Madrugada
Since: Jan, 2001
#2: Mar 31st 2011 at 7:13:26 PM
The difficulty I see with YKTTWing this is that it can be extended indefinitely. I'd say that it really needs to be capped at three crossings: it's good; it's bad; it's So Bad, It's Good. Something that's So Bad Its Horrible doesn't need to go through So Bad, It's Good territory first, and "So Horrible Its Awesome" is really just So Bad It's Good But I Like It So It's Better Than Just "Good"
edited 31st Mar '11 7:15:11 PM by Madrugada
Total posts: 2

This may belong on YTTKW, but as it's not really establishing a whole new trope, I kept it here.
At present, we have four levels of crossing the "line of bad writing" established. Not crossing it is ordinary good writing, crossing it once is plain bad writing, crossing it twice is So Bad, It's Good, and crossing it three times is So Bad It's Horrible. There has also been some mild speculation as to whether or not My Immortal crosses the line four times.
However, upon looking through So Bad It's Horrible, I found that there were really two levels of stuff: that which is just plain horrible writing, and that which is full of Squick, High Octane Nightmare Fuel, etc, as well as being badly written. Furthermore, though nobody can argue that My Immortal is really bad writing, it could never be as bad as, say, The Pokemon Story.
Therefore, I was considering: can you cross the line four or five times? Many say that My Immortal goes beyond regular bad writing, and there's a lot of absolutely horrifying stuff out there that also looks like it was written by a half-blind Ork on drugs. Therefore, perhaps the following scale is more accurate:
0) Does not cross the line. Most regular good writing falls here.
1) Crosses the line once. Most regular bad writing falls here.
2) So Bad, It's Good, for example, Plan Nine From Outer Space.
3) So Bad It's Horrible, for example, the Star Wars Christmas Special.
4) "Crossing the line four times", popularly known as "So Horrible It's Awesome". My Immortal probably goes here. Usually, these have really, really bad writing with plenty of misspellings. The writer usually has to be sincere to get this far. A Cluster F-Bomb or five hundred is common, and godawful sex scenes are as well. Usually, though, they won't be actually disturbing.
5) Crosses the line five times. Chances are, if 4chan or Encyclopedia Dramatica are disgusted by something, it goes here. The most hideously disturbing stories, usually pornographic in nature or absolutely crammed with gorn, go here. Stuff like Chibiusas Seventh Birthday, stuff that makes you want to gouge your eyes out with a fork. This is not safe to read.
Again, though I may put this on YTTKW if it actually is considered, I was just wondering what people thought about the concept and whether they believed it accurate. Apologies for only writing in the context written things, but it's where I've had most experience.
edited 31st Mar '11 5:21:39 PM by PulpoOscuro