The description is probably one of the most important topics in regards to getting people to read your story. If it is a good description that gives a good idea of what the story is about, then people who glance over the stories would be interested with reading it. If the description is vague with how it is handled, then the people glancing over its description would feel it is not worth their time. Then, there are times where the description's choice of words are construed so horribly that it would become a magnet for dislikes.

What types of words would trigger positive and negative responses from people glancing over the description?

4994969
I have an allergy to the words "my OC". Dude, no one gives a fuck about a character being your OC.

4994969 words that i hate and avoid when reading a description. any Anime( its usually a anime i don't like too), league of legends, DOA, MOBA, halo, gears of war, fallout equestria, seventh element, long description that pants the story as an epic, gore, dark,....i could go on but i think you get the idea.

4994969
Negative:
-'First story'
-'upvote'/'downvote'
-'grammar/spelling errors'
-'still looking for an editor'
-any kind of asking for comments or asking for particular types of comments, especially if you're asking people to be nice or telling people to keep mean comments to themselves or 'no trolling'.
-long description ends with a question mark
-legal notices about how you don't own the characters or how MLP is copyrighted material (cover image credits/source are fine, though)
-mentions an OC with the same name as the author
-bragging about hitting the feature box, or worse, the popular box

Positive:
+Well, it depends on the story. But keep it short and simple, and describe what the story is about with vivid words. Raise questions in the reader's mind without asking those questions explicitly.
+'edited by...'/'proofread by...'
+bragging about getting into listings with actual quality control, like Equestria Daily or Seattle's Angels.

4994973 good point, especially alicorn oc

4994973
That's a very good point.

Good OC stories might talk about there being 'an OC'... but only the bad OC stories talk about 'my OC'.
That little possessive is a very bad sign.

4994982

Can I tell you about my red and black alicorn OC?

4994977 There are some good Fallout Equestria spin offs

4994969 the easiest way to be ignored for your fic or to get down votes is to start off with what it is. You have to give just enough information to allow the reader to want to know more. Almost as if the description is a challenge for the reader to figure out what is going on while still having just enough information to tell that it is a genre that they like.

Stay the hell away from self inserts, taboo subjects unless you are making it for one of those weird WEIRD dark creepy clop groups that should probably be burned to the ground, overdone crossovers. Also make sure you have a few stories under your belt before you try anything romance.
also the aim is to produce good art and not to produce something everyone likes.
The whole everyone liking it should be a byproduct of your efforts not the primary goal

4994984
Nope! But you can tell me about the black and red alicorn OC, if you like.

4994985 and there is some good Hagis out there... but let me tell you, there is a LOT of people who hate hagis, and a lot of people who hate fallout equestria.
not saying they are not good spinnoffs. one of my friends made an amazing spinoff. But some people just HATE fallout equestria

4994979
Well told list, I MAY have been guilty of a few of those.
4994969
Negatives:
Use of the word "My OC"
Human from convention ends up in Equestria as X character
First story
OMG STHAP BEING MEANNN (If people are being jerks I understand. If they're being critical, that's something else entirely)
Character with same name as author.
Any OC canon story that seems like the writer's trying to push a "Starcrossed lovers" approach.
Long descriptions that either tell nothing, or everything about the story.
Any basic spelling errors.
POSITIVES:
Unique ideas, especially in the romance genre.
An Au that features an alternate mane 6 without completely changing the setting or tone of the show.
A description that relies on good humor.
Professionalism.

4994985 some, not all...

4994991 is it doughnut steel??
He is the coolest alicorn out there

4994993
And I'm guilty of a few as well, at least in my early days.
Well, the 'first story' one, at least.

4994992 True.

Anyway, a trigger for me, which I rarely do, is Fall of Equestria, because buck that to the moon, back again, and then back to the moon a few more times.

Another is child murder/molestation, because, no, and if I was less sane, I would probably wish death on the author, as of now, I'd instead punch them in the face, or their genitals, or both

4995001
I see, well glancing at you're list I think I can avoid most of these. Heck, I never do the basic I don't own the rights (May have on my first story) As I'm pretty sure Knighty has kept the legality of this site up. And let's not forget, as mentioned above, the overly long description which feels dragged out as all heck?

4995002 same here
I got downvoted on all my stories for protesting the and no Im not kidding here, look it up "foalcon rape" group.

4995002

Another is child murder/molestation

Now I know where I went wrong...

4994995
Eh. It's just Sturgeon's Law. Same as with everything else, as far as I can see. Ninety percent of everything is crap, and it's no use singling out any specific category in that. Because inside that category, there will also still be those 10% worth checking out.

4995006 I lost some faith in humanity when I read that.

There are very few things I hate more than descriptions that wink at the audience in some way (stories that think lampshading their derivative nature with "you know the story already" makes it okay to write a boring, derivative story), shroud the thing in false mystery and "ooh don't want to spoil anything/you'll have to read it to find out!", or stick in a cliche line like "hijinks ensue." Doing those things just makes you look desperate.

Can't think of any major positive phrases, but I think description writing is much more a case of "don't screw up" than "do really well." As long as it's competently put together, SPELLED CORRECTLY, and describes the story in a concise manner, then it's pretty difficult to improve upon it too much.

