How about the trope of when humans discover a super intelligent/malevolent alien race that JUST HAS TO waste time explaining to the humans how inferior they are before killing them. That's like me learning to speak Chickenese and clucking at my Mcnugguts before eating them.
Have you ever said "Moo" to the cows as you drive past? That's why. The automatic translator lets the hamburger on the hoof know about the heavenly horseradish that awaits them if they get on the ship. (and, yes, you'd have to write a bunch of backstory to make that like work!) "How To Serve Man" (it's a cookbook!)
@@NewYorkFloridaMan I think it was a twilight zone episode. The humans translated part of the visitor's printed language, effectively the capital letters. The title of a book was translated. "To Serve Man" was perceived as proof of how giving the aliens were. Medical aid was provided to make healthier humans. People were weighed as they got on the flying saucer. Just before the ship took off the text was translated. (ominous music, fade to end credits.) (Animals are yummy because humans are built to eat them. We're omm-nom-nom-navores.)
@@geraldfrost4710 last time I got on a ufo they didn't weigh me.. I think I might have got jipped. Now that i think of it.. I don't remember the last ufo that abducted me having a Guns-N-Roses bumper sticker on it.. Wait.. Now that I think about it more.. I think i don't want to think about it.
The 'born sexy yesterday' trope is my absolute least favourite trope ever. It's just kinda... creepy, especially seeing as they're often like children but in a grown woman's body. Nobody can convince me that the male love interests surrounding this trope aren't just grooming the woman (or creating her) to be their personal hyper-realistic sex doll. It's disgusting.
That being said, though I loathe the trope as described to the bottom of my stomach until I wrench up the depths of hell through my oesophagus, I really love “born sexy yesterday” characters. Somni from Cloud Atlast, Seven of Nine, Motoko, River, all characters that captivate me and I love them. What’s disgusting about the trope is that it’s basically child abuse in an adults woman’s body, which is a massive shame. I can’t think of a “born sexy yesterday” which I don’t find charming, whose story I would have liked to have heard have I journeyed with them, shared in their wonderment and fascination, only to have that potential stripped away by their dependence of a manipulative opportunist.
I also dislike this trope, and see it as more often a writing crutch to cover up for lack of writing ability. Can't think of compelling personalities for your lead characters? Just make one have the personality of a sock and make the other one a child in an adult's body. Come on writers, you can surely do better.
That's somehow not too surprising to me, as it seems like there's a disturbing amount of interest in incest within writers. I don't understand it. And maybe that's why I should be glad that I'm not a writer myself.
Amy Pattie What we need is a Born Sexy Yesterday with zero manipulators or sexual overtones involved - maybe even no authority figures. I just want to embark on the whimsical slapstick adventures of a grown ass adult trying to figure out how to drink from a glass of water or use an escalator for the first time with no creepiness involved, is that so much to ask?
@@amypattie7004 I would argue Motoko. She wasn't "born yesterday" she is an android that has been through multiple bodies and multiple lives. If you read the original material (the manga) she is actually rather old and every time she changes bodies she maintains her memories and identity - the movie didn't cover that very well.
To be perfectly honest, number eight would actually be a dope story. Someone comes to another planet, convinced that what they’re doing is good... turns out that they’re destroying that which the protagonist is trying to save. Hang on.... this is Ender’s Game isn’t it... XD
Yes it is, and it's still good (as in entertaining, not morally). Albeit that wasn't colonialism, that was just strait up "defensive" genocide. Need to get around to reading the sequels...
The Colonization trope can be interesting if used as a critique of early colonization on earth. Looking and the consequences of said practice on beings. Maybe the main character(s) starts realizing that they are the bad guys, or maybe only the reader gets to see the bad parts, and the main character(s) are oblivious of their actions have far reaching consequences. I'd love to see a critique of colonization explored this way.
You also have to be careful to avoid the "Peaceful savage" trope. A trope that infantizes indigenous people. The idea that indigenous people would never commit acts of atrocity unless the learned it from colonizers. This trope also demonizes missionary work building, school, churches, hospitals and railroads. Or bringing advanced systems of law and justice to places that may not have had those things.
Rami Kasyanov seriously, you are marching into the enemy territory, you lived through the entire war, and then you hear some childish, girly scream “Chaarge!” And see 200 8-years old with bolt rifles run towards you. Not only that’s fucking terrifying, but when you put them all down with superior knowledge of how to reload, you’re probably gonna spiral into depression.
Have no fear: A space navy fleet of teens in the middle of puberty would be too boy and/or girl crazy to ever fight you. They'd be too busy thinking about each other, themselves, the latest fads and media, to ever attack you and yours...right up until you told them NO. Just nod and sell them acne cream and contraceptives, (LOL) and you'll have a peace treaty and trade agreement in no time! :D Hahaha.
There might be a few very serious, dedicated teens who'd be cunning, effective adversaries. Fine. Get those few to join YOUR cool space navy or merchant fleet, and you still win! :D If there are a few whiz-kid pre-teens with amazing talent, same. You get some adorkable but savvy space cadets, but the bunch of teen and preteen talent can be put to good use doing real, challenging study and work and responsibility, so you can avoid the horrible "space cadet saves the ship / universe every week" trope. :D Hah! (Note: In prior centuries, kids and teens were put to work in responsible jobs as soon as they could be, or too soon. But you really did have young teens / preteens serving on navy and merchant ships, doing farm or factory work, apprentices and junior clerks, and so on. Almost unbelievable by our standards, but real.)
When you're a creative writer and you realize that you've managed to avoid just about every single one of the tropes in the video... Awesomeness for the win!! XD
Great points as usual Jenna! I think one of my all time least favorite tropes in pretty much any genre but I see it a LOT in sci if-Everyone speaks English. I know we have to be able to understand the characters but surely there’s another way to do that beyond “Oh...well we all know English.” Or at least have a believable explanation for it.
As a teen, I'm constantly looking for any advice or writing pro-tips. I love your channel and I watch your videos constantly to try and boost my writing capabilities. This video is really good because I love writing sci-fi especially time traveling and multiple dimensions. You're personality makes all of this do much more interesting and enthralling.
Advice from an unqualified individual who hasn’t commented on one of Jenna’s videos in a while: if you want to write better, read more. Gardner Dozois edits ( or at least edited) ‘the year’s best science fiction’ every year starting in the 90s. These collections are dirt cheap at most book stores and are guaranteed to expand your horizons.
I mean I don't think alien sex is bestiality if they're intelligent enough to consent, but being sexually biologically compatible to humans doesn't make sense I agree to that
I find it weird that so many aliens look human in the first place. Comparatively, we’re a weird species from spark-of-the-moment freak evolution that walks upright on a wobbly fragile stick spine propping up a bloated head and our tiny hips can kill us if we try to give birth. Literally ANYTHING is more likely and feasible, especially on an alien planet. Why not go with a nice sentient invertebrate blob that communicates telepathically in colors and feelings? That seems nice.
+Sambhavi Singh Sometimes they point out that it's possible due to similar genetic roots. Like having a previous sentient species "seeding" certain planets with life to result in physical similarities (i.e. 2 arms, 2 legs and faces that are somewhat on the humanoid scale) while having differences due to evolutionary variations on the planets where they were "seeded". Basically, having common ancestors, which make mating a possibility. I would say it really depends on the story and the reasons they consider it possible. If it's a case of having common ancestors, then they would be pretty much a "human" from another planet where the physical differences are related to evolutionary advantages in different environments or extremes in their environments. In some stories I've read, all of the "aliens" were just humans that colonized and moved to different planets and ended up evolving to have some basic differences due to variations in their environments, thus making them "alien" and "the same" at the same time. As far as it being bestiality...I guess that depends on how "human" they make their "aliens", as well as the level of sentience.
OK, Eos, the thing about humans... we're might be weird, but evolution isn't 'spark-of-the-moment freak' events. And who's to say that an invertebrate blob, communicating telepathically in colours and feelings, couldn't get the message across to a human that rubbing there... left a bit... harder... OH HELL YES, THAT'S IT KEEP GOING.... damn, I need a cigarette.
