How to make a Popular Tiktok book

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[@historybehindthemyth9892]

5:08 It's not "Romani people" but "Roma people", from the Sanskrit word डोम Doma, meaning drummer, since the Roma were musicians and singers from the Dalit caste, the lowest one in Hinduism. The Roma were discriminated against in their own country of origin, India, way before they fled forced conversion to follow Muhammad, after the followers of Islam conquered Northern India circa 1000 AD. No Roma person I know calls themselves Romani, but Roma, Romani is a Western thing to confuse the Eastern European Romanians (called of the Roman conquest of Dacia in Antiquity) with Indian Roma people.

[@marianatheschizoid5912]

It’s funny cause there’s a bunch of smut with magical creatures freely available in fanfic sites on the internet yet somehow these authors still make a shit load of money.

[@SerabiiBot]

But fanfics are for stinky dirty mother's basement nerds who never go outside and are chronically online, while porn--I mean, ~romantasy~ is for cultured women who are very cool and have impeccable taste.

[@Hawkatana]

A lot of the people who read these books think they're too good for fanfiction.

[@PlatinumAltaria]

You can see boobs in your imagination yet porn exists. Truly we are a wild species.

[@Cas-Se78.97]

@@Hawkatanaor feel guilty about reading smut, but the same level of smut in a novel is perfectly fine because… sophistication or something

[@Bongobert]

I‘ve been saying it for years: people who read nothing but "spicy books" are the people who didn‘t read enough unholy smut fanfiction on AO3 when they were 15.

[@Hawkatana]

This is why I'm glad the message I took from Iron Widow was "the children yearn for the battlefield (and also giant robots)".

[@darkojan14]

also its ok to have a han chinese and a mongolian bf at the same time

[@harderlarder1939]

reverse shinji

[@maddiedoesntkno]

They crave the mineral (iron)

[@Hawkatana]

@@harderlarder1939 Tbf, the Evas aren't robots.

[@datubbyhoneybadger4223]

Also that love triangles that are actual love triangles are based.

[@OrangeHand]

"It's not smut, it's romantasy!"

[@VinnieMF]

Romantussy

[@Hyperversum3]

I'll take that anytime over it just being "fantasy". Sorry not sorry, it's not the same fucking thing as "all the rest of fantasy"

[@randomchannel323]

The twitch boob streamers of fiction

[@VexJinks]

@@Hyperversum3 Coom brain women when good books don't have porn in them.

[@VexJinks]

@@Hyperversum3 Coom brain women when a good book doesn't have smut in it.

[@philipcollins90]

“A bowl of Mac and cheese” actually sounds like a pretty good title for some confusing surrealist book, feels like something that would make you wonder how it would tie into the book like a clockwork orange for example

[@JellyOnAPancakeAyyyy]

My story will be titled as Cookies and Strawberries, how about that? 😂 (it’s gonna be a tragic fantasy romance)

[@gimmeyourrights8292]

How bout Honeycomb?

[@shooey-mcmoss]

or the plot starts because initial dialog of interests was caused by this bowl. Like, two folks beating the shit out of each other and then either becoming rivals or friends(what? The latter worked with Sigmar and Gorkamorka!), and reason of conflict is their stress, aggressive tendencies and/or hunger, all caused because arguing over that bowl got too far. If you wanna write *an actual romance*, two of our main characters(hey, maybe you arent into just male-female relationship) can order singular portion of macaroni with cheese for each other independently, but for some reason orders got messed up and they have a reason to notice each other - instead of two identical size bowls they have a double bowl. Which means they gonna eat from a single bowl

[@WonderHare]

"600 pages, single-spaced three-point font, comic sans" killed me

[@teslashark]

Homestuck!

[@s2lLandals2]

"like Isekai, but for girls" is a very good summarization

[@Psi-alpha]

I find it hilarious that despite trying to aggresively distinguish itself from "women's fiction", bad books aimed at men are usually just this same stuff but with guns

[@Jane_8319]

FOR REAL.

[@Pilgrim98]

Without fairies but with demons or aliens as an endless fodder of enemies to kill(wich to be fair is fun)

[@Tail_sez]

That's awesome! I thought that almost all published lemons were written with women in mind. And honestly, if I didn't already read so much fanfiction, as a scifi fan, that would be right up my alley...I mean a friend's alley.

[@jaiveonwatts2195]

It might have magic if it's an isekai light novel.

[@santoshaveera7084]

Ready Player One… i have much beef with that book and it’s success

[@thewookieemaestro]

In my upcoming BookTok bestseller, "A Mist of Piss and Shaving Cream", middle-aged protagonist Harry Kravitz leads a bloody coup against the matriarchal prom committee. The opening escape scene from his straightjacket technically makes this romantasy.

[@sidepunch]

[@sidepunch]

lmao 😂🤣🤣🤣

[@eneyavorodecky]

This sounds interesting

[@imaginieiota6298]

Bruh put your money where your mouth is and publish it 😂😂😂

[@thewookieemaestro]

@@imaginieiota6298 Dude, this joke would not work past two sentences.

[@verycuteanimal301]

that part about only certain words being used for titles is so real if i see another 'of iron and bone' or 'court of fury and blood' or 'thief of ash' i will throw up

[@nicole7884]

The Iron Fury Bone Thief of a court of blood ash

[@Leche_fran]

@@nicole7884 I accidentally read “Fury” as “Furry” .

