Okay, so this is basically the same as the other post really...
1) Questions in the blurb
Okay, this is a pet-peeve for me, I've got to admit that. It's just so patronising and ruins the anticipation (for me, anyway) of the entire books. It reminds me of something out of a gossip magazine, "Will Miley and Liam every get back together? Dun, dun, dun!!" Guh, god, get it over with!
Still, that's real life, it's different, but it's fictional characters, that we haven't even 'met' yet, why the hell do we care? Let's put the clues together, shall we? It's in the romance section, it's (most likely) a teen story, they generally have a happy ending. Putting that question mark at the end not only irritates me because it feels like a type of bribe, but it makes me think the author believes we are hyped up, idiots!
2) Cliches
This one counts for ever single story with the parts I'm about to mention. If these are in your original story; I won't read it. The first one, before I even open the book, if it has the phrase, 'haunted past', there is at least a 99% chance I WILL not read it. I mean, like I mentioned before, we don't know these characters, and they are fictional. Why would I care about his/her 'haunted past'. It's a pity call from the author, and really, really bugs me.
Another one, is where the main characters parents are dead. To me, this just seems like another pity call, and as much as I love Harry Potter, I always hated Harry up until the last books. Sorry, but it's how I feel on the matter. The last one is something I found Twilight accused, guilty, and hung for. A mysterious, strikingly handsome guy. Okay, so this one doesn't as bug me as much as the other two, but is sever enough, is in fact a death sentence for that book. Why can't these people have a normal, functioning relationship like people in 'real' life do. Especially, if that character is a vampire.
3) Masculine 'has' to be with feminine
A lot of books are guilty of this, mainly, I've actually found, adult romance novels, rather than the teen ones. Even Fifty Shades of Gray had hints of it, but thankfully that had an excuse and was pretty original (apart from abuse streaming his control issues). Ana, virgin at 21 or whatever, meets mysterious, older Christian.
This even applies in GLBT stories too. The 'Bottom', or 'Sub' is generally a virgin, younger, naive and innocent. How many times do we have to read the same couple in a different situation? In GLBT stories, I feel it ruins the anticipation again, if one character is generically feminine, blond hair, big blue eyes, young and possibly a virgin (not always) meets a muscular, generally older guy with dark hair and eyes. It just seems stereotypically, and sort of offensive to who the 'top' and 'bottom' is. Kudos to all thoses that turn it around with those looks though.
4) 3D characters in a 2D world
Minor characters are an important part of a story. They move, they breath, they have lives and problems just like our main characters. They are not props, built to sway in the background and look pretty, they have a function, and a purpose, so please put that to use. Well, actually, to be honest, you can't have 3D characters without proper minor characters. What is the main character meant to bonce off of? How can we form a solid idea about them if they don't have anything else to react to?
This is one of the ones that really annoy me because by then I've already brought the book *sigh*.
Well, anyway, that's just my option, so try not to take it personally. Feel free to leave your own options too :) Thanks for reading.
Not registered?
Create an account