While I'm waiting for my boss to confirm something before I start on all the pictures I have to rearrange, I got bored. Because, it seems, when I'm freaking busy, everything is happening, and when I'm not, nothing happens. So yeah...

So anyway, I was searching for fics to read, and again, was faced with a few things bothering me. Not big things, but it just makes me crave for more, let's say. I still read an amazing Eunhae fic that GAWD I WISHED IT WAS LONGER. While some are extraordinary, some leave a bad taste in my mouth.

So, take it as you wish, but those are the things that makes it less enjoyable when I read.
So, in other words, it's my own opinion. You don't have to agree.

No ing, okay? My opinion. If you do not agree with me, tell it to me politely and you will have a polite answer. Nobody , okay? There is always place for amelioration. I can be better than I actually am, like everyone. No one is perfect.

Okay? i'm not saying any names, I'm not using any part of fanfics I read and didn't like, I just rant on the things in general. All exemples are written by me (you'll see what I mean by that)

The Choice of Font and Overall Look
What? I'm a student in graphic design, what do you expect?

I know some writer on AFF wants to make their story look better by using another font than the default one. If you decide to chose another font, here is what you should take consideration of : lisibility. You want it to be easy to read. For web, usually go for linear font, like Helvetica (or it's Windows copy Arial) for exemple, since it is easier to read on a screen (I'm not making this up, you can check it out on the web (because I'm not taking out my typography book just for the sake of it)). Don't EVER use script for common text. Use it for titles or things that doesn't need to be understood in the story (my best exemple, and the personnal use I give it in texts, for lyrics of songs when you want to give the impression that it's way more beautiful than common talk). I stumble on some of those fics written only with script and I always give up. It hurts my eyes to try to understand what's written on the little screen of my Ipod. Even on my computer, I skip it. Not worth giving myself an headache.

If you chose to change the format of the paragraph, don't make it too small, too narrow. It cuts it too much and becomes like if you are on a bumpy road trying to speak to someone, but everything you said cuts off all the time. I usually don't play with it because of the format it becomes on the Ipod, which is so small sometimes that it just makes the illusion that a short fic is really long, so you are waiting for more than what it gives you. Also, don't EVER align it on both sides of the paragraph (sorry I don't know the term in english. It's 'justifier' in french, but I hope you get what I mean). When you don't know how to play with the spaces between words and between letters, it sometimes gives a big chunk of white between two words and makes it really ugly and unfinished. I personally don't use it if I cannot have full control over it.

DON'T PLAY WITH COLORS PLEASE. Keep it black UNLESS you know what you are doing. Colors can make your text less visible, so harder to read, so easier to skip over because of the general laziness of the readers. Its one of the first thing I learned in class : readers are lazy and won't read something that demands too much efforts. Not because of the content, but because of the look. So, please, no light blues, no yellows, no light colors in general when the background is white. Play with colors if it is as visible as the black you usually use. Seriously, I hate text written in light grays or blues because it hurts my eyes. I just want to rip them out and cry out of agony.

Titles : What They Say and How They Are Written
What looks more finished and interesting to you between the two choices I'll give you? (the two are made up by me, so if you know stories with those names, I didn't mean it)

Unwanted Love

or

~UNWANTED LOVE?!?! (LOTS OF :D :D :D)~

I'm sorry, but when the author need to make all his/her words in capitals to get his/her point across, I automatically assume the writer is 12. Let go of the shift button. I always skip over those because I also assume the person doesn't know how to capitalize a title, so what does that tell me about his/her writing? It might be the best fanfic ever, but hey, I'm that picky.

Don't put publicity in your titles, please. Unless you specify the couple, just write the freaking title. No need for hearts, snowmen, waves, music notes and other symbols I don't have a clue how they can put it in. A title is meant to be a little hint about your story. It's like when you read a newspaper : you read the title to give yourself a little idea of what it is about. If the title is catchy, then you'll read it. If you wanted to read about... I don't know...Hyukjae's video released on youtube (I wish it was a real thing), you'll know it's the real thing if the title is really clear and gives only what you need to know. I don't think it's official when a video is called : REAL TAPE OF STREAP TEASE!!! OMGEEE.

Foreword and Description
I don't care if the author just gives a small description of the story and then talk a little to his/her readers. Really don't care. If the title draw me into reading your description and your foreword, even if it doesn't give me another hint of the content, I probably still read it IF IT'S WELL WRITTEN.

Okay, stay with me on this. Those two sections are the preview of the quality of your story. Mistakes are normal, I know, I make them too, but there is a difference between unknowingly making mistakes and not knowing how to freaking write.

Sentences needs some breaks if you never but them and then lol all the way through it makes it really hard to follow because the brain doesn't have the time to take any freaking breaks and long sentences looking like many sentences in one giant block also doesn't give us any break in our reading and makes it even harder to concentrate and analyze what the heck you are writing and damnit if it is your fist language you have no reason to not be able to write correctly especially if you write your own thought about what the hell is happening (like omg why did I do that lol) it looks like you are chatting with someone more than like you a writing a story meant to be read by many people.

Get my point? Long descriptions telling the reader you love them, but not giving them time to breathe might scare a lot away. They sure scare me off because gawd, what is it going to look like once I get into the story?

And for crying out loud, do NOT, I said do NOT make you text freaking giant pleaaaase for the same reasons than the first part of this whole thing. Do not spam with pictures too! Unless it's a thing about pictures and gifs (like Umma does), there is no use in spamming us with pictures. I want to read, no look at pictures. The only picture allowed should be to represent your story, that's it.

Characters and Plot
Stereotypical characters are the most annoying little in this universe. I hate being able to guess correctly the ending of a story because the characters doesn't have any depths. If a guy if ing another guy senseless without condoms and without preparation, the other guy won't be screaming out of pleasure. He's going to bleed and be scared of forever. Nobody will act like a the first time they have . A guy doesn't suddenly becomes a girl while having . Shove something up your and tell me how it feels the first time. Characters should have personality of their own, not be in a category of persons. Please, let the personality stay the same throughout the sotry, unless they evolve into better or worse persons during the plot. A personality that doesn't make any sense is a total turn off for me.

Plotless can be alright if there is still something original about the hot action. Otherwise, try to making it stand out. Even typical ideas, like the nerd falling for the popular guy, can be interesting when well exploited. Make it original, make it stand out. Don't just copy what everyone is doing because it is popular. Please. You are more original than that.

Amount of Details
PUT A LOAD.

I don't know if it is because I speak french (and there is a lot of details in french literature, trust me) that I love having more details, but it helps. I learned this is my french class : the amount of details will determine the time of the action.

Example : a kiss.

"They looked at each other and kissed. It lasted a few moments, feeling like an eternity for them, before one of them broke it."
It sure felt like a few seconds to us.

"They looked at each other, staring into the other's eyes. They couldn't look away, mesmerize by the other. Their lips slowly touched each others, moving slowly, tasting the other's lips. A little sweet, a little strange. It slowly deepened, showing more of their affection. It only lasted a few seconds, but when they broke it, it seemed like an eternity had passed."

Do you see what I mean? Details make it last longer for us. I'm saying almost the same thing, only with more details. Fics with details are more enjoyable because it is easier to picture in your head what is going on.



That's it for now. You might not agree, and I'm ready to hear you out about this. It's my own personal opinion.