[gaderchi7]

We all have our pet peeves about how some writers write and if your like me you need some serious venting.

What's bothering me most at the moment is how all some writers think about is their characters falling in love. For example many writers will stop in the middle of an intense part of the book and have the characters tell each other how much they love each other because they just can't handle holding it in any longer (as if this would make their love seem more special). It's hardly the time.

Some writers just get caught up in their mushy garbage. It's not that love stories are all crap it's just that for the most part they get botched horribly and are seriously unrealistic. Writers, give your words some value; make it worth reading!

This post has been edited by gaderchi7: 02 July 2009 - 12:46 PM

[Blue Swords]

I dislike when authors make their characters do things that you know will have some really bad consequence. Like some guy says not to do something and the character ignores it and does it anyway.

I know these thing ususally help with character development and moving the plot, but it still annoys me.

[Jazuala]

I dont like when authors make some characters (especially the females) seem so flawless. Like they are perfect both inside and out. I mean seriously the line: ''she looked perfect although she never wore any make-up'' or ''he looked like a model'' etc. just makes me wanna stop reading. And it's usually the bad books with barely-there-plot that have that. Make some effort please and make your characters realistic!

[gaderchi7]

I find it a little bit funny and pretty much ridiculous when writers try to make their characters have conversations with their eyes. For example: As they shook hands they looked into each others eyes. John's eyes said You shouldn't trust me because I killed your brother. Jack's eyes said I know all that you have done and I think you're the most horrible person alive and I should kill you now.

Honestly how can you get so much detail from looking into someone's eyes? And this is one of the mild examples! I can understand getting something very general by looking at someone, but whole conversations? No way.

[Creme Fraiche]

I hate it when authors over describe or under describe. I also hate it when they make their characters too perfect.

[SilentWarrior]

A few of my pet-peeves are:

* When author's just throw things in for kicks, without even considering if it has anything to do with the plot or characters. Or when it's obvious they've had no forethought, and it just feels as though they're making it up as they go.

*When author's use excessive flowery language. I am not against using big or different words, but only if it's in an appropriate context. Some people way over-exert themselves, and the end result usually is an embarrassment and an annoyance. Please...just put down the thesaurus.

* I also don't like it when author's use certain words or phrases too often. Obviously, there are exceptions, but I find it kind of annoying and unimaginitive.

* It's also very annoying when author's make their characters too perfect, too strong, too smart, etc. It's unrealistic.


Haha...and all of these pet-peeves of mine CP has done in the Inheritance Cycle.

This post has been edited by SilentWarrior: 07 July 2009 - 09:46 PM

[Candy Spots]

Here are some of my biggest pet peeves when it comes to books:

1. When a writer uses the phrase, "...and one thing lead to another... " What!? That is just lazy writing! It is the writer's job to tell us how this lead to that.

2. When a writer has a character do something that is totally out of character for that person. (They also do this a lot in movies).

3. When a writer has a normally very intelligent character do something incredibly stupid, just so that he/she can get the plot across.

4. As others have said, making characters seem "perfect".

5. When two characters "fall in love at first sight". Sorry, that is not how it works in reality!

6. When there's historical inaccuracy in a book.

7. When, in a series, details are different from one book to another. For example, there's this one series I've read were one character's eye color kept changing!

8. When a book is so predictable!

[Anavrin]

I hate it when a writer makes a character leave another one for some stupid reason (like: its too dangerous for you to be around me anymore. )

I also hate it when writers have romance fail for a stupid reason.

[Palagrin]

I hate it when they use a word or phrase many times in a row. Where did the variation go?

[Rinion]

For some reason, I get rankled whenever a writer names the main character in a fantasy novel Will. It's just such a generic, overused name for fantasy; the writers may as well call the character Joe Soap. (There are, of course, exceptions, like the Will in His Dark Materials.)

[Lynon]

1. When authors have you read through several hundred pages only for you to realise that nothing has actually happened in the book.

2. When authors unrealistically tie up all loose ends in a book. For example, having a lot of loose ends with 10 or so pages to go in a book, only for the author to miraculously tie them all together.

3. As has already been mentioned, when authors use a phrase or word too often. It's particularly annoying when it breaks the immersion as you stop to recognise that the word/phrase has been used once again.

This post has been edited by Lynon: 12 July 2009 - 09:43 AM

[Rinion]

3. As has already been mentioned, when authors use a phrase or word too often. It's particularly annoying when it breaks the immersion as you stop to recognise that the word/phrase has been used once again.

Oh, yes. The reverse can also be true: if an author tries to find too many adjectives to describe the same thing, it can become distracting. In the Twilight Saga, for example, it seems that Stephenie Meyer never wanted to use the same colour twice when referring to the vampires' golden eyes. I know the vampires' eyes change colour, but it still grew rather distracting when Edward Cullen's eyes were topaz one moment and tawny the next.

Another pet peeve is when characters spontaneously fall in love. The characters will show no signs of affection for each other for most of the book, and then suddenly they'll realize that their deepest desire is to spend the rest of their lives together. I mean the novels where the author nears the end of the novel and thinks, "Hey, these two characters are single; why don't I make them hook up so that I can write a tidy epilogue?"

[gaderchi7]

I hate it when writers try to make a series and each book is pretty much the same. For example, Ranger's Apprentice. It really peeves me that probably at least half of each book is dedicated to telling us how mysterious rangers are. Yes, we know they are very skilled at moving unseen. We know that they have uncanny bow skills. Why not stop telling us this and show us! If all of that was cut out of books there would probably be only three books instead of nine.

I hate it when the beginnings of sequels give lengthy summaries of previous books. A little refreshing is nice but we wouldn't be reading a second book unless we've already read the first one. Just get on with it we don't want to read the same book twice!

[Malus Rune]

3. As has already been mentioned, when authors use a phrase or word too often. It's particularly annoying when it breaks the immersion as you stop to recognise that the word/phrase has been used once again.

Oh, yes. The reverse can also be true: if an author tries to find too many adjectives to describe the same thing, it can become distracting. In the Twilight Saga, for example, it seems that Stephenie Meyer never wanted to use the same colour twice when referring to the vampires' golden eyes. I know the vampires' eyes change colour, but it still grew rather distracting when Edward Cullen's eyes were topaz one moment and tawny the next.

Oh hell yes. Come to think of it, Twilight does both. I'm so sick of reading how Edward crushes Bella's lips when they kiss. It sounds pretty painful, to be honest. Crushing her lips give me an image of what the Headless Horseman did to that witch at the end of Sleepy Hollow.

[Quoth the Raven]

When a character decides to write down his adventures, and the last line is something like "And that's what you've just read."