BronxWench

On a side note: I hate the phrase "grammar Nazi" - it marginalizes a series of events that cost over 10 million people their lives, and nearly destroyed several nations as well as introducing a terrifying amount of power into play that shaped the formation of politics and world events for the next sixty years (and continues to do so). I'm not a fascist because I think someone should respect the language in which they write and attempt to communicate effectively in it in order to tell their story.
I know that's off topic for the thread, but semantics generate reviews, accuracy generates reviews, and the ability to effectively communicate generates reviews.
And now, back to your regularly scheduled discussion.

Laughing so hard as I catch up on this thread right now. I took all of several years worth of reviews from the two sites I posted on, the good, bad, and ugly. Now I am completely revamping a whole series at the moment and moving them to this site in the Initial D archive section.
Looks like I must warn everyone that I helped a dear friend who is a reading fanatic to get onto this site. She doesn't write, but she will review anything that catches her eyes. Every single chapter . . . Not even kidding here. She and I met when I was an active Urbis contributing writer who royally sucked at the time.
For 10 years, any site I start posting on, she starts combing through looking for gems to entertain herself. She's partially paralyzed and something of a shut in so she does have plenty of time. The reason she has stuck with me for so many years is she likes my way of turning phrases. She has helped me get even better at finding new ways with words.
Please be nice to OldOwl if she does review your work. She's one incredible asset if you look at her review with an eye for "maybe I can fix that little problem" mindset. She tells me every single typo and every grammar problem, and I absolutely love her for it. She's helped me improve my writing greatly over 10 years. Sometimes she goes on character kicks, and sometimes she's a grammar Nazi, but OldOwl is one of the greatest assets any writer could ever befriend.
She broke me of the horrific bad habit of not being well versed in which character was talking to the other. Now I have that trait down pat. She is the reason I learned to use idioms, catch phrases, and other tricks like stuttering and other personality keying factors to make the character personalities clear through the way they spoke to each other. I can assure everyone she is worth listening to when she does tackle a project. After all, I'm pig headed and she tackled me and won me over. ROFL.
Frankly, this is the first time she has reviewed any of my work without growling that she should have known which character was talking without the proverbial Character 1 said and Character 2 replied tags.

Oh, I said that, once upon a time - and grew into understanding my needs as they changed and expended into, for me, more than submission. Again, it's a YMMV. Each person has her own needs - for some, it's a totality, for others, it's not so much. There's no right answer, no great status to one or the other. Writing your own story, on your personality or a piece of paper is all there is - and it's a darned nifty thing to see where it can go.
A lot of people seem to think that slaves lack personality or are the proverbial submissive doormats - those people don't understand that it takes a great deal of strength to yield and being giving, obedient, and flexible doesn't mean a slave can't have a spark and kick to her personality.

Given the right person, I might very well have chosen to explore submission. I would, however, make a miserable slave. I can't offer the obedience required of a slave, It's just not part of my make-up.

I have to say, I had one reviewer elsewhere who did the good, the bad and the ugly when he reviewed. He was harsh, exacting, and almost universally hated, and the first time he left me a review I read it twice, re-read my chapter and PM'd him to discuss some of what he'd said because it was utterly valid.
I wound up actually enjoying verbally fencing with him, and while there were times I disagreed with his critiques as being purely opinion and therefore inherently a matter of personal bias, he made me think and grow as a writer. He could have been nicer, and he wasn't nearly as good a writer as he was a reviewer, but there was gold in his criticism.
So, if I got a review like the one above, I'd re-read my chapter or story, and try to see it from the perspective of the reviewer. Even if I didn't agree fully, I can almost bet there'd be something in that review that would help me improve. Then again, I'm serious about writing, and I'm serious about improving my writing.
But the idea of sandwiching concrit between layers of positive comments is a good one as a general rule of thumb. People are always more receptive if they don't feel defensive, and criticism tends to make us defensive, doesn't it?

