Is Enemies-To-Lovers Overrated?9/24/2022 Over the last couple of years, enemies-to-lovers has become one of the most talked-about tropes in literature. It is a favorite of reading communities online, especially in the YA circle, and so I have seen many books marketed with this trope quickly gain readers' interest. “Enemies-to-lovers” is also present in film and television, with examples including both the popular show Bridgerton: Season 2 and the instant hit Purple Hearts -which both broke Netflix’s viewership records in their respective categories-.
But perhaps the line between a romantic trope and romanticizing toxicity has become too blurry, and the reading community might be ignoring some of its harmful representations. Disclaimer: As with any work of art, literature is subjective. We are a diverse group of readers and writers, and everyone is entitled to have their own opinion. This article is not meant to be disrespectful, but is rather my perspective on some of the questionable aspects of this trope.
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Welcome to the third installment of fringe (pun-intended) retellings, because this article is all about Rapunzel. We’ve covered Cinderella and Red Riding Hood earlier this month, and now it’s time for a criminally underrated fairytale to get its due. If you’re interested in writing a Rapunzel retelling, read on, because knowing what’s out there is the first step to writing your own. This article is the third of a four-part series this month, so keep an eye out for Beauty and the Beast next week.
But it does play into the idea that the author must have been high in order to write such ludicrous work. Crack-fic is described as works of fan-fiction that have a ridiculous premise or a bunch of crazy and silly elements.
Fanfic writer Moonbeam describes crack-fics as: Crackfic refers to stories in which completely ridiculous, unbelievable or insane things occur, often without reasonable explanation but great enjoyment. Are generally written shamelessly and with no excuse beyond a desire to have fun. [...] Are almost always humorous, although it is possible to write them seriously. Is so referred not only because such crackfics often seem as if they could only be conceived by an author riding a high, but also because they can be hilariously addictive to readers as well. One Hundred Writing Prompts9/17/2022 Looking for inspiration? Writing prompts are guide ideas that give you a place to start. The mythical, romantic, dangerous, and compelling are all included in this list to challenge your creative abilities.
These past few years have been crazy to all of us, and they will continue to be for a long time. However, our lives can stay still forever and as we find ways to move along in this crazy climate, we also discover new grounds in which stories can bloom.
Although I can judge any author that chooses to forget covid all together for their story, there is value in tales that incorporate said aspect. I believe it is comforting, in a way, that we can still go on adventures even with a virus at large. A few months ago I wrote a short story for a friend. My prompt was to write a contemporary story with a salsa dance scene, and I may have taken “contemporary” a bit too far, as I wrote it some months into the future because of a very specific thing (the owl house season 2 finale, don’t @ me). Anachronism is Your Best Friend9/16/2022 Anachronism is described as a chronological inconsistency, which basically means when something in history is brought outside its proper context and/or a timeline gets skewed. A popular example of an instance of anachronism would be in the scene in the 2019 version of Little Women, in which Amy March can be seen wearing Ugg boots, which weren’t invented until 1978.
While incidents like these tend to stir internet historians into a frenzy, I would like to argue that sometimes anachronism can be good, actually. Of course, there is a time and place to bend your facts, and the use of an author’s note is a wonderful way to correct yourself, but ultimately, historical fiction is meant to tell a compelling story, not to educate people on what really happened, and sometimes liberties need to be taken in order to tell the story right. September’s theme for JUVEN Press is retellings. In case you missed it, last week’s article went through five Cinderella retellings, BUT today’s article turns to Red Riding Hood retellings in all genres—the weird, the familiar, and the deep cuts. Treat this article as a charcuterie board for your writing inspiration, a survey of what’s out there. Knowing what’s been done before is the first step to writing your own. This article is the second of a four-part series this month, so keep an eye out for Rapunzel and Beauty and the Beast in the next two weeks.
Those who know me know how much I love reading a good retelling. I’ve always found the idea of cultures shaping around stories and writers bringing them to the present intriguing. So, almost a year ago, I decided that I would do it myself. Recently, I completed my first short story collection. It is a collection of six retellings of my country’s original legends, all set in the same magical world. Through endless evenings of brainstorming, investigating, drafting, and editing (so much editing), I learned a thing or two about retellings that I hope other writers find useful.
September’s theme for JUVEN Press is retellings, so strap in because this month we’re bringing you writing tips, book recommendations, and our own writing philosophies on retellings. Today’s article is a breakdown of 5 Cinderella retellings—some you know and others you don’t. We want to inspire you, so treat this article as a charcuterie board for your writing inspiration, an archaeological survey of what’s out there. Knowing what’s been done before is the first step to writing your own retelling! This article is the first of a four-part series this month, so keep an eye out for Red Riding Hood, Rapunzel, and Beauty and the Beast in the next few weeks.
“I hope we all learned something tonight, about each other, about our similarities, our differences, and perhaps we made a positive step toward co-existing in this crazy country called Canada. If not, hell, give us the land back.” Said Don Burnstick as a closing joke in the Founding Nations of Comedy segment at the 2006 Winnipeg Comedy Festival.
His joke was met with a chunk of laughter, completely successful. Writing comedy is like wielding a sword. If you're not careful you can end up injuring others and yourself, but at the same time people arrive to the comedy genre with their defenses lowered. Because of that, comedy is one of the best tools for discussing difficult subjects. Categories
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