~Koda~ wrote:Um sorry guys, but can I please have some tips on twisting my short story? I really need it at the moment... Sorry sorry sorry! It's on page 88.
I can't give you an extensive critique, but on a quick read it seems a little too blunt. The humour is too obvious and at times a little bit absurd, and I believe that absurd things still need to make a little sense. It's a great idea, but maybe you could work on the bluntness a bit. Make it more subtle. And I think what's most important is to know what you want to parody and how to make it funny.
For example, what's the iPhone doing in there? I don't see any reason why it should be there. It just seems absurd without any meaning. I don't know if I explained it well... can you follow me? x"D
There are some elements frequently used in parodies, like exaggerations, opposites (making a brave character a coward, for example), or something I call "transfer" (e.g. making Hansel and Gretel lower class, grammatically inept kids or transferring the happenings of Sleeping Beauty to modern-day society - you did a transfer by making both Little Red Riding Hood and her grandma ninjas xD if the smiley isn't enough indication - I really liked this bit of your parody xD).
Or maybe it's just a matter of preference. Most of those "how to write parodies" guides on the net are ones that teach you how to do that blunt, obvious kind of humour, not the subtler, smarter one. So maybe go with that more blunt humour for now (it's a school assignment, after all, so no need to break a finger to accomplish a true piece of art XD).
The best thing to do would be to read some parodies, pick the ones you liked, and analyse what you liked about them. But I guess you don't have the time for that ^^°
Lilysplash wrote:Quite true. I, myself, enjoy writing these into parodies, but not serious works. Ever heard of badfics? X3 I love those! Ah, sues! Hilarious in a satire! Also, I have one story with a sue, but deliberately. ^-^
Rules like godmoding and sues can be broken occasionally if the writer can pull it off.
Oh, badfics, why u so funny? xD
I LOVE sues in parodies! One of my favourite hobby writers did one and made a character crushing on a girl named Mary (of course XD) and he couldn't explain why he's so drawn to her, until at the end he asks her for her last name and she replies "Sue, why?"
XD It was written so hilariously. I wish more people would do that *g*
But yes, those elements usually go into the not so serious stuff like parodies or badfics. It's a shame, because if you pull it off well, it always seems so extremely clever and intelligent xD