Hi!! So I’ve read A TON of topics/threads about how readers are upset with Episode for having such cliche stories. I know it is frustrating to keep on seeing mafia, bad boy type stories and I totally get it.
Now, there are other things as well. Like character and name customization of the MC, having lots of choices per episode etc.
I’m currently working on a story and there will not be character and name customization at all. I was thinking of maybe pulling a The New Girl or Attracted to the Nerd thing where the MC meets/has an old friend and it’s the reader.
I know Episode stories are meant to have lots of choices, but that isn’t my style of writing. I like to write dialogue and really descriptive things. I’m going to put choices with outfits, what to say/what to do type things, but I’m not going to put big choices because it’s mystery story, so it’s more about solving the mystery, with a little addition. (it’s not going to be a romance story)
Basically, I’m just asking for opinions about what you would love to see more in stories. Please feel free to say anything. thank you so much!! xx
sure!
I can relate on the customization and name changing stuff. This is my first story and it’s very close to me rn so changing characters appearances and names just cant happen. Especially because its all so important to the plot. However, with choices, I do let readers choose certain dialogue and make some decisions but its all based on points. If you don’t have enough points to do it, then it ain’t happenin’ 
But I totally get what you’re saying, really, just focus on making the story good for you. If it’s good for you then that’s all that matters.
From what I’ve seen people don’t like cliche because episode ruined it but there’s no harm if you add your own twist to it
But for recommendations, I think little mini games would be a fun thing. I feel like I don’t see that too often.
I agree
What do you mean mini games? x
Yeah! Thank you for agreeing xxx
This really makes me feel less guilty about it. I don’t want the readers feeling upset that they didn’t get to customize it you know 
So theres little fun games you can code in your story. For instance, i have a mini game where thought bubbles appear and they have to choose the three rudest thought bubbles to transmit the thought to another characters mind (my mc is a mindreader and shes trying to get a guy to stop hitting in her). I did this using tappable overlays
You could do anything really. The main things you need to learn are tappable overlays, the points system, and gains/flags. I’ll go ahead and link some of those for you now. 
And yea I totally get it, a lot of people will be mad but your story is yours and you shouldn’t let other dictate it.
They haterz any way😝
Ah that is so cool and interesting!! I love that idea.
Aw thank you so much!!! xxx
I definitely will learn those, but I actually have a coder for the specific story i’m writing right now, since I’m taking my time to learn lol
I’ll pass the idea on. I’m not sure if I want to have a point system necessarily, but I will definitely use those links and jazz up my story. 
Sounds awesome! 
Whats you stories name, I’d love to read!
My story’s name is Serendipity, but it is not published yet! I am still working on it lol
Ha, me too. The struggle is real!
I just made my account, and I thought I was alone in this! I’m also working on my first story as well, but with the amount of customization and friendly competition with the other stories, I feel as if I need to put in SOME kind of customization, so I just put in limited ones at least. I don’t mind cliches though (they are beloved for good reason), as long as they’re done really well or to some extent - cliches that actually make sense and contribute greatly to the plot vs. having the cliche for just the drama (i.e. cheating on one’s partner due to an unhappy relationship vs. cheating on one’s partner because they just happened to be unfaithful offscreen or even before the story started - unless that was the point of the character of course).
What I usually want to see in stories is the author’s ability to get creative with the animations and their use of silence and pauses, as well as a pretty good use for sound effects and the right music, for me, it really does give a lot of the stories a bit more edge and oomph.
TLDR:
- cliches aren’t so bad if you use them correctly.
- sound and silence is something to consider in stories
- get creative with the animations
Yeah for sure! People really be hating on cliches without exploring for the actual good cliches.
There are really good stories where the authors do not allow any customization and they do well. I guess it’s just about what audience you are trying to target.
To be honest, I don’t mind cliches either
Hahah yep!
I forgot about this one as well, but my theory is a lot of users hate the usual gimmicks in popular stories (i.e. bad boys, mafia, baby daddy, billionaire CEO, MC’s being a total bitch for no reason, and so much more that I can’t name) is mainly on the growth of the app’s popularity and its entire audience, the bigger the audience, the higher the demand for quality and quantity holy crap I actually learned something from Economics 
. Remember that the youngest target audience of this app is at least 12-13 years old. There’s bound to be a kid that doesn’t know what’s “good” or what’s “bad” (don’t y’all have something that you once like and regretted liking when you grew older?)
I’d like to think that a lot of these “bad” stories exist (and still has a fanbase for some), mainly because it satisfies a certain type of people (The argument of a story can be anything because it can serve as one’s escape, i.e. revenge fantasy, ridiculous self-inserts, etc). and as amateur writers, I think we have to consider that sometimes, even though an author’s decision for their stories may not at all make sense, the best that they can hope is that at least the critic or maybe the audience against them would understand from they are trying to accomplish.
So then, the problem doesn’t lie in the cliche or the lack of choices, its actually in what’s in the story’s takeaway, and its overall purpose. No matter how ridiculous or how excellent a story is, it’s then up to the reader’s opinion in the long run - because its what they’ve learned and gathered happily is what matters in the end.
With that said, what’s actually bad is sending out the wrong message to a lot of impressionable kids, and leaving a huge impact in their daily lives, and that my friends is possibly the worst writing anyone could ever do in this app, especially newer writers who don’t know how to write serious topics and end up romanticizing it unintentionally. So please be careful in what we present.