One of my pet peeves when asking a question to either people on GAG or in every day life

[LegateLanius]

Alright, I've noticed an influx of the phrase, "It's been done before" on several of my questions where I was just asking for the person's honest feedback, and not the captain obvious answer.

Seriously, what kind of answer is "It's been done before" or it's cousin, "It's cliche"?

Here's the beef, people, technically everything has been done in storytelling.

When I ask a question, I'm asking for your actual feedback on a concept. You have to keep in mind that obviously after over five millennia of story telling that most things have become cliche.

It's a simple fact the there are more fiction books in existence now than one person could possibly read in a lifetime. Add to this the supposition that all plots, themes and genres have been thoroughly explored, and I arrive at the conclusion that "It's been done before".

In the face of this logic and the gathering ocean of printed matter, I feel that this phrase is about the dumbest thing you can say to a question of mine.

The point of reading fiction is not to understand the structure of the story, it is to meet new people and have fun.

It doesn't make a difference if the plot can be crammed into a one page outline or is similar to a million other plots. If it is done by new characters, in a new place, and we don't know exactly to the word how it will turn out: It can be entertaining.

So please, when I ask you, "What's your opinion on X", please give an actual feedback answer. I know "It's been done before".

Sincerly,

Yandere

[BluesheepOwl]

You need to learn how to take criticism. Even when the person who said it is a dumb bitch who doesn't know what they are talking about. You want a real answer that'll help you improve but a lot of retarded people are out there who give dumb ass answers and you just got to accept them and move on to the answers that matter. I wrote a story on fanfiction and I got a lot of nice replies. Then I got those stupid are replies like, "I want to see more of this character." And in my mind I thought, "I'll put that character in more if I want bitch it's my freaking book." But I learned to accept it and tried to apply it or ignored it whatever. Some thing's you gotta learn to not take seriously

[DollySummers]

Grrrrr I hate it when others do it. Mho pwease.

[NYCQuestions1976]

This is why you have writer's block. You're putting all of your creative energy into complaining about how there's no creativity. You've entered a spiralling paradox to which there is no escape. You might as well change your name to 22/7 as all hope for a different path is forever lost. I'm sorry...

[LegateLanius]

What's 22/7

[NYCQuestions1976]

Pi (circling).

[LegateLanius]

Oh, herp derp.

[NYCQuestions1976]

Herp derp?

[LegateLanius]

Legitimately, I looked at it as a math problem at first and then decided it must be an abbreviation for something I didn't know about.

[NYCQuestions1976]

Yes. Pi. It repeats endlessly with no discernible pattern to my knowledge...

[LegateLanius]

I know. I was just explaining why i said herp derp.

[NYCQuestions1976]

Ah. My apologies. 👍

[NYCQuestions1976]

I'll take some Most Helpful action.

[NYCQuestions1976]

Thanks for Most Helpful.

[LegateLanius]

Kays

[OlderAndWiser]

This is probably a sign that most people on this site are not writers, are not skilled in the use of the language, and that is the best answer of which they are capable.

[OlderAndWiser]

Than ks for MHO!

[JustaLoozer]

Yeah; there is no original thought

My sophomore year in high school, I took engineering (PLTW). One assingment was to create a machine that could sort different sized and weighted balls as cheaply as possible (scenario: recycling). The design I created looked like that game show Plinko, and we used wooden balls so I called it Planko. In my mind I had picked out the perfect font, a very round one and searched until I found it and everyone agreed it was the perfect font. Then the day after my presentation, I go to walmart and see this, SAME EXACT FONT, SIMILAR NAME

[LegateLanius]

Whoa, that's pretty interesting.

[Aguysopinion4799]

You're 100% correct, considering all the stories written, there are bound to be crossovers and similarities, we take inspiration from the stories we have read to make our own and it only makes sense that if we are taking inspiration from the stuff we read that the content will have similar content >_<

I personally like your writing for what it is, you don't HAVE to make something 100% new yet you have added new things to yours that I haven't seen in stories before so yeah, my rant about peoples behaviour is over now <3

[A-man-22]

" yandere's aren't actually supposed to kill the one they love just those who look at/ get to close to them"
Only recently has media started to make them kill they senpai's.

To the proper question

I agree some story telling is inevitably recycled but it's the small differences and plot twists that make a story great.

[LegateLanius]

I know about about the top one, I just thought it was funny.
Thank you for your feedback

[andreasderjuengere]

I see your point where it comes to 'entertainment'. However - many things we get to see are just plagiate - where the reply ''... done before'' becomes a statement of disapproval; or disgust. As example, we could mention the scores of ''re-make'' movies which actually don't add anything; not even additional entertainment. True: In a way all stories have been told before. The thing is: most of them aren't worth to be repeated over and over again.

[AlienParasite]

A cinema teacher I had in unkversity told us once that is not telling a different story never heard before what made a movie awesome indeed, sometimes the base plot of some good movies is cliché and what made them awesome is the execution

[PrincessGrail]

Yes, but some things really are cliched. Others are not. That is valid feedback.

[LegateLanius]

I don't really feel like it is, though.

[PrincessGrail]

It’s been done a lot since the first issue of Action Comics. Maybe you could make it fresh and interesting, but that one sentence didn’t convey that.

If you ever take a college level creative writing class, one of the first things the professor will say to you is “That’s cliched.”

[LegateLanius]

And I will tell him, no shit. I really really hate that phrase.

[LegateLanius]

It's not valid feedback at all.

[PrincessGrail]

I don’t wanna quarrel with you. I like you. But don’t you think a published novelist might know more about what’s cliched than you do?

I took a lot of creative writing courses in college. That was the first thing my professor said to me.

[LegateLanius]

I know but at the same time, I find it really annoying as its obvious that most things are.

[PrincessGrail]

If you really like the idea of the love interest falling from the sky, go for it. You’re a good writer. Maybe you can un-cliche it.

[LegateLanius]

I didn't mean to argue with you, either. As I do value your opinion.

[PrincessGrail]

Cool 😊

[OldSchool_Metalhead]

Some people dont know how to give accurate enough feedback sadly

[SketchForger]

I will say that because if you have a character archetype or a cliché, you have to write it like a pro. Not that you aren't a pro, but being creative is usually my go to when I think about writing a character.

[GoodGuyBreakingBad]

Thanks for sharing your MyTake , very well written :) :)

[FictionalCharcter]

Okay. Noted. I shall express my honest opinion.

[beebella]

I won't say that to you.

[Eryxx]

Lol I agree.

[ChocolateCheesecake]

Okies

[Juxtapose]

Agreed.

[CT_CD]

Amazing myTake

[Secretgardenblood]

:) nice mytake.

[Anon-ymous1]

Seriously.

[legalboxers]

wow.. noted

[MisterSir]

thank you