Message Board Topic 5/4

[Comsie]

A lot of times, readers can find themselves a good website (Ahem! like GA! Shameless plug here!) where they can find a good story anytime they go looking for one. Sometimes they follow a select group of authors that they like in order to have a constant supply of quality work that they're more likely to enjoy. And that's a beautiful thing.

 

But suppose you went looking for a new story? A new author? A refreshing new take and new perspective? If you went back to the bigger 'pool' of stories again, and were looking for another good story to read...how could you tell, early on, that this particular writer is NOT for you? What are some early signs, like in the first few pages, or maybe even the first few paragraphs, that would signal a poorly written story for you? Something that would turn you off and make you move to the next story?

 

Or maybe not even 'turn you off'...but it just lets you know that this particular writer isn't going to be able to provide the experience that you're looking for. Poor writing signals, what are your thoughts on this?

[JamesSavik]

Signs of a stinker

[*]starts with main character waking up

[*]shit, shower and shave details

[*]overtly political tone for an orgy story

[*]clich

[Tipdin]

Very, very good question!

 

Usually, it doesn't take long before I can tell if I'm going to continue reading or not. The very first thing that will drive me away is formating errors. Poor spelling, really strange or inconsistent fOrMatInG is SO anNoYing! Use the spelling and grammar checkers, don't indent this paragraph and then double or quadruple space between the next few paragraphs.

 

I'm also turned off by excessive use of bad language and bad grammar. I understand that some character's dialogue needs to be written in certain ways to suit their personality. However, once the author starts their narrative, they'd better use English at least as well as I do - so that leaves A LOT of leeway!

 

(My pet peeve is the word had. He had left his coat on the chair where he had been sitting while the speaker had been... AH!) I try to use that word as seldom as possible!

 

Thirdly, if an author uses language that's way over my head, I'll quickly give up. When I sit down to read for entertainment, it's for, well, entertainment! Slogging through Latin or Old Elvish for dozens of pages will guarantee that book ends up in my trash can.

 

The same goes for details, either too much or too little will piss me off. If you're going to explain EVERY detail of a complicated coat of arms - using heraldic language - forget it. But if we're leaving planet Earth and traveling to another galaxy, at least tell me how we're getting there!

 

I'm not sure I should even say this last piece, but I'm gay. Like 10,000%. I probably won't be reading a book with lots of straight romance in it to begin with, nonetheless, I don't need sex scenes, either straight or gay. Straight ones will gross me out and gay one's will... well, let's just say, they won't help me maintain my equilibrium, ok? (There's a VERY nice website, or three, for that OTHER kind of 'reading' entertainment...)

 

So how's that? Have I cut out everything except Dick and Jane books?

[Kia Zi Shiru]

Bad grammar that even makes me want to hit people. I'm dutch so when I'm able to correct the stories of American or British people, I quit, When the writers mother tongue isn't English (or American) then I sometimes stick with the story if there aren't too many errors.

Having too much crazy names or when the main charactergroup has almost similar names. The writer might know who is who, but sometimes I still need to look back into the beginning chapters to understand who was who again.... Same goes for personality's that are the same.....

too much explaining, and especially when it is written between parenthesis. You need to write a story, that includes details....

Ohyeah, and Author notes between the lines that comment on something a character does...... EEEEEW!!!!!