Hey! I'm new to this community, so I thought I would post something.
One of the biggest turnoffs for me when I'm looking for a story is ridiculous character names. Sometimes I'm just browsing through, and I find this really great summary; I open the story and BAM! I see the character name and I hit the back page button. I get the feeling that some authors try too hard to come up with unique names that will set them apart from everyone else. But when a name is just so out there that I can no longer concentrate on the actual story, there's a problem.
Naturally, main character names are very important. It really says something about the character. I'm going to use a character of mine as an example. Her name is Evy. I picked it because I liked the name, but also because it worked for her. She's a good girl, naive, but also sharp and passionate, and I thought the girliness of 'Evy' along with the sharpness of the V in the middle really characterized her perfectly. To top it off, it took me about 2 minutes after I decided to write the story to officially decide to use that name. Also I really love it when authors choose names that are completely contradictory, like Lacey from "The Host" by Stephenie Meyer. It's like you know the character because you know the name is its antithesis. It cracks me up every time.
My grandmother has this saying: "You think long, you think wrong" (of course it's normally used while we're playing cards or something, lol). I think there is some truth in that. It seems like some overthink the character's name so much that it loses its... well, its character. Simple is usually best. A character named Kate is not automatically more boring than a character named Amore (or something to that effect). In fact, I would rather read about Kate than Amore.
Do absurd character names turn anyone else away, or is that just me? I just think that people shouldn't concentrate on making their character names unique, and should instead concentrate on making their story unique. It seems like it's compensating for something.
One of the biggest turnoffs for me when I'm looking for a story is ridiculous character names. Sometimes I'm just browsing through, and I find this really great summary; I open the story and BAM! I see the character name and I hit the back page button. I get the feeling that some authors try too hard to come up with unique names that will set them apart from everyone else. But when a name is just so out there that I can no longer concentrate on the actual story, there's a problem.
Naturally, main character names are very important. It really says something about the character. I'm going to use a character of mine as an example. Her name is Evy. I picked it because I liked the name, but also because it worked for her. She's a good girl, naive, but also sharp and passionate, and I thought the girliness of 'Evy' along with the sharpness of the V in the middle really characterized her perfectly. To top it off, it took me about 2 minutes after I decided to write the story to officially decide to use that name. Also I really love it when authors choose names that are completely contradictory, like Lacey from "The Host" by Stephenie Meyer. It's like you know the character because you know the name is its antithesis. It cracks me up every time.
My grandmother has this saying: "You think long, you think wrong" (of course it's normally used while we're playing cards or something, lol). I think there is some truth in that. It seems like some overthink the character's name so much that it loses its... well, its character. Simple is usually best. A character named Kate is not automatically more boring than a character named Amore (or something to that effect). In fact, I would rather read about Kate than Amore.
Do absurd character names turn anyone else away, or is that just me? I just think that people shouldn't concentrate on making their character names unique, and should instead concentrate on making their story unique. It seems like it's compensating for something.
I was browsing through the archive and it seemed like there hasn't been a post on this yet. But there has been and I hadn't noticed, I'm sorry!
Anyways, on to the question.
Who/What is your muse?
You've probably been asked that numerous times before but I thought we could possibly all share it here. What exactly motivates you to write? How do you feel when your inspiration is missing? Are you not able to write at all or does it just pale in comparison with your better works? I know that some people have a specific muse yet others have muses that are like chameleons. Ones that change everyday depending on their mood, etc.
I guess I could say that my own muse would be Chicago itself. Seeing the landscape just fills me with a sense of awe every time I look even though I've lived here most my life. I love how when you walk downtown, you can see so many people, so many relationships, stories that were never told. Like this is the world I'm apart of. It just fills my head with ideas. Sometimes I see smaller buildings reflecting in the light of skyscrapers and seeing it just sparks so many ideas. And I love people-watching in a busy city like this. There are so many stories to be told and created. There are so many events to be witnessed that could be woven into my own story. That's why I carry a notebook everywhere I go.
To whom do you want your writing to speak to? And do you write for your muse?
I was wondering if there is a specific person or group of people that you really want to reach out to. What/who are you writing for?
For me, I write to escape and relieve the stress. So I write for myself. It's almost like an indirect way of communicating with my feelings and desires. (That sounds corny.....but hey, I live in Illinois! ......../lameness/) But eventually, I hope my writing skills will grow and I will be able to connect with the people that actually read my stories and works. I guess since my muse is Chicago, I wish that someday I would be able to communicate with the people through my writing.
