Thoughts about Author inserts

[Azamukul]

So what'd y'all think of when an author inserts themselves in universe to affect characters and the plot?

Like say, for example an author makes an in universe character and writes them effecting the characters by let's say Killing their parents or making a sibling deathly ill.

 

[RepresentingWrath]

What?

 

[Azamukul]

What?

What?

 

[RepresentingWrath]

I don't understand what you mean.

 

[Azamukul]

I don't understand what you mean.

So to try and better explain it.

An author creates an OC that ...

Wait I'm so sorry I just realized that my question's fucking stupid...

Ignore me pls

 

[RepresentingWrath]

So to try and better explain it.

An author creates an OC that ...

Wait I'm so sorry I just realized that my question's fucking stupid...

Ignore me pls

 

[Azamukul]

pls no...

 

[CharlesEBrown]

As with "plot armor" and a lot of other "tricks of the trade" - when done WELL, the author self-insert is a great tool, and will either be "invisible" or only obvious to those specifically looking for it. But if not done well, it will be PAINFULLY obvious and can kill the story, or at least the reader's immersion. Use sparingly.

 

[BigBadBoi]

So to try and better explain it.

An author creates an OC that ...

Wait I'm so sorry I just realized that my question's fucking stupid...

Ignore me pls

Nah you have to live with this colossal fuck up for the rest of your life

 

[beast_regards]

Self-inserts are actually very rare outside of the fan-fiction.

They usually exist because the author didn't find the better way to affect the pre-established plot,...

Author avatars outside the fan-fiction rarely affect the plot in any meaningful way and are nothing more than the Easter egg at the side of the road, so there is no particular reason to be upset about them. 1st person narration is not a self-insert.

 

[Kalliel]

I do that as an easter egg.

 

[Azamukul]

Nah you have to live with this colossal fuck up for the rest of your life

 

[Tempokai]

Self inserts are cringe. All because in webnovels they're often Mary Sues and always some kind of powah fantasy disguised as a story. Sure, they're readable, but when you read hundreds of them, they lose the appeal. When everyone is trying to make their fanfic worlds unique without a shred of subverting the tropes, nothing is unique.

Compared to the outside the webnovels, it's almost the same. All the difference is that the ego is contained with the structure of editors, book buyers, and authors themselves knowing why not to do it, or lest you'll be like that dude who wrote "If I Did It" lol

 

[Cossimeri]

I've never written a self-insert before... but this thread actually kind of makes me want to add one lol.

Just a burned out bunny girl in a cave somewhere surrounded by empty potion bottles (a stand in for prescription medication). She's got ink-covered fingers and just so much parchment (most of it balled up and thrown away). She'll cry to the protagonist about how overworked she is and how she's got carpel tunnel... until the protagonist just nopes out and pretends she never met her.

 

[Azamukul]

I've never written a self-insert before... but this thread actually kind of makes me want to add one lol.

Just a burned out bunny girl in a cave somewhere surrounded by empty potion bottles (a stand in for prescription medication). She's got ink-covered fingers and just so much parchment (most of it balled up and thrown away). She'll cry to the protagonist about how overworked she is and how she's got carpel tunnel... until the protagonist just nopes out and pretends she never met her.

YES! Probs have em be the crazy rambler who no one pays any mind to.

I'd read that

 

[RepresentingCaution]

Doesn't everyone do that?

 

[Azamukul]

Self inserts are cringe. All because in webnovels they're often Mary Sues and always some kind of powah fantasy disguised as a story. Sure, they're readable, but when you read hundreds of them, they lose the appeal. When everyone is trying to make their fanfic worlds unique without a shred of subverting the tropes, nothing is unique.

Compared to the outside the webnovels, it's almost the same. All the difference is that the ego is contained with the structure of editors, book buyers, and authors themselves knowing why not to do it, or lest you'll be like that dude who wrote "If I Did It" lol

I was thinking more along the lines of the author inserting an OC rather than some boring reader insert.

But I do agree those kind of self inserts are mega gae and so not sigma (I'm sorry I just had to say it TnT)

Doesn't everyone do that?

From what I've seen nope

 

[Deleted member 84247]

Self inserts are cringe. All because in webnovels they're often Mary Sues and always some kind of powah fantasy disguised as a story. Sure, they're readable, but when you read hundreds of them, they lose the appeal. When everyone is trying to make their fanfic worlds unique without a shred of subverting the tropes, nothing is unique.

Compared to the outside the webnovels, it's almost the same. All the difference is that the ego is contained with the structure of editors, book buyers, and authors themselves knowing why not to do it, or lest you'll be like that dude who wrote "If I Did It" lol

Remind me of every author that writes out of spite, ending up like every other author who wrote out of spite. I'm glad that wasn't my motivation. I won't say my story isn't generic, but I actually like writing these things.

 

[Valmond]

Remind me of every author that writes out of spite, ending up like every other author who wrote out of spite. I'm glad that wasn't my motivation. I won't say my story isn't generic, but I actually like writing these things.

 

[expentio]

I sometimes fear my characters in "Eldritch" inserted me into their story. The main issue is, I still don't know the conclusion, since as of yet nothing happened.

On a slightly unrelated note, I'd say all of my characters base on a trait of mine that I can understand. I simply use that feature and have that aligned to their character