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Alassante
Virtual Village Mod
Joined: 10 Dec 2004
Posts: 20
Location: Hitchhiking to Rivendell
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 Posted: Thu Jan 12, 2006 11:53 pm Post subject: |
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To Diddler and Ottis - lemme just say that personally, as an author, I have never read a review and thought, 'Wow that's really nice but gee is she's not real original' or whatever. I came from a site originally where everyone left reviews like "Ohhhh elf smut squeeee!!!!" so nothing would really surprise me. Sometimes I leave really goofy reviews of friends that other reviewers would say  but the author will get it. So I wouldn't worry that your words won't sound right or your thoughts are the same as someone elses. If the author thinks that your review is not "good enough" , then she/he's the one with the problem. Most of us here are just like - "SQUEEEEE!!!! A review!!!!" So don't feel you need to be deep, meaningful, or even too lengthy when you review, just say your honest feelings (as long as they aren't flames of course) in your own words, even its just "I really liked this." 
SSP - hmmm thats a hot topic I think. I personally don't mind doing it. And if it produces results, YAY. But if it doesn't, then I really wouldn't know if that was it or not. Maybe I'm weird (Wait...I know I'm weird) but I try to look for reasons why things are getting ignored other than defaulting to "my stuff sucks" or "SSPs are just ignored". I look around and see :Hmmm....the forums haven' t been very busy, maybe people are just not around much." Or "its christmas, people aren't reading much right now." Now if it goes on for a long period of time I might start to worry but then again, I see the hit count or the few reviews I do get and try to reassure myself. If I went by number of reviews I'd probably would have quit awhile ago since my first three stories here (which in all fairness were really bad and unbeta'd) didn't get many reviews and a few were pretty critical. But I found out the wonderful world of beta's and my stuff started improving and now I'm content. When I compare my stuff, I try not to compare it to other writers cause that can cause you to get upset cause they will always be someone who gets more reviews, higher ratings, or more hit counts. I compare my new stuff to old stuff. Of course, this is when I am being sane and rational. This is not one of my "Oh my God I suck as a writer and everything I write is crap" days that we all seem to have. 
My apologies for the overabundance of Squeees. There is just not another word that quite describes it. 
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mistressofbucklebury
Joined: 26 Sep 2004
Posts: 251
Location: England
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| Posted: Fri Jan 13, 2006 3:34 am Post subject: |
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I'd agree with the idea that to an author every review, not matter how short or repetious, is unbeliebably valuable.
I know as a writer I can't help but check my review count constantly, because new reviews no matter what there say are a reassurance that people are indeed reading your stories and that means a lot.
One of my New Years Resolutions as a reader however is to try and find something to say about all the stories I read this year, even if it is just one sentence, because I know up till now I haven't reviewed as much as I should.
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MoB
A Happy (and Horny) Little 
My name's MoB, and I'm a commaholic.
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Maram68
Challenge Admin
Joined: 11 May 2003
Posts: 535
Location: West from East
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| Posted: Fri Jan 13, 2006 5:53 am Post subject: |
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I believe in reviewing, though I confess I don't do it enough either. To be completely honest, i haven't been reading as much as I should either. But when I review, I try to be mostly positive, after the philosophy that if I don't have anything nice to say, then better shut up. Unless a friend asks for my honest opinion, I won't ever criticize.
But yes a simple "OMG, I really dig this story" does make my day. After surviving a wanking, flaming and dissing episode, every kind word of appreciation about my writing is a balm to my soul, hoping it is really meant.
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Sulriel
Joined: 06 Jan 2004
Posts: 286
Location: Imladris (or maybe Texas ...)
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| Posted: Fri Jan 13, 2006 1:18 pm Post subject: |
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| Alassante wrote: | <snipped>course, this is when I am being sane and rational. This is not one of my "Oh my God I suck as a writer and everything I write is crap" days that we all seem to have.
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uuuhhhh.....  <raises hand> what's the point of being an artiste if you have to suffer periods of sanity?
