Is it really a good idea to always use macguffins and gods in a story?

[Sailorpizza]

I'm wondering if it really a good idea to use in random MacGuffins/plot devices and random super powerful gods aka ones were the cause of anything into any fictional franchises like RWBY,Archie Sonic,Naruto,Transformers,Bleach,DBZ and many more franchises did for some reason at writing a story?

Is it a good idea or a bad idea?

 

[beast_regards]

MacGuffin and Plot Devices are not synonyms.

Plot device is anything that helps to advance the plot. It can be item, but it can be person, or power, or some other disembodied force with no sapience.

You can't have a plot without plot devices.

MacGuffins are specific type of plot device, an actual item. You can have a plot without them.

But they don't pose too much of the issue. If your intended audience aren't going to notice, you don't need to worry too much about it. Basically every item appearing in Harry Potter is a MacGuffin that ends to be important as soon as book is over, if not sooner, yet no one complains about it. It's kids book and you don't think about it in those.

 

[Anarchy666]

I find them to be stupid annoying. I try to avoid them in my stories. Although godlike beings can be interesting if done correctly as a character. Literal Gods? No. Main thing that turned me off Marvel.

 

[Sailorpizza]

MacGuffin and Plot Devices are not synonyms.

Plot device is anything that helps to advance the plot. It can be item, but it can be person, or power, or some other disembodied force with no sapience.

You can't have a plot without plot devices.

MacGuffins are specific type of plot device, an actual item. You can have a plot without them.

But they don't pose too much of the issue. If your intended audience aren't going to notice, you don't need to worry too much about it. Basically every item appearing in Harry Potter is a MacGuffin that ends to be important as soon as book is over, if not sooner, yet no one complains about it. It's kids book and you don't think about it in those.

But what about Transformers always got them in films or relying on them way too much

 

[beast_regards]

But what about Transformers always got them in films or relying on them way too much

They do.
But to be fair, originally, Transformers were an animation series made to sell toys. No one thought about it when a lore of the universe has been created when main focus was visual that would attract children and quality of storytelling was secondary.
Yes, movie adaptation grew out of "kids only" section, but there is only that much you can do without rewriting it from top to bottom.

 

[Sailorpizza]

They do.
But to be fair, originally, Transformers were an animation series made to sell toys. No one thought about it when a lore of the universe has been created when main focus was visual that would attract children and quality of storytelling was secondary.
Yes, movie adaptation grew out of "kids only" section, but there is only that much you can do without rewriting it from top to bottom.

Good point and thanks for amazing comment

 

[Sailorpizza]

I find them to be stupid annoying. I try to avoid them in my stories. Although godlike beings can be interesting if done correctly as a character. Literal Gods? No. Main thing that turned me off Marvel.

Yup and gods just make things felt bit pointless

 

[Terra Novan]

Definitely not, especially not God or gods. A well-written Religion of Fictional God(s) enhance stories, though.

 

[Eliar]

If used sparingly it can be interesting. But if you make it chock full of wish granting devices, back in time shennanigans and such it loses all suspense.

 

[Vyor]

I find them to be stupid annoying. I try to avoid them in my stories. Although godlike beings can be interesting if done correctly as a character. Literal Gods? No. Main thing that turned me off Marvel.

Fantasy verses often need gods to function. DnD doesn't work without gods nor does LotR.

They trick is to not overuse them in a story, same with macguffins. You can't use them to solve a problem the characters are in... but you can use them to assist or hinder the characters in small ways.

 

[Celene]

whenever someone quotes macguffins as being a cliche or some I groan. it's a hilariously basic element of storytelling. your daily life almost always involved macguffins themselves.

 

[Sailorpizza]

whenever someone quotes macguffins as being a cliche or some I groan. it's a hilariously basic element of storytelling. your daily life almost always involved macguffins themselves.

Yah but is it good idea at using them bringing people back to life like it was nothing at all? or one shot anything as a ultimate god?

No offense but i don't remember using a random item to magically make myself a god can change reality like fictional character did in my daily life.

 

[Celene]

Yah but is it good idea at using them bringing people back to life like it was nothing at all? or one shot anything as a ultimate god?

No offense but i don't remember using a random item to magically make myself a god can change reality like fictional character did in my daily life.

Is it bad idea to use macguffins like X

Is not the same question as

Is it a good idea to use macguffins.

 

[Sailorpizza]

Is it bad idea to use macguffins like X

Is not the same question as

Is it a good idea to use macguffins.

Oh alright i'm just bit confused of why comparing real life to fiction.