Developing a list of pet peeves/hates over my time on this website I just started the list and already have many that I have forgotten. Will add more as I remember them.

In general

AUTHOR NOTES!!! Especially full chapter ones. If you need to explain something work the explanation into the story! It's bad form to just explain at the bottom of the page and breaks the flow of the story for readers. I make an exception for chapters informing the reader that the story has been abandoned - while it is monumentally annoying to go in for a new chapter of a story you love and get bitter disappointment, letting us know that we shouldn't bother waiting any more is just good manners. Use of "just who is xxxx" or "just what are you" or "just how powerful is xxxx" (particularly prevalent in Naruto crossovers). Use of "Now" as a general opener of sentences in dialogue (in excess, it is fine to use it occasionally just not so much that I notice a pattern). During letters or explanatory monologues the use of "yes that's right, that xxxx" or similar as if someone has asked a question when in reality they have not. Makes the character sound like a tool. Particularly common in back from the future style fics. Contrived losses or situations purely to maintain the Canon story. Be brave make your own plot. Characters interrupting an explanation to reiterate what has just been explained in summary form. This also counts if the explainee gives the return summary following the explanation instead of interrupting it. This practice is redundant and annoying. Almost always preceded by "so let me get this straight" Over use of foreign words because you can (made all the worse because they are often used incorrectly or in situations where a native speaker would not use them). Especially prevalent in Naruto and other Japanese sourced fics. The use of things like name suffixes for example is acceptable - there is no direct translation and removing it entirely would take from the culture being described in the story. Attack names are also OK as it adds to the mystique of the attack (it is nice to include a glossary for new attacks though). Going any further though is irritating and unnecessary - we get it, you can use google translate! As an addendum to the previous point miss spelling onii-chan/sama/san and onee-chan/sama/san the former being for "older brother" and the latter for "older sister". And they are not used for younger siblings if you are going to use it then at least use it right. To that end there is a glossary at the very beginning of the story id: 11610335 titled "The Vulpine Rabbit" aside from being an excellent story it has a very thorough description of honorifics as well as some (mostly Naruto related) other Japanese terms that I suggest aspiring authors take a look at. Crossovers and fanfics that aren't. If you change everything about a character and setting and just keep the name then you have just made an OC and the story is not about that source material eg. Naruto in a modern school setting with no chakra. That much is okay provided you also use the original cast or have the characters past as cannon (like perhaps he has been thrown into another dimension where his powers don't work). Many authors however also change attitude /personality, massively modify the back story, often change the appearance etc. At this point it's no longer a crossover and if it was originally just supposed to be just a Naruto fic then it's no longer even fanfiction - it's an original story with plagiarised character names. Exactly where the line is is subjective. Slash pairings with enemies. Not a fan of slash in general and don't actually read it most of the time anyway but the sheer number of say Harry/Snape or Harry/Draco or Harry/VOLDEMORT?! I mean come on people that's just stupid. Actually, strike that - enemy pairings in general are silly not just the slash ones. Flashbacks - hate them, they're just bad writing for the most part and they should be used sparingly if at all. They are mostly an attempt to imitate the style of anime which is a visual media but overlook the fact that flashbacks in anime are almost always added to pad an episode with annoying filler. This page has a couple of good alternatives: Alternatives to flashbacks. I will acknowledge that it can be done well but I have only read one story in recent memory that has done so. I forget which story or I would reference it for writers aspiring to use them. Time travel stories that decide since the main character has gone back in time the enemy should get to as well - If the situation is bad enough that time travel is warranted then the enemy is already powerful enough that sending them back as well usually results in an enemy so powerful the main character can only win via deus ex machina (which is what people are wanting to get away from when they read a time travel fic). If you need to give the enemy a boost then as an example you can do so by giving them a few initial wins because the person sent back forgot about the butterfly effect and relied on inaccurate future knowledge too much. Still on time travel, people who tried to hook back up with their future lover in the past (assuming they had a meaningful relationship and it wasn't just because the person was hot or something) would quickly find the experience of being around someone they love, who has no idea who they are, to be very painful, it would be like trying to substitute your lover with a cheap copy or lookalike - it wouldn't work. Better to just treat them as dead and move on as the younger version is essentially a different person. Building up a characters strength beyond canon and then nerfing them in every fight or having the enemy win via dues ex machina to maintain the canon plot line, if you're too scared to deviate from the original plot you really shouldn't bother writing. (Yes I do realise I am repeating myself on this one but it really irritates me - almost as much as author notes). Reader polls. Just write the story the way YOU want it and if we don't like it the tell us to f@%# off and write our own story! This is almost always the worst kind of review whoring. This does not apply if the author is genuinely having difficulty making a decision between two divergent plot events and wants a second opinion. I recall one author who instead presented two chapters and asked which was better and then deleted the inferior chapter and continued with the better one (which was kind of sad as they were both great and I wanted them both continued). CAPITALISED SHOUTING!