I'll be perfectly honest. I have had the oh-so-delightful experience of being attacked personally for my role as a moderator. It's stupid, and childish, and not what I expected from people on this site, but I tend to give people more credit than they deserve, it seems. Apparently, not only did these bullies never bother to actually read the Terms of Service and Content Guidelines that they agreed to when making their account, they find it unreasonable for us to expect them to actually comply with it.
Although we now use a separate moderator account for our work here, I don't think I'm alone in remaining reluctant to expose myself to the bullshit of retaliation reviews. While I'm intelligent enough not to take the content to heart, I'm also hampered in how I can respond because I am a mod for the site, and even in my "personal" role, what I do and say reflects on the site as a whole. I know that standing up to bullies works, but I can't do that, and silence only encourages that particular form of vermin, whereas I'd rather hold up a mirror and force them to confront their own blindingly evident inadequacies.
Even worse, they help to alienate readers and authors who would otherwise leave reviews that were meaningful and contained useful concrit. I enjoy being told what worked, but even more so, I want to know what doesn't work. I will never improve if I don't know where I'm lacking, and I'm not delusional enough to think I don't have vast room for improvement. I particularly resent losing the gorgeous and invaluable concrit from ShadowKnight, and the blunter but no less cherished concrit from wanderingaddict. They kept me going when I started writing here, and I've taken their advice to heart, to my great benefit.
The utter nadir, though, is seeing writers with talent and potential crushed by bullies who unleash the full fury of their minions on someone who dares to leave a less than fanpoodling review. It's not in my scope of authority, but I'd cheerfully ban those bullies without a moment's hesitation. I never permitted my children to throw tantrums in public and if certain users want to behave like children, I'm more than happy to administer swift parental response. Being an adult comprises more than just having reached a certain chronological benchmark.

All of the responsibility rests with the Dom.
It is hard to write a responsible story with a good Dom, keeping in mind the controls the D would want in place and the boundaries that the /s wants to push or experience. It isn't the relationship most outsiders think it is. The D is the responsible party and the /s has all the power. That makes a D/s completely different from a M/s IMHO.

This is a great article, and, while I don't have a quibble with it, I'd also like to point out that the terminology depends on the couple - and if they want to call it M/s, it's not my job to say that their label has it all wrong.
My own definition is that a submissive has "no" and a slave doesn't, however, that definition is different for everyone - and it's also very difficult, as a writer, to express the deep connection of an M/s relationship and to prove the lack of "no" without a serious conflict that may simply not exist in the story being told.
(Gracious, those pronouns were silly.)

One of the things that drives me crazy is seeing a Master/slave relationship portrayed as Dominant/submissive. The two relationships are NOT interchangeable, at all.
I'm going to post a link to a site that has probably one of the best explanations of the two terms, and I urge anyone who wants to write a real D/s relationship to read this.
A Slave is Not a Submissive
The author uses rather silly gender neutral pronouns, granted, but the definitions are superb.

One of the things that drives me crazy is seeing a Master/slave relationship portrayed as Dominant/submissive. The two relationships are NOT interchangeable, at all.
I'm going to post a link to a site that has probably one of the best explanations of the two terms, and I urge anyone who wants to write a real D/s relationship to read this.
A Slave is Not a Submissive
The author uses rather silly gender neutral pronouns, granted, but the definitions are superb.

One of the things that drives me crazy is seeing a Master/slave relationship portrayed as Dominant/submissive. The two relationships are NOT interchangeable, at all.
I'm going to post a link to a site that has probably one of the best explanations of the two terms, and I urge anyone who wants to write a real D/s relationship to read this.
A Slave is Not a Submissive
The author uses rather silly gender neutral pronouns, granted, but the definitions are superb.

One of the things that drives me crazy is seeing a Master/slave relationship portrayed as Dominant/submissive. The two relationships are NOT interchangeable, at all.
I'm going to post a link to a site that has probably one of the best explanations of the two terms, and I urge anyone who wants to write a real D/s relationship to read this.
A Slave is Not a Submissive
The author uses rather silly gender neutral pronouns, granted, but the definitions are superb.