4994969 I get negative feelings when someone writes 'hilarity ensues' in the description. Don't tell me that I'm going to find it funny. You don't know me. In fact, now I'll probably not find it funny at all.

4995016 you would be rather surprised how many people defend it as harmless fiction or even therapeutic treatment.
Friend of mine went all out in a crusade against it and people outright threatened to kill him. dozens upon dozens showed up to attack him, he would block them and they would make new profiles to avoid the blocks, but eventually between the bans and the avoidance they eventually kinda just died down a bit. That was an ungodly mess

4995015 ah ok...still hate anime crossovers

4995030 Therapy....*eye twitch* I mean, if the character is consenting, and of legal age, or was an adult that was regressed back to filly or colt while in a romantic relationship, I get it, but why?

4995033 I dont blame you, its hard to find anything anime that goes well with ponies... bleh...

4995036 right, like how do you make giant naked man eater go with ponies...it just makes my brain hurt, i know this is fiction but i prefer something in the realm of possibly.

4995035 I would explain but A: I have been warned not to
B: I dont want my stories downvoted again
C: it will cause an uproar
D: my buddy I am sure will eventually do it for me at some point in the near future...I dont like saying his name because
"oh YOU are HIS friend" and down go the votes on my stories.

4994979

any kind of asking for comments or asking for particular types of comments

I guess you include asking for criticism in that?

4995040 yeah, and good crossovers are very hard to find. I made a good ish one, and just read an amazing one. But its all up to your tastes. What is art to one man is garbage to another, and what is garbage to the next is a Godsend to the first

4995045 and I dont dare insult it. my friends would get rather upity. The point was made though, some people love and some people hate. there is no such thing as a universally loved theme.

4995046 very good point...now im guilty of making an anime crossover...but it was a comedy that shouldn't be taken seriously. some people take there story like its there new born baby.

4995058 the equestria dimensions?
I saw that, did look kinda fun. Not the first thing I would reach for but fun none the less.

4995043
Asking for criticism is fine.
The story description is not the place to do that, though.

Use your author's notes.

4995063 no the 'my life as a teenage bardock' one.....not sure if its showing up on my page. also equestria dimensions is just something to do for fun...and when im bored of stuff

4995071 oh, that one I did see but totally forgot about, or perhaps when I went back to look I was too lazy to scroll the rest of the way down TwT
but hey, Ill remember it. I like reading the silly ones every here and there.

4995021

God, yes, I freakin' hate descriptions like that!

4994979 More Negatives:
Flash Sentry
Peaches
Does It Matter
Twilight's Coltfriend
Rainbow Dash Breaks a Wing
(existing very young characters) has (deviant naughty experience) with (either another existing young character or an older character, canon or OC)
Any description that includes every single story tag plus a couple
Poetry
Embedded songs or youtube videos
Did I mention poetry?
Multiple typos right in the story description and title
Poetry should go in here somewhere
And Flash Sentry

4995073 i use to be serous about stores but i burned out, came back and am taking nice and easy...but getting side track...my top thing i avoid is the 'my OC' ...i can stand just oc but 'My OC' hits that the person takes stuff a bit to heart

4995071 OwO wait I already read that way back when you first posted it.
I was the one who recommended you put in bardock's I hate you speech.
wow... small world
goodness 48 weeks and seven hours ago I posted that.. its still on that first page XD

4995080 nice...small world lol

4995079 well if you are up for it we can swap some input on eachother's stories, Im still doing my Equestrian scrolls 2. its going slowly but so far its a big hit. ^_^

4995084 sure ill take a look...but this thread makes me think ive taking stuff too seriously with my stores.

4995092 huzzah!!!
we need a Luna Huzzah emoji thing
lol though careful, a LOT of Equestrian scrolls 2 doesnt make any sense without equestrian scrolls 1

4995098 ill read both

4995099 huzzah!!
I cant wait to get some fresh feedback. Last of my friends who read it got made at me for making her cry

4995074 The story on fimfic I'm absolutely least likely to read: the title is "[character] [verb] [random object]." The cover art is that character looking surprised with a bright sunburst graphic behind them. The description declares that the story is "my first time writing something," asks viewers for "constructive criticism only" (read: anything short of unqualified praise is dismissed as a troll and blocked), and then ends with "hijinks ensue. What kind of hijinks? You'll have to read to find out!" And in smaller text below, "I don't own Hasbro or FiM," because there was still some reasonable doubt up until that point and we had to make sure that was clear.

The only category tag is the random tag. It will inexplicably reach the top of the feature box within 30 seconds of being posted on the site.

4995099
4995101

I step out for two minutes and I see you two having a nice conversation. I wish I felt that comfortable conversing like that in this group. Carry on.

So another positive set of words I could come up with are word combinations that would only give a small lick of what the story is about rather than just hand the plot out on a silver platter. Or would that be to vague?

4995115 lol we can talk if you like ^_^
I just happened to run into one of the very first People I met on Fimfic, I was just a little shocked we had forgotten eachother lol
my first post was actually kinda handy if you want to draw people in. Its a fun easy way to get people curious