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Most Overused Things In Smallville Fanfictions

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  • #31
    O.K... so they're overused! Tough luck - as far as I'm concerned, I write from the heart, and often use what I'm feeling at the time as my inspiration - I truly don't care if I'm using something that has been overused... as a matter of fact, I'll admit I'm guilty of using ideas from other writers every now and again, but I often get a HUGE thanks for it and a pat on the back for successfully using the idea, so I don't see the big deal. And so what if it's not all about originality... you're claiming it's the sign of a good writer -reality cheek: each of us are good writers in our own ways, but we can't all be top of the class sort of writers... we do the best we can and that's that.

    As for the middle names - hello, even if clarified on Smallville, I wouldn't always go by what the writers claim unless the character is their creation:
    therefore, Chloe's middle name is Anne, as established in Kara. Clark's is widely thought to be Joseph, although the variation of Jerome is mentioned on some sites. Lois' is Joanne, no argument... it's embedded in the Superman history and stated on numerous websites dedicated to her character.

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    • #32
      One thing that I absolutely hate in any fic is when the couple stops kissing when "air becomes an issue." I know it sometimes gets a bit hard to breathe through your nose when the kiss is heated and intense, but that phrase irks the crap out to of me for some reason

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      • #33
        Originally posted by Valerie
        In fan fiction, Clark being the BDA has been very overused. He tends to be whipped by which ever female lead the author uses; Although it is especially evident in Clois fics.
        Really? You think so?

        I've read a lot of Clois fics where Clark is an exceptionally strong male lead and - in fact - I think that the Lois Lane character brings out his strengths more than the other female leads.

        Because if you're going off of SV continuity, Clark can actually snippy and sarcastic with Lois, while he doesn't have that relationship with Lana and Chloe. And most (well written) Clois fics I've read tend to play out that playfulness and banter in their relationship.

        Unless you're thinking about fics based in the future DP/Clark Kent/Superman setting, in which case I think the writers are basing Clark's characterization on comics/movies/mythos. Clark = meek guy and Superman = manly strong hero.

        Then again, I don't know what your yardstick is... I try to write Clark as a strong male lead in all my fics, but maybe you thought he came across as whipped?

        ----- Added 3 Minutes later -----

        Originally posted by Valerie
        I like a few of the red K stories too, but another overused thing is when Clark is on red K in alot of the fics he calls himself Kal. The fics based on the time he ran away to Metropolis and called himself Kal, makes sense, but that was the only time he called himself Kal while on red K. In fan fiction it has become clichéd. It is as if instead of just losing his inhabitions and having a lower morality, he becomes a totally different personality, and even refers to Clark as his alter ego. A few AU red K stories like this can be a fun "what if" exploration, but this has become the norm in fan fic.
        I did this in the one fic I wrote with Clark under the Red-K influence. My reasoning was that - at this stage - Clark cannot embrace who he is while under the influence. Part of what allows him to cut loose and let go, so to speak, is him disengaging with himself and calling himself Kal. A person who is not Clark Kent or Kal-El, but rather an odd mixture of the two. He can embrace all his powers (in fact, revel in them) but he cannot bring himself to be 'good' because, deep down, he doesn't want to. He wants to be bad and he wants to be reckless. And adopting the Kal persona allows him to do with less guilt. Although my Clark did struggle with guilt and his feelings for Lois while under Red-K.
        Last edited by eas; 02-01-2008, 02:53 PM. Reason: Automerged Doublepost

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        • #34
          Eas, I don't think I have read anything of yours as yet, (after several bad clich`ed expierences I tended to avoid Clois fics) so I went to your profile and found (Wonder Woman/Red-K Clark/Clois) I read the first chapter and it was very good and drew me in so as I find time I will continue to read it.

          I enjoy the Clark/Lois interaction on Smallville, but the movie versions of Lois usually annoyed me; But than again the movie versions of Clark were sometimes also kind of annoying and lame. Dorky nerdy guys in big glasses just has zero sex appeal.

          A good writer (such as yourself) can even make the dreaded Clana enjoyable.

