for Writing What People Want To Read11/20/2016 c8 Bookworm
I can't believe I kept skipping over this all these years. My favorite unreliable narrator is Beowulf. I have no idea why but it is.
I can't believe I kept skipping over this all these years. My favorite unreliable narrator is Beowulf. I have no idea why but it is.
11/20/2016 c5 Bookworm
Hahaha I died laughing. My don't wish includes adjectives such as silken, engorged, rod, throbing, member. I'm not hating on steaming romances but in my naievite I can't understand why I need three paragraphs describing his dick when I have been waiting a book for action and now the narrator is just staring at him. Also have trashy romance novelists not found other adjectives? Also just because a charter has a British accent doesn't mean he's sexy and smooth. For all they know at this point I've deemed their "sexy" British lead to have a Cockney accent, they don't know what British accent I think is sexy, it could be that of northern England. Thank you for venting about rape and automatic he fixed everything plots. Like no that woman is now going to be dealing with a whole slew of problems least of all your benign plot conflict between the characters romance.
Hahaha I died laughing. My don't wish includes adjectives such as silken, engorged, rod, throbing, member. I'm not hating on steaming romances but in my naievite I can't understand why I need three paragraphs describing his dick when I have been waiting a book for action and now the narrator is just staring at him. Also have trashy romance novelists not found other adjectives? Also just because a charter has a British accent doesn't mean he's sexy and smooth. For all they know at this point I've deemed their "sexy" British lead to have a Cockney accent, they don't know what British accent I think is sexy, it could be that of northern England. Thank you for venting about rape and automatic he fixed everything plots. Like no that woman is now going to be dealing with a whole slew of problems least of all your benign plot conflict between the characters romance.
11/20/2016 c4 Bookworm
I loved Twilight when I read it before it was fabulous but it didn't hold up if you read it as an adult, chalk it up to dialogue, quality writing, or plot. However, the basic levels of what spoke to women was later exploited in former Twilight fan fiction turned smut books 50 Shades of Grey. There are great young adult books out there, but the masses want what they want and the market takes that turn. I loved your comment about houses because in college some women in sororities at my university compared it to being in houses at Hogwarts.
I loved Twilight when I read it before it was fabulous but it didn't hold up if you read it as an adult, chalk it up to dialogue, quality writing, or plot. However, the basic levels of what spoke to women was later exploited in former Twilight fan fiction turned smut books 50 Shades of Grey. There are great young adult books out there, but the masses want what they want and the market takes that turn. I loved your comment about houses because in college some women in sororities at my university compared it to being in houses at Hogwarts.
11/20/2016 c3 Bookworm
Love your take on the shallow Barbie valley girl characters, whose authors refuse to admit that they are just that. Also hot take, I feel like 95% of stories revolve around short girls. I also feel that about 65% of stories have girls have boobs that are always in their way, or the author puts to much effort into making sure their female characters are special because they are curvaceous and a real woman. Growing up, I used to be estatic for any stories with brown eyed brunettes that were tall (let me say that I was dissapointed in Belle when I watched her later in life to realize the book worm acts pretty dumb). Now I'm happy with anyone as long as they're balanced, but I still root for the tall girl because I relate better. There aren't many 5'9" heads of the itty bitty titty committee with brown hair and brown eyes in stories. However, not to sound like that afore mentioned ignorant valley girl author I don't expect authors to write about real physical attributes because not many people would relate to people with birthmarks on their face and neck. Real girls either discover makeup on some level or just never bother as it's a waste of time when they could do something else. I just wish authors would stop trying to sell me a character that never wears foundation and just wears gloss, mascara and blush after the big makeover or for the super formal event. I don't care if she doesn't care for it, but if you're claiming that she's is wearing a the dress you spent a paragraph describing costs an untold amount and that's all she put on her face, then she's obviously unnaturally gorgeous and you're lying about the wallflower status. Lack of make up is understood in period pieces. I'd like to say Charles Dickens was great with naming characters; however, because he was paid by the word his stories have excessive description of nonsense.
