Writing OELNs

[Hans.Trondheim]

Well, yeah, in connection to @Eldoria 's thread yesterday about feedback, someone ( @rileykifer ) gave me some rules in English writing I previously don't know. Tis helpful, though I suddenly remembered, I'm writing OELN-style novels.

Original English Light Novels, or OELN, from what I understand are novels styled after the famous Japanese Light Novels (JPLNs) though with noticeable non-Japanese characters and setting. I don't know if my definition is correct, but from my experience, lotsa JPLNs and OELNs are written differently from English novels. One of these differences (I observed) is the heavy use of dialogue to show what's going on, in contrast to the latter, which features more non-dialogue-based actions on the part of the characters.

I often get flagged by AI apps like Grammarly and ProWriting Aid for this. They want me to reduce the percent of dialogue in my chapters, which can reach as high as 70%.

Or the relative liberty of OELN authors in telling a story, like switching of POVs in a chapter, and other stuff that would be a nightmare to an English novel editor.

Now, before you tell me, "Hans, you're one stupid mfker. Your definition of JPLN and OELN is wrong!" let me tell you that I'm an amateur novelist myself. I don't sell my opinions as fact; that's why I'm asking the forum.

So, if you are an OELN author, what else did you notice about writing OELNs that is different from traditional English writing?

 

[L1aei]

My opinion? I have fun writing in different styles. That's one of many cores inside of my reasoning to write; having fun is the biggest one. And you're allowed to play in your sandbox however you want. OELN's are a stylistic playground with the rules from traditional English novels. They don't have to sit you out of recess. The heavy dialogue, switching POV's mid-chapter, or even breaking grammar conventions, occasionally, are all toys for you to play with.

It certainly is not a crime.

So if what you wrote reads in a way that you want it to read, keeping you wanting more, then from my perspective that's more valuable than chasing some sort of percentage from narration vs. dialogue.

Also... Grammarly? ProWriting Aid? Those are flagging you? Who made them the overlords?

Look, those things are not telling you what's wrong, they're giving you a nudge towards some standard of readability. They ain't dictators of stories, so they shouldn't be spoiling your fun experimenting with all those wonderful narrative forms. I mean, we play outside to exercise; what you're doing is stretching your creative muscles.

Puff out that chest, flex them fingers, and keep digging in that sandbox; nobody pissed in it, so why move on?

 

[Hans.Trondheim]

My opinion? I have fun writing in different styles. That's one of many cores inside of my reasoning to write; having fun is the biggest one. And you're allowed to play in your sandbox however you want. OELN's are a stylistic playground with the rules from traditional English novels. They don't have to sit you out of recess. The heavy dialogue, switching POV's mid-chapter, or even breaking grammar conventions, occasionally, are all toys for you to play with.

It certainly is not a crime.

So if what you wrote reads in a way that you want it to read, keeping you wanting more, then from my perspective that's more valuable than chasing some sort of percentage from narration vs. dialogue.

Also... Grammarly? ProWriting Aid? Those are flagging you? Who made them the overlords?

Look, those things are not telling you what's wrong, they're giving you a nudge towards some standard of readability. They ain't dictators of stories, so they shouldn't be spoiling your fun experimenting with all those wonderful narrative forms. I mean, we play outside to exercise; what you're doing is stretching your creative muscles.

Puff out that chest, flex them fingers, and keep digging in that sandbox; nobody pissed in it, so why move on?

Oh right. I forgot this one...I should enjoy writing in my style.