In Or Out Tag
I read Olivia’s answers here, and I thought this would be fun to do.
Reading the Last Page First
Out. If I’m not feeling the book I will skim, but I will still skim in order.
Enemies to Lovers
In. If it’s not deadly enemies or petty enemies, but the true each a strong person with strong reasons and wit Benedict-Beatrice type.
Dream Sequences
Out. No. I hate dreams. I find them disturbing. Also it’s a deception/lazy writing issue in fiction.
Love Triangles
Out. Overall. I think it technically CAN be done well (rarely, not sure I’ve seen the type when BOTH options are good, but I’ve seen it humorously done well like the Noel, Gay, and Roger triangle in Tangled Web).
Cracked Spines
Out. Cracked spines in my experience mean pages falling out.
Back to My Small Town
In. If done well. I can’t think of anything but Hallmark and the jokes right now which aren’t well-done but enjoyable.
No Paragraph Breaks
Out. Any visually or reading comprehension difficulty is out. I struggle enough to focus, I’m not reading anything that makes me feel crazy.
Multi-generational Sagas
In. If it’s done well. Something like the Anne books. The various Little House series.
Monsters Are Regular People
Out. Absolutely not. I don’t like grey areas with evil and confusing morality. I don’t want things simplified, but I don’t want anything posing as amorality either.
Re-Reading
In. Absolutely, I need my comfort reads.
Artificial Intelligence
Out. Not a huge sci-fi person, and I find AI extremely creepy.
Drop Caps
In. Quintessential for fairytales.
Happy Endings
In. Pretty much a must.
Plot Points That Only Converge at the End
In. If done well. It has to be believable, not lazy-minded bad writing that is to neatly wrapped up or to fantastic to suspend disbelief.
Detailed Magic Systems
In. Love the details in Harry Potter.
Classic Fantasy Races
In. I prefer the Faerie races to Greco-Roman myth (which I’m rather sick of).
Unreliable Narrators
Out. Occasionally I can handle it for a change, but I don’t love deception, especially as a major plot point. And confusing moral issues.
Evil Protagonists
Out. I don’t like confusing moral issues.
The Chosen One
Out overall. I think it can sort of be done well, maybe. But as much as I love Harry and Harry Potter, it got REALLLYY annoying and extremely contrived.
When the Protagonist Dies
Out. Happy endings remember.
Really Long Chapters
Out. It can work but my attentions span isn’t super.
French Flaps
Out. I don’t think I’ve come across this much, but I don’t like the sound of it, I don’t like to many paper layers and complication.
Deckled Edges
Out. HATE this look/texture.
Signed Copies by the Author
In. If it’s a favorite author. It’s not a huge deal though.
Dog-Earing Pages
In for library books (yes, a crime, I need to work on this), Out if it’s my own book.
Chapter Titles Instead of Numbers
In. I prefer both though.
2 Comments
Katie Hanna
I feel the same way about moral gray areas in fiction. Not my idea of a good time.
Rachel Olivia
Yes, some thinking is good in fiction, I don’t need a moral tale, but if I’m getting drawn in to something I don’t think I should be or if I can’t agree with anyone, I don’t find that relaxing or rewarding or helpful.