Mau, I would suggest that you go back a couple pages here and reread what was said about authors killing chances at getting reviews. In your case, it's probably a contributing factor.

But... butbutbutbutbut.... I like fanpoodles
Lol, just kidding. No I completely agree with what you said. We need reviews to tell us we're doing fine, they give us comfort and security. In how you present yourself through PM's and A/N depends also on whether you get reviews. Which is a factor not a lot of people consider or realize. I am not a big chat-fan per se... I talk to much at home lol, so I don't always say a lot at forums and stuff >_>. But at the end of the day reviews have to be appreciated for good or bad. Especially those long essays that blatantly expose every insecurity you've ever harbored.
But then again those silly fan-drooling posts where they act all silly and make you feel like the awesomest writer ever... it really does something special to the cynical bastard inside us all.
Like shuts it up for a few minutes
It's always the dillema I think we all face. That mix and match feeling of anger and depression when we don't get any recognition for the work we put into a story.
Oddly enough when we wait that long for a review we usually appreciate them alot more, even if they're a two word review along the lines of 'Dis AWESOME!". And at the same time when we get instant gratification, like they review two minutes after you post, you feel great but unless it's a long review, we usually feel a little peeved and cheated. Like mostly we think... "why aren't you telling me how awesome my dialogue is?" It's not wrong it's just most of us are very insecure about these types of things! O_o
I think all fanfiction writers (maybe men excluded) will always have that self conciouse and insecure teenage girl inside of us. It's like the night before prom or some other big dance. Eveyrone's telling you you look fine and you look great, and some of us will say "No! Are you an absolute twat? EVERYONE is going to be there, I need to look good!"
Others will say, "I don't really care, let's just get going," and some more might even say "I look great, I'm going to be soooo pretty!"
But when you get there all of us turn into that insecure one. Because we want to look good, and part of us want to be noticed and when someone drops a comment on our dress. It feels awesome. Not because we're vain but we went through a lot of trouble to look this good, and its nice to be noticed, even by a passerby. And it's always special when people you don't even know tell you you look beautiful.
But no matter how many times we go through it, everytime you put on a new dress and get ready for the next dance or wedding, the same butterfiles will come, the same insecuriteis and until someone tells you you look good, you won't be able to breathe.
*clears throat*
I think this post ran away with me >_>

