What are your personal "green flags" before reading any fanfic?

When a long chapter doesn't seem long, that's always a good sign.

For me to even take a look at a fic I'm not familiar with requires boredom on my part, so I guess that kind of counts as one. Not having any typos in the title or summary is another green flag. Another green flag is an actual descriptive summary of the fic that isn't just an advertisement for the pairings in it. The pairings in the fic not being listed in the summary is another green flag, as it usually means the fic isn't just a cheap excuse to write two characters getting together.

After that, if the first chapter isn't terrible, I'll usually start reading a fic (although if subsequent chapters are terrible, I'm more than willing to drop it).

edited 15th May '15 9:07:11 PM by Hyp3rB14d3

I love sweetness. If something is a Happily Ever After Sugar Bowl, I am all over it like a swarm of ants.

I also like reading fanfiction with LGBT themes, asexuality and trans headcanons especially. Given that they're handled respectfully, not as some shocking swerve which serves to keep the character in a constant state of misery.

I might not read it based on summary, but "ace" or "asexual" before any characters names in the tags ir summary gets me to pay attention and look closer. I found a great fic for the flash last month..

Great characterization and good plot is almost always enough to keep me reading a fic. Also, no overly cheesy love stories or romantic sub-plots.

I also like compelling characters, great interactions and dialogue.

That's my two cents.

Timetravel and A Us are my kryptonite, but for something in general- a unique idea that I haven't seen before. This especially works for 'what if' fics.

I'm always a little pleased to read ace and/or aro!Character fics. But more than that, I'm always up for some fluff.

Kid fics are usually a green flag for me too, depending on whether there's some fluff in there (YES, even if it starts out sad) or angsty (NOPE).

Also, "I snuck/broke into/used my actual damn key on the wrong house and fell asleep in someone else's bed/couch" fics. Specific, sure, but I have yet to read a bad one.

I love it when I find a Harry Potter fanfic that keeps with a tone similar to the actual series. They are a little hard to find, but I've had some good luck with some of the stuff written in between HBP and DH.

Hella on the aro/ace/ace spectrum characters.

Here's a green flag; fics that worldbuild to portray different cultures with different values without making one culture inherently better or worse for being more spiritual/practical/ect.

hell yes to Ace/Aro characters. spotted that as a tag to a Flash fanfic and dove in right away. good choice, the story series was great and the author's now one of my writing pals

When I'm new to a fandom I usually go for fics set in canon. Definitely episode codas or missing scenes and the like.

Long runners in general, particularly ones that make it very clear in the first few chapters that they still plan to work well with the characters' personalities and setting, rather than imposing an entirely different characterization and such.

edited 30th Aug '15 3:16:54 PM by KnownUnknown

Here's another; fics recommended by picky fic authors.

Fics that are on the favorites list of authors I like. The thing I hate is when authors have a blank favorites list...

Crossovers that sound like they could work.

• I'm a fan of AU fics, at least in "Star Trek" (where canon is filled with alternate universes and timelines).

• Any fic focusing on a character or couple that doesn't get much attention onscreen or in fanfiction. OR any fanfiction period for a movie/show/whatever that doesn't have many, if any, other fics.

• A new pairing I'd never have thought of on my own usually gets me to at least skim the story

• Obvious troll fics. I have a dumb sense of humor, and love troll fics, the way I love B-movies

Give me:

• Good likable characters who have something to them, particularly depth and preferably some sort of character development. Hero or Villain.
• A good premise. Not obviously rife with cliches that I roll my eyes in annoyance.
• Good worldbuilding and research.
• Preferably a happy ending.
• Proper grammar and stuff. I guess that goes without saying though.

When the characters behave exactly like I expect they would.

Yeak, I know, it's kind of obvious, but that gives the fanfic legitimacy, even if the premise is outrageous.

Aliens invade your medieval Japan? Your A God Am I villain says that don't it matters, while his semi-mercenary minions run the hell away.

Also, desconstruction.

Outrageous harem with outrageous sexy orgy? Lotus-Eater Machine.

edited 27th Sep '15 8:48:53 AM by MeetTheNewBoss

I also have no idea /why/ but I really like stories where, if the main character has super-powers or abilities, the military captures them and their friends/ allies have to come to the rescue. medical experimentation tends to be a green flag— to the point that I'm reading a fic that has one of my major red-flags in it.

Heh, I feel the same about mind/body control. It's one of my favorite tropes, the more heartbreaking and traumatizing the better!

I have a strange love for trashy A Us and crossovers. Got a cyberpunk AU? Pirates? Internal crossover? Expanded Universe crossover? Fantasy AU? Spy AU? I'll read it.

I love crossovers. Give me a crossover of things I at least have some knowledge about and a good summary, and I'll check it out.

I'm also drawn to comedies or things with a lot of humor.

If it has no romance, I'm in.

If it's focused on an unpopular/uncommon character, I'm going to assume the author is really passionate about them and going to do a good job.

An interesting premise that catches the reader's attention along with a well written story.