Fantasy?

[DeepWater]

Do you think people on SH would read a regular fantasy story that isn't an Isekai, harem, or gender bender?

 

[Representing_Tromba]

Do you think people on SH would read a regular fantasy story that isn't an Isekai, harem, or gender bender?

I would. Though I may be an outlier.

 

[Fairemont]

98% of Isekai is just regular fantasy as it is. The entire Isekai concept is mostly underused by the authors and just serves as a crutch to avoid competent world building.

Gender Bender wont make a difference if its not smut, same with Harem.

 

[expentio]

My story is none of these, and does quite well. Yet I#m not sure about the "regular".
Need to agree that isekai that absolutely doesn't contribute is rather a detriment than a positive factor of the story.
Especially, if they have to dumb down the protagonist, so it simply doesn't matter. Making the character an inhabitant of the world feels a lot more honest, yet poses the challenge of finding a motivation for the MC to be on this journey, which is a plus if done well.

 

[Empress_Omnii]

I do, though, I am of the opinion that gender can be an interesting topic in fantasy stories. But sadly, I also don't think most gender bender stories utilize their themes well.

So, yes fantasy good, but those genres don't inherently ruin fantasy.

 

[Fairemont]

Agreed.

Gender bending is just as bad as Isekai. Id consider most of the Trans-fantasy self fulfillment stories or a trans-affirming gender swap fantssy. Which, in my opinion, is perfectly acceptable but it is different than a lot of these gender bending stories sugfest they will be, as most are presented as forced swap.

The characters tend to drop right into their new life and gender with out missing a beat and barely ever struggle or consider it the wrong fit for them.

In essence, a "true" gender bending story would tend to be the anti-trans fantasy, where they want to go back rather than stay.

They are like Isekai in this manner. They tend to become a character that might as well have been a native or that gender to start with.

 

[Akaichi]

I used to read a lot of fantasy, but to tell the truth, I grew bored with them. They just play it to safe fearing angering their readers. they go from having no harems (or gender blender) and sometimes avoiding romance altogether. Adding to that, the plots and ideas of most of the good old ones are now so overused that they kinda lost their magic for me.
Sure they might have way better writing and prose than the stuff here, but, except for a few outliers, i really stopped caring about them.

 

[Corty]

Do you think people on SH would read a regular fantasy story that isn't an Isekai, harem, or gender bender?

They do. I have a successful book that is neither isekai, harem, nor gender bender, just fantasy.

 

[Deleted member 84247]

Do you think people on SH would read a regular fantasy story that isn't an Isekai, harem, or gender bender?

They do. I've done it before, and other people have too.

 

[NotaNuffian]

I'll be honest, there are times when I can't tell if the CN MC is an isekaier and will be pleasantly surprised when he isn't.

Then go back to being tired when he is just as cunty as the isekai ones.

I forgot that CN MCs are automatically a cunt.

 

[Puji-Maki]

Yes. Although I'm not sure how many

 

[RepresentingWrath]

Absolutely.

 

[Arkus86]

I certainly prefer a regular fantasy that's not harem, isekai, litrpg or anything like that. But in terms of sheer numbers, the top of the charts here is dominated by just that - harem, isekai, litrpg, smut...

 

[Fairemont]

Its not fair to include smut. People be horny.

 

[HisDivineShadow]

I'm working on a fantasy story that doesn’t really fall into the popular genres around here. It’s not exactly a big hit, it’s pretty niche, but it does have a small audience. I just haven’t found a platform yet where the genre really fits or connects with a broader readership.

Its not fair to include smut. People be horny.

Exactly. And readers only go for the chapters with scenes. I tested some things on Wattpad, it doesn’t work for me. I mean, there should be a romantic line, but… when it’s obvious that no one cares about the actual story, that just kills it. At least, I’m speaking purely from my own experience.

 

[LilRora]

To me, there is a simple answer to any of those questions. Make an interesting enough premise to attract me, a good enough story to keep me reading, and I'll happily read virtually anything I don't dislike. If you exclude isekai, harem, and gender gender, you'll cut out a significant portion of stories, but there's a lot of examples even on SH, not to mention other sites, that don't have those and are still popular.

For me specifically, the first is recently becoming a gray area, while the second has been a red flag for a very long time, so it does not change all that much for my potential selection of stories.

 

[Bartun]

I hope so. I would love it if more people read my story ?

 

[Empress_Omnii]

Agreed.

Gender bending is just as bad as Isekai. Id consider most of the Trans-fantasy self fulfillment stories or a trans-affirming gender swap fantssy. Which, in my opinion, is perfectly acceptable but it is different than a lot of these gender bending stories sugfest they will be, as most are presented as forced swap.

The characters tend to drop right into their new life and gender with out missing a beat and barely ever struggle or consider it the wrong fit for them.

In essence, a "true" gender bending story would tend to be the anti-trans fantasy, where they want to go back rather than stay.

They are like Isekai in this manner. They tend to become a character that might as well have been a native or that gender to start with.

Don't want to derail the thread, but I don't agree with a character wanting to transition back to be anti trans.

It is still a story of someone not comfortable in their own body being forced to transition. So long as it doesn't imply that sex is the inherent cause of the characters identity, it isn't anti-trans. Instead, it might be an easier to understand perspective than someone just being okay with the forced gender bend.

 

[Fairemont]

Don't want to derail the thread, but I don't agree with a character wanting to transition back to be anti trans.

It is still a story of someone not comfortable in their own body being forced to transition. So long as it doesn't imply that sex is the inherent cause of the characters identity, it isn't anti-trans. Instead, it might be an easier to understand perspective than someone just being okay with the forced gender bend.

Either youre replying to someone else but quoted me, I missed something somewhere, or you misunderstood what I meant.

Nothing I said suggested anything is anti-trans. I think...

 

[Empress_Omnii]

Nothing I said suggested anything is anti-trans. I think...

But...

In essence, a "true" gender bending story would tend to be the anti-trans fantasy, where they want to go back rather than stay.

Is this not exactly what was said?