Because I (Still) Want To, THAT'S WHY! · 9:02am Nov 8th, 2015
As a continuation of my last piece of dirty laundry, I figured I'd go into a little detail about my actual rating system. What I look for, what I don't like, and pretty much anything else you pretty, pretty people would need in order to cater to my whimsy. That's why you're here, right? To please me?
Whatever, sit back and take my words.
In addition to the five primary bookshelves I use, I also have in place eleven numbered shelves, which range from a grade zero to grade ten. These go up in value in a quarter-point, as you can plainly see for yourselves so I don't have to go into detail about which is which oh my GOD Leo just get to the point. As for what do?
Well, I don't have a system in place. That's right, as much as I try to organize things and assign numbers to them, I don't have any analytical checklist of things to look for when I read horsewords. That would take away from the enjoyment of the story. Play would become work. And screw that noise with a leaden pipe.
Instead, it's largely based on my feelings toward the work at the end of the story or story-to-date. Even then, I still keep a mental note of things that stood out to me, whether good or bad, and use that to help me choose a rating. For example, good grammar is a great way to score points...but if you can achieve a balance between grammar and style, you'll do far better. After all, as good as good grammar is good, too much good grammar can make a good good story into a bad good story. If you always follow the rules, then I might as well be reading a history textbook. And screw that noise with the same leaden pipe.
Having said that, grammar is still important, but knowing when to draw back on it is a good trait to have. Especially during a character's speech or thoughts. Knowing a character's dialect goes a long way to allowing a reader to immerse themselves in your work. So, achieving a balance between grammar and idiom is a great way to get high marks.
Mannerisms are important, too. I mean, I know this is all fanfiction, and as writers we're allowed creative freedom to write what we like...but nothing will frustrate me more than when a character is oblivious. And I don't mean like season two Derpy Hooves "Oops, my bad!" oblivious - I'm talkin' un-ironic obliviousness. The times when something happens and I'm left here thinking "Why did this character let this happen? They have eyes to see, don't they? Did they suddenly get a case of tunnel-vision?". I'm not saying that writing for a character should be kept 100% canon-certified, because that's good for practice but boring in practical use. However, keeping some universal traits intact - such as having EYES to SEE - helps. Like, a lot.
There are also the issues of pacing, detail, action, devices, cause & effect, and exploring different avenues of your work. Sometimes it won't matter if I can tell ahead-of-time where your story is headed, as long as you keep things interesting along the way. Not necessarily twists, but obstacles and development. The more I can see these characters grow, the better the story will invariably become.
Which brings me to my final point: letting the characters roam.
I've seen (and written) a lot of scenes where the characters are clearly being suppressed. The situation demands a certain kind of action, and the writer has them do it...but the story could call for something completely different. For example, I once wrote some crazy story where Rainbow Dash tried to end her life due to sheer guilt over a crime she ultimately did not commit. I had it as just that for a long time, until I wrote her in the same room with her best friend. Suddenly I came across that subject again, and the scene that followed was among the best I've written. Not only that, but was was among the easiest to write, because it wasn't me telling the characters what to do or say. In a way, they were the ones leading me.
Stories that achieve this will often soar. When you find yourself in this situation, you'll often be able to hit all of my praise-worthy buttons - obstacle, growth, dialect, development, immersion, entertainment, et al. Which is why it's such a shame to see so many stories where the stars will still stick to stupid situations in spite of the sweet, sweet scenarios they should be seeking.* This is can be boiled down to opportunity, and whether the writer met or missed it. But that, ultimately, relies on my own interpretation of the story as a reader, which sometimes isn't fair. I admit that.
However, when these are my own thoughts and tastes, what else can I rely on? It's not like I want anybody to read stories in my place or anything. That'd be stupid and I don't have enough money to pay someone for that. How would that even work, anyway? Wait, isn't that what an editor does? Reads things for someone else and gets paid for it? Hey guys, I found the perfect job. Sign me up.
...
Why are you still here?
I digress. There's no concrete system in place for when I give out opinion-based grades. I just read the words, remember what I liked and what bothered me, and give out numbers based on what I felt. That's it. That's the mystery. You can all go home. Your mother worries about you and wants you to call.
~Leo
*Sorry not sorry.
I'd make a comment about this, but I fear it will backfire magnificently on me.
I agree with this completely, though. I like to see characters as more than just tools to tell a story, but rather agents that have their own voices. At times, my characters in my stories will argue with me, telling me, 'this isn't what I'd do', or 'this just isn't how it should work' and then I remember that I have to take my medicine.
But besides that, the mark of any good writing is to let your characters breathe. Use your tools smartly, not just as an mean to the end.
3529269 Y'see? You get it. You're a good egg. Nice egg. Smooth egg.
3533360
Stop calling me an egg.