[@nicole7884]

@@Leche_fran the iron furry bone....that's an image

[@sapphh8]

@@nicole7884HELP?? 😭

[@shooey-mcmoss]

Brass Fortress As a novel name, you shut-in

[@MrDowntemp0]

I wrote the Bone of Blood and Flame, but my editor renamed it to Barren Syphilis

[@worm2976]

Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome to the stage...

[@SecretSynth]

James channelling his inner Terrible Writing Advice

[@Nivalyr]

Terrible Writing Advice for shitty books, Great Financial Advice for shitty books

[@herbertschulz4313]

I miss terrible writing advice

[@billavanilla956]

@@herbertschulz4313what happened to them?

[@Aidan-r3w]

@@billavanilla956we don’t know he just left we are waiting for him to return

[@constantinwilliams9388]

Currently on a six-month hiatus

[@jimmyseaver3647]

I'm pretty sure the only reason the Fairies haven't conquered these worlds is because they're all busy realizing how beautiful they are and just spending their days boinking one another in mindless fashion like it's, ahh, "cultured anime content".

[@merrittanimation7721]

The human realms sacrifice hot single women regularly so they're too busy fighting over them to remember how powerful they are

[@jimmyseaver3647]

@@merrittanimation7721 That also works.

[@Yanxie]

I read that as "cultured anime convention" for some reason, and honestly, felt just as real LMAO

[@jessilynallendilla5014]

if the fairies are human size super pretty and magical why not just make them elves

[@SpinDuality]

I liked the type of reads where the fairies are just faes and are terrifying asf. People need to realize how scary fairies can be, it'll make for good horror stories.

[@k.g.7591]

1. Main protagonist is poor. 2. There is a tyrannical power and a quiet, scattered secretive rebel faction. 3. There is a love triangle between the young girl protagonist, a kind hunky guy and a brooding hunky guy. 4. There is a race of magic users and non magic users 5. The magic users can usually be fit into some sort of color coded filing system. 6. It is revealed, usually to the protagonist, that the protagonist is a magic user. 7. The love triangle will usually have one love interest work for the bad guys and the other work for or end up working for the rebels. 8. The protagonist will end up working for the tyrannical ruler, typically to spy on them and undermine them. 9. There is a tournament or set of trials to win something and people will end up dead in or around this tournament. Bonus points if it’s a death game. 10. There will be a hunt for macguffins. 11. The main character will gain a new role that comes with newfound clout. Numbers 9 and 10 usually happen in the story over all but not in every individual book. Extra bonus points if the tournament involves collecting macguffins. If you take out the female protagonist part, Harry Potter also does all of these.

[@nicole7884]

Harry Potter wasn't poor though. Maybe we can add a 'rich kid' subgenre?

[@jasminv8653]

​@@nicole7884 but he grew up poor

[@nicole7884]

@@jasminv8653 A fair point But he became rich at 11? I would still consider that a child?

[@Not_Kiz]

you forgot that the protagonist has the most powerful magic powers can control them immediately and forgets that they have them 1 page later and never actualy use them to solve their problems

[@jasminv8653]

@@nicole7884 sure but if you want to discuss fictional characters as if they're real people, the childhood social risk assesments that look at long-term lasting effects of family poverty, parental alcoholism etc., it very much begins before primary school. OR we can just accept that harry having a lot of secret money in an antisemitic bank vault that can only be used for magic things on a magical high street is a plot tool in a children's fantasy book series, and not an actual expression of a real person's generational wealth. There are a lot worse issues in later books and rowling's present politics re: countless social issues, but for its time and british context, the harry potter setting is surprisingly critical of english classism.

[@betsythigpen4453]

Finally, someone mentioned the "_________ of ________ of _________" title pattern! That drives me crazy! It's like a game of Mad Libs where you can only put in edgy words.

[@mirimariana]

Always Roses, blood, ash, thorns, bones, fire. Some edgy shit like that.

[@Green-3c34y65vrbu]

@@mirimariana they should use cuter words instead. that would catch my eye more lol.

[@mirimariana]

@@Green-3c34y65vrbu 'A Court of Rainbow and Flowers' 👉🏾👈🏾🥺

[@gamejunky6345]

The interesting part about it is that they’re more visceral words but not *too* much, definitely catered to an audience that wants the aesthetic of deep stories with realistic interpersonal drama, but not the actual thing.

[@breakfasttequila]

I've noticed that pattern too, but at this point you're just hating

[@Arkonu]

I hope Prince Hotnsexy has a change of heart and joins the rebels fighting against his uncle General Maimkill! But what if Edgy Reggie finds out that Prince Hotnsexy has feelings for the main protag? LOVE TRIANGLE! OOOOO! Spicy! :B

[@code_fishm]

“Edgy Reggie” lol

[@Aewon84]

I think Prince Hotnsexy and Edgy Reggie should get together. Problem solved. No love triangle.

[@shooey-mcmoss]

Reggie? I think he's gonna commit some warcrimes instead

[@BagelBagelBagelBa]

i will make this real

[@Lr.Laecro.Lirus3445]

I only fear, that most Tik Tok-book authors won't watch this video as it's more than 15 seconds long.

[@OwlEye2010]

Hunger Games clones, Twilight clones, Game of Thrones clones, and now TikTok book clones. Isekai clones are next on the list, aren't they?