Gonna have to point out here, that on Planet Earth (at least) the HUGE GREATER portion of species abounding reproduce sexually... complete with male and female genitals. For the majority, those genitals are relatively similar biologically... Penises are "phallic" in shape, stiffen when the male is "excited" and deliver a load of DNA the general same mechanical direction and method across all species. Vaginas are "canal" shaped, internal, and secrete lubrication when the female is "excited" availing themselves to receive a load of DNA on the same completion of approximately the same mechanical activity across all species. Fish and some amphibious species seem to simply "spray" their relevant DNA into the water, letting current and "chaos theory" take hold for the majority of the act... BUT on firm ground of any kind, creatures are designed to "pair up" and follow through... Even among reptiles, while the male's phallus is "retracted" commonly inside the cloacal vent until "excited", it's still a penis and emerges with reasonably the same old purposes as any other... The females, also have a "receptacle" canal just the same... The only actual difference of much relevance is size. SO... On the side of whether or not aliens would be "equipped" for the pleasure of human sexual intercourse... I'm going to have to shrug it off as "non-issue" really. Unless you're so starved for perverse pornography as to have to break up the middle of your novel or script to explain all the evolutionary horse-crap to define who has compatible parts for who else... It's just as fair to say "sexual reproduction is as common as any other kind" and move on. Bestiality??? Um... Context matters here. AND within that context is the question "How human are they?"... Besides, there's plenty of room in literature and cinema or theater to use the uncomfortable subtext of bestiality or suspected bestiality as a parallel to make commentary about social climes at large, something Sci-Fi (truly great Sci-Fi, anyway) used to be celebrated for doing. I think (for the record here) that the core of this trope getting annoying is whether or not it poses a core to the story in question. If the story revolves around a main character (or even a small group of them) bouncing from bed to nest to bang literally anything with "close enough plumbing and a heartbeat"... then you're no longer in Sci-Fi, but actually writing erotica or porn'. If on the other hand, there's a side-plot or sub-plot with context around a "forbidden love" and it's being exploited for purposes of addressing racism and discrimination between families, friends, or cultures, then the trope of "sexy alien love interest" is more than erotic fantasy and it would be irresponsible to accuse the author of a bestial fetish. It smacks more to YOUR own fetish and shame that you even drag the conversation onward with some peculiar ideology that someone can't possibly be human considering whatever rock they've grown up on as it hurtled through space around a runaway fusion reactor. ;o)
Dystopian can be cool, but the current trend to grim-dark-bleak-depressing, nobody-can-get-along, morose dystopia just doesn't do it for me. A line from a really old Hee-Haw song sums this up for me: "Gloom, despair, and agony on me!" -- One current franchise went from very optimistic, inspirational, to pessimistic, fatalistic dystopian, and ruined it for me. I hope they quit it, declare that an alternate timeline, and go back to the original timeline and outlook, but so far, they keep doubling down on the awful. -- There are other series that are dystopian, but not in the miserable, I-don't-wanna-be-in-this-mess way.
Wow now I'm gonna write the born sexy yesterday trope with a male character lol. He will be beautiful, dumb as a rock, and frolic around with butterflies 🦋 while everyone else saves the world.
TV show Supernatural has done the male born sexy yesterday twice! First there was Castiel, but he's been around for a few years now and has woke up, so now we have Jack who was literally born a teenager.
Jack wasn't born a teen. He was born a baby, but he learned that the world would be dangerous for him while in the womb, so once born he made the decision to speed up his aging until he was a young adult.
I’m autistic, so I might be missing something, but comparing someones name to one of the most abhorrent crimes imaginable, to their face, seems a bit tactless
Alex Middleton yeah I understand where you’re coming from. It’s meant to be a silly play on words because her name is close to the beginning of genocide. Not trying to be rude tho sorry if I came of as rude! Have a great day or night whenever you read this. (Also I just realized you commented that a year ago... oops 😬)
Funny thing is, just before watching the video I finished a story about a crew of teenagers in a space ship. Although the justification for that was they were high school students on a camping trip to another planet, only to be sucked through a wormhole and stranded in deep space, forcing them to make the trip back without adults, excluding the one they picked up in the last leg of the trip.
The Homogenous Aliens Trope is definitely one I really don't like; to me it's insultingly lazy, as it comes off to me as if the writers have no imagination in the realm of character design of a unique species; one of the reasons I love science fiction is because Aliens always look unique, standout, and have more originality than Fantasy (which just recycles Elves, Dwarves, Orcs, etc.). So it does get on my nerves.
Homogeneous aliens in visual media sometimes kinda making sense sometimes. Usually characters explore only a tiny bit of a planet, especially if it's a TV episode. Often they don't even fully explore the singular city they ended in. It is only logical that those living in this city would be mostly from same culture and same genetic pool, thus not very different. The problems arise when you extrapolate a few examples onto the whole civilization birthing forth the "Planet of Hats" trope, like those stupid comic books done with the Predators. "Oh boy we had whooping two hunting parties show up on earth for reasons that are not explained! Naturally this means that their WHOLE SPECIES do nothing BUT hunting!"
Well, to be fair, the hunting aspect is their most standout trait and is what makes the Predators unique; and their reasons are simple enough to grasp that they're exotic hunters. Anyway, I get what you're saying, somewhat, but I still feel like writers should at least make the effort to make their alien races look less human; at least give them a convincing mask that makes them stand out from the crowd, like the Predator's face. At least you can tell they put some effort into their faces looking ugly and terrifying, leading to an effective and memorable moment.
+The Circle of T.E.D I always assumed it was because they only explored one part of the planet, and never really go far in the planet. If aliens landed in Japan, then they might assume all humans had Asian features, because more than 98 percent of Japan's residents are Japanese. You sometimes see "gaijin" or foreigners in the larger cities, but not so much in the small towns. In sci-fi, I generally give them the benefit of the doubt when it comes to the level of "diversity" in their aliens, particularly when they land in a small town or a tribal area, which may be only a very small portion of the planet's population. That said, I have read some books where they describe levels of diversity among their aliens where one may have blue skin, another has green, etc. But in those books, it's usually describing differences in population while observing a large city.
Kyle XY has the male "Born Sexy Yesterday" trope and I really enjoyed it! Its been a long time since I saw the series, but he saw things in a simple yet wonderous look on things. Lets you appreciate things that you overlook during day by day life
And I just happend to be writing a Scifi romantic comedy about a sexy alien prince and a slug alien princess escaping their responsibilites by traveling the galaxy, Your Videos are on point!
For #3 i would really only give an in depth explanation of a technology if that technology is pivotal to the plot, and even then it wouldn't be one massive info dump, it would need to be developed through the story
The Space Cowboy trope is actually somewhat subverted in Star Wars. While they do have a character like this in Han Solo, it’s made very clear that while he thinks he’s good with charming women, he isn’t. He prefers not to fight, but to evade. Also, most notably, he isn’t the main character. Soft, naive farm boy Luke Skywalker is the main character who helps maintain the conscience of the main group and helps Han actually align himself with the resistance.
Okay but what about a group of space orphans take a ship and try to find a decent planate to settle because their orphanage is overcrowded, and they all come from different near extinct races, but they were all put together because that was the only orphanage within lightyears?
Why nobody sent any adults with them? Especially when they are overcrowded, I’m pretty sure they’ll find a couple volunteers to fly. Now child battalions, on the other hand...
Or instead of an orphanage, the alien planet employs the use of child soldiers, which would explain the lack of adult authority - they can fend for themselves as it is, and are struggling to escape their oppressive, horrific fates. 🤔🤔
hi it's tweety I pretty much have it. Late in the war, child battalion pops up on the losing side, made from kids 6-10 years and commanded by 14 year old (who also made this battalion, he just took them from destroyed orphanage) While they aren’t really effective in direct combat, they are really effective in giving the main cast of guardsmen severe depression, cuz calling napalm bombing on kids isn’t good for your mental health
Jenna! I’m so glad you’re touching on this topic! Thanks so much! I’m currently writing a sci fi adventure novel and I’m trying to avoid info dumping without being overly vague about key concepts. Glad to hear you mention it as it reassures me that less is probably more. :)
That would be a great topic. I recently discovered a helpful tip for this, as my MC has several mental illnesses as well. I started watching TH-cam videos of just every day average people who have those mental illnesses and what their lives are like. It's more informative, in some ways, than reading some kind of article about the science behind the illness, although that stuff can be important to know too. It's more of just people saying "hey, I was diagnosed with PTSD, and this is what my life and triggers and anxiety episodes are like." Super interesting, especially to watch multiple people's videos and compare and contrast their experiences.
I have seen one instance of the "Teens in Charge" trope done right, at least in my opinion. In the book Iron Widow, the frontline fighters are people from about 13-25 years old, after which they are sacrificed. The reason this is, is because they are the best at controlling the energy needed to power the weapons they use to fight. After 25, they just... can't do it as well. There's an actual reason, and it makes sense. Plus they're not in charge, they're just soldiers, and they're not conscripted, they choose it. A bunch of old guys sitting around a table are in charge, and they die by the end because, well, they were killing children.
At least in Ender's Game, it's more about the mind than being a "super soldier", not to mention a child's mind is more pliable and prone to "out of the box thinking", which was kind of the whole point of the program they were in. I'm not saying he shouldn't have written them to be older, but at least he makes an attempt to explain it.
And that they literally had to breed the perfect soldier before the fleet arrived, and they'd already had a few failures. Not that the first two attempts (his older siblings) were _much_ older, mind, but it wasn't their first choice to have him that young.
@@jaxrobinson3890 Lol the movie made me think he was at least twelve or something... also, didn't the program also involve isolating him from others? It's was supposed to make him a better leader, but that shit would've fucked the kid up.
Theres an episode of farscape where a scientist first has to explain what shes doing, which actually takes longer than doing the thing, also, she had less than 2 minutes to do it in...
As a physicist, I'd read that. But the pool of available readers would be about a hundred people in the world. from the forever peace: "not doing math when talking about engineering is like not talking about God when discussing religion. But editors know that 90% of readers will shut the book if they see an equation."
