Writing Dark stories vs. Edgy stories

[Gryphon]

I've seen this discussion popping up time and time again across many different sites with many different layers to the discussion. I've seen people say that there are no such thing as edgy stories, only stories that show the real world. I've seen people say that dark and edgy is one and the same, which is simply not the case. As a fan of writing and reading darker stories, I can help others differentiate the difference of darkness and edginess within stories.

Now the major difference of each type is how they approach their world. Both worlds of dark and edge have a common similarity between them. They're really shitty to live in. Crime, death, and disease is not but a commodity in the daily lives of the characters that inhabit the world. However, the genres approach their worlds much differently than the other.

Dark stories will introduce the reader to the bleak world, and then say there's something better waiting just out of reach. Edgy stories will introduce the bleak world, then relish in the darkness. Characters in dark stories will try to reach a better future, while characters in edgy stories will thrive in their dark world and not do anything to fix the problems despite complaining about the darkness of the world over and over again. Ever wondered how to tell the difference from a dark and edgy story. Just ask yourself this. Do the characters say these lines regularly, with minor differences:

• There's nothing certain in this world except death
• Everything's meaningless and has no values
• Please love me Dad

Then, you, my friends, have found yourself an edgy story. Though, it could just be an edgy character in a dark story, which can work. As a protagonist? Probably not as well as you may think, but a side character, or better yet a villain would make those types of characteristics work wonders. A dark world would have characters that hope for something better, so having your main character spouting these lines unironically would be an antithesis to what the story would try to accomplish, which would make it an edgy story.

Here's the same lines, but if they were said in a genuinely dark story:

• There's nothing certain in this world, but if peace is an uncertainty, then wouldn't that mean its possible
• Everything's meaningless, but I still cherish what I believe in
• I hate my Dad and want his affection, but there's better things to do then focusing on petty familial drama for the thousandth time in a row that has no value to my character arc or overall plot progression.

Dark stories will make the characters fight tooth and nail for the prospect of a better future, but it would always be possible.

Well then what about Grimdark? Well, Grimdark is kind of the middle child of darkness and edginess. I get why people are put off on writing and reading it, since its got so much edge in it, while having genuinely dark moments that aren't even close to edgy. It's a genre that offers hope, but won't ever let hope be the endgoal of the characters. It's a whole mess that I don't want to get into here, but just know that its a whole lot harder to write than either Dark or Edgy stories since there's a lot more you'd have to take into consideration.

If you want some good examples of dark stories to take inspiration from:

• Re:Zero
• Attack on Titan
• Hunter x Hunter
• Tokyo Ghoul(manga)

If you want examples of edgy stories to take inspiration from:

• Mirai Nikki
• Sword Art Online(before Alicization)
• Darwins Game
• Tokyo Ghoul(anime)

As for which type of story you think would be best for you to write? That depends on what you like to write and your primary audience. Do you like mindless killing with black and white morals, and without thinking of bigger implications just so you can have a good time? Then write or read edgy stories. Do you like stories that'll delve into uncomfortable places, where humanity is shown at their peak and fall? Then give some darker stories a try.

 

[RepresentingWrath]

As a fan of writing and reading darker stories, I can help others differentiate the difference of darkness and edginess within stories.

I only trust based people. There is only one based person on this forum, and it's not you, so everything you wrote is fundamentally untrue. Get based enough before starting such discussions.

 

[Deleted member 42060]

Everyone starts edgy, and they slowly become “condescendingly wholesome” like “Oh, my story is fucked-up, but the characters are wholesome and not acting edgy!” Like Berserk. Berserk is the perfect example of “wholesome dark” and not “edgy dark.”

I feel like edginess is equivalent to “having no substance.” Dumb fun, but there’s no value. With wholesome dark stories, at least you get to learn about humanity, and that there’s opportunity in every crisis. Redo of Healer may be edgier than Berserk, but Berserk is more fucked-up yet weirdly wholesome and substantial.

 

[Erysion]

As for which type of story you think would be best for you to write?

The type with most bloodsheds.

 

[greyblob]

>good examples of dark stories
>re:zero

 

[Gryphon]

The type with most bloodsheds.

edgy is for you then. Now get out there soldier and let the blood form a fountain.

 

[CupcakeNinja]

I only trust based people. There is only one based person on this forum, and it's not you, so everything you wrote is fundamentally untrue. Get based enough before starting such discussions.

aw thanks, Sai

 

[Askun]

I saw most revenge story as edgy story by your definition. Get revenge only satisfied a person emotionally. But not all revenge story is like that. It depends on the protagonist path of revenge. Redo Healer is probably a good example for a revenge edgy story. While Rising of Shields Hero is what you called dark. Both are revenge story, but take entirely different path.

