Posting this here because this forum is dead, and we need a semi-intelligent discussion. Or at least something to debate. It is a little dated as I wrote this a few months ago; the quote I'm using as the basis of my argument is from an actual reviewer, so I waited for a bit in hopes that everyone won't know who it is from.
If you're a journey fic writer or have at least read a few of journey fics, you may have noticed a review such as the following:
I am tired of people saying that journey fics are boring. That they're cliche. That they're all the same. Admittedly, most do start the same: Wake up, walk to lab, get pokemon. I will also admit that most do follow the backbone plot of character following dream to becoming pokemon champion by obtaining badges, thus leading to some form of league, in either the Elite 4 game canon, or more anime with a series of battles -- or it seems that way. To say that they're uninteresting, though, is pushing it. Of all the COMPLETE journey fics I have read or ones that have an author who has the will to continue with his journey fic, I cannot say that I was not interested, if not captivated, by the world the author has weaved or the characters he has created. To look at a journey 'fic that has been in the works for quite some time, even if it's not your cup of tea, and say that's it's just "a kid after badges" is a lie.
If I were to estimate the amount of journey fics there are at SPPf, I'd probably estimate a good few hundred. 90% (probably more) won't make it past the first five chapters. This number will dwindle; less then half will reach the "midway" point of their story. From this number, most people will take the route of what seems to be what I like to call the topical "chosen one" plot twist, breaking away from what this reviewer would consider a "basic journey fic." If the writer chooses--no pun intended--not to go the "chosen one" genre, then there is some sort of twist or plot point that deviates away from what many a reviewer would call a regular journey 'fic.
And, well, that's the thing. How do you exactly define a journey fic? Despite similar back plots, no two journey fics are similar. However, for the sake of argument, I will try to sum it up using stereotypes:
To tackle the above reviewer's argument against journey fics, let's take this piece by piece, starting with the most common argument:
1) "They're easy to write."
Really? Then why are there only five or so (point is, not many) decent journey fics (and I'm pretty lenient on decent) in the complete section at SPPf, two (Ross Ferguson's Journey of Champion: in Kanto and Archangel A.J.'s R.J. -- Legacy of a Master) not completed? If it's "easy" then why do most authors abandon their journey fic within the first five chapters? Of course journey fics are easy; it's a very straight through outline. The intricate detail, though? That's where things get messy.
Journey 'fics, if we're going with a generic "kid going for a canon league" need at least ten chapters, if the author wants to pace properly. Eight of these chapters are dedicated to gym battles (not unless we're traveling the Orange Islands where you only need four badges or some other region that does not require the usual eight). One is for an introduction. The other is for the ending. This amount already is longer than most stories at SPPf. This isn't including proper pacing, or the chapters that include character development in the physical (catching pokemon), emotional, or mental/maturation. Running journey fics at SPPf are around 40+ chapters, and most of these stories barely, if haven't, made it to the climax of their story. You could rush through it; you could skip through the actual "journeying" part of the story to cut length, but then again, it wouldn't be much a journey fic, would it?
Besides the daunting task of proper pacing, which is one of the key factors of a journey fic, a journey fic writer also has to worry about general writing issues: well-rounded characters (or flat, if contrasting with round characters, but that's usually because the flat character has a purpose), working with canon, plausibility, etc. Indeed; journey fics can be simple in structure, but they require the same amount, if not more, planning than other pokemon genres.
2) "The journey thing has just become so cliche and uninteresting because the order of events are almost always the same, as is the outcome."
To use the same argument in other pokemon genres:
"The pokemon-centric thing has just become so cliche and uninteresting because it's a bunch of humanized pokemon complaining about things that they really shouldn't be complaining about anyway."
"The chosen one thing has just become so cliche and uninteresting because its always some character that single handedly defeats some sort of evil deity (Lord Magikarp). The order of the events are almost always the same, as is the outcome."
"The character analysis thing has become so cliche and uninteresting because its just a character going through events in his life before having some realization."
That's the point. That's what makes the journey fic a journey fic, as do the following traits in other pokemon genres. The outcome of a journey fic isn't important. This reviewer is right in saying that the outcome is always the same: the character either makes it or he doesn't (to compare to other pokemon genres, pokemon-centric either has the pokemon reforms to whatever it does not like or rebels, or chosen one where he/she usually defeat Lord Magikarp). What makes a journey fic is, well, the journey. The following of a character or a group of characters and seeing them travel the world, develop and grow as not only trainers but as human beings.