If you're going to rip off Star Wars or Star Trek, you could try it in a different genre at least. *looks at Paolini's Inheritance Cycle* Love the video btw!
The one with the child soldiers is the worst. It´s also in fantasy. For example, Rick Riordan´s books. Gosh, I love them. But! The one thing I hate is that when demigods become adults, they are like "Enough fighting, I'll just go, get married, find a job and let 10-20 year old kids and teens to defend the world from monsters!" Because hey, if there are big and experienced soldiers, our young heroes won't be so impressive, right?
Irina K. Actually, I think in the Lighting Thief they mention that most demigods don’t survive to adulthood, but you’re right, the ones who do don’t do much.
I now realize I'm better at plugging plot wholes than writing actual plots. I've directly addressed so many of these tropes while putting together the setting and lore of my science fantasy world. 1 check 2 check 3 & 4 check sort of. My scifi is based off of fictional discoveries and breakthroughs closer to Lovecraft than Roddenberry 5 So not my bag even when I was a teenager. 6 Didn't even know that was a thing. My original concept required four important characters that happened to be non dudes and more popped up during the first draft. 7 This one was easy, I was inspired by less popular stuff. 8 The inhabited planets are called colonies but i assure you there were no natives when they arrived. 9 Once tried to make a character in the style of john Mclane. Instead he turned out like this guy and I tossed the whole thing. Writing's a lot harder when your fifteen. 10 I mentioned the Lovecraft influence right? Sexy cannibal androids, one species oblivious to visual esthetics and only attracted to the "scent" of someone. Geez what time is it i gotta go to bed
I've read at least a couple thousand science fiction novels in my lifetime, and I completely disagree with you about your third point, the technology and how it might work. I have learned VAST amounts about science and how real technology works from reading science fiction, and I would be supremely disappointed in a science fiction novel that mentioned some cool concept in technology and then just relegated it to the skiffy wonderdome of handwavium magic.
For the “Born Sexy Yesterday” troupe manly edition I was curious what you thought of Shape of Water? I really enjoyed the movie but my friends pointed out that the Swamp Man, despite possibly being hundreds of years old, is portrayed as having sock-like intelligence (yes he only learned sign language yesterday but that shouldn’t preclude him from having complex thought in his own language/interactions). Also they totally do it, which I give a pass to since he’s a bipedal, carbon based lifeform, who I’m just gonna say is mammalian.
I have made sure that I don't underuse female characters or make them helpless. To be fair, almost all of my characters get stuck in a situation where they become momentarily helpless and require rescuing, but I've made sure that my male characters are no exception.
Getting stuck and being helpless are 2 ends of a grey scale. Have 2 mc's get stuck, they throw each other the thing they most need, and they get themselves unstuck, i think makes for a great relationship.
More Cliff interactions please. Your relationship looks awesome and I love that he is (willing to appear) so supportive. You two are great couple role models
There are dumb as a rock guy love interests, like Kronk in the Emperor's new Groove. He's the bad gal's love interest, and not only is he dumb but he messes up her evil plans. The only difference is you don't want to tie him to a railroad track because he'd mess up the railroad track.
Star Trek VI Kirk is once again smooching with an alien lady, as she leaves an annoyed Doctor McCoy asks: ''what is it with you anyway?'' this scene always makes me laugh. and yes, Kirk is my favorite Star Trek character. suck it ;P
We choose children to defend us now. 18 year olds are still kids. You can technically join the join the army at 16. And we pick children because teen magical thinking makes them think of the glory of war instead of the horror.
Omg love your costume! You and your set look absolutely spooktacular! Also, with the homogenous aliens, is that also considered a planet-of-hats type situation? Or is it slightly different because of genre? Also the teens in charge thing is so annoying! Not only in sci-if, but everywhere! As always, your video was fantastic!
A male example for the first trope would be Kyle XY, but they got around it easily by making him learn things super fast. So he was only dumb for like the pilot episode.
For her next outfit, Jenna in a Princess Leia Slave Bikini outfit. Half the viewers would hate her even more, half the viewers would put it on a permanent loop. Bonus points for the headphone bun hairdo.
You forgot the one trope where a alien race who has never met humanity nor learn our culture suddenly know how to speak English or any other human language when they meet humanity for the first time
You look so good in that Spock costume! Also, thank you for this video, it just made me realise all I was doing wrong ( and it was a lot ). Sorry for my bad english!
Two other male examples of "Born Sexy Yesterday" are both from Brendan Fraiser: Blast From The Past and Encino Man. In both he plays a ridiculously good looking (because Brendan Fraiser) and incredibly naive guy who doesn't understand the modern world. This trope is actually a bit more common than I think you realize, though with men it's more often "born sexy several centuries ago and then brought to the modern era." The movies Kate & Leopold and A Christmas Knight both do this trope where a man from the past is brought into the present where he's a fish out of water, doesn't know the culture, and imposes his own (usually extremely gallant, chilvaric) worldview on a cynical, jaded world. Sometime it happens in reverse, where the modern woman is thrown into the past where she meets the (from her perspective) BSY man (Outlander is an example, but it's a popular romance trope). I hear a lot of criticism of this trope, and I think it's pretty shallow and rather misses the point. The "born sexy yesterday" is a fantasy that appeals to people who have been on one too many bad dates with shallow, jaded and cynical people who treat relationships as transactional and always have some agenda. For men, the appeal of the BSY character is that she isn't "tainted" by the jaded, cynical and mercenary culture the male protagonist inevitably comes from. Whereas the women he usually deals with seem to have completely forgotten that relationships are about love, not wealth, status, and power, the BSY doesn't see the male protagonists interest in her as something to be manipulated and used for her own gain. Pretty much the same dynamic when it's a male BSY, though usually he's not so much an innocent as he comes from a mythical golden age when men were gentlemen and not just entitled sex-pests. Edit: The "Wandering Dude with a Gun" is such an insanely popular trope because that's the sort of person who actually gets into adventures. I'm a writer and I tend to write this character a lot...because my male protagonists are mostly just my dad. He was a Green Beret in Vietnam, then spent years working undercover for the CIA in the Sudan (we thought he worked for Chevron, only learned he was working for the CIA after he died), then spent twenty years working as a professional adventure guide (he also had a short career as a burglar, and along the way accidentally invented eco-terrorism). He was a guy who actually had adventures. He had like scars from the places he got shot and a big scar on his neck where he got hit with a machete in the Congo. He was also a brutish drunk with severe PTSD, who had a string of broken marriages, slept around with tons of women, generally everything you'd associate with the trope. And part of the reason I write about him is because if I wrote about me -- quiet, cautious, polite, reserved, a gentleman, etc. -- it would be Boring As Fuck. I don't have adventures, I write about them. Because I'm a sane person. Heroes, people who go on wild and crazy adventures that you want to read about? Those people are crazy. And most of them are bad, dangerous men with serious issues.
Jenna Moreci ok that is ok OMG I CANT BELIEVE YOU REPLIED I LOVE YOUR VIDEOS I AM A 10 year old writer and I have learned SO much thank you and keep making videos😋💖❤️💚💛🧡💜💙🖤💗🌈
You don't have to scrutinize every detail, you can keep things vague or not address things at all. But those details and facts that you do choose to include better be correct, and unless you already have a solid understanding of a period that means you have to do some research. Most people think that they know more about history than they actually do and make a whole lot of incorrect assumptions. And if you don't care about getting things right, I stand by my point that you might as well write history inspired fantasy. At least then you don't have to worry about breaking peoples suspension of disbelief by including anachronistic stuff.
Also, on the teenagers in sci-fi point, the teenager on Star Trek: TNG was the most hated character on the show. No one cared about some teenager solving all the damn problems while surrounded by smart, capable adults. The guy who played that role had a tough time doing it.
+Trisha Reddy Build on what you know of current technology. We already have computers, smartphones, holographic imagery (though not used much), AI....take from what you know and imagine how that may result in further advancements in the future. A simple change: it's likely everything will eventually be solar powered. We already have the technology, it's just expensive right now. In the future, that's likely to change, so there's a real possibility of solar power being a norm. We already have space flight technology, so you want to consider how it would be possible to travel at faster-than-light speeds. one way I see that in many sci-fi is the idea of "folding space" or using wormholes to travel. But in those situations, you've got to evaluate how to generate so much energy. And the potential consequences of mistakes or miscalculations. I guess my point is to have fun with it. Let your imagination run wild by building on what you already know. ^_^
Omg! Cliff coming out and you doing the deathtouch😱🤣 oh my gosh! I literally laughed out loud😂😂😂😂 you guys are too cute togather😍😘 Awesome Video as well 🤓👏
I was thinking of writing a sci-fi story when I saw this video, so thanks for that~ Can you do your favorite sci-fi tropes next? That'd be great. Also your favorite and least favorite tropes in a mystery story. Love your videos, and your cosplay, keep up the great work~
8:28 you're like the only person I've seen personally on the Internet bring that up. It can be a legit question, depending on the convo of course. Thanks for making this video! :D
Thank you SO much for addressing the homogeneous aliens trope! That's always driven me nuts! I mean, I still like sci-fi movies, comics, and books. But I sometimes want to make a show that pokes fun at these tropes. Also, I don't know how common this is in Star Trek, but as much as I like Star Wars, this has always bothered me; Why is it that in almost every franchise space exploration, all the planets not only have the same atmosphere, but the same gravity and a climate that accommodates humans? And for that matter, what's up with homogenous planets (ones like Tattooine or the moon of Endor that are the same landscape and climate all across its surface)? Anyways, thank you for the vid, and count yourself another sub.
