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Author Topic: Biggest pet peeves?  (Read 23621 times)

mare

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Biggest pet peeves?
« on: April 04, 2007, 11:12:48 PM »
Because i'm in one of those moods lol

What are some of your biggest pet peeves when it comes to writing fanfics, reading fanfics or anything else in general?

 :P
« Last Edit: April 05, 2007, 09:22:34 AM by mare »
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RokofAges75

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Re: Biggest pet peeves?
« Reply #1 on: April 04, 2007, 11:45:52 PM »
Good question!  LOL

One of my pet peeves has always been people who can't write in proper English (that includes mechanics).  I'm more accepting of authors who don't speak English as a first language, but it is sad to me how many people there are who are college age or older and don't know how to properly punctuate a sentence.  Writing is a talent that can be honed with practice and experience, but the mechanical aspect of it is something that can simply be looked up (and should have been learned in school) - so posting a story that is all in one big run-on sentence paragraph (a worse-case example) is just LAZY.  Even if you can't remember all the rules, for god's sake, just look at a book and try to model your formatting after how that book is formatted.  I'm teaching my 3rd graders how to proofread the stories they've been writing for me, so there's really no excuse for an adult to be posting stories that contain more mistakes than an 8-year-old's first draft.

Another pet peeve is when writers constantly beg for feedback, threaten not to update unless they get feedback, whine about the lack of feedback they get, or shamelessly and desperately plug their stories all the time in hopes of getting more feedback.  That's such a turn-off to me; I just find it annoying.  First off, I think we should be writing because we enjoy writing, not because we want to be praised for something.  But of course, everyone likes feedback and having people read their stuff, so plug your story once, put a link in your signature, have a good summary to go with it, and if the story is interesting enough, you shouldn't have a problem getting someone to read it.  And then when someone DOES send you feedback, you'll know they actually enjoyed the story and weren't just giving you a pity review.

Sorry if I sound like a bitch tonight LOL; I don't mean to be, but I spent most of the day on a bus full of noisy 8th graders, and I'm tired, so maybe I'm just cranky. ;)
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mare

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Re: Biggest pet peeves?
« Reply #2 on: April 04, 2007, 11:49:12 PM »
Quote
Sorry if I sound like a bitch tonight LOL; I don't mean to be, but I spent most of the day on a bus full of noisy 8th graders, and I'm tired, so maybe I'm just cranky. 

yup, that'll do it! lmao

and I agree with everything you said. I'll have to compile my list tomorrow because i'm too tired to think straight right now.
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mers

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Re: Biggest pet peeves?
« Reply #3 on: April 05, 2007, 09:43:11 AM »
my biggest pet peeve, and i have to echo julie here...is when authors end their chapter with something like reviews make me write faster...or the best one...i'll post faster if i get more reviews. gah! i feel like i was just being told by a teacher for doing something wrong whenever i read that, lol...and then it just make me not want to review, lmao.

i dont mind stuff like 'reviews are love', i think those are cute. but once it come across as 'threatening' i gets on my last nerves.

oh and huge chunk of paragraphs, and when dialogues arent separated.

My fics are normally unbetaed, so i might be on some ppl's pet peeves list, lol.
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mare

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Re: Biggest pet peeves?
« Reply #4 on: April 05, 2007, 10:20:29 AM »
The feedback thing is at the top of my list as well, even though I do think we have all had a moment when we have done something like that. Especially at the beginning of our fanfic writing careers lol Although i'm with you mers. When people threaten not to write anymore that's so much worse.

I mentioned this before but i'll say it again, I won't read stories where the writer's constantly whine about no feedback. Doesn't matter if it looks like the best story in the universe, just like I don't ever give into kids who cry to get their way. Maybe it's the teacher in me, I have no idea.

One small pet peeve of mine which is soo silly it's almost embarassing but those damn stars on AC.  I wish they would go away altogether because it bugs me beyond belief when you get nothing but glowing reviews but yet your star count goes down. In my case and a lot of other peoples it's always the same person lmao. All it takes is one person to give you a 9 instead of a ten and your count goes down. Doesn't matter how many reviews you have and people have to actually go out of their way to do it too since they are automatically set to ten. I don't think it would bother me if I got a 'well could have been better' or 'not your best' but when they say wow that was amazing! then give you an 8 or something, drives me bonkers.

lmao like I said, no idea why that bothers me so much.