Love your take on the shallow Barbie valley girl characters, whose authors refuse to admit that they are just that. Also hot take, I feel like 95% of stories revolve around short girls. I also feel that about 65% of stories have girls have boobs that are always in their way, or the author puts to much effort into making sure their female characters are special because they are curvaceous and a real woman. Growing up, I used to be estatic for any stories with brown eyed brunettes that were tall (let me say that I was dissapointed in Belle when I watched her later in life to realize the book worm acts pretty dumb). Now I'm happy with anyone as long as they're balanced, but I still root for the tall girl because I relate better. There aren't many 5'9" heads of the itty bitty titty committee with brown hair and brown eyes in stories. However, not to sound like that afore mentioned ignorant valley girl author I don't expect authors to write about real physical attributes because not many people would relate to people with birthmarks on their face and neck. Real girls either discover makeup on some level or just never bother as it's a waste of time when they could do something else. I just wish authors would stop trying to sell me a character that never wears foundation and just wears gloss, mascara and blush after the big makeover or for the super formal event. I don't care if she doesn't care for it, but if you're claiming that she's is wearing a the dress you spent a paragraph describing costs an untold amount and that's all she put on her face, then she's obviously unnaturally gorgeous and you're lying about the wallflower status. Lack of make up is understood in period pieces. I'd like to say Charles Dickens was great with naming characters; however, because he was paid by the word his stories have excessive description of nonsense.
11/20/2016 c2 Bookworm
I love a good Mary Sue. I'll read almost any Elizabeth Bennet tropes because I'm a sucker for a Mr. Darcy, but I've seen some where they botch it and I lose interest in addition to knowing how it ends. There are only so many Plain Jane stories where they get their Adonis With little effort. Writers need to show the reader what he see's that she doesn't see in herself to make readers believe it. I can only take so many hundred "I'm nothing special clumsy and borderline average intelligence high school girl yet the rich mysterious hottie is in love with me and sometimes he's a vampire" stories. I read Twilight before there was a movie, and unfortunatelyI think the writing in it is partially to blame for the down grade in stories today. Random book recommendation as I think you will enjoy it, How to Read Literature Like a Professor. The author's last name is Foster and his chapters are wonderfully brilliant also great for writing not just reading in particular he covers a bit about everything is the same story. I have read two chapters just wanting to shout preach every 5 seconds. Forgive spelling and grammar errors as this was wrtitten on my phone. Also can you add to your Mary Sue list this new trend of unremarkable slightly weak and clumsy girls with no particular skill strengths that are the chosen ones to save the world or take down the post apocalyptic dictator?
I love a good Mary Sue. I'll read almost any Elizabeth Bennet tropes because I'm a sucker for a Mr. Darcy, but I've seen some where they botch it and I lose interest in addition to knowing how it ends. There are only so many Plain Jane stories where they get their Adonis With little effort. Writers need to show the reader what he see's that she doesn't see in herself to make readers believe it. I can only take so many hundred "I'm nothing special clumsy and borderline average intelligence high school girl yet the rich mysterious hottie is in love with me and sometimes he's a vampire" stories. I read Twilight before there was a movie, and unfortunatelyI think the writing in it is partially to blame for the down grade in stories today. Random book recommendation as I think you will enjoy it, How to Read Literature Like a Professor. The author's last name is Foster and his chapters are wonderfully brilliant also great for writing not just reading in particular he covers a bit about everything is the same story. I have read two chapters just wanting to shout preach every 5 seconds. Forgive spelling and grammar errors as this was wrtitten on my phone. Also can you add to your Mary Sue list this new trend of unremarkable slightly weak and clumsy girls with no particular skill strengths that are the chosen ones to save the world or take down the post apocalyptic dictator?
