Whatsifsowhatsit2

Yay I feel like replying to every point made on this list now, and defend myself at every other one or so there's LOTS of points I don't agree with, but I still think it's an okay list, in just a few ways... The Nick Archer List 1. The personal ad description - I agree with this one, but I don't really hate if it's done either 2. The collision - Hehe... when I used this one it was for a fanfiction where such things were common based on the theme, that is, it was the kind of story where these things were supposed to happen more often than usual... I think that makes it okay. 3. Dead parents - Hmm, again, something I did use often, and I guess I agree with this point... I've been using parents more recently in my newer stories, hehe... although my very newest haven't featured them much I guess, but that's for a reason in them these days, not just convenience (by the way I think J.K. Rowling hardly qualifies as an example here, since she did give her character stand-in parents, so it had little to do with convenience, let alone allowance to use the car etc., as all of us who know these stand-in parents know ) 4. Location, location, location - While I agree it's cool to write about what you know, I myself like to write about the things I don't know, like ages I haven't experienced (or don't remember well), or made-up worlds etc. To be fair, I did use the beach once, but it was a sort of alternative stranded-on-an-island story :S can't go with much else there I guess... 5. Oversized body parts - Well, this one I just plain agree with. 6. Richie Rich - This falls under the category of writing about what I don't know, and though I haven't used it ( I think ::thinks:: ), I've thought about using it once, but I was too lacking in the self-confidence department on that point 7. Let's sit around and talk about our feelings - Well I'm the kind of guy who does like to talk about feelings, but I see how this was intended. It's in the 'sit around and' part, that makes it awkward and, well, unrealistic in many ways. The conversation happens, just in a more spontaneous way, I think. 8. The Names-We-Wish-We-Had - I see the guy's point here... and lord knows I've used them a lot too, often in characters from other countries or worlds, but not always... I try to not do that too much, but I also agree with some of the points made earlier in this topic about how you guys feel it makes the characters stand out more etc. 9. I'm Not Gay But My Boyfriend Is - Hehe... well, what can I say... I haven't used this, or seen it used many times, so I don't really understand this point much... but I think it's not that unrealistic for characters to feel this way, provided they aren't at terms with their sexuality and that shows in other aspects as well so I don't think I agree here. 10. Sports Hero Falls For Geek/Nerd/Outcast - Well, I don't care about this whatsoever. 11. Moving Is Traumatic - Well how about a plot element in which the character doesn't care that he/she is moving? No, but seriously, another thing I just don't care about. I just think for many writers it's an easy way to make their character know as little about the other characters as they do themselves. It's also easier often times, because there's less of a need to think of pasts for your protagonist, but I think if they just moved at the beginning of the stories (which is often the case) it'd still be cool to think of some good things of their past, because they'll tend to be mentioned or shown in some way, in real life anyway. 12. Dialogue #1: Say What? - I really agree with this one. 13. Dialogue #2: Valley Boys - With this one too. 14. Dialogue #3: "Gee, Mister that�s Swell - This one a bit less, but still I agree. 15. Superheroes - Although these could be cool in some stories if they're an actual plot element or it's some kind of fantasy or comic book made into a story, I agree that these aren't nice to read about since they're not realistic. However, I think that in stories flaws tend to stand out less than in real life, and in real life a person may seem perfect because people lack knowledge about them, yet nobody will think they're perfect (well, people with strong feelings for them maybe). Therefore, I'm never very judgemental about such things in stories, unless they're just over the top in really obvious ways (and even then I think it may just be me most of the time). 16. Smilies - I agree, smilies aren't cool... but as far as the addendum goes, I don't mind the "hehehehe" bit... I got that from Comsie's stories and I quite like it, if not overused. I use it myself sometimes, not often but still, sometimes. I don't like things like "btw" though, I just want authors to spell that out 17. The Alarm Clock - Again something I very much disagree with. I have no problems with this whatsoever. Or with doorbells. 18. Switching Narrators - This may be one of the ones I disagree most strongly with. This is just another way of storytelling and it's kind of weird to object to it... okay sure, it can get a bit much if it's done every other paragraph or so, but that's the case with other story styles too (err... I think...) somehow. It's just a bit much to say that it shouldn't be done at all, I think. 19. The "Phyllis" Syndrome - Well this is something that should be said to the readers, not the authors. While as an author you might want to try and please your readers as much as you can, in the end you should, I think, be writing for yourself, and you shouldn't NOT use an unappealing character just because the readers won't like it, if it's what you want to do. However, from a psychology point of view, and my personal philosophy, I don't think anyone is ever purely unlikeable if you know them well enough, and similarily I guess a character in a story, given enough depth, should have personality aspects that people do relate to and like. Except maybe unaccepting people 20. Is It Live or Memorex? - Okay, I guess this makes sense, but why is this guy making such a point of this? With the usage of terms like "for God's sake" etc... why so aggressive? Well, overly assertive at the very least... over a way of DEFINING a story... I'm a bit thrown by that, and that may be a slight understatement... 21. Onions Always Make Me Cry - My ex-boyfriend (wow, that sounds really weird... he didn't become ex that long ago and I never had one before) never cried, and this was alien to me in much the same way that I guess those that do cry are to Nick here, according to this. I disagree with this point and my opinion is pretty much opposite to his. 22. That's Some Bedside Manner - Another one I strongly disagree with. I don't mind this at all in a story, and I can read this happening many many times more than I have so far and still be moved and interested in it. 23. Who're You Callin' Stupid and Lazy? - I don't like that summarizing either, though in actual books of a series it can be nice to do so in the beginning (which, to use this guy's example, J.K. Rowling did pretty nicely I think). I haven't seen many series labeled series, but I wouldn't mind it either, I mean... what difference does it really make, right? And I just plain don't care about "The End" at the end, I think it has a certain charm actually. 24. Details, Details, Details - I see how this is meant, but I think some people do well with using lots of details for stories without having it become boring to most. 25. Card-Carrying Member of PFLAG - ::raises hand:: I think this isn't that rare at all... I mean, I don't know how it is in America, but we're also supposed to write about our own countries etc. as far as this guy is concerned, right? Seriously... another one I don't mind at all, and I don't think it's that much of a minority in which this happens in real life either. 26. "Alex, I'll Take Facts for $500:" - Well, finally one I agree with again. This is also something I worry about most in my stories. I always feel like I'm making mistakes with this (which is yet another reason why I'm looking for an editor at the moment (in the editor forum on this site btw). I'm glad to close this with a good one in my book. I guess I don't agree with many of them, but that's just because I tend to accept a lot of things about stories and give the authors a lot of freedom, and Nick seems to not do that. There are some things which I don't like myself too, of course, which brings me to... My own pet peeves! (Which is cool because before I could never think of any! This list inspired me) (I hope this doesn't offend anyone... please don't feel addressed directly, because you aren't! Even if you're like this and I use expressions like "I don't like people who" etc. - I don't not like you! Certainly not just because of this anyway!) 1. I'm a guy; I don't talk - This pet peeve I have is the opposite of point 7 in the list I responded too. I have a thing against overly horny characters, I just don't relate to them. I accept them because I know they must be out there, but the less they can talk about anything, the more it gets progressively harder for me to. 2. Tritiophobia - I have another pet peeve, which is based on readers and sometimes other writers, but is usually manifested outside of stories. It's this often-irrational fear of using or seeing clich

