Writing an opposite story.

[Arch9CivilReactor]

I’m currently writing an elaborate story where the narrator becomes the novel Isekai’d protagonist, similar but different to “Omniscient Reader Viewpoint”, “The Novel’s Extra”, etc. The big difference being that the latter is about ‘people’ who experience a scenario that change their lives, while mine is about a breaking the 4th wall.

Trying to emphasise with the characters while knowing they are fictional rather than do the standard routine. I think I’m allergic to writing things the ‘normal way’ or something.

I want to write an opposite story that’s set on Earth instead of a high fantasy world, but the thing is that it’s not that I’m refusing to write a story about friends and whatnot the ‘normal way’… I just can’t do it. Writing that way feels so boring to me. Making me feel too restricted.

I want to have the same level of freedom as I do in my companion novel, but doing the same thing as before also isn’t my style. As I’m aware the way I wrote that simply isn’t for everyone.

The narrator of that story keeps taking breaks and doing whatever he likes (by ‘breaks’ I mean I made the narrator more whimsical in the way he narrates the story). A very unreliable narrator.

An idea came to mind about making the novel first person instead of third person omniscient. I have a character who interacts with the fourth wall differently than the narrator, but I’m worried there would be no consistency if I did that.

The omniscient narrator could be explained by not explaining it. Since narrator’s have no backstory and only have a job to narrate, but a character needs backstory and a purpose different from ‘just existing to narrate stories’.

If there was a character aware of the fourth wall, then why would they even care about the audience? Why would they narrate the story to the audience? Wouldn’t they try to ignore your gazes instead? Trying to avoid becoming a tool?

The first story is the descent of a narrator into a character, but why would a character want to lose his individuality to become a narrator? I can’t seem to think of any ideas regarding that.

The specifics of that character is that he is more like Deadpool. But only if that marvel character had time travel to be anywhere… at any point in time and space. He is overpowered in a fight and is usually there for the shock factor or surprise.

An idea I had was making him follow the real protagonist around like a stalker. Maybe the author from the other story will become the protagonist in this story, but in a more grounded way where the protagonist is like Kim Dokja from Omniscient Reader. I could somehow imagine it.

Alright, let’s say the ‘Author’ is the protagonist and this deadpool-like OP character is the hand behind the curtain. Even if I write it like that, I don’t know why any of them would be narrating.

The latter is perfectly capable of it, but he simply doesn’t have the type of character to narrate for the sake of it. The former is an author, but the main plot device would be that he isn’t writing anymore. He is inside the story he created.

This makes me wonder who would be narrating his story? Why would they even bother? Maybe my creativity has run out… I just don’t want to feel constrained by the main character’s perspective viewpoint, or jump around multiple eyes instead of just using third person POV.

What do you guys think? Any interaction is fine.

 

[SailusGebel]

What?

 

[Arch9CivilReactor]

What?

In essence: Why would a character want to narrate a story to the audience?

 

[SailusGebel]

In essence: Why would a character want to narrate a story to the audience?

They got paid, or asked to do it.

 

[J_Chemist]

Or someone put a gun to their head.

 

[Arch9CivilReactor]

They got paid, or asked to do it.

That’s… actually a helpful answer. Not sure why I didn’t think of it earlier. It’s so simple but realistic all the same.

Or someone put a gun to their head.

Not sure that’d work for too long.

 

[Tempokai]

If a tree falls in a forest and it knows it’s a tree in a story, does it make a sound in the plot?

 

[Arch9CivilReactor]

If a tree falls in a forest and it knows it’s a tree in a story, does it make a sound in the plot?

I think you used plot wrong. Narrative on the other hand? Well, it’d have to have some sort of importance. We humans have to take in the entirety of what we see and hear, but characters and the narrator can be selective about it.

The story matters more than the events themselves.

 

[GoodPerson]

I’m currently writing an elaborate story where the narrator becomes the novel Isekai’d protagonist, similar but different to “Omniscient Reader Viewpoint”, “The Novel’s Extra”, etc. The big difference being that the latter is about ‘people’ who experience a scenario that change their lives, while mine is about a breaking the 4th wall.

Trying to emphasise with the characters while knowing they are fictional rather than do the standard routine. I think I’m allergic to writing things the ‘normal way’ or something.

I want to write an opposite story that’s set on Earth instead of a high fantasy world, but the thing is that it’s not that I’m refusing to write a story about friends and whatnot the ‘normal way’… I just can’t do it. Writing that way feels so boring to me. Making me feel too restricted.