How do you record your ideas?
Let's say you're out with your friends and you're at a cafe or something. And 'zing', you get a sudden plot idea. And it's absolutely amazing. What do you do? Do you have a personal notebook that you carry with you? I use to not have a pocket notebook and so I would have to grab napkins or something and borrow pens to write down an idea since I cannot remember things for the life of me. It usually makes me out to be quite the odd person. =D
So, anyone care to share? I'm secretly dreading the thought that no one will reply or something.
Well, nice to meet you all. =D
Anyways, on to the question.
Who/What is your muse?
You've probably been asked that numerous times before but I thought we could possibly all share it here. What exactly motivates you to write? How do you feel when your inspiration is missing? Are you not able to write at all or does it just pale in comparison with your better works? I know that some people have a specific muse yet others have muses that are like chameleons. Ones that change everyday depending on their mood, etc.
I guess I could say that my own muse would be Chicago itself. Seeing the landscape just fills me with a sense of awe every time I look even though I've lived here most my life. I love how when you walk downtown, you can see so many people, so many relationships, stories that were never told. Like this is the world I'm apart of. It just fills my head with ideas. Sometimes I see smaller buildings reflecting in the light of skyscrapers and seeing it just sparks so many ideas. And I love people-watching in a busy city like this. There are so many stories to be told and created. There are so many events to be witnessed that could be woven into my own story. That's why I carry a notebook everywhere I go.
To whom do you want your writing to speak to? And do you write for your muse?
I was wondering if there is a specific person or group of people that you really want to reach out to. What/who are you writing for?
For me, I write to escape and relieve the stress. So I write for myself. It's almost like an indirect way of communicating with my feelings and desires. (That sounds corny.....but hey, I live in Illinois! ......../lameness/) But eventually, I hope my writing skills will grow and I will be able to connect with the people that actually read my stories and works. I guess since my muse is Chicago, I wish that someday I would be able to communicate with the people through my writing.
How do you record your ideas?
Let's say you're out with your friends and you're at a cafe or something. And 'zing', you get a sudden plot idea. And it's absolutely amazing. What do you do? Do you have a personal notebook that you carry with you? I use to not have a pocket notebook and so I would have to grab napkins or something and borrow pens to write down an idea since I cannot remember things for the life of me. It usually makes me out to be quite the odd person. =D
So, anyone care to share? I'm secretly dreading the thought that no one will reply or something.
Well, nice to meet you all. =D
Did you know that as of this september, I will be a member of FP for nine years? NINE years? It is amazing how time flies. I am currently uploading parts of my second finished novel in those nine years. Some part of me feels like - this is all I've accomplished in nine years? But another part of me knows that I finished other projects, like my poetry, and also graduating from university and other various "life" experiences.
Some questions that I am curious about:
What were you like when you first started writing on FP?
How have you changed in your writing since then?
Do you wish you've accomplished more?
If you could accomplish one thing with your writing, what would it be?
For me, I was fairly young when I first started putting my stories onto FP, so all of my early attempts are honestly embarrassing. I touched on some more mature topics that I didn't have any experience with, so my writing from that perspective was fairly shallow. I feel like now, nine years later, my writing style has become a lot better, but since I've taken a long hiatus from writing stories, I feel a bit rusty. So it is true, at least for me, that in order to write and to produce, you have to keep on writing.
However, I think that my goal in writing is still the same. I want to capture an authentic experience, I want my readers to think - this could happen to me. I want my stories to be realistic, yet with a hint of fantasy as well.
What are your thoughts?
Some questions that I am curious about:
What were you like when you first started writing on FP?
How have you changed in your writing since then?
Do you wish you've accomplished more?
If you could accomplish one thing with your writing, what would it be?
For me, I was fairly young when I first started putting my stories onto FP, so all of my early attempts are honestly embarrassing. I touched on some more mature topics that I didn't have any experience with, so my writing from that perspective was fairly shallow. I feel like now, nine years later, my writing style has become a lot better, but since I've taken a long hiatus from writing stories, I feel a bit rusty. So it is true, at least for me, that in order to write and to produce, you have to keep on writing.
However, I think that my goal in writing is still the same. I want to capture an authentic experience, I want my readers to think - this could happen to me. I want my stories to be realistic, yet with a hint of fantasy as well.