Same with psychological and tragedy story.

So in the end, what I got from you explanation is; As long there's hope, the story is dark. XD sounds wrong to me...

 

[Gryphon]

I saw most revenge story as edgy story by your definition. Get revenge only satisfied a person emotionally. But not all revenge story is like that. It depends on the protagonist path of revenge. Redo Healer is probably a good example for a revenge edgy story. While Rising of Shields Hero is what you called dark. Both are revenge story, but take entirely different path.

Same with psychological and tragedy story.

So in the end, what I got from you explanation is; As long there's hope, the story is dark. XD sounds wrong to me...

Well revenge stories don't have to be edgy or dark. Like I wouldn't call Rising of the Shield Hero a dark fantasy. Yeah its got death, government corruption, and slavery, but that doesn't necessarily make a story dark. One Piece has the same things, but I wouldn't call it a dark story. It all depends on tone. Same thing with psychological stories. They don't necessarily have to be edgy or dark either, though tragedy will practically always fall in one or the other.

 

[Askun]

Rising of the Shield Hero a dark fantasy

The Shield hero story is dark the more you know it, is basically an Anime version of Marvel Universe Incursion. Two worlds battling each other for survival. Saving the world means destroying another, if that is not dark enough?

 

[Zirrboy]

IMO you have the cases set to be too narrow. Edgy focuses on the misgivings while dark shows how the characters deal with it.
A story about people who have given up and fight the regret doesn't sound necessarily edgy to me while it would be by your rule.

But I think ultimately the deciding factor is whether or not you can relate to them. Whether you feel like the author tries forcing you to care about what the characters suffer through.

 

[CarburetorThompson]

It’s all a matter of personal of opinion what is edgy or just dark.

 

[TheEldritchGod]

I only trust based people. There is only one based person on this forum, and it's not you, so everything you wrote is fundamentally untrue. Get based enough before starting such discussions.

Stop. You're making me blush.

It’s all a matter of personal of opinion what is edgy or just dark.

Ehhh... no.
There are ways to objectively measure things that appear subjective. This is a copout. "Reality is subjective, so I don't have to try!"

Wait...

Are you just trying to be edgy?

Is this some sort of meta example?

 

[SakeVision]

some people will call anything remotely dark "edgy". It's a meaningless buzzword meant to diss what you don't like, or have fun in self-deprecating way if you're referring to your own works

 

[CarburetorThompson]

To some Warhammer 40k is a grim dark masterpiece of storytelling. To others it is just an edgy pile of skulls, body horror, and guns, held together by mass produced books and over priced toys. There is no PH scale to tell when something is actually not quite dark enough so it’s just edgy.
@TheEldritchGod

 

[Gryphon]

The Shield hero story is dark the more you know it, is basically an Anime version of Marvel Universe Incursion. Two worlds battling each other for survival. Saving the world means destroying another, if that is not dark enough?

That just sounds like a plot. What makes something actually dark is the tone. I didn't go into what makes something dark or not here since that wasn't the point of what I was talking about. The Rising of the Shield Hero's tone is more akin to pure High Fantasy rather than Dark Fantasy. You want to see what Dark Fantasy actually looks like, just read Berserk or Vagabond.

Think about it. If you didn't know Berserk, and someone just said it was about a dude fighting demons, would that actually scream dark to you? Hunter x Hunter is a Dark Shounen Fantasy, but the tone at the start is pretty tame and laid back, which is why the shift at the Chimera Ant arc hits so much harder compared to the rest of the series. But if I were to explain the plot to you as, 10 year old kid fights for his life to become a licensed killer, that would sound darker than Berserk, despite the actual story being much tamer.

 

[Askun]

That just sounds like a plot. What makes something actually dark is the tone. I didn't go into what makes something dark or not here since that wasn't the point of what I was talking about. The Rising of the Shield Hero's tone is more akin to pure High Fantasy rather than Dark Fantasy. You want to see what Dark Fantasy actually looks like, just read Berserk or Vagabond.

Well, I come to know Shield Hero from the author's other novels. It never get serialize and is still Web Novel to this day. The character of that novel becomes the antagonist in Shield Hero. If I remember correctly, Shield Hero suppose to be spin of first, but end up popular so it becomes the main story. The original main story is still already abandoned. Well, that's beside the point. I consider mentioning Shiled Hero cause you mention SAO. And my impression of Shiled Hero is still from the author novel. Not the anime, the anime suck IMO.