The Instant Turn-Offs Thread

[SimonDoom]

Thank you! I had to go back a couple times and double check that I was asking people about their writing pet peeves rather than something like, IDK, kitten murder? In fact, this is probably the first time I've been on a writing forum and had so many people reply to a thread with, "Hey! Can we maybe NOT talk about writing, please? Can't we all just all write and not ever talk about it?!?!"

I mean, I get that threads where we all get to gush about our favorite stories, and what motivates us, and why we are all so awesome are fun, but I mostly enjoy talking to other writers because they seem the best equipped to help me improve my craft. Discussions of common writing pitfalls and/or pet peeves is pretty standard fare in writing groups/workshops, so I was more than a little surprised by the negative response. Then again, every writing community has its own "vibe" and maybe this kind of thing just doesn't fly here. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

.

When I posted my thread three years ago, it was titled, if I recall, something like "What are your writing pet peeves?" So we were on the same wavelength with our respective threads. I got a similar reaction.

Don't assume that the most outspoken represent the majority. It's easy to get discouraged by negativity. If you get five positive reactions to your thread and three negative ones, there's no reason to let the negative ones discourage you or determine what you do going forward. They have the option of simply ignoring you. I'd like to hear what you have to say and to offer my thoughts in kind. I feel that's how we learn. I don't understand the negative perspective and I never have. I feel it badly misconstrues both your intent and the consequence of posting threads like this.

I can't stand the "tread lightly here" mentality. I'm much more a member of the "jump into it with both feet and see what happens" school. The exception is rudeness/trollishness, which is something that one does see in some newbie threads. But I didn't see that in yours.


I spoofed this attitude in my recent story Ogg Comes To The Hangout. In my story, The Hangout is a physical place, a squalid, dangerous town, and on its outskirts is a sign that reads: "The Hangout. Read the Rules. Watch Yourself."

 

[TeroWright]

Being new to this site, and a fairly new writer in general, I like seeing posts like these and take them with a grain of salt.

This response from SimonDoom hit home for me:

My turn-offs are technical. The following are things I often encounter in stories at Literotica that make it difficult for me to enjoy the story:

1. Careless tense-shifting. I'm amazed at how common this is. Careless and unconscious shifting between past and present tense drives me bonkers. I just can't stand it. I think I'm unusual in this respect because it's extremely common and it often doesn't seem to affect the grade the story receives.

2. Carless shifting between first person POV and third person POV. Not as common as tense-shifting, but just as annoying

The first two stories I did were guilty of this. They were first person stories that shifted like as SD's second point suggests. I later went back and corrected all the POV's and tenses. The stories I've done since have been done in third person with present tense - not because first person is hard to write, but because I want to learn to control the POV and tense, so I experiment.

I don't see threads like this, or the opinions expressed within, as something that's set in stone, but as a learning opportunity to see who I may or may not attract as a reader based on how my stories are set up and the thoughts shared.

I'm very much aware that the topic I write about isn't popular with this site, so keeping the reader's interest is the next best thing I can aim for. So far, I think I'm doing alright starting out as my stories average 4 stars, and for a newb, that's not bad.

 

[ElectricBlue]

Touche. I corrected it. I type quickly and not always accurately. Usually, I give my posts here a quick once over before posting, but I make many proof-reading mistakes. That's one reason that occasional misspellings don't bother me much in stories. I realize they're probably just proofing errors.

I did wonder if you were contemplating some dystopian future where everyone walked or went by bus or train, and riffed on that for too long - so you saw the edited version.

Carry on .

 

[nyc1975]

KyraSaden,

Thank you for beginning this thread; it is one that has been too long coming.

As many have said, if content is an "instant turn-off", go somewhere else. Too many grammatical/spelling errors will also drive me out of a story. As will person and tense shifts, aaahhrg!

But my personal pet peeve is the misuse of the word "discrete." It drives me crazy when I read otherwise capable authors who do the equivalent of dragging their nails across the chalkboard with that one.

Here is the Merriam Webster definition of discrete: 1 : constituting a separate entity : individually distinct several discrete sections. 2a : consisting of distinct or unconnected elements : noncontinuous. b : taking on or having a finite or countably infinite number of values discrete probabilities a discrete random variable.