Firstly, I'd like to welcome all the new users we're seeing daily! Glad to have you here! Please do familiarize yourself with the Terms of Service and Content Guidelines. This IS a moderated archive.
Moderation Status (2013)
Updated monthly. March report is here.
Dribs, Drabs and Doggy Tales
This is now in its 3rd year! There has been a bit of a change to it. Rather than a weekly one word prompt, it's now every two weeks, and three words. Use any or all of them for your submission! Current prompt is here.
Newly published authors
From time to time, we come across in the archive where one of the users is picked up by a publisher. Congratulations!
Since 2011, here are the ones I know of:
Cursed by Dragons – Dreamspinner Press
Savagehunger47 – Silver Publishing
pittwitch – Torquere Press
Rules Recap
tagging issues -
Tags/story codes are required when you add a story. We've often seen where an author has them added properly, then goes back and edits them out. For that matter, you cannot add a story to the archive without at least one tag added. The tags identify for the users whether the story has content that he or she may not want to read, generally because that particular thing tagged for is a squick.
If an author is concerned that perhaps adding all story tags in the summary will act as a spoiler, there is another way to do it. You add the tags that apply throughout the story to the summary. Then, in the chapter where a specific tag is needed, you would add that at the top, first line. For example, there are many stories which have noncon within the story, but that is but a small part OF the story. The chapter it would apply in, is where you'd add the tag RapeFic. This gives your readers the option of skipping the chapter entirely, where it's tagged with something the reader finds offensive.
Using the story code definitions is not the same as adding the specific story codes/tags to the summary itself.
Bear in mind that you only have 240 characters including spaces with which to write your summary and add the needed tags. Where you know for certain you will exceed this, simply add the tags that apply to the whole story in the first chapter (you still need to have something in the summary, but we do understand where you can and will run out of room).
Unauthorized advertising
Unauthorized advertising is where an author links to a site to buy something. Most of the time where we see this, it is to something like Amazon, or some other site where the author self publishes. We have nothing against people publishing original works for pay. In fact, we love to see it! However, advertising is a service the site provides to pay the hosting and any other costs it may incur. For that reason, we cannot allow users to link to sites where product and/or services are offered for payment.
There is a difference between unauthorized advertising and an offsite redirect. An offsite redirect is where the user links to something such as their story on another site, videos, that sort of thing.
When we come across unauthorized advertising, or insufficient/improper story tags, those stories are immediately hidden. In order to get the story visible again, the problem which caused it to be hidden needs to be corrected first.
Trolls
We've seen a bit of an uptick of users who post stories which have no purpose than to upset the readers in that particular world. Parody is one thing, and that's allowed. What I'm referencing is something different, your classic troll. If it's determined that a user is in fact a troll, not only is that user and content deleted, the user is permanently banned. Please remember that we do not censor or QC, so if a story is flatly dreadful, but not posted with intent to piss off everyone reading it, we do leave it alone.
Disclaimers
Kindly remember to follow the format as outlined for disclaimers, whether it is fanfiction, original fiction, fanfiction based on a work in the public domain, or real person fiction. There are different requirements for each type of work I've mentioned. As with the summary field, the disclaimer field also has a 240 character (including spaces) limit.
Repeat Offenders
From time to time, we will encounter a user who is repeatedly warned about the same issue. This is NOT the vast majority of our users, but just a few, here and there. Should we find over a period of time (and it does take a fair amount of time, many months) that a user consistently refuses to comply, that user will ultimately be deleted. I've even had to add a user to the Hall of Shame for this. So that is another option, if need be.
Old Minors
These are users that registered before their 18th birthday, with registration dates through 12-31-08. What this means to these users, is that if they have stories published, as long as the story was published after the user's 18th birthday, it will stay as will reviews left after the 18th birthday as well. As this is an ADULT site, and it's clearly stated users must be 18 or over, I am obligated to remove any content added by a minor. It doesn't matter how old it is, what matters is the user's age at time of posting.
Current minors, meaning users who create a login before their 18th birthday, from 1-1-2009 to present, when they're found, they're deleted. There is no exception made if the user is currently 18 or over, meaning we found you after your 18th birthday.

Please remember that the authors you read like to hear from you! Leave them a review, or two!

Well, now. This makes for a really, really slow tag, since I was tagged about 28 months ago. Better late than never, I hope. I don't think my answers are necessarily as interesting as most of the above. Here they are anyway...
Tomoe's ♥♥ FanFiction Writer's Meme ♥♥


1. How about a brief introduction of yourself?
Former software dev until hit by downsizing and health issues. Was avid consumer of many books and certain games. for decades, dabbling in several creative areas.

2. Fabulous! And what got you into fanfiction to begin with?
Read a few early Trek zines but decided texts higher priority. Fast forward to a period where a friend told me about online fanfiction when book budget was very lean and I was playing a year old CRPG. At the end I was outraged by the ending, where tropes weren't subverted but used like a bludgeon on their paying customers for dev convenience instead of playing by the rules of that universe. If they can't abide by the universe rules, or the rules they make themselves, they're pretty lazy writers.
So I wrote a sequel to fix many of the dangling plotholes, reweaving in dropped characters and events, letting many characters have places to shine.

3. I see, so what kind of fanfiction do you like to write?
Usually most of mine are on the long side and/or connected to side stories, so I can feature more than one set of leads. Genre for a story can vary from adventure/redemption, to a farce wedding with nasty political undertones, to eldritch elder god swallow the city. Character studies and parody are free of charge. I usually try for realistic fantasy with grit, drama, angst, and a little romance, in strong rotating first person.

4. Do you tend to write the same pairings/characters? Or are you a fandom whore?
Usually the same pairings from only a couple fandoms; remember I usually start writing when I'm angry with how the professionals messed up. Any others are shorter pieces.

