunk]

It never occurred to me either, until I started writing in this arena and frequenting the Fiction Discussion forum. The theme of survival fiction shows itself here quite frequently.

[Svengoolie]

Well, I think the reason why so many of the stories and characters in the fiction featured at this site are "cookie cutter" is because of the fact that most of the people producing these pieces are not writers, per se...but simply fans who liked what they saw on the screen and read at the site, and wanted to be a part of that. They're simply imitating what they like, and oftentimes they're doing that at great effort.

[Arcades057]

If I read a story that is crap, but I can tell that the author gave a good effort I still enjoy it. You can usually tell the people who put their hearts and souls into something and it's usually a worthwhile read. I just read something about Lucifer talking to God and it was short, probably about a page long, but it was so friggin GOOD! I sat around and thought about the story and realized that it could be turned into a novel. If you're reading this, the mastermind behind that story, there is so much more that you can do with it. Take it and run with it, my friend. You have gold.

[deadpunk]

This was one of my first threads on the new forums, yet I still ponder this question. I recently scrapped a story that I had started because after two pages, I realized it was the same old crap just spit out differently...