I used your link to try skill share. Thanks for the swag! :) Love your videos btw. Thanks for the useful info. I live with Bipolar disorder and crippling anxiety and I struggle to believe in myself most days. People like you help me keep going. Seeing your success despite mental health difficulties gives me hope. Thank you again. Peace be with you.
2-They evolved past having as many differences as we do now but can still look different 4-I can make up my own biology if they're aliens 5-Because in real life no one respects teens it's always like oh you don't know how the world really is kid like seriously? So it's good seeing teens actually being respected. "Why are you making children risk their lives to protect civilization?" They're actually waiting for civilization to fall so the good guys can sweep in and rebuild it without the toxic people who were in charge before. Sure they could stop it from falling but don't and only some are kids but then they get older and when my protags become 16 I'll introduce a 12 year old prodigy who's in their classes and people like kid characters and kids want to see themselves making a difference not being victims and not many people have the gift so sometimes it's up to kids to fight alien vampires or mutants or whatever. "Wouldn't you prefer super soldiers who weren't going through puberty?" Umm, grownups already have lots of roles 6- Big Mood!!! 🙌🏻 7- I do Overwatch fanfic so only Winston has a ship that goes to other galaxies and I need so many kid characters because Ovewatch already has too many old people I mean legit old people like Torb Rein Ana and Soldier are 55 I swear I'm not even kidding. 8-But they had to invade a dieselpunk country because they were polluting so much because they'd cause more climate change and take over the world by saying oh civilization fell how about that now we're gonna help. But my protags stop the dieselpunk knights and Genji beats up the emperor who goes to an Overwatch jail on the moon and Winston and my protags plant so many trees and germs Winston made that eat carbon and methane because nature sure as hell doesn't care about anything so it's up to people to clean it they sure don't mind ruining it 9-They sound cringey 10-I don't need to make sexy aliens because all my MC needs is Mateo omnics attacked Barcelona so he moved to my MC's city and he buys her dark chocolate with almonds and heating pads from CVS and he helps her hem and tailor her clothes and he says she's classy and beautiful even when everyone else would say "cute" and he congratulates her on saving money when she actually finds something good in the kid's section and still makes her feel beautiful even tho she's embarrassed she can find comfortable stuff in the kid's section even when she's 16 and 20. And Mateo's circumcised but I don't know if I'm allowed to mention that in my story without having to label it mature even if they only french at worst on page
Hmm, her personal preference can be felt in certain area but, I must admit that she has some good points. Also, there are some reoccurring themes in sci-fi that was highlighted.....especially the annoying and repetitive ones.
Hey Jenna, I absolutely love your trope videos, they always make me laugh and are so true! Can you do a series on the tropes that each genre needs to hit in order for readers to feel satisfied? An editor mentioned that there is such a thing and I'd be interested to see your take on the subject :)
One thing that can be done for 'homogenus aliens' is emphasize that to other species, humans may look the same too. A group of aliens looking the same? 'What are you taking about? A is clearly a different shade than B and C has a different pattern of spots??'
the eyebrows was the best part of the video
LOL I was proud of them!
Hoseok's Trash I love BTS too bro and true that
"iq of a sock" - thats like 90% of female love interests in anime oml
90% of female love interests in general
lucy dale OOFFF LMAO
Agreed. They are all basically the same character with different looks. Heck sometimes they look the same 😥
Don't forget, most of the love interests in Anime are also 10 year olds or family members to the Male protagonist. 🙃
@@BuBs1970G Indeed. So they really aren't fully developed yet. :P
6:05
If you're a redshirt, don't sass the Cyborg Queen. Really, if you're a redshirt, don't do anything.
basically XD
I was gonna post something about redshirts, thanks for taking care of it.
If you're a redshirt, _don't be a redshirt._
But Red is for Command now.
But if you don’t do anything, death will strike you anyways like a sitting red-shirted duck, so either way...
How about the trope of when humans discover a super intelligent/malevolent alien race that JUST HAS TO waste time explaining to the humans how inferior they are before killing them. That's like me learning to speak Chickenese and clucking at my Mcnugguts before eating them.
Have you ever said "Moo" to the cows as you drive past? That's why.
The automatic translator lets the hamburger on the hoof know about the heavenly horseradish that awaits them if they get on the ship. (and, yes, you'd have to write a bunch of backstory to make that like work!)
"How To Serve Man" (it's a cookbook!)
@@geraldfrost4710 vegan much?
@@geraldfrost4710 jk. I get what you're saying. And I'd actually like to know more about some of that back story you mentioned.
@@NewYorkFloridaMan I think it was a twilight zone episode. The humans translated part of the visitor's printed language, effectively the capital letters. The title of a book was translated. "To Serve Man" was perceived as proof of how giving the aliens were. Medical aid was provided to make healthier humans. People were weighed as they got on the flying saucer. Just before the ship took off the text was translated. (ominous music, fade to end credits.)
(Animals are yummy because humans are built to eat them. We're omm-nom-nom-navores.)
@@geraldfrost4710 last time I got on a ufo they didn't weigh me.. I think I might have got jipped. Now that i think of it.. I don't remember the last ufo that abducted me having a Guns-N-Roses bumper sticker on it.. Wait.. Now that I think about it more.. I think i don't want to think about it.
The 'born sexy yesterday' trope is my absolute least favourite trope ever. It's just kinda... creepy, especially seeing as they're often like children but in a grown woman's body. Nobody can convince me that the male love interests surrounding this trope aren't just grooming the woman (or creating her) to be their personal hyper-realistic sex doll. It's disgusting.
That being said, though I loathe the trope as described to the bottom of my stomach until I wrench up the depths of hell through my oesophagus, I really love “born sexy yesterday” characters. Somni from Cloud Atlast, Seven of Nine, Motoko, River, all characters that captivate me and I love them. What’s disgusting about the trope is that it’s basically child abuse in an adults woman’s body, which is a massive shame. I can’t think of a “born sexy yesterday” which I don’t find charming, whose story I would have liked to have heard have I journeyed with them, shared in their wonderment and fascination, only to have that potential stripped away by their dependence of a manipulative opportunist.
I also dislike this trope, and see it as more often a writing crutch to cover up for lack of writing ability. Can't think of compelling personalities for your lead characters? Just make one have the personality of a sock and make the other one a child in an adult's body. Come on writers, you can surely do better.
That's somehow not too surprising to me, as it seems like there's a disturbing amount of interest in incest within writers. I don't understand it. And maybe that's why I should be glad that I'm not a writer myself.
Amy Pattie What we need is a Born Sexy Yesterday with zero manipulators or sexual overtones involved - maybe even no authority figures. I just want to embark on the whimsical slapstick adventures of a grown ass adult trying to figure out how to drink from a glass of water or use an escalator for the first time with no creepiness involved, is that so much to ask?
@@amypattie7004 I would argue Motoko. She wasn't "born yesterday" she is an android that has been through multiple bodies and multiple lives. If you read the original material (the manga) she is actually rather old and every time she changes bodies she maintains her memories and identity - the movie didn't cover that very well.
To be perfectly honest, number eight would actually be a dope story. Someone comes to another planet, convinced that what they’re doing is good... turns out that they’re destroying that which the protagonist is trying to save.
Hang on.... this is Ender’s Game isn’t it... XD
Yup. Ender's Game.
Yes it is, and it's still good (as in entertaining, not morally).
Albeit that wasn't colonialism, that was just strait up "defensive" genocide. Need to get around to reading the sequels...
Yeah, pretty much
It’s Avatar too!
Dune!
You should do the cliches of fanfiction
I don't read fanfic so I don't think I'm qualified to discuss it :-\
Jenna Moreci Aw
Honnjyx VII Very, very, very long
*cards hands through your hair*
Rape and child abuse are in 90% of them 😧😧
The Colonization trope can be interesting if used as a critique of early colonization on earth. Looking and the consequences of said practice on beings. Maybe the main character(s) starts realizing that they are the bad guys, or maybe only the reader gets to see the bad parts, and the main character(s) are oblivious of their actions have far reaching consequences. I'd love to see a critique of colonization explored this way.
unless the planet already had indigenous people living there, colonization wasn't such a bad thing
You also have to be careful to avoid the "Peaceful savage" trope. A trope that infantizes indigenous people. The idea that indigenous people would never commit acts of atrocity unless the learned it from colonizers. This trope also demonizes missionary work building, school, churches, hospitals and railroads. Or bringing advanced systems of law and justice to places that may not have had those things.