I want to have the same level of freedom as I do in my companion novel, but doing the same thing as before also isn’t my style. As I’m aware the way I wrote that simply isn’t for everyone.

The narrator of that story keeps taking breaks and doing whatever he likes (by ‘breaks’ I mean I made the narrator more whimsical in the way he narrates the story). A very unreliable narrator.

An idea came to mind about making the novel first person instead of third person omniscient. I have a character who interacts with the fourth wall differently than the narrator, but I’m worried there would be no consistency if I did that.

The omniscient narrator could be explained by not explaining it. Since narrator’s have no backstory and only have a job to narrate, but a character needs backstory and a purpose different from ‘just existing to narrate stories’.

If there was a character aware of the fourth wall, then why would they even care about the audience? Why would they narrate the story to the audience? Wouldn’t they try to ignore your gazes instead? Trying to avoid becoming a tool?

The first story is the descent of a narrator into a character, but why would a character want to lose his individuality to become a narrator? I can’t seem to think of any ideas regarding that.

The specifics of that character is that he is more like Deadpool. But only if that marvel character had time travel to be anywhere… at any point in time and space. He is overpowered in a fight and is usually there for the shock factor or surprise.

An idea I had was making him follow the real protagonist around like a stalker. Maybe the author from the other story will become the protagonist in this story, but in a more grounded way where the protagonist is like Kim Dokja from Omniscient Reader. I could somehow imagine it.

Alright, let’s say the ‘Author’ is the protagonist and this deadpool-like OP character is the hand behind the curtain. Even if I write it like that, I don’t know why any of them would be narrating.

The latter is perfectly capable of it, but he simply doesn’t have the type of character to narrate for the sake of it. The former is an author, but the main plot device would be that he isn’t writing anymore. He is inside the story he created.

This makes me wonder who would be narrating his story? Why would they even bother? Maybe my creativity has run out… I just don’t want to feel constrained by the main character’s perspective viewpoint, or jump around multiple eyes instead of just using third person POV.

What do you guys think? Any interaction is fine.

Here's an example of a narrator who doesn't interact with readers but talks with characters:

.















I still remember that one line he said.

"Hello? Do we have anyone nearby?! The person playing this game is dead."

 

[Arch9CivilReactor]

Here's an example of a narrator who doesn't interact with readers but talks with characters:

View attachment 28505
.















I still remember that one line he said.

"Hello? Do we have anyone nearby?! The person playing this game is dead."

Oh my god I can’t believe I forgot about him. Thx man that game is a goldmine.

 

[PancakesWitch]

In essence: Why would a character want to narrate a story to the audience?

The narrator is not a character though, theyre the author's voice. So your narrator is just the author. Unless your story is about an already fictional story narrated by some sort of metaphysical manifestation of reality (the author again) and theyre suddenly stripped of theie power to see and narrate all within this story and thrown inside of it, which sounds like youre only writing yourself into a corner.

 

[Arch9CivilReactor]

The narrator is not a character though, theyre the author's voice. So your narrator is just the author. Unless your story is about an already fictional story narrated by some sort of metaphysical manifestation of reality (the author again) and theyre suddenly stripped of theie power to see and narrate all within this story and thrown inside of it, which sounds like youre only writing yourself into a corner.

I call him ‘Mr Wallkin’. In the story he became self-aware and rejected the author to narrate whatever he wants. Easier to read the prologue than have some nonsense explanation I could give about it. He uses text emojis to emote a lot.

I was told it was better to leave them out but I refused since I personally find it an essential part of the experience.

 

[TheEldritchGod]

Metastories are difficult to do because they lack stakes.
Why should I think anything is at risk if the AUTHOR is part of the story and is basically omnipotent?

 

[Arch9CivilReactor]

Metastories are difficult to do because they lack stakes.
Why should I think anything is at risk if the AUTHOR is part of the story and is basically omnipotent?

It’s a bit different from what I’m doing. There are no predetermined roles in reality, and so the characters are also in a constant state of flux due to their own actions. Fear of death isn’t the greatest motivator for the characters, but a motivation to move away from their past.

Their greatest fears being more about trauma and how it could change them into the villains of their own story, rather than thoughtlessly saying things are ‘meta’ because someone is pointing things out (like some shows tend to do).

Metastories are difficult to do because they lack stakes.
Why should I think anything is at risk if the AUTHOR is part of the story and is basically omnipotent?

