Ooooh boy. I did not know this was a thing, but now that I've found it, here we go!
I can forgive a lot when I'm reading fanfiction, but there is one cardinal sin that forces me to drop the hammer down: poorly-developed characters. Now granted, this applies to OCs more than anything else, since most of the characters from the shows are developed enough for writing purposes already, but I die a little inside when I see yet another cookiecutter OC. Yes, we get it. You want us to feel all the feels for your protagonist, but that's not going to happen I can't relate to the main character. Now I'm not saying all OCs should be average Joes, but when I'm supposed to be reading about some towering, silent, handsome, red and black colored hero capable of handling whatever is dealt his way as he struggles with his tragic backstory as he's wading through veritable pools of potential lovers at his feet (probably canon characters nonetheless), I simply can't get all that attached. And if I'm not attached, then I'm not invested in the character. A lot of us make these "Mary Sues" as they're called, when we begin to write, and there's nothing inherently wrong with that. I, myself, was guilty of it too. But if we want to become better, there's a point where we need to leave that stuff behind. Embrace flaws. Just adding a few things to your character that aren't wish fulfillment, or that you may not find "cool" can go a long way. A good protagonist should always be a very different individual by the end of the story, one that has grown in some way. Mary Sues do not grow, no matter how many life-threatening situations or deep tragedies you dump on them. They are, in a word, boring, and I don't see my opinion on that changing anytime soon.
I was going to leave it at that, but there is something else that irks me. Not quite as terribly as Mary Sues, perhaps, but certainly irksome all the same: unnecessary edge.
Yep, edge. It's a word that gets thrown around a lot on the internet, usually in a sarcastic fashion, but it's a very real thing in fanfiction. But to say I have a problem with edge in general would be a falsehood. Some of the darker, grittier aspects of life can absolutely benefit a story, depending on the sort of tone the author is going for. It's when these situations feel shoehorned in that I think they fall flat. For example, let's consider two hypothetical situations here, revolving around a young Charcharodontasaurus who makes her first kill.
-in situation 1, she attacks her prey with brutal efficiency. The author goes into great detail about the graphic nature of the attack, practically naming every organ as they're flung about like confetti at a clown convention (which is actually kind of a disturbing image. Dangit). After the attack, she eats her fill and moves on.
-in situation 2, the same thing happens. The attack occurs, the author goes into detail, but this time we get to see the effect this has on the Charch. Perhaps she is horrified once the deed is done, humbled by her own capacity for violence, and by the realization that this is who she is. Or maybe she takes a more neutral approach, accepting that this act is necessary, and marks her place in the circle of life. Taking another approach, maybe this is the start of a terrible descent, as she realizes that she enjoyed causing the suffering that she did.
Despite which route the story takes, this approach still utilized the over-the-top violence, but also made clear its reason for doing so. It had an effect on the character. I don't believe anything in a narrative should happen without a reason, even if that reason is a small one. Throwing in something controversial just because its controversial feels shallow, somewhat like creating an essay composed entirely of buzzwords. it doesn't just apply to violence, either. Tragic scenes, swearing, even moments of sheer awesome- I have no problems with any of these. When I have a problem with them is when they don't have any effect on the narrative.
Anywho, that's my rant. Hopefully it was at least semi-coherent as I am on the verge of finding a set of sticks to prop my eyelids open with. Time for sleep for me, I think.
P.S.
Slash really grinds my gears. Not because of the homosexual aspect of it, but because it's usually out of character and it makes no sense.
I agree with this one hundred percent. It's just straight wish fulfillment without any regard to canon. I have no problem with homosexuality. I have a HUGE problem when it is forced into a narrative where it makes no sense.
