So I have reread the 10 chapters of garbage that I had written, each a different tier of rubbish due to the fact that i don't write consistently. The most irritating thing that I have notice is how much I like to refer to anime, manga, television shows, this makes the work as though I create an exact carbon copy of this world. Which is what it supposed to be but godammit the referencing is excessive.
So I am probably scrapping the work in total and put this work totally in isekai instead, that means to trim down some plot in my original plan.
So far I have read the subtle referencing from other works and maybe the part of me should stop stuffing more is good and instead less is more.
So for those tldr, as a writer, how much 4th wall leaning have you been doing?
Barely any, if there is some fourth wall breaking it's done by the mc into themselves. I.e, they are reincarnated, and then a rock falls and shatters - it reminds them to how that one time their phone got shattered. I think subtle things like that are nice, and maybe even not 4th wall breaking. 4th wall breaking can often be hard to execute well, and unless you are using it with a character introduction after a long meaningful chapter it doesn't work out.
My name is X, and yours? This can absolutely hook a reader if the chapter was meaningful and you felt a connection with the character yet never got their name throughout the chapter.
However, unless you use it as a joke it can often times feel dull. For example, again gonna use something from my own novel.
[GOLD Murakuzani RP — Perhaps not as awe-inspiring as the real one. Perhaps it is, for one will never know. Manufactured with the finest coral reef it sits near the boundaries of an artifact.
150% Cut type damages, -150% to Blunt and Pierce type damages.]
Before I could say anything the vendor opened his mouth.
“Perhaps it’s not the real Murakuzani, the ancient sword with an ancient history. Said to be made during the periods of the great Fallen empire, during the last emperor. It is said that the emperor used to have a secret meditation chamber, somewhere sacred... The materials found there were rich in sius, which made them strong and artifact contenders. A talented blacksmith took upon his journey to make the strongest sword in the history of mankind. And thus Murakuzani was born.
It was said that the great mountain doctors were flabbergasted upon its creation. Murakuzani would destroy mountains with its mere presence, however, mountain doctors at the time diagnosed them with exploding mountain syndrome! Due to the damages made to the mountain ecosystem, Murakuzani had to be sealed away, but its story still lives.”
Achu, tf, do what?! Great mountain doctors?! Mountain ecosystem!? What is this guy even saying?!?! Exploding mountain syndrome?! So you're telling me you have actual mountain doctors but humans rely on oily liquids instead? What’s with that story... I understand the world having a history and blah, blah, blah... But now you are telling me the emperor was basically crafting pills to power up...
“Impressive right?” His smirk of knowledge made me oddly mad.
“That’s bullshit!” I let my mouth run in frustration. “That just sounds like some one-thousand chapter Chinese novel!” I know I was right! “What’s next??? He opens the 9th door to ascension ????” I sighed and realized my mistake. Oops.
“Pardon?” He blinked repeatedly trying to process what I said.
“Sorry… So... about the Murakuzani replica version.” I diverted the topic.
So, while I don't claim this is the perfect thing. The mc has talked about reading light novels in the past, so it's not as if they bring up the wuxia thing out of nowhere. The actual scene feels like a joke already so the 4th wall break is digestible and doesn't feel out of place. However, you gotta set a mood first. I hope this helps. (Also, I know my writing is not very good but it was the first example I could think of, sorry.)
Barely any, if there is some fourth wall breaking it's done by the mc into themselves. I.e, they are reincarnated, and then a rock falls and shatters - it reminds them to how that one time their phone got shattered. I think subtle things like that are nice, and maybe even not 4th wall breaking. 4th wall breaking can often be hard to execute well, and unless you are using it with a character introduction after a long meaningful chapter it doesn't work out.
My name is X, and yours? This can absolutely hook a reader if the chapter was meaningful and you felt a connection with the character yet never got their name throughout the chapter.
However, unless you use it as a joke it can often times feel dull. For example, again gonna use something from my own novel.
