Things You Want LESS Of In Books

I understand that it was intentionally written like that but it's the worst thing ever and I hated it so much so it doesn't exist thank you

@Althalosian-is-the-father

I'd keep 85% of the pov to Daniella, but let Silas and Rune plus Nathaniel get some pov time. I think Lucy wouldn't and I'd let her and Noah's scene be seen by Daniella.

Granted I'm super picky about grammatical stuff (like, if I can't figure out how to spell a word in a post on here, I opt not to use it as opposed to misspelling it), and I couldn't read a book by one of my favorite authors because there were no quotation marks when people spoke. I had a hard time reading I Was Born For This by Alice Oseman because it was formatted as only having a single ' instead of " when people spoke, but I powered through because I'm trash for anything by Alice Oseman

@Starfast

Yeah that one POV in Wonder was one of the worst things I've ever read. The fact that it wasn't even wholly relevant to the story (as far as I remember anyways) just made it even worse. I remember having to read the same line like 5 times just to figure out who was talking. It really shouldn't be that hard.

@Katastrophic

Granted I'm super picky about grammatical stuff (like, if I can't figure out how to spell a word in a post on here, I opt not to use it as opposed to misspelling it), and I couldn't read a book by one of my favorite authors because there were no quotation marks when people spoke. I had a hard time reading I Was Born For This by Alice Oseman because it was formatted as only having a single ' instead of " when people spoke, but I powered through because I'm trash for anything by Alice Oseman

My lit class uses a really old edition (thanks expensive college textbooks) where the translations
-talked like this-
-for every break, even if the same person is talking-
or 'like this' for everything. I ended up googling the stuff we're supposed to read and got better translations anyways for free.

Deleted user

(Hi, new here.)

Deleted user

I feel like incorrect grammar when a character is talking is actually realist, but in the actual text its annoying.

@Becfromthedead

Maybe? It depends on what the context is. A child who hasn't learned proper grammar yet? Sure. Just make sure you make actual mistakes a kid would make, by studying language development in kids. For writing dialects and accents? Eh, maybe. But you really have to be careful to be respectful, correct, and still readable. And most people can't do it right, from my experience reading.

@Pickles

Having characters use run on sentences and informal speech- realistic
Using ' ' as quotation marks- disgusten

@Starfast

For writing dialects and accents? Eh, maybe. But you really have to be careful to be respectful, correct, and still readable. And most people can't do it right, from my experience reading.

Personally, I'm of the belief that people should just not do this. I haven't seen many people get it right either, and a lot of the time it's really hard to read. Like, there's really no winning unless you're of the 1% who actually manages to do a good job. But like, there's also better ways to remind your readers that characters have accents that don't involve butchering the spelling of every other word.

@Becfromthedead

Exactly! I mean, if they're slight differences like, for example, a character with a Southern accent can say things like "darlin' without making the writing too clunky, but it only works using it sparingly. And I've seen black writers write in like AAVE, but I feel like that has more appeal to black readers, even if done well. And if you're white? Well, you probably shouldn't try it at all.

Deleted user

(pulls out 2 foot tall stack of complaints)

Deleted user

let us begin.
1: Comic relief characters that are the only ones allowed to make a joke.
2: The princess is sad because she's being cared for, fed 3 times a day, and living a comfortable life.
3: Romantic subplots because every book needs a romantic subplot.
4: Characters randomly getting superpowers.
5: It was just a dream endings.

@Katastrophic

3: Romantic subplots because every book needs a romantic subplot.

A thousand times yes! I don't care about the three pages describing a magical kiss, get on with the story please! If I want romance shoehorned into a perfecty good plot I'll go read fanfiction.

@evastardust RRAAAARRL

Exactly! I mean, if they're slight differences like, for example, a character with a Southern accent can say things like "darlin' without making the writing too clunky, but it only works using it sparingly. And I've seen black writers write in like AAVE, but I feel like that has more appeal to black readers, even if done well. And if you're white? Well, you probably shouldn't try it at all.

White authors trying to write with AAVE is like…peak cringe
Especially if they already sound all "how do you do, fellow kids?"

@SupernaturalSyGuyIsTIred

Maybe? It depends on what the context is. A child who hasn't learned proper grammar yet? Sure. Just make sure you make actual mistakes a kid would make, by studying language development in kids. For writing dialects and accents? Eh, maybe. But you really have to be careful to be respectful, correct, and still readable. And most people can't do it right, from my experience reading.

Commenting is on.

@Althalosian-is-the-father

(AAVE?)

@Althalosian-is-the-father

Haven't watched but it is related to some conversation.

Deleted user

Yep, Red's pretty great isn't she?

@Althalosian-is-the-father

She's awesome.

Deleted user

She's also the reason I can say "I have a constitution to delicate for math."

@Althalosian-is-the-father

In which vid?

@evastardust RRAAAARRL

In which vid?

H.P. Lovecraft

@Becfromthedead

African American Vernacular English, which is really often (offensively) misconstrued by white writers.

@Althalosian-is-the-father