What do you think about drama in the story?

BlackKnightX

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I HATE drama.

Yep, there I said it.

Though, despite saying that, I’ve been reading a lot of stories with lots and lots of dramas. Not that I like it, like I said, I HATE it, but the stories I‘m interested in always have elements of drama in it.

Now, I know that drama add a lot of depth and feeling to the story. It makes the readers feel something. Some people just love it, some are craving it, some can’t read a story without it, but for me? I’m gonna say it one last time;

I—HATE—drama.

Yep, I said it again and it never feels so good~

Now with all my rambling out of the way, what about you guys? Do you like drama or hate it? Why?
 

BenJepheneT

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I'll just inform you in advance to never check out any of my works. Judging from your reaction to any semblance of literary drama, you'll break your phone in half if you ever read a chapter of mine.
 

SakeVision

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My original story is a tragedy that deals with a lot of themes such as discrimination, disability, loss, longing, powerlessness, and people die when they are killed.

Yet, at the same time, I endeavor NEVER to be melodramatic about it, and never to try to make my readers particularly upset about anything, so I present tragic events in tongue-in-cheek snarky(but hopefully not overly snarky) way. I have fun writing about these things, and I want my readers to have fun reading it, and not be shocked or saddened. I also don't claim to be able to manipulate other people's emotions. I HATE when authors try to manipulate my emotions and fail, so I decided to become the opposite of what I hate.

On many occasions, I wondered if this is the right approach. I mean, someone once told me that "comedic undertones" disturb the "rather serious vibe" but it's totally intentional, and frankly speaking, I wouldn't have it any other way.

If you want to see what I'm aiming at, check out manga/anime Golden Kamuy which I think nails it.

But don't even look at the fanfic, that shit is the exact opposite and takes 100% drama approach, but it's also 10x shorter so I can bear writing it.
 

BlackKnightX

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I dislike shitty drama. Good drama is obviously great, and I can't say I like drama, but it's necessary. Drama is necessary for the story to be interesting, in my opinion.
I think if we get into the very core of conflict and drama, we’ll get tension.

It’s the sole reason of what keep the reader hooked and keep on reading. It sparks a feeling of uncertainty in the readers.

But—there are also some other ways to create tension without adding drama.

Like in comedy genre, the story creates tension, but in a way that make us laugh to relief it out instead of making us feel stressful.
 

Anon_Y_Mousse

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Yeah, I like drama, psychological drama, to be exact, I like it when characters deliberate whether their decision is truly the "right" thing to do, of course it has to be a character that is imperfect enough to do such a thing. I don't like drama for the sake of drama tho, there has to be a clear reason behind it and a relevant effect on the growth of the story/characters.
 

BlackKnightX

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I'll just inform you in advance to never check out any of my works. Judging from your reaction to any semblance of literary drama, you'll break your phone in half if you ever read a chapter of mine.
Conflict is nice but drama is just annoying, if you know what I mean. Guess, it’s just a matter of reading for entertainment or reading to feel something. I’m happen to be the former most of the time.

Thanks for the advice, though. I won’t read your story, then~ 😊
 

SailusGebel

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I think if we get into the very core of conflict and drama, we’ll get tension.

It’s the sole reason of what keep the reader hooked and keep on reading. It sparks a feeling of uncertainty in the readers.

But—there are also some other ways to create tension without adding drama.

Like in comedy genre, the story creates tension, but in a way that make us laugh to relief it out instead of making us feel stressful.
It's hard for me to discuss this in English. Сomedies do have a pinch of drama in them. As for drama making us feel stress, I highly doubt this.
 

ArcadiaBlade

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A novel is like food. Whatever you taste would always have a certain flavor mixed inside it. Do you like spices? Drama can always deliver the kind of spice you might hate or love. Sweets? Romance is your go to flavor if you want to experience how being diabetic feels like, especially the wholesome ones.

Want dem chilli's in your food? Prepare to be amaze at how action would pump up your heartrate. Do you like being a gourmet? Mysteries and intellectual genres might give you the gentlemen's tongue of being a noble taste.

What I mean is that even if you hate one thing, food is still food. You might not like it at first but someday, you will come to realize that every ingredient comes from the flavor you want to eat. No matter what, your taste might improve or deteriorate depending on how much you like to eat. For that, its fine to hate one thing but someday, you'll come to regret what you say and I don't blame you for it.

I once hated NTR solely because its disgusting and should disappear from the earth itself. But people's taste would change and I still hate NTR(just a bit slightly tho) and you shouldn't narrow down your taste because of that. You'll regret it latter on.

I once avoid NTR to the core of my being and instead of that, I discovered scat.
 

BlackKnightX

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It's hard for me to discuss this in English. Сomedies do have a pinch of drama in them. As for drama making us feel stress, I highly doubt this.
Some comedies don’t have one, though

And, drama can be stressful if it’s too much. You know, when the author keeps adding tension upon tension and never release it or just prolong it for too long? Now, that’s stressful.
 