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SpaceWeavil
Joined: 27 May 2004
Posts: 23
Location: Looking at shiny things
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| Posted: Fri Jan 13, 2006 1:26 pm Post subject: |
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| Alassante wrote: | To Diddler and Ottis - lemme just say that personally, as an author, I have never read a review and thought, 'Wow that's really nice but gee is she's not real original' or whatever. I came from a site originally where everyone left reviews like "Ohhhh elf smut squeeee!!!!" so nothing would really surprise me. Sometimes I leave really goofy reviews of friends that other reviewers would say but the author will get it. So I wouldn't worry that your words won't sound right or your thoughts are the same as someone elses. If the author thinks that your review is not "good enough" , then she/he's the one with the problem. Most of us here are just like - "SQUEEEEE!!!! A review!!!!" So don't feel you need to be deep, meaningful, or even too lengthy when you review, just say your honest feelings (as long as they aren't flames of course) in your own words, even its just "I really liked this."
SSP - hmmm thats a hot topic I think. I personally don't mind doing it. And if it produces results, YAY. But if it doesn't, then I really wouldn't know if that was it or not. Maybe I'm weird (Wait...I know I'm weird) but I try to look for reasons why things are getting ignored other than defaulting to "my stuff sucks" or "SSPs are just ignored". I look around and see :Hmmm....the forums haven' t been very busy, maybe people are just not around much." Or "its christmas, people aren't reading much right now." Now if it goes on for a long period of time I might start to worry but then again, I see the hit count or the few reviews I do get and try to reassure myself. If I went by number of reviews I'd probably would have quit awhile ago since my first three stories here (which in all fairness were really bad and unbeta'd) didn't get many reviews and a few were pretty critical. But I found out the wonderful world of beta's and my stuff started improving and now I'm content. When I compare my stuff, I try not to compare it to other writers cause that can cause you to get upset cause they will always be someone who gets more reviews, higher ratings, or more hit counts. I compare my new stuff to old stuff. Of course, this is when I am being sane and rational. This is not one of my "Oh my God I suck as a writer and everything I write is crap" days that we all seem to have.
My apologies for the overabundance of Squeees. There is just not another word that quite describes it. |
Squee is a good word, and should be in the next edition OED, in my opinion.
I will admit to doing the 'God I suck' if I get ignored, and then try to find other reasons, which I then think, but what if I'm saying there's no one about just as an excuse to cover the fact that I suck... But that is me, because I am what is techncially called 'a nutcase'.
My New Year's resolution is to get back into reading in general. I will very rarely not leave a review if I read something, although I do sometimes go away for a bit, think on it, and come back maybe a wee while later to leave the review. But last few months I've been kind of swamped with my degree, work and other equally tedious things that I won't bore you with. I miss the morning sessions I used to have, where I could just sit back and read all the new stories added to the archive. I want to get into that again as soon as exams are over.
But squee is a good word. Three reviews today on 'All Shall Love Me and Despair' over at Stories of Arda, and I will give you three guessed what word I reacted with....
(It was squee, btw).
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ghettoelleth
Joined: 06 Nov 2004
Posts: 1804
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| Posted: Fri Jan 13, 2006 9:00 pm Post subject: |
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As I said, I don't need anyone to go into raptures, just a simple, that was nice, or I'm still reading, anything is better than nothing. And Ottis, ahem, I think your review was perfect. But nothing at all makes it harder to hit that submit button when you're thinking, wow, no one cares enough to acknowledge this. Cuz trust me, when we don't get reviews, no one is rationalizing, so and so doesn't think that their review matters, or so and so is afraid to repeat other viewers or people are afraid to sound trite. What we're thinking is, you must not like it. May sound irrational or infantile, some may even deny its true, but i got 20 pm's telling me different after my initial post and wondering the same thing. Why have reviews fallen off so much lately?
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Haleth
Joined: 27 Sep 2003
Posts: 538
Location: The ruins of Tharbad.
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| Posted: Sat Jan 14, 2006 9:07 am Post subject: |
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| ghettoelleth wrote: | | Why have reviews fallen off so much lately? |
It the risk of getting run out of town on a rail, I'd say it's because the overall interest in Middle-earth is fading. The last movie was released on DVD over a year ago.
Many people are moving on to new interests. That's just the way things are.
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Books would not be read, and pipes would not smoke. The day slipped out of his hand, running aimlessly to waste. JRR Tolkien. The Lost Road |
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Alassante
Virtual Village Mod
Joined: 10 Dec 2004
Posts: 20
Location: Hitchhiking to Rivendell
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| Posted: Sat Jan 14, 2006 11:27 am Post subject: |
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At the risk of starting another debate with Haleth (Celegorm is not a blonde  ) I don't think thats it cause OSA has a new member daily it seems.
