Yes, I have encountered "good" author's notes.

In-text author's notes by Honu_Wahine on 2010-06-24 17:59:00 UTC Reply

Normally, I despise in-text author's notes. My agents are quite angry with me when they encounter them, and force them to live through the entirety of the note. However, on a rare occasion, one will appear that is quite amusing.

While reading a fairly-well written Harry Potter story (a crossover with Marvel; ye have been warned), I came across an amusing parody of the Sorting Hat's song--this author had no wish to take the one from the book, nor write one of her own.

That being said, here's the link to her version: Harry Potter and the Invincible TechnoMage . The whole story is actually well-written, if lacking in background in some areas.

So, have any of you encountered any author's notes that weren't bad, deplorable, or torch-worthy? Please, our readers want to know ( ~~Wait, that's just me!~~ )
Honu_Wahine

Yes, I have encountered "good" author's notes. by Calista on 2010-06-24 23:21:00 UTC Reply

Generally, breaking the fourth wall to speak to the reader directly isn't that good an idea; but quite a few good stories are written in a style that suggests the author is a storyteller, rather than simply an observer. For example, C. S. Lewis in The Silver Chair:

"After the meal they had tea, in tins (as you've seen men having it who are working on the road), and Puddleglum had a good many sips out of a square black bottle. He offered the children some of it, but they thought it very nasty."

It's not jarring; and it matches the tone of the story. The problem with author's notes isn't that they break the fourth wall; it's that they do so in a story that hasn't established that this is okay, either because the story is written as though it were being told by a storyteller

The other condition under which I've seen "good" author's notes is in a story that has already established a reputation for fourth-wall breaking for the purpose of humor. I remember, for example, a very silly story in which the author actually interacted with his characters; in that story, the characters heard the author's notes and responded to them. In general, though, that style only seems to match with humor and parody, and can't be used in stories that don't have some significant humorous element.

Kurt Vonnegut by Eclectus on 2010-06-27 23:47:00 UTC Reply

His Breakfast of Champions completely screwed the fourth wall to some level far below the ninth of hell. Vonnegut was interacting with his character (Kilgore Trout) /as the author/, with a godlike control over Trout.

On another note (no pun intended), another key characteristic of good author's notes is that they don't start with A/N, AN, A-N, or any variation thereof. It makes them part of the writing rather than something that smacks you in the face.

...I'm going to have to use that once I get Permission.
Oh, good point. by Neshomeh on 2010-06-24 23:29:00 UTC Reply

Using a storyteller as the narrative voice isn't usually done anymore, unless it's a first-person narrative. It's too bad, really. There's something pleasantly familiar about it, and it makes for excellent reading-aloud.

Of course, most ficcers wouldn't know the difference between narrator and author anyway, so it doesn't do them any good at all.

~Neshomeh
Sorry about the fragment in the second paragraph. by Calista on 2010-06-24 23:23:00 UTC Reply

Should read, "...they do so in a story that hasn't established that this is okay, either because the story is written as though it were being told by a storyteller, or because the tone of the story is humorous in a certain specific way."

Re: In-text author's notes by Elorie on 2010-06-24 22:38:00 UTC Reply

No, I haven't. But these are good! Thanks for sharing!
That looks to be a singular exception. by Neshomeh on 2010-06-24 22:11:00 UTC Reply

That author gets away with it for two reasons: One, it's funny, and two, it occupies a clear space in the text that doesn't distract from the story.

The problem with most in-text author's notes is that they come out of nowhere and distract from the story, often without saying anything useful. The general rule is, if it's really important, it should be included in the narrative. If it isn't really important, it can wait until the end of the chapter.

~Neshomeh, who has never used author's notes except at the beginning of the story on ff.net or at the end in other places.

I agree. by Sedri on 2010-06-25 04:25:00 UTC Reply

Were I she I would have put the note-song at the beginning or the end (probably the end), but as it's done I wouldn't have been much bothered.

Well... by OpinionedAngel on 2010-06-24 19:50:00 UTC Reply

I used to write in-story author's notes... but after a while I moved on to annotations and end chapter notes instead.
Re: In-text author's notes by Simon on 2010-06-24 19:33:00 UTC Reply

I actually used intext ANs on occasion. Then I came here and found out it was seen as bad form to do so.
So now I'm going to use endnotes instead.