So when an author writes, "he moved his hand discretely up her thigh" for example, my mind rebels. It often spoils an otherwise good story.

Fellow authors, the proper word is "discreet." Please take note and do not disappoint me in the future.

Okay, call me a pompous jerk. It is after all, a free forum.

 

[KeithD]

But my personal pet peeve is the misuse of the word "discrete." It drives me crazy when I read otherwise capable authors who do the equivalent of dragging their nails across the chalkboard with that one.

I have to go to the dictionary to check on that one each and every time.

 

[KyraSaden]

I spoofed this attitude in my recent story Ogg Comes To The Hangout. In my story, The Hangout is a physical place, a squalid, dangerous town, and on its outskirts is a sign that reads: "The Hangout. Read the Rules. Watch Yourself."

Haha! That actually sounds really funny. Satire is the bestest.

 

[SimonDoom]

KyraSaden,

Thank you for beginning this thread; it is one that has been too long coming.

As many have said, if content is an "instant turn-off", go somewhere else. Too many grammatical/spelling errors will also drive me out of a story. As will person and tense shifts, aaahhrg!

But my personal pet peeve is the misuse of the word "discrete." It drives me crazy when I read otherwise capable authors who do the equivalent of dragging their nails across the chalkboard with that one.

Here is the Merriam Webster definition of discrete: 1 : constituting a separate entity : individually distinct several discrete sections. 2a : consisting of distinct or unconnected elements : noncontinuous. b : taking on or having a finite or countably infinite number of values discrete probabilities a discrete random variable.

So when an author writes, "he moved his hand discretely up her thigh" for example, my mind rebels. It often spoils an otherwise good story.

Fellow authors, the proper word is "discreet." Please take note and do not disappoint me in the future.

Okay, call me a pompous jerk. It is after all, a free forum.

The problems as I see it about getting too worked up about this sort of thing are (a) it probably only happens once in a story and (b) it may just be a typo. I've known the difference between discreet and discrete for as long as I can remember but I sometimes catch myself typing one for the other as I write. It's unconscious. I think it's too demanding to expect perfect proofreading of stories published for free.

 

[sbrooks103]

I thought it might be helpful (both for informative and venting purposes) to develop a thread on instant turn-offs/writing pet peeves that might make otherwise compelling erotic stories lose your interest. And because I just spent an hour looking for something to read and ran into a number of my own "instant turn-offs," I will start...

(1) Stories that never, ever, ever use commas, especially in the context of dialogue. You guys, I just can't.

(2) Stories wherein the female characters are only ever described as "the sultry redhead" or "the stunning blonde." Don't your characters have names? Personality traits? Other physical features, perhaps?

(3) Stories written from the first person perspective that begin with the MC looking into a mirror, just so that they can describe themselves to the readers in excessive detail and it seem "natural." (Hint: It does not.)

(4) Stories with any female character whose only personality trait is to "giggle" everything they say.

(5) Stories that involve someone "ordinary" traveling to another world and/or time, yet they are not even a little bit freaked out by it and just immediately start fucking everything.

(6) Stories that give detailed bra measurements of all the main female characters as if bra sizes are just inherently sexy.

(7) Stories in the sci-fi and/or fantasy genre that begin with a massive info dump on the world's history (i.e. telling instead of showing).

(8) Overuse of the word "amazing" to describe how people look naked.

(9) Lesbian sex scenes that seem to happen just because two chicks like the same guy, without there ever being any time spent on the ladies' relationship.

(10) Sex scenes from a woman's pov that for some reason are 100% focused on dick, even though most ladies like things other than just dick. (Hint: We also like butts, chests, forearms, etc.)

Okay, thanks for letting me get that off my chest. Whew.

I hate present tense and/or second person. Don't try to tell me how or what I'm feeling!

 

[sbrooks103]

Nice list. A bunch of my turn offs are on it.

Add: Stating someone edited your story but there are still misspellings, wrong words used, words skipped (we all do that, but proof readers and editors will pick up on the mistake on the first read through).

Add: Repeating what the character looks like, especially bra and dick sizes.