3) "Write something in this journey fic that has never been done before that you know will surprise us all. Think of a situation, action, or whatever to captivate us all."
What the reviewer is asking here is something simple yet complex at the same time: originality. Something that goes beyond the "journey fic" that isn't just collecting badges. Most do. To say that a undeveloped character with generic group of friends goes through a 2D adventure to collect badges with maybe an encounter from Team Magikarp is the best story ever is an obvious lie, and if that's all there is to your story (i.e you don't develop anything), then your story is crap. You need to build upon the basics. Create realistic characters (ex. have faults), or at least developed ones. Be creative. With such a basic plot, there sky, really, is your limit (assuming you're not just going "it started raining magikarp" without explanation anyway). As a journey fic writer myself,
This isn't to say you need a gimmick, like this reviewer is implying. You don't need flashing lights, loud noises, free car giveaways (though I will love you if you do). It is quite impossible to write something "that has never been done before" not only in journey fics, but in any type of story. What's important is how you go about writing your story, and how you put your own creative spin on what would be a "cliche, uninteresting" story, even if your story is just a boy, his poochyena, and going through Hoenn to get badges. And kick a Magikarp or two.
There is reason why the running/completed journey fics on this forum are popular and loved by their readers with some of the stories outlasting their authors. Why? There is no simple answer for that. Some like the story for the characters. Some like the story for the major plot. Some like it for its attention to detail. Some like it for the author's style of writing. The point is that journey fics, although assumed to be "are all the same" are, in fact, not. Each journey fic has an element that differs themselves from other journey fics, or any other story period.
tl;dr: People say journey fics are boring and something about magikarp. Discuss.
If you're a journey fic writer or have at least read a few of journey fics, you may have noticed a review such as the following:
This, unfortunately, is how a good number of people, who probably have not written or quit their own journey fic, feel about this pokemon genre.Here's my completely honest opinion: I cannot stand these kinds of stories. The journey thing has just become so cliche and uninteresting because the order of events are almost always the same, as is the outcome. Now I'm not going to say to "stop writing this story" because this is really good practice for you. Not only that, but I want to challenge you. Write something in this journey fic that has never been done before that you know will surprise us all. Think of a situation, action, or whatever to captivate us all.
I am tired of people saying that journey fics are boring. That they're cliche. That they're all the same. Admittedly, most do start the same: Wake up, walk to lab, get pokemon. I will also admit that most do follow the backbone plot of character following dream to becoming pokemon champion by obtaining badges, thus leading to some form of league, in either the Elite 4 game canon, or more anime with a series of battles -- or it seems that way. To say that they're uninteresting, though, is pushing it. Of all the COMPLETE journey fics I have read or ones that have an author who has the will to continue with his journey fic, I cannot say that I was not interested, if not captivated, by the world the author has weaved or the characters he has created. To look at a journey 'fic that has been in the works for quite some time, even if it's not your cup of tea, and say that's it's just "a kid after badges" is a lie.
If I were to estimate the amount of journey fics there are at SPPf, I'd probably estimate a good few hundred. 90% (probably more) won't make it past the first five chapters. This number will dwindle; less then half will reach the "midway" point of their story. From this number, most people will take the route of what seems to be what I like to call the topical "chosen one" plot twist, breaking away from what this reviewer would consider a "basic journey fic." If the writer chooses--no pun intended--not to go the "chosen one" genre, then there is some sort of twist or plot point that deviates away from what many a reviewer would call a regular journey 'fic.
And, well, that's the thing. How do you exactly define a journey fic? Despite similar back plots, no two journey fics are similar. However, for the sake of argument, I will try to sum it up using stereotypes:
- a scene for character(s) to get pokemon, usually at a lab, or by other common means (an egg, inherited from a parent, etc.)
- a "quest" of some sort for character(s) to go to. This usually refers to--but not limited to--character traveling the region to obtain badges or ribbons to qualify for some sort of league or festival. The main point is that the character is, ahem, journeying for some purpose
- (optional) some sort of conflict, usually human vs. human. To put it into example, character vs. Team Magikarp
- (optional again, but recommended if you have plot point 3) character usually defeats Team Magikarp or gets decimated by them. However, character(s) usually redeem themselves near the end of the story
- character gets required badges/ribbons
- character makes it to league/festival
- character wins/loses
-
character gets eaten by magikarp
To tackle the above reviewer's argument against journey fics, let's take this piece by piece, starting with the most common argument:
1) "They're easy to write."
