Limyaael is an English graduate student studying for her Ph.D. In 2003, she finally got fed up with different novels repeating the same story with just the names changed and decided to express her views in a rant entitled [[http://limyaael.livejournal.com/30956.html Why I get impatient with clichéd fantasy.]] Since then, she has written more rants about clichés prevalent in fantasy on her online journal. Though titled “Rants”, they are a collection of essays that evolved from a rant style, and the name stuck.

Despite the name, Limyaael’s rants are not just for fantasy writers. She also has covered topics that are not limited to fantasy, like dialogue and romance, as well as more general topics like plotting and characterization. One of the features of the journal format is that Limyaael’s commenters also have much to say, from additional facts to opposing viewpoints.

Limyaael is very opinionated and delves into topics that might be considered offensive, including sex, sexual orientation, swearing, and [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking unkind book reviews]]. She prefers the [[SlidingScaleOfIdealismVersusCynicism cynical]] and the [[SlidingScaleOfSillinessVersusSeriousness serious]]. Despite that, she does not AccentuateTheNegative. She will willingly say what she dislikes about a certain trope, but will then give alternatives or suggestions to make it new and fresh.

The Rants used to be posted on {{LiveJournal}}, but Limyaael has moved to {{InsaneJournal}} because she is not happy about LJ’s ban-happy policy. The Rants originally posted on LJ can still be accessed there, though.

Limyaael’s Fantasy Rants are updated [[http://limyaael.insanejournal.com/ here]]. The archive of Rants can be accessed [[http://limyaael.livejournal.com/tag/ here]], and [[http://limyaael.insanejournal.com/480442.html#cutid1 here]], or [[http://coyotecult.com/communities/sfandf_critters/references/limyaael.php here]].

Limyaael's rants were [[ScheduleSlip not updated]] for a while starting around April 2008. In [[http://limyaael.insanejournal.com/544759.html this post]] she explains the reasons, and the Rants will not be updated until she has more free time.

