Top 5 Things I Find Annoying in Writing (of any form) [LONG] · 2:51am Jan 2nd, 2016
For the lack of better words, I decided to start off this year with a list of my least favorite things that happen in television, movies, and books. Basically any form of media at one point written down. It's something someone had the balls to write, but it falls flat most of the time or leaves disappointment in its wake. This is really long I ramble on and on I'M SORRY!
These aren't really in order. Not really, except for the last one, which I hate the most. They're simply five things I despise, but there are more.
5. Why are you single? Are you lonely?
I have no idea what else to call this? Honestly, it's whenever characters are constantly being bombarded with questions like this. Why don't you feel this way or that way? Why haven't you dated? What, you haven't KISSED A GIRL!? What's wrong with you? The list is endless. It happens in sitcoms a lot when a character doesn't have a date or a girl/boyfriend and they're teased about it (I'm watching Big Bang Theory as I write about this, so that's an example) If the character is lonely and wants someone, then that's fine. But just because they're single doesn't mean they're some lonely loser who can't get a date. It could mean they don't fucking want to be with anyone at the moment. Respect their space.
This is somewhat similar, but whenever there's a Team __ vs. Team __, it's blown the fuck up to the point of pure annoyance. Because the character has to be with someone. You know, they can't be content with who they are by themselves or live their life by themselves. Alone does not mean lonely. And you shouldn't make people feel like shit for not being with someone because of it.
Ex. Team Gale vs. Team Peeta. Jesus christ, the movies were great, but there were moments where I just groaned and rolled my eyes. In the final movie, there's actually a scene where they talk about 'if you get with her' and all that junk. I haaaaaated it. The books hardly made a huge emphasis on it, at least in comparison to the films. Whenever someone asked me which team I preferred, I said “Team Katniss because who the fuck cares, she's great on her own.” Now, with the ending, I respect the choice made, but until then, I stuck with this statement.
4. Consequences are everything
If something traumatizing happens, have the character have emotional trauma afterward. Nightmares, panic attacks, even being triggered by particular things. If you have the character go through something awful but don't make them show how they feel or how they reacted, then you've basically written something just to gauge a shocked or horrified reaction. And that's cheap and almost cruel. You make a character suffer for nothing more than something for your gain. You're the puppeteer, and you can't even give them the chance to go through the motions and feel genuine, realistic emotions about what happened. And honestly, that's completely shitty. If I see someone face an awful obstacle, I'd expect to see what happened afterwards. Why? Because I want to sympathize with the character and understand how they feel. If I don't, I'm not connecting with them, because they're not on the earthly level like we hoped. Instead, they go through the event and feel nothing afterwards, and we're just supposed to accept that. I don't particularly want to.
Ex. … Okay, I'm gonna go in a different direction for this one. Discord was imprisoned in stone for a thousand years. How is this not traumatic? If this wasn't My Little Pony, I'd expect an episode or something exploring how it fucked up his head or something and makes him have nightmares or something. Cause it's fucked up, if you think about it too much. Which I have done. This isn't even bad writing or anything, this is just something that I sadistically want to be seen done. Yet I totally know it won't. To be honest, however, if this was a show not so 'cute and sweet', I'd expect this to be explored further.
(but just imagine cause honestly ANGST ANGST ANGST)
3. Abuse isn't Romantic, Honey
'He's just a misunderstood bad boy' or 'She was just in a bad mood' can kiss my ass. If you have an abusive relationship, show us that it is abusive. Don't add romance into the tag or even dare to try and give off a romantic vibe. Like, don't make him/her yell at their other constantly, while they're back with them the next day, talking and smiling like nothing happened. If they do anything bad to you, it needs to be questioned. I'm not saying a fight should make you question things, because seriously, it happens all the time. But if you're hiding something from them, or they're scaring you and hurting you in any way, something's wrong. If you feel uncomfortable in any way, something needs to be fixed, pronto. Now, if you make the character question what's going on and make them eventually understand what's happening, and they grow enough to escape this horrible situation, you should be fine. Because at the very least, they realize it's wrong and want to get away, become an inspiration for those in such a situation. Basically, if there's an abusive vibe, at the very least, keep it that way. I don't like seeing characters go through that, but it's ten times worse when everyone thinks it's romantic.
