Do you find more acceptable if someone does not write a review if they have read your story/chapter/drabble but disliked very specific aspects of your writing
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Re: girl, this is not a scientific communitysaschiaSeptember 18 2007, 12:48:56 UTC
Now that is a problem. Because to stop bothering means to stop. And we don't want that I suppose.
I think that if you have something valuable to say, just say it. No matter that the addressee doesn't value it. Somebody else might. You are a reader and you have a right to say that some piece of work promised more that delivered and thus took your time which you could have invested into something better. Some better fic, for example. I have a problem in recent time - I would like to read some fics (except those that I am reading already). But with all ratings being between 95-100% how can I decide what to read and what to avoid? I go and look at works of my favourite authors, but they write slower than I read and I am not inclined to read rubbish just to read something.
And I think the good authors usually listen to their readers, that is the only way they could improve.
Bye the way, how are the Dragons? ;o) Both living and fictional?
Re: girl, this is not a scientific communitynatasnapeSeptember 18 2007, 16:49:53 UTC
Why don't I see more of your reviews then? *snicker*
Well, some recommendations then: Snape, A History is excellent and will remain so no matter what. I hope you have read Back in Black, it's a must especially for people like us, people that know. I just got into Traitor, but that one is hard to handle. WIPs that I eagerly follow and that are often updated are subversa's The Love You Take and anogete's Breathing Love. Bot these girls write their own specific Severus that I enjoy. Have you read A Walking Shadow? I skimmed it long time ago, but now that No Loyalty in the Moonlight has a break, I'm getting tempted again.
I just stumbled upon it...
anonymous
September 20 2007, 14:33:14 UTC
Somehow I just stumbled upon the fic and review you were ranting about. Well, I think you are right this time, although there were warnings of OOC character and parody status, it didn't mean that it would parody the bad fics, not the chalenge or cannon themselves. If the author used "warning: this is a parody of all cheesy fics" in her summary, then of course she would be right.
Well anyway, I almost read the story, fortunately I read the LJ first and put two and two together. I also don't like stories written just to show how badly written stories could exist if exceptionally stupid authors would write them. Just as I don't like Mr. Bean or similar parodies.
Re: I just stumbled upon it...southernwitch69September 21 2007, 03:45:58 UTC
The author did have a note saying that.
SW’s Note: As the title says, this is a parody of the Marriage Law. When I first discovered the challenge and read many of the stories out there (back before canon had changed so much and became so important to me), many of the things that I read resembled what’s included in this story-the off characterizations, plot, and dialogue. Hahaha! Have fun and don’t forget to snicker
( ... )
After your comment on my LJ, I've wandered over to peruse yours and found this interesting post.
I've had an interesting experience thus far with receiving reviews. I've had a post about it lingering around in my head for a while now, but I've not quite been able to articulate it. Perhaps I'll finally get around to writing that post.
I've been particularly lazy about leaving reviews for fics I find flawed in some way. I tend to be very forgiving when I read, but logical leaps in the plot or over-the-top melodrama in particular put me off. And usually I feel awkward for wanting to make suggestions that, really, their beta ought to have nudged them about. One example would be having Hermione vehemently protest something that goes against every fiber of her character, only to be convinced otherwise within two short dialogue exchanges. Perhaps I ought to leave a note in my review, but I usually don't have the energy to carefully craft a diplomatic response and I certainly can't handle provoking a comment war. :)
I personally feel like I'm cheating if I do not leave reviews. After all, that's the only payment the authors receive for their work. But all this backed me into a corner. Few people appreciate the reviews I write, so I do not write them any more or only to people who can handle it. Sad, really. Where is communication then? And how can a writer improve if she does not know what can be wrong with her story? Isn't concrit exceptionally functional? It sure is for me, and I welcome it wholeheartedly. Which makes me a freak, apparently.
I actually got rather paranoid around the time that chapter 3 of my story was published. I'd only received shiny, positive reviews. I think I may have had a couple that were along the lines of "Oh, you should have had the characters do *this*" but that's not really criticism, per se.
Then I looked at a couple of my reviewers and found that they seemed to ALWAYS leave glowing reviews, which seemed to tarnish them a bit.
I do have a hard time responding back to some reviews. I don't want to give anything away! I was particularly quiet for last chapter's reviews, since half were clamouring for lemons once our heroes awakened.
I will say, perhaps the reviews that have helped the most were inadvertent. I've had a couple that said my Snape was adorable. That sent me scurrying back over chapters to make sure he wasn't OOC. :)
I don't think I've read your story (or if I have, I've entirely forgotten it.... the number of stories whose plots I recall seems to dwindle daily). I'll have to put it on my list to read!
