So one of the first things I noticed was that I was better able to see the course a story would go, especially in short-form media like movies or TV shows. I have gotten really meta with how I see a plot turn happening and which ones are foreshadowed.

I don't necessarily need to follow the clues in the show. I just look at the other things the writers provide, like focus on an object, or apply knowledge of how publishers or producers won't allow for bold decisions that disrupt the status quo. It gives a good surprise when I'm wrong, but I'm very not fun if people press me for my opinion on something they watched/read.

Other things I notice is when a voice/perspective changes or when the pacing takes a sudden spike. Or I'll notice that a writer is making me do the 'emotional labor.' Like they'll kill off a character and I'm expected to be sad as though I'll draw on my experiences with reading about other better stories that kill off a similar character. Or they'll write romance tropes and think that stacking them up will make it seem romantic. I guess I'm better able to sense cynical tactics.

For fiction, I'll look for consistent characterization and I keep an eye out for a drop in quality. I trust my gut more. Sometimes I would notice the quality would dip after the first 100 pages (which is what publishers might look at) and stick it out. Also this one is subjective, but dialogue tags can be a red flag. Using 'said' is such an unobtrusive word compared to strange verb choices (fun fact, JK Rowling once used the word 'ejaculated' instead of 'said' in one of her books.)

For nonfiction, I'll look for authenticity. Like you can usually tell when a character was added or removed to make a story more palatable for general audiences. I will also look for the intended narrative vs the actual facts. I'll give credit to leftist spaces like this though. Things like Citations Needed really helped me find the hidden intent behind writing or a biopic, especially when it's fictionalized.

Short stories, one red flag is an author who's afraid they'll miss out on important details/character info. They might overload the beginning portion when it's okay for the character development to be vaguer. You don't have the word count to go into intricate back-stories and really, short stories are usually more about either the plot or characterization - not both.

Full-length books, chapter titles bug me, especially if they're unsubtle. And character/voice/perspective changes are best used sparingly. Even if you're well-read, a writer leading you around everywhere is confusing and difficult to parse.