Oh and while I'm thinking of it, I kind of feel when people pull personal experience into it (or knowledge via research), I find AUs more believable. A modern-day AU 'fic that doesn't have the characters doing normal everyday things (going out to eat, going bowling, watching football/tennis/soccer/basketball or being a fan of a specific team, et cetera, it really kills the immersion into the world the author is creating. It doesn't FEEL real.
I mean, I live in Ohio. When we see Michigan football M stuff we cringe or make mean comments or roll our eyes. And no matter where you are there are fast-food chains and malls and convenience stores and gas stations and libraries and local hangouts for the kids and stuff like that.
Of course, maybe your AU is a sci-fi one, or a medieval fantasy one, a western, or hell, a caveman one. <--now I want to try the last one ahaha I'm a terrible person
That's cool. But they had everyday normalities that people did. Maybe it was tea at 3:00 sharp, or dinner at 6. Maybe there's a famine and everyone's eating watery soups. I mean, maybe this is a 1970s AU and the kids go hang out at the park and the teenagers hang out at the junkyard doing dangerous stuff.
That's realistic. Those types of, idk, DETAILS make me feel like I'm reading something genuine, something that's more than just "Lol I'm putting FE8 characters into a modern day setting lololol". Because it takes more than just putting them there to make it work.
Re: and to think this is the short version LAWL
I mean, I live in Ohio. When we see Michigan football M stuff we cringe or make mean comments or roll our eyes. And no matter where you are there are fast-food chains and malls and convenience stores and gas stations and libraries and local hangouts for the kids and stuff like that.
Of course, maybe your AU is a sci-fi one, or a medieval fantasy one, a western, or hell, a caveman one. <--now I want to try the last one ahaha I'm a terrible person
That's cool. But they had everyday normalities that people did. Maybe it was tea at 3:00 sharp, or dinner at 6. Maybe there's a famine and everyone's eating watery soups. I mean, maybe this is a 1970s AU and the kids go hang out at the park and the teenagers hang out at the junkyard doing dangerous stuff.
That's realistic. Those types of, idk, DETAILS make me feel like I'm reading something genuine, something that's more than just "Lol I'm putting FE8 characters into a modern day setting lololol". Because it takes more than just putting them there to make it work.
They have to fit.