The summary as warning.

[burntcopper]

Oh, fic headers. may you ever reign as great big honking neon signs of 'DO NOT CLICK. YOU WILL REGRET IT. TRUST ME.'

Because, yeah, there's all those writers you only learn by dint of experience not to click on, because either you just didn't know how bad they could be, the ones who write subject matter you're never in the mood for, or you don't get on with their writing style (cs_whitewolf, who some love, I can see how they're technically good, but it's like Dickens. Cannot read), or some could be good, solid competent writers if they could reign in their impulses (laurab1, who has interesting ideas and the first bit's good if a little sugary but never knows when to stop), or some who are gradually learning and you've seen they've got better but write really interesting summary hooks so you always click, if a little trepidatiously (ru_salki99, getting better all the time but always that wee bit disappointed. and several phonetic spelling mistakes.).**

But, oh, headers. The lovely, lovely list of 'never, ever click'.

Spelling mistakes - When you can't get it right in the advert, we're not about to buy the product.
Not beta'd, with either couldn't be arsed or didn't have time - there is always time. and professional writers need editors.
Character names mispelled - do you even *watch* the show? (if it's a book fandom, even *worse*)
BDSM/Dark/Rape - there are very few writers I ever trust to get BDSM right. And considering yours truly is mostly a vanilla person, and if I can spot what's wrong? And dark is not what you think it is, sweetie. There is fic with not a damn ounce of blood spilt or bruising that is darker than you could ever hope to write. Rape? Never, ever a good idea.
OFC/OMC - We're reading fanfic, sweetheart. Not original.
OFC/OMC, Not A Mary Sue, Promise! - run away. even further.
'and they meet a strange girl' - Hello, Mary Sue, how nice to meet you!
high on pixie sticks! - take ownership of your own fic. It's not the sugar's fault. Admittance that you were drunk at the time, or 'er, I think I watched too much Blade Runner/Dynasty', is on the other hand a guarantee that it's probably amusing.
lol, giggle, excessive punctuation of any sort - oh hell no.
Please read and review! - we don't bother with beggars.
My first fic! - camouflage is much better. Don't try to pull the sympathy vote.
23/? - ...you don't know where it's going even by *now*?
user/author name contains 'spike' or is _insertnamehere_malfoy / the cool, 'edgy' character in a fandom - No, NO, UNDER NO BLOODY CIRCUMSTANCES. Especially to be used when said fandom's day is a wee bit passed. The only way you get me to click is if I know you from Adam.

Any I've missed?

**I know there's probably plenty of people who have issues with my writing, what little there is of it. If you want to tell me my faults, feel free - no-one ever really leaves 'good here, but you really need to work on this' feedback - I'm interested to know, and considering I'm quite used to my betas ripping my work to shreds, any critique is good critique as far as I'm concerned. I have a skin like a rhino.

ETA, 04/03 : ...I could've compared cs_whitewolf to Michelangelo, Scorcese, Hardy, the list goes on for people I can see are damn good at what they do but don't particularly like their style. OPINION. MINE. MY JOURNAL. And did you miss the bit where I said I *always read* the other two? I've left bouncy feedback on the fic of theirs I liked, and occasionally leave concrit. And yes, I do always use specific examples when citing anything, good or bad.

Comments

[morgynleri]

10. Please read and review! - I actually tend to ignore this, and base on other things, like the summary and pairings and actual writing. Of course, the fact that I'm really bad at remembering to review specific stories, even of my favorite authors, might have something to do with that.

11. My first fic - depends on which "first" it is. First fic altogether - probably not, though if the summary is intriguing, I might. First fic in a fandom - depends on if I've (a) read the author in another fandom, and (b) how new I am to the fandom. If I'm new, I won't read the fics of someone else new to the fandom, though I may bookmark them for coming back to later, when I'm more settled. And probably will come back to them later.

12. 23/? - only if I know you. And most of my favorites don't run that long. With a couple exceptions, but they're worth the wait, and I'm fairly sure the question mark at that point is because they're not sure on the length of a chapter, and whether or not to split it into two chapters. Now, if I don't know the author... depends on how good the story is, and if it's not good, I probably have stopped reading twenty chapters earlier.

