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Only two flavors

As many books as there are that are made to help with writing, there so far is no definitive one that explains exactly what to do. Are elves good? Are vampires bad? If the books address these things, the answers conflict each other.

But writing isn’t math. Just because X equals 2 and 3 does not mean only one is right. X can be 2 or 3 or 4 or infinity. That’s the wonderful thing about writing.

To assume all answers in life are limited to two options, often Yes or No, is a false dilemma. Most questions in life are not like this. In fact, most are consequential questions, which means that depending on the circumstances, Yes is a good answer and sometimes No is. But this means that in taking all circumstances into consideration, both Yes and No are good answers, but at different times.

Also, decisions about literature take on a more personal aspect.

I dare anyone here to find a book that EVERY SINGLE PERSON IN THE WORLD likes.

Can’t be done, can it?

So that means that some people say Yes and some people say No. So therefore, it’s still both Yes and No at the same time.

A concrete division of Black and White does not work in the writing world.

Well, then I’ll have the chicken please

The fact is, whether or not you wish to face it, is that every category has an exception. Some birds don’t fly, some mammals lay eggs, some bread isn’t made to rise, some gays aren’t women with penises, some might as well be, and some elves aren’t written the way your D&D book says.

This has been done since people started telling stories. In some versions of Red Riding Hood, the wolf is eaten. In some versions, Cinderella is helped by a dead fish. In some versions, vampires aren’t predators.

Exceptions exist and they have been for a long time. So why not now? Especially when ‘now’ is supposed to be a world where each person can have their say?

Cake vs. Attack of the Killer Tomatoes

Fact is, there are exceptions. Fact is, Helium is the first element. Fact is, there are facts.

Facts can be great, but a fact in this universe has nothing on a fact in another. According to physics, Superman shouldn’t be able to fly. But he does. According to physics, phasers don’t make sense. But they’re in Star Trek.

Tomatoes don’t move on their own. Nor do they have teeth. Tomatoes are not known for ingesting people in any way. But what impact does this have on the movie and cartoon series? None.

In a world where facts defy ours, anything is possible, but only if those fact-defying facts are there.