What is your favorite story type?

[Myr]

What is your favorite story type?

[FreeThinker]

I chose modern, though it was really a toss up with historical. And, I refer to reading in general, not limited to the Internet.

 

I write in what I consider the modern genre, though the stories are all in the 1970's. I still like to consider that reasonably modern, though there may be some who think it historical!

[B_O_B]

Well I chose modern, because most of my favourites fall into that category, but it's usually more of a case of how well the author writes the story and develops the plot and the characters rather than the genre.

 

B_O_B

[wep363]

Action, adventure!

[Forloyn]

It is polls like these that make me wish I could pick more then one.

 

I mean how do I choose which I like the best, I normaly go for the well written fantasy tipe but when I can't find them action adventure works something sci fiesh, If I really really like a story and it's chericters I might look into fanfiction for it, but not all the time.

[B_O_B]

Personally I don't usually care for fan fiction (and very rarely read any). I usually imagine the parts of the characters the author doesn't cover in my head, and find that what others write doesn't usually match my own ideas.

 

B_O_B

[Myr]

My personal favorite is fantasy. Sci-fi is too much like my profession... I play with robots and computers and what not as an engineer already. So I try to separate from that a bit.

 

Fanfictions... there are two kinds of these.

1) take someone's characters and do something else with them. (I've done this with HP and that fad is now passing for me).

2) take someone's world and write something in there. You can call this something for a possible inclusion in an anthology (collection of short stories) that is officially sanctioned. "Sun in Glory" and "Sword of Ice" come to mind as the two Valdemar anthologies that are chock full of short stories written by authors other than Mercedes Lackey. (I'm just now flirting with this field and have a completely original story that takes place in Valdemar between the time of "Brightly Burning" and "Exiles Honor"... an unremarked upon time period.)

[Taima Matsumushi]

If I had to choose one, I'd have to go with Modern, although Sci-Fi and Fantasy rank pretty high on my list.

 

It also depends on the nature of sci-fi and fantasy in each particular world. "Fantasy" or "Sci-Fi" could cover any of the other genres (most often Historical or Modern) with small additions. I would say that the Harry Potter series is an example of Fantasy and Modern combined. The same could be said for the various stories that deal with Modern characters, some of which happen to have supernatural or superhuman abilities (depending on the explanation for said abilities, it might be either Fantasy-based or Sci-Fi based).

 

All-in-all, I would have to say I prefer Modern (or offshoots thereof), mostly because stories set in Modern times generally have more believable dialogue than other settings (with the exception of Historical stories that go out of their way to duplicate the speech patterns common to the era accurately). Personally, I find some Fantasy stories tiresome when all of the characters speak either so formally or with such obscure patterns (a pet peeve of mine is the "Yoda-speak" accent commonly given to non-human characters) that it becomes painful to read after a while.

[FreeThinker]

I was involved, at one time, in a writers workshop on Yahoo and in one of the discussions, the subject of Fanfic came up. Most of the writers in the group tended to agree that though they may enjoy the stories, it borders on plagiarism and takes advantage of someone elses work. Someone else has created the world, the characters, the backstory, etc. I admit that when I don't have anything new from JK to read, I will turn to one of the many online HP stories. But, I prefer original work.

 

I will say the some of the best writers I've found online are writing Fanfic and there are several stories in the genre I find to be excellent. To those writers, I suggest, tryi doing something completely original. Your ability and your creativity may surprise you!

 

Let me add, though, that I have been told by a few readers that I might be lacking in some originality, myself, in that all of my stories take place between 1971 and 1975. Well, there is a reason. The majority of my characters are in their early teens and that was the period during which I was in that age group. I cannot write convincingly about a 13 year-old boy in 2004 because I am not familiar enough with the culture of thirteen year-olds today or with the way thirteen year-olds think. Their socialization is completely different from what I experienced in 1971.

 

For example, how a 13 year-old from Kansas deals with coming out to his parents in 1971 would probably be significantly different from how a 13 year-old would so today, whether in Kansas or else where. While there is still danger and rejection today, there isn't the risk of beating and death that boy would have faced thirty years ago.

