forum Things You Want LESS Of In Books
Started by @HighPockets group
tune

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@Pickles group

I decided to hate read the pretty little liars series. (Let me tell you, it's not a funny bad, it's just bad. Makes for a not so fun hate read). My first mistake. I don't know how long it is exactly, but it's at least fourteen books. I'm currently on book four. At this point, the only reasons I haven't given up is because I want to know what happens and what could possibly take so many books. She doesn't seem to have any idea where the plot is going, and it's almost like it takes place in some kind of alternate reality because the way everything works…. Schools don't work like that. The police doesn't work like that. Physics doesn't work like that. Dead bodies don't work like that. Not to mention the amount of sheer coincidence that would have to happen for this to even take place at all.
I understand that these books aren't meant for adults, but with the content, they can't possibly be for younger kids, even though that's how they're written but worse.

I tried to keep it as short as I could since this isn't a rant chat, but clearly that failed. I'm not even sure if it's coherent.
P.S. if you're looking for something to hate read (because it can be enjoyable, especially with a friend), I highly recommend the House of Night series. It's hilariously, painfully bad, the main character's awful and an actual ho, and, well, you know

@Pickles group

Sweet petunias, that was longer than I realized. Sorry! More problems I have with it, stated as things I generally hate:

  • every character being horny all the goddamn time. And I do mean EVERY, including the adults, children and adults toward children and vice versa.
  • eating disorders, trauma, etc being handled poorly (As someone who hasn't ever had an eating disorder, I thought it was actually handled okay, but I really don't know. I could be horrendously wrong. So I highly suggest doing your research thoroughly)
  • Romanticized student-teacher relationships. Or just at all. Ew, seriously
  • unrealistic parent-child relationships. Ex. A parent kicking their daughter out of the house for accidentally making someone else seem like the victim (when she clearly had good intentions), and making no arrangements whatsoever for her to live anywhere else

@Pickles group

They– they found someone's body four years later and everyone just recognized her immediately without any testing or anything and they just…………. no. That's not how bodies work. They decompose and– ahhhhhhhhhh

@Pickles group

Also, another thing, not in PLL, but
How can one person have an accent from where everyone is fun, and no one else has an accent and is made fun of?? Yes, it is almost as confusing as I make it sound

@HighPockets group

My friend and I joke that Nich has a super thick New York accent despite not being from anywhere near the east coast (on the current map, which'll probably change). He's probably closer to like….Nebraska or something.

@Pickles group

I get that this is realistic, but when there's a character that for whatever reason (from pregnancy to being gay to becoming a vampire), has been disowned or kicked out or something by their awful religious parents who are just awful bigots and then there's just never any positive religious figure in their life. They spend a bunch of time wondering if God hates them too and whether or not they'd even be allowed near a church. There's no one there to tell them God still loves them or even just be nice to them or some realization that they don't believe in God or decide they don't care. They're just…. Sad because they think God doesn't love them and every religious person is a meanie pants bigot
Like, yeah, that happens to people and it can be an interesting struggle but what kind of message are you sending to readers? All religious people are disgusting and rude hateful? (Because even if you don't agree with them or have been hurt by them, you can't cling to the idea that all religious people are bad and mean. Just look at Dom. And there's loads of people like him). And oftentimes their struggle is poorly written and is only a brief scene or two. It may not be a main plot point but at least make it good?

That made no sense

@Kinarymo

I agree with u man.
It is possible to be rejected by one religious group, but there will surely be others out there who will accept said person - one way or another they will find them (unless they're locked up in a basement away from everyone)

And they dont even have to be religious ppl to tell them that. It could even be a friendly atheist who tells positive stuff about other religions.

@Althalosian-is-the-father book

Aw thanks Pickles! And important thing that should be said in books to mimic real life. Have people that disagree with insert whatever but are still very open to loving people. I am in no way supportive to the Lgbt population but love many people in there. I really feel that people should be taught to understand that as well.

@HighPockets group

Yeah, it's a gross trope that needs to die (especially as a queer religious person)
It's more than just for religious groups too, the whole "oooh the world hates me" thing is used as a plot device too many times.

@jantz

Something I've fallen victim to that I want to keep out of my writing is making one of the character's parents unknown and later revealing them as someone super important and/or powerful

@HighPockets group

I'm super sick of books with amazing concepts that don't focus on said concepts.
Like, I just read a book that's a modern Christmas Carol type thing where the MC is the Ghost of Christmas Past, but instead of focusing on that we focus on a bland instalove romance and the boring technical aspects of the job, like the tech that helps her see the memories.
Also there was a super weird "romantic love can make everyone a better person/romantic love is all bad people need to change" message…