(no subject)
Lately, I've been wondering where have all the good fanfic writers have gone. Especially a few nights ago when I was nosing about at ff.net., and all I encountered was page after page of garbage. I have some really nice stories saved but, there hasn't been updates in quite some time and it makes me quite sad. Now I'm far from being the world's leading expert on writing fanfiction, but I have read enough to know what works for me and what I consider fail. Back when I started getting into fanfics heavily, I'd read just about anything and everything. Nowadays, I'm definitely more selective about what fics I will read and, as a result of this, I've paid attention to some common themes that keep coming up that bug the shit out of me. So, I've compiled a list of what I like to call, "E's Pet Peeves of Fanfiction." Keep in mind that these are MY pet peeves; what might not work for me, could very well work for others (my disclaimer for anyone ready to rip me for my opinions).
There are others but these are the ones that make eye twitch horribly or, in the case of Gratuitous Japanese, stab myself in the neck with a shard of glass. Stuff like piss poor grammar/punctuation/spelling, badly formatted paragraphs, are the usual suspects that annoy folks. Actually, so are Mary Sues/Gary Stus/OOCs but hey, it bares repeating why they suck.
Now excuse me while I mourn the fact that I did not get my revenge for the Seahawks defeat of the Rams last week. Seriously, Who Dats, why?
- Severe OOCs, Mary Sues/Gary Stus and I, generally do not get along. Mild OOCs are fine in small doses, but when you have taken a character from a book/anime/TV show, etc. and remixed them to the point that they are no longer recognizable, I now have a problem. Same with Mary Sues/Gary Stus. Perfect-in-every-way and can-do-no-wrong characters are not only unrealistic but a bore.
- Gratuitous Japanese - God, do I even need to elaborate? This probably explains why my fanfic readership in Bleach has waned over the past several months. So you've learned some Japanese words and phrases? Well good for you. However, scattering said words/phrases around your VERY English fanfic is just plain annoying and you need to stop.
- Holding a fic hostage for review is just plain silly. Yes, I know reviews are love but to actually state that you want 10 reviews or else the next chapter won't be published? I'll pass. Be content with the 5 people that actually took the time out of their schedule to read and review your story.
- Blatant Character Bashing (which can often tie in with OOC). If there's a particular character you can't stand, why bother writing a story that centers around them? Unless you are able to put your personal feelings for said character aside, don't attempt it.
- The homonyms issue. To/too/two, you're/your/, it's/its, their/there/they're. Need I say more? Learn them and use them correctly.
- Poorly written lemons. If you aren't comfortable writing sex scenes then, by all means, don't do it. I've read some damn good fics that eluded to the act of shagging, but didn't describe it. Still hot.
There are others but these are the ones that make eye twitch horribly or, in the case of Gratuitous Japanese, stab myself in the neck with a shard of glass. Stuff like piss poor grammar/punctuation/spelling, badly formatted paragraphs, are the usual suspects that annoy folks. Actually, so are Mary Sues/Gary Stus/OOCs but hey, it bares repeating why they suck.
Now excuse me while I mourn the fact that I did not get my revenge for the Seahawks defeat of the Rams last week. Seriously, Who Dats, why?