Episode Interactive - Story Guide!

Story Tip: Clichés To Avoid!

The Episode app consists of several repeated stories. These are the same overused, unoriginal ideas that keep getting "recycled" . I will try to break down all of these reused story ideas into their own separate paragraphs, and if your story falls into any one of these categories, then you should probably consider new ideas, because think about it: If there are HUNDREDS of stories with the same idea, why would the reader choose YOURS?

-Cliché #1: Gang/Mafia Stories

Legend says, that there are as many gang-related stories on episode as there are stars in the night sky. Between popular series of stories such as Deep Attraction by LadyDianna and Chain reaction by Miss MJ, the chances of your story being found and read are low (Especially if it's one of your first stories!) Obviously I'm not saying that every gang/mafia story is cliché or unoriginal, it's the style of writing, plot and plot twists that makes it unique. So if you're set on writing a gang story I suggest you consider how original your idea is before you spend hours coding something that might not get as much attraction as it deserves!

-Cliché #2: Pregnant by......

Ah yes, the "Pregnant by_____" stories. They can range from "Pregnant by my Teacher" to "Pregnant by my Half-Dino Neighbour" (Yes that is a real story someone wrote, Yes I read all the episodes. It uses great directing btw) I will say, these stories are kinda the same every time, the MC has an "encounter" with the love interest, who can be a teacher, a bad boy, her cousin, or in some cases her half-dino neighbour, then later she'll find out she's pregnant, tell the love interest about her pregnancy, The LI will (probably) get scared or something and will (probably) leave her to raise the child alone but in the end, he (probably) will come back and they'll live happily ever after. With Gang Stories, there's a lot more "playability" where you could do SO much with it, but for these stories, There's definitely a limit to your creativity and not much you could do to make your stories stand out. 

-Cliché #3: Vampires and Werewolves

These are the stories that make about 75% of the Episode Fantasy shelf. While there are TONS of stories that use this plot, some of them do a good job at keeping it original and interesting. Most of the stories however, are just about a human (the MC) having an interaction with a Vampire/Werewolf or vica versa. Fantasy is a genre where your creativity has no limit, yet people still wanna make a revamped version of Twilight. In all seriousness however, making a Vampire/Werewolf story original is kinda hard but not impossible. If you have the right idea, I'm sure your story will top the charts!

-Cliché #4: Millionaires/Billionaires/Celebrities

This one isn't exactly bad. In most of these stories The MC who is (most likely) broke/heart broken, and in some scenario she meets a really famous person and the story goes on from there! This category has a load of unique plots intriguing twists and a LOT of possibilities. So why is it on the list? Well, The part that is cliché is how the writer chooses to convey the way the MC meets her LI. Even if the story is fiction, how likely is it that a normal city girl just happened to have crossed paths with someone who is most likely in the "30 Under 30" list. Most of the time in these stories, they meet at a party, bump into each other, or are neighbours. I think the only thing you need to brainstorm is a more likely scenario of the MC meeting the LI.

AND A LOT LOT MORE...

If you want to know about more clichés out there that people Absolutely HATE, I suggest you visit the forums thread by Talilaluway: "Clichés you hate!"

Remember!

It's not exactly the genre of the story that people hate, it's the way some writers use the same storyline in different ways over, and over, and over again. Like for me, I don't mind a good "Overnight Princess" story every once in a while, but it's the unrealistic plot and same ideas that make me not want to read them as much. It's the originality in stories that make them rise through the ranks. Readers don't want to read something they have already seen before. You need to give them something never-before-seen and unexpected! Don't be a follower be a leader! (Yikes that got cheesy real quick, sorry 'bout that!)

If your stories DO fall under these clichés, You're not the only one! Episode itself has SO many cliché stories that they wrote! "Playing Princess" Their Overnight Princess story, "The K*ss List" Your classic 'Becoming Queen B' cliché, "Align the Stars" Their version of Cliché #4. "If you want to write a story, surprise us! Make it original! Don't just write about a girl going to high school with friends." - Episode's EXACT words on a Beginners Writing Guide. Oh the Irony.