3/27/2014 c1 Valinedel
I don't even write and yet I saw this tagged in someone's favorites and it sounded interesting. Now here I am at the end of chapter one of a "story" that has nothing to do with me and yet kept me reading until the end. Clever girl! I'm sure it is because I completely agree with what you are saying! I hate updates about not updating or summaries that tell you nothing! - NEXT
I don't even write and yet I saw this tagged in someone's favorites and it sounded interesting. Now here I am at the end of chapter one of a "story" that has nothing to do with me and yet kept me reading until the end. Clever girl! I'm sure it is because I completely agree with what you are saying! I hate updates about not updating or summaries that tell you nothing! - NEXT
3/23/2014 c2 Kegger98
I agree. Mary Sues can work, but they need to give either actual danger or conflict or at least the illusion of it.
I agree. Mary Sues can work, but they need to give either actual danger or conflict or at least the illusion of it.
10/6/2012 c14 
4sanguine eyes
Hello. Marvelous story you have here...I have really enjoyed reading it, and it is amazingly informative. I appreciate you going into such detail about things; this will no doubt help me improve the overall quality of my writing. I desperately wish I just had more time to write right now, but when I do get the occasional free hour or two, you can bet I will reference this story if I'm stuck in a kink on something you have helpful advice for :)
xSanityxIsxFleetingx
P.S. Updates are always nice, when you get the time ;)
4sanguine eyesHello. Marvelous story you have here...I have really enjoyed reading it, and it is amazingly informative. I appreciate you going into such detail about things; this will no doubt help me improve the overall quality of my writing. I desperately wish I just had more time to write right now, but when I do get the occasional free hour or two, you can bet I will reference this story if I'm stuck in a kink on something you have helpful advice for :)
xSanityxIsxFleetingx
P.S. Updates are always nice, when you get the time ;)
6/10/2012 c14 76The Autumn Queen
I rather like this: your style, your approach and your content as well. I’m glad someone agrees to me about the detail; at uni, no-one wants to read it (my circle of friends anyway). A lot of the things you’ve mentioned appear to be common pitfalls, but at the same time they’re things I at least rarely think about. Particularly this latest chapter and the one about sci-fi. Never realised the later was less popular, particularly since Garth Nix’s new book came out – Australian classic. I wonder if that’s changed over the two years; why do sci-fi fics have dull grey buildings anyway? That’s like a re-run of 1984 by George Orwell.
I’m looking forward to seeing what you come up with next.
76The Autumn QueenI rather like this: your style, your approach and your content as well. I’m glad someone agrees to me about the detail; at uni, no-one wants to read it (my circle of friends anyway). A lot of the things you’ve mentioned appear to be common pitfalls, but at the same time they’re things I at least rarely think about. Particularly this latest chapter and the one about sci-fi. Never realised the later was less popular, particularly since Garth Nix’s new book came out – Australian classic. I wonder if that’s changed over the two years; why do sci-fi fics have dull grey buildings anyway? That’s like a re-run of 1984 by George Orwell.
I’m looking forward to seeing what you come up with next.
6/6/2012 c1 20Ricky Rivers
Thank you so much! This is so very helpful. But I have a couple things to point out. Your capitalization is all off. You have random things capitalized at completely random intervals and I would like to ask you to fix that. It minimizes the professional appearance of this advice. But thank you for writing this because it is proving very helpful!
20Ricky RiversThank you so much! This is so very helpful. But I have a couple things to point out. Your capitalization is all off. You have random things capitalized at completely random intervals and I would like to ask you to fix that. It minimizes the professional appearance of this advice. But thank you for writing this because it is proving very helpful!
5/26/2012 c14 2Mirabelle P
Heya, I'm not sure if you'll read this as it seems to be a while since you last updated this essay, but I really enjoyed reading it so I thought I might as well attempt to leave a review.
