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Pet peeves in books

Discussion in 'Entertainment and Technology' started by Florestan, Oct 7, 2015.

  1. Florestan

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    In your opinion, what are the most annoying things an author can do?

    I myself hate it when a character's thoughts are constantly written in italics. For example: "What a delicious burger, Steve thought. I want another one." I think it's better to let the reader figure out how Steve feels based on his words and actions, and only spell out his thoughts when absolutely necessary. Even then, you can just say "Steve thought the burger was delicious" without resorting to italics. They don't do anything but make the page uglier.
     
  2. Canterpiece

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    The "it was all all a dream" ending and when the author decides to just kill off everyone so the story can end. I don't really have an issue with italics, but whenever I write a story I don't use them to represent thoughts. I like to use them to represent a different tone and/or sarcasm in a character's speech or that the character is making a small correction that doesn't matter/ is a minor thing to complain about or is hypocritical.

    Not sure if it's grammatically correct, but that's what I like to do.
     
  3. Connorcode

    Connorcode Guest

    As for italics, I think it makes sense for significant thoughts or psychic/telepathy/another voice inside the character's head.

    When an author over-elaborates an idea, going on for a whole page about why what the characters are doing is justified. If their actions are justifiable, then I should be able to tell that from what has happened so far, without a monologue.
     
  4. bubbles123

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    I don't know if this is the author or more the publisher but when the summary on the book has to give away something big that happens like 100 pages in in order to explain most of the plot, so it kills a lot of the suspense.
     
  5. Distant Echo

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    The most annoying thing an author can do is write those stupid 50 Shades of (What-a-load-of-crap) books. The only thing more annoying was that people actually read them.
     
  6. rolling orange

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    Yes, that thinking in italics thing. It annoys me so much. And also writing more than one exclamation mark etc, or writing in caps.
     
  7. ModernCat

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    This.

    There was a book series that I absolutly loved before finishing the series.
    Then it had this kind of ending.

    Burnnnnn
     
  8. Kaiser

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    Being really preachy.

    I can tolerate stressing a point, that's fine. If it is what the character does, so be it. But where it becomes a problem for me is, when the author starts putting themselves and their opinions into the story.

    Show me why, don't tell me. I can read a text book for being told!

    Also, when an author fails at conveying a point. If you're going to have a dark character, be dark, don't have them come off like a second grader compiled their traits.
     
  9. Aussie792

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    @Tolstoy
     
  10. Serperior

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    When they make it extremely obvious a character is going to die
     
  11. Stevie of Sorts

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    Writing in third person drives me INSANE
     
  12. Gen

    Gen
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    Italics can definitely be overused, but there is a place for it in third person narratives. Feelings and urges should never be experienced in Italics, but an abrupt thought or memory is an entirely different story.

    For instance, if a character is reminded of what their mother used to tell them, conveying that memory with "She thought about the sassy comments that her mother used to make about..." makes for a bland narrative. Bring in the voice of the mother in this instance ushers in far more character. What is pulled directly from a characters mind should be thoughts and bits of character that a strictly third person perspective could not adequately convey. I would argue that is the place that italics has in fiction.

    My Pet Peeves:

    Non-Brown or Black authors who decide to describe Brown or Black characters are anything other than Brown or Black. This is not Starbucks. Far too many people are under the impression that drawing comparisons between someone's skin and dessert toppings is endearing. It is not. Stop trying to think of "fun" new ways to describe the attributes of nonwhite characters and just describe them as they are.

    Handsome. Pretty. Beautiful. Intelligent. Kind. Noble. Wise. Good. Evil. All words that a third person narrator should never use to describe a character. They are impression adjectives. Our third person narrator should not have impressions of characters or even subjective thoughts at all. Stop trying to bias the reader.

    "No one is completely good or evil. People are more complex than that," said the token mentor of every story. But really I only put that in to hide the fact that my two-dimensional characters are purely two-dimensional! However, I am still going to make sure that the readers know that everything that the main character does is good and justified anyway. Except for that one wrong thing that I am going to make them do so that everyone sees how human they are!

    My main character is like totes beautiful and talented, but I am going to start my story off with them being super insecure because, like, I mean, how relatable is that?

    The final scene of every first book in a series: "But like you're the lost princess! But like you guys are secretly siblings! But like the evil guy is actually your father! But like you're the chosen one! But like you're the one from the legend!"

    Angst. Angst is not conflict. Angst is not drama. Angst is not plot.

    Deus Ex Machina.
     
  13. rudysteiner

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    When the author takes up about half a page per character, describing a group of people individually who aren't essential to the plot/story in the least.

    I'm talking to you, Dickens.

    (Or would the author technically be David Copperfield, in David Copperfield?)



    Also, books that are written in diary entries or whatever, e.g.

    21st September, 2002.

    [insert body of text]

    4th October, 2002.

    [insert body of text]



    One of my all time pet peeves is when a book switches from first person narrative to third person narrative, too.
     
