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Patterns In Narratives

theedgerunner
We know about archetypes, genres, and famous characters that defined them. but are there archetypes to writing stories and adventures? This topic is open to anyone who wants to learn about existing patterns or maybe has come across something relatively new that the rest of us haven't seen yet.
rangerchives
Well one key element to writing a story is the main character has a flaw. That flaw causes him to get into trouble. By the end of the story the main character overcomes that flaw and becomes a better person as a result.
theedgerunner
I like the kinda story where every character has a flaw/tick/vice/disorder/disability/injury. No character ever overcomes their flaw, and it can be used as a plot device at choice moments. or it just makes them look cooler. Sherlock Holmes for example
theycallmetakeo
If we're talking writing in general, there's essentially a very basic structure to writing a linear narrative: Setup, Conflict, and Resolution. Of course, that's just a linear narrative. But for the most part, every linear narrative progresses as such, regardless of the genre. The setup is just like it sounds. Introduce the characters, settings, and if necessary, backstory. Conflict, whether it be character thrust a series of combat situations (like Gurren Lagann) , or a female character trying to get the message across to a male (or female) character that they like them (many rom coms). Finally, a resolution, where the conflict has an end, and the status of the characters can either be the same that they started, slightly different than where they started, or significantly different than where they started. Of course, non-linear is very difficult. Non-linear in movies is slightly easier (think Pulp Fiction), but in writing, non-linear generally takes the form of a "Choose Your Own Adventure" book, but even then non-linear is hard without devolving into flashback-style which in and of itself, not a non-linear style of narrative, but is instead linear in nature, with revisits towards a given narrative's backstory. I used big words for no reason. Sorry guys. As someone who's written now for six years now, I've begun to notice patterns. Really, nothing can truly be original anymore, only different ways to execute various archetypes and tropes. For example, I'm working on self-publishing a story where the main character is heavily based off of myself, and it's an action/urban-fantasy/dark comedy/adventure story where my main character is thrust into a hidden world where mythological creatures are attempting to peacefully live alongside humans and the war between them and the creatures who want to turn earth into their own personal playground, human populace be damned. Just in the concept alone, it borrows a from Men In Black, Underworld, Frankenstein, Die Hard, Bleach, alien movies, and that's just what I know, and even then those other works are based on earlier fiction and borrows many tropes, archetypes, etc. I think the key here isn't necessarily in being original and avoiding cliche, but rather, finding different unconventional ways to execute such tropes, archetypes, cliches, etc to keep hold of a reader's attention and keep things interesting. If you want proof of that, just look at any major Disney movie. A lot of the same types of tropes and cliche, but all executed differently. I saw Big Hero 6 this last weekend, and it progresses like a typical superhero movie, but how it's executed makes the movie very much enjoyable to watch. Of course, attractive characters are always fun too.
theedgerunner
there are always unseen subtropes however. I.E: coming of age character- seen first in old muslim stories and the jungle book. later seen in star wars, several superheroes and anime, movies like stand by me and American graffiti i'm looking for any tropes i may have not seen yet. not original ones (because that's impossible) but hidden ones not used to their full potential.
jas
Dec 02, 14 at 2:35am
I think you could draw inspiration from European movies. Some of them are downright offensive to the American audience. Sometimes the boy doesn't get the girl. Sometimes the hero dies unfulfilled. ..and, no one - and I mean NO ONE - pays attention to the trash mob or mid-boss :)
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