The essence of any story is to tell a story. Things like ‘danger’ are just constructs made to motivate action characters. They aren’t the end all be all of conflicts. Nor should everything turn into a game of who dies first.

Metastories, to me, should break the mould to tell a story that could not be told traditionally. It is a practice of redefining the themes of ‘stories’ and how plot devices can be used in general.

For me, the descent of a narrator into a character and his ‘enlightenment’ on humanity is my goal. It is a story that could not be told unless I broke the mould. Entering into 4th wall breaking territory.

 

[TransCatGirl]

Your unreliable narrator
1 want to narrate
2 not be restrained against whimsy/ be allowed to get sidetracked
3 be able to observe the world

one example that comes to mind is a spirit/ghost who doesn't have anything to do now that they've died and narrating is the least boring task.
Think: lots of time on your hands but nothing to fill it with.

 

[GoodPerson]

Your unreliable narrator
1 want to narrate
2 not be restrained against whimsy/ be allowed to get sidetracked
3 be able to observe the world

one example that comes to mind is a spirit/ghost who doesn't have anything to do now that they've died and narrating is the least boring task.
Think: lots of time on your hands but nothing to fill it with.

That's not your unreliable narrator.

This is your unreliable narrator.

It’s a bit different from what I’m doing. There are no predetermined roles in reality, and so the characters are also in a constant state of flux due to their own actions. Fear of death isn’t the greatest motivator for the characters, but a motivation to move away from their past.

Their greatest fears being more about trauma and how it could change them into the villains of their own story, rather than thoughtlessly saying things are ‘meta’ because someone is pointing things out (like some shows tend to do).

The essence of any story is to tell a story. Things like ‘danger’ are just constructs made to motivate action characters. They aren’t the end all be all of conflicts. Nor should everything turn into a game of who dies first.

Metastories, to me, should break the mould to tell a story that could not be told traditionally. It is a practice of redefining the themes of ‘stories’ and how plot devices can be used in general.

For me, the descent of a narrator into a character and his ‘enlightenment’ on humanity is my goal. It is a story that could not be told unless I broke the mould. Entering into 4th wall breaking territory.

So...

Are you making a narrator similar to the ones from the Stanley Parable?

Also, you're welcome.

 

[Arch9CivilReactor]

That's not your unreliable narrator.

This is your unreliable narrator.

View attachment 28513

So...

Are you making a narrator similar to the ones from the Stanley Parable?

Also, you're welcome.

View attachment 28514

I’m thinking about it for this new work I’m thinking about. Right now my first draft is turning into a character escaping a story and confronting his author. Then giving him a chance to survive by allowing him to become a ‘character’ himself.

Being aware of the tropes, the one threatening the author knows throwing him into a work he knows would mean having ‘future knowledge’ and advantages of being the author of the work.

In order to make this ‘more fun’, the decision was to throw him into a world where all his knowledge is useless. Making fusing the work so there are multiple ‘protagonists’ and final bosses.

And since each one of the latter were created to be several times stronger than protagonists, he would have to survive as a ‘extra character’ that never appeared in any of those stories.

Using his wit to grow stronger and do what he can to keep the different protagonists alive.

 

[GoodPerson]

I’m thinking about it for this new work I’m thinking about. Right now my first draft is turning into a character escaping a story and confronting his author. Then giving him a chance to survive by allowing him to become a ‘character’ himself.

Being aware of the tropes, the one threatening the author knows throwing him into a work he knows would mean having ‘future knowledge’ and advantages of being the author of the work.

In order to make this ‘more fun’, the decision was to throw him into a world where all his knowledge is useless. Making fusing the work so there are multiple ‘protagonists’ and final bosses.

And since each one of the latter were created to be several times stronger than protagonists, he would have to survive as a ‘extra character’ that never appeared in any of those stories.

Using his wit to grow stronger and do what he can to keep the different protagonists alive.

Yup, babysitter.

 

[Arch9CivilReactor]

Yup, babysitter.

I just realised now that if they’re protagonists, they probably have more plot armour than him. So maybe ‘protecting’ is counterproductive. I think probably clashing is better. Make them stronger via beating them up.

 

[GoodPerson]

I just realised now that if they’re protagonists, they probably have more plot armour than him. So maybe ‘protecting’ is counterproductive. I think probably clashing is better. Make them stronger via beating them up.

That's just like shooting them with 9mils so they have resistance to 30. Cal and 45. ACP.