Pet Peeves

[Submissioness]

Also... does it bother anyone else when there's an excessive use of one particular word, or even description? Sure, there's only a limited amount of explanation you can give about one thing before you're eventually going to sound redundant... but doesn't it become obnoxious to see the same thing repeatedly? When I write, I try to have some variation. I will admit, I'm no where near perfect or a professional, but it comes to me across as if they aren't putting forth much effort when there's something else they could have inserted in that sentence rather than the same danged thing they had put.

Holy cow, yes, that bothers me. I'm tired of reading the same words over and over. Especially descriptions and such. It is distracting to keep reading that same thing over and over. Thesaurus.com has been my lifesaver! I like to keep my words FAIRLY clean. I mostly use cock, mound, pussy, shaft, rod, lips, etc. and I try to alternate and not repeat the same word in one paragraph.

 

[davion2308]

Getting Bogged down

I hate it when people go after numbers or use straight description in two paragraphs. '

"Rebecca stood 5'6 with 36C cup breasts. She had blonde hair, a 28 inch waist, and 36 inch hips."

We might as well be reading out of a car manual.

I try to never give specifics. "She had silky blonde hair, scattered freckles, and her lean body was toned from running marathons." That should be enough. Let us picture the character on our own.


I also don't like 2nd person. "You walked to the door and opened it. He stood there, in the rain, flowers wilting in his hand...." It's not a pet peeve; I simply do not like that format for reading stories.


Grammar and spelling get me, too. They make me slow down or stop and reread. I've quit stories in the middle because I got tired of reading bad grammar and spelling.

 

[sandra_dee]

My one pet peeve is how in a sex scene, protection is brought up. It ruins the story.

 

[sr71plt]

My one pet peeve is how in a sex scene, protection is brought up. It ruins the story.

Unfortunately, in some categories here, if you don't pin that down in your story, the crazy commenters will lambast you about it without mentioning anything else in the story.

 

[NightDrive]

The biggest thing lacking in most stories is build-up. If you're writing a story where a neighbour lusts after his young next-door-neighbour, it makes zero sense to have them having sex by the second paragraph. I get fantasy, but when there's build-up in a story, the payoff when the protagonist finally DOES get hooked up is that much greater.

I also think a huge detractor from a lot of stories are when all of the characters have a D cup and all males have a penis length of 9-12 inches. Variety is hot, flaws are hot, and realism is very hot.

Going back to my first point, loose women in stories definitely are a big pet peeve in stories as well. I love resistance, flirtation and teasing, I don't want to see drop 'em and bend over when a male character has a proposal.

Those are just a few things, but I'm sure other people like the things I don't like, I suppose it's just preference.

 

[sandra_dee]

Unfortunately, in some categories here, if you don't pin that down in your story, the crazy commenters will lambast you about it without mentioning anything else in the story.

Really? That sucks.

 

[Submissioness]

Really? That sucks.

The biggest thing lacking in most stories is build-up. If you're writing a story where a neighbour lusts after his young next-door-neighbour, it makes zero sense to have them having sex by the second paragraph. I get fantasy, but when there's build-up in a story, the payoff when the protagonist finally DOES get hooked up is that much greater.

I also think a huge detractor from a lot of stories are when all of the characters have a D cup and all males have a penis length of 9-12 inches. Variety is hot, flaws are hot, and realism is very hot.

Going back to my first point, loose women in stories definitely are a big pet peeve in stories as well. I love resistance, flirtation and teasing, I don't want to see drop 'em and bend over when a male character has a proposal.

Those are just a few things, but I'm sure other people like the things I don't like, I suppose it's just preference.

Oh, it's so funny that you mention all those peeves that have previously been mentioned (and defended). I happen to agree with everything you said. And it's interesting about the peeve of the mention of protection. In my stories, I only mention it one time and it's because my young man is very inexperienced and is conditioned to worry about such things. I only mention it to add to the naive and inexperienced nature of the guy. (not that using protection is a naive thing to use, but mentioning it serves that purpose. Protection is a very very good thing. Bravo on the point about reality being very hot! I'm with you.

 

[mikado2005]

I held off on posting here because I had to read all the posts, then go back and read my stories to see how many I had in them. Not so many so far.

My pet peeve is when people write things in their stories for which they have no personal experience. People should follow the adage to write what you know. If you've never been to New York, Moscow, or Budapest, don't make them the key setting for your story. If you've never driven in a road race, don't make it the key element of the story.

Stories can be just as appealing if they are written in the setting of smalltown America/England/Australia/Canada/Wherever doing commonplace things. Again, write what you know. If you don't it will be apparent in just a few sentences and will kill any interest I might have for the story.

Exotic is nice, but only if you can carry it off. If you must use an exotic locale, or one you haven't been to in a while, use Google to research it and use Google Earth to get a view of how the different elements of architecture, streets, and nature relate to each other. The photos metatagged into Google Earth can also help you with visualizing your story. You never know when the office building, market, or roadway essential to your story might not be there anymore.

