What makes you drop a story?

What makes you drop a story?

  • Badly written MCs (Unlikable, too stupid, too OP, cardboard personality....)

  • Lackluster plots (predictable plots or stories that go practically nowhere)

  • Too many spelling or grammatical errors (readability issues)

  • Lack of romance/Love interests ( or if they do exist, they are too flat/one-dimensional)

  • Little to no sexual content

  • Too much sexual content ( on the expense of plot and character-development)

  • Bad pacing (story is either too fast or too slow)

  • Writing style or narration that puts you off (whether a certain POV or a certain type of prose)

  • Irregular updating schedules


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AliceShiki

Magical Girl of Love and Justice
Joined
Dec 23, 2018
Messages
3,530
Points
183
Logically I know I shouldn't but getting a 0.5 rating out of nowhere hurts, sort of like a punch to the stomach, specially when you are putting your heart into your work. I'm actually learning to grow a thicker skin and pay attention only to constructive criticism, not to shit like this. It's a journey, I guess. And yes, it must because your work was GL, there is considerable amount of homophobic readers on RR. I have experienced it even on the forums. The reason why I don't post or speak to anyone on there.
Keep trying your best and don't let it get to you! That's the spirit! Lost-chan fighto!!!
 

aattss

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 10, 2019
Messages
72
Points
58
When the MC explains why they think conventional morality is dumb but the MC just comes across as a pretentious asshole.

The most recent thing I've noticed I instantly drop stories for is when people think the MC is weak trash but they're actually an OP genius. The more I read, the less I'm able to handle contrived bullshit about bla bla bla chapter 2 the talent stone says the MC can't cultivate or the MC has the weakest class/cheat or everyone knows the MC is weak but then it's revealed that everyone else was wrong or stupid or the MC has to hide their ability because contrived bullshit or whatever so people go bla bla bla the MC is worthless but then the MC shocks everyone by revealing their OPness and we're supposed to take pleasure in the MC proving people wrong but really everything was orchestrated/contrived by the author. Fuck that. If the MC is an OP genius, don't make up stupid reasons to justify people thinking the MC is weak and shit-talking the MC for 20 chapters, and don't expect a cookie for finally having the MC prove everyone wrong three decades later, and then don't have people go back to underestimating the MC the immediate arc after.
 
Joined
Jan 15, 2019
Messages
1,936
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153
as someone who dropped so many novels easily, i do tend to drop it the moment i lost interest.

but the easiest reason for me to drop a story, is because i couldn't understand what's going on anymore. if i have to get myself into a headache when i just want to relax and have a fun read, then i'm reading the wrong story.
 

Epsil

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 9, 2020
Messages
39
Points
123
When there are too many useless elements in the story. Really distracting (eg: Skill Clutter, Useless details, Characters who are introduced and then never seen again (and they dont do anything at all like literally pointless, side plots that add nothing.)
 

Miserys_End

[Lv1 Pretend Person] Im the person I pretend to be
Joined
Jan 1, 2019
Messages
480
Points
63
Tried writing down my grievances and reasons I stop reading a novel and it quickly turned into a 50 page essay. I'll try to just list a few examples...

Forcibly reigning in powercreep with permanent injuries or nonsensical loss of power.
MC or major supporting character having a sudden and radical personality shift.
Mindfucking characters via skill, spell, or ability to advance the plot. (Metaworld chronicles comes to mind)
NTR
Use of the super dense protag setting
The acquisition of a gaggle of backstabbing vultures in the guise of a harem.
Constantly traumatizing a weak willed character(typically the MC, eg the so called "beta male")
And many many other common tropes that seem to infect current online literature *Sigh*
 

YuriDoggo

Angery Doggo >ᴗ<
Joined
Mar 23, 2019
Messages
729
Points
133
If the story is too fast.
If the MC lets characters drag them around.
Non-yuri harem.
Treacherous MCs
Asshole characters not getting their due.
Stories that meander and get absolutely nowhere, not even sideways.
 

GDLiZy

Tale Admirer
Joined
Dec 23, 2018
Messages
598
Points
133
Lack of directions or end-goals. I don't mind reading badly pace story, or bad protagonist, if the story had a presentable end-goal.
 

OreoPizza

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 1, 2020
Messages
26
Points
53
Well i drop a story when it has too much unneeded fanservice i guess.

I'm fine with fanservice and all, but when the author forcefully insert it to the story, it become obnoxious...
 

BenJepheneT

Light Up Gold - Parquet Courts
Joined
Jul 14, 2019
Messages
5,344
Points
233
Any story (excluding satire) that uses short form "u" or "Ur", overuse and inconsistencies of punctuation "!!!" or ".....................", 20 people talking in one paragraph , etc.

I can accept the worst of troupes and the blandest of stories. I can accept Dense OP Protag Big Tits Harem Isekai. I can accept expo dumps. Hell, I'll accept whatever the folks above listed. All I want is cohesive readability.

If you can't even manage to write in a cohesive manner, I don't think you should be writing at all.
 

BenJepheneT

Light Up Gold - Parquet Courts
Joined
Jul 14, 2019
Messages
5,344
Points
233
What does that mean?


Imagine the kings as women and the chair as an incompetent, bumbling fool who's only main skill in life is wowing dumb bitches with kindness
 

YuriDoggo

Angery Doggo >ᴗ<
Joined
Mar 23, 2019
Messages
729
Points
133


Imagine the kings as women and the chair as an incompetent, bumbling fool who's only main skill in life is wowing dumb bitches with kindness
""""""""""""""""""""""""""kindness""""""""""""""""""""""""""
 

ludagad

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 6, 2019
Messages
24
Points
53
By order of appearance:
1. Lots of spelling and grammatical mistakes. Sometimes it's even worse than MTL.
2. Writing style doesn't agree with me: lots of dialogue, script-like writing, not nearly enough scenes setting. Picture two heads talking to each other all the time.
3. Plot going nowhere: writing each chapter as they come with no clear set goal. It's fine in the beginning, but it eventually turns into a chore to read for me, because I can't stand slice of life and need action and adventure.
4. Finally, if everything else is great, the MC can ruin the whole story. This is really subjective, however.
 

Moctemma

Learning about this writing stuff
Joined
Mar 10, 2020
Messages
183
Points
63
This is the reason I dropped three stories I liked a lot.

What I hate the most and ruins a novel for me is the characters becoming a device for the plot. I hate it when the characters suddenly become stupid or act out of character so the story can continue the way the author planned.
I find that disrespectful to the characters, the story and therefore to the readers.
 

DalangTala

ℳᴇʀᴇ ℋᴜᴍᴀɴ
Joined
Jun 13, 2019
Messages
93
Points
73
I don't mind well-executed predictable plots. But it irks me if the plot is too illogical, even for a parody. Although, I don't mind watching absurd anime like Asobi Asobase. It's just hard to pull of the same effect in lit.
 

Kldran

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 6, 2019
Messages
183
Points
83
A lot of the stories I've dropped, were because the story changed and wasn't what I'd originally been reading it for anymore. There have been several isekai's that have fallen into the same trap of starting with an OP MC, then suddenly introducing foes strong enough that the MC isn't OP anymore in comparison. These stories start focused on how the MC blows people's minds with their OPness. Then the story turns into a generic Hero's Journey. I don't need another Hero's Journey. If I want that, I'll just go play a JRPG. Most of those do it better.
 
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