First of all - overuse of a single simile, metaphor, or saying.

I suppose it is easier to spot as a reader, especially when you're coming into something that's got a chunk written, but having a character exclaim every second chapter that "It's no use crying over spilt milk!" whenever anything went wrong, or saying that any process that isn't instant was "slow as a wet week" gets really annoying.

More so because it feels unnatural - the times when I do use a simile or metaphor in speech, it's often one made up on the cuff, as oppose to a 'favourite' one.





Today's other annoyance is authors not scraping their story.

It doesn't happen often here, and when it does it is normally temporary (IE, working out the typos). But SB and SV tend to refuse to copy stories over onto any other platform.

I see a lot of complaints about how bad ff.net is, how much of a hugbox it is (compared to the echo-chamber/circle-jerk that threads there often end up...), or the lack of formatting options.

Because, obviously, multiple text colours, sizes, and fonts are all requirements for the story to be excellent.

I just find it annoying having to wade through five pages of people arguing about allegories/legal systems/words neither of them seem to understand, as well as bashing the other's posting style (well you've just made a straw-man argument, therefore I win by default because, according to this diagram, my argument was made at a seventh level!). Often, these arguments are also filled with ways in which the allegory, legal system, or word could be weaponised.

I'd much rather read on ff.net, pastebin, or AO3; with no reader input.

 

This is not so much a pet peeve as something that just completely baffles me: writing your own self-insert story using someone else's self-insert character.

 

I... had no idea that existed. Do you have any examples ? I find myself kind of morbidly curious.

 

Some guys here make me wonder why they'd even bother to read fanfiction at all, since they seem to hate so many things about it.

 

The chase is the best part!

(I'm kidding)

Seriously though as much garbage as there is out there that we hate, there's enough that we either find acceptable or good that make it worth it.

 

While 99% might be utter shit, it's worth it for that last one percent.

 

Sturgeon's law, maybe?

I try really hard to not read bad fanfics.

For example, I don't randomly browse ff.net searching for stuff. Instead, I either read things recommended by dlp members or look through their favorites.

 

"Dursley abuse" I feel like people have completely lost the characterization of them in fannon. I realize that the Dursleys where assholes, but they weren't psychopaths intent to torture and kill Harry.

 

Humor or comedy fics, because I have a different sense of humor than people. I usually hate comedy fics that are well liked and like ones that aren't considered funny by most.

 

- when an author attempts to fix things that they feel is wrong with the Harry Potter world and makes things worse. The worst example of this is Hogwarts School of Prayer and Miracles (if It's not a trollfic). If you don't like Harry Potter, why are you writing Harry Potter fanfiction?

- when an author makes the magic too scientific or try to make it fit in with science. Yes, magic can defy gravity, and make it so you can see underwater, and regrow bones, and turn people into animals. If you change that you are taking the fantasy out of Harry Potter. (*I may have said this before but I'm too lazy to check).

- non magic fics. Why would you take the magic out of Harry Potter? I can't stand them and I don't how anyone else can.

- when people complain about Harry x Ginny because she was underdeveloped and go on to pair Harry up with characters who have even less personality than Ginny.

- when people portray guns as being better than wands. I'm 99% sure that a wizard at some point in time created a bullet proofing spell. Now knock that shit off.

 

Man, CookietheRookie is on fire in this thread.

But well, there are 9 of this where almost every pet has peeve been said on a previous thread. Do we really need so many? Almost makes me hate HP FanFiction in general.

 

They should just rename this thread the "Fanfiction Bitch Box" it would be less misleading because that basically is what this thread has turned into. Unless someone can uncover a new facet of HP fanfiction to bitch about.

 

Isn't that what it's always been?

 

The way there are words.

 

Oh dear, I can tell you and I are going to butt heads.

 

That feel when the Potterverse runs on fairy tale logic that is both nonsensical and indestructible.

That feel when the only textbooks you need to understand how magic works is Grimm's Fairy Tales and perhaps Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tales.

 

So... you're saying you like your magic more like in MoR?

 

Constants and textbooks? Sorry but that is far too close to science.

 

If I'll see that goddamn quote one more time I'm going to start riots in the streets.

Well played.

 

Xandrel, it's a very cool quote. I like it. I just don't think it applies to HP. Is your disdain for equating science to magic universal?