Describing an action/conversation, then when a new character appears, repeating the SAME thing, word for word, instead of just saying, "I told him what just happened/what was said."

 

[SyleusSnow]

I try to be forgiving of the writing here, since my own ain't so great either. But besides the usual technical issues as SimonDoom listed, I'll add a few:

- Infodumps at the beginning (or anywhere) instantly kill a story for me. Spread it out, please!

- First-person stories where it takes until page 3 to figure out whether the protagonist is male/female/something else and are interested in male/female/something else.

- Starting too far back from the action. While stories need setup and an intro to the characters, please don't take until page 7 for something to happen (not necessarily something sexual).

- When the characters are going at it and screaming out a blow-by-blow, e.g. "I can't believe how tight your slick silken snatch is while I fuck you!" "Oh, you're pounding me so hard with your gargantuan fuck stick of love!"

- Sex scenes that are only detailed descriptions of physical attributes and the mechanics with zero description of the characters inner emotions or outward reactions ("He licked her gorgeous left earlobe with his 12-inch tongue while rubbing the eraser-sized nipple of her 36DD right breast with the tip of the middle toe of his right foot").

 

[110kelviinisstillprettycold]

I'm a new author (nothing published here yet, still looking for a volunteer editor), so I try not to be too judgmental. I'm not perfect (tense shifting in particular is an issue for me); as such, I don't expect perfect writing from others.

Having said that, I do have a few pet peeves:

1. Consistently poor spelling. Mistakes happen, but too many become distracting.

2. Critiquing stories that are outside of one's reading preferences. I don't read SF, BDSM, or the Non Consent cats and will never evaluate those stories. I'm also not a fan of the 1st person and will back out of those stories without continuing to read them. Not passing judgment, just not my thing.

3. Creating characters that aren't people. Good storytelling (any genre) is about people, not anatomical parts.

BTW - a great thread, especially for newbies like me.

 

[KeithD]

BTW - a great thread, especially for newbies like me.

Why? Because the posts are here you think they all convey truth about how you should write?

 

[110kelviinisstillprettycold]

Why? Because the posts are here you think they all convey truth about how you should write?

"All" convey truth? Nope.

Still, many of the posts offer good insights.

 

[KyraSaden]

BTW - a great thread, especially for newbies like me.

Glad you're getting something out of it! I've already made note of a few comments for future editing purposes myself.

Sex scenes that are only detailed descriptions of physical attributes and the mechanics with zero description of the characters inner emotions or outward reactions ("He licked her gorgeous left earlobe with his 12-inch tongue while rubbing the eraser-sized nipple of her 36DD right breast with the tip of the middle toe of his right foot").

OMG, yes! That stuff is the worst.

 

[SeabornFare]

Writers and authors who think they can pigeonhole the erotic genre into a please-all checklist.

“You can't make anything idiot proof because idiots are so ingenious.”
― Ron Burns

 

[KeithD]

"All" convey truth? Nope.

Still, many of the posts offer good insights.

Unfortunately, like those who think they've gotten a good editor, if they knew enough to know what was good and what wasn't in editing advice, they wouldn't have needed an editor in the first place. A second pair of follow-up eyes, yes, but you can't fully judge what is good guidance if you needed guidance to begin with. How to write and how not to write fall into this problematic pit.

And moving on from there, advice is only as good as the knowledge and experience of the one giving the advice. On the anonymous Internet, unfortunately, that's very difficult to establish--and there are legions of volunteer, but untrained, "experts" happy to step up to giving advice.

 

[110kelviinisstillprettycold]

Unfortunately, like those who think they've gotten a good editor, if they knew enough to know what was good and what wasn't in editing advice, they wouldn't have needed an editor in the first place. A second pair of follow-up eyes, yes, but you can't fully judge what is good guidance if you needed guidance to begin with. How to write and how not to write fall into this problematic pit.

And moving on from there, advice is only as good as the knowledge and experience of the one giving the advice. On the anonymous Internet, unfortunately, that's very difficult to establish--and there are legions of volunteer, but untrained, "experts" happy to step up to giving advice.

