What are some red flags you notice in a novel early on

Before the plot in the novel begins to unfold what are some red flags you start to notice early on in a novel. For me it is the famous "god" who commited and mistake which led to the mc death prostrating and begging for forgiveness from the mc.

When this scene happens I immediately drop the novel cause I know it will be trash.

 

The setting up and execution of face slapping scenes in the first 10 chapters, blatant racism, bad grammar, overly contrived/awkward plot to name a few.

 

Homophoby/misogyny/xenophobia in super high levels

 

Titles that may as well be the sypnosis

 

Apologizing kami-sama doing dogeza.

 

Agreed...it's mostly because this is one of the first indicators that the MC will be granted a cheat that will be so overpowered, there won't even be a hint of tension in the story. Still, you can usually tell if it's that kind of story from the synopsis, anyway.

As for me, it's definitely when the MC's thought process is a bit twisted, like when they think it's ok to beat someone up for glaring at them, but it's framed as totally fine. Usually the MC turns out to be a jerk.
Oh, and also if there are arrogant jade-skinned beauties that the MC has to discipline via butt-smacking. Usually not the kind of thing I want to read about.

 

Bad grammar is for me

Especially if the whole thing seems mtl-ed, with little-to-no fixing of sentence structure and stuff like that... time to drop~

 

When the MC starts getting OP real fast, cuz you automatically know there would be no world building/good plot to lead up to the MC's strenght. the novel will just be about MC getting stronger until the author runs out of bullshit to burn.

 

Boring introduction I guess?

The first 10min of any content are the most important ones... If someone failed to properly deliver something that hooked me in the first 10min of reading, than they failed at the most important part of their novel, I don't see a reason to keep going after that.

 

If theres random attack on MC on early chapters, u know its trash

 

Necromancy or Dark powers, as soon as those are mentioned, you know the author just do not want to develop the main character, he will write the main character depending on how he feels that week and put no effort into developing a good character. if he feels good the character will find a creative and interesting way to solve issues, if he feels in rage or bad or depressed, then the main character will just lash out and kill everybody, sacrifice people and do whatever.

 

A Novel with Action tag, in which there is no Evade. Just Hitting or not Hitting. Another one is if Author makes mistakes in his own Power System/ranking ( Cultivation Realms, Level, Stats), and just continues without any Explanation.

 

Here's one when they have the following tags:
-Cruel Characters
-Possessive Characters
-Amnesia
-Near-Death Experience
-Rape-Victim & Rape
-Torture
-Sexual Abuse
and all the freaking unfortunate events you can pull out of your head. Its just too much really for just one character to experience.

 

When it seems like literally everyone is out to get the MC. MC always ends up being kind of a jerk, whether they're male or female

Any faceslapping sort of novels.

 

1- Does the Author having terrible grammar count when you read the synopsis? <---it was really bad I didn't even bother to open chapter 1.

2- The main character's wife gets raped and she kills herself. <--- this one wasn't a webnovel it was an actual book I read that I looked up and many ppl gave good review and the summary was well written, but completely blindsided me with that terrible tragic plot. <--- not my taste. I don't mind tragic story, but not like this.

 

Red flag for me is a veeeeeeery stupid mc and or no back bone. Like s/he waits for someone to resolve his/her predicament while s/he just on the side wallowing in self pity. I dont mind an average protagonist as long they 'do or try' something for themselves.

 

Non consensual acts for romance novels
and doormat MC that doesn't stand up for themselves

 

I don't have many red flags, but i have some green flags. If i see some people talking shit about somthing it makes me want to read the novel more. Real criticism and thought behind somthing is rare and when I see it it shows to me that this novel was able to actually impact a reader enough to create a well thought post.

 

when it is ecchi focused
it will be sucks, more of fanservice than 'serious' plot

 

When the Description said that she was "the bestest assassin/doctor ever"
If the novel uses a level system and it's not a game/game world.