What are your thoughts?
so now i'm pretty ... reluctant ... with all this plagiarism business going on. i mean, obviously it's not uncommon, just that i think with myrika's stories being found to have been copied, more and more people are actively searching for works that resemble their own or are being alerted, etc. quite a lovely and helpful chain reaction.
anyway, with the numbers of reputable (and some of the better ones) authors dwindling, it reminded me of my own encounter at ff.net. i won't get into it, but screencaps are your best friend, especially after they start denying it or making poor excuses. just saying. but that's not the issue here. being that i'm not new to that sort of stupidity, it makes me really angry and personally upset on behalf of others and am hoping that it never happens to my original pieces.
which brings me to the following questions:
———
OMG SO LONG, SORRY! :( but it was really bugging me and i needed to ask.
anyway, with the numbers of reputable (and some of the better ones) authors dwindling, it reminded me of my own encounter at ff.net. i won't get into it, but screencaps are your best friend, especially after they start denying it or making poor excuses. just saying. but that's not the issue here. being that i'm not new to that sort of stupidity, it makes me really angry and personally upset on behalf of others and am hoping that it never happens to my original pieces.
which brings me to the following questions:
• for those who have been plagiarized, do you think you would have been better off not knowing those deeds were taking place? the more i think about it, the more i believe that ignorance is bliss. sure, bringing justice to those who are guilty is both satisfying and relieving, but the thought of taking such extreme (yet warranted) measures wouldn't have crossed your mind.
• although everything we write is considered original in their own right, would you be more offended if your fanfics (if you write those) were plagiarized versus your originals? does it matter? i've only ever had fanfics plagiarized and written under other fandoms, combining my stories into one (which makes it harder to find) but still being hysterically obvious about it. yet in retrospect, i am now okay with it. that doesn't mean i'd like it to persist but i'd rather have those plagiarized rather than ones i build from the ground up.
• to those who aren't fazed at all by this – if your original work was plagiarized, would you continue to post your chapters? are you confident enough in your work and your readers to do this? i ask this one, in particular, because i'm sort of wavering on the issue. in the event (and cross my heart it never happens) this happens to me, i'm trying to decide which would be best. in the grand scheme of things, i have no intentions to sell my work. if someone were to copy what i've written for money, i know i'd be hurt and upset by it, but i wonder if it's even worth that extra effort to hunt them down. if one of your copied works were to be successful due to someone's idiocy, there's a good chance that it'll all be traced back to you, right? so is the effort necessary?
in regards to the last, i don't mean to say that what certain fp authors are doing now is unnecessary, but i speak hypothetically.
sometimes i feel sad for the authors who are working hard to take their plagiarists down, so to speak, but i also feel that it's inescapable. for every one you take down, there's always someone else who'll crop up.
that aside, my next question is now focused on this plagiarism haven (or something or other; i found out about it through samanthanicole's profile when she updated ... sort of). i think it's a really awesome idea and a nice precautionary method for your works, but all things considered, i have these questions:
even if you guys are taking those extra steps to ban out certain users, how do you become convinced that none of the users you accept have secret motives? it just makes me really curious because, going back to everything i've said above, it sort of makes your efforts futile if you keep posting online. nothing is safe on the internet, as they say.
are you guys setting certain guidelines to people who request to be on your community? such as the longevity + reputation of a user on fp? i'm just concerned for everyone who's putting in that much work into something that might not really have the desired effect in the long run.
———
OMG SO LONG, SORRY! :( but it was really bugging me and i needed to ask.
Hey guys,
I just wanted to stop by to let everyone know about a new community called![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif)
fpwatchlist.
This community is keeping an eye out for FP authors that have been plagiarized on other sites; certainly not an easy task, what with all lazy-ass buffoons running rampant. It's an excellent community and will be a great support I'm sure; I urge everyone to join and post any evidence of plagiarism you might come across.
-Deena
I just wanted to stop by to let everyone know about a new community called
fpwatchlist.This community is keeping an eye out for FP authors that have been plagiarized on other sites; certainly not an easy task, what with all lazy-ass buffoons running rampant. It's an excellent community and will be a great support I'm sure; I urge everyone to join and post any evidence of plagiarism you might come across.
-Deena
- Mood:
sleepy
For those who have been plagiarized, how were you (or anyone who has helped you) able to find the plagiarists, especially the ones on fanfiction who changed all the names? :/
Most of the time, I just copy and paste story passages into google and see what pops up, but idk. I feel it's a very neanderthal way of doing it. There has to be an easier way, haha.
Most of the time, I just copy and paste story passages into google and see what pops up, but idk. I feel it's a very neanderthal way of doing it. There has to be an easier way, haha.
