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::chuckles:: I promise not to pummel anyone. I'm going to speak strictly as an author here, and not as staff, so keep that in mind. I love reviews. I love the quick "That was great!" reviews, and I love when someone takes the time to leave a long and thoughtful review chock full of the kind of concrit that will make me improve as a writer. I like to know what works, and I like to know what doesn't, because I'm not suffering from the delusion that I'm awesome. I'm good, but I can be better. Lots better. Now, I don't care if you want to leave me a quick line, and then come chat on my review thread. That's wonderful, and I'd love to hear the concrit portion there. I'm fine with forum PMs, too. But the whole point is that I like to know I'm not just wanking here. I like to know people are reading, and I like to know how they reacted to what I wrote. I don't always have a lot of time to leave long reviews, but I'll try to at least say something if I take the time to read a story. If I get the feeling an author wants real dialogue, as opposed to just pats and squeals of delight, I'm happy to chat more. That's how I've met some marvelous people. I won't fanpoodle, though. That is just beneath me, and anyone over the age of twelve, actually. You want blind adoration, get a dog. I'm more of a dragon myself.

I'm glad I found this thread. I wrote a bit of a rant on my bio in the archive section regarding this very thing shortly after I made an account. I've also recently emailed with a new author to AFF about it after she contacted me regarding a review I left (that she liked). I found that my viewpoint has morphed over the short time I've spent on AFF. I started out very indignant about the "lack of reviews" and decided to set an example by reviewing everything I read. I even soapboxed in a review about other non-reviewers. I didn't flame anyone, though, because if I didn't like the story within about 9 paragraphs, I'd leave without a review. Then I decided to write, for the first time. I figured that I should experience the other side for my reviews to be of any real value. I discovered the need and joy of getting reviewed. I lucked out because the fact that I had made an effort to review others, some returned the favour. This only fuelled my resolve to continue to review the stories I like. I had a momentary lapse of self-pity that some of the authors that I reviewed religiously, and was sometimes the only reviewer, had not honoured me with their opinion. However, I'm not upset anymore that others do not. Not everyone is in my headspace, feeling a responsiblity to support my fellow amateur writers. I'm here to express my creativity, a facet of my being that has been neglected for decades, and I'm happy not to be an expert or genius, but maybe I can give someone else a smile, someone whose not too picky that I'm not very professional. If I get one review, especially from someone whose writing I respect and enjoy, it's worth it. A single review means that you shared with someone, not much different than talking with friend or coworker and getting a response for your effort. That is why I won't be discouraged and will continue to write and review as much as I'm compelled to. While I really don't get why its hard to leave a review, I've accepted that situation as it is. Ranting doesn't change it. I never have a recaptcha problem. I always copy before I attempt and have only had it fail a couple of times, though my review didn't disappear. I even think that some of nonsense words are funny and worth exploring what their meaning could be. Has there been a topic on that?

I'm going to say this honestly... if you are here to get reviews, get out now. This isn't the place to do that. Some fandoms, especially those that cater to younger beings, get those no matter what craptastic, unreadable BS you put up but most of the fandoms don't get the kind of thing you are looking for, especially the older ones. Some stories, ones that have gone on forever, do get such things but newer ones from authors people don't know tend to not get the mega-hits or review counts. However, though reviews might be scarce as hen's teeth, that doesn't mean what you do get doesn't mean anything. Hell, I have a multitude of stories on this site that have been up for years that have no reviews. A few even came down to be published, and I don't mean self-published either, though they had no reviews on this site. Lack of reviews means nothing. It means that people aren't reviewing for their own reasons. You also need to take into account the concept of review karma, meaning the more YOU review, the more apt you are to get them in return. It does tend to work that way. Reviews are an odd thing. As so many have pointed out, many stories that get mega hits, reviews and rates aren't worth it and you wonder if those that did that read the same one you did while really good ones don't get such things. It just goes that way on all sites I've seen. In closing, I'll say this... if you like what you're doing and do it for your own reason, what difference do reviews make to you anyway?

Summer. I adore summer. I love dry heat, and sunbathing by the pool. I love not having to bundle up. And most of all, I love not having to worry about snow.