I don't mean to be the bad guy here... but... Ginormous kinda already exists, according to this... And no, I'm not just here to tell everyone about these things, I'm still brooding on my own

May I suggest this isn't quite true, as far as I'm concerned? When I came out, I dealt with good family and cool friends and didn't really face any resistance at all, and this is me remembering clearly, unselectively Sure, I was never scared in the first place about it, and I didn't find a boyfriend for much later, but still... Well, I don't completely agree here either I'm afraid... it wasn't a terrifying prison activity to me but I do also believe that this age group would indeed often be hesitant. *~*~*~*~* Myself, I often look for the stories where the struggles the protagonist goes through have to do with a lack of mental strength, eg motivational problems. I should say, especially things like motivational problems (can't really think of anything else at the moment). Most of the stories I read have the main character working their asses off for school and jobs and such things, and then either just getting by (most of the time) or just not getting by... or of course they have no problem with it at all and make straight As... anyway - I would like stories where the main character doesn't do these things like he should and doesn't work as hard as he could on this, but gives in to the temptation to not do anything, even at critical moments. I don't see enough characters in stories with that as a serious weakness. By the way Krytan, I really liked some of those ideas for fantasy stories

Although grammar and spelling mistakes throw me off a little bit, these don't get to me too badly. If a story has too many of them, I wouldn't have gotten far enough to be able to be thrown out of it by something else anyway besides, it's not like my grammar and spelling is perfect either Oh yeah - is there really a difference between farther and further? I looked all over the place but couldn't find anything, but then I have been told once or twice that there is a difference (and last post above this one seemed to suggest that too)... Anyway, what throws me out of a story most is... characters that go out of character Most of the time, authors need not worry about this with me, because I almost ALWAYS give them the benefit of the doubt here, since it's THEIR characters and it makes more sense for me to have misunderstood them than the other way around... but sometimes I just really disagree with the choices an author makes their characters make, from a psychology point of view... I can't remember the last time that happened, or even if it ever happened, but if it would, this would be the worst thing for me. Other than that, I don't like it if a writer doesn't go into enough detail. I like a story that I can read at a steady pace, without having to pause to let the plot and such sink in. I also don't care much for a story that shows the author has an obsession with avoiding clich

