Most Overused Things In Smallville Fanfictions

[Bally]

My comments weren't intended as a dig at anyone. I know how hard it is to write something original and interesting, so hopefully my points come across as constructive criticism.

[Bally]

One of the most interesting aspects of threads like these is seeing how peoples' views of the characters evolved over time as the characters themselves evolved. What was once considered to be overuse becomes more and more appropriate and vice versa.

When this thread was started, the character of Lois on the show was far more abrasive and condescending than what she became from late-2008 and beyond. I would imagine that the majority of stories centred around the latter years presented her as a more mellow character in keeping with her development on the show.

It's unfortunate for Clark's character that he was portrayed with the Lana blinkers on for so long because that has influenced a lot of fiction involving his character, and has often lead to writers expressing their dissatisfaction with certain characters through their writing.

[Bally]

Both Lois and Clark feeling a surge of electricity when they touch. Usually this is written in fics as something that happens before they become a couple. I myself used a variation on the theme in 'Good Morning, Metropolis!' but I wrote it as a recollection of the spark between them at the end of 'Rabid' where he stopped her from punching him on the arm suggesting he might want something more than platonic friendship. As with most commonly used ideas, it's a tricky balancing act to prevent a story from becoming cliched.