I took the ticky box option on both because I can't resist ticky boxes. Usually I'd go with the first option in the first question, but I find it depends a lot on the pairing I'm reading. I'm a lot more willing to forgive a few things in a Lucius/Hermione fic because there are so few good stories with that pairing anyway whereas I get impatient with Severus/Hermione stories rather quickly because I'm used to the better quality of writing in that pairing.
I don't mind the occasional typo or misplaced comma, but generally sloppy writing, not only in terms of SpaG, puts me off reading. Other things that have me hit the back button fairly quickly (and it usually doesn't take three chapters) are unlikely characterisation, lazy or sloppy handling of plot, and lack of basic research, or simply a style I don't find appealing.
I think there are different ways to see the characters especially if a fic is set long after the end of canon because obviously they could develop in different ways, but some things feel just wrong to me. The example of Hermione turning into a slow-witted American teenager someone mentioned above is a good example of what I'd consider unlikely.
I don't necessarily need a completely new or original plot idea, but I'd like to see the plot handled in a thoughtful or even unique way not just a repetition of tired old clichés or a lazy device to bring the couple together. Badly written sex scenes is another thing that puts me off.
Finally lack of basic research, not only in terms of canon, but also in terms of character speech and setting is another thing that will make me stop reading.
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Date: 2008-12-01 09:49 pm (UTC)because I can't resist ticky boxes. Usually I'd go with the first option in the first question, but I find it depends a lot on the pairing I'm reading. I'm a lot more willing to forgive a few things in a Lucius/Hermione fic because there are so few good stories with that pairing anyway whereas I get impatient with Severus/Hermione stories rather quickly because I'm used to the better quality of writing in that pairing.I don't mind the occasional typo or misplaced comma, but generally sloppy writing, not only in terms of SpaG, puts me off reading.
Other things that have me hit the back button fairly quickly (and it usually doesn't take three chapters) are unlikely characterisation, lazy or sloppy handling of plot, and lack of basic research, or simply a style I don't find appealing.
I think there are different ways to see the characters especially if a fic is set long after the end of canon because obviously they could develop in different ways, but some things feel just wrong to me. The example of Hermione turning into a slow-witted American teenager someone mentioned above is a good example of what I'd consider unlikely.
I don't necessarily need a completely new or original plot idea, but I'd like to see the plot handled in a thoughtful or even unique way not just a repetition of tired old clichés or a lazy device to bring the couple together. Badly written sex scenes is another thing that puts me off.
Finally lack of basic research, not only in terms of canon, but also in terms of character speech and setting is another thing that will make me stop reading.
*pets ticky box*