Probably trying to bolster word count. That or they're actually retarded.

 

Not all of them use line break (Ficwad), and some that do won't recognize the line break code when you copy-paste from Word (fanfiction.net for one).

By using a character-based break, you won't have to re-edit the chapter. The converse problem is that sometimes the character-based break is misread and either ignored or translated. I was using *** as a break but found that the symbols had too much meaning for the editing engines and often were replaced with * or entirely skipped. Same thing with my more recent break, [[[]]] which is really easy to type.

One of the best I've seen was almost ASCII-art:

<^> <^> <^>

...but you really have to use an odd number for that one, or people with think of them as representing eyes instead of pyramids.

 

Since I use linebreaks as a footer at the bottom of the page to distinguish between the story and footnotes, I use something else to distinguish between scenes.

That's neither bolstering word count or being retarded, that's following English Style Rules for writing.

 

Why not just use line breaks for everything and add A/N at the start of your footer?

 

Because footnotes should always be separated from your text in a distinct way for your reader to understand that it is not part of the body of work. Using the footer line (which is what that line really is) to separate scenes and also footnotes muddles the distinction. On top of which, footnotes are not author notes, since I'm actually footnoting something, rather than talking about the story itself.

On top of that, I have never seen a line be used for a scene break in actual literature published in the last couple of decades. I have, however, seen symbols be used. So there's literary precedent for it (Well, I wouldn't go as far as calling Tom Clancy'sstuff a literary work. But they're good, popular writings, at least).

 

A full line in literature? No, there's usually some kind of symbol in the middle of where the line would go.

 

Does 'Veela and Mermen are mortal enemies' in fanfic annoy anyone else? Usually it has something about the Mermen attacking Fleur during the second task just because she's a Veela.

 

Actually, it's usually so Fleur can "thank" Harry for saving Gabrielle from the evil ugly fish people.

 

But in fanfiction they usually go hand in hand and like i said most writers don't have the ability to pull it off without making it annoying.

 

You forgot to mention that sometimes Gabrielle does that too. Y'know, because pedophilia is ok when the girl is just partly human.

 

Why would the Veela (Veelas?) and Merpeople even be mortal enemies in the first place? I mean, there's little chance of interaction between the two, what with the latter permanently living in watery depths.

 

"OK, spill"

I don't have a problem with it per se but it's used indiscriminately.

First, it a bit of an americanism, I certainly can't remember hearing it from the mouth of a contemporary when I was at school. This is not, in itself, a major issue. It's only really become an issue after I started noticing the phrase's almost constant use.

The main problem is who uses it. I've seen McGonagall, Flitwick, Mad-Eye Moody, Fleur, Andromeda Tonks, Amelia Bones and even Dumbledore himself say these words.

"Very well, Mr Potter," said Dumbledore as his bright blue eyes twinkled madly, "spill it."

:fire

 

Yeah...that does seem out of character.

 

Which, um, is my exact point. It's why I use X ~ X ~ X ~ X as a symbol, rather than a full line.

 

I know that was your point. I don't have a problem with those kind of scene breaks, just the literal text. When I said they (being the writers) are either adding to their word count or probably retarded for not using the line break I meant not using it instead of --SCENE BREAK-- when the line is so easy to do.

 

Ah, yeah. That is pretty annoying. I have to agree with you there.

 

For the worm fandom, the entity visions when someone triggers. I can somewhat tolerate the overuse of the locker scene since they might want to show both what happens immediately afterwards and her mentality at the time to say it is different because of that. But I have gotten to the point where I stop reading as soon as I spot that since a mild moment of disorientation should be enough to imply the trigger if there is really a need to show it (which there often isn't).

 

Stories where Pettigrew is captured/killed before the end of third year and then fourth year happens exactly the same as canon because Crouch Jnr just so happened to escape his fathers clutches at just the right time so the plot goes exactly the same.

 

I've been getting irrationally angry every time I see the word "walls" used in the context of emotional barriers. Wow that makes me so mad.

 

But I bet you hide that anger behind your mask, right?