[@verycuteanimal301]

if you're including anime, isekai clones were utterly dominating the genre for like 7+ years now and its unbearable

[@abitsourrrrsorry4885]

You forgot the Dune clones

[@Prototype-357]

@@abitsourrrrsorry4885 Star Wars?

[@RoosSkywalker]

​@@abitsourrrrsorry4885 That sounds good? But then again it will just devolve into smut anyway.

[@mateuszbanaszak4671]

There can't be isekai clones, because the last 5 years were already like non-stop copying of a single DNA sample.

[@Murmarine]

I feel like the people who read these books got a hold of any other fantasy series with a bit of world building, they'd all combust in flames.

[@PlatinumAltaria]

I ship generic fantasy erotica and generic power fantasy. Their child will be the one who was promised, the destroyer of worldbuilding.

[@Ellisepha]

I've barely been reading fantasy in recent years, even though it's my favourite genre, because these cookie-cutter "female heroine with love triangle must overthrow evil government" clones have dominated the genre. Then I read Gideon the Ninth. Technically it's Scifi (tho imo it's more akin to Fantasy, but in space), but OH LY GOD that book has been a breath of fresh air. Interesting worldbuilding and magic system. Diverse, complicated characters. A protagonist that ISN'T a wet piece of bread and an actually believeable enemies/rivals to lovers story. The sequels aren't that up my alley (I just dislike some parts of Tamzyn Muir's writing style), but I still highly recommend the The Locked Tomb series. It forces the reader to actually think and theorize about the story it tells.

[@Kaanfight]

The virgin tiktok writinh fantasy because they want to write smut vs the Chad Tolkien writing fantasy because he really really wanted to show off this cool language he made

[@gabz49242]

They often hit a book that asks you to pay attention/think about things/makes you wait for gratification and call it boring because they...had to try? I belong to a book club where we rotate genres, and a lot of people think non-fiction/historical are the "boring" genres because it's slightly more difficult to understand. I look forward to those because it's one of the times we get to discuss something that isn't mindless, because last time we had to pick a fantasy/sci-fi, a lot of people just wanted to read Fourth Wing.

[@Murmarine]

@@gabz49242 Out of any and fantasy or sci-fi books, if someone brought up Fourth Wing, I'd just leave. I am all for discussion, God forbid I am not, but Fourth Wing is actual suffering to read through. Makes me want to do what I did in fourth grade and just look up a short version on the internet.

[@philisiwenzimande1343]

1. Shadow Magic is a must. 2. Parents don't exist (they are all dead or really terrible people.) 3. Insta-Love (there is no basis for these two people to be together but Romance is a must). 4. Swords, Crossbows and daggers are the only weapons of choice. 5. Have a random death competition (it does not fit in the world but its a great plot device) 6. Make sure to remind the female protagonist that she has agency "it's her choice" after all. NB: They are all mated, even the cats and the dogs.

[@oneinathousand2156]

I hate how many recent books just rattle off a bunch of their tropes in a list in their promos like “enemies to lovers”, “redemption arc”, “only one bed” etc., if I wanted to read a bunch of trope lists I’ll just read TV Tropes all day.

[@idontneedaname318]

Likw if i wmated to eead books by trope id hop on ao3

[@gergelyritter4412]

@idontneedaname318 Are you okay brother? Did you have an aneurysm?

[@HyperWraithAL]

@@gergelyritter4412they died

[@hydegaylord7286]

“Are you ready for your fantasy writing lessons?” *Sarah J. Maas gulps* *Rebecca Yarros breathes heavily* *Leigh Bardugo nods nervously* *Victoria Aveyard sighs* “Yes, James Tullos” they say in unison

[@Kaanfight]

Then they formed a love triangle and overthrew an autocratic reigime

[@zerotech8938]

Hey, don't talk about my girl leigh like that, six of crow was my jam

[@larynadams1127]

I need an explanation for Six of Crows bc i do plan to check it out

[@zerotech8938]

@@larynadams1127 with out getting into too much detail, six of crow is a continuation to the shadow and bone trilogy and the first in a duology (followed by crooked kingdom). it tells the tail of a lieutenant for a gang boss who had his life taken away from him by a con man and thus vowed to eventually return the favor. he grew up to be the most feared member in his gang and one of the most dangerous criminals in his city single handedly lifting the status of his gang "the dregs"(aka the crow club). the story stars when him and his gang gets a job to kidnap a vip being held prisoner in another country, a mission that will either have their names cemented as the best of the best, or lead them all to their deaths. its not a must to read the trilogy before starting on it, but it leads to a better experience.

[@larynadams1127]

@@zerotech8938 why was it lumped in with SJM?

[@RushedAnimation]

“I know writers who use subtext and they're all cowards.”

[@nonessentialfungus]

BRB gotta write my future bestseller YA fantasy novel Court of Blood and Roses and Mists of the Throne of the Thorns and Glass of Ruins and Kingdom of Ice and Fury. The main character is Khlamydia, an underestimated young lady from the lower echelons of society who's half human, half elf, and half fae and who winds up in a love triangle between two attractive but equally vapid male love interests (one of whom is a thinly-veiled copy of Draco Malfoy).

[@RBEmpathy]

Honestly, I'd buy a copy and read it. Awesome prompt you got there.

