(Untitled)

[donnaimmaculata]

I don't like epithets, as I'm sure I already mentioned a couple of times. But yesterday I came across one that made me laugh (and hit the back button, too, but laugh first of all): "his godfather's best friend". Apart from the fact that it was Harry's father and not Remus who was his godfather's best friend - how much more complicated can you get?

Comments

[fluffyllama]

There are some writers I like otherwise who go overboard on these. One doesn't use a beta and I'm itching to offer, especially since she uses the same two epithets *all* the time. Ah well.

[donnaimmaculata]

The problem with epithets is that people have very different views on them. Some hate references to hair colour (me, for example), others hate repeating the names too often. Personally, I am guilty of overusing "the other man". It has begun to grate on my nerves whenever I reread any of my older fics. In future, I will make use of names and pronouns alone, I swear!

I'm sure she'd be very flattered if you offered her your beta services ;-)

[donnaimmaculata]

Ah, the hair colour thing. I see.

Ooh, Bill/Kingsley smut! I can't tell you how much I'm looking forward to it. Such yummy pairing. Go on, write it. Shoo!

[cherusha]

They annoy me too from time to time but by far, Harry gets the worst of these. The-Boy-Who-Lived, The-Boy-Who-Turned-Sex-God, The-Boy-Who-Loved-To-Fly, The-Boy-Who-Was-Beaten-To-Death-Under-A-Ton-Of-Metaphors; the list goes on.

But nothing can distract me from a story more like the phrase "the other man" if overly used. I saw this, and variations of this phrase, often in X-files fic (Thank god it hasn't spread to HP yet): the other man, the hazel-eyed man, the taller man, the older man, the trench-suited man, the chestnut-haired man --Gah! It's okay to use his name once in a while.

[donnaimmaculata]

Oh yeah, "The-Boy-Who" must be the most overused phrase in fanfiction.

The problem with all those phrases we use to avoid mentioning the names over and over again that they become unbearable when one reads them too often. I have used "the other man" (or just "the man") in several instances, and every time I reread the fics, the phrase jumps at me and makes me cringe, because I have become so, so very conscious of it. Like with everything, it's a matter of personal preferences; some people complain that the use of personal pronouns in slash makes it difficult to follow (who is doing what to whom?), others hate the use of "his lover" with a passion.

Referring to the characters by their hair colour or profession ("the cursebreaker") make me cringe, too.

[swatkat24]

Hate epithets. Nothing puts me off a story like 'the other man', or 'the other girl'. I know it's difficult controlling the pronouns, but really... they have *names*.

Swatkat

[donnaimmaculata]

I can live with "the other man" (*cough* have used it myself far too often *cough*), but anything that incorporates a lengthy description of the person (hair, profession, species...) makes me shudder and hit the back button straightaway. The example I mentioned in the post is particularly amusing; I can imagine the author trying to come up with something very original and interesting.

[izhilzha]

A bit OT-- I think I am in love with your icon.

[donnaimmaculata]

Thank you. It's lovely, isn't it? theothernight is the creator, I'm merely benefiting from her skills *shows off second Wonka icon*

[florahart]

There is something fairly wonderful about using an icon made by someone named "the other (something)" in a rant on people using phrases such as "the other man."

I'm just sayin'.

[donnaimmaculata]

It's all part of the elaborate meta critique stuff *nods*

[frek]

ha.

I know i'm guilty of using "the other man". I try not to use it much, but sometimes I do get carried away. Thank god for betas.

[donnaimmaculata]

I am guilty of using "the other man", too. In fact, I have gone through several stages as far as epithets are concerned: When I first began writing fics, I would occasionally use "his lover". Then I started using "the other man". Now I try to stick with names and pronouns.