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          • #35
            [QUOTE=eas;3571178]Really? You think so?

            I've read a lot of Clois fics where Clark is an exceptionally strong male lead and - in fact - I think that the Lois Lane character brings out his strengths more than the other female leads.

            Because if you're going off of SV continuity, Clark can actually snippy and sarcastic with Lois, while he doesn't have that relationship with Lana and Chloe. And most (well written) Clois fics I've read tend to play out that playfulness and banter in their relationship.

            Unless you're thinking about fics based in the future DP/Clark Kent/Superman setting, in which case I think the writers are basing Clark's characterization on comics/movies/mythos. Clark = meek guy and Superman = manly strong hero.

            Then again, I don't know what your yardstick is... I try to write Clark as a strong male lead in all my fics, but maybe you thought he came across as whipped?


            Thank you - finally someone who agrees that Lois can be used to bring out more strenghts in Clark than any other female lead!

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            • #36
              I also agree. I think because Clark isn't all doe-eyed about Lois (like he tends to be about Lana), in some ways he can be more completely himself with Lois. She's really the only character he's sarcastic (and later, playful) with. I like that their respect for each other grows slowly, and neither idolizes the other. It makes for a more realistic relationship.

              Something I keep wondering about the whole Superman canon - why do so few people seem to find Clark Kent attractive? I mean, here's this tall, handsome guy, who has strong values and a kind heart. Yet, in Smallville, he is only shown as generally attractive to women (other than Chloe) when he becomes a football hero. In movies, he is generally ignored and reviled. Why? Is he just shy? Geeky? What is it? And, how can we write a strong male lead while taking this role into consideration?

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              • #37
                {/QUOTE] Something I keep wondering about the whole Superman canon - why do so few people seem to find Clark Kent attractive? I mean, here's this tall, handsome guy, who has strong values and a kind heart. Yet, in Smallville, he is only shown as generally attractive to women (other than Chloe) when he becomes a football hero. In movies, he is generally ignored and reviled. Why? Is he just shy? Geeky? What is it? And, how can we write a strong male lead while taking this role into consideration?[/QUOTE]

                Because big dorky glasses, loose fitting suits, clumbsiness, akwardness, and mild mannerdness, just have no sex appeal.

                The best fan fictions I have read have been at least slightly AU because they don't take his canon characterization completely into consideration. Smallville's version of Clark Kent (other than his Lana obsession) has been pretty good. He isn't very dorky or clumbsy, and he has alot of sex appeal. However even a gorgeous guy like TW would loose much of his appeal if they dressed him in huge suits, big dorky glasses, and had him act clumbsy and awkward all the time.

                Another thing to take into consideration, is that in fiction a wholesome white bread good guy, no matter how much of a hero he is, is just characteristically boring. This is why Smallville's Lex Luthor is such a popular character. He is complicated, and has many layers. He will do something totally evil than turn around and do something Unselfish and caring. He keeps us guessing, and reflects human nature much more so than someone who will always do the right thing. Smallville has shown Clark make some wrong choices, and this has humanized him and made him more relatable and likeable.

                Strong values and a kind heart may be wonderful qualities in real life, but in fiction unless it is mixed with a few human flaws, it becomes boring, and sometimes even annoying.

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                • #38
                  Originally posted by Valerie
                  Eas, I don't think I have read anything of yours as yet, (after several bad clich`ed expierences I tended to avoid Clois fics) so I went to your profile and found (Wonder Woman/Red-K Clark/Clois) I read the first chapter and it was very good and drew me in so as I find time I will continue to read it.

                  [...]

                  A good writer (such as yourself) can even make the dreaded Clana enjoyable.
                  Thank you, that's very sweet! I've never actually written roma Clana, but I have written friendship Clana. "Wonder Woman/Red K Clark" has friendship Clana and friendship Chlark.

                  Yes, that fic is an incredibly looonngg one... and actually not my best work. It was my first attempt at fan fiction and I made a lot of rookie mistakes. I enjoyed writing it, though.