Oh okay. So I've been doing some thinking about the issue of plagiarism... and I'm kind of confused. Let's say I write a story about the whole step-brother and step-sister scenario, would I be copying Myrika? Even if my storyline is COMPLETELY different.
So that's what I sometimes get confused about; and what is the borderline between similar storylines and plagiarism, because fiction is so interconnected now...
So that's what I sometimes get confused about; and what is the borderline between similar storylines and plagiarism, because fiction is so interconnected now...
Please do not use this community to plug your own stories or ask for reviews. This is also not to be used as a personal journal, for releasing steam unrelated to Fictionpress or otherwise. This community is to discuss points about fictionpress. It is preferred that you introduce your own perspective(s) and/or argument in your post. Please do not just post, "This author sucks. Discuss" or "I don't get enough reviews. This is stupid. Let's bash people who do get a lot of reviews." These posts will be removed. 'Ranting" is all right, but please go about it in a civilized manner. Posting is not moderated; please do not make it so that it has to be.
A debate is not the same as a flame war. I have seen some comments that are on the verge teetering between flamebait and argument. Should the debate be centered on ad hominum attacks or problems between two members, please do not clutter the community with your drama.
Do not make a new post to simply introduce yourself. As the other introduction post is 3 years old, please feel free to introduce yourself again here.
Nickname: Cynic; Angeline
Username on FP: http://www.fictionpress.com/~sketchingac
Favorite genre: Fantasy/Sci-Fi
Why do I love reading/writing: I read to escape or when a story is very intriguing. I don't write anymore.
One other odd fact about me: I am a Harry Potter fanatic & I hate spiders. :x
A debate is not the same as a flame war. I have seen some comments that are on the verge teetering between flamebait and argument. Should the debate be centered on ad hominum attacks or problems between two members, please do not clutter the community with your drama.
Do not make a new post to simply introduce yourself. As the other introduction post is 3 years old, please feel free to introduce yourself again here.
Nickname: Cynic; Angeline
Username on FP: http://www.fictionpress.com/~sketchingac
Favorite genre: Fantasy/Sci-Fi
Why do I love reading/writing: I read to escape or when a story is very intriguing. I don't write anymore.
One other odd fact about me: I am a Harry Potter fanatic & I hate spiders. :x
Has anyone else recently noticed the number of people removing stories due to plagarism? Or are taking preemptive strikes against plagarism and have decided to stop posting on fp?
In the past week I've gotten around four alerts that were pretty much chapters detailing why the author would no longer be posting, because of plagarism or their nipping the prospect in the bud before it even happens.
Have any of you contemplated getting off of fp after you were plagarised//before you get plagarised? Has there been a rise in plagarism and I'm just not aware of it?
I just find in interesting that this week I've gotten that many alerts for people stopping what their doing due to plagarism or the possibility of it when before most stories were taken down [that I'd been following] because 1. author was rewriting it 2. author was lookin into getting it published.
So anyone else noticed a rise in plagarism/preventative plagarism type activities on fp? How would deal with being plagarised?
Heyyyy. It's been a while since I've posted but I decided that I FINALLY have something to rant about on fp. I don't know why but I find it REALLY pathetic or annoying to receive random PMs from people I have never heard of, asking for reviews. I have no idea how they find me but it's kind of grating - even if their stories MIGHT be good - but really... does it piss anyone else off?
Or maybe someone has posted something similar to this already...
Or maybe someone has posted something similar to this already...
Hi, I'm new here. In fact, I just joined and saw that this community had not been updated since April! I felt that there was a need (in me, anyway) to change that. So here I am!
A little intro about me:
( About mee! )
So... I have been a member of FictionPress since January 2003. I have never been a truly active writing member. I wrote here and there, but I mostly left reviews. Bad reviews. I was actually rereading my old reviews from way back when and cringing. I was the type of reviewer that said "OMG that is great! if u don't update, i'll come n find u!" ...Yeah. I'm really not proud of it. However, FictionPress let me grow as a reviewer. I began to realize it would be more helpful to give suggestions about what they could fix and change to make their story better. I began to leave more constructive reviews and I started to feel like I was helping the future writers. Or wannabe writers, anyway. In fact, FP has led me to realize I really want to be an editor for Young Adult novels. :-) That's what I'm going to college for. At least, I hope so.I'm an English major right now. Has anyone else had an experience like that?