Really? Then why are there only five or so (point is, not many) decent journey fics (and I'm pretty lenient on decent) in the complete section at SPPf, two (Ross Ferguson's Journey of Champion: in Kanto and Archangel A.J.'s R.J. -- Legacy of a Master) not completed? If it's "easy" then why do most authors abandon their journey fic within the first five chapters? Of course journey fics are easy; it's a very straight through outline. The intricate detail, though? That's where things get messy.
Journey 'fics, if we're going with a generic "kid going for a canon league" need at least ten chapters, if the author wants to pace properly. Eight of these chapters are dedicated to gym battles (not unless we're traveling the Orange Islands where you only need four badges or some other region that does not require the usual eight). One is for an introduction. The other is for the ending. This amount already is longer than most stories at SPPf. This isn't including proper pacing, or the chapters that include character development in the physical (catching pokemon), emotional, or mental/maturation. Running journey fics at SPPf are around 40+ chapters, and most of these stories barely, if haven't, made it to the climax of their story. You could rush through it; you could skip through the actual "journeying" part of the story to cut length, but then again, it wouldn't be much a journey fic, would it?
Besides the daunting task of proper pacing, which is one of the key factors of a journey fic, a journey fic writer also has to worry about general writing issues: well-rounded characters (or flat, if contrasting with round characters, but that's usually because the flat character has a purpose), working with canon, plausibility, etc. Indeed; journey fics can be simple in structure, but they require the same amount, if not more, planning than other pokemon genres.
2) "The journey thing has just become so cliche and uninteresting because the order of events are almost always the same, as is the outcome."
To use the same argument in other pokemon genres:
"The pokemon-centric thing has just become so cliche and uninteresting because it's a bunch of humanized pokemon complaining about things that they really shouldn't be complaining about anyway."
"The chosen one thing has just become so cliche and uninteresting because its always some character that single handedly defeats some sort of evil deity (Lord Magikarp). The order of the events are almost always the same, as is the outcome."
"The character analysis thing has become so cliche and uninteresting because its just a character going through events in his life before having some realization."
That's the point. That's what makes the journey fic a journey fic, as do the following traits in other pokemon genres. The outcome of a journey fic isn't important. This reviewer is right in saying that the outcome is always the same: the character either makes it or he doesn't (to compare to other pokemon genres, pokemon-centric either has the pokemon reforms to whatever it does not like or rebels, or chosen one where he/she usually defeat Lord Magikarp). What makes a journey fic is, well, the journey. The following of a character or a group of characters and seeing them travel the world, develop and grow as not only trainers but as human beings.
3) "Write something in this journey fic that has never been done before that you know will surprise us all. Think of a situation, action, or whatever to captivate us all."
What the reviewer is asking here is something simple yet complex at the same time: originality. Something that goes beyond the "journey fic" that isn't just collecting badges. Most do. To say that a undeveloped character with generic group of friends goes through a 2D adventure to collect badges with maybe an encounter from Team Magikarp is the best story ever is an obvious lie, and if that's all there is to your story (i.e you don't develop anything), then your story is crap. You need to build upon the basics. Create realistic characters (ex. have faults), or at least developed ones. Be creative. With such a basic plot, there sky, really, is your limit (assuming you're not just going "it started raining magikarp" without explanation anyway). As a journey fic writer myself,
This isn't to say you need a gimmick, like this reviewer is implying. You don't need flashing lights, loud noises, free car giveaways (though I will love you if you do). It is quite impossible to write something "that has never been done before" not only in journey fics, but in any type of story. What's important is how you go about writing your story, and how you put your own creative spin on what would be a "cliche, uninteresting" story, even if your story is just a boy, his poochyena, and going through Hoenn to get badges. And kick a Magikarp or two.
There is reason why the running/completed journey fics on this forum are popular and loved by their readers with some of the stories outlasting their authors. Why? There is no simple answer for that. Some like the story for the characters. Some like the story for the major plot. Some like it for its attention to detail. Some like it for the author's style of writing. The point is that journey fics, although assumed to be "are all the same" are, in fact, not. Each journey fic has an element that differs themselves from other journey fics, or any other story period.
tl;dr: People say journey fics are boring and something about magikarp. Discuss.