    #13 rudysteiner, Oct 9, 2015
    Last edited: Oct 9, 2015
  14. candyjiru

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    I've actually worked in editing and such, and some of the things that annoy me are when authors use words that are clearly out of their depth (because they're usually using them incorrectly...), when authors use a lot of jargon without italics or explanation, when authors give their characters really stupid names to try to make them sound original...

    and the worst offense... Mary Sues... *ugh*
     
  15. Canterpiece

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    Also it annoys me when all the characters in a story might as well be cardboard cut-outs of each other. When personality-wise they are all the same (right down to their voices, clothes, ect.) to a point where it becomes difficult to tell them apart.

    I like working with characters that contrast each other, even if by only a little bit. It makes the story more interesting and memorable. Also stories that have the characters' names all starting with the same letter (looking at you "Mice and Men"). Well... most of the characters in the book start with the same letter, except Lennie and George that is.
     
    #15 Canterpiece, Oct 9, 2015
    Last edited: Oct 9, 2015
  16. Devil Dave

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    I get annoyed when an author spends a page and a half describing what a character is wearing. The patterns on the sleeves and collar, every piece of jewellery, what sort of material was used for every stitch of clothing. I'm gonna forget anyway, so they might as well just say "she wore a green dress/he wore a black suit" and let me get on with reading the rest of the chapter.
     
  17. Argentwing

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    What, like saying "Stevie did x and y"? Because that's probably the majority of books. First person is good, but not ideal for all cases.
     
  18. Canterpiece

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    "Italics can definitely be overused, but there is a place for it in third person narratives. Feelings and urges should never be experienced in Italics, but an abrupt thought or memory is an entirely different story"

    "For instance, if a character is reminded of what their mother used to tell them, conveying that memory with "She thought about the sassy comments that her mother used to make about..." makes for a bland narrative. Bring in the voice of the mother in this instance ushers in far more character. What is pulled directly from a characters mind should be thoughts and bits of character that a strictly third person perspective could not adequately convey. I would argue that is the place that italics has in fiction". -Gen

    Reminds me of that scene in "Mice and men" where Lennie is thinking about his Aunt Clara and the rabbits. Anyways...


    "Non-Brown or Black authors who decide to describe Brown or Black characters are anything other than Brown or Black. This is not Starbucks. Far too many people are under the impression that drawing comparisons between someone's skin and dessert toppings is endearing. It is not. Stop trying to think of "fun" new ways to describe the attributes of nonwhite characters and just describe them as they are".-Gen

    I just like to use "light" "dark" "slightly tanned" "quite tanned" to describe a character's skin colour.

    "Handsome. Pretty. Beautiful. Intelligent. Kind. Noble. Wise. Good. Evil. All words that a third person narrator should never use to describe a character. They are impression adjectives. Our third person narrator should not have impressions of characters or even subjective thoughts at all. Stop trying to bias the reader". -Gen

    True, but what do you think about stories that try and bias you into making assumptions about the character before you've met them based on what other characters have said? I suppose with third person narration impression adjectives can be used for comedy purposes sometimes, particularly in plays/TV shows and Pantomime.
    For instance

    "There once was a princess who lived in a castle"- Narrator

    "Don't forget beautiful and the most kindest in all the land"-Princess
    "Oh yes, umm that too"-Narrator
    "Say it"-Princess
    "Ugh fine, There once was a princesses *interupted* who was beautiful and kind* Yeah and a real pain in the..."-Narrator
    "What did you say?-Princess
    Umm nothing my dear!-Narrator
    :lol:

    "No one is completely good or evil. People are more complex than that," said the token mentor of every story. But really I only put that in to hide the fact that my two-dimensional characters are purely two-dimensional! However, I am still going to make sure that the readers know that everything that the main character does is good and justified anyway. Except for that one wrong thing that I am going to make them do so that everyone sees how human they are!"-Gen

    Yeah, I've heard that line used a lot in the books I've read as well, although I don't tend to read that often.

    "My main character is like totes beautiful and talented, but I am going to start my story off with them being super insecure because, like, I mean, how relatable is that?"-Gen

    :lol: Haha yeah stuff like that can come off as really forced. Especially when a character is all like "oh no! I'm totally failing even though I got a C in this class! Look how relatable I am!" I mean I'm lucky to even get a C in most of my subjects these days and I mostly get D's and C's, so it annoys me when a character who usually gets straight A's/B's gets a C and thinks it's the end of the world. Although it can be funny sometimes.

    "The final scene of every first book in a series: "But like you're the lost princess! But like you guys are secretly siblings! But like the evil guy is actually your father! But like you're the chosen one! But like you're the one from the legend!" -Gen

    Sums up a lot of plot lines right there. ^

    "Angst. Angst is not conflict. Angst is not drama. Angst is not plot". -Gen

    I have to admit I'm guilty of this one myself, I tend to write quite bitchy teenagers characters filled with angst. I should really cut down on this.
     
    #18 Canterpiece, Oct 9, 2015
    Last edited: Oct 9, 2015
  19. Jellal

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    Dwarven politics.
     
  20. Connorcode

    Connorcode Guest

    Pratchett or Tolkien...? (Or is it someone else?)
    Gotta love Pratchett, except when he kept making Vimes face dwarfs, again.
     
    #20 Connorcode, Oct 9, 2015
    Last edited by a moderator: Oct 9, 2015