[@alejandrochalco6893]

You had me laughing out loud at the overly long title and by the end of the paragraph I could barely breath in between laughs. Good work

[@KateeAngel]

As a biologist if I wrote interspecies romance half of the book would be detailed description of genetic and phenotypic properties of different hybrids with tables, graphs and statistical analysis 😂

[@worm2976]

​@@KateeAngelI WANT THAT ACTUALLY . POV OF A GENETICIST /EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGIST IN A WORLD WHERE EVERY KINGDOM IS A DIFFERENT ROMANTASY

[@KateeAngel]

​@@worm2976the researcher who tries to get through boring court gossip about who is with who, in order to get to the bottom of things 😂

[@wavecentral]

James! Stop procrastinating! Put down everything and write a novel with you as a self insert magic-using teenage ninja spy orphan of royal blood who has a farie fetish. Bonus points for how many love triangles you can work into each chapter. I’ve even got a name - Red Death Farie Palace. A future best seller awaits!

[@anica2112]

Sad thing is I can see someone write this unironically and earn millions

[@meisterschwert5565]

This sounds like a shitpost manga

[@marciliojunior9599]

@@anica2112 Play your cards right, find the right audience, and you're set for life.

[@Matoelukka]

Hmm, would probably sell better if you reorganized the title a bit🤔 How about "Palace of death and fairies" :D ?

[@giovannimartin3239]

"A palace of death and fairies"

[@Diamon_Boots]

I will never forgive Sarah J. Maas for making utterly terrible "fairy" "romance" books. All I want is good fairy romance books but nooooo, everywhere I look it's just ACOTAR and its copycats, the market is ruined forever! CURSE YOU SARAH!

[@hopekeeley2122]

Yep I have this problem with a lot of these books where they take a concept (especially for a love interest) and make it utterly bland and boring, and then you feel like a fool for ever wanting to romance an eldritch, incomprehensible creature of the Forrest

[@nicole7884]

I dont mind Holly Black or Nora Roberts books. She has this great trilogy set in Island Jewls of the Sun.

[@hopekeeley2122]

@@nicole7884 I actually really enjoyed the folk of the air, the world building was pretty good, and the fairies designs were actually varied and interesting unlike other books.

[@RuanMei_SocietyGenius]

Romantasy books are the equivalent of power fantasy/isekai but for females, both are ruining their respective medias.

[@fruity4820]

I have no idea why she had to use 'fairies'. Back in my days the "humans but better in every way and they have magic" race were just 'elves', she could have swapped the word "fairy" with "elf" and the plot would have been unaffected

[@LightningMcCream]

How to make a popular tiktok book: Literally just describe a graphic rape scene that is super evil BUT WITH A TWIST: Hot Man.

[@KingFish__]

I find it hilarious that Brandon Sanderson does almost all of this in Mistborn book one and it works very well

[@BenDover-ih8lu]

I was looking for this comment.

[@thegnome73]

it's just as obnoxious in Mistborn, tbf. There's just enough effort put into the other things the story has going on (like metal magic and stuff with religion and messiah figures and mysticism) that most people are willing to ignore that.

[@ernestocortez5820]

Yeah I agree Vin felt like the average book Tok romantasy character, but just well executed. However, the worst of this in my opinion was with the Zane arc in book 2-it straight up felt like some enemies to lovers type shit was going to happen-thankfully Zane died and Vin went with Elend.

[@monster-enthusiast]

"It's like isekai anime but for girls." Omg why is that so accurate.

[@chronicscoliosisgaming1139]

James i want you to know i get full bricked every time you upload

[@chronicscoliosisgaming1139]

(In a good way)

[@cameraslime]

That makes two of us

[@jordanelliot3972]

🧱🧱🧱

[@chitae8551]

I'm bricked by this comment

[@mykal4779]

​@@chronicscoliosisgaming1139 same except in a bad 😈 way

[@hopekeeley2122]

Honestly I feel bad for the good books that get lumped in here. I was reading jackets in a bookstore today and some of the concepts were actually really interesting (no idea if they delivered) but the covers and a blank of blank titles made them seem like just another mangled fairy tale

[@cacarlin70]

Rip, wait no, three upheld fingers to the Hunger Games series

[@Lampoluke]

Hunger games being dragged down by it's descendants. Beautiful books about survival under totalitarianism, found success as a love triangle with stronk woman

[@taliaroses]

Shadow and Bone wasn't bad at all. Shame it's getting lumped in with these. It's definitely no Six of Crows, but it's nowhere near as bad as Throne of Glass.

[@mnlight7894]

I don't think he is mocking any of the books shown in the video but rather he is using them as an example of the illogical cliches commonly seen in the genre

[@martinsriber7760]

BTW Austrians did horrible things to Romani people way before that guy came along.

[@sporovid5856]

So did everyone in Europe I think…

[@KateeAngel]

​@@sporovid5856 "I swear I am not looking at you, Balkans" 😂

[@martinsriber7760]

​@@sporovid5856 Not everyone in Europe had laws against Romani entering the country and allowing to kill them. Maria Theresa, the "enlightened" ruler softened it so they would be executed only if caught for the third time (whipping for the first, branding for the second).

[@vasdfghjkloa1]

Yk as someone from austria with an obsession with old fairytales and myths, i can indeed confirm that there are myths like ‚der feldbacher Galgen‘ where the village built a gallows and reaaally wanted to test it out so they falsely charged a romani man who was literally just homeless and sleeping on the street one day with false crimes he never committed. Don’t worry btw, he escaped and because they were kinda embarrassed about that they instead hung a straw puppet but the point still stands as the myth sure as hell was not written in a way that ever vilified trying to execute someone for a crime they didnt commit.