                  ----- Added 5 Minutes later -----

                  Originally posted by Smallville_Angel
                  Thank you - finally someone who agrees that Lois can be used to bring out more strenghts in Clark than any other female lead!
                  Well, I think that is the way it is given "SV" continuity. If a writer was going AU then they can easily make Clark a stronger hero even with Lana or Chloe. It's just that - within the confines of SV-verse - we've never seen Clark be snarky to Lana at all. And while he has his moments with Chloe, it's not very often & it's very slight. He treats Chloe very respectfully and kindly.

                  Now with Lois, on the other hand, he becomes down-right rude and mean. When she's rude to him, he gives as good as he gets. They both have the 'eye-roll' down to a science. He talks smack about her behind her back (something I don't like, actually) even though they've gone on record to say that they're friends.

                  In fact, he becomes so rude that it's out of character for him to do so & other characters recognize this. For example, Martha gives him many exasperated looks when he's mean to Lois, with this "I can't believe you're behaving this way" attitude.

                  I think that is why SVClois fics can focus on a stronger and more fun version of Clark Kent than any other SV pairing.

                  On the other hand, if you look at SR fics, the Clark Kent is usually a mopey, whiney and lost Clark Kent, because SRClark is like that....even with a Lois Lane in his life.
                  Last edited by eas; 02-04-2008, 09:39 AM. Reason: Automerged Doublepost

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                  • #39
                    Originally posted by eas
                    [SIZE="1"][COLOR="Silver]
                    Well, I think that is the way it is given "SV" continuity. If a writer was going AU then they can easily make Clark a stronger hero even with Lana or Chloe. It's just that - within the confines of SV-verse - we've never seen Clark be snarky to Lana at all. And while he has his moments with Chloe, it's not very often & it's very slight. He treats Chloe very respectfully and kindly.

                    Now with Lois, on the other hand, he becomes down-right rude and mean. When she's rude to him, he gives as good as he gets. They both have the 'eye-roll' down to a science. He talks smack about her behind her back (something I don't like, actually) even though they've gone on record to say that they're friends.

                    In fact, he becomes so rude that it's out of character for him to do so & other characters recognize this. For example, Martha gives him many exasperated looks when he's mean to Lois, with this "I can't believe you're behaving this way" attitude.

                    I think that is why SVClois fics can focus on a stronger and more fun version of Clark Kent than any other SV pairing.

                    On the other hand, if you look at SR fics, the Clark Kent is usually a mopey, whiney and lost Clark Kent, because SRClark is like that....even with a Lois Lane in his life.
                    I've always thought that this goes back to Lois being competitive and a fighter by nature. As well as having a third-degree black belt in an unspecified martial art, she has long practised what the Australian author Kathy Lette refers to as "tongue fu": the art of verbal combat. And just as she would enjoy sparring in the gym with another black belt, she gets a kick out of being able to trade verbal punches - as long as the other person understands that the object is to enjoy the battle, not to hurt each other. Thus, although she would like to find a nice guy for a boyfriend, a lot of them will either run away because they can't take a punch - or worse, settle for being a punch bag. Not fun at all! So, she goes for the bad boys because they tend to be up for a fight, except that they always end up hurting her, one way or another.

                    From Clark's point of view, he doesn't really know what to do initially. He doesn't realise that what appears to be pure rudeness from Lois could be part challenge, part invitation - "come and play, if you dare". When he does decide to fight back, he misjudges it - much as he might if Lois had dragged him to a karate class and made him spar with her. He doesn't know the rules, and it takes him a while to learn. Of course, this then gives the writer to develop Clark as a stronger character by showing how he learns to stand up to Lois without needing to "lash out". Both of them learn to give as good as they get without going too far and hurting each other. In essence, it's a form of intimacy that allows them to learn more about each other without having to appear vulnerable.

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                    • #40
                      The single most overused element in SV fanfiction, IMO, is the "Mary Sue."

                      For anyone who doesn't know, this is when the author attempts to make either the main character or the main character's love interest seem like the epitome of perfection and flawlessness.

                      I've read a lot of fics where the main character or the main's love interest is made out to be flawless and perfect and amazing and wonderful and intelligent and...

