Some More HP Fic Pet Peeves
During my time away from writing, I went over all the fics I've been reading to see if they've been updated. When I did that, I realized that I started picking apart a lot of the stories, noticing the ridiculousness of some of the events. Which led me to think up some more things I dislike in HP fanfiction that I didn't include in my previous installment.
12) The Harry 'makeovers'. Where all of a sudden for his birthday someone gets him a dark trenchcoat (so many people have a fixation with the Matrix I reckon), he gets his eyes magically healed, grows out his hair (so it lays down), amongst other things. It gets to the point that it's like.. why do Harry, just make a complete original character put them in the HP universe and give you the ultimate leeway with what to do.
13) Another thing similar to makeovers. The 'rename' syndrome. Not as common as the previous entry, but this one still pops up every now and then. Usually in AU stories, where Harry is brought up elsewhere than the Dursley's, and his name gets changed; to an Elfen name or just another regular name like Horus or Amun, et cetera. Again.. it really loses the feel of a Harry Potter story.. if he's not named Harry..
14) Not really another category, more of an observation. But fanfiction has really drawn me away from the Hermione character. In so many fics now i just want to skim her lines because she's either way too bossy/smothering to Harry, or knows things that she shouldn't know.. That's what I'd put here. People taking liberty with things, just because Hermione reads/studies a lot, doesn't mean she'll know obscure things.. Like this one fic i read, for Harry's birthday, Hermione got him 'this rare book on dark magics'. So some bookstore is going to sell a 15-17 year old witch a book on dark magics? And if they do, how the hell does she have the money to buy such a rare book? The other situation that falls into the taking liberties category is people showing up at places that isn't really realistic. How many Post-HBP books have I read that have the Bill/Fleur wedding, and somehow Neville and or Luna are at the festivities. Just why would Bill or Fleur have any reason to invite either to their day of happiness, especially considering the war going on and the security precautions I'd imagine they'd take.
Moments like these I tend to just roll my eyes and sigh, and when I got like that.. I realized I've read enough and it was time for me to get back to writing. =]
I do still read these fics, despite my dislikes of certain points. I just strive for excellence, and hope my fics don't make the same mistakes. =P
12) The Harry 'makeovers'. Where all of a sudden for his birthday someone gets him a dark trenchcoat (so many people have a fixation with the Matrix I reckon), he gets his eyes magically healed, grows out his hair (so it lays down), amongst other things. It gets to the point that it's like.. why do Harry, just make a complete original character put them in the HP universe and give you the ultimate leeway with what to do.
13) Another thing similar to makeovers. The 'rename' syndrome. Not as common as the previous entry, but this one still pops up every now and then. Usually in AU stories, where Harry is brought up elsewhere than the Dursley's, and his name gets changed; to an Elfen name or just another regular name like Horus or Amun, et cetera. Again.. it really loses the feel of a Harry Potter story.. if he's not named Harry..
14) Not really another category, more of an observation. But fanfiction has really drawn me away from the Hermione character. In so many fics now i just want to skim her lines because she's either way too bossy/smothering to Harry, or knows things that she shouldn't know.. That's what I'd put here. People taking liberty with things, just because Hermione reads/studies a lot, doesn't mean she'll know obscure things.. Like this one fic i read, for Harry's birthday, Hermione got him 'this rare book on dark magics'. So some bookstore is going to sell a 15-17 year old witch a book on dark magics? And if they do, how the hell does she have the money to buy such a rare book? The other situation that falls into the taking liberties category is people showing up at places that isn't really realistic. How many Post-HBP books have I read that have the Bill/Fleur wedding, and somehow Neville and or Luna are at the festivities. Just why would Bill or Fleur have any reason to invite either to their day of happiness, especially considering the war going on and the security precautions I'd imagine they'd take.
Moments like these I tend to just roll my eyes and sigh, and when I got like that.. I realized I've read enough and it was time for me to get back to writing. =]
I do still read these fics, despite my dislikes of certain points. I just strive for excellence, and hope my fics don't make the same mistakes. =P