Badfic blues
Apr. 4th, 2005 05:55 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
emmagrant01Have you ever read the summary of a newly-posted fic, and thought it sounded like something you would like, only to be disappointed almost immediately? Like, in the first line?
This just happened to me ten seconds ago. I feel terrible about it, but ya know, if the fic contains a blatant grammatical error or misspelling in the very first line, it just shuts me down. I can't read on. Yeah, I know it's my loss, and that the fic might be great if I just overlooked that one error, but it says something to me about what I might find in the fic in general. My fandom time is limited, and it's my choice how to spend it. Why should I force myself to read fic that annoys me?
Other things that turn me off:
• Four paragraphs of backstory before there's any hint as to what the story is about.
• Excessive use of terms like "the blond" or "the Gryffindor".
• Unnecessary description in general. I don't need to know the details of what each character is wearing unless it's important for the story. Really.
• Song lyrics incorporated into the text of the story. Just... no.
• First-time sex followed by an immediate declaration of eternal love. *vomits*
• First-time sex that is perfect, complete with simultaneous orgasms. (Or maybe the author knows something I don't?)
So what does it for you? What will make you stop reading a fic and hit the back button as fast as you can?
ETA: Y'all really needed to get this shit out of your systems, didn't you? *grins*
This just happened to me ten seconds ago. I feel terrible about it, but ya know, if the fic contains a blatant grammatical error or misspelling in the very first line, it just shuts me down. I can't read on. Yeah, I know it's my loss, and that the fic might be great if I just overlooked that one error, but it says something to me about what I might find in the fic in general. My fandom time is limited, and it's my choice how to spend it. Why should I force myself to read fic that annoys me?
Other things that turn me off:
• Four paragraphs of backstory before there's any hint as to what the story is about.
• Excessive use of terms like "the blond" or "the Gryffindor".
• Unnecessary description in general. I don't need to know the details of what each character is wearing unless it's important for the story. Really.
• Song lyrics incorporated into the text of the story. Just... no.
• First-time sex followed by an immediate declaration of eternal love. *vomits*
• First-time sex that is perfect, complete with simultaneous orgasms. (Or maybe the author knows something I don't?)
So what does it for you? What will make you stop reading a fic and hit the back button as fast as you can?
ETA: Y'all really needed to get this shit out of your systems, didn't you? *grins*
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no subject
Date: 2005-04-04 11:56 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2005-04-05 12:10 am (UTC)As for the fic thing- I have to totallyh agree with the shopping thing. I mean, not that I can't see Harry being dragged out to shop by someone like Draco for decent clothes, but I don't want a play-by-play of each outfit. Its HP, not 'What Not To Wear'.
Of course, most of the fics that have to do a 'make over Harry' aren't even doing it for the sake of the plot, but because they are more concerened with Harry looking hot than anything else.
Oh- my LAST one, I swear- making EVERYBODY GAY. WHAT. THE. HELL? I hate that. I like slash. Correction I ADORE slash. But it takes away from the strength of the fic if everybody and THEIR GRANDMOTHER is gay!
no subject
Date: 2005-04-05 05:29 pm (UTC)Lol, amen to that.
I HATE it when everyone in a fic is gay. Especially when the author tries to say that that's just the way it is in the wizarding world. Witches and Wizards are just gayer than muggles. WTF?