Ex. Do I even need to fucking say it? Well, actually, either the Twilight series or Fifty Shades of Grey works. Mostly the latter, because yeah, Edward was a creepo who thought staring at her like a freak would attract her (worst part, it did), and Jacob became an actual pedophile, but holy shit, Fifty Shades of Grey was about as representative of BDSM relationships as... no, just no. There was nothing great, nothing sweet about guys stalking you and certainly nothing good when a guy keeps going when you say no. When I hear people gush over it, I'm downright terrified. I think PEOPLE FIND THIS SHIT OKAY?! Alright, enough on that.
2. Lying to the audience
We have a particular narration to follow when we're going through episodes, movies, etc. And if anything, the narration has to be reliable. If things turn around, a twist comes into play, but we don't expect it, then it goes one way or the other. And in which direction it goes all depends on how the story gives pieces of the twist away. And if you're telling us one thing, but the twist is another, then you're lying. You're not making a clever twist, it's trying to make the audience feel stupid and foolish while also trying to make them believe you clever. “Oh my gosh, I never expected that! So clever!” Except we'd never expect it because you lied to your readers, your audience, about what really happened. If you think you need to lie to make a good story, shut the fuck up.
Ex. Anyone familiar with Heavy Rain? I only know it because of Two Best Friends Play. However, in the game, there is a killer. And we play as four characters. And in the end, we find out one of them we play is actually the killer. The problem? The game allows you to hear the thoughts of the characters. So not once, did the man think about getting away with the serial murders. His thoughts lied to us, the players, to catch us off guard and call it a twist—hey, is that the script?
1. Bringing a character back to life.
Do I really need to elaborate here? Well, I suppose so. There are different things when it comes to this. I am not a fan of a person going unconscious, but everyone thinks they're dead and they cry and oh wait, guess what, they were just unconscious (is checking pulses illegal?). Then there's seeing someone actually die, but we're in their shoes as a ghost and they're trying to get back. No, no, that's fine. What I hate is when someone revives that person and everything is okay again. Seriously, this is the worst. I despise it. There's so many things that are wrong with this.
First off, the emotional impact is destroyed by doing this. When you watch the part next time where they die, you won't care because they come right back, and you know this. The immersion is broken, shattered into nothing because why the hell should I cry that they're dead only temporarily?
And what you did essentially was trying, again, nothing more than a shock value. By killing the character, you gain a reaction in response, but you don't want the characters to actually lose anything. You don't want there to be cost or consequences. You just care sooo much for this fucking character that when you try to make them die, but you can't actually do it. SO FAKE IT AND SURPRISE EVERYONE I'M A FUCKING GENIUS!
And second, if it's a long lasting story, you lose the trust of your audience. The next time a character dies, why should we believe they'll actually stay dead? If you lose our trust, then our attention is less on the story and more on if we should really buy it.
Finally, it's just downright lazy. What does this teach for anyone? About death, about consequences, about pain or anything? Nothing, that's what. Their friends and loved ones will be relieved to see them again, but when you make everything go all 'happily ever after,' what you've done was make death small and insignificant. Which should not be the case.
Beautiful example of a character who fights hard to save everyone whenever he can because life is gorgeous and delicate and powerful.
So a character is outright dead, has been dead, and some magical element brings them back to life. Or maybe they trick death and get away before dying. Either way, it's the worst possible thing to do when it comes to making good media. It's lazy, foolish, and outright awful.
Ex. Steven Moffat. Just... Steven Moffat. Yes, I'm gonna go off about this guy, deal with it. I'll never understand those jokes where apparently, he'll kill characters you care about. Like they probably actually do in Game of Thrones or Walking Dead. Because he has not done that, and when you think he legitimately does, they come back. P.S. 'Face the Raven' lied to you. Clara did try and face death bravely because of her reckless actions, but by the second episode afterward, was saved at the last moment, and in the end, she goes around freely in her own TARDIS, having learned no lesson whatsoever. Spoiler Alert, I guess, only I don't care. It's wasted time to watch, trust me.
Boy, I went a while on this one. I can't help it, it all just spews out. *headdesk* Missy, go ACTUALLY WRITE SOMETHING
Who knows how Discord's psychology works? Most people would find juggling their own eyeballs or splitting their head in two or whatever traumatic, but not him.
Depends on the show for me. In something like Supernatural or Dragon Ball, it makes sense because of some factors (the dragon balls, or having an angel on your side, or maybe necromancy).
3657754 Fair enough. It's just curious wondering what could break the bastard. EDIT: Plus, in the examples you gave, he has control as to what he is doing. In stone, he couldn't do a thing. He's trapped. Can't even speak or see, just listen.
