Literary turn-off's
- Thread starter Lady Ice
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- The lack of a plot.
- Lame name for a villain (This means you, Stephen Donaldson!).
- A villain who has no real personality or characterization, but is more like a malevolent force of nature.
- Slavish adherence to Joseph Campbell's monomyth. I already have a copy of the Star Wars trilogy if I'm jonesing for a traditional hero's journey.
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Just what I always wanted, a collaboration between Stephenie Meyer and Dan Brown.
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Don't know whether this is a legitimate turn-off or not (i should add, i read this title as 'lingerie turn-offs' the first time) but really, really, really, really long chapters annoy the heck out of me.
Moved to Novels, since it is a more generic version of an ongoing thread in this forum.
Let's not turn this one into a writer bashing thread though: stick with the OP question and explain what you don't like about certain mechanics of creative writing and leave it at that.
I think there are many different viewpoints here that will help others.
Let's not turn this one into a writer bashing thread though: stick with the OP question and explain what you don't like about certain mechanics of creative writing and leave it at that.
I think there are many different viewpoints here that will help others.
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Really, really, really, really long paragraphs with a lot of big words and no plot, just character's navel gazing. Yes, I have a book like that and I have no idea what possessed me to buy it in the first place. I couldn't even finish one chapter.
Absurd, implausible plot twists or illogical/unreasonable character's actions. If I feel like the author is trying to put one over on me, or thinks I'm so stupid to just accept any illogical, unreasonable explanations or plot or characters' reactions, then off the wall it goes.
Main characters who have absolutely no redeeming qualities. I love flawed characters, and unreliable narrators, but not that much. They have to give me at least some reasons to identify with them (even Hannibal Lecter has his good side). I also can't stand totally depressing characters -- I might as well slit my own wrists.
I usually only buy/read books I believe I would enjoy -- I am very picky, since I'm such a slow reader; I can only read so many books a year. I read sample pages, blurb, reviews, etc. So, I don't usually throw any book across the room. If I'm bored with the book, I simply would stop reading.
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Oh, man. I was going to post this. I started reading a book this morning that started out this way.
Badly translated books. Recently purchased a book that was translated from Italian into English. I am not sure if the book was dreary or if the translation made it seem so.
Beautiful characters whose stunning beauty has no effect on the plot. Particularly if the author feels the need to tell me in minute detail just how beautiful the character is.
Wholesome, cutesy dialog. Don't bother making the characters talk if there's not going to be some sort of conflict, or something important developing out of the dialog.
Wholesome, cutesy dialog. Don't bother making the characters talk if there's not going to be some sort of conflict, or something important developing out of the dialog.
Red, is that a Thomas Kinkade painting in your avatar background???
Oops, sorry. It just struck me like an epiphany, that's all.
Speaking of which, sudden epiphanies without discernible foundation. Those bug me.
And "muhahahaha" villains.
And most of the stuff above, plus more. I'm trying not to get started.
Oops, sorry. It just struck me like an epiphany, that's all.
Speaking of which, sudden epiphanies without discernible foundation. Those bug me.
And "muhahahaha" villains.
And most of the stuff above, plus more. I'm trying not to get started.
Why, yes, yes it is. Born out of a joke about what would happen if my MC Axyl paid a visit to another crit group member's lovely little country idyll novel.
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Stereotype characters annoy me a lot. Also, writers who obviously admire an established author so much that they attempt to write in the same voice. Nine times out of ten, it's just painful.
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This.
Also, irrelevant details. I don't care what brand the MC's car is, and how many horsepower it has, JUST DRIVE IT TO THE NEXT FREAKING SCENE!
1) Stupid names for main characters
2) Stupid plot
3) Unbelievable plot twists/deus ex machina
4) Long boring passages of description/thoughts/dreams which does NOT matter to the plot
5) as point 4 but related only minor characters
6) Bad style
2) Stupid plot
3) Unbelievable plot twists/deus ex machina
4) Long boring passages of description/thoughts/dreams which does NOT matter to the plot
5) as point 4 but related only minor characters
6) Bad style
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Characters with more than one name! Like, Elizabeth Jones in one scene, then Jones, then Liz, the Beth, then....how many freakin' people are we talking about? I scream at author, PICK ONE NAME AND STICK TO IT!!!!
Carlene
www.themysterystartshere.com - check out my latest blog for an example!
Carlene
www.themysterystartshere.com - check out my latest blog for an example!
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... dialogue!
Feel like telegraphing authors who stick lots of it in and saying, Helllo! You're writing novels; not plays. So trim down on the dialogue for pete's sake. Course there are some folks who like yapping. And I ain't knocking the style for those who care for it. But for me, personally, I'll take my novels with lots of lengthy paragraphs, instead. In fact, when I'm settling on stories to read I often skim through 'em and if I see too many of these here marks --> " " " " " " " " I drop the book and move along to something more sensibly construed.
Feel like telegraphing authors who stick lots of it in and saying, Helllo! You're writing novels; not plays. So trim down on the dialogue for pete's sake. Course there are some folks who like yapping. And I ain't knocking the style for those who care for it. But for me, personally, I'll take my novels with lots of lengthy paragraphs, instead. In fact, when I'm settling on stories to read I often skim through 'em and if I see too many of these here marks --> " " " " " " " " I drop the book and move along to something more sensibly construed.
Flowery prose- Authors that take the long way to say everything. If that continues for even one chaptor I won't finish the story.
Word of the month club- people who constantly throw in obscure words to appear smarter than they are. Once in awhile is fine, but if it's a constant habit it gets under my skin.
Constantly rephrasing a predicament- I have a memory. I don't need to have the entire predicament rephrased twice per chapter. The hero doesn't feel up to the task, or whatever. It gets cloying.
Word of the month club- people who constantly throw in obscure words to appear smarter than they are. Once in awhile is fine, but if it's a constant habit it gets under my skin.
Constantly rephrasing a predicament- I have a memory. I don't need to have the entire predicament rephrased twice per chapter. The hero doesn't feel up to the task, or whatever. It gets cloying.
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Any section of a novel more than a few hundred words that you're supposed to believe is real but then turns out to be a dream, or hallucinated, or whatever. This goes for books, movies, TV episodes, TV seasons (I'm looking at you, House!), and anything else fictional.
1) Great stories that would be fantastic as a single book or novella that get dragged into a 3-4 book contract and thus are immensely dull.
2) Books that gain publication based on good writing, but no one checked to see if there was a good story in there somewhere.
3) The book that got published because it was a 'hot' item a year ago, and I just opened it to see the same plot or even character as the last 100 books this year.
2) Books that gain publication based on good writing, but no one checked to see if there was a good story in there somewhere.
3) The book that got published because it was a 'hot' item a year ago, and I just opened it to see the same plot or even character as the last 100 books this year.
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