What makes you downvote stories?

I have heard quite often about how unfair it is when people down vote stuff because they don't like the content. I'm not entirely sure this is unfair. Uninterested readers should be fended off by appropriate usage of title, cover art, and description. I do see the point, though, and I have read stories and I realized just aren't my cup of tea, and I avoid down voting these.

There's one thing I never forgive, though.

Poor characterization.

The characters must be understandable, or, it must be understandable that these characters must be mysterious.
Canon characters must be what they are. Things like "Pinkie Pie is a secret murderer" is ridiculous, though mild sociopathy can be really interesting.

I will forgive grammar slip-ups when they're rare. I will forgive Mary-Sueness when properly characterized as such. I will forgive dumb fights (such as Antipodes' ending fight) when properly contextualized. I will forgive forced shipping when characters are confused enough.

But for goodness' sake, if you're walking me through the path of a character, let it be a path and not a patched succession of idiot ball tossing.

</rant>

Comments

[bahatumay]

I don't downvote often, but when I do, it's only when my eyes bleed. That's usually from bad grammar and walls of text; sometimes from really horrible writing and presentation. Or if my mind was so full of wat that I have no idea what just happened.