These days I found myself researching magical realism and low fantasy. They kind of affected my current writing style actually. Also, I'm getting myself away fron mainstream genres nowadays (in web). I don't know why maybe I just have to take a break from them? (e.g. xianxia, wuxia, xuanhuan, litrpg, systems, reincarnations). I think I got tired of face-slapping young masters, poof here, woosh there, and senseless harem (not to generalize but most of what I've read).
I'm broke af too (XD)... so I prefer web-based series'. Anywhere but I would much appreciate it more if it can be found here in SH or your own series. No translated please.
This things might help too. I like crafting, alchemy/chemistry, mythology, monsters, ancient civilizations, fast-paced action with reasonable deaths, supernatural. Something sensible or mysterious but engaging.
Thank you in advance Scribblers~
Post your comments and suggestions below.
I have something actually original going on.
Paradise City: Dark Side of the Moon
I want to set expectations, though. This is not for the faint of heart; this book is truly challenging. It has a unique narrative style built more like a script, with only sensory inputs from the active character as narration in the text. Each chapter has 1.3 songs (minimum 1) to listen to, and the text of these songs is an integral layer of the narration. It informs on the mood, the world, or the subconscious thoughts of the MC or other characters. It also has more and more images (final goal is 2 to 5 per chapter on average... though it's a bit light right now, waiting for better tools to craft them more precisely so what's in it is a bit of a placeholder for now. Oh, and +1 image per song as cover. )
The mood is harsh, the text is not clean prose; it's more like street talk. This is the style, and it aims to create a realistic experience. The overal goal is to make people feel something, to challenge preconceptions, and I sneak in philosophical aspects that become the main theme at the end but initially it starts on a grim, gritty, and uncompromising personal cyberpunk. It's more of a psychological thriller than an action flick. If you liked Cyberpunk 2077 and Edgerunners, or the two season of Endor, it's more in that tone but without the glamour, chrome and civility. This is not a story about heroism or power fantasies. This is realistic consequences, realistic actions, and let the dominoes fall where they may. This is, however, not all edge and no point. There is hope, there is good, but you need to fight to get to it.
So yeah, if you want to try to really challenge all of your conceptions on what a book can be... I dare you to try. Will you like it? Probably not, it's a shot in the dark, really. I'm not trying for likable here, I'm trying to make people feel somehting. For them to try to parse the puzzle of truth by zeroing in on the negative space between multiple subjective perceptions of events, and to engage in empathy. If you are interested in more after the little I have here, I'm more advanced on Royal Road... just making corrections as I put it from there to here, trying to find a few readers who will truly engage with it and offer me ideas to make it more powerful.
One thing is certain: it won't be generic or boring.
Ah, the original poster is deleted and the post is old, whops... oh well, anyone looking for somehting original... this is my offering.