@@Pancasilaist8752Well, often it goes hand in hand with the destruction of the environment. Camerons Avatar is about colonisation.
BEST sci-fi tropes please! Like cute robots! (BB8 for the win!)
This is a GREAT idea!
As everyone's favorite lightning-fingered space politician would say... "DEWIT!"
I concur!
YESSSS
Make it so!
I love how Princess Leia fits the Lone woman trope but she still kicks ass.
Yes, but star wars would have been so much better with more women. It's still ridiculous to only have one. Even if she kicks ass.
Sil G They also had Mon Mothma also exists. She had a hand in starting the Rebel Alliance.
@@TallicaMan1986 right... Two women... Wow. How many men are in the movie again?
@@TallicaMan1986 right so it's ridiculous to only have two women.
Sil G that’s your biggest criticism, not enough women? What about Jar Jar and fucking Midiclorians?
Jenna is best Spock
lol I try!
MagicalPouchOfMagic Live long and prosper
peace and long life
indeed
Best Spock is Jenna
“A spaceship full of 16 year olds”
Me, a Gundam fan:
“THATS A LOTTA DAMAGE”
At least Gundam generally manages to have at least one adult around to herd the kids! Not every franchise is as lucky!
Me, a Clone Wars fan... Sweats nervously.
I’m looking at YOU, Evangelion 👈
there is so many animes with this exact trope and I just avoid them like plague.
@@BrianimeniaKEvangelion essentially shows exactly why this wouldn’t be a good thing. It gets a pass.
At #5, honestly my mortal nightmare would be to explore space and find a naval fleet of aliens made up by teenagers in the middle of puberty.
Rami Kasyanov two words-child battalions
Rami Kasyanov seriously, you are marching into the enemy territory, you lived through the entire war, and then you hear some childish, girly scream “Chaarge!” And see 200 8-years old with bolt rifles run towards you. Not only that’s fucking terrifying, but when you put them all down with superior knowledge of how to reload, you’re probably gonna spiral into depression.
So... all of the Clans from BattleTech? (One of my favorite universes, too. Haha.)
Have no fear: A space navy fleet of teens in the middle of puberty would be too boy and/or girl crazy to ever fight you. They'd be too busy thinking about each other, themselves, the latest fads and media, to ever attack you and yours...right up until you told them NO. Just nod and sell them acne cream and contraceptives, (LOL) and you'll have a peace treaty and trade agreement in no time! :D Hahaha.
There might be a few very serious, dedicated teens who'd be cunning, effective adversaries. Fine. Get those few to join YOUR cool space navy or merchant fleet, and you still win! :D If there are a few whiz-kid pre-teens with amazing talent, same. You get some adorkable but savvy space cadets, but the bunch of teen and preteen talent can be put to good use doing real, challenging study and work and responsibility, so you can avoid the horrible "space cadet saves the ship / universe every week" trope. :D Hah! (Note: In prior centuries, kids and teens were put to work in responsible jobs as soon as they could be, or too soon. But you really did have young teens / preteens serving on navy and merchant ships, doing farm or factory work, apprentices and junior clerks, and so on. Almost unbelievable by our standards, but real.)
When you're a creative writer and you realize that you've managed to avoid just about every single one of the tropes in the video... Awesomeness for the win!! XD
Real! My story has none of these tropes! Woohoo 🥳
"IQ of a sock" LMBO 😂😂😂😂
With patience, training, and good makeup, we could make a sock puppet.
@@geraldfrost4710 um.. wtf 😀
>:(
Great points as usual Jenna! I think one of my all time least favorite tropes in pretty much any genre but I see it a LOT in sci if-Everyone speaks English. I know we have to be able to understand the characters but surely there’s another way to do that beyond “Oh...well we all know English.”
Or at least have a believable explanation for it.
As a teen, I'm constantly looking for any advice or writing pro-tips. I love your channel and I watch your videos constantly to try and boost my writing capabilities. This video is really good because I love writing sci-fi especially time traveling and multiple dimensions. You're personality makes all of this do much more interesting and enthralling.
awwww thank you so much!!!
Advice from an unqualified individual who hasn’t commented on one of Jenna’s videos in a while: if you want to write better, read more. Gardner Dozois edits ( or at least edited) ‘the year’s best science fiction’ every year starting in the 90s. These collections are dirt cheap at most book stores and are guaranteed to expand your horizons.
Jenna is good for writing tips. It's good you're watching her vids. I always do.
Sameeee
I'd love to hear about your time travel/dimension story! I've got one going too
I'm female and straight as an arrow, but I feel compelled to tell you, you made a very hot Vulcan.
now picture Jenna in a Princess Leia Bikini, with the headphone hairdo. Don't forget to imagine the pillows and the leash.
I mean I don't think alien sex is bestiality if they're intelligent enough to consent, but being sexually biologically compatible to humans doesn't make sense I agree to that
Well, if you consider aliens to be animals, then it is bestiality. An also it then means that you are speciist. X)
I find it weird that so many aliens look human in the first place. Comparatively, we’re a weird species from spark-of-the-moment freak evolution that walks upright on a wobbly fragile stick spine propping up a bloated head and our tiny hips can kill us if we try to give birth. Literally ANYTHING is more likely and feasible, especially on an alien planet. Why not go with a nice sentient invertebrate blob that communicates telepathically in colors and feelings? That seems nice.
+Sambhavi Singh Sometimes they point out that it's possible due to similar genetic roots. Like having a previous sentient species "seeding" certain planets with life to result in physical similarities (i.e. 2 arms, 2 legs and faces that are somewhat on the humanoid scale) while having differences due to evolutionary variations on the planets where they were "seeded". Basically, having common ancestors, which make mating a possibility.
I would say it really depends on the story and the reasons they consider it possible. If it's a case of having common ancestors, then they would be pretty much a "human" from another planet where the physical differences are related to evolutionary advantages in different environments or extremes in their environments. In some stories I've read, all of the "aliens" were just humans that colonized and moved to different planets and ended up evolving to have some basic differences due to variations in their environments, thus making them "alien" and "the same" at the same time. As far as it being bestiality...I guess that depends on how "human" they make their "aliens", as well as the level of sentience.
OK, Eos, the thing about humans... we're might be weird, but evolution isn't 'spark-of-the-moment freak' events.
And who's to say that an invertebrate blob, communicating telepathically in colours and feelings, couldn't get the message across to a human that rubbing there... left a bit... harder... OH HELL YES, THAT'S IT KEEP GOING.... damn, I need a cigarette.
Gonna have to point out here, that on Planet Earth (at least) the HUGE GREATER portion of species abounding reproduce sexually... complete with male and female genitals. For the majority, those genitals are relatively similar biologically... Penises are "phallic" in shape, stiffen when the male is "excited" and deliver a load of DNA the general same mechanical direction and method across all species. Vaginas are "canal" shaped, internal, and secrete lubrication when the female is "excited" availing themselves to receive a load of DNA on the same completion of approximately the same mechanical activity across all species. Fish and some amphibious species seem to simply "spray" their relevant DNA into the water, letting current and "chaos theory" take hold for the majority of the act...
BUT on firm ground of any kind, creatures are designed to "pair up" and follow through... Even among reptiles, while the male's phallus is "retracted" commonly inside the cloacal vent until "excited", it's still a penis and emerges with reasonably the same old purposes as any other... The females, also have a "receptacle" canal just the same... The only actual difference of much relevance is size.
SO... On the side of whether or not aliens would be "equipped" for the pleasure of human sexual intercourse... I'm going to have to shrug it off as "non-issue" really. Unless you're so starved for perverse pornography as to have to break up the middle of your novel or script to explain all the evolutionary horse-crap to define who has compatible parts for who else... It's just as fair to say "sexual reproduction is as common as any other kind" and move on.
Bestiality??? Um... Context matters here. AND within that context is the question "How human are they?"... Besides, there's plenty of room in literature and cinema or theater to use the uncomfortable subtext of bestiality or suspected bestiality as a parallel to make commentary about social climes at large, something Sci-Fi (truly great Sci-Fi, anyway) used to be celebrated for doing.
I think (for the record here) that the core of this trope getting annoying is whether or not it poses a core to the story in question. If the story revolves around a main character (or even a small group of them) bouncing from bed to nest to bang literally anything with "close enough plumbing and a heartbeat"... then you're no longer in Sci-Fi, but actually writing erotica or porn'. If on the other hand, there's a side-plot or sub-plot with context around a "forbidden love" and it's being exploited for purposes of addressing racism and discrimination between families, friends, or cultures, then the trope of "sexy alien love interest" is more than erotic fantasy and it would be irresponsible to accuse the author of a bestial fetish. It smacks more to YOUR own fetish and shame that you even drag the conversation onward with some peculiar ideology that someone can't possibly be human considering whatever rock they've grown up on as it hurtled through space around a runaway fusion reactor. ;o)
The born sexy yesterday thing is like a grown ass man dating a young teen who happens to look old enough to be almost adult.