SailusGebel

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And, drama can be stressful if it’s too much. You know, when the author keeps adding tension upon tension and never release it or just prolong it for too long? Now, that’s stressful.
Sorry, but I don't understand this.
 

Renaxan

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Yeah never check my fanfic too, seriously xD

I personally more inclined to like drama, it gives me flavor on story.

Subjectively, I'm more to visual novel (eroge) player more than novel reader, and top visual novel out there mostly dramatic. (fate series, clannad, white album 2, call it.).

White Album 2 literally makes me crying in corner on room for days, because it was so shitty emotional to me. Did I hate it? --I hate it because its make me cry a lot. Did I love it --Absolutely because it gives me new experience and impact, enough to make me remember the story forever.

Summary, my answer is yes. But It's just me because I'm just fine reading wider genre I guess. Like, I'm also fine on reading NTR stuff.
 

BlackKnightX

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A novel is like food. Whatever you taste would always have a certain flavor mixed inside it. Do you like spices? Drama can always deliver the kind of spice you might hate or love. Sweets? Romance is your go to flavor if you want to experience how being diabetic feels like, especially the wholesome ones.

Want dem chilli's in your food? Prepare to be amaze at how action would pump up your heartrate. Do you like being a gourmet? Mysteries and intellectual genres might give you the gentlemen's tongue of being a noble taste.

What I mean is that even if you hate one thing, food is still food. You might not like it at first but someday, you will come to realize that every ingredient comes from the flavor you want to eat. No matter what, your taste might improve or deteriorate depending on how much you like to eat. For that, its fine to hate one thing but someday, you'll come to regret what you say and I don't blame you for it.

I once hated NTR solely because its disgusting and should disappear from the earth itself. But people's taste would change and I still hate NTR(just a bit slightly tho) and you shouldn't narrow down your taste because of that. You'll regret it latter on.

I once avoid NTR to the core of my being and instead of that, I discovered scat.
Perfect analogies, well done~ 👏🏻 👏🏻 👏🏻

As for changing the taste thingy, well, we’ll talk about that later. Right now, I HATE drama. 😝
 

RaizarP

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There is some masterpiece that blends drama and comedy perfectly.
I can only give example with Manga though, and it's Gintama.

For novel, I think the one that managed to blend drama into comedy is a 'Misunderstanding' type novel. For example I Got Reincarnated And Mistaken As A Genius?

Well, drama in story is okay IF that drama is short. That's my opinion
 

BlackKnightX

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There is some masterpiece that blends drama and comedy perfectly.
I can only give example with Manga though, and it's Gintama.

For novel, I think the one that managed to blend drama into comedy is a 'Misunderstanding' type novel. For example I Got Reincarnated And Mistaken As A Genius?

Well, drama in story is okay IF that drama is short. That's my opinion
Totally agree with you! Drama is fine if it doesn’t prolong for too long.
 

_oinkchan

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I HATE drama.

Yep, there I said it.

Though, despite saying that, I’ve been reading a lot of stories with lots and lots of dramas. Not that I like it, like I said, I HATE it, but the stories I‘m interested in always have elements of drama in it.

Now, I know that drama add a lot of depth and feeling to the story. It makes the readers feel something. Some people just love it, some are craving it, some can’t read a story without it, but for me? I’m gonna say it one last time;

I—HATE—drama.

Yep, I said it again and it never feels so good~

Now with all my rambling out of the way, what about you guys? Do you like drama or hate it? Why?
Depends on the kind of drama for me.
 

BenJepheneT

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Conflict is nice but drama is just annoying, if you know what I mean. Guess, it’s just a matter of reading for entertainment or reading to feel something. I’m happen to be the former most of the time.

Thanks for the advice, though. I won’t read your story, then~ 😊
oh shit, well the drama IS the conflict in my story. it's most psychological with prior context but yeah, mostly drama.

though I understand you wanna go in for the shooty bang bang. me too. i tend to lean towards your taste of books/media in general. hell, I'm the guy that holds high regard for the transformers franchise..
 

BlackKnightX

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oh shit, well the drama IS the conflict in my story. it's most psychological with prior context but yeah, mostly drama.

though I understand you wanna go in for the shooty bang bang. me too. i tend to lean towards your taste of books/media in general. hell, I'm the guy that holds high regard for the transformers franchise..
Yep, I kind of feel that vibe coming from you for some reason~ 😂

I think when I said drama, I mostly meant melodrama. I prefer laughing and have my heart racing, rather than crying over a story. 😆
Yeah never check my fanfic too, seriously xD
Guess I should never read my own story too, then. It’s got quite a lot of dramas in it. How ironic, huh? 😂
 
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SailusGebel

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Like when the character get into a trouble and that trouble keeps going on and on and never get resolved. The stress keep piling up and never get released. It’s just painful.
Well, that's a shit drama if I understood everything correctly. I would also like to add the following thing. A story without drama isn't interesting. It's a simple time killer. You aren't interested in how such stories will end. You simply kill time with fluff and so on. You rest and relax after a hard day's work. There are no stakes if there is no drama. The said tension that you mentioned will always get resolved with comedy or something similar. So yeah, they are uninteresting.
 
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