In my story, most people asked me to explain the magic working there - a clear indication that 1/ I did not write it well and there are mistakes (were, several in fact), 2/ the topic is too difficult for this length. So I tried to keep that in mind when adapting the principle for an original story. No luck with getting it published yet though.
If/When (I'm hopeful, you see) you read my story, let me know what you think. ;o)
Comments 18
Welcome in real life !
(Did I ever mention that I am a naive cynical pessimist?)
Reply
But you might be right. Why bother. Why bother at all.
Reply
I think that if you have something valuable to say, just say it. No matter that the addressee doesn't value it. Somebody else might. You are a reader and you have a right to say that some piece of work promised more that delivered and thus took your time which you could have invested into something better. Some better fic, for example.
I have a problem in recent time - I would like to read some fics (except those that I am reading already). But with all ratings being between 95-100% how can I decide what to read and what to avoid? I go and look at works of my favourite authors, but they write slower than I read and I am not inclined to read rubbish just to read something.
And I think the good authors usually listen to their readers, that is the only way they could improve.
Bye the way, how are the Dragons? ;o) Both living and fictional?
Reply
Well, some recommendations then: Snape, A History is excellent and will remain so no matter what. I hope you have read Back in Black, it's a must especially for people like us, people that know. I just got into Traitor, but that one is hard to handle. WIPs that I eagerly follow and that are often updated are subversa's The Love You Take and anogete's Breathing Love. Bot these girls write their own specific Severus that I enjoy. Have you read A Walking Shadow? I skimmed it long time ago, but now that No Loyalty in the Moonlight has a break, I'm getting tempted again.
Any suggestions yourself?
Reply
Well, I think you are right this time, although there were warnings of OOC character and parody status, it didn't mean that it would parody the bad fics, not the chalenge or cannon themselves.
If the author used "warning: this is a parody of all cheesy fics" in her summary, then of course she would be right.
Well anyway, I almost read the story, fortunately I read the LJ first and put two and two together. I also don't like stories written just to show how badly written stories could exist if exceptionally stupid authors would write them. Just as I don't like Mr. Bean or similar parodies.
Reply
Reply
SW’s Note: As the title says, this is a parody of the Marriage Law. When I first discovered the challenge and read many of the stories out there (back before canon had changed so much and became so important to me), many of the things that I read resembled what’s included in this story-the off characterizations, plot, and dialogue. Hahaha! Have fun and don’t forget to snicker ( ... )
Reply
Reply
I've had an interesting experience thus far with receiving reviews. I've had a post about it lingering around in my head for a while now, but I've not quite been able to articulate it. Perhaps I'll finally get around to writing that post.
I've been particularly lazy about leaving reviews for fics I find flawed in some way. I tend to be very forgiving when I read, but logical leaps in the plot or over-the-top melodrama in particular put me off. And usually I feel awkward for wanting to make suggestions that, really, their beta ought to have nudged them about. One example would be having Hermione vehemently protest something that goes against every fiber of her character, only to be convinced otherwise within two short dialogue exchanges. Perhaps I ought to leave a note in my review, but I usually don't have the energy to carefully craft a diplomatic response and I certainly can't handle provoking a comment war. :)
Reply
I personally feel like I'm cheating if I do not leave reviews. After all, that's the only payment the authors receive for their work. But all this backed me into a corner. Few people appreciate the reviews I write, so I do not write them any more or only to people who can handle it. Sad, really. Where is communication then? And how can a writer improve if she does not know what can be wrong with her story? Isn't concrit exceptionally functional? It sure is for me, and I welcome it wholeheartedly. Which makes me a freak, apparently.
Reply
Then I looked at a couple of my reviewers and found that they seemed to ALWAYS leave glowing reviews, which seemed to tarnish them a bit.
I do have a hard time responding back to some reviews. I don't want to give anything away! I was particularly quiet for last chapter's reviews, since half were clamouring for lemons once our heroes awakened.
I will say, perhaps the reviews that have helped the most were inadvertent. I've had a couple that said my Snape was adorable. That sent me scurrying back over chapters to make sure he wasn't OOC. :)
I don't think I've read your story (or if I have, I've entirely forgotten it.... the number of stories whose plots I recall seems to dwindle daily). I'll have to put it on my list to read!
Reply
In my story, most people asked me to explain the magic working there - a clear indication that 1/ I did not write it well and there are mistakes (were, several in fact), 2/ the topic is too difficult for this length. So I tried to keep that in mind when adapting the principle for an original story. No luck with getting it published yet though.
If/When (I'm hopeful, you see) you read my story, let me know what you think. ;o)
Reply
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