Fellow writers...and readers.

So, I've had the misfortune of reading some pretty shockingly bad fiction lately and it really raised some questions for me.

I like to think I'm not a snobby writer, hell, my writing is far from perfect, but it did get me thinking about the differences between what I think makes a story good....or even readable, and perhaps what other people think about it.

So, if anyone feels like taking the time, wanna answer some questions for me? Even if you don't write, tell me what puts you on/off a story.

 

Does the POV of a story matter to you?: (Personally, I won't read anything in 1st person. It ruins it for me)

Are there any words that you avoid using in a story?: (I hate the words 'orbs' when referring to eyes and 'locks' when referring to hair. It's not the end of the word, but I'd never use it in a story of my own. Also, any 'ugly' vocab such as 'gob' or 'glob' destroys a story for me. When writing, if the words aren't pretty, I don't use them)

Are there any themes that make you uncomfortable/would never want to write?: (Cross-dressing and m-preg. I enjoy believable stories with these themes...but they're hard to find. Many writers treat a very real lifestyle - cross-dressing - as nothing more than a kink. This is a way of life for some people, and it should be given the due care and respect when being written about, rather than a humiliating way for someone to get off.)

Is there ever a time that an authors note is acceptable within a story?: (More often that not I only see them when someone is too lazy to complete a transition in a scene, and as such the author encourages you to just accept the break in the storyline. Yeah, charming. Or they include a private joke. Mature.)

Layout, font colour and size, etc: (Is it too much to ask for a little formatting? Have some pride.)

Accuracy: (By this is mean that if I have to hear about Daehyun's perfect skin or Yong Guk's giant hands one more time, imma flip my , yo.)

Attitude of author: ('Hey, you better comment or I'll never finish this story/write ever again!!!!!' Oh, is that a promise? I get it, recognition is nice, you've put effort into this, but get a grip; people don't owe you anything.)

Ratings = views: (So many good stories out there seem to get less interest because they aren't rated M. This disappoints me.)

 

Urm, there's probably more, but this is mostly what springs to mind. What do you guys think makes a good story?

Or am I just a giant douche?

Because that's quite likely! But I would like to say that if you do any of these things I've mentioned, I'm not saying your story is bad! These are just minor things in writing that bug me a little...everyone has pet peeves.

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ErisChaotica #1
POV doesn't matter as long as it works for the story and the author pulls it off well. Arguably, there are various stories that are better off in first person because that POV type communicates the voice of the character most directly and powerfully, and sometimes that is essential to the effectiveness of the story.

"Orbs" for eyes, I avoid, but "locks" is fine as long as it's not in conjunction with words that create ridiculous purple prose.

Mpreg is one theme I avoid. I can't see myself ever writing ____ without plot, either.

In my opinion, author's notes should be avoided if at all possible. Mostly all they do is detract from the flow. Either incorporate the information into the story itself or don't mention it if it's not that important. It's fine to have some sort of author's note in the foreword or after the story is complete, but during the middle of the actual story or a chapter, it's not a good idea to make that interjection.

Layout, color, and font size should be as legible and reader-friendly as possible. Some fics have appearances that are far too childish and unprofessional for me to take them seriously. I also dislike the ones that get too fancy with the formatting to the point that the presentation is distracting from the content and/or making it difficult for people to read the actual words.

Not sure what you mean by accuracy. Accuracy of portrayal of idols? I tend to prefer stories that maintain the idols' real life personalities, but I don't mind deviation from "canon" as long as the idols are properly characterized in the general sense.

The attitude of the author is pretty important to me. If it's obvious that the author isn't exerting effort or is simply seeking attention, I find it very hard to respect them and won't be inclined to read their work.

I never judge authors or stories by the views they have since views don't guarantee good quality writing.
BaraBaraBap #2
i think its great too have lots of critique on stories..it makes you write your own stories good as well and it shows how great you are at writing ^^<3
CosmoQueen #3
Does the POV of a story matter to you?: Nope not at all. If it's written the right way, it doesn't matter. Though 1st person does tend to be written badly most of the time.

Are there any words that you avoid using in a story?: I hate the "ugly" words too. They make me cringe lol.

Are there any themes that make you uncomfortable/would never want to write?: Same, I don't see myself writing stuff like that. But as far as reading, I don't mind. If it's good and written in the right way, I can like stuff that I never thought I would. EXCEPT for mpreg, I don't care who writes it. It's stupid and ridiculous and I hate it with a passion.

Is there ever a time that an authors note is acceptable within a story?: Yeah as long as it stays in the place it belongs which is in the end or the beginning. Maybe, just MAYBE in the story if it's a comedy and it's a lil side-note to add humor to it.

Layout, font color and size, etc: I think font color should always be black, and size should be just normal like the font right here. And for the love of God can ppl please put some damn spaces between paragraphs? Look you don't have to be a language major or some kind of literary genius to know that every few sentences you should press the enter button twice. I can NOT read crap that is jumbled together.

Accuracy: I don't mind, it's not that big of a deal.

Attitude of author: Oh yeah that's a big damn deal. It's one thing to politely ask like "Hey please comment cuz it means a lot to me" and it's another to be like "Make sure you at least comment after this please x.x I mean come on, I have like 40 subscribers. Is it too much to ask for like 5 comments? lol. Please? I tried to work on this and finish it fast for you guys since you all subbed so fast >//////<" and yes that is an ACTUAL quote from a writer! *coughitwasateentopandyougroupficcough*

Ratings = views: It depends on the fic and the person. Some types of fics I'll read any kind, others I'm just lookin for *shrugs*
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