Do most fantasy novel nowadays have traceable elements of Tolkienism in them? - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

EluThingol · 03-04-2013, 10:02 AM

Surely people try to emulate what they like, or what was successful. But like someone else said, much of what Tolkien wrote was borrowed from something else.

There is a saying "No Idea is original". And it's true.

You can make a cake, but did u invent the batter, the oven, the frosting, the recipe? ANY of it? probably not. You are going to do it the same way with the same stuff, just like everyone else did before you and everyone else did after.

Your mission though, is to make it more delicious, or at least, different and memorable.

That being said, it doesn't matter how much rip-off there seems to be in a writing, especially within our beloved fantasy genre.

If you want to find something new, fresh, strange, un-done, its your responsibility to go out searching for it. The writers of unique and groundbreaking things are hidden away in obscurity because people publish mostly what is recognizable, relatable and profitable to the majority.

03-04-2013, 10:02 AM	#12
EluThingol Pile O'Bones Join Date: Jan 2013 Posts: 12	Surely people try to emulate what they like, or what was successful. But like someone else said, much of what Tolkien wrote was borrowed from something else. There is a saying "No Idea is original". And it's true. You can make a cake, but did u invent the batter, the oven, the frosting, the recipe? ANY of it? probably not. You are going to do it the same way with the same stuff, just like everyone else did before you and everyone else did after. Your mission though, is to make it more delicious, or at least, different and memorable. That being said, it doesn't matter how much rip-off there seems to be in a writing, especially within our beloved fantasy genre. If you want to find something new, fresh, strange, un-done, its your responsibility to go out searching for it. The writers of unique and groundbreaking things are hidden away in obscurity because people publish mostly what is recognizable, relatable and profitable to the majority.