5. What is your more popular fanfic and why do you think people like it so?
My most popular fanfic is what I call riddles that are answered by all the sidekick characters in a CRPG. The point was to help me get into the heads of these sometimes flat characters and be able to present them well.

6. Forget other people, what is the fanfic you've written you're most proud of?
Well, I really want to say my current projects, even if I have too many pots on the stove right now. But really it's my first novel length, that I finished during NaNo 07 and I managed to post despite serious inhibitions.

7. Do you find writing easy? Hard? What are the most difficult aspects of writing you struggle with?
Sometimes easy, sometimes hard. I love when a short challenge comes together in a couple of hours. Hard is block and RL. Harder than block is trying to revise to submission standards without feeling lost/untrained.

8. Write a few sentences of so of your favorite pairing or character.

“I thought we were at least friends, Anders.” Her voice was a small whisper.
That made him look up and meet her eyes; he could not deny her this much. Touching her cheek, he held every other muscle in place with more willpower than he ever had as a mere human. “I'm sorry, Hawke. It wasn't intentional.”
She swayed into his touch, her eyes wide and pleading.
It was still too dangerous, but he brushed fingers down to the tip of her chin, barely resisting touching her lips. “Nothing has changed.” My dear one, he wanted to say. “How about if I meet everyone at the Hanged Man tonight? ”
Hawke's mouth closed before her lips compressed. Her voice sounded forced. “That's good. You wouldn't believe some of the things Isabela tries to con us into doing after a few drinks. You can make sure someone is sober enough to tell her no. You're good at that.”
He deserved that, even if he only wanted Hawke to have a better life, one without him and the inevitability of the Templars and his execution.
9. Are there any fanfiction trends/clichés you can't stand or are just sick of?
making canon characters useless/idiots

10. Are you guilty of any of the fanfiction trends/clichés you now hate? Or any other ones?
Well, I wrote a crosssover once, but retained enough sanity to not post it, made easier by a hard drive meltdown.

11. What was the first fandom you wrote for? Do you still like/participate in it?
I read or reread NWN stories once in a while, and I still have the last novel for that cast that I wrote for NaNo '09 that I want to finish.

12. Name your OTPs or most frequently written pairings/characters and explain what it is about them you love to write.
Casavir-Lon-Bishop as the three of them balance each other rather well, and overload of BAMF.
AND Hawke-Anders as repeating the same actions and expecting different results is insanity and I don't think the healer is gone. He needs an anchor and she needs family.

13. What would you call your writing "style"?
realistic fantasy, TANSTAAFL, Mr Heinlein.

14. Do you read other people's fanfic? If so, what do you find yourself reading the most?
Yes, almost exclusively fandoms I'm writing in.

15. Name one thing you'd LOVE to write, but have been too afraid or shy to do.
Maybe STOS, because destroying Vulcan is lazy drama and disrespectful to all who wrote and filmed watched before.

16. Do you have trouble taking criticism? Or worse yet, do you have the dreaded bloated ego?
I love detailed and useful criticism, but don't get it often. I'm more likely to get depressed and crash from harsh and undetailed comments. (then again the one review that said something was too kinky boggled me)

17. When you write, is there anything that helps? Music? Quiet room? Repairing toaster ovens?
I prefer instrumental music to fit the mood, but I get far too many interruptions for more than a few hours a week.

18. What inspires you?
A mental scene, visual or with dialogue... solving a plot problem/puzzle... NaNo

19. Lastly, how would you sum up your fanfiction experiences and yourself as a writer?
Bemused and not quite sure how it happened as I went several decades without the slightest wish to write. I want some feedback far more than I expected once. Fanfic has a several decades long tradition of being training wheels for SF/F

20. Tag some friends, because they'll have you for it.
Have me? For dinner? Halve me for annoying them? (sorry, don't really believe in tagging)

Tomoe's ♥♥ FanFiction Writer's Meme ♥♥
1. How about a brief introduction of yourself?
I am an evil wench with an overactive imagination, and far too much time on my hands in which to indulge myself.