[@bluestar4408]

@@martinsriber7760Awww how kind

[@BrandonPilcher]

It seems that, regardless of what the genre or subject matter is, YA fiction has become an industry attracting hacks like a dead elephant attracts flies.

[@raywilson641]

I've got an idea. Put YA distopia/death game books in a death game to see which one is the best. Tournament style where 2 face off. One is eliminated, and the survivor moves up in the bracket. As the pairings thin down to the last two books and are put up against eachother its revealed that they were in a rebellion and in love the entire time and overthrew your book death game. Now that I think about it, if The Hunger Games is on the list, it would probably beat out any other series it's matched up with, which is funny.

[@KMort]

I was peacefully enjoying the video in silence cause it's 4am, but then you said "falls in love with a sparkly pedophile " and I burst into laughter. If I woke anyone up it's on you, but the delivery of that line was brilliant 😂

[@diiwfiig]

Edward Cullen?

[@jessnalulila5552]

​@@diiwfiig yes

[@mofumyon]

bestie what's the level of ✨🌶️spice🌶️✨ in this video? 🥵🥵🥵🥵

[@Kaanfight]

He doesn’t know pride month is over

[@Stickman_Productions]

300

[@mofumyon]

@@Kaanfight kzbin.info/www/bejne/mmKyfKZsr790bqM

[@gordonfreeman7187]

@@Kaanfight FR

[@maddiepaddy2608]

🌶️🌶️/🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

[@KarmaSpaz12]

Ahhh yes, "the Everbone Princess". I think I just gave myself a cramp.

[@Wanettepoems]

Ah, got yourself a real bestseller name there XD

[@kitsong]

I nominate Everbone Princess as the name of James's new manic pixie alter ego.

[@obelix8492]

Neverskull Princess

[@BillErak]

T.... Terrible writing advice? Is that you?

[@SoVidushi]

exactly what i was thinking. We need a collab.

[@sciencefantastic]

...I'm writing a book about how a nice young man is compassionate and kind, melts the heart of a beast and that ends up saving the day. Guys I don't think my book is going to popular on TikTok

[@worm2976]

But it'll make some reader very happy.....and also maybe give them a lasting message to keep with them ever after :)

[@vasdfghjkloa1]

You better drop the name at some point because we truely need more found family-esque books and i am so down for reading that

[@sciencefantastic]

@@vasdfghjkloa1 It’s called Blue Rose and Raven It’s more a gender flipped Beauty and the Beast but the aim is the MC is a nice kind guy whose compassion and empathy is what wins out in the end ❤ That’s something I’d prefer for my characters in general but this one is especially important too cause his family were very supportive and good to him, which gave him that foundation of love.

[@worm2976]

@@sciencefantastic such a refreshing take! Hope to see it in a library or bookstore someday ♡

[@cervanera2228]

​@@sciencefantastic I would love to read it! Actually I want to work on something similar myself one day! Beauty and the Beast is my favorite fairytale but usually the retellings are awful (looking at you, Acotar...)

[@crazyking0429]

It's confirmed: James looks good with long hair Please review Six Of Crows if you haven't already, James. I'm really curious to know what you think of it

[@chansesturm7103]

_Long, pink-haired James randomly gesticulating_ is an absolute *cryptid* and I am living for it.

[@elena3941]

Six of Crows is really good, I think I preferred it to Shadow and Bone

[@justwonder1404]

I like SoC, but if he decides to roast it in good fun, I won't be mad about it.

[@the_nerd_showtv5562]

Six of Crows would be an interesting one because I think it's actually kinda good

[@MissAllWednesday]

Can you read Six of Crows without ready Shadow and Bone?

[@xChikyx]

I once was called racist because I said the title "A blank of blank and blank" was generic and boring, just because it happened to be a black author who made the post...

[@belacile]

From now on, whenever I feel bad about my writing, I’m gonna watch this video again for encouragement lmao

[@GrandArchPriestOfTheAlgorithm]

I'm pretty sure we could write a romantacy in chat, and it would be on par with the average best seller. The summary so far (with some edits): TThe main character is named Lavender. Her mother, a fae from the lineage of sun maidens (living sunlight), was a servant in the palace and screwed the crown prince (w/ consent?). The royals are unicorns in human form (which all magical creatures can do), that enslaved fae to be their air forces in their war with a neighborly kingdom, ruled by dragons. While heavily pregnant (8 months), her mother was attacked and killed, but a chamber maid (Fuchsia) took pity on the fetus and saved her by smuggling her out of the palace. She is raised on the outside of the city, with her 5 years younger stepsister, Saffron, a ball of sunshine (fathered by the sun, who took interest in the woman raising a sun maiden by her own). She has a male best friend named Ty that has always been there for her. Fuchsia died when Lavender was 12. Since then, Lavender has provided for her and her sister by hunting animals in the royal wood, made easy for her because animals don’t fear her. The book starts when Lavender (19) is caught by a prince named Kyle, 223 years of age (who’s adopted, son of a fallen unicorn warrior who saved the crown prince (now king) by standing alone in a last stand), who thrown her in the dungeon so he can personally torture her (in a sexy way) before the execution. But when the king (her father) her the story of a hunter that animals didn’t fear, he checks on her, finds out that she’s his daughter and saves her life by having her join the death game tournament. Kyle gets forced as punishment to become Lavender’s bodyguard to make up for torturing her. So, he joins her when she goes home to explain to her sister, but they meet Ty on the way. When he learns that she is gone join the tournament, he instantly joins, so he can protect her. Before the tournament begins, they have a ball, where she’s given a fabulous dress, and Kyle and Ty almost come to blows, but a group of dragon fae attacks, led by The Dragon Prince Dominic. But they’re repelled by Lavender discovering her fire powers. Because they assume that she’s part dragon, they send her over to the dragon kingdom under the identity of a lost dragon princess so she can start a civil war by claiming that she’s the true heir. But she is immediately caught, taken to the palace and reviled as a fake.