For the curious, Limyaael is [[NoPronunciationGuide pronounced]] like “leem-yah-ALE” ''limya'' meaning “laughter” and ''ael'' meaning “lady” in her ConLang.
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Tropes Limyaael has ranted about:
*AnachronicOrder: [[http://limyaael.livejournal.com/357919.html non-linear narrative rant]]
*{{Animorphism}}: [[http://limyaael.livejournal.com/288509.html shapeshifters]], [[http://limyaael.livejournal.com/290393.html shapeshifter societies]] and [[http://limyaael.livejournal.com/47942.html blurring the distinction between the "human" part and the "animal part"]].
*AnAdventurerIsYou: aversion: [[http://limyaael.livejournal.com/266114.html Rant on D&D stereotypes]]
*AntiVillain: [[http://limyaael.livejournal.com/551157.html Non-villain rant]]
*ArrangedMarriage: [[http://limyaael.livejournal.com/437418.html On escaping the arranged marriage trap]]
*AuthorAvatar: [[http://limyaael.livejournal.com/450374.html Putting non-obvious bits of yourself in the story/characters]]
*BondCreatures: [[http://limyaael.livejournal.com/180365.html Telcom rant]]
*ConLang: [[http://limyaael.livejournal.com/tag/conlangs conlangs]]
*DeathTropes: [[http://limyaael.livejournal.com/179073.html Death rant]]
*DeusAngstMachina: [[http://limyaael.livejournal.com/200469.html Rant on abuse of abused characters]]
*DiabolusExMachina: [[http://limyaael.livejournal.com/499234.html Raining shit on the story and not letting it stink]]
*DreamTropes: [[http://limyaael.livejournal.com/172176.html Dream rant]]
*EasyAmnesia [[http://limyaael.livejournal.com/322254.html Rant on amnesia/amnesiac characters]]
*ElementalRockPaperScissors: [[http://limyaael.livejournal.com/451084.html Rant on elemental magic]]
*EvilOverlord: aversion: [[http://limyaael.livejournal.com/310509.html Rant on creating non-Dark Lord villains]]
*FateAndProphecyTropes: [[http://limyaael.livejournal.com/132132.html Destiny and prophecies rant]]
*FinalBattle: [[http://limyaael.livejournal.com/149083.html The final battle]]
**aversion: [[http://limyaael.livejournal.com/149698.html There are other ways to end a fantasy book than battle]]
*{{Foreshadowing}}: [[http://limyaael.livejournal.com/483388.html Subtle foreshadowing rant]]
*HalfHumanHybrids: [[http://limyaael.livejournal.com/152437.html Half-breed heroes]]
*HeroicSociopath: [[http://limyaael.livejournal.com/465392.html Rant on creating likeable bastard characters]]; [[http://limyaael.livejournal.com/420559.html Rant on sociopathic characters]]
*HookerWithAHeartOfGold: [[http://limyaael.livejournal.com/570326.html Rant on whores]]
*IdiotBall: [[http://limyaael.livejournal.com/213893.html And are your characters sane today?]]; also, [[http://limyaael.livejournal.com/210353.html Stupid plots rant - Last Herald-Mage spoilers]]
*IdiotPlot: [[http://limyaael.livejournal.com/441094.html Idiot plots, and how to avoid them]]
*IneffectualLoner: aversion: [[http://limyaael.livejournal.com/421560.html Making convincing loner characters]]
*InfoDump: aversion: [[http://limyaael.livejournal.com/186438.html Avoiding infodumps]]
*ThroughTheEyesOfMadness: [[http://limyaael.livejournal.com/486481.html Writing a psychotic viewpoint character]]
*LaResistance: [[http://limyaael.livejournal.com/182857.html secret groups rant]], which is mostly limited to resistance groups.
*LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters: [[http://limyaael.livejournal.com/451697.html Rant on handling a large cast of view]]
*LoveAtFirstSight: aversion: [[http://limyaael.livejournal.com/345153.html Non-bickering, non-love at first sight relationships]]
*LoveTriangle: [[http://limyaael.livejournal.com/482880.html What it takes to make Limyaael love a love triangle]]
*MagicAIsMagicA: [[http://limyaael.livejournal.com/413306.html Limitations on magic rant]]
*{{Mentors}}: [[http://limyaael.livejournal.com/554442.html Mentor rant]]
*MedievalEuropeanFantasy: [[http://limyaael.livejournal.com/tag/world-building:+medieval Medieval Societies]]
**aversions: [[http://limyaael.livejournal.com/273684.html On stepping out of medieval fantasy parts one]] [[http://limyaael.livejournal.com/275089.html and two]]
*MedievalStasis: [[http://limyaael.livejournal.com/463451.html Keeping static worlds plausible]]
*MagicAndPowers: [[http://limyaael.livejournal.com/tag/world-building:+magic Magic Rants]]
*MindlinkMates: [[http://limyaael.livejournal.com/180565.html One of Limyaael's most hated tropes]]
*{{Nakama}}: [[http://limyaael.livejournal.com/406860.html Rant on friendships]]
*OurMonstersAreDifferent
