META REC: Periodic Table of Storytelling by ComputerSherpa

[campylobacter]

This is one of the most awesome graphical representations of the commonalities (tropes) found in nearly all fictional literature. Download it at deviantArt so you can zoom into it and read the fine print.

Periodic Table of Storytelling

by *ComputerSherpa

on deviantART

It's best understood if you start by reading the tops of the columns starting from the left:

• Structure
• Setting, laws, plots
• Story modifiers
• Plot devices
• Heroes
• Character modifiers
• Archetypes (Sue is there!)
• Villains
• Metatropes
• Production
• Fandom & Audience Reactions

And then by reading down the column (vertically).

WARNING: If you've never visited TV Tropes to learn about what's in each of the squares, then good luck and kiss at least several hours goodbye (if not days) from your leisure time.

Comments

[spiletta42.livejournal.com]

That looks awesome but I refuse to read it on account of valuing my spare time. Although if my brain refuses to do anything but dwell on Doctor Who cliffhangers all night again, I'll give in and give this a spin.

[campylobacter.livejournal.com]

Wise decision.

I find the chart Very Dangerous in an "inspires crack fic" kind of way.

[spiletta42.livejournal.com]

Yes, and I have enough half-finished crackfic already.

[lolmac]

*falls over shrieking in laughter*

I adore tvtropes.com. I don't dare go anywhere near the place, unless I pack food for several days, update my will and leave a forwarding address. It is a great consolation to me that others feel the same.

BTW, their section on MacGyver may be the only place on the internet that actually Gets It Right.

Yes, I've contributed to it. *hangs head* But it was already brilliant.

[campylobacter.livejournal.com]

Ohmahgoshes TVTropes! I click one link, read the entry, the examples from the shows, click another link, forget what I was there for, hit the Back button, click more links that open separate tabs or windows... IT GOES ON FOREVER AND EVER.

I've gotta go read the MacGyver entry now. This sounds awesome.

PS: HOLY GUACAMOLE!
http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/MacGyver
That show gave us a LOT of tropes!!

[lolmac]

ROFL!

No, no, MacGyver didn't actually create all those tropes; that's the list of all the tropes it used. It rang a lot of changes.

It did provide the name source for two tropes: MacGyvering itself, and Locking MacGyver in the Storage Cupboard. Locking-MacGyver-in-the-Storage-Cupboard is something that, as a trope, can happen to other characters, and does, O lord, it does. It ought to appear on the Evil Overlord list of things not to do, in fact.

When I first encountered the site, I laughed my ass off over how long the list of examples was then, and then realised it had left out quite a few. So I added more tropes to that list, and also added more MacGyver examples to the trope articles, and then had to swear off visiting the site except in extreme need, because every visit becomes EPIC. http://xkcd.com/609/

Stargate gets credit for naming some lovely tropes, too. The definitive exemplar of the Crowning Moment of Awesomeness trope, IIRC, is Blowing Up a Sun.

[campylobacter.livejournal.com]

"It's like Rick-rolling, but you're trapped all day."

ACCURATE.