Writing Tips and Reviews

Reviewing Lily Orchard Tips P1

Okay, so, explanation time. I've been part of this writing group for a while now and we've mostly been after High Guardian Spice. But, the topic of Lily Orchard showed up and I found it funny. I knew about these "tips" when they came out and didn't see a purpose in commenting on them. Looking at them now, I realize I have a lot to say. And so do my friends. We also had so much to say that I'm splitting these tips into parts, else it would be 40 pages of us ranting and I don't think anyone has the energy to read through that. Now, while we do comment on the tips themselves, we also have examples of stories that do the things she's against and some have further explanations for them. We're not going to say, "you're stupid, stop talking," like she does.

I personally do not hate Lily, I think she's dumb and her tips are bad, but I do not know her and will not judge her as a person. Why do I have this disclaimer? Well, you'll see later on when she insults people personally for their opinions on writing.

1) Don't worry about spoilers. If your story is good, spoilers aren't going to make it any less enjoyable. If spoilers make a story less enjoyable, that just means you were relying on cheap shock value as a shortcut.

Rin: I'm guessing she means when people spoil things after they've been released. This isn't the "tips while writing" I was thinking it was. But I kind of agree, if someone spoils your story, or you do it yourself, it's not going to stop people from enjoying it. People have seen Puss in Boots 2 five billion times and have memorized the script but still really enjoy it.

NekoShogun: I think this might be referencing the fact that people guess a story point or plot twist. That can actually. If a story has a good and proper setup, people may be able to guess the twist, ending, or story point. It can be a sign that this event is natural and reasonable. Changing it after will then ruin the setup, and make everything feel unnatural. Plot points become plot holes. So, don't panic if someone predicted your grand final.

Hibiki: People don't like spoilers. Period. But if you make it predictable, don't tie up loose ends and whatnot... well, you've just spoiled your entire story. And no, "cheap shock value" doesn't exist. It's what keeps people going to movies, and reading stories. Spoilers can make or break something for someone.

Stestir: While I do agree that spoilers don't kill the enjoyment of the story, it's a subjective opinion. It's not a writing tip, it's just an opinion about spoilers, and while it is valid, it is NOT a helpful tip for a writer.

2) The middle point of a story is the best time to get a main couple together. Are you working on a 5 season show? Put your main couple together halfway through Season 3. The finale is the worst time because we don't get any time to enjoy the payoff.

Rin: Stares at Tales of Arise that got Alphen and Shionne together at the end and is my favorite Tales game right next to Vesperia and Symphonia. To go into this point, it depends. Sometimes people had that as their end goal and sometimes people had more planned. Plus, I think the character arc should take priority, not their romance unless it's specifically a romance story. There's an idea right there, an update on romance being put into stories and completely overtaking the main plot.

Hibiki: You can choose when to put the main couple together. If they get together at the beginning, great! In the middle, cool! At the end? Yes. It all depends on how you work. And no, don't put the main couple in midway through because there's more to a story than just the romance.

Stestir: Diffires from context. If you have a slow burn, you can't just put the endgame in the middle of the story, like it's nothing. If a couple is the subplot of a bigger story, then maybe this will work, but not 100% sure. But the main thing that IS important... is the writing. If you write a good love story, you have a good love story, and it doesn't matter where they are.