Also, since I joined when I was 13 (I am now 20 by the way), I have noticed a great decline in "good" writing. Now I know most of it is young writers who are probably thirteen, fourteen, fifteen, etc. and do not really know how to horn in their skills. (Heck, I'm twenty and I barely know how to do that! :P) I'm not denying that I wasn't like that. But when I joined FP, the "greats" were there; the stories like Queen of Glass, A Thorn in the Kingdom, A Coward's Wisdom, And Then She Met The President's Son, etc. I'm not saying there weren't bad stories then because there were. However I've noticed a REAL decline in "good" writing. It seems all the stories are in the Romance section and they are all clichés (good girl/bad boy, punk/loser, popular/loser, etc.). That or they're all supernatural stories. I understand they were probably influenced by the Twilight series by Stephenie Meyer(yuck.), but has it always been like this? Have there always been such an abundance of cliché stories on FP? Or is it just new? Do the stories on FP come and go because of actual book trends (i.e. Harry Potter, Twilight, etc.)?
Does anyone else see this or is it just me?
A little intro about me:
( About mee! )
So... I have been a member of FictionPress since January 2003. I have never been a truly active writing member. I wrote here and there, but I mostly left reviews. Bad reviews. I was actually rereading my old reviews from way back when and cringing. I was the type of reviewer that said "OMG that is great! if u don't update, i'll come n find u!" ...Yeah. I'm really not proud of it. However, FictionPress let me grow as a reviewer. I began to realize it would be more helpful to give suggestions about what they could fix and change to make their story better. I began to leave more constructive reviews and I started to feel like I was helping the future writers. Or wannabe writers, anyway. In fact, FP has led me to realize I really want to be an editor for Young Adult novels. :-) That's what I'm going to college for. At least, I hope so.
Also, since I joined when I was 13 (I am now 20 by the way), I have noticed a great decline in "good" writing. Now I know most of it is young writers who are probably thirteen, fourteen, fifteen, etc. and do not really know how to horn in their skills. (Heck, I'm twenty and I barely know how to do that! :P) I'm not denying that I wasn't like that. But when I joined FP, the "greats" were there; the stories like Queen of Glass, A Thorn in the Kingdom, A Coward's Wisdom, And Then She Met The President's Son, etc. I'm not saying there weren't bad stories then because there were. However I've noticed a REAL decline in "good" writing. It seems all the stories are in the Romance section and they are all clichés (good girl/bad boy, punk/loser, popular/loser, etc.). That or they're all supernatural stories. I understand they were probably influenced by the Twilight series by Stephenie Meyer
Does anyone else see this or is it just me?
- Mood:
contemplative
oh god. i want to stab my eyes with a pitchfork.
what is with these stories (that seem to never end) about the main MC's love interest being the leader of his werewolf pack? werewolf, werewolf, werewolf! i hate smeyer with a fiery passion. her books are the only reason, i think, that these stories are being produced like baby rabbits.
i don't think it'd bug me so much if they were well-written, and if they were few and far between, but there was one day where there was at least one werewolf story per page. oi.
what do you think of them? has this been going on since the twilight phenom or long before that and i'm just out of the loop?
what is with these stories (that seem to never end) about the main MC's love interest being the leader of his werewolf pack? werewolf, werewolf, werewolf! i hate smeyer with a fiery passion. her books are the only reason, i think, that these stories are being produced like baby rabbits.
i don't think it'd bug me so much if they were well-written, and if they were few and far between, but there was one day where there was at least one werewolf story per page. oi.
what do you think of them? has this been going on since the twilight phenom or long before that and i'm just out of the loop?
The only pics I approve of are JD Allen's drawn ones. Her Rafe was exactly what I pictured. Other than that, typically the cast lists for FP stories are, well, shit. How many times must Emily Vancamp be casted for the leading role? No, I did not picture the main guy as Abercrombie model #528. The cast lists are the same generic good-looking people. If your MC looks so "ordinary," then why is the actress she oh so apparently resembles hot?
Also, the cast lists can tarnish what readers imagined a character to look like. One of the aspects of writing is to make the reader see what you, the writer, is seeing. Like how I can honestly say my Rafe is JD Allen's Rafe. If you've done the job right, the cast list is useless. I wrote in a review for a story where the author asked what people would think about a cast list that I wouldn't like cast list since "attractive" differs from person to person (the story was Heart Lotion SPF 20, so there's a lot of hot guys). My perception of hot could be different from hers, so if I saw the cast list for the character I'd want to bang but the casted was unbangable, that would be devastating.