Can you do 10 dystopian tropes? That would be awesome!!
Yes!!!! Do it!!!!!!
Worst dystopian tropes, please!!
She made it!
Dystopian can be cool, but the current trend to grim-dark-bleak-depressing, nobody-can-get-along, morose dystopia just doesn't do it for me. A line from a really old Hee-Haw song sums this up for me: "Gloom, despair, and agony on me!" -- One current franchise went from very optimistic, inspirational, to pessimistic, fatalistic dystopian, and ruined it for me. I hope they quit it, declare that an alternate timeline, and go back to the original timeline and outlook, but so far, they keep doubling down on the awful. -- There are other series that are dystopian, but not in the miserable, I-don't-wanna-be-in-this-mess way.
Kind of the same as born sexy yesterday with a male is Stranger in a strange land.
Meet Joe Black, Avatar, The Matrix (Hell, most of the "white savior" tropes are the male equivalent of born sexy yesterday.)
Wow now I'm gonna write the born sexy yesterday trope with a male character lol. He will be beautiful, dumb as a rock, and frolic around with butterflies 🦋 while everyone else saves the world.
Do it!
Aww that’ll be adorable. Do it!
that's have been done. in an anime called "karnaval"
TV show Supernatural has done the male born sexy yesterday twice! First there was Castiel, but he's been around for a few years now and has woke up, so now we have Jack who was literally born a teenager.
Jack wasn't born a teen. He was born a baby, but he learned that the world would be dangerous for him while in the womb, so once born he made the decision to speed up his aging until he was a young adult.
"I don't care for the tech" lmao that's just like reading harry potter and not caring about the magic
7:15 Genocide? Jennacide, Jennaside, Jennaseid to make it scifi, Jennaseid: Rise of the Cyborgs?
I’m autistic, so I might be missing something, but comparing someones name to one of the most abhorrent crimes imaginable, to their face, seems a bit tactless
It's a pun.
She once said :souless robot in worst male character
Alex Middleton yeah I understand where you’re coming from. It’s meant to be a silly play on words because her name is close to the beginning of genocide. Not trying to be rude tho sorry if I came of as rude! Have a great day or night whenever you read this. (Also I just realized you commented that a year ago... oops 😬)
Aw that Cliff cameo. 😂🤣
I just started writing a sci-fi story. Moreci's got my back
I can read your mind!
Abraxus K. Me too!!
The most important part is to finish it.
I just finished the third version of the outline. We're going to be here for a while :)
But you can't write is ABOUT Jenna because you'd be in breach of number 10.
Funny thing is, just before watching the video I finished a story about a crew of teenagers in a space ship. Although the justification for that was they were high school students on a camping trip to another planet, only to be sucked through a wormhole and stranded in deep space, forcing them to make the trip back without adults, excluding the one they picked up in the last leg of the trip.
The Homogenous Aliens Trope is definitely one I really don't like; to me it's insultingly lazy, as it comes off to me as if the writers have no imagination in the realm of character design of a unique species; one of the reasons I love science fiction is because Aliens always look unique, standout, and have more originality than Fantasy (which just recycles Elves, Dwarves, Orcs, etc.). So it does get on my nerves.
Homogeneous aliens in visual media sometimes kinda making sense sometimes. Usually characters explore only a tiny bit of a planet, especially if it's a TV episode. Often they don't even fully explore the singular city they ended in. It is only logical that those living in this city would be mostly from same culture and same genetic pool, thus not very different. The problems arise when you extrapolate a few examples onto the whole civilization birthing forth the "Planet of Hats" trope, like those stupid comic books done with the Predators. "Oh boy we had whooping two hunting parties show up on earth for reasons that are not explained! Naturally this means that their WHOLE SPECIES do nothing BUT hunting!"
Well, to be fair, the hunting aspect is their most standout trait and is what makes the Predators unique; and their reasons are simple enough to grasp that they're exotic hunters. Anyway, I get what you're saying, somewhat, but I still feel like writers should at least make the effort to make their alien races look less human; at least give them a convincing mask that makes them stand out from the crowd, like the Predator's face. At least you can tell they put some effort into their faces looking ugly and terrifying, leading to an effective and memorable moment.
I prefer fantasy, but there are a lot of clichés, and a lot of ripoffs of LOTR, HG, and Twilight
+The Circle of T.E.D I always assumed it was because they only explored one part of the planet, and never really go far in the planet. If aliens landed in Japan, then they might assume all humans had Asian features, because more than 98 percent of Japan's residents are Japanese. You sometimes see "gaijin" or foreigners in the larger cities, but not so much in the small towns. In sci-fi, I generally give them the benefit of the doubt when it comes to the level of "diversity" in their aliens, particularly when they land in a small town or a tribal area, which may be only a very small portion of the planet's population.
That said, I have read some books where they describe levels of diversity among their aliens where one may have blue skin, another has green, etc. But in those books, it's usually describing differences in population while observing a large city.
Fantasy can have creature out of the norm (wendigo, kraken, dragon). It's just everyone trying to copy tolkien.
Kyle XY has the male "Born Sexy Yesterday" trope and I really enjoyed it! Its been a long time since I saw the series, but he saw things in a simple yet wonderous look on things. Lets you appreciate things that you overlook during day by day life
Kyle XY!! I was like seven when I watched that and it gave me a weird obsession with the concept of a person created in lab.
Them brows tho. I love them too much lol
They took way longer than they should've XD
And I just happend to be writing a Scifi romantic comedy about a sexy alien prince and a slug alien princess escaping their responsibilites by traveling the galaxy, Your Videos are on point!
Do Mystery next!
Zaxor Von Skyler YASSSSS
This is a great idea!!!
i second that!
👆this
+
For #3 i would really only give an in depth explanation of a technology if that technology is pivotal to the plot, and even then it wouldn't be one massive info dump, it would need to be developed through the story
Your logic impresses me, Cyborg Queen. Are you sure you're not half-Vulcan?
But srsly, this video is dope and is helping me write a book! :D
LOL thank you! One of my nicknames used to be Vulcan XD
Are you saying resistance if futile? ;)
She's a Cyborg, her brain is like, half computer, and computers only run on logic.
The Space Cowboy trope is actually somewhat subverted in Star Wars. While they do have a character like this in Han Solo, it’s made very clear that while he thinks he’s good with charming women, he isn’t. He prefers not to fight, but to evade. Also, most notably, he isn’t the main character. Soft, naive farm boy Luke Skywalker is the main character who helps maintain the conscience of the main group and helps Han actually align himself with the resistance.
Okay but what about a group of space orphans take a ship and try to find a decent planate to settle because their orphanage is overcrowded, and they all come from different near extinct races, but they were all put together because that was the only orphanage within lightyears?
I'd read that!
Sounds cool
Why nobody sent any adults with them? Especially when they are overcrowded, I’m pretty sure they’ll find a couple volunteers to fly.
Now child battalions, on the other hand...
Or instead of an orphanage, the alien planet employs the use of child soldiers, which would explain the lack of adult authority - they can fend for themselves as it is, and are struggling to escape their oppressive, horrific fates. 🤔🤔
hi it's tweety
I pretty much have it. Late in the war, child battalion pops up on the losing side, made from kids 6-10 years and commanded by 14 year old (who also made this battalion, he just took them from destroyed orphanage)
While they aren’t really effective in direct combat, they are really effective in giving the main cast of guardsmen severe depression, cuz calling napalm bombing on kids isn’t good for your mental health
Jenna! I’m so glad you’re touching on this topic! Thanks so much!
I’m currently writing a sci fi adventure novel and I’m trying to avoid info dumping without being overly vague about key concepts. Glad to hear you mention it as it reassures me that less is probably more. :)
Hello! Can you do a video in the future about writing characters that have mental illnesses? Like depression?
I'll add it to my list!
Jenna Moreci okay cool! 😂😂
Yes please!
Yaasss I really need this!
That would be a great topic. I recently discovered a helpful tip for this, as my MC has several mental illnesses as well. I started watching TH-cam videos of just every day average people who have those mental illnesses and what their lives are like. It's more informative, in some ways, than reading some kind of article about the science behind the illness, although that stuff can be important to know too. It's more of just people saying "hey, I was diagnosed with PTSD, and this is what my life and triggers and anxiety episodes are like." Super interesting, especially to watch multiple people's videos and compare and contrast their experiences.
I have seen one instance of the "Teens in Charge" trope done right, at least in my opinion. In the book Iron Widow, the frontline fighters are people from about 13-25 years old, after which they are sacrificed. The reason this is, is because they are the best at controlling the energy needed to power the weapons they use to fight. After 25, they just... can't do it as well. There's an actual reason, and it makes sense. Plus they're not in charge, they're just soldiers, and they're not conscripted, they choose it. A bunch of old guys sitting around a table are in charge, and they die by the end because, well, they were killing children.
"Take a wild guess what it is."
DOCTOR WHO?
'
But Jenna! You should've been dressed like the new Doctor.
But what if Jenna IS the new Doctor?
Doctor Who is way better than Star Trek.