Heey! I hope this topic isn't like, considered 'closed' after Comsie's post or something? I hope not, cause I wanted to add in a bit of my opinion too Let me start by saying I've written a couple of fanfics myself, but they're not about real life celebrities or even people... I wrote two fanfics based on anime series (Ouran High School Host Club and a crossover between that series and Fruits Basket) and one based on a pc game (Majesty: A Fantasy Kingdom Sim) Anyhow, I really do like fanfictions, but it's true that the public is a bit more limited... I guess that's why www.fanfiction.net or another site focused purely on fanfictions is so nice - there's always at least a few people around that like the fanfic you wrote (although I think there isn't really a possibility to post celebrity based fanfiction on there... must have something to do with the err... copyright... stuff?) Vincent

Hahaha... Billy, mature? Hehehe... well I just have to respond to this one... I don't think he's mature at all! I don't think he's stupid or na

Awesome! Thanks so much Jeff! And yes, I'm calling you Jeff. Your GA name isn't all that many letters but I felt like it anyway ::looks up resignation:: These were some of the coolest compliments I got, thank you =D ... =) 's okay! I'm so glad you liked it =D I also love how you say you felt all these things :ranger: <-- ((only one that has the right expression)) Thanks a lot! I hope all these things you say about me are true :ranger: And... you're welcome =) Thank you! I have to say for a large part, you took away the doubts that I had about this story :ranger: Also, that's what I went for a lot... making it real... I'm glad you think that worked out =D Very cool =) That's very nice to hear, really... thanks for taking the time to post a review at the story itself and here (you too Viv, OneTime =P). I'm glad that you felt it was personal and powerful enough to feel that way at the ending too :ranger: I'm not so sure if I'm happy at being fresh meat ( ::glances at Jeff:: ) but I'm sure you all mean it in a nice way :ranger: and refreshing's cool =P And to everybody: I really appreciated all your feedback and compliments, but it would also be cool if some of you would be able to give some... constructive of course... criticism here and there. What didn't you like about it? What would you like to have seen differently, and what should I watch out for in other stories not to do again... that kindsa stuff. Of course, I don't wanna demand any more time from you than what you have already given me, so... only at your leisure, cool? Thanks again all of you! ::hugs:: - Vin

I dunno I actually kinda like that =P because IRL (thanks Mattias!) things move slow too lots of times and it makes it seem more realistic... I don't care if it doesn't follow the general rules of stories as in they have to have a flow to them... or something... It's okay if you feel that way, though, I didn't mean it like it wasn't okay => Oops... srry for the hardly readable color... =(

So would I ::waves at Comsie:: I even have my own site now lol it sucks... thanks Comsie Awwww! I miss him too!

Hehe... thanks yup, that's them alright

Cool whatsit, err subject, or ehm... well... discussion thingy Eh yeah well although I sometimes go and find a story that is short (even on nifty) if I don't have a lot of time or dont feel like getting into a long story too deeply, but usually I want stories to be as long as possible. Including my own, unless it's a stupid short rant-thingy, or... wait that's the first time I used that word... lemme go check... See, good thing I checked, it says here rant is something like a violent or extravagant speech or writing... I meant as in a thing that just pops inside your head, speaking nonsense, I know there is a word for it... Oh... sorry this is such a weird post ::giggles:: Right, where was I... so unless it's something like ehm oh yeah that story I posted earlier, "Last Letter to Isi", you know a story that's meant to be short, if I actually have a story in my head with a plot and everything, I always want it to be as long as possible, so I tend to throw in a lot of details... always afraid this might bore readers by the way... Also when I'm reading a story I like, I never want it to end, and I hate open endings, if I wanted to fill in the ending of a story myself I would've written it myself For example GFD, I never wanted you to cut anything out it Comsie, I was upset when I heard whole characters wouldn't show up... but well anyway if you have to do that because of time difficulties, that's fine of course I'll stop my not-rant-but-other-word thingy now byez

Well you know? It's been months since I got the idea of something like this, this very fantasy like story... I'd been writing on it for weeks, at the ending less and less, until I stopped, as usually... but I lasted a lot longer than I usually do! And I still liked the idea, so I started a new story that was a bit similar to see if this works better... if I can actually hang on to it, I mean (which I never can, but you never know ) So what I really wanted to say is that I'm sure lots of people like a change of style... argument = that I was trying such a style of my own, so if I liked it, other people must too... okay maybe the argumentation sucks, but still, I think a change of style is great :S

I very much agree with Reapersharvest but I don't read those kinda stories much anymore since actually almost all I read except for school is Comsies stories

Hm... I had to register again cause I couldn't log in somehow... they said my password was wrong... but it really wasn't! Anyway... hm... yeah it's me Whatsifsowhatsit aka Vincent... or should I say Vincent aka Whatsifsowhatsit Anyway, I sorta like this topic cause I've thought about it too... but I think part of the charm of most gay love stories IS the not-knowing whether that special someone is gay too and stuff... it all just depends on what kind of stories you want to write... but I think it's only realistic to not write too much about the already-outed, because a lot of gay people simply aren't outed yet. But then again, a few stories here and there of outed people would be too