 

So, I can't completely relate to how kids today deal with this sort of thing. But, perhaps, I can write in a way that may help them relate to what it was like for kids before.

[Myr]

The problem with FanFiction writers is that you sort of write yourself into a niche... I get the "You write something other than HP and the PoD?" all the time.

 

Well, yes I do. But it so happens that the FanFiction fans are the ones most likely to email or review for you. Sure the other stuff gets read, but readers rarely contact you, comparatively speaking, that is.

[Navigator]

I like what I like and that's all that I like...

 

Translation: I have no set pattern for what I like and dislike.

[Freedom55]

I go for Modern, and I agree with FT, about setting Modern in my own growing up years. I find I don't do modern teens all that well, except those in Ned's Locket (and they live in their tiny perfect world)

 

Historical turns my crank too, but not much on line, because the writers don't bother to research their periods well.

 

Books well - I will read darn near anything that catches my eye! Even cereal boxes

[Guest Lan]

fantasy-science fiction are good....also fan fiction... etc.

[BillM]

Fan Fiction and Sci-Fi/Fantasy for me too

[miguelsanchez55]

I like a well written modern story but I will read a good sci-fi story as long as it's believable. I've found some in Nifty that were just way to outlandish. I read one of the HP stories and Myr, yours are next. They have really peaked my interests.

 

Take care,

Mike :sword:

[James Bond]

I prefer thrillers, crime (who-dun-it), war stories and science fiction in about that order.

 

But an excellent author can interest me in almost any subject or category.

 

Fantasy has never taken my fancy, though I have read a couple of Nifty etc. stories that I like, including those of Kyle Aarons and Geraldle.

 

But FreeThinker, I tend to consider the 70's history now, fairly recent history that I remember well myself, true, but nevertheless history. Especially the way you write (and I like) with the setting very much being a part of the plot.

[Reader]

I like them all but I don't see poems as a story type, I have loved science fiction since the 50's so it is number 1

[Sparhawk]

I love them all, but fantasy is my favorite.

[Gentim]

I would have liked to see more than one answer possible for the survey. However, being limited to one, I would choose Fantasy. If for no other reason than that fantasy could encompase any time period, modern or historical, and any other genre, such as action, romance, etc.

[Pyro]

I love romance, love, adventure but it has to be a little bit of reality thrown in. I love a good story line.

 

Pyro :-)

[Angela Mynah]

My favourite (which is hard to catagorize) can be awful when badly written, whilst one in which I have little interest can, if well written, hold me to the very last word. I have no intrest in vampires yet 'Gone from Daylight' has been a delight to read (thanks Comicality) mainly owing to the great skill of the author.

[Bill W]

For me, it's not the category, but the author's style, storyline and character development that make the difference. If I'm not drawn into the story by the second or third chapter, I put the book down and seldom, if ever return to it.

 

That aside, Fantasy can actually cover almost any of those other categories, so that may end up being a catch all or default choice.

 

Bill

[Crackerwriter]

from James Bond:

 

But FreeThinker, I tend to consider the 70's history now, fairly recent history that I remember well myself, true, but nevertheless history. Especially the way you write (and I like) with the setting very much being a part of the plot. 

History? Good grief man, that's like yesterday for some of us! Go easy pal.

 

I do tend to agree with the majority here that a very well written story draws you, no matter what the genre. There are some very good and some very badly written stories in all categories. There have been some so bad I haven't made it past the first page.

[Ibsu]

I tend to lump science fiction and fantasy together with alternative history in a genre called speculative fiction. To me, the premise of sci-fi and fantasy both hinge on the "what-if" of life.

 

Of course, fantasy is so much easier for me to write than modern, and right now that's what I'm trying to stretch for... le sigh.

[ethan thorn]

Fantasy, but really anything harry potter or vampires.

My favorite right now has to be vampire jarred. So i guess stories that are really dark are my favorite but i do like a good romance now and then.

Edited November 16, 2004 by ethan thorn