If you are an avid reader and book collector, it's likely you've built up a few pet peeves over time in regards to the physical appearance of books and an author's approach to storytelling. Here are five of mine:

1. Seeing people on book covers

I don’t know about you, but whenever I come across something like a model posed in front of a photo-manipulated background as cover art, I literally want to scream. Book covers are supposed to be creative and attention grabbing, but nothing is more aggravating than finding a potentially good story matched up with a tacky book cover.

I wonder, who thought it would be a great idea to slap some random person on the front of a book and call it a day? Most readers prefer to come up with an image of the book’s main character as they read. So, I hate it when that image is distorted by underwhelming cover art.

Publishers, stop going ahead with these poor excuses for book covers. Readers deserve better. Writers deserve better.

Artists in charge of coming up with cover art, paint us a picture of the story inside. Hint at the mysterious world I’m about to be tossed into. Give me a small taste of the journey I’m going to embark on. Then, and only then, call it a day.

2. Trilogies

First off, you should know that I have nothing against writers who enjoy writing trilogies. I think they have a place on every reader’s book shelf. I own several that I read often. That said, I’ve noticed a trend in the book industry that dictates the length of many (and I mean many) fantasy/adventure series. Stories that fall under these categories just love to come in three’s. This bugs me.

I get that trilogies are popular and some are super successful. But the majority of stories written for the purpose of gaining readers do not need to drag on for three books. Not only is it unnecessary in most cases, but it also makes it seem as if every author writing within this genre follows this pattern simply because they want to make it big.

When I see a trilogy now, I can’t help feeling suspicious of the author. Were they trying to tell a good story and came to the conclusion that they needed three books to do so? Or, were they influenced by their contemporaries, whose insanely popular work fills YA book shelves? I dislike avoiding books that adhere to this trend and I’m sure I’ve missed out on some great series because of it. But I strongly feel that most series don’t require three installments.

To writers everywhere, if you can, try focusing on a single story. And then, if you find that you need to keep writing, do so. Otherwise, put your all into one book and I promise you, if the story is good and the characters genuine, your work will shine and become precious to readers lucky enough to discover it.

3. The continuation after the trilogy

I can’t believe this even needs to be said, but writers and publishers, this money-making strategy is not fool proof. Just because you pop out another book in the series, doesn’t mean I’m going to drop everything to run out and buy it. Although I am an avid book collector, I only bring home stories I’ve grown deeply attached to.

Many series have a successful three-book run, but by the fourth, some just feel so uninspired. Often, continuations fill me with the idea that the author tried too hard to squeeze content out of themselves in order to fill the page with something. Anything. What results, is a rushed story with plot holes and characters flatter than the paper the book is printed on.

After a successful trilogy ends, new ideas tend to be in order. Authors who choose to continue a series, unfortunately, don’t have any. And that’s fine, if they instead decide to go on a writer’s break and wait for inspiration to hit them. But if they take a good story, strap it to a chair, and beat it continuously, it will simply die.

So, writers, if you need time to come up with fresh content, please take it. Don’t fall into the continuation trap.

4. Female characters who don’t know when to shut up

Now, because I’m doing my best to keep this article as nice as possible, I won’t mention any books in particular, but for writers out there who think that strong female characters should be portrayed as sarcastic and bitchy, think again. Within the last year, I tried to sit through two popular series that made this deplorable mistake and I swear, after a hundred pages or so of the protagonist being flat out rude and snappish, I wondered why none of the other characters had taken a baseball bat to her head.

I’m kidding.

But on a serious note, a girl with a bad attitude is not my idea of a strong female character. A girl who can’t help but make her companion or love interest feel like a doormat is not someone I’m going to root for. So, I hope writers who find themselves penning these god awful females put a stop to it right now. Not every girl eager to break out of the stereotypical mold needs to be as prickly as a porcupine.

5. The infuriating love triangle

Oh dear, where do I begin?

Love triangles can be a lot of fun to read and write. But, you know what’s not fun? Reading a book or series of books wherein two guys are hung up on the same girl forever and ever, amen.

In fiction, a female protagonist is considered lucky if she’s got a pair of handsome lookers fighting over her. And yet, what typically occurs by the end of the story is that one of the guys involved gets dumped while the other runs off with the protagonist into the sunset. This unrealistic and cliche portrayal of romance is what really grinds my gears.

In reality, if one party in a love triangle is indecisive for a very long time, chances are someone is bound to opt out of the group to avoid ending up humiliated. Two’s company; three’s a crowd.

No sensible guy is going to continue chasing after a love that’s destined to end in bitter rejection. There always comes a point (and it usually happens early on) where he’ll give up and stop chasing or find someone else to go after. And writers, do not tell me that there aren’t other available girls living in your fictional world, because I know there are. Which is why, I prefer a well written love square. But hey, as long as we can all stop pretending that guys this ridiculous actually exist, I’ll be satisfied.