Okay, so It's like 12:30 at night and I'm really bored, and I've been trying to find some good stories to read, and I never realized before but I have a serious trend of things that can completely keep me from reading a story. It's actually really weird that within in the first few minutes of reading a story, I can see something/ stumble across something that makes me do a complete 180 and not want to read it, even if I'm ten chapters in.
Obviously my weird tastes won't be the same as any one person's. These are my own personal things that I do and do not like in a story, and if you disagree that's fine! I know that some of these may be completely obnoxious and I know that I should never not read something because of a pre-judgement, but it happens, don't even lie.
Layouts
-Don't: If you have a neon layout, a neon font, a layout that in some sense doesn't match- I won't read your story. I know that not everyone on mibba is good at layouts and I am by no means good either because to you, my layouts could be fugly. But when a layout is just blatantly unattractive, I lose all interest in the story because I feel like I can't get past the disagreement with my eyes. YES, I know there is a feature where I can read without the layout, but that shit bothers me too.
-Do: When font is not too big or too small, I'm more likely to read it. I hate when font is obnoxiously big, but then there is the other extreme where it is too small and I simply have to zoom a million times. I myself often do too small of a font and have to check myself before I wreck myself.
-Don't: Use commic sans ms I swear to god this font should be band because I don't think anyone takes anyone seriously when they write in comic fucking sans ms. I'M A COMIC SANS MS RACIST OKAY I CAN'T GET OVER IT DON'T DO IT DO NOT JUST DON'T USE THE FORBIDDEN FON'T
-Do: I really love when the banner of the story isn't a photoshopped picture of two people, but rather and image that portrays the over all feel of the story. Say your story takes place in laguna: if the banner is the ocean, I love that. Simple but effective.
First chapter
-Don't: So help me god if you start the chapter with the sound of an alarm clock, I want to cry. Saying you're waking up because of an alarm is fine, but it literally strikes a nerve when I see the words beep beep beep riiiiiiiiiiing this is your alarm clock just fucking hit snooze already. I will hit snooze on the story. Alarm clocks are bad enough in real life. I don't want to hear them in a story I'm sorry.
-Do: Describe. I love descriptive first chapters. I want to know what your character looks like, I want to know what her friends look like, how she sees the world, what her house looks like. Give me imagery or give me death.
-Don't: Make your character whine over something in the first chapter. Make her whine later. It's only the first chapter, how the fuck have they found something to complain about already? Just... make them do it later. The first chapter should make me like your character, not instantly feel bad for them.
Authors notes
-Don't: I have zero respect for authority (I think it's a cuban/ italian thing) so if you tell me to leave a comment in your authors note, I'm not gonna do it. I didn't even show up to my choir concert on time because my teacher told me that I of all people needed to be there on time. Call me an asshole, but being told what to do makes me twitchy. Saying "let me know what you think" or "how you liked this chapter" is what will make me say something. Actually, if you don't say anything at all, it's fine. I'll commend you if I really feel like you need to be commended. Just don't tell me "leave a comment" "ten comments and I'll post the update" because I'm going ignore you or say "this is one more comment to the update I'll not be ready. Good day."
-Do: Post fun facts. I used to do this thing where I would make up random facts about the characters in my story like what they were allergic to and shit like that and people loved it. Or even when you add a fact of what inspired that chapter, or what you were listening to while writing it. I want to know where you got the inspiration, I want to know how you find he creation in the world around you.
-Don't: Address haters. Haters are your motivators. Ignore them. Don't call them out at the end of your chapters and give them satisfaction or my annoyance to know that you are that upset. Wow that sounds rude. I don't know, it bothers me because it feels dramatic.
-Do: Tell me about yo life bitch. I want to know how you're doing, if you're okay or if you're stressed from writing. Writing me paragraphs about what's going on. I want to know about the people writing the stories that I'm reading because you are essentially my lifeline to the characters that I love. Tell me if you're sick because I'm gonna send ya ass a get well card.
This is all for now. I'm probably going to add more stuff later because I'm on a reading binge tonight. Tell me what you're do's and don'ts are. I want to know what turns you on and off. (THIS ISN'T ME TELLING YOU TO COMMENT. I JUST WANT TO HEAR YOUR OPINION LOL) So yeah.
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