PLEASE NOTE: This is not a story, nor is it meant to in any way scare or spook the reader. This is not a blogicle.
Now, that being said, allow me to say hello to you all. This blog, and the blogs following it, are rants (or otherwise observations) on creepypasta, the different creepypasta fandoms, and why the quality and fanbase of pasta is going down. To those that know me, this should come as no surprise: I rant all the bloody time. However, I'll attempt to be much more relaxed and calm in this, as to correctly, accurately, and efficiently explain in detail the finer workings of story-writing for the new writers here, and hopefully all users can gain something out of this. That being said, let the rant begin.
I suppose to first understand the current predicament of our current fanbase, one must look at why we have one at the first place. Why are some pastas popular, while others fail? And furthermore, what attracts people to horror? To some, the answer is simple. But in truth, these questions need to be dissected in full.
To begin, it is quite plain to see that most people follow a trend when it comes to creepypasta, and horror in general. And, while it may seem shocking or insulting at first, there is enough evidence to support that a good portion of pasta readers are the abused, neglected, and otherwise depressed. Most users that I've come across here come from abusive families, torn homes, and all-around bleak lives. From this, I gather that pastas appeal to them in the sense that it allows them to vent frustration in them, by letting their minds fill with the images of horror, gore, and other such things.
From that, we can connect the other readers. The dark types, types obsessed with shadows, death, and despair. And, while it is understandable, these are usually the types that are somewhat sociopathic, or irritable.
Then there is the dreaded "third faction" of the fandom. Fangirls and fanboys. These people do not care for horror at all, nor do they care for any story. Rather, they read for the characters, and only the characters. They pervert them, bending them to their own fantasies. It is these fans that are, perhaps, the most terrifying.
But what do they have in common? What is the universal characteristic that draws in people by the tens of thousands to keep reading, to keep narrating, and to keep adding to our ever expanding world of literature? Well, that answer is rather simple.
"Fear Embodiments".
This will take some explaining, of course. A fear embodiment is something in a pasta, any pasta, that a reader is able to recognize on a subconscious level. That is why most pastas present their horror in a living being (e.g. Slenderman, The Rake, etc). This gives the reader a face, or lack of one, to their inner fears, allowing them to relate to the story.
However, this is not the only way to present your fear as a being. In the renowned story Gateway Of The Mind, for example, the fear is not centered in a living being, but in a metaphysical one, in this case God. Religious Dogma aside, it is easy to comprehend that one would be shaken, or even terrified at the thought of the being they firmly grasp onto for support, disappearing.
Fear is not a living, breathing soul. Fear is not something one will see normally. Fear, in it's most basic form, is what we cannot understand, and refuse to. Think of every pastamonster you know. Now, tell me, would it be right for them to behave like a "normal" person? Of course not. This is because we see that which is different as strange.
Next time on Overcooking The Pasta, I shall begin to unravel how a fandom stales over time, and what writers can do to prevent. If you have read this blog, I would appreciate a comment telling me what you think.
See you next time.
Ciao.