Zirrboy's Questionaire

[Zirrboy]

Instead of making a new thread every time I come up with a question, I'll just add them here.

Double the perspective, double the standards​

What sort of plot aspects do you hate as a reader, yet found yourself eyeing for your own works?

For me it's keeping involuntarily unlikable characters in the cast.
I've rage-quit a book for this sort of putting up before, but now I don't want to simply cut ties with an up until now central character.

Realism... for the sake of it?​

I'm positive that almost no author would describe their works as deliberately unrealistic. "Plot driven" doesn't have its negative sentiment without reason. But for me, writing a story entails making it enjoyable to read first and foremost, which realism can justifiably be sacrificed for at times.

What's your take?

 

[RepresentingWrath]

Weak-willed mc. But I don't enjoy writing mc like this. I simply think this is necessary.

 

[EternalSunset0]

I've never dropped a book or series. But I don't like smug, "stop having fun" guys. Comparable are the "git gud or gtfo" or "meta or bust" guys in video game/card game stories.

But I keep one such character in my own series because I want to make a villain out of that. I want to break down stuff like hustle culture or obsession with "the important things for life" or the like.

 

[Zirrboy]

Weak-willed mc. But I don't enjoy writing mc like this. I simply think this is necessary.

Necessary might actually be a good way to put it.

I can only speak for myself, but as much as my reader self would like to see total fallout or people acting out of character, the plans I made would go bust.

 

[BenJepheneT]

I usually avoid reading anything that has more than 4-5k words per chapter.

This is my story's average word count.

 

[greyblob]

What sort of plot aspects do you hate as a reader, yet found yourself eyeing for your own works?

For me it's keeping unlikeable characters in the cast.
I've rage-quit a book for this sort of putting up before, but now I don't want to simply cut ties with an up until now central character.

Why would you want to keep unlikable characters?

 

[Zirrboy]

Why would you want to keep unlikable characters?

Redemption. But looking at it as objectively as I am able to, the character in question is somewhat beyond that.

 

[RepresentingWrath]

Why would you want to keep unlikable characters?

Because he is the MC.

 

[greyblob]

Redemption. But looking at it as objectively as I am able to, the character in question is somewhat beyond that.

Get them out with a bang.

Because he is the MC.

Put him through a couple of existential crises, maybe a few near death experiences too. He'll come out a new man or not come out at all, a win win.

 

[RepresentingWrath]

Get them out with a bang.

Put him through a couple of existential crises, maybe a few near death experiences too. He'll come out a new man or not come out at all, a win win.

Yeah, the first option is what I did. I as well sprinkled it with a bit of a second option, yet he is still unlikeable.

 

[Anon_Y_Mousse]

When the MC or main cast physically or emotionally suffer, a lot. big reason why I still haven't watched season 2 of re:Zero It ain't prevalent yet for my current story but seeing my plans for later chapters... It gets pretty tough.

 

[Echimera]

What sort of plot aspects do you hate as a reader, yet found yourself eyeing for your own works?

For me it's keeping unlikeable characters in the cast.
I've rage-quit a book for this sort of putting up before, but now I don't want to simply cut ties with an up until now central character.

Please define unlikeable character, just to be sure.
Because there are characters nobody likes (neither inside the story nor as readers/consumers), and there are characters everybody loves to hate (looking at you, Joffrey), and the later are definitely worth keeping around.

 

[greyblob]

Yeah, the first option is what I did. I as well sprinkled it with a bit of a second option, yet he is still unlikeable.

That's a very severe case. Other than pulling the plug, there are some shameless effective ways to remedy this.

What sort of plot aspects do you hate as a reader, yet found yourself eyeing for your own works?

For me it's keeping unlikeable characters in the cast.
I've rage-quit a book for this sort of putting up before, but now I don't want to simply cut ties with an up until now central character.

Setting up a character to die, only to find them miraculously saved/surviving.

 

[Zirrboy]

Please define unlikeable character, just to be sure.
Because there are characters nobody likes (neither inside the story nor as readers/consumers), and there are characters everybody loves to hate (looking at you, Joffrey), and the later are definitely worth keeping around.

Technically an ally, but with unclear loyalties at times.
I.e. she has a jealous friend who beats up the MC, and she doesn't believe him that that happened, since the friend is exemplary otherwise and some parts of the MC's narration don't make sense from her perspective.

I joined the story as a co author and the original writer made this part. I thought her viewpoint to be at least somewhat justified and that friend is the current big conflict. (If she leaves the MC, that's it)
Later I found out that both the author and the commenting readers see her behavior as wrong beyond question.
Now the author quit and I have to make my own choices.

 

[greyblob]

Technically an ally, but with unclear loyalties at times.
I.e. she has a jealous friend who beats up the MC, and she doesn't believe him that that happened, since the friend is exemplary otherwise and some parts of the MC's narration don't make sense from her perspective.

I joined the story as a co author and the original writer made this part. I thought her viewpoint to be at least somewhat justified and that friend is the current big conflict. (If she leaves the MC, that's it)
Later I found out that both the author and the commenting readers see her behavior as wrong beyond question.
Now the author quit and I have to make my own choices.

I'm pretty sure I know who you're talking about. Her name starts with an F. Though I haven't kept up with the story since the weird revert, I don't think the character is irredeemable. Her behavior seemed fine to me, at least as far as I can remember.

 

[Zirrboy]

I'm pretty sure I know who you're talking about. Her name starts with an F. Though I haven't kept up with the story since the weird revert, I don't think the character is irredeemable. Her behavior seemed fine to me, at least as far as I can remember.

Revert?

 

[greyblob]

Revert?

Wasn't there two variations to the story and the author decided to revert back? There was a poll set up and everything. Don't recall what happened after though, my memory is terrible.

 

[Zirrboy]

Wasn't there two variations to the story and the author decided to revert back? There was a poll set up and everything. Don't recall what happened after though, my memory is terrible.

Ah. The poll decided against it. But I haven't been able to write lately so there's only five or so chapters after

 

[SakeVision]

If I only wrote characters I like my fiction would have a total of 1 characters, maybe 2
But at the same time, I don't hate them. I just think I wouldn't get along well with a lot of my characters, but I don't try to make them villainous or despicable on purpose-on the contrary, I give them psychological depth and a backstory, and have them play a role in the presented set and setting

 

[RepresentingWrath]

That's a very severe case. Other than pulling the plug, there are some shameless effective ways to remedy this.

Setting up a character to die, only to find them miraculously saved/surviving.

Nah, I wanted him to be unlikable. I got tired of all those mc's that are portrayed as likable dudes for the sole purpose of the reader's self-insert.