2. Fabulous! And what got you into fanfiction to begin with?

I had an unfortunate encounter on a gaming forum with something known as "The Shirtless Saga." I would explain, but there really isn't enough brain bleach on hand.
3. I see, so what kind of fanfiction do you like to write?
I write fantasy, usually set in the Forgotten Realms world, although I am planning an original project in the near future.
4. Do you tend to write the same pairings/characters? Or are you a fandom whore?
::clears throat:: I am a wench, NOT a whore, thankyouverymuch. I don't charge.
5. What is your more popular fanfic and why do you think people like it so?
I would suppose, since I only have one here, that it would be Alchemy.
6. Forget other people, what is the fanfic you've written you're most proud of?
At this point, none of them. I'm still writing or rewriting most of what I've done.
7. Do you find writing easy? Hard? What are the most difficult aspects of writing you struggle with?
The writing part is easy. Editing what I've written is harder. The thing I struggle the most with is getting enough detail out of my head and onto the medium of the moment, be it paper or pixels.
8. Write a few sentences of so of your favorite pairing or character.
“I'm probably going to need to be able to walk tomorrow,” Tae'uomi said, biting back a gasp as Sand shifted slightly and nipped her collarbone sharply.
“You should have thought of that earlier, vanyacora, before you subjected me to an afternoon of tortured metaphor and labyrinthine reasoning.” Sand licked where he had nipped, and then sucked a rosy mark against her skin.
Tae'uomi grinned, toying with the tip of Sand's ear. “I did distract Aldanon with Zhjaeve, ascaredhel. I should get credit for that, at least.”
“I do not give credit, iskavanim. You should know that.” Sand's fingers slid down across her belly, dipped lower, and Tae'uomi cried out softly as her back arched.
“I could order you to stop,” the genasi offered, shivering with pleasure.
Sand looked at her, the predatory smile back. “Oh, please do. Really.” His tongue traced the edge of her ear, his breath hot. “I am quite prepared to remain awake all night exacting my reparations, since I managed to take reverie earlier while Aldanon was going on about something or other.”
9. Are there any fanfiction trends/clichés you can't stand or are just sick of?
I really can't stand the main character being the sole focus, without regard to the other players on the stage. I also hate characters who are "evil" and yet wind up "redeemed" without any necessity for atonement.

10. Are you guilty of any of the fanfiction trends/clichés you now hate? Or any other ones?
I try like the hells not to be.
11. What was the first fandom you wrote for? Do you still like/participate in it?
The first fandom I wrote for was the Neverwinter Nights CRPG fandom, set in the Forgotten Realms universe. And yes, I still write for it.
12. Name your OTPs or most frequently written pairings/characters and explain what it is about them you love to write.
I use a mixture of original characters and non-player characters with liberal disregard for frequency.
13. What would you call your writing "style"?

I have two distinct styles, but the one I use most frequently in my fan fiction is a more lyric style that tries to evoke a certain mood in my reader, and that is somewhat romantic in the emotional rather than physical sense. My other style is starker, where every word has to be exactly perfect.
14. Do you read other people's fanfic? If so, what do you find yourself reading the most?
Yes, I do read other people's fanfic. I tend to prefer fantasy settings, but I will also happily read fanfic based on movies or shows or books that I have enjoyed in the past.
15. Name one thing you'd LOVE to write, but have been too afraid or shy to do.
I fear almost nothing, and if I were shy, I would never have published any fan fiction in the first place. After all, it's the dusty little thoughts from the corners of my mind that I toss out like so many crumbs.

