I dislike awkward bits where the characters suddenly start criticizing other fanfic trends in general. Like, a character saying "of course I'm not perfect, what I do look like: a Mary-Sue in a bad story?" or something like that. Usually gets an eyeroll out of me.
I tend to avoid "character reads real life fanfic of themselves" fics because they tend to be nothing but that.
Unless it actually works with the premise, but that's rare.
@1251: On a similar note, I really don't like premises where "character reads canon books about themselves" either. Most of it is just a copy pasted text of the original texts with characters making some remarks in between the lines. I think I'm better off reading literary chapter snarks, since they aren't actually masquerading as a "plot".
"Library of the Damned" sounds like it's run by a bunch of assholes. As soon as you call all fetishes "disturbing" and state outright that anyone who reads or writes such fic has something "wrong" with them, you're a fucking horrible person.
Well, I'm sorry if I really do think there is something wrong with an author who glorifies self-harm and thinks casually abandoning a relationship and letting a Bastard Boyfriend be one of the only characters with a happy ending is okay. Something seriously wrong. And that's not getting into the bad taste the awful writing quality left behind.
And I never said anything about all fetishes being disturbing. Don't put words in my mouth.
edited 12th Oct '14 9:13:59 AM by BaffleBlend
"It's liberating, realizing you never need to be competent." — Ultimatepheer
Well, I haven't seen them do that. Tell me where they did it, and I'll talk to them about it.
Here's what they classify as "disturbing", according to their Fic Classifications section:
You'll note that they didn't say "torture fetishes". They said torture and fetishes. What am I supposed to take away from that?
edited 12th Oct '14 9:28:12 AM by Robotnik
Thanks for letting me know. Like I said, I'll talk to them about and recommend changing it to a more neutral "we don't handle fics with explicit subject matter"-type message.
edited 12th Oct '14 9:35:14 AM by BaffleBlend
"It's liberating, realizing you never need to be competent." — Ultimatepheer
Times are changing. People are sensitive about their personal vices.
Fetishes are generally dangerous territory to tread through.
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I've sent an e-mail to Lyle, one of the admins and the one I submitted my riffs to in the past. If I know her, I should get a reply within the next few days if not sooner.
edited 12th Oct '14 10:03:38 AM by BaffleBlend
"It's liberating, realizing you never need to be competent." — Ultimatepheer"Darker telling" of the original story. Not alternative universes (like Fallout Equestria), but the same setting, same story, only "Darker and Edgier".
Which usually is less actually darker, more thematically heavy setting and usually just ends up with random gorefest, rape and torture.
I think that the "if you say something that isn't 'X is wrong,' then clearly you must be defending it because you're into it" fallacy at work here.
Anyways, to add a new red flag... though this is less of a red flag and something that, depending on whether the rest of the fic is good or merely okay, something that can bug me enough to ditch a fic partway through...
Another thing that's been bugging me lately is awkward scenes where the characters blatantly vocalize how they have feelings for the OTP in a way that tinges of That Makes Me Feel Angry. Usually in a jarringly forward and sudden conversation with a third character (but not to the OTP, cause of course the plot is all about how nobody can spit out anything), who of course doesn't interact with this in any other meaningful way.
Stuff like:
"Oh by the way, you like X, don't you? Like, like her like her, right?"
"... yes..."
"Cool, I'll keep your secret."
Basically, Scenes in general where the author awkwardly works a blatant declaration of love into a conversation that feels out of place because of it. Characters asking questions like "why do you love X" so the other can go on a long winded spiel about why the author's OTP is the best, etc. Especially when it's just an excuse for the other half of the OTP to walk by at just the right/wrong second.
Though, I'll admit, in at least one case
I've done something kind of similar to that... the shame...
Another thing, too. Characters doing the freudian slip thing in their thoughts, then going "wait, did I just think that?" or "why did I just think of X as 'my X'" or "augh, why would I think of X as cute. I wouldn't call X cute! I hate X" or any of those fluffy bits of self denial in the narration or their thoughts in general.
edited 12th Oct '14 9:28:47 PM by KnownUnknown

I find "characters discover fanfiction of themselves"-types of fics annoying. Mostly because they're all the same; being shocked about Rule 34, being shocked about Slash Fics, being shocked about non-canon stuff (despite acting completely OOC themselves) and then probably retaliating.
edited 10th Oct '14 4:47:39 AM by BaffleBlend
"It's liberating, realizing you never need to be competent." — Ultimatepheer