                      A LOT of times this seems to happen in Chloe-centric fics, but it is NOT limited to these. There are plenty of Lois/Lana/Alicia fics where this happens too.

                      Personally I think it hurts the story, because I prefer to see the characters having flaws and struggling to overcome their flaws. I think it's more interesting that way.

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                      • #41
                        I agree, but what you describe is a "cannon Sue" a Mary Sue is everything you described and more, only with an oc character rather than a cannon character.

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                        • #42
                          Originally posted by eas
                          Really? You think so?

                          I've read a lot of Clois fics where Clark is an exceptionally strong male lead and - in fact - I think that the Lois Lane character brings out his strengths more than the other female leads.

                          Because if you're going off of SV continuity, Clark can actually snippy and sarcastic with Lois, while he doesn't have that relationship with Lana and Chloe. And most (well written) Clois fics I've read tend to play out that playfulness and banter in their relationship.

                          Unless you're thinking about fics based in the future DP/Clark Kent/Superman setting, in which case I think the writers are basing Clark's characterization on comics/movies/mythos. Clark = meek guy and Superman = manly strong hero.

                          Then again, I don't know what your yardstick is... I try to write Clark as a strong male lead in all my fics, but maybe you thought he came across as whipped?
                          I agree with you - especially on the parts I've bolded. I've never written Clark as being a wimp in any of my stories and I don't plan to start now.
                          Last edited by gem65; 10-05-2011, 04:09 PM.

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                          • #43
                            Some good tips in this thread. People shouldn't confuse using these examples with overusing them. In the stories I've posted, probably my biggest aim is to stay true to the characters as they've been realised on the show. I want people to read my stuff, recognise and be able to visualise Tom, Erica, Allison or whoever do or say these things while in character. If that means writing them moping a little, being confused often, eye-rolls, throwing around the nickname 'Smallville' or whatever, I'll do it if it fits the narrative.

                            I've read a number of fics here and elsewhere to get an idea of how to (and how not to) write as well as getting an idea of what people like to read, and one of the common lines that irked me in a lot of these fics is Lois telling whoever (usually Clark) that she's a big girl and can take care of herself. It's almost verbatim in all these fics. The other bothersome thing is Lois & Clark going from mutual antagonism and annoyance to lovey-dovey at the flick of a switch. It skews the stories and makes them sappy to such an extent you don't recognise the characters any more.

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                            • #44
                              I think a lot of those gets overused, is because the writers are just trying to stay true to the characters by copying what they see on TV.

                              And face it, some characters tend to act like they only have a single outfit in their wardrobe, like Clark. Lana wore A LOT of pink in early seasons, and even had this pink monstrosity of a sweater that she wore often.
                              Click image for larger version

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                              Likewise another cliche is to comment on how much purple Lex Luthor likes wearing.... and he did wear a lot of purple in early seasons too.


                              So to me this is just good-natured ribbing and something of a in-joke for fans. It does get old seeing fanfics where they comment on the outfits a lot.

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                              • #45
                                I don't know if I tend to 'overuse' certain elements in my fics. All I can say to justify that use is that I am trying to stay true to what I believe about the characters, even if the plot itself is AU. But here's a couple of points I'd like to address. Yes, there are times when Clark can be seen as weak in some respects but in many cases it's because he lacks confidence in himself. I never really liked the BDA kind of portrayal but there were times when the lack of consistency in his character frustrated me no end. I try and aim for more consistency in the character when I write him.

                                Second, I do in some of my Clois stories have Lois saying: 'I'm a big girl' because to me that reflects who she is. She isn't some damsel in distress and never has been in my view and Clark's tendency to be over-protective, as well as Chloe's tendency to do the same thing, would be a great source of frustration for Lois. Don't get me wrong. I love Chloe, but the way she was written, esp in the last two or three seasons, she really did tend to be over-protective to the point of being a little over-bearing.

                                I try to be realistic in my stories when it comes to the relationship between Clark and Lois, which is also why my stories are more 'plotty' than just focusing on the romance. I don't know whether I make them too 'lovey-dovey' but ... whatever.

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