things i like and dislike as an author

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AKA, things I like to write/read and things I don't.

Note: I strongly prefer third person limited (to 2-3 people), but I can be flexible as long as the execution is good or the story requires it.

likes
1. Moral ambiguity! Do something terrible for a good reason, or even just out of fear/bystander effect. Be conflicted. Second-guess. Sympathize with the antagonist. I hate black and white, and cardboard.

2. Inaccurate characters. Either intentionally deceptive, ignorant, or what, just be wrong. Guess the wrong solution to save the world, get a name wrong, misread a motive, something. If the anti-apocalypse weapon fails because someone forgot to carry in their adding, I will be the happiest panda.

3. Lots of metaphors and motifs and themes and all those literary things people screamed about in English classes because they were subjective as hell and sometimes a total reach.

4. Happy endings. I do enough work on how Everyone Died Horribly non-recreationally. It may be weird, bittersweet, or required sweat, blood and tears to get there, but I want it to be happy on some level.

5. Character-driven stories. I want to hear their voices and I want to feel what they do. Plot-driven stories just feel preachy to me.

6. Little details. It may not be super pertinent to the story, but you know, bra straps fall down shoulders. People notice bird crap on their car and find pennies on the sidewalk. Those little daily things can be used as symbolism, break up a dialogue train, and just make the whole thing feel more realistic.

7. WEATHER! I'm a nerd. Sorry. I forever love stories that feature big storms or hurricanes or snow storms, and especially if they have either poetic or anthropomorphic descriptions.

8. Mundane magic animals. Telepathic hamsters. Pyrokinetic geese. Vampire dogs. Yay!

9. Characters who think/act in terms of/like their hobbies. Musicians always noticing songs in the background, dancers who fidget in ballet positions, stuff like that.

10. Weaknesses. Especially when good characters make questionable or selfish decisions based on that weakness.


dislikes
1. Romance with the "dangerous," ethereal supernatural. Bitch, come on, like s/he is socialized as a human enough to relate to or have a mature relationship.

2. "Dangerous" characters of any race or species who have the prey drive of a stuffed rabbit.

3. Violence porn. Weak stomach now in my downtime. Cannot do. That said, violence for a good reason is okay, and is in fact better than copping out of the scene.

4. Antagonists who are only bad because we're told they are.

5. Shining, heroic, selfless protagonists who are Destined to win.

6. Mousy, cowardly, blemished protagonists who are tying too hard to be relatable.

7. Token roles, like in groups of 5. Leader, second, female, comedy, moral authority. I get bored. Now, that is okay, however, if they are aware of these roles and struggle/fail at them on occasion, sometimes in devastating fashion. Then it's fantastic.

8. Love triangles. Blech.

9. Characters who only feel what's convenient. If you can't/won't write the guts and hangups after some big event and do it in a realistic fashion, don't bother. Most often seen in the Healing Power of True Infatuation/Lust.

10. TERRIBLE FUCKING POLITICS. LJSGJIO;ASGJAO;IGJA;OIJGA;AAGJIO;JIO;FGKL AJKLAWEJIOZDFJ KA IO;AG;IO;AJIOA RIOGJKAGAL;AWEIOUA ERAQN 2O A'DFGIOA AGJAIO;J o;rjp'aer aw4t jiopjiopartg jioAWET JIjopjiojikp[kop5u890549349aw'a kl/ jhioawe iopaer op';