Same thing about paragraphs being separated and dialogue etc...

Oh of course I have to say people who just stop updating their stories without even an email to their readers saying they are taking a hiatus. It bugs me because as readers we invest our time in their stuff, the least they can do is let us know they aren't going to continue anymore.

In the same vein, writers who never respond to their feedback. I think it's rude. It takes five seconds to send a thanks for the review. If you don't take the time to do that, then why should you expect people to take the time to review your stuff?

okay I think i'm done, for now at least. :) lmao


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honey

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Re: Biggest pet peeves?
« Reply #5 on: April 05, 2007, 11:18:31 AM »
oops! let's see, I'm on Julie's pet peeve list cause I SUCK at mechanics!!! I have a horid problem with run-on sentances. I rewrite sometimes but thats kind of  like the blind leading the blind -lol I also made Mare's list with the whole leaving my fics... uh-sorry to anyone who was reading those ones! (although recently I did go back and try to fix them and left a note... so maybe I'll be forgiven)

Anyway, let's see one of my biggest pet peeves has to be when a story is written like you're typing in messenger. Things like "u r" instead of "you are" and such. It's one thing if your writing an actual messaging conversation (though it still kind of bugs me then too) but if the whole story is written that way, I'm pretty sure you're like 9 years old and I stop reading.

other than that? pretty much everything that's already listed. (which is bad cause I'm guilty of half of it...) And Mare, don't feel bad about that star thing, it drives me crazy too! Like I got one review once that said how awesome it was and how they couldn't wait to read more and then she gave it 3 stars? I don't get it either... At least tell me what you're really thinking. If you think it's crap, I want to know, just be specific so that I can go back and make it better.
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RokofAges75

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Re: Biggest pet peeves?
« Reply #6 on: April 05, 2007, 11:19:31 AM »
Quote from: mare on April 05, 2007, 10:20:29 AM
One small pet peeve of mine which is soo silly it's almost embarassing but those damn stars on AC.  I wish they would go away altogether because it bugs me beyond belief when you get nothing but glowing reviews but yet your star count goes down. In my case and a lot of other peoples it's always the same person lmao. All it takes is one person to give you a 9 instead of a ten and your count goes down. Doesn't matter how many reviews you have and people have to actually go out of their way to do it too since they are automatically set to ten. I don't think it would bother me if I got a 'well could have been better' or 'not your best' but when they say wow that was amazing! then give you an 8 or something, drives me bonkers.


First off, I agree with all the ones you said.  I forgot about the authors who randomly stop updating and don't even have the decency to explain why - that's a huge pet peeve to me too.

Also, about the stars thing... yeah, that bugs me too!  And like you said, if someone left a review with some warranted constructive criticism and gave you a lower rating because of something they pointed out in the review, okay.  Whose story is really a perfect 10 anyway?  No one is perfect.  But when everyone is giving you 10s and someone comes along and gives you a 7, along with a review that simply says something to the effect of "Awesome story!"... WTF?  If it was so awesome, why did you only give it a 7?  I'd at least like to know.  Is there something specific I can improve on, or was it just a personal preference?

Another time a girl gave me a 9 instead of 10, just enough to knock me down to 4 1/2 stars, for a chapter where one of my characters went into preterm labor at 23 weeks... and her review was like, "I was born at 30 weeks and am fine, so I'm not as scared for her as I should be."   So in my reply, I thanked her for the review and then pointed out that in terms of development, 23 weeks is a lot different than 30, and most babies born that early would not survive.  She left me another review and explained that she thought the character was 33 weeks.  But I still only have 4 1/2 stars because of her misread.  Lame. :P  LOL  But at least I know why she gave me less stars... even if it wasn't a valid reason... LOL
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RokofAges75