In Stargate

ZPMs should not ever need charging - that defeats the purpose of the technology. The thing that makes them so special is that they draw power from nothing. If you have to put power in first you aren't doing that. Having them take years to construct is also ridiculous but is more acceptable than charging if the author needs to nerf the technology so that the characters don't simply curb-stomp all opposition. Super huge pet hate! ANCIENT BEAMING TRANSPORTERS DO NOT FLASH! They just blur (the flashy ones are ASGARD transporters) . The beaming in the Ancient version is so fast and efficient that if you are transferred into an identical room you aren't even sure something has happened. Having some character bring in Ancient ships with fully functioning power sources and then trying to present the goa'uld as a credible threat. Because that's pretty much a joke.

In Harry Potter

Lordships. These are usually just an excuse for Harry to do pretty much whatever he wants most of the time. Pretty much enough said. Wasn't ever mentioned in the book and the cliché has become WAY too prevalent. If just one person reads this and decides not to use Lordships I will consider having taken the time to type this well spent. In fics with Lordships or Headship of some ancient house or another, ridiculous special privileges (that no other lord seems to have) like the power to for example nullify Narcissa Malfoys or Belatrix Lestrange's marriages even though they have been married for a decade and one of them has a kid. Irrespective of whether the couple wants the annulment or not. In the same vein, claiming dozens of dormant family names from everyone since Merlin. That for some strange reason none of his ancestors decided to claim and none of the other bloodline obsessed families who would be keeping track of all their neighbours' bloodlines too, knew about. If you want to give him a lot of money then consider an inheritance from a grateful elderly fan with no heirs following the big V's defeat, given how much the public seems to adore him pre-Hogwarts its actually plausible for someone to add him to their will - especially if their heirs were killed by death eaters. It even gives an excuse mid story, like say third year, for Harry to get his act together... say he receives an owl at dinner or during the holidays from Gringotts informing him that he needs to attend a will reading. Or just have him steal the philosopher's stone. Goblins fix everything for Harry fics. Particularly things like emancipation - Gringotts is just a bank. If you want to be emancipated you would need to visit the ministry and possibly attend some kind of hearing. Cannon pairings. Not really a shipper just not a fan of Ron. Or Draco. Or Snape. They should all die, that ridiculous redeem everyone kick JKR went on was pathetic. Getting a bit tired of the whole call him Voldemort shtick and the Voldie's a half blood reveal. I'd realy love to see a fic where he just insists on call him Tom and encourages everyone to do the same to demystify him - its just a childish anagram after all, no one with any self respect who knew that would dignify it by using it. Instead of Dark Lord refer to him as pathetic terrorist with daddy issues who's success came not from any great ability but merely from how lack-luster his competition was :) Blood status. How you can consider Harry a half blood when he had two magical parents... there needs to at the very least be another category for full bloods or something. Voldie's status is at the other end of the spectrum as a muggle-squib pairing he's actually much closer to muggleborn though half blood is at least technically correct for him. I have since had it pointed out to me that this is likely a reference to the laws the Nazis made about Jews, none the less I still think this is a different case as you cant really have someone with Jewish blood born to two non Jews.
As a point unrelated to pet hates, the fact that Voldemort remains magical even while disembodied conclusively proves that blood is unrelated to magical ability, it is clearly a property of the soul. Presumably the nature of the parents soul influences the childs which is why magic is more common to those with magical parents. Perhaps muggleborns had a mother who spent time in a highly magical area while pregnant... Food for thought. The Fifth house in the sorting. I've read a few humor fics that did it well but its weird as hell in a serious fic. Also what is with the one house one personality trait thing (smart OR cunning OR brave OR loyal), few point out how stupid that is in dialogue. Fics where for some reason Harry gets away with EVERYTHING up to and including assaulting/killing people in public and mouthing off the teachers and no one thinks anything of it. I think this one is mostly done by teenage authors who think acting bratty and shouting at everyone is cool. Massively apparent in the aforementioned Lordship fics. Detentions. Obviously beaten down Harry would simply bend over and take what's given, but what about all those stronger versions (and of course other people), why do they never just ignore detentions or refuse to show up and threaten to transfer schools? The best example of someone actually doing this that I've read is called "Itachi, Is that a baby?" it's hilarious, I'd recommend it. But for use in more serious fics you merely need Harry to call Dumbledore's bluff - what's he gonna do? Expel him? He needs Harry to off Voldemort. Partial metamorphmagus. Just don't like it, full metamorphmagus is fine. Usually used as an excuse to give him the power and then never have him use it. Multi/Magical Animagus - unless it is justified with some sort of extra effort and different method. (Maybe one that a prodigy version of Harry modified himself - it always bugs me that no-one has him make up his own spells - or Lily, that would work too) Also Animagus panther form - because everyone does that and it doesn't really fit him at all. I think the best one I've seen so far is a raven because the author justified it REALLY well. It flies (which is Harry's only real talent and also where he feels most at home), it likes shiny things, has a good match in personality and also there is some legend I can't remember properly where Britain will fall if the ravens leave which goes in well with the whole child of prophecy thing.