**OurDemonsAreDifferent: [[http://limyaael.livejournal.com/304066.html Demon Rant]]
**OurDragonsAreDifferent: [[http://limyaael.livejournal.com/134532.html Rant on dragons]]
**OurDwarvesAreAllTheSame: [[http://limyaael.livejournal.com/137511.html The Dwarves' Turn]]
**OurElvesAreBetter: [[http://limyaael.livejournal.com/136885.html Why Are Elves Always This Way?]] (also covers CantArgueWithElves and MarySuetopia)
**OurGhostsAreDifferent: [[http://limyaael.livejournal.com/298366.html Ghost rant]]
**OurVampiresAreDifferent: [[http://limyaael.livejournal.com/293983.html Vampire rant]]
**OurWerewolvesAreDifferent: [[http://limyaael.livejournal.com/452888.html Rant on non-angsty werewolves]]
*ParodyTropes: [[http://limyaael.livejournal.com/155678.html Parody fantasy]]
*PhysicalGod: [[http://limyaael.livejournal.com/443419.html Beings of extreme power rant]]
*PsychicPower: [[http://limyaael.livejournal.com/361455.html Psychic powers rant]]
*PetPeeveTrope: [[http://limyaael.livejournal.com/tag/stupid+clichés+rants stupid cliché rants]]
*PointOfView: [[http://limyaael.livejournal.com/tag/viewpoint+rants Viewpoint rants]]
**[[http://limyaael.livejournal.com/183735.html Problems and Promises of First-Person Fantasy]]
*QueerAsTropes: [[http://limyaael.livejournal.com/214314.html Rant on gay and lesbian characters in fantasy]]
*{{Realism}}: Pick a rant, any rant, and odds are it's about adding more realism.
*RefusalOfTheCall: [[http://limyaael.livejournal.com/466351.html Making good reluctant heroes]]
*{{Roma}}: [[http://limyaael.livejournal.com/339854.html Rant on gypsies and nomadic peoples]]
*RougeAnglesOfSatin: [[http://limyaael.livejournal.com/173744.html Several]] [[http://limyaael.livejournal.com/174456.html rants]] [[http://limyaael.livejournal.com/175234.html on]] [[http://limyaael.livejournal.com/176379.html grammar]] [[http://limyaael.livejournal.com/159641.html and words]]
*SaveBothWorlds: [[http://limyaael.livejournal.com/456043.html Rant on juxtaposed worlds]]
*ScienceFictionVersusFantasy: [[http://limyaael.livejournal.com/577404.html Science fiction and fantasy hybrids]]
*SciFiGhetto: [[http://limyaael.livejournal.com/30956.html Why I get impatient with clichéd fantasy]]. <-- Limyaael's original rant.
*SexTropes: [[http://limyaael.livejournal.com/178737.html Sex in fantasy novels]]
*ShallowLoveInterest: [[http://limyaael.livejournal.com/377262.html Designated Love Interest rant]]
*ShapeShifting: [[http://limyaael.livejournal.com/47942.html there]] [[http://limyaael.livejournal.com/288509.html are a]] [[http://limyaael.livejournal.com/290393.html few]]
*SlapSlapKiss: aversion: [[http://limyaael.livejournal.com/345153.html Non-bickering, non-love at first sight relationships]]
*StandardFantasySetting: [[http://limyaael.livejournal.com/181634.html On escaping Tolkien clichés]]
*TakeThat: [[http://limyaael.livejournal.com/302111.html Fantasy of excess: Rant on Jordan and Goodkind]]
*TheAmazon: [[http://limyaael.livejournal.com/167123.html Sounds of the jungle]]
*TheEmpire: [[http://limyaael.livejournal.com/387736.html writing empires part one]] [[http://limyaael.livejournal.com/388795.html and two]]
*TheRunaway: [[http://limyaael.livejournal.com/158741.html Fantasy teenage runaways]]
*TheWesley: [[http://limyaael.livejournal.com/tag/author%27s+darlings Author's Darlings]]
*TrueNeutral: [[http://limyaael.livejournal.com/457449.html Neutral character rant]]
*TVGenius [[http://limyaael.livejournal.com/405720.html Rant on genius characters]]
*TwinTropes: [[http://limyaael.livejournal.com/467940.html Twins rant]]
*UnreliableNarrator: [[http://limyaael.livejournal.com/442378.html Showing your viewpoint character as not 100% correct]]
*UrbanFantasy: [[http://limyaael.livejournal.com/177827.html On urban fantasy]]
*{{Wangst}}: aversion: [[http://limyaael.livejournal.com/tag/rants+on+angst Rants on angst]]
*[[WhatsASecretFour What's A Secret Four]]: [[http://limyaael.livejournal.com/539688.html Casual worldbuilding]]
*WingedHumanoid: [[http://limyaael.insanejournal.com/509267.html Rant on winged humanoids]]
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!!Tropes used in the rants themselves
* {{Atheism}}: Limyaael herself.
* {{Dissimile}}/{{NOT}}: Usually in the form of: "That's totally original. Only not."
* GenreSavvy: Very.
* RealWomenNeverWearDresses: Averted.
---> I prefer strong female characters anyway, by which I mean “female characters who have their own minds and do not spend the whole time obsessed with men, either pining for them or putting them down.” They don’t have to be warriors for me to empathize with them. They can certainly be mothers who love their children fiercely. The most important relationships in their lives can certainly be with men.
* SlidingScaleOfIdealismVsCynicism: She's on the cynical end.
* TakeThat: see above.
* ThirdPersonPerson
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