On Reviews

[Xortberg]

Alright, I've got a complaint. A complaint I already made, but nobody even looked at apparently, so I'm making a topic about it now.

This topic being bumped has reminded me, I have a bit of a suggestion.

This is, of course, necessary. Telling someone they sucked and leaving it at that really won't help them improve at all. On the flipside of the coin here, telling someone "This fanfic rocks!" and leaving it at that is just as unhelpful, and actually tends to hurt more than it helps. No work of fiction is perfect, and just telling someone their work is good without telling them how to improve it further is kind of a barrier to improvement. I propose that, if you post to tell someone that you like their work, you should be just as critical as if you didn't like it. I've seen legitimate critique turned down because an author preferred to pay more attention to the plethora of "This is awesome!" replies instead, and that's just no good.

Quoted directly from the Fanfic Rules thread. I see faaaaaar too many one word reviews, or reviews that just say stuff like "This rocks!" and nothing else. Let me ask you: if you were giving a book report, would you stand up in front of your class and say "This book was great!" and let that be your project?

No?

Then don't review like that. Reviews that do nothing but ass-pat hurt writers far, far more than they help them. Nobody's perfect, and your reviews shouldn't pretend they are. Everyone has room to improve, and even if you aren't a good enough writer to offer any sort of critique, you can tell them what they did well and what you liked, specifically. As a writer, I can confidently say I'd rather have someone who hates my work tell me so and tell me how to make it better than just have someone say "It rocks!"

[Fluxy]

I fully agree, and find it completely annoying when people do that to my own stories. Sure, I haven't posted much up recently, but when I do go back to doing so, as I already have my second fan fiction already finished, I want it to be able to have comments that are more than just "I LOVE IT".

I would rather have no comments, than a cruddy one at all.

[Fluxy]

*Laptop derped and double posted*

[Drasiana]

alternate ending:

This topic rocks! :trollface:

[Fluxy]

alternate ending:

This topic rocks!

<3 this post.

[Shadow Matrix]

I agree. I myself am getting tired of seeing it as well and I am getting tired of making Fan Fictions. Many writters or skillful writters sit on the laptop or computer and think and type up an amazing story yet.. All people post is, and I quote. "I like this... " "Very nice" "This is cool. " "Intresting" And..

"MAKE MOARZ!!! "

Honestly it can get rather bothersome and very hurtful to many writters. Also it just shows that people are just skimming through the story not even reading it word for word. Yet people still post two word posts. "THIS ROCKS" What is this? Is this phrase like everyones motto?

It just gets annoying. I'd rather enjoy someone who is an expereinced writter or HELL what the heck. Even an unexpereinced writter make a review on fan fictions instead of me seeing "AWESOME" on a thread and other 1-2 word posts.. To me, that just makes me feel like shit when I read it.. I'm like.. "So.. No one cares about what the main character is doing? No one relates to any character in the story? No one points out any grammar? No one is educated enough or willing to summarize the story in their own minds and make a little review of it?????? Meh, I'm bored I give up.. "

Honestly, if no one is willing to actually post a well organized post like putting in 1 SUMMARY [3-5 sentences] that TAKES, 5-45 Minutes at the most... Then there is no point for fan fiction makers to SIT on the computer and waste like hours of their time developing a type of writting just for people to Type a small 4 word post that they can type in LIKE 3-5 Seconds...If people do that then the fan fiction maker is not going to be well motivated and write the best he can.. Instead he'll do terrible, he won't improve at all. Instead of cleaning up a mess you see, your just adding more to it...

I thought I was the only one who noticed this but I guess not. Thanks for making the thread Xort :D

[Mellow Walrus]

Most reviews look pretty much like spam to me, personally. Simply repeating a detail of the story would be enough assurance for me, it would be great to see reviewers merely say that they like a specific character or something. I know that wouldn't come close satisfying my needs of attention, but otherwise it'd just be giving me false hope if I see a thread of mine gets updated, or an email telling me I've got a new review. It's like the football gag from the Peanuts. Instead of the ball getting pulled away however, it's more like it was only half filled with air. Sure it's nice to know that Lucy didn't snatch it at the last minute to make me fall for it, so the thought of it is bearable. I just don't think I can play with a deflated football, maybe if better reviews were pumped into the ball it could help with my practice. I plan to become a famous fanfic quarterback, after all

Yeah, I know absolutely nothing about football so no more metaphors for me. I would definitely like to see a little criticism, but I know I am very, very far from being a critic myself. I doubt I'd be much help on my own, I think a bit too optimistically when it comes to other people's writings. I'll be willing to point something out while leaving comments at the very least. All fanfic authors should know how frustrating it is to deal with silence. The bite sized reviews are a close runner up behind silence, while leaving out things like trolls, etc.

When a pet peeve strikes one of my nerves though, I drone on and on about it far longer than attention should actually be paid to the matter. Hell, I think I've written quite a bit before just on how the number of lines that make up paragraphs should have various lengths between one another. Let's see, I've also examined the difference between the difference in how "A conspicuous backpack" and "The conspicuous backpack" would sound along the flow of a story. Now, I really hope my criticisms on this level aren't given too much consideration, but when something is itching at the back of my head about a fanfic, I mention it. I'd like to see the same from others if they absolutely cannot think of anything besides a thumbs up and a smiley face. But yes, I really hope people point actual flaws in people's fanfics and help each other out with the critique. I'll shy away from being too harsh myself, but I know there should be someone else out there that can get the job done.

[kkstarfox]

Actually reviewing, critiquing, commenting on an artists work actual show that you looked at or read that artist's work. However i do urge for constructive criticism, occasional gratuitous praise is nice.

Here's a few ways to critique: Comment on the authors style or stylistic devices. does it work? Why or Why not? How could they improve there style?

Are there characters believable and relateable? How so? How would you have the writer improve on it?

What is there more of description or narration? IS it a good balance or should there be more of either or?

Do they have good word choice? What words or sentences might they remove to condense the story and make it more fluid? Should material be added?

Grammar, no one likes a grammar Nazi but sometimes it is indeed helpful to get grammar critiques; everyone makes grammar and spelling mistakes.

There is so much to say about a work other then it rocks! Or it sux dick! Why does it what makes it appeal to you? What sucks you in or repulses you?

[Drasiana]

^ What you said.

Also, structure, dialogue, pacing, tone, and theme. Commentary on these are vital considering fanfictions are usually all over the place within all of these. Each tiniest aspect of writing has a huge expanse of technique behind it and consideration of all of them are vital to create a viable story.

...I will also critique the hell out of anything submitted in script, but please submit screenplays in .pdf...directly posting them on the boards is a formatting nightmare...not saying that as a callout or anything to our most recent poster or anything, but you guys seem to get a lot of scripts posted in general o_O

[kkstarfox]

Dialogue to me only comes one way, natural its either natural (means i can actually see some one talking and conversing like that), or robotic. You can either write good dialogue or you can't... So i don't generally critique on it, just teach people how to better write what they think in there head when it comes to conversation.

[Drasiana]

It's actually very, very easy to teach how to write dialogue. There are do's, don'ts, and ways around them.

[Gene Inari]

It's actually very, very easy to teach how to write dialogue. There are do's, don'ts, and ways around them.

I want these do's and don'ts... o.o;

Seriously. +1 for this topic. As a (in my opinion) learning writer I'm dying for some good feedback on my writings. I have a grasp of what's good and what isn't but it's tenuous at best. No one has ever gone, "so-and-so could be better by doing this-and-this and keeping blah-and-blah in mind." ect ect.

[kkstarfox]

Well in order to write well, one has to read. Because reading and writing go hand in hand. Just because you do one well does not mean you will do the other well but it helps a lot.

[Drasiana]

I want these do's and don'ts... o.o;

Hmm. I already have a write-up about writing dialogue I did for an RP I was in. Should I/am I allowed to just post a topic...?

[Gene Inari]

Do it

[Xortberg]

I've just posted two topics now, so I don't see why not.

[Fira-Astrali]

I'm really loving the recent threads that are going up about improving writing AND critiquing skills. There is nothing more frustrating after spending so much time writing and polishin to the best of your abilities, then to get teeny reviews. They are fun to start and get your confidence as a writer up, but after that stage, everyone needs constructive criticism. Especially, I think, with fanfics, since they really are jsut a testing ground.