[ SECRET POST #2655 ]

[case]

⌈ Secret Post #2655 ⌋

Warning: Some secrets are NOT worksafe and may contain SPOILERS.

01.


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02.
[Divergent]


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03.


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04. [WARNING for underage character+sex?]



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05.
[Archer]


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06.


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07.


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08.
[Hannibal]


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09.
[Wolverine and the X-Men]










Notes:

Secrets Left to Post: 01 pages, 07 secrets from Secret Submission Post #379.
Secrets Not Posted: [ 1 - broken links ], [ 0 - not!secrets ], [ 0 - not!fandom ], [ 0 - too big ], [ 1 2 - repeat ].
Current Secret Submissions Post: here.
Suggestions, comments, and concerns should go here.

Comments

[jaybie_jarrett]

Yeah, see the thing about writing is , you gotta know how to break rules JUST right if you're going to do it. The problem with the mirror thing is that its often used as a shortcut or an excuse to describe oneself. You shouldn't use it as a shortcut when there's no reason. HOWEVER you can have a situation where in context it makes sense.

Like the one here. or how about a story where say the protagonist grew up with NO mirrors and they had never seen themselves, and at one point they find one and actually SEE themselves for the first time. There's an example of where a mirror description could work. In Divergent the context is that she's sneaking a look in the mirror because in her culture , mirrors are considered vain and not often used. It had more use than just having her describe her looks, she's breaking the rules of her upbringing. it shows that she doesn't really feel happy with the faction she's in. Another example where it might work, is where it's ESTABLISHED that say the protagonist is vain, and they're looking in the mirror describing themselves with flowery words. It could be done PURPOSEFULLY to tell the reader that the character is vain and thinks highly of themselves or just care a lot about their looks.

So yeah, there's not many hard and absolute "don't ever do this" type things. The "looking in the mirror thing" shouldn't be done as a lazy excuse to describe character's appearance because the author wants to but can't think of any good way to do it. Or like if your character describes themselves in a flowery poetic way, but then you try to tell us she's actually modest and just saying it because people have TOLD her so. If she honestly doesn't think much of her appearance she's not going to do that just because people tell her so. like it doesn't matter how many people tell me my eyebrows are fine and pretty, and they wish they had eyebrows like that, I still hate them and try to cover them up.

Context matters in whether or not something is badly written.

[(Anonymous)]

AYRT

Hey, thanks. This is a really great comment, and you've given me a lot to think about, and I sincerely appreciate it.

[jaybie_jarrett]

You're welcome. :3 Glad I helped.

[(Anonymous)]

I think in some ways, it might make more sense to stop thinking of these things as rules at all, and think of them instead as procedures. they are one way of doing things, which has a certain specific rationale, and which makes sense in a certain circumstance, and which is an established, tested way for ending up with a certain product. but they're not some kind of law in the sand, or some kind of natural prohibition, or something. and when we call them rules, we start treating them that way.

and procedures are not bad things - they're very very useful things. They are good and it is often wise to take account of them. "Don't have your character describe themselves in a mirror" is one useful procedure for writing a story, but as you say, it is not the only way to write a story.

[jaybie_jarrett]

I agree.