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Talking a bit with Lyn about common themes/plots in Addergoole got me thinking: what kind of plots do I like?
It's actually more difficult to figure out than you might think. I tend to be drawn more by genre and character types than plot lines, I think. But there are some I like more than most.
- Escalating FIGHT THE BAD GUYS. A common plot in action manga, some sword & sorcery, and monster-hunting types of UF.
- Antagonist character development into a hero. Like Zuko. Zuko is great. I love everything about Zuko. (except his thing with Mai but let's not go there)
- WHY IS EVERYONE TRYING TO KILL/CAPTURE ME?? Also known as the confused fugitive plot line. The story revolves around figuring out what is even going on up to the SHTF point, where they finally have had enough and push back, ultimately defeating the antagonists sufficiently to resume semi-normal life. (Usually.) I really love these.
- Fugitive plots in general, actually.
- Cons and heists. The Sting, Ocean's Eleven, The Lies of Locke Lamora (to an extent). I love a good charismatic and audacious criminal. I also really love these.
- Let's Have An Adventure! The protagonist(s) gets dragged unexpectedly and usually unwillingly into some fantastic chain of events, where the emphasis is on Doing Cool Things and Seeing Cool Places. Usually travelling is involved. Portal fantasy (e.g. Narnia) is almost if not actually always this type of plot. How much I like these is heavily dependent on characterization and world-building, for obvious reasons.
- It is a mystery. Mysteries in general. Preferably clever and not murder.
Other points of note that I like are when the villain has some sort of breakdown in the finale, antivillains (where the/an antagonist is not actually bad/evil), political intrigue, amusing banter, abductions of loved ones... There are a few relationship-type things I like but really it's more about the quality of the dynamic than the specifics of it.
I'm sure there are more but I think this covers all of the major things.
It's actually more difficult to figure out than you might think. I tend to be drawn more by genre and character types than plot lines, I think. But there are some I like more than most.
- Escalating FIGHT THE BAD GUYS. A common plot in action manga, some sword & sorcery, and monster-hunting types of UF.
- Antagonist character development into a hero. Like Zuko. Zuko is great. I love everything about Zuko. (except his thing with Mai but let's not go there)
- WHY IS EVERYONE TRYING TO KILL/CAPTURE ME?? Also known as the confused fugitive plot line. The story revolves around figuring out what is even going on up to the SHTF point, where they finally have had enough and push back, ultimately defeating the antagonists sufficiently to resume semi-normal life. (Usually.) I really love these.
- Fugitive plots in general, actually.
- Cons and heists. The Sting, Ocean's Eleven, The Lies of Locke Lamora (to an extent). I love a good charismatic and audacious criminal. I also really love these.
- Let's Have An Adventure! The protagonist(s) gets dragged unexpectedly and usually unwillingly into some fantastic chain of events, where the emphasis is on Doing Cool Things and Seeing Cool Places. Usually travelling is involved. Portal fantasy (e.g. Narnia) is almost if not actually always this type of plot. How much I like these is heavily dependent on characterization and world-building, for obvious reasons.
- It is a mystery. Mysteries in general. Preferably clever and not murder.
Other points of note that I like are when the villain has some sort of breakdown in the finale, antivillains (where the/an antagonist is not actually bad/evil), political intrigue, amusing banter, abductions of loved ones... There are a few relationship-type things I like but really it's more about the quality of the dynamic than the specifics of it.
I'm sure there are more but I think this covers all of the major things.
