User blog:NibiruMul/Mainstream Vs. Obscure

I noticed on one of my threads there was mention of obscure vs. non-obscure stories, and I've heard discussion about it before, so I decided to make this blog post.

Personally, I think both sides have advantages and disadvantages. It doesn't matter what you choose. I feel that it's best to work with whatever you're comfortable with.

Remember, the stuff that's below is just my opinion; don't take it as fact.

Advantages

 * The first advantage of mainstream stories is that they're more accessible. Since more people are familiar with them, you don't need to explain what the story's about. The story will often have at least one adaptation, so the story reaches out to a wider audience.
 * Mainstream stories tend to be within more people's comfort zones.
 * Mainstream stories appeal to more people, and tend to get noticed more.
 * Most mainstream stories are pretty kid-friendly, which translates well into the show. Chances are you guys have heard many of them when you were little.
 * Most, if not all, of the canon characters are from mainstream stories, so OCs based on mainstream stories in well with the canon characters.

Disadvantages

 * The fact that mainstream stories inspire more OCs leads to a lot of repetition. Oftentimes, you'll get OCs for the same story that seem practically the same.
 * Mainstream stories don't cover that many cultures. Most mainstream fairy tales are either French, German, Danish, or English.
 * The aformentioned adaptations can be a weakness, too, since this often results in OCs who are based on the adaptation and not the original.
 * There is a chance that Mattel will use the story for a canon character, so you might feel disappointed when Mattel reveals a canon character with the same story and destiny as your OC.

Advantages

 * You're much less likely to see other OCs with the same story.
 * Mattel will most likely not use an obscure story, so you don't have to worry about a canon character with the same destiny as your OC.
 * A lot of people like seeing something different for a change and often you might teach them about stories they've never heard of before.
 * Obscure stories often represent a much greater variety of cultures, spread out on all six inhabited continents.
 * Many obscure stories don't have any adaptations, so it's easier to use the original story as a source.

Disadvantages

 * Obscure stories appeal to fewer people. You might have to explain what the story's about, or at least provide a link to the story.
 * Obscure stories are usually less accessible. Sometimes only one website will have the story's text. Some are hard to find in modern collections.
 * Chances are, the majority of people have never heard of the OC's parent's story.
 * Many obscure stories aren't appropriate for EAH's target audience, and some are too violent for many people to consider. (However, I have seen OCs based on violent obscure stories that are very well-done.)

Things to remember

 * Which stories are "mainstream" and which stories are "obscure" depends on the time and place. During the 1800s, The Yellow Dwarf, The White Doe, and The Blue Bird were mainstream fairy tales, but nowadays they would be classified as obscure. Dick Whittington is still well-known in the UK (mainly due to its popularity in pantomime), but in the US it's no longer popular. The Enchanted Pig and The Fairy of the Dawn are well-known in Romania, but most English-speakers aren't familiar with them.
 * Some of the more well-known authors have plenty of obscure stories. There are dozens of Grimm's Fairy Tales that most people are unfamiliar with. The English Wikipedia is missing articles for over a third of the stories. On the other hand, Jeanne-Marie Leprince de Beaumont is one of the more obscure writers, but one of her stories (Beauty and the Beast) is very popular.
 * Only having OCs for mainstream stories does not make you any less creative than someone who only has OCs for obscure stories.
 * Having OCs for obscure stories doesn't make you a hipster. (I feel like the term "hipster" is thrown around so liberally that it's practically lost its meaning.)