In the modern day that's true, but Classic Trek is better than classic Doctor Who
Lol you silly, it's not Doctor Who!
it's Star Wars.
3:33 is important to the plot so it makes sense. Skip it if you’d like but some of us like to know what’s going on in the story
Number 5 is literally ender’s game. I mean the main character is literally 9 years old!
I was thinking Neon Genesis Evegelion. Don't get in the Ava Shinji!
Also darling in the franxx... terrible i know
At least in Ender's Game, it's more about the mind than being a "super soldier", not to mention a child's mind is more pliable and prone to "out of the box thinking", which was kind of the whole point of the program they were in. I'm not saying he shouldn't have written them to be older, but at least he makes an attempt to explain it.
And that they literally had to breed the perfect soldier before the fleet arrived, and they'd already had a few failures. Not that the first two attempts (his older siblings) were _much_ older, mind, but it wasn't their first choice to have him that young.
@@jaxrobinson3890 Lol the movie made me think he was at least twelve or something... also, didn't the program also involve isolating him from others? It's was supposed to make him a better leader, but that shit would've fucked the kid up.
"How does this work?"
"I could give you a six hour lecture on quantum physics or I could get on with it."
"Er, right then. Carry on."
Theres an episode of farscape where a scientist first has to explain what shes doing, which actually takes longer than doing the thing, also, she had less than 2 minutes to do it in...
As a physicist, I'd read that. But the pool of available readers would be about a hundred people in the world.
from the forever peace: "not doing math when talking about engineering is like not talking about God when discussing religion. But editors know that 90% of readers will shut the book if they see an equation."
If you're going to rip off Star Wars or Star Trek, you could try it in a different genre at least. *looks at Paolini's Inheritance Cycle*
Love the video btw!
High fantasy Star Trek? (writer's brain activates)
Keep in mind Star Wars was a throwback to the old Flash Gordon and Buck Rogers serials.
Inheritance cycle is just Star Wars meets lord of the rings
The one with the child soldiers is the worst. It´s also in fantasy.
For example, Rick Riordan´s books. Gosh, I love them. But! The one thing I hate is that when demigods become adults, they are like "Enough fighting, I'll just go, get married, find a job and let 10-20 year old kids and teens to defend the world from monsters!"
Because hey, if there are big and experienced soldiers, our young heroes won't be so impressive, right?
Irina K. Actually, I think in the Lighting Thief they mention that most demigods don’t survive to adulthood, but you’re right, the ones who do don’t do much.
*Jenna posts video* should I do my homework or should I watch Jenna..... it's only logical to watch Jenna
To be fair, it's only 10 minutes :P
10 minutes of quality content
Especially if it's writing
I now realize I'm better at plugging plot wholes than writing actual plots. I've directly addressed so many of these tropes while putting together the setting and lore of my science fantasy world.
1 check
2 check
3 & 4 check sort of. My scifi is based off of fictional discoveries and breakthroughs closer to Lovecraft than Roddenberry
5 So not my bag even when I was a teenager.
6 Didn't even know that was a thing. My original concept required four important characters that happened to be non dudes and more popped up during the first draft.
7 This one was easy, I was inspired by less popular stuff.
8 The inhabited planets are called colonies but i assure you there were no natives when they arrived.
9 Once tried to make a character in the style of john Mclane. Instead he turned out like this guy and I tossed the whole thing. Writing's a lot harder when your fifteen.
10 I mentioned the Lovecraft influence right? Sexy cannibal androids, one species oblivious to visual esthetics and only attracted to the "scent" of someone.
Geez what time is it i gotta go to bed
Can you do a video on fallen heroes?
Yes! please do that.
"Fallen", how? Turned evil? Quit? Became a shell of their former selves?
Turned Evil
Side note: Jenna, of all Vulcans, you seem like the ONE who would break the mold and crack jokes. This makes you my favorite Vulcan of all time!
Cliff really looks and makes a great Kirk. Wasn't expecting that.
"Science fiction has a keyword in there"
Me: "Fiction"
Jenns: "Science"
Me: "Nailed it right? Haha"
I've read at least a couple thousand science fiction novels in my lifetime, and I completely disagree with you about your third point, the technology and how it might work. I have learned VAST amounts about science and how real technology works from reading science fiction, and I would be supremely disappointed in a science fiction novel that mentioned some cool concept in technology and then just relegated it to the skiffy wonderdome of handwavium magic.
I think what she meant is that you shouldn't have a full blown chapter explaining in excruciating detail how your FTL is supposed to work.
Isn't that the point of hard sci-fi, though?
@@DarthBiomech Yes, yes you should. But have a character interact with the tech to explain it. Or work on it.
Why? How does it advances the plot or enriches the setting?
For the “Born Sexy Yesterday” troupe manly edition I was curious what you thought of Shape of Water? I really enjoyed the movie but my friends pointed out that the Swamp Man, despite possibly being hundreds of years old, is portrayed as having sock-like intelligence (yes he only learned sign language yesterday but that shouldn’t preclude him from having complex thought in his own language/interactions). Also they totally do it, which I give a pass to since he’s a bipedal, carbon based lifeform, who I’m just gonna say is mammalian.
I have made sure that I don't underuse female characters or make them helpless. To be fair, almost all of my characters get stuck in a situation where they become momentarily helpless and require rescuing, but I've made sure that my male characters are no exception.
Getting stuck and being helpless are 2 ends of a grey scale. Have 2 mc's get stuck, they throw each other the thing they most need, and they get themselves unstuck, i think makes for a great relationship.
8:45 But Jennaaaaaaaaaaa they are actually egg sacs! Didn't you read my info dump during the flashback in the prologue?
My reaction when Jenna uploads: MY CYBORG QUEEN
My reaction to this video: MY ALIEN QUEEN
More Cliff interactions please. Your relationship looks awesome and I love that he is (willing to appear) so supportive. You two are great couple role models
Can you do one on superhero tropes?
Yes . Please.
There are dumb as a rock guy love interests, like Kronk in the Emperor's new Groove. He's the bad gal's love interest, and not only is he dumb but he messes up her evil plans. The only difference is you don't want to tie him to a railroad track because he'd mess up the railroad track.
Last time I was this early the jester was still alive. (TSC reference)
LOL XD The jester!
I like tech talk. I want to know the specs of ships and weapons.
Most people who love sci-fi do.
Star Trek VI
Kirk is once again smooching with an alien lady, as she leaves an annoyed Doctor McCoy asks: ''what is it with you anyway?''
this scene always makes me laugh. and yes, Kirk is my favorite Star Trek character. suck it ;P
"Jim, I'm just a country doctor, and you're catching a whole new set of diseases!"
We choose children to defend us now. 18 year olds are still kids. You can technically join the join the army at 16. And we pick children because teen magical thinking makes them think of the glory of war instead of the horror.
Omg love your costume! You and your set look absolutely spooktacular! Also, with the homogenous aliens, is that also considered a planet-of-hats type situation? Or is it slightly different because of genre? Also the teens in charge thing is so annoying! Not only in sci-if, but everywhere! As always, your video was fantastic!
It is planet of Hats trope. I think that trope originated or at least was popularized in Sific.
A male example for the first trope would be Kyle XY, but they got around it easily by making him learn things super fast. So he was only dumb for like the pilot episode.
I'm betting a Slave Leia Bikini will at the very least make a reference here.
Dangit.
For her next outfit, Jenna in a Princess Leia Slave Bikini outfit.
Half the viewers would hate her even more, half the viewers would put it on a permanent loop.
Bonus points for the headphone bun hairdo.
You forgot the one trope where a alien race who has never met humanity nor learn our culture suddenly know how to speak English or any other human language when they meet humanity for the first time
You look so good in that Spock costume! Also, thank you for this video, it just made me realise all I was doing wrong ( and it was a lot ). Sorry for my bad english!
awww thank you so much, I'm really glad you enjoyed the video!
Two other male examples of "Born Sexy Yesterday" are both from Brendan Fraiser: Blast From The Past and Encino Man. In both he plays a ridiculously good looking (because Brendan Fraiser) and incredibly naive guy who doesn't understand the modern world. This trope is actually a bit more common than I think you realize, though with men it's more often "born sexy several centuries ago and then brought to the modern era." The movies Kate & Leopold and A Christmas Knight both do this trope where a man from the past is brought into the present where he's a fish out of water, doesn't know the culture, and imposes his own (usually extremely gallant, chilvaric) worldview on a cynical, jaded world. Sometime it happens in reverse, where the modern woman is thrown into the past where she meets the (from her perspective) BSY man (Outlander is an example, but it's a popular romance trope).
I hear a lot of criticism of this trope, and I think it's pretty shallow and rather misses the point. The "born sexy yesterday" is a fantasy that appeals to people who have been on one too many bad dates with shallow, jaded and cynical people who treat relationships as transactional and always have some agenda. For men, the appeal of the BSY character is that she isn't "tainted" by the jaded, cynical and mercenary culture the male protagonist inevitably comes from. Whereas the women he usually deals with seem to have completely forgotten that relationships are about love, not wealth, status, and power, the BSY doesn't see the male protagonists interest in her as something to be manipulated and used for her own gain. Pretty much the same dynamic when it's a male BSY, though usually he's not so much an innocent as he comes from a mythical golden age when men were gentlemen and not just entitled sex-pests.
