I've read quite a few stories in many fandoms over the last few weeks. There are many wonderful authors who I appreciate whole-heartedly for their gifts to the fandom, and many developing writers who will hopefully grow to amaze and delight also. However, even the best writers are occasionally guilty of leaving warnings off their stories that I would have liked to have had.
Sure, I'd probably read the story anyway, in the right mood.
But I'd like to be prepared.
Story warnings I wish they’d use…
(I’m sure my works could use a few of these also.)
1. Self-Indulgent Fantasy. (SIF)
This story is a piece of self-indulgence. I have no intentions of staying within conceivable reality, so strap on your fantasy-chute and get ready to jump.
2. Mary Sue Lives Here! (MSLH)
I am present in this story/ I have an idealized version of myself running the show in this tale.
3. Might-Have-Been (MHB).
This is a story that would have been a contender, if I’d only had the guts to see it through. However, due to a distaste for betas/lack of time/disinterest/insanity I am including the gratuitous scene with the eager hamster/ not spellchecking/insisting that Duo *could* get raped yet again and still want sex with Heero/keeping the five page angst scene about Fraser’s mother/turning it into a domestic threesome with the Cigarette Smoking Man on approximately page 300.
4. Shorter than a leprechaun on his knees. (SLK)
This snippet is obscenely short and if you follow this link expecting a story, you’re sadly out of luck.
5. Mean Ending. (ME).
I became enraged at fandom during the writing of this popular epic, and to vent my spleen I am ending it with the Hogwarts Squid mating with the school while Harry and Draco are inside, about to have The Talk. Everyone dies/becomes pregnant/takes up karaoke/has sex with my listsibs. The End.
6. Gratuitous Other Character Sex Scene. (GOCSE).
My friend [insert name] who is so nice/fun/evil/funny/inclined to wear pink hats on my birthday was sad today, so I’ve inserted a pointless sex scene with a random OC to cheer her/him/it/the Squid up. Sorry if you can’t understand why Methos needed to have sex with this lonely lady in a bar even though we just went through the 500 pages it took for he and Mac to work out their relationship. Mac will, of course, understand. I’m writing him, after all. Besides, he’s a guy, isn’t he?
7. Excessive Character Indulgence. (ECI).
Due to my extreme fondness for [insert character or star name], everyone existing in my story’s universe is in love with him/her/it/the Squid. All morality shall be defined in relation to his/her/its/the Squid’s needs. Those who give my favorite a hard time shall suffer mightily. (Even though I wrote them that way). And also, nobody will love them, in spite of their good looks/sex appeal/pots of gold/exciting cheese flavor.
Well, now, I feel better.
::cough::
Sure, I'd probably read the story anyway, in the right mood.
But I'd like to be prepared.
Story warnings I wish they’d use…
(I’m sure my works could use a few of these also.
1. Self-Indulgent Fantasy. (SIF)
This story is a piece of self-indulgence. I have no intentions of staying within conceivable reality, so strap on your fantasy-chute and get ready to jump.
2. Mary Sue Lives Here! (MSLH)
I am present in this story/ I have an idealized version of myself running the show in this tale.
3. Might-Have-Been (MHB).
This is a story that would have been a contender, if I’d only had the guts to see it through. However, due to a distaste for betas/lack of time/disinterest/insanity I am including the gratuitous scene with the eager hamster/ not spellchecking/insisting that Duo *could* get raped yet again and still want sex with Heero/keeping the five page angst scene about Fraser’s mother/turning it into a domestic threesome with the Cigarette Smoking Man on approximately page 300.
4. Shorter than a leprechaun on his knees. (SLK)
This snippet is obscenely short and if you follow this link expecting a story, you’re sadly out of luck.
5. Mean Ending. (ME).
I became enraged at fandom during the writing of this popular epic, and to vent my spleen I am ending it with the Hogwarts Squid mating with the school while Harry and Draco are inside, about to have The Talk. Everyone dies/becomes pregnant/takes up karaoke/has sex with my listsibs. The End.
6. Gratuitous Other Character Sex Scene. (GOCSE).
My friend [insert name] who is so nice/fun/evil/funny/inclined to wear pink hats on my birthday was sad today, so I’ve inserted a pointless sex scene with a random OC to cheer her/him/it/the Squid up. Sorry if you can’t understand why Methos needed to have sex with this lonely lady in a bar even though we just went through the 500 pages it took for he and Mac to work out their relationship. Mac will, of course, understand. I’m writing him, after all. Besides, he’s a guy, isn’t he?
7. Excessive Character Indulgence. (ECI).
Due to my extreme fondness for [insert character or star name], everyone existing in my story’s universe is in love with him/her/it/the Squid. All morality shall be defined in relation to his/her/its/the Squid’s needs. Those who give my favorite a hard time shall suffer mightily. (Even though I wrote them that way). And also, nobody will love them, in spite of their good looks/sex appeal/pots of gold/exciting cheese flavor.
Well, now, I feel better.
::cough::