kyou, hajimari trainer no iki

Just what's your opinion on the classic journey story? Ten-year-old wakes up, hits the lab, gets their starter, finds Team Whatsup, so on and so forth?

I don't mind it and if it's written well and has strong characters it can be an enjoyable read but it's not something I hold in the highest regard either.

Story format itself becomes classically stereotypical, but nonetheless it is not boring by any means. Look at Pokemon Special manga, despite it was basically always a trainer receive starter pokemon (in whatever method), go around town by town, challenge gyms if need, encounter Team Villain and stop their deeds, and call it end when they are stopped. Yet, every chapter is unique and every chapter is attractive to read in their own regards.

Personally I don't think there is any problem about the story plot format itself. Rather, it becomes a problem when the writer do not utilize one's creative license to make a good story.
Journey fic consists of such fixed skeleton plot as described previously. However, that doesn't mean anything outside of that skeleton is not allowed, it didn't prescribed any story plot prerequisites. That's why add in more flesh and blood, add in more of the writer's own originality, add in some other narrative elements that had not yet done in the canon. No one forced you to write in the same story style as the Pokemon Anime nor as the Main series games. Try to write classic in original style is always a challenge.

And that is what I'm doing now.

Only in regards to the games do I find it enjoyable. In fanfiction, I seriously dislike the idea of reading a journey story, considering how we all pretty much know the formula anyway... I honestly would rather see other stories, like a limelight on the My Pokémon Ranch universe, or some interpretations of behind-the-scenes-of-the-plot tibits.