Edit: The "Wandering Dude with a Gun" is such an insanely popular trope because that's the sort of person who actually gets into adventures. I'm a writer and I tend to write this character a lot...because my male protagonists are mostly just my dad. He was a Green Beret in Vietnam, then spent years working undercover for the CIA in the Sudan (we thought he worked for Chevron, only learned he was working for the CIA after he died), then spent twenty years working as a professional adventure guide (he also had a short career as a burglar, and along the way accidentally invented eco-terrorism). He was a guy who actually had adventures. He had like scars from the places he got shot and a big scar on his neck where he got hit with a machete in the Congo. He was also a brutish drunk with severe PTSD, who had a string of broken marriages, slept around with tons of women, generally everything you'd associate with the trope. And part of the reason I write about him is because if I wrote about me -- quiet, cautious, polite, reserved, a gentleman, etc. -- it would be Boring As Fuck. I don't have adventures, I write about them. Because I'm a sane person. Heroes, people who go on wild and crazy adventures that you want to read about? Those people are crazy. And most of them are bad, dangerous men with serious issues.
Can you do historical fiction and how you write it???
I don't write historical fiction, but I can cover the tropes?
Jenna Moreci ok that is ok
OMG I CANT BELIEVE YOU REPLIED I LOVE YOUR VIDEOS I AM A 10 year old writer and I have learned SO much thank you and keep making videos😋💖❤️💚💛🧡💜💙🖤💗🌈
you are so sweet, thank you for making my day!
Basically it just means that you have to do a ton of research, otherwise you might as well just write a fantasy story.
You don't have to scrutinize every detail, you can keep things vague or not address things at all. But those details and facts that you do choose to include better be correct, and unless you already have a solid understanding of a period that means you have to do some research. Most people think that they know more about history than they actually do and make a whole lot of incorrect assumptions. And if you don't care about getting things right, I stand by my point that you might as well write history inspired fantasy. At least then you don't have to worry about breaking peoples suspension of disbelief by including anachronistic stuff.
Also, on the teenagers in sci-fi point, the teenager on Star Trek: TNG was the most hated character on the show. No one cared about some teenager solving all the damn problems while surrounded by smart, capable adults. The guy who played that role had a tough time doing it.
I love reading science fiction but I don’t like writing it. I don’t trust myself to do a well enough research.
You gotta believe.
Just fake it or make up. You don't need to go in depth
+Trisha Reddy Build on what you know of current technology. We already have computers, smartphones, holographic imagery (though not used much), AI....take from what you know and imagine how that may result in further advancements in the future. A simple change: it's likely everything will eventually be solar powered. We already have the technology, it's just expensive right now. In the future, that's likely to change, so there's a real possibility of solar power being a norm. We already have space flight technology, so you want to consider how it would be possible to travel at faster-than-light speeds. one way I see that in many sci-fi is the idea of "folding space" or using wormholes to travel. But in those situations, you've got to evaluate how to generate so much energy. And the potential consequences of mistakes or miscalculations.
I guess my point is to have fun with it. Let your imagination run wild by building on what you already know. ^_^
I love you jenna, you’re my favorite youtube channel atm
I live for these trope videos!
I'm so glad you like them! They're really fun to film :)
Zapp Brannigan is an excellent pisstake on #9 type characters.
Omg! Cliff coming out and you doing the deathtouch😱🤣 oh my gosh! I literally laughed out loud😂😂😂😂 you guys are too cute togather😍😘 Awesome Video as well 🤓👏
I was thinking of writing a sci-fi story when I saw this video, so thanks for that~ Can you do your favorite sci-fi tropes next? That'd be great. Also your favorite and least favorite tropes in a mystery story. Love your videos, and your cosplay, keep up the great work~
6:57 - omg, yes "colonizing isn't a good thing".
4:37 the ONLY valid version of this trope when it actively calls attention to it and is like "Hey this is fucked up? Right? Right????"
I love your costume
Thank you!
Wow, I thought my book would be full of stereotypes but luckily I didn't put in any of these
zombo com... now that's something I havent heard in years, such a throwback
I was waiting for someone to notice XD
Jenna Moreci you can do anything at zombo com
two si fi empires: give their children guns.
"Ok, now fight!"
The first hunger game was basically teen agers handing each other cigarettes and kissing behind the bike shed
I was hoping you'd do this one!!!😍😍😍
aww yay!!!
8:28 you're like the only person I've seen personally on the Internet bring that up. It can be a legit question, depending on the convo of course.
Thanks for making this video! :D
Thank you SO much for addressing the homogeneous aliens trope! That's always driven me nuts! I mean, I still like sci-fi movies, comics, and books. But I sometimes want to make a show that pokes fun at these tropes.
Also, I don't know how common this is in Star Trek, but as much as I like Star Wars, this has always bothered me; Why is it that in almost every franchise space exploration, all the planets not only have the same atmosphere, but the same gravity and a climate that accommodates humans? And for that matter, what's up with homogenous planets (ones like Tattooine or the moon of Endor that are the same landscape and climate all across its surface)?
Anyways, thank you for the vid, and count yourself another sub.
"Child soldiers"
*glances towards Ender's Game and the Chiss Ascendancy*
HelloOoOoOoOoOo, Spock! lol
Live long and prosper!
I used your link to try skill share. Thanks for the swag! :)
Love your videos btw. Thanks for the useful info.
I live with Bipolar disorder and crippling anxiety and I struggle to believe in myself most days. People like you help me keep going. Seeing your success despite mental health difficulties gives me hope. Thank you again.
Peace be with you.
"Women don't read science fiction" dudes piss me off so much.
Mary Shelley sent you a telegram, sir: she wants her entire fucking genre back.
2:48
This point with this visual is so much perfection.
OMG Shaft Dangerzone is back! 😍😍😍
2-They evolved past having as many differences as we do now but can still look different
4-I can make up my own biology if they're aliens
5-Because in real life no one respects teens it's always like oh you don't know how the world really is kid like seriously? So it's good seeing teens actually being respected. "Why are you making children risk their lives to protect civilization?" They're actually waiting for civilization to fall so the good guys can sweep in and rebuild it without the toxic people who were in charge before. Sure they could stop it from falling but don't and only some are kids but then they get older and when my protags become 16 I'll introduce a 12 year old prodigy who's in their classes and people like kid characters and kids want to see themselves making a difference not being victims and not many people have the gift so sometimes it's up to kids to fight alien vampires or mutants or whatever. "Wouldn't you prefer super soldiers who weren't going through puberty?" Umm, grownups already have lots of roles
6- Big Mood!!! 🙌🏻
7- I do Overwatch fanfic so only Winston has a ship that goes to other galaxies and I need so many kid characters because Ovewatch already has too many old people I mean legit old people like Torb Rein Ana and Soldier are 55 I swear I'm not even kidding.
8-But they had to invade a dieselpunk country because they were polluting so much because they'd cause more climate change and take over the world by saying oh civilization fell how about that now we're gonna help. But my protags stop the dieselpunk knights and Genji beats up the emperor who goes to an Overwatch jail on the moon and Winston and my protags plant so many trees and germs Winston made that eat carbon and methane because nature sure as hell doesn't care about anything so it's up to people to clean it they sure don't mind ruining it
9-They sound cringey
10-I don't need to make sexy aliens because all my MC needs is Mateo omnics attacked Barcelona so he moved to my MC's city and he buys her dark chocolate with almonds and heating pads from CVS and he helps her hem and tailor her clothes and he says she's classy and beautiful even when everyone else would say "cute" and he congratulates her on saving money when she actually finds something good in the kid's section and still makes her feel beautiful even tho she's embarrassed she can find comfortable stuff in the kid's section even when she's 16 and 20. And Mateo's circumcised but I don't know if I'm allowed to mention that in my story without having to label it mature even if they only french at worst on page
LOL N'SYNC throwback... XD
I was hoping someone would notice that XD
@@JennaMoreci No Strings Attached is still one of my favorite albums. :-)
Hmm, her personal preference can be felt in certain area but, I must admit that she has some good points. Also, there are some reoccurring themes in sci-fi that was highlighted.....especially the annoying and repetitive ones.
"Science Fiction is for men!!!"
Ever hear of Frankenstein? First SciFi novel ever? Written by Mary Shelley?
Hey Jenna, I absolutely love your trope videos, they always make me laugh and are so true! Can you do a series on the tropes that each genre needs to hit in order for readers to feel satisfied? An editor mentioned that there is such a thing and I'd be interested to see your take on the subject :)
Girlfriend you look sooooo cute 🤘
lol thank you!!
One thing that can be done for 'homogenus aliens' is emphasize that to other species, humans may look the same too. A group of aliens looking the same? 'What are you taking about? A is clearly a different shade than B and C has a different pattern of spots??'