 

[ellabee]

My pet peeve is when people write things in their stories for which they have no personal experience.

Yes, but how much of that can you do before you're pigeonholed into being a one-scene wonder? I'm slightly worried that my stories of shy yet naughty college girls and suave campus frat boys are going to A) get old fast and B) detract from my readership. .

I disagree, just a little bit. I think you can write about sex acts you've never experienced or settings you've never been too, just as long as you don't blatantly make things up.

For example, I've never enjoyed anal sex. That doesn't mean I don't know how to make my characters enjoy it, yeah?

 

[cloudy]

I held off on posting here because I had to read all the posts, then go back and read my stories to see how many I had in them. Not so many so far.

My pet peeve is when people write things in their stories for which they have no personal experience. People should follow the adage to write what you know. If you've never been to New York, Moscow, or Budapest, don't make them the key setting for your story. If you've never driven in a road race, don't make it the key element of the story.

Stories can be just as appealing if they are written in the setting of smalltown America/England/Australia/Canada/Wherever doing commonplace things. Again, write what you know. If you don't it will be apparent in just a few sentences and will kill any interest I might have for the story.

Exotic is nice, but only if you can carry it off. If you must use an exotic locale, or one you haven't been to in a while, use Google to research it and use Google Earth to get a view of how the different elements of architecture, streets, and nature relate to each other. The photos metatagged into Google Earth can also help you with visualizing your story. You never know when the office building, market, or roadway essential to your story might not be there anymore.

I disagree completely.

Research isn't difficult to do, and as far as settings go, you can always ask someone who's from that particular place.

If what you say was true, there'd be no sci-fi stories, no fantasy, no vampires, etc. Imagination is up to just about anything.

 

[sr71plt]

I agree with Cloudy on this one. Such stories are bad if you haven't done the necessary research--or can't conjure up a believable/interesting of your own--but a flat "don't use a location/activity if you haven't experienced it"? No, I don't think so; this would negate a whole chunk of great fiction.

I'm still struggling with the whole idea of "pet peeve" as discussed on this string. I've always separated "personal dislike" (which is most of what I see here) from "pet peeve," as in something that bothers me about the use of something that isn't really correct. I've looked up the definitions and have seen that I push my concept of "pet peeve" too far--but, for me, I still don't really think of a pet peeve as being something that's perfectly all right/correct and just is something I have a personal prejudice against/dislike for.

 

[mikado2005]

I'm not trying to hijack this thread, but I never said don't use your imagination. I said people should research their story before they write it. Cloudy, I think you and I are in agreement on this, even though it may not seem that way. Maybe I used the wrong term when I said personal experience. Personal experience to me can be from real life or through research. How else would we have period stories from the Renaissance or Dark Ages? I still think write what you know is an appropriate adage

I am also a science fiction writer and I've never been in space, but my characters live there. I make their world real by learning about astronomy, zero G physics, propulsion systems, and building their world on paper before I describe it in a story. All I'm saying is use the tools available to you.

If you expect the reader to suspend disbelief and get into your story then do your homework first.

sr71plt, Pet peeves are what they are. Your mileage may vary.

ellabee, but I like stories about college coeds.

 

[Submissioness]

I was with you until...

Exotic is nice, but only if you can carry it off. If you must use an exotic locale, or one you haven't been to in a while, use Google to research it and use Google Earth to get a view of how the different elements of architecture, streets, and nature relate to each other. The photos metatagged into Google Earth can also help you with visualizing your story. You never know when the office building, market, or roadway essential to your story might not be there anymore.

I kinda was with you until this.

It's a story. It won't make a difference to 99.99% of people who read it if the pharmacy on the corner is now a beauty shop. No one is going to know or care. Besides, most stories are irrelevant to a specific time line. Era, yes; decade, perhaps. But pre-construction or demolition... that's getting a little picky in my opinion.

If I write a story about the Luxor hotel in Vegas (where I've been) and it gets demolished in 2 years (but it might not) because it's sinking into the ground (which it is), I'm not going to re-write it to fit into today's date, so why would I bother? If I'd never been there I wouldn't talk about it. I get that. I would mention the second floor and how the interior is structured and I see how if I read a story and it did not accurately describe what I've seen, that would throw off the story.

Then again, as others have said, that's what research is for. You can look at pictures without being there.

 

[sr71plt]

My pet peeve is when people write things in their stories for which they have no personal experience. People should follow the adage to write what you know.

Sorry, but point of order.

No, you didn't say people should research before writing; you said people should write from personal experience. Research and personal experience are two different things. Both Cloudy and I responded to what you actually posted.

So, I guess one of my pet peeves is people who argue what they might have meant--or are changing to claim they meant--rather than what they actually posted.