16. Do you have trouble taking criticism? Or worse yet, do you have the dreaded bloated ego?
I prefer constructive criticism, naturally, and welcome the opportunity to improve my writing. My ego is what it is.
17. When you write, is there anything that helps? Music? Quiet room? Repairing toaster ovens?
I prefer quiet when I write, and solitude. Since neither is generally available to me, I have learned to write with pretty much anything less than bloodshed occurring around me.
18. What inspires you?
What doesn't? It would be a shorter list. I've dreamed chapters. I've scribbled in notebooks at the side of the pool. I've written quick notes on my arm because I had no paper handy. Everything inspires me, except perhaps snow.
19. Lastly, how would you sum up your fanfiction experiences and yourself as a writer?
I've enjoyed my experiences as a fan fiction writer immensely. I've met other writers who are fascinating, and inspiring, and encouraging. I've learned so much, and I think I am growing as a writer.
20. Tag some friends, because they'll have you for it.
Let's see if my cookie trail works.... perhaps Nastrandir? Or Niche? ::rubs hands together::

::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.

::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 think most of us are in the same boat here. We feel offended with opinions and we struggle to express opinions without offending. >_< We artists are such balanced people!
But I must say that I don't agree whole-heartedly with everything that's been said. I rarely review-
-Don't pummel me before I've finished-!
-and when I do review I PM them. Well most of them if the option is there. And if I don't feel like I am annoying them. And they were recently online. And... oh whatever I PM them! Okay?
My own opinion is, and please this is my opinion you may pummel me with apples should you feel the need, is that if you write an in depth review it is for the authors eyes only. The reason why I feel like this is because my own experience has had me cross paths with people who take GREAT satisfaction in telling you exactly what is wrong with your story, with an attitude that can't be called rude but definately 'Better than thou' This has thankfully not happened on AFF though but people are very sparse with reviews at the same time
This 'better than thou' attitude has led me to believe that some reviewers review to get attention for themselves, and to show off how good they are. And awesome and smart and pretty and.... *sigh* it makes me feel inadquet for some reason.
It also curbs that 'I need reviews to show how good my story is' bug. Because the person gets an indepth (well as deep as I can go with my choop wings) idea of his story and doesn't feel like the mistakes are being broadcasted all over the world. My opinion as I stated >_>
So personally I don't mind if people don't review. Because I don't always review myself. I appreciate it whole-heartedly, like seriously I go nuts, and if they review my story I will review theirs. But... I would rather send a PM if I can rather than posting it on the story. And if they request I will happily post something on the story itself, which will still be honest but not glaringly pointing out the faults. AFF does not offer PM's and I'm not comfortable with sending it to the forums because not everyone is active on them, so they might miss it.
Right. I get the idea alot of people are glaring at me and hankering to throw the very sharp objects they are holding O_o...
*Puts on armor and helmet*
Proceed to beat me into oblivion!

Hi all. Seems like a lot of folks get upset when it comes to reviews, or rather lacking in receiving them. I've done my best to give feed back to the other writers in the Initial D section I'm adding tales to, but due to having vision problems, I can't always read the stupid captcha to actively leave a review I have typed up. If I can't get something clear enough to make sense of, the review won't take. Could this be one of the biggest reasons for the lack of reviews everyone seems to have? Once I get frustrated enough I give up.
I use the control + symbol a lot from my Firefox browser to increase the stories to an easier readable size. However, Captcha does not get bigger when I try that trick to leave a review. I know it has frustrated me personally. I wonder if other older people who love to read a lot are having a similar problem to me. Us granny types can't help having bad eyes. When possible I leave reviews qhen one of the kids are around to tell me the captcha so I can go back and leave a review whenever possible.
My series of completed stories are going into a very small archive that only has two pages worth of stories which I am doing my level best to turn into 3 pages by loading a fully revised copy of all my completed stories from another site. I know I have had lots of trouble leaving reviews when I can't always get a captcha I can read and type in, so I don't actively expect many reviews. I look at the hit counts and use that to measure whether people are enjoying the story. All I can say is I wish there was some kind of chapter break down for the hit counts so I'd know whether the story is read through to the end or not.
I think if I had a way to tell if a story gets read all the way through, it means people like it. IF it is not, then I know it has flaws. If it has flaws, I'll need to look for an editor of sorts. IS there something in the works that might address that kind of ego booster?

::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.

::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.

::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.

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.