First of all, I wanted to thank you for articulating quite a few points that I've often been unconsciously aware of, but never able to elaborate on. On example that I thought was particularly clever was in the first (?) chapter, when you discussed the summary issue. I liked how you demonstrated your point by writing a summary of the New Testament. I thought that made what you were saying incredibly clear, and that the example itself and your treatment of it was very clever.
Although I did enjoy quite a lot of your little rants (I have often wanted to have the exact same ones...), sometimes you could have made them a little shorter as you are quite good at getting straight to the point very precisely and concisely. That said, some of them made your essay very entertaining to read.
The best thing about your text though, is that it has made me aware of certain things that I did automatically/didn't do at all when making up a story, and will help me to (hopefully) write more in depth and better texts in the future!
On a slightly annoying note (sorry sorry!) if you ever get the chance, you might want to go through some of your text and edit out typos/spelling mistakes/omissions - I won't repeat your own argument about S&G to you, but just thought it might be worth pointing it out.
I reckon that if you tried to condense your text a little (I'm not talking about cutting some of the substance, but just making it a little less wordy in places), it would be an even more enjoyable read.
I looked at your profile but couldn't find any of your fiction texts - if you've got them up on another website, could you please let me know where I can find them? Thanks a lot! xx
2Mirabelle PHeya, I'm not sure if you'll read this as it seems to be a while since you last updated this essay, but I really enjoyed reading it so I thought I might as well attempt to leave a review.
First of all, I wanted to thank you for articulating quite a few points that I've often been unconsciously aware of, but never able to elaborate on. On example that I thought was particularly clever was in the first (?) chapter, when you discussed the summary issue. I liked how you demonstrated your point by writing a summary of the New Testament. I thought that made what you were saying incredibly clear, and that the example itself and your treatment of it was very clever.
Although I did enjoy quite a lot of your little rants (I have often wanted to have the exact same ones...), sometimes you could have made them a little shorter as you are quite good at getting straight to the point very precisely and concisely. That said, some of them made your essay very entertaining to read.
The best thing about your text though, is that it has made me aware of certain things that I did automatically/didn't do at all when making up a story, and will help me to (hopefully) write more in depth and better texts in the future!
On a slightly annoying note (sorry sorry!) if you ever get the chance, you might want to go through some of your text and edit out typos/spelling mistakes/omissions - I won't repeat your own argument about S&G to you, but just thought it might be worth pointing it out.
I reckon that if you tried to condense your text a little (I'm not talking about cutting some of the substance, but just making it a little less wordy in places), it would be an even more enjoyable read.
I looked at your profile but couldn't find any of your fiction texts - if you've got them up on another website, could you please let me know where I can find them? Thanks a lot! xx
1/27/2012 c5 DutchAver
I post a lot - I think I've finished about seven stories already, more than most amateur writers - but I don't think I've clogged up the Just In-section. An immense amount of time is spent to ensure that the stories are of good quality: I always Beta and edit, and I have my story written completely before posting it.
Your don'ts were very helpful, though I never really had plans to do any of them - especially the clothes-thing. I could care less about clothes.
'I'd hate to have to call that out at the climax of my orgasms.' made me chuckle immediately. I love your dry wit.
And oh, the pure irony of you saying that you shouldn't revise your story over and over with an Author's Note at the bottom saying you added in three extra don'ts... at least you recognize the irony here :)
See you next time!
I post a lot - I think I've finished about seven stories already, more than most amateur writers - but I don't think I've clogged up the Just In-section. An immense amount of time is spent to ensure that the stories are of good quality: I always Beta and edit, and I have my story written completely before posting it.
Your don'ts were very helpful, though I never really had plans to do any of them - especially the clothes-thing. I could care less about clothes.
'I'd hate to have to call that out at the climax of my orgasms.' made me chuckle immediately. I love your dry wit.
And oh, the pure irony of you saying that you shouldn't revise your story over and over with an Author's Note at the bottom saying you added in three extra don'ts... at least you recognize the irony here :)
See you next time!