And I also disagree with Submissiveness on being able to carry a story off in any locale. I've posted nearly 350 stories here. If they were all in the same locale, I would have run out of readers by story number 50, I think, no matter how different the plots and characters were. There's a reason why TV sits don't go over seven or eight seasons. Time/locale/history are enrichment elements for a story.

 

[lmind]

I agree whole-heartedly with many of the pet peeves posted here so far, especially the comments about over-the-top euphemisms ("throbbing spear of man-steak," "fiery love-canyon," etc.), excessive use of measurements (as a guy, I don't even know or care what some of those numbers mean), and physically "flawless" characters (where are all the normal women, who wear glasses, have modest breasts, and snort when they laugh?). This thread is full of good advice for authors - no need to nitpick the definition of "pet peeve."

One insightful commenter shared a pet peeve with me: Women excessively using the word "fuck." I think he's right. It's a powerfully erotic word, but different women say it in different situations. Some girls don't care, but that's their personality. Others save it for very specific moments. Both types of usage can enhance the colour of a character, if used carefully. Respect the F-bomb.

 

[mikado2005]

Sorry, but point of order.

No, you didn't say people should research before writing; you said people should write from personal experience. Research and personal experience are two different things. Both Cloudy and I responded to what you actually posted.

Mr Speaker, I ask that my clarifying remarks be entered into the record.

 

[Submissioness]

Suggestion

physically "flawless" characters (where are all the normal women, who wear glasses, have modest breasts, and snort when they laugh?).

You should read my stories if you're looking for that. My young woman is a normal girl with C sized breasts, a quirky since of style and personality, and modest and curvy body.

 

[sr71plt]

C sized breasts,

But . . . but . . . sizing is a pet peeve here.

 

[Submissioness]

Adult Swim

But . . . but . . . sizing is a pet peeve here.

You're an idiot.

The previous discussion that you are obviously referring to speaks of the OVERUSE of precise measurement. Depending on them instead of using creative descriptions.

I used the "C cup" description in order to show that the character doesn't have the typical huge breasts that might be a peeve of this person.

Know what you're talking about before you go and embarrass yourself again.

 

[sr71plt]

You're an idiot.

The previous discussion that you are obviously referring to speaks of the OVERUSE of precise measurement. Depending on them instead of using creative descriptions.

I used the "C cup" description in order to show that the character doesn't have the typical huge breasts that might be a peeve of this person.

Know what you're talking about before you go and embarrass yourself again.

Ah, you missed the "joking" face, then. I take it this is a "kick my dog" night for you(?) (Still, mentioning a cup size after all of this pet peeve discussion is something I find quite funny--which your retort doesn't really address. If you read the boards much, you would have known that any use of measurements gets the razzberry here.)

 

[Submissioness]

Retort Re-retorted.

Ah, you missed the "joking" face, then. I take it this is a "kick my dog" night for you(?) (Still, mentioning a cup size after all of this pet peeve discussion is something I find quite funny--which your retort doesn't really address. If you read the boards much, you would have known that any use of measurements gets the razzberry here.)

I don't know what a "kick my dog" night is... but you're the one who is negative every time you have something to say.

And my "retort" does address why I used "C sized." Read it again. Mentioning a cup size, if you have constructive purpose to in a flippin' forum, isn't annoying.

Oh, and it's spelled 'raspberry'.

 

[sr71plt]

IOh, and it's spelled 'raspberry'.

It's spelled both ways. I hope you feel better tomorrow.

 

[Submissioness]

It's spelled both ways. I hope you feel better tomorrow.

Fair enough, but it's "raspberry" if you don't want to look like a pre-teen.

Also, I'm really tired of your passive aggressive BS. For your information, you are the only thing wrong with my day. You seem to be the one that needs to lighten up. Stop bashing everyone that has an opinion that doesn't coincide with yours.

Try to enjoy the forum. You don't have to argue with everyone.

 

[sr71plt]

Also, I'm really tired of your passive aggressive BS. For your information, you are the only thing wrong with my day. You seem to be the one that needs to lighten up. Stop bashing everyone that has an opinion that doesn't coincide with yours.

Ah, I guess your aggressive bitchiness is preferable.

I call 'em as I see 'em, toots--and I have a whole lot of postings on this forum that aren't "negative everytime." Do try to be accurate when you're trying to put someone down.

Again, I hope tomorrow we see you without the chip on your shoulder.

 

[Submissioness]

And I also disagree with Submissiveness on being able to carry a story off in any locale. I've posted nearly 350 stories here. If they were all in the same locale, I would have run out of readers by story number 50, I think, no matter how different the plots and characters were. There's a reason why TV sits don't go over seven or eight seasons. Time/locale/history are enrichment elements for a story.

Is "Submissiveness" supposed to be me? If it is, I never wrote what you said I wrote.