13. Um. Depends. I'll grant that some of my previous pennames involved characters names, but none of them particularly canon. And some authors with user-names with a canon connection can be good. If the summary is intriguing, and pairings or warnings don't turn me off, I'll still read it. Because the user-name may just be them not wanting to take the effort to change it - perhaps preferring to put the effort into their writing.

Fourth, I think I shall be checking out the writing of the authors you mentioned - I like Dickens and other classics, and someone who's improving needs encouragement, and I happen to be fond of the other author's writing, even though I'm rubbish at leaving reviews.

Fifth, you're welcome to argue with me, I love a good debate. Even if in the end the only agreement that can be had is that we're not going to agree.

[burntcopper.livejournal.com]

oh, lord, the explanation time...

(out of curiosity, where was this linked from? I don't tend to read past my normal comms and direct flist)

This was a write-up of an RL conversation. And we cited these people as prime examples of certain traits, including cs_whitewolf as someone the other people loved and I didn't, even though I could appreciate how good she was - Dickens is my usual example of 'authors I can appreciate that they're good, I just don't want to read them because I don't get on with their style'. ru_salki99 was someone two of us went 'example of someone who has fascinating summaries that make you want to click and we known we always cited her as not great in the past, but oh my god the one she's posted today? READ.' And yeah, I do leave feedback - mostly of the squee, occasionally of the concrit, but when I cite something I like to use specific examples and tend to auto-assume everyone else has a hide like mine, in daily life just as much as journal.

Re : the spelling mistakes. I'm a proofreader by trade. A very, very picky one. I just don't tend to fully proofread my journal entries, personal emails or IM conversations since they're not stuff I'm submitting for others' approval. Seriously. my entire dept is incapable of writing the word 'the' correctly in personal emails but can spot a mislaid tense from fifty feet away in others' work - hence why I always urge people to get a beta reader.

[morgynleri]

I've been following the replies, and I've noticed that you've mentioned it's from a real life conversation, so... yes, I can see how the names come up. It still makes me twitch, but I can see where it comes from.

The rein/reign one is a mistake I pick up very quickly (the things you end up getting stuck in your head growing up with historical re-enactment!), the other just pinged my awareness when the spell-check said I was spelling it wrong. *shrugs* Habit, even with my own personal writing, for reasons that get long and involved and TMI.

*chuckles* I tend to be rubbish at feedback because about all I can think of when I first finish reading is the squee, and I'd prefer to leave something a little more concrete - like what made me squee.

As for the link - I really shouldn't say, as the post in question is locked. And I'm quite probably over-protective. Though I'd mostly intended to come over, look and see what was the fuss, and ask why names were named.

The rest came from me getting a little verbose and happily inheriting my dad's tendency to poke at anything that looks like a potential hornets' nest, figuratively speaking. Possibly a character flaw, possibly a strength, most likely a little of both, depending on the situation. And I like to poke at arguments and see if I can't poke holes in them.

If I've been terribly rude, do let me know. For all my love of a good argument, I'd like not to be rude in the process, and sometimes even my own editing (which is why my replies for this sort of stuff take me a while) doesn't get it all.

[burntcopper.livejournal.com]

oh my. how much drama are we talking? And if it was any of the named people, I wonder if there's a way to get any of my clarifications back to said people.

...remember the rhino hide comparison? my entire family and circle of friends communicates via snarky comments and insults.

The 'MY OPINION' ETA was to try to prevent anyone else taking offence.

Plus, you're talking to someone who has been known to leave the comment of 'coherency is overrated. guh.'

[morgynleri]

Drama? Not particularly. Just confusion, and offers of hugs and chocolate, and like.

Oh, I understand snarky comments being the standard of communication, it's just... I'm wired to be protective bitch when one of "mine" is even a little hurt - and I can't say if she's a little hurt or a lot hurt or somewhere in between. Not enough data. So default is "mine, others don't get to hurt".

Silly, perhaps, in retrospect, but.. *shrugs* How I'm wired, and not likely to change.

As for clarification... I can let her know there's clarification, and such.

Eh. At this point, I'm more amused and engaged than offended. I think I stopped being actively offended about the time I told LJ to send me notifications for new comments to this. And stopped spoiling for an arguement (much) when I read your first response to a comment with the clarifcation that it was from a real life conversation.