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Crucio! Because stupidity should be painful!
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Rhapsody
Joined: 11 Apr 2004
Posts: 1153
Location: Maglor's Lap
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| Posted: Sat Jan 14, 2006 11:53 am Post subject: |
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I just did a quick math, if every page in all stories contain a maximum of 10 stories in total, the stories published in 2005 cover 83 pages. I added 3 stories that appeared in pages where either 2004 ended or 2006 started, which makes it a total of 833 stories published over 2005. Which is pretty impressive for a fandom that seems to be waning... so, with Al, I wonder about that... hmmm
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Ottis413
Joined: 01 Oct 2005
Posts: 292
Location: West Virginia, USA
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| Posted: Sat Jan 14, 2006 11:54 am Post subject: |
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| Quote: | | overall interest in Middle-earth is fading. The last movie was released on DVD over a year ago. |
If things are falling off a little it's prob because people arn't 'googleing' The Loard of the Rings as much anymore and are hence not stumbleing on this site (which is how I found it) as much as they once were.
| Quote: | | I don't think thats it cause OSA has a new member daily it seems. |
I don't think a quality site like OSA will ever want for members because the die-hard fans will always be around and new ones are born every day!  
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When I was a child I caught a fleeting glimpse, Out of the corner of my eye
I turned to look but it was gone
I cannot put my finger on it now
The child is grown, the dream is gone.
Pink Floyd, Comfortably numb
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Sulriel
Joined: 06 Jan 2004
Posts: 286
Location: Imladris (or maybe Texas ...)
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| Posted: Sat Jan 14, 2006 11:57 am Post subject: |
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I have to agree, that despite all reasonable assumptions the JRRT fanfic crowd seems to be holding steady. I do know that some readers/writers have moved on, and it seems impossible that there will not be some 'settling' at some point, but it appears that the remaining core group is quite large.
I'm not sure why, in general. I can say for myself. - that I'm a member of many fandoms, I cut my teeth on Trek even before I read Tolkien. - I have lots of favorites, Burroughs, Robert Howard, McCaffery, Narnia. But as much as I love them, I've never felt compelled to write in those worlds, and fanfiction doesn't appeal to me in the same way. (although there is a marvelous new John Carter WIP being posted, linked from the Official ERB website).
So it may very well be, if other people feel the same draw, that more will stay here once they've found it. Even though I've always done a lot of writing, I only dabbled with some plot elements and such and role-played for a long time (hence the name and id) before I actually set down to write the fiction. - it simply demanded to be written.
- hope that isn't too far off-topic of leaving reviews... but I do think the fandom itself is pretty stable ... ... as far as numbers
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SpaceWeavil
Joined: 27 May 2004
Posts: 23
Location: Looking at shiny things
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| Posted: Sat Jan 14, 2006 12:08 pm Post subject: |
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| Sulriel wrote: | I have to agree, that despite all reasonable assumptions the JRRT fanfic crowd seems to be holding steady. I do know that some readers/writers have moved on, and it seems impossible that there will not be some 'settling' at some point, but it appears that the remaining core group is quite large.
I'm not sure why, in general. I can say for myself. - that I'm a member of many fandoms, I cut my teeth on Trek even before I read Tolkien. - I have lots of favorites, Burroughs, Robert Howard, McCaffery, Narnia. But as much as I love them, I've never felt compelled to write in those worlds, and fanfiction doesn't appeal to me in the same way. (although there is a marvelous new John Carter WIP being posted, linked from the Official ERB website).
So it may very well be, if other people feel the same draw, that more will stay here once they've found it. Even though I've always done a lot of writing, I only dabbled with some plot elements and such and role-played for a long time (hence the name and id) before I actually set down to write the fiction. - it simply demanded to be written.
- hope that isn't too far off-topic of leaving reviews... but I do think the fandom itself is pretty stable ... ... as far as numbers |
Another thing might also be that new people coming to the site generally take a while before they feel up to reviewing, especially if they're new to writing in general. I know when I first joined, I was incredibly self-conscious about reviewing. I thought, hey, I don't really know these folks well, I dunno if I am qualified to pass comment on their stories. Added to that, I was fairly new to the fandom in general - I'd read Lord of the Rings when I was 10, but then had dabbled in lots of other things and only really found my love for it again when the movies came out. So I also was a bit unsure about commenting on anything canon.