[@marianatheschizoid5912]

We could publish it. But then we’d have to share the profits.

[@GrandArchPriestOfTheAlgorithm]

​@@marianatheschizoid5912 That's actually not a problem, we just have to agree on a charity. After all, the real profits, were the stupid jokes we made along the way.

[@pinkofastora]

twitch writes ya romantasy make it happen

[@marianatheschizoid5912]

@@GrandArchPriestOfTheAlgorithm Based

[@johannageisel5390]

@@marianatheschizoid5912 Nah, I'll give my share to the revolution.

[@tonytime4393]

The title format of "a ____ of ____ and ____" is very similar to "a song of ice and fire" (game of throne). Did they take the title format of a very successful bookserie, when the serie was at its peak, and used it for their fantasy stories? Surely not, they would have at least some originality

[@cmckevitt]

The Court of Law and Right to a Fair Trial

[@ComedyPlastic]

Watching this with a novel draft open on my computer is TIGHT

[@anica2112]

PitchMeeting reference hell yeah

[@griffinkimball2454]

​Making Pitch Meeting references is super easy, barely an incovenience

[@anica2112]

@@griffinkimball2454 wow wow wow wow

[@bepisthescienceman4202]

Fantasy novel about a gravedigger and a necromancer needing to find the tomb of a rebel army that they plan to revive to overthrow an evil king

[@penginlord9396]

On this episode of James absolutely slaying with a neon pink wig, he accurately dismantles tiktok book trends

[@funguy398]

So its harem manga but in a book form and targeted to girls

[@Nasiromar410]

Spot on😂

[@perpeder4370]

Literally light novels

[@perpeder4370]

Just stupidly long

[@KewlImp]

A Bowl of Mac and Cheese sounds like a novella given the rest of your instructions. If not, short story, but it sounds readable.

[@DarwinRoger893]

Perfect for a cookbook

[@mateszabi1841]

Not a traditional episode of Terrible Writing Advice but its still good

[@villageidiot7584]

So I work in a bookstore and I actually had to create a "new adult" section just to move all of these smutfests masquerading as young adult to it. The likes of Colleen Hoover has also been moved there but that's mostly for marketing purposes since people who buy one also buy the other. It's been so hard for me to find new authors or even new stories to read because the market right now is so over saturated with the reading equivalent of junk food. I now have a coworker who will not read a book if it doesn't have enough smut in it. Genuinely starting to feel like I'm surrounded by porn addicts sometimes

[@austinquinn476]

I'm here for "hot bad boy" James.

[@SloanePaoPow]

Pink really is your color, sir! 💗

[@Scout-Fanfiction]

Good video. Can't wait for the "Billionaire Romance" sequel.

[@MattIsBored322]

hey James, id love to see a review of the night angel trilogy, its one of me and my fathers favorite fantasy series, and outlines the best parts of Brent weeks writing before he gets to obsessed with lore and goes off the rails like he did with the light bringer series. I can honestly say I haven't seen dark fantasy done so well.

[@bitnewt]

I loved that trilogy when I read it as a teenager! I wasn't as critical then so I only remember it being good fun but I'd be interested to hear what doesn't hold up.

[@charlesanderson1059]

"These aren't stories, they're just noise." That's the best summation of modern media I've heard. Of course not all of it's just noise but a good chunk is.

[@nicole7884]

Step 1 write shitty book. Step 1092... Profit!

[@VoxAstra-qk4jz]

Step 2: sex scene

[@gigangreg7837]

Please do more videos like this. You're great at poking at genres. This is excellent.

[@falkyrie5228]

Is this just... The modern version of "pulp" literature?

[@howdoyoudo5949]

But without the insanity of a majority of them. Schlock without schlock.

[@verylostdoommarauder]

I am paying close attention to this video because I am working on a fantasy book and this has given me some excellent ideas. Thank you.

[@granite_4576]

Top-shelf Tullos right here.

[@grahamcrack]

I think these authors are mistaking the genre fantasy for “my sexual fantasy” and not magical, fantastical world😔

[@pancakiy7531]

I wont lie ive thought about poorly writing a romance story like this. I wouldnt be proud it would be a step above hiring a ghost writer personally for me, but id do it if i ever became desperate enough for money.

[@izoi24]

This just makes me appreciate The Spook's Apprentice series that I've been rereading. It's got some of the youth fantasy tropes but I like that for the most part its a very down to earth with the protagonist just trying to help normal people with their problems and be a good person despite the harsh world.