[GOLD Murakuzani RP — Perhaps not as awe-inspiring as the real one. Perhaps it is, for one will never know. Manufactured with the finest coral reef it sits near the boundaries of an artifact.
150% Cut type damages, -150% to Blunt and Pierce type damages.]
Before I could say anything the vendor opened his mouth.
“Perhaps it’s not the real Murakuzani, the ancient sword with an ancient history. Said to be made during the periods of the great Fallen empire, during the last emperor. It is said that the emperor used to have a secret meditation chamber, somewhere sacred... The materials found there were rich in sius, which made them strong and artifact contenders. A talented blacksmith took upon his journey to make the strongest sword in the history of mankind. And thus Murakuzani was born.
It was said that the great mountain doctors were flabbergasted upon its creation. Murakuzani would destroy mountains with its mere presence, however, mountain doctors at the time diagnosed them with exploding mountain syndrome! Due to the damages made to the mountain ecosystem, Murakuzani had to be sealed away, but its story still lives.”
Achu, tf, do what?! Great mountain doctors?! Mountain ecosystem!? What is this guy even saying?!?! Exploding mountain syndrome?! So you're telling me you have actual mountain doctors but humans rely on oily liquids instead? What’s with that story... I understand the world having a history and blah, blah, blah... But now you are telling me the emperor was basically crafting pills to power up...
“Impressive right?” His smirk of knowledge made me oddly mad.
“That’s bullshit!” I let my mouth run in frustration. “That just sounds like some one-thousand chapter Chinese novel!” I know I was right! “What’s next??? He opens the 9th door to ascension ????” I sighed and realized my mistake. Oops.
“Pardon?” He blinked repeatedly trying to process what I said.
“Sorry… So... about the Murakuzani replica version.” I diverted the topic.
So, while I don't claim this is the perfect thing. The mc has talked about reading light novels in the past, so it's not as if they bring up the wuxia thing out of nowhere. The actual scene feels like a joke already so the 4th wall break is digestible and doesn't feel out of place. However, you gotta set a mood first. I hope this helps. (Also, I know my writing is not very good but it was the first example I could think of, sorry.)
"That should about do it," despite Dylan's adamant wish to stay hidden underneath the radar, he paradoxically wants to be involved in the whole paranormal shit. Possibly due to his heightened Intelligence and Wisdom again, he managed to put down the mental burden of the notion that there is probably an Abyss or MIB or some weirdass batshit Organisation that may or may not forces him to get into the robot and all in all, some contact might be nice.
And here is mine, which basically is me just being a lazy prick. Annd I like to use the word Basically when I talk and write!
I hate fourth wall breaking. I would go to the length of finding words other than an earthquake to describe the earthquake because I hate the word earth in a fantasy world. I also rarely tried to tell the time in minute or hour, because it feels too earth-like.
So I have reread the 10 chapters of garbage that I had written, each a different tier of rubbish due to the fact that i don't write consistently. The most irritating thing that I have notice is how much I like to refer to anime, manga, television shows, this makes the work as though I create an exact carbon copy of this world. Which is what it supposed to be but godammit the referencing is excessive.
So I am probably scrapping the work in total and put this work totally in isekai instead, that means to trim down some plot in my original plan.
So far I have read the subtle referencing from other works and maybe the part of me should stop stuffing more is good and instead less is more.
So for those tldr, as a writer, how much 4th wall leaning have you been doing?
Pfft. My entire most popular novel is chalk full of references and memes. So i dunno, i get by. Suppose it can work if you do the right kind of novel. In a serious work? Nah. In a dark comedy where you kidnap a king and get high together and a bunch of lolies commit horrible experiments on people in order to try making themselves into Kemonomimis for attention, well, in a novel as crazy as that it prolly would work. Least, has so far.
Tl;dr i dont lean on the 4th wall i break it. Sometimes. Its a spice my dude. You gotta get it JUST right. Then muwah. Fine dining.
