#9 : Emoticons.

I admit, emoticons are cute, but they make your work seem very...weird. I've seen quite a few authors on AsianFanFics that uses emoticons when writing (ex: ><, ^^, O_O). This is not a good way to show the emotion or facial expression the character is feeling.

Pooh Bear's emotion was like this TT_TT. He was sad that his friend went to the park without him. When he found out, his eyes were very wide like this O_O and he almost died like this x_x.

Okay, because of that little emoticon, I understood that he was crying, shocked, and on the verge of dying(?), but I would have much rather prefer you telling me in letters instead of little icons you use in texting. Texting to me, is basically an informal way of writing, so basically everything in texting, is informal. Unless if you're a grammar Nazi and actually text your friends like you're writing an essay, then that's a totally different story. Though majority of us aren't.

So basically anything that deals with emoticons is a big no-no. If you can't explain a persons facial expression then...well, you're just simply screwed. Just try your best. I'm sure majority of us would much rather prefer a person who says something like this:

Pooh Bear was shocked when he found out his best friend went to the park without him. He stared down at his phone, speechless, not sure if he should forgive his friend or not.

Something like that would've been better than adding emoticons. I didn't even explain his facial expression but I'm sure majority of you guys enjoyed my lovely writing than the emoticon writing.

#10 : Texting. (// xFurtive.)