[@bitnewt]

I've only read the first few but they were very memorable, are the later ones just as good? I've been thinking about picking them up again. The author nailed the tone and complex characters, and I really like the cover in the style of a woodcut.

[@izoi24]

@@bitnewt yes and no, the later books are hit and miss, a few are really good and a few are kinda meh

[@howdoyoudo5949]

​@@bitnewtsequel series sucks. Don't pick them up

[@katiemcentee1765]

Oh cool im early. I don’t usually comment on stuff but i figured i'd take the opportunity to let ya know i really love your videos, you make a load of valid points about fiction and put into words what i cant, while also making interesting points i never would’ve considered and changing how i view fiction, good fuckin videos dude keep it up 🔥🔥

[@nellyjean9232]

Ok so now im writing a book called "the grace of flames" the mc is a girl who lives in a poor village who is secretly the only person who can talk to dragons, and is also the lost dragon queen. Her main love interest is secretly a fay who wants to commit dragon genocide eventually he betrays her and she realizes her best male friend who was with her throughout it all is who she really loves. In the end the main character unites all the dragons and destroys the evil fay king/ex love intrest well internally struggling with her attraction for him. It will have six sequels. Any questions?

[@joaojahnke9684]

I personally love reading YA novels, why? Because everytime I read an extensive description of how beautiful someone is, I can never actually imagine pretty people, but Gumball people, and it's always so funny

[@LordSkella]

Thanks for quantifying the map to my new book! You’re a true mensch!

[@denzelfranco6255]

At least maybe maybe this is a star for more well constructed fantasy

[@breannawhite2337]

I am at the point where I am avoiding books with female protagonists because I can usually predict where it goes. I've started and not finished so many recently because it follows this exact formula.

[@Indigo_Indignation]

Can I recommend "Skulduggery Pleasant" to you? Consider this: female protagonist named Stephanie teams up with living skeleton detective called, well, Skulduggery. Learn magic, punch stuff and beat up bad guys who are very serious, because Stephanie and Skulduggery aren't and make quite a few quips that makes the bad guys very annoyed. There's a lot more to it, but I'd recommend at least giving the first book a go, "The Dead Famous Bestseller". (Emphasis on "Dead".)

[@wolfetteplays8894]

If you do that with the red hourglass, it would be quite sad

[@elvingearmasterirma7241]

I feel obligated to say that the booktok titles has made me have a mini crisis about the names of my books

[@perseflora]

came here to be reaffirmed abt my fantasy wip and yk, it worked! finding out acotar is linked to throne of glass, which my abuser was obsessed w and told me to "take notes from" is a jumpscare though actually. (also, we see u serving in that wig, we see u seeing ur serving in the wig, and i for one am subscribing x)

[@HajizaZalmani]

i am BEGGING YOU TO READ THE CRUEL PRINCE JAMES 😭😭 the book that got me into readingg, i wanna see how you *would likely* roast it or if you atleast enjoy it abit

[@sewpungyow5154]

I read the first book in the "throne of glass" series when it came out and gave up halfway through. And I rarely give up on books. I will still say that I enjoyed Six of Crows a ton even though it probably falls into that genre

[@notreal9214]

I read 6 of crows and enjoyed it, but when i got my older sister to read it she didn't finish the first book, talking about how it felt like typical YA crap. Honestly, while I still do enjoy the book, i think it doesn't hold up well to a lot of other books I read now (because it is a YA book and is intended for highschoolers). so like, she's right but the book could be way worse

[@Remington53]

I read Six of Crows and Crooked Kingdom in high school and really liked them (the OG Grisha Trilogy not so much, it had a decent setting but i DO NOT CARE about Alina and Mal in the slightest) 14YO edgelord me just thought that Kaz Brekker was the coolest character ever.

[@notreal9214]

@@Remington53 REAL

[@joshuadk13]

“The government must be *extremely* evil” * stares at the Supreme Court *

[@mattd5240]

That's the most realistic part.

[@westvirginiaglutenfreepepp7006]

For real

[@Drankstyj]

Oof tho

[@shooey-mcmoss]

*rich of the States*

[@darthfox45]

Wow. This is like Terrible Writing Advice! I love it!

[@dylantallman]

In my extremely unique romantasy, A Realm of Iron and Grace, Ellisainyaa is a 17.9 year old elite assassin standing at a petite 5'1" tall. And she is the only person with her unique hair/eye color in the known world-THIS WILL NOT BE RELEVANT. She is tasked by the Unnamed King of EVILHUMANLANDIA™ to kill the prince of neighboring kingdom EVILFAIRYLANDIA™, but oh no, he's HOT! 🥵 Fey Prince Lucius Malfa is a staggering 6'8" and rippling with muscles, and yes, he is tawny and broody-and about 650 years old (but he looks (and acts) like a 21 year old frat boy). Just when they start to develop feelings against ALL ODDS, his hidden older brother, the Dark Fey Prince Xerdys, who is taller and much more muscleyer (and yes, yes, you don't need to ask, his genitals are *much* bigger), reveals himself. This spicy, enemies to lovers, why choose dark romance will....

[@nicole7884]

😂😂😂 Oh God the names how do you even pronounce Elysisnanssnsnsn blah blah

[@worm2976]

​@@nicole7884obviously it's pronounced "Lisa"......next you'll be asking how to pronounce Mackaeyyleighheye smh 🙄

[@nicole7884]

@worm2976 .....Doreen right?