3657776 Like I said, there can be exceptions. If it's foreshadowed, for example, but then we know what could happen. We know those ways around death (though, still, the emotional impact sort of lessens, but again, it's not as bad). But bringing them back out of nowhere, Deus ex machina style, is a real deal breaker for me.
Also five is more or less something that happens in real life.
3657805 Exactly, and it annoys me in real life, too. "Honey, you just need to get out there." "You just haven't found the right guy yet." Oooor, I'm not interested at all! It doesn't make it easier seeing it rubbed in your face on the screen or in a novel. Characters don't have to have romantic interests, in real life and fictional worlds.
Do you, perhaps, have spark notes?
3658100 No. I never really got around to checking it out.
3658119 I meant for your insanely long blog.
This is one of the themes in my fic, The Price of Love. In the story, Twilight has gone through some horrifying things, which she will have to deal with. How she deals with this, as well as other who have to go through similarly traumatic events, will be important. Already, Twilight dealing what she had endured at the talons of the Griffin Empire is something I am exploring in my fic. I do hope that, in the end, I will have done this well.
3658121 haha! Well, basically, what's bolded and numbered are the basics. Everything else is a long ass explanation of how I believe those situations to be problematic unless done properly (because, in some cases, it's not bad if you know what you're doing).
3658137 Well, good. I mean, aside from what Twilight apparently went through, of course. Stuff like that, when done right, always allows for a heartbreaking and sympathetic story line. Also can become relief once they've faced their trauma, overcame it, and can feel at peace. It's why I'm disappointed when consequences and the aftermath of trauma are left forgotten in some cases.
*Chuckles* A very well-written and informative "rant."
*shakes head* Oh boy. As someone who has been single all her life and quite content to remain so, this one drives me nuts whenever I see it. Don't get me wrong, I like a well-done romance, but I also believe it's possible to live a full and contented life without that. (That's actually probably why the only MLP couple I really ship is Fluttercord. I don't like when a fanfic just starts to feel like a pairing parade.)
Thank you! This one drives me nuts too and always knocks a ton of points off stories I would otherwise like. If you're going to kill them off, people, then kill them off and keep them dead. Once you've dropped that bomb, you've dropped that bomb. Don't do the make them dead to make us all feel sad and then have them pop back to life. It feels cheesy, manipulative, and leaves readers like me feeling cheated!
Phew! sorry, I guess your post kind of brought out the ranter in me.
3659732 Oh, don't worry about it! I mean, if you're agreeing and letting a bit of ranting out, it means my points are good enough to cause reactions. Heyyy, let's rant together! The more the merrier!
I dated once, but here here! I'm happy as I am, so whether in real life or fiction, just because you're single, doesn't mean you aren't bothered by it!
5. Why are you single? Are you lonely?
Personally I find this a fine thing to force a confession.
4. Consequences are everything
Should be shaken, yes. Stirred, yes. Totally 100% agree with you.
3. Abuse isn't Romantic, Honey
What if I'm writing an actually abusive relationship? What you've described does happen IRL, with the other party making the "he's just a bad boy / she's in a bad mood" thing or the relationship being abusive but the other party not leaving. It can be a fine source of drama on its own or in the background of a third character, their reactions of them having to put up with that.
2. Lying to the audience
GUILTY and I'm not sorry. I lied heavily in Drop and probably will rely heavily on lying in the narrative in Tales of Fillydelphia in order to keep things close to the chest.
1. Bringing a character back to life.
Eh. I don't mind this. As long as the reaction to it is appropriate or like we've seen in media met with YOU'RE DEAD YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE DEAD WHAT THE UNHOLY FUCK
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5. Mhh, there could be other ways that could sound less insensitive. Just because you are alone does not mean you are lonely; two completely different concepts.
3. If it is known and acknowledged as an abusive relationship then I absolutely have no problem. It ought to be shown in a negative light and create a conflict attempting to go through it and possibly solve it. What I'm referring to is when a "romantic" couple is actually incredibly abusive. Like, Anastasia and Christian from Fifty Shades of Gray is supposed to be romantic, but multiple situations made multiple people think otherwise. Even if she leaves, they eventually get back together. I mean, as long as you're hot and rich, it's not bad, right? So it's all about knowing it's abusive.
1. Don't worry. I'm aware not everyone will agree. This is totally my thoughts, but I also appreciate yours! :)
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(All of these will come up in What You Deserve, btw)
I mean, lying to your audience is a trope- Unreliable Narrator
And on further reading I think we do actually agree r.e. death/rebirth. I said it has to carry the proper weight when a character dies. Consequences must be had.