In Naruto

Sasuke. He's a douche and should not have been forgiven arbitrarily, particularly after his second betrayal. In that vein asspull sharingan powers. Sasuke sees chibaku tensei and suddenly he can use the version he moments ago needed Naruto's help to do. On NINE places at once, after a huge battle when the jutsu uses so much chakra it shortened Nagato's lifespan. And magically knows how to suck out and combine the chakra too? Authors pet character. Huge one. Kit as a pet name from Kurama. Not only does it never once happen in cannon even when they are friendly, it has been shown that to the bijuu names are very important and valuable things that deal with respect. If Kurama actually liked Naruto he would use his name. Not a diminutive. Drawing unnecessary and ridiculous comparisons between Naruto characters and characters from the other series in crossovers. No one looks at every person they meet and thinks, oh he's like kakashi with Lee mixed in. And she's like sakura. You just don't pigeon-hole people like that. Use of the word sochi. Just write son or Naruto! Sochi is an awkward word that serves no purpose but to prove that you can use google translate. This might seem strange considering I have no problem with onii-chan for example. There are a few reasons for this; the use of onii-chan vs onii-sama for example tells the reader something about the relationship between the siblings and thus adds to the story. There is also no equivalent in English. Sochi on the other hand translates directly to "son" and on top of that is not something a parent would often call their child directly - they just use their given names. The same is true of older siblings who would generally use a given name of a younger sibling rather than use imotou/ototou. Name swapping. His name is Uzumaki Naruto. NOT Naruto Uzumaki. This goes for every other character too. This one is admittedly low on the list of pet hates. S-Ranked stuff... just a little. I don't mind the concept but it's WAY too over-used (and mostly unnecessary), the way it's used at the moment they have simply replaced A. If you are going to use a rank that means special then it needs to be reserved for special circumstances like getting over 100% on a test. If they need an extra rank introduce E-Rank. Everything then gets ranked from E-A and then save S-Rank for the really broken stuff, like the Bijūdama, Susano-o, and the Hiraishin. Amaterasu is actually a good example, as a fire technique it way above and beyond any other and has special properties. Describing the Sandaime's law regarding Naruto's being the Kyuubi Jinchuriki as "S-Ranked"... seriously who ranks a law? Something is either illegal or it is not. Put a few extra words of effort and write something like "The Sandaime passed a law forbidding spreading his status and set the penalty for breaking the law at capital punishment." or even "The Sandaime declared it a village secret, informing anyone without permission is treason." You could justify that - the jinchuriki is supposed to be the villages (open) secret weapon after all. There are hundreds of other (probably better) ways to write it if you try. The hokage yelling "Take xxxxx to Ibiki/Anko/T&I" xxxxx usually being a villager or councillor, usually for rather small things or breaking the law regarding Naruto's status. The punishment for breaking the law is death not torture. The purpose of the T&I department is to use the T to get the I not punish misbehaving (otherwise loyal) citizens - that is what the prison is for. It is therefore warranted if the culprit is someone like, for example, Mizuki who obviously is working for an enemy they need to identify and to find out what else he might have sabotaged; It is not justified on random civilian A who got drunk on October 10th and decided to attack Naruto because he's a jinchuuriki. Hanyou Naruto. This one CAN be done well... but usually isnt. This mainly irks me because of the next point. Demon Kyuubi/Female (Human) Kyuubi. Kurama is a mass of living chakra shaped into a monstrous, genderless, fox with a masculine personality by the rikudo sennin nothing demonic about him. In fact he is closer to divine than demonic seeing as the origin of his (and all) chakra is the God Tree. Again this one CAN be done well - in fact one of my favourite stories on this site uses this concept - it just usually is done poorly and WAY too frequently. The idea of youki or demonic chakra because: see the previous point. It's just especially dense and large (in volume) chakra imbued with the bijuu's will/emotions (as is presumably all chakra imbued with the will/emotions of its creator - it is after all made of 50% spiritual/mental energy).

Highschool DxD

Adding new characters to the peerage by lowering the number of pawns Issei needs - he has a Longinus he needs all eight. Making up some random new piece to add the character and usually have it not give any benefits. If you're not going to outright replace Issei then just use the spare rook and if the character is super powerful make it a mutant rook - I haven't seen a single fic that ran long enough to introduce Rossweisse anyway. That's not even going into how an extra/special piece would make her ineligible for rating games. (You can always have Rossweisse added to the new character's or Issei's peerage later) Having the summoning circle not work for a new member of the peerage - that happened to Issei because he is pathetic and is super rare because nearly everyone has enough power to teleport straight after being reincarnated.