We're going to have to agree to disagree on this one; I *need* a second pair of eyes on my writing.

Not only to look for typos, but to look at my story and evaluate it - it may seem good to me, but that doesn't mean that it actually *is* good.

Having said that, if the advice given by an editor (volunteer or otherwise) would take the story in a direction other than what I intend, well, that advice may be ignored.

IMHO, needing (and utilizing) an editor isn't a bad thing as long as the writer keeps in mind that an editor, any editor, is as imperfect as the writer.

IMHO2, a willingness to have an impartial pair of eyes look at a story before it is released/published indicates that a writer has confidence in their product.

 

[KeithD]

We're going to have to agree to disagree on this one; I *need* a second pair of eyes on my writing.

You didn't actually read my post? I explicitly said that a follow-up second pair of eyes was useful.

What I was reacting to was posts (like yours) that declare an edit of their story or insight is "good" when they don't have a clue what a good edit or writing insight is in a world where "editors" hang out a shingle without an hour of editorial training (and feed threads like this one with as much bogus rot as helpful insight).

 

[110kelviinisstillprettycold]

You didn't actually read my post? I explicitly said that a follow-up second pair of eyes was useful.

What I was reacting to was posts (like yours) that declare an edit of their story or insight is "good" when they don't have a clue what a good edit or writing insight is in a world where "editors" hang out a shingle without an hour of editorial training (and feed threads like this one with as much bogus rot as helpful insight).

Did you actually read my post?

I never said that just any suggested edit is a good one.

As far as this thread is concerned? I am able to sort the wheat from the chaff.

(and for people who find that cliché too difficult to comprehend, that means that I can sort the valid points from the BS).

 

[KeithD]

Did you actually read my post?

I never said that just any suggested edit is a good one.

As far as this thread is concerned? I am able to sort the wheat from the chaff.

(and for people who find that cliché too difficult to comprehend, that means that I can sort the valid points from the BS).

No, after your first sentence, which ignored what I posted, I didn't read any of the rest.

 

[110kelviinisstillprettycold]

No, after your first sentence, which ignored what I posted, I didn't read any of the rest.

Actually, I didn't ignore what you posted, I just didn't believe you meant it.

Everything else you posted contradicted your "second set of eyes" comment.

 

[KeithD]

Nothing I posted contradicted what I've been posting for thirteen years here. Perhaps you aren't as good about sorting out what's what on the basis of very little participation on the discussion board as you think you are.

 

[110kelviinisstillprettycold]

Nothing I posted contradicted what I've been posting for thirteen years here. Perhaps you aren't as good about sorting out what's what on the basis of very little participation on the discussion board as you think you are.

I freely admit that I didn't read everything you've ever posted here, just the stuff you directed at me.

 

[SimonDoom]

2. Critiquing stories that are outside of one's reading preferences. I don't read SF, BDSM, or the Non Consent cats and will never evaluate those stories.

This is an interesting peeve, one with which I agree in a way and disagree in a way.

I agree that I'd rather not hear from a critic of my story if all they have to say is, in effect, that they don't like this type of story. That tells me a little bit about the critic, but nothing about my story.

But as a critic I think it's perfectly fine to critique a story outside my own preferences, because I feel I can be more objective. I never fault a writer for liking subject matter I don't like. When I read a story I accept the author's own preferences and basic story goals and try to ask myself whether the author accomplished their own purposes or could have done so more effectively. In some ways I think it's easier to do that analysis when one is critiquing outside one's own preferences, because one is less likely to say, in effect, "I would have done this differently," which, again, is not helpful criticism.

 

[stellataylor]

As a bit of a newbie to writing erotica, I appreciate this thread! I can see how anything listed here would be indicative of a bigger writing flaw (example: if I'm writing a female character who does nothing but giggle, maybe I need to look into improving my character depth or writing more realistic dialogue). I have definitely made some notes for future editing purposes.

My personal pet peeve is the overuse of the word "chuckled". I am aware this is not that big of a deal and probably a little petty, but people do not chuckle frequently in real life. I mostly see it used in edgy/mysterious/dark characters, which is even less realistic, in my opinion.

Also, this is a given, but when every single sentence starts with he/she.