So, I'm 100% AGAINST.
Also, the cast lists can tarnish what readers imagined a character to look like. One of the aspects of writing is to make the reader see what you, the writer, is seeing. Like how I can honestly say my Rafe is JD Allen's Rafe. If you've done the job right, the cast list is useless. I wrote in a review for a story where the author asked what people would think about a cast list that I wouldn't like cast list since "attractive" differs from person to person (the story was Heart Lotion SPF 20, so there's a lot of hot guys). My perception of hot could be different from hers, so if I saw the cast list for the character I'd want to bang but the casted was unbangable, that would be devastating.
So, I'm 100% AGAINST.
Does anyone know what happened to the fictionpress official ficathon? It's been dead for over a year. Did the mods lose interest?
- Music:Precious Things - Tori Amos
what do you think of them?
lately, i have noticed a surge in the trend of making one's story stand out by having the most ridiculous/overwhelmingly creative title that rarely makes sense. for example, coconut monkeys and pencil traces. that's not an actual title, but it's like the author is intentionally trying to convey that their story will automatically be witty and funny.
mind you, i don't really have an issue with it. some of the ones i'm drawn to have had an odd sense of humor in the title and even in the summaries and have lived up to their adverts. but i find that i'm becoming irritated by them because it's like everyone is noticing that that's what it takes to garner reviews and therefore, they start pulling out weird cynicism out of their arses.
if anything, the increase is eyeroll-worthy.
so, thoughts!
lately, i have noticed a surge in the trend of making one's story stand out by having the most ridiculous/overwhelmingly creative title that rarely makes sense. for example, coconut monkeys and pencil traces. that's not an actual title, but it's like the author is intentionally trying to convey that their story will automatically be witty and funny.
mind you, i don't really have an issue with it. some of the ones i'm drawn to have had an odd sense of humor in the title and even in the summaries and have lived up to their adverts. but i find that i'm becoming irritated by them because it's like everyone is noticing that that's what it takes to garner reviews and therefore, they start pulling out weird cynicism out of their arses.
if anything, the increase is eyeroll-worthy.
so, thoughts!
Hi Everyone!
I'm new to the community, but was excited to stumble upon it as it seems to be more for discussion than pleas for reviews...
Anyway, I have been searching in vain to find others who started out on fictionpress but who ended up getting published. I began at FP in 2003 and got my book deal in 2008. Prada & Prejudice will hit shelves nationwide on June 11, 2009!
I'd love to work together with others-- I can't be the only one! There's like a million people on that site, so surely you're out there somewhere.
Does anyone know of any FP authors who went on to find success?
For that matter, are any of you querying agents or making a good go of it?
~mandy
I'm new to the community, but was excited to stumble upon it as it seems to be more for discussion than pleas for reviews...
Anyway, I have been searching in vain to find others who started out on fictionpress but who ended up getting published. I began at FP in 2003 and got my book deal in 2008. Prada & Prejudice will hit shelves nationwide on June 11, 2009!
I'd love to work together with others-- I can't be the only one! There's like a million people on that site, so surely you're out there somewhere.
Does anyone know of any FP authors who went on to find success?
For that matter, are any of you querying agents or making a good go of it?
~mandy
This has probably been touched on in another way before now, but I just wanna fume.
Does anybody else want to hang themselves when they see someone ask for reviews on![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/community.gif)
fp_review and fictionpress ?
It just bugs the hell out of me, that's all. I mean... one or the other. When I see it twice (god forbid thrice) it makes me not want to read it because I think they're desperate. Andfp_review even has a review me forum, so for the people who are new and didn't know (which is most of them because the post is always prefaced with "Hi, I'm a new FP'er"), it says so on the main page.
I dunno, this just... maybe I'm imagining it, but it's been happening a lot more often lately and it's been bugging me. Sorry if you've done it and think I'm talking to you, I'm not, I don't have the brain power to remember usernames... but c'mon, it's annoying as hell.
Does anybody else want to hang themselves when they see someone ask for reviews on
fp_review and fictionpress ? It just bugs the hell out of me, that's all. I mean... one or the other. When I see it twice (god forbid thrice) it makes me not want to read it because I think they're desperate. And
fp_review even has a review me forum, so for the people who are new and didn't know (which is most of them because the post is always prefaced with "Hi, I'm a new FP'er"), it says so on the main page.I dunno, this just... maybe I'm imagining it, but it's been happening a lot more often lately and it's been bugging me. Sorