Listener

If I've gotten through a story and it's touched me in some way, I'll review it. Usually I'll start by saying something nice -- I mean, I did read the whole thing, right? -- and then get into some details. I will leave constructive criticism if I can think of any, but as a former teacher and tutor, I will try to leave it in a way that doesn't discourage the author. Especially if the story isn't finished yet. Also, I'll make note of the fact that it's not usually the type of story I'll read, if that is the case. The only time I can recall ever breaking my rule was when Metafrantic finished the "Harry's 7th Year" series... I wrote the most glowing, saccharine review I've ever written. But then, it was exactly how I felt. If you're heartfelt when you write the review, even if you dislike the story, as long as you're polite and honest and give reasons why you like or dislike it, I think the average AFF writer will appreciate your feedback.

I would only delete a review if it wasn't germane to the story being reviewed. I wish more people on AFF would review with constructive criticism. In all the reviews I've gotten, I think I've gotten maybe 5% with constructive criticism.

Second. Seeing what others come up with based on your work is always cool. Of course, then you run the risk of someone saying "hey, I came up with that in my fanfic!" (bill/fleur, anyone?) As long as no money is being made on the fanfic, I'm cool with it. And not just because I write a little fanfic myself.

Wow, you sound like you're reading from a Laurell K. Hamilton novel! I often shy away from OMC/OFC fics if they're in the OMC/OFC category because I've been burned too many times by Mary Sues (and once been accused -- rightly so, I think -- of creating one). However, if you create all-new characters in a fandom with the intent of creating an original story using someone else's world, that's a little different. Example: I'm leery about Snape/OFC fics, but I'll be glad to read one that takes place in Hogwarts in the 2020s, even if it's got an OMC/OFC. Maybe it's a personal prejudice. I'm sure I'm missing out on a lot of good stories this way, but like I said, I've been burned too many times.

Everything I write has at least a small part of myself in it, be it fanfic or realfic. In my AFF originals, the story of Tanya (that's her real name) appears in a few different places as background for what my characters do. Many of my other stories draw their main characters' characterizations from people I know in real life -- in my Marianne stories, for example, Michael and Rebecca are two people I know from high school, though I have no idea what either is doing right now, as I haven't talked to them in ages, and can't find them on MySpace. As for personal experiences, I, like Jadwin, like to include little bits of reality, though I don't necessarily go out of my way to find out if something is true. Like, for example, in one thing I'm writing, I made up a bar/restaurant (think Chili's but with more American food) in Norfolk, Virginia, where they always show Miami Dolphins games. I'm sure such a bar exists, but I've never been to Norfolk, so I can't be certain. However, the bar is based on a real one I've been to in Florida. I think the best stories incorporate reality and unreality -- the devil is in the details, whether it's a character tossing her lunch trash into a brown plastic Publix bag or doing something as simple as mentioning a seemingly-useless detail in passing. In reality, we notice the tiniest details most when we're focusing on something else. At least, I think so.