[@VinnieMF]

"My goddess but it was huge." - she thought, exasperatedly. She stared at the 10 inches and they stared back at her. "Could she do it?" She would soon find out.

[@larynadams1127]

Fairy My immortal 😂

[@NenMagem9106]

"Fairies are regular humans, just betterr in every way" oh, so they're just elves 🤣

[@mathieuleader8601]

this video disecting the popularity of books on Tik-Tok is great a nice change of pace

[@emmythorn]

Im boutta bust out a mindless fantasy novel now that i have this checklist

[@BagelBagelBagelBa]

now it's a mindful one :3

[@messofstuff1116]

Watching your content is like being jumpscared by comedy. You lure me into a fall sense of security and while I am busy learning something new, I suddenly choke on air because that is more funny than it has any right to be.

[@mattd5240]

There's no guarantee, but I'm trying to write a teen dystopia just to see if I can do it better. Here's hoping.

[@Minty1337]

finally! a tutorial!

[@eighthundredlies]

The rise in smut in YA fiction is crazy. I first started reading YA in elementary school with series like The Hunger Games and I Am Number Four, I can't imagine a ten or eleven year old reading something as explicit and ACOTAR. Hell I remember the moment I realized how much YA was shifting to allow explicit content; I was 17 and reading some fantasy book (idr the title) and then out of nowhere there was an incredibly explicit sex scene, just no warning whatsoever, I had to reread the previous pages several times and I was still confused as to why it was happening. I'm not saying smut shouldn't be allowed in publishing, but I think there needs to be more of a push for New Adult to be an established genre for books with more mature content.

[@lenapawlek7295]

Lol the pink wig cracked me up and the b roll was so funny

[@JARV9701]

On one hand, I'm ok with YA novels being done, like, enjoy your writting and I'm happy that someones is actually enjoying and profiting from it's passion. On the other hand, BE ORIGINAL and/or CREATIVE! I really hate the trope of the prota being Jesus the savior and Gengis Khan the conqueror at the same time.

[@GrandArchPriestOfTheAlgorithm]

Jesus and Gengis Khan at the same time, talk about left wing revolution.

[@nicole7884]

I read 'be creative' in the same way the cheerleaders chant 'be aggressive' from Bring it on and now I'm laughing so hard at myself. But yes originality matters agreed

[@JARV9701]

@@GrandArchPriestOfTheAlgorithm I was actually thinking of Castro instead of Genghis, I mean, he actually embodies the YA wish of the succesful revolutionary leader with a ragtag army of rebels overthrowing the dictator... I should have gone with that analogy.

[@KincaidCalder-vn6bo]

@@JARV9701there was also a Chinese ruler who did this, I cannot remember his name but his dynasty was actually fairly successful, despite him formerly being a peasant prisoner guard.

[@ZielonaPastela]

The section about the titles just hits the sweet spot 👌 You can either go with "A *blank* of *blank* and *blank*" or just "*Blank* & *blank*" Those titles are perfect for keeping track of the order in which you should read the series. Obviously "Bone & Ash" is the first, "Blood & Iron" is the second, and "Roses & Ivory" is the third!

[@shooey-mcmoss]

ROCK & STONE

[@Shoelid]

i think you've convinced me to start reading these books

[@Butterfly-ql4pg]

The motorcycle race background you used for the love interest who works for the villains killed me 😂

[@AnEnemySpy456]

Why does that pink wig look so good on you?

[@todo9633]

Kingkiller handles the fae very well without sacrificing their uniqueness, and it even makes them smutty!

[@imaginieiota6298]

Bro is flexing his wigs🐥✨✨✨ Anw this is motivating me to write my own fantasy lobe triangle with pointy ear people!!!

[@raikaschieck1634]

Dont forget to foget to print a pretty pattern on the visible outside of the pages (no idea how its called in english), so it looks nice on the shelve

[@sheeshert]

Step 1: Don't

[@nicole7884]

Step 2: Profit

[@NotoriousLightning]

Please stop your cyberbullying campaign against artistic peoples of the world.

[@yourdad5799]

​@@NotoriousLightning if your art is this bad you deserve the bullying. Get good or go home

[@CameronKujo]

@@NotoriousLightningthink you had a typo before “peoples”

[@NotoriousLightning]

@@CameronKujo You spell artistic with a k or something? That's so typical of haters and cyberbullies, and pretty stoopid besides.

[@Tail_sez]

This reminds me so much of Terrible Writing advice, but instead of a dated meme guy it's a pink haired guy

[@happymaskedguy1943]

‘A Bench of Gum and Birdshit’ ‘Children of Yeast and Starter’ Etc.

[@Bread-nx9fo]

And let’s not forget the people who defend the needless love triangles in these books always say “but what about when the hunger games did it!” Yeah the hunger games did do it, wanna know why? Because Katniss and her love life are broadcasted on tv so people have something to think about other then their suffering under the capital, it’s an actual tool

[@xoPotatoTreexo]

Not me sitting here listening to the video and thinking I should get back to writing while dying my hair the exact same shade of James' wig 💀 there's no need to call me out like this, I swear I've grown past my teenage-fanfic-writing phase... mostly 😭

[@neivilde.1242]

i stopped the throne of glass series right before it became smut, so i was shocked when people were roping it in with the rest, cuz i where i stopped, she's not romantically involved w the fae guy yet lmao