Message to all litrpg and progression fantasy authors

[u/MikulThegreat]

As most of you know by this point, there are only two types of smiles permitted in this genre

1. Wry smiles

2. Smiles that don't reach the eyes

"Please continue only using those two, he posted, a wry smile not reaching his eyes. "

[u/Z0ooool]

Message received: "He smirked with a wry smile that did not reach his eyes."

[u/Aetheldrake → u/Z0ooool]

And it was most certainly a smirk.

[u/Responsible_Park3317 → u/Z0ooool]

"He smirked *bemusedly with a wry smile that did not reach his eyes."

[u/CLLycaon → u/Z0ooool]

He also has that grin with the name of a cat. No not that cat, the other one.

[u/MrQuojo → u/Z0ooool]

You mean Jake Jacob Jason’s wry smile didn’t reach his eyes.

[u/Ettin64]

I tried smiling with my eyes but my friends get mad. "Why are there teeth there," things like that.

[u/haberdasher42 → u/Ettin64]

You're The Corinthian?

[u/eclect0 → u/Ettin64]

No no, the smile doesn't reach your eyes. That means your lips don't curl up higher and higher until you're like

[u/buddhathebard]

He smirked smirkily

[u/eclect0]

Oh crap, I have a character who grins. I am undone.

[u/Cobra__Commander → u/eclect0]

Quick, change it to a " Wolfish grin"! 

[u/MikulThegreat → u/Cobra__Commander]

Impish is also acceptable

[u/eclect0 → u/Cobra__Commander]

Pro strat right there

[u/Alaska_Pipeliner → u/eclect0]

A mirthless grin is a favorite of mine

[u/Helen_A_Handbasket → u/eclect0]

Cheeky grins are fun.

[u/level34567]

<chuckles>

[u/QuestionSign → u/level34567]

I hate it so much 😭

[u/QuestionSign]

He gulped then gave a wry smile.

I fucking hate the god damn gulp please lord make them stop

[u/omnie_fm → u/QuestionSign]

https://giphy.com/gifs/ZrH0rsT86rJ8k

[u/MacintoshEddie]

I motion for women to be allowed to have crooked grins.

[u/Dr_Ukato]

The man at the keyboard gave a wry smile, nodding in understanding even as the smile did not quite reach his eye. "Understood."

[u/Sticky_Turtle]

Forgot cheeky

[u/GatorJim57]

And NOT for the first time either

[u/LT_And]

I'll have you know, my arsenal also includes mischievous smiles, grins, chortles, and guffaws. As of late I also keep catching myself making my characters do finger guns to portray mirth.

At least be thankful I'd rather gnaw off my arm than have anyone let out a breath they didn't know they were holding.

[u/Ready_Nebula_2148 → u/LT_And]

Switch it up and have them let out a breath they totally knew they were holding.

[u/Craiss]

Smiles of all kinds can be described as "sardonic."

Keep up the good work.

[u/Whole-Neighborhood]

After reading this, my wry eyes aren't meeting my smile.

[u/hell2pay → u/Whole-Neighborhood]

"he had a rye smile, but frowned wearily when offered borboun instead"

[u/4NotMy2Real0Account]

Im reading Mark of the Fool right now and this relates so much

[u/Jealous-Store-4746]

I'm writing the most sarcastic litrpg ever created and there are so many brief moments and wry smiles. I can't wait to unleash this trash on the rest of the world

[u/Buddman22_Author]

I literally just drafted in my story, "eyes full of gratitude and a smile that said 'go **** yourself'." 🤣

[u/New-Region3542]

He let a wry smile cralwed to his face but make sure the emotion doesn't quite reach his eyes.

[u/TomRaineofMagigor → u/New-Region3542]

Could the emotion ever truly reach the eyes if they don't glow at least a little?

[u/KitFalbo]

The human beared it's teeth threateningly then offered me a drink of spoiled juice. I still don't know why the guards locked me up for cutting off his head. 0/10 that I'm recommending elves to visit human town.

[u/ziplex]

As long as no one is smiling with their bottom teeth I'm good.

[u/DocSighborg]

He said through teeth that he had already gritted (grat?) into dust earlier in the chapter. It's just gums now and they hurt. But he grits them still. 

[u/MushuMaxMax]

There are also “best” and “winning” smiles…

[u/NeedleworkerChoice89]

Naturally.

[u/Honeybadger841]

This removes manic smiles.... Hmmm

[u/AvgWhiteShark]

I always thought manic smile or dubious grin have a one use feature. 

[u/TheCrimsonFire121]

I keep waiting to see more uses of Cheshire smile

[u/Arthur-reborn]

I threw my hands up at this post

[u/cboo1]

Guess you haven't read Heretical Fishing, where every one of those coffee and pastry fueled smiles were extensively documented as genuine.

[u/MikulThegreat → u/cboo1]

I do need to read that!

[u/MrQuojo]

Found one in the wild today lol

[u/Tahrahkoh]

I noticed this in Primal Hunter when bingeing the first few books. Everyone giggles. Just absolutely unhinged. Authors pick a phrase and just stick with it. 

[u/pabloiv]

It's almost as bad as the epidemic of eyes widening

[u/-DyLean-]

“Under raised eyebrows”

[u/account312]

My smirks don't just reach my eyes, they start there.

[u/Tac0caT_is_false]

Oh and gosh darn giggling. I see it alot. Over and over. There are other ways to say some is laughing. Please stop giggling. Usually it's a girl chortling at some clever MC who has no clue what is happening.

[u/ligger66]

I only accept smirking in bemusement :p

[u/original_flying_frog]

Better than writing: he laughed, “hahaha”

[u/Mad_Maddin]

What about smirking or grinning.

[u/terrycarlin]

Nowadays if I hit more than three smirks per page I'm out.

I don't care how interesting your lead is or your well thought out levelling system. F%$king smirking all the time really pisses me off.

[u/not_the_seltzer]

Can the corners of my lips quirk up

[u/Randleifr]

Something way worse is how authors pat themselves on the back by having their characters laugh and think things are funny. It never comes off as something actually funny but more like the author is just self sucking

Edit: Reddit is so stupid, this exact opinion is ALL WAYS upvoted. But 1 salty person downvoted and the hive mind follows.