Shifters stories

[Afrodita79]

Hi so I been reading a lot of stories that involve shifters and here are some of my doubts:

 

Ø  Shifters: so these characters can transform in to any animal and can change whenever they want, but mainly wolfs.

 

Ø  Lycans: these characters transform in to wolves as they please, but are the strongest in a full moon and stay rational in there wolf form and can communicate mentally. And in some stories the gay mated males can get pregnant on a full moon and it last only 6 months. But what are the mates that are human and are bitten to transform theme to wolves?

 

Ø  Werewolves: they transform in to a wolves on the full moon and there not rational in wolf form. But there are some that make them off to be like lycans.

 

 

So any thoughts?  which are the best or most acceptable?

[Sasha Distan]

Oh so much depends on what universe your writer is writing in (even down to to: are they using a "standard" world or have they gone and created something totally different).

 

For example in the universe of Born Wolf I describe the characters as 'werewolves' because there are no other supernatural creatures in their universe. They shift into full bodied wolves whenever they want to, retain sentience, and though humans and werewolves can mate, there is a 50/50 chance of the kids being human or wolf and you can't get bitten and turned (or turned by any other means).

In the Falling For A Bear/Summer Camp universe only males of a shifter species can change shape, and only into one certain animal. Again, no turning or losing of sentience.

I have (yet another) werewolf universe in which the wolf brain is a separate personality in the human's brain, and though the shifting is not tied to the moon, unless human and wolf learn to get along properly, then it is very much like your non-rational description.

 

Personally, I would say your existing definitions are fine, but just remember that us writers like to mess with the rules a little bit. As for the male lycan pregnancy thing? *shudder* not my remit, sorry.

[Thorn Wilde]

As for the male lycan pregnancy thing? *shudder* not my remit, sorry.

 

Generally speaking, male pregnancy is a deal breaker for me in any setting. I like even my magic to make some sense physically.

[joann414]

I love shifters, but I love for it to be unexpected.  There's two stories here that are great with shifters.

Werewolves catch my attention also if it's well written

[Cia]

Authors love to twist things, so readers can label things based on trends, but you'll find that not everything fits into those labels. For instance, my last anthology story had 'shifters' but they were in reality aliens, with alien forms that were fantastical (not humanoid or Earth animal standard) but they 'shifted' into humans when they sought asylum on Earth. I try to give new stories a chance on their own merit before I decide they fit into any one category.

[scotty94]

Shifter always play a big part in my writing recently, but I hate the though of wolves although they are awesome my brother is obsessed with them and he has sort of worn out the paranormal aspect for me and there a regular occurrence.

 

A story I am working on is called Elemental, the story is about four teenager 3 boys and 1 girl, they each control one of the elements either Water, Earth, Fire or Air, along with that the can also control animals, turn in to animals and talk to animals. But the animals they control and turn in to are not what you expect they include Foxes, Eagles and Sharks.

 

Although wolves are very popular it dose depend on what you are trying to get across to the reader and what universe, era or date the story is set.

Edited April 28, 2014 by scotty94

[Ron]

Some of the most interesting non-human stories I have read, particularly on site and partly because of the male/male subject matter, have been unconventional in nature--not necessarily having followed the canon. I have never read any story about were-creatures anywhere (I didn't think it would be my ... cup of tea) excepting here on GA after giving them a chance, and those have been crazy inventive and I have become sort-of hooked on them.

 

I can say easily that you should explore, be inventive and creative, but stay consistent to the rules that you create for the story you are telling. Don't diverge from your own canon within the arc of your story.

[Sasha Distan]

I love shifters, but I love for it to be unexpected.  There's two stories here that are great with shifters.

Werewolves catch my attention also if it's well written

 

Now can't help wondering which two you mean....

[Thorn Wilde]

I can say easily that you should explore, be inventive and creative, but stay consistent to the rules that you create for the story you are telling. Don't diverge from your own canon within the arc of your story.

 

Very true. The most important thing is that the story and characters are consistent with the rules set down by the author, in the world in which they are writing. If the author can do that, then everything else tends to fall into place, regardless of whether they are using 'established' rules based on folklore, or whether they have made up their own.

[ShadowAscender]

I believe that any animal can be used, I plan on doing that. As long as you explain yourself anything is possible, like instead of using wolves or bears, use something different like felines or birds.

[jack2500]

I wanna find a story as well! I don't remember the name, but it talks about aluens that attacht to tje spine or back of somebody and share.their.knowledge with the host... and their enemies are something like huge walking dogs called Dilgrini or something... please help!!!