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Re: Biggest pet peeves?
« Reply #7 on: April 05, 2007, 11:23:03 AM »
Quote from: honey on April 05, 2007, 11:18:31 AM
oops! let's see, I'm on Julie's pet peeve list cause I SUCK at mechanics!!! I have a horid problem with run-on sentances. I rewrite sometimes but thats kind of  like the blind leading the blind -lol I also made Mare's list with the whole leaving my fics... uh-sorry to anyone who was reading those ones! (although recently I did go back and try to fix them and left a note... so maybe I'll be forgiven)

Aww Kelly, I wasn't thinking of you!!  I need to read your stuff on AC, but based on 00Carter, I think you're a great writer!!  I don't remember a mechanics issue with your writing, and I'm the one who proofread it LOL.  Trust me (and I'm sure you already know this), I've seen much worse!
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mare

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Re: Biggest pet peeves?
« Reply #8 on: April 05, 2007, 11:28:01 AM »
^ lmao i'm glad i'm not alone. I wonder if people realize you can tell how many stars they give you?

See that's the thing for me too. It bugs me because it seriously only does take ONE review to have that happen. For Why I have over 500 reviews and only one of them knocked me down to 41/2 stars lol I just felt so defeated because there was no constructive criticism attached. But I have noticed this person tends to do that to whoever they review. I can always tell they did once I see those stars go down lmao

I should just shut up because i'm grateful they are taking the time to read and they could just not say anything so it's nice of them to take the time to review. It's just annoying lmao
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Re: Biggest pet peeves?
« Reply #9 on: April 05, 2007, 11:37:44 AM »
Quote from: RokofAges75 on April 05, 2007, 11:23:03 AM
Aww Kelly, I wasn't thinking of you!!  I need to read your stuff on AC, but based on 00Carter, I think you're a great writer!!  I don't remember a mechanics issue with your writing, and I'm the one who proofread it LOL.  Trust me (and I'm sure you already know this), I've seen much worse!

No worries Julie, I'm sure you weren't. :)  I just have this thing were I can't stop pointing out my flaws... I think it's more for me so that I remember to try and make it better next time. But that probably in itself belong s up on this list... maybe I should stop doing that.

But I'm flattered that you feel that way about my writing, especially considering that I've only written the one scene for 00Carter so far. Well that and Brian's extra... anyway thanks hun thatmakes me feel special comming from you. Did I ever tell you that my husband said your scene in the first epi was his fave? He said it was the most well written, and honestly the man is very talented and puts anything I can do to shame so you should feel special.  ;D
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Re: Biggest pet peeves?
« Reply #10 on: April 05, 2007, 11:58:26 AM »
Quote from: honey on April 05, 2007, 11:37:44 AM
Did I ever tell you that my husband said your scene in the first epi was his fave? He said it was the most well written, and honestly the man is very talented and puts anything I can do to shame so you should feel special.  ;D

Yes you did, and I was so flattered by that!!  Tell him thanks again!  That is really cool. ;D
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Re: Biggest pet peeves?
« Reply #11 on: April 05, 2007, 12:38:51 PM »
I had no idea we can know how many stars we're given.. lol.. enlighten me!
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Re: Biggest pet peeves?
« Reply #12 on: April 05, 2007, 04:07:06 PM »
If you just click on one of your stories on AC, it should show how many stars each chapter was given through reviews.  I don't think you can see specifically what each reviewer rated you, but if you have a chapter that only gets three stars, and only one person reviewed it, you know that that person must have only given you 6 out of 10.

For example... http://accidentalchaos.net/viewstory.php?sid=5354   That's my story Broken; if you go down to Chapter 140, that's the chapter that only got 3 stars.  The reviewer wrote "Best story yet!" and gave me a 6 LOL. 
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mare

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Re: Biggest pet peeves?
« Reply #13 on: April 05, 2007, 04:47:29 PM »
Actually Julie is right. I think it's one of those 'oh i'm a mod and that's why I can see it' type things lol

Sorry about that.

But yes, by process of elimination you can kind of tell who is giving you less stars. 

You can go from 5 to 4 1/2 if anyone even gives you a 9 instead of a 10.


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Re: Biggest pet peeves?
« Reply #14 on: April 05, 2007, 04:48:28 PM »
I hate the stars... It's kinda the equivilent of the smiting for the stories.
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