As I was here longer and played about on the forums though, I started to get more confident and started reviewing more, and then got to the point where I felt able not just to review but to offer constructive criticism in places (and that, first time you do it, is nerve wracking, lol). Even now though, sometimes I hold back a bit, and think, but I really don't know much about Fingolfin or something.
Point I'm trying to make, in a very verbose and silly way, is that maybe we do have a lot of new members, but it'll maybe take them time before they can feel up to joining in. But to anyone who might be thinking that, it really is fun once you start. Ok, so maybe one in every hundred you get a snippy reaction from someone, but for the most part, anything at all that you write makes the author's day. No matter what it is. And even if a mistake is spotted somewhere, and you point it out in a PM to the author - it shows you're reading!
About multi fandoms, just cuz it's interesting - I'm a really eclectic fan; I'm into loads of different 1960s TV shows, Dr Who, The Matrix, Lost, and my latest thing is Harry Potter, but Lord of the Rings always holds a kind of elevated place for me. It's my 'home' fandom (in fact OSA is actually my homepage on explorer), and no matter how many hissy fits I have (because I think my work sucks,   ) I always end up back again with another bunny.
With any luck, that sentiment will be shared, and we'll all of us be about for a very long time to come, still sharing random facts about the language of the Doriathrin Sindar or what sort of armour a Second Age Numenorean cavalryman would wear, or what have you.
(I apologise for being in a very soppy and sentimental mood today. I just wanna hug you all )
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Ottis413
Joined: 01 Oct 2005
Posts: 292
Location: West Virginia, USA
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| Posted: Sat Jan 14, 2006 12:12 pm Post subject: |
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If/when they (Hopefully PJ) makes The Hobbit , there will prob be another surge in membership, or at least readers poping in on a regular basis....
hopefully; -> -> OSA ->
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When I was a child I caught a fleeting glimpse, Out of the corner of my eye
I turned to look but it was gone
I cannot put my finger on it now
The child is grown, the dream is gone.
Pink Floyd, Comfortably numb
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OSA Nazgul#8. The little Nagzul wot cud spall (Don't call me the redneck Nazgul, I prefer the term 'Appalachian Nazgul') |
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Haleth
Joined: 27 Sep 2003
Posts: 538
Location: The ruins of Tharbad.
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| Posted: Sat Jan 14, 2006 2:41 pm Post subject: |
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I'm not entirely sure how the number of stories published in a year correlates to the number of readers and reviewers.
The fandom is undergoing a consolidation with the hard-core fans gravitating to the larger, successful archives.
Maybe the hard-core fans aren't as likely to read and review as casual fans? I don't know.
And sorry, Al, but Celegorm was blond.
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Books would not be read, and pipes would not smoke. The day slipped out of his hand, running aimlessly to waste. JRR Tolkien. The Lost Road |
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Sulriel
Joined: 06 Jan 2004
Posts: 286
Location: Imladris (or maybe Texas ...)
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| Posted: Sat Jan 14, 2006 3:04 pm Post subject: |
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| Haleth wrote: | | I'm not entirely sure how the number of stories published in a year correlates to the number of readers and reviewers. |
I don't think it does directly, but it does seem to be a reasonable *overall* assement of the health of the fandom in general.
| Quote: | | The fandom is undergoing a consolidation with the hard-core fans gravitating to the larger, successful archives. |
probably true.
| Quote: | | Maybe the hard-core fans aren't as likely to read and review as casual fans? I don't know. |
possibly. maybe that we all get in our little ruts, reviewing authors and characters we already know and love, - or - think that those old favorites know how much we love them and that it doesn't need to be said over and over again .... and there is possibly some truth in that.
I know I'm less likely to review time and again as chapters are posted on a WIP. ... which is tied in with - I seldom read WIPs, I'm more likely to read the entire thing once it's finished. - along with - I'm more likely to read short works when I can steal a few minutes but I really do need a rainy day to settle in with something longer. I suspect I'm not alone in that as my own shorter and/or completed works tend to be more read/reviewed than the unfinished and longer ones.
So in those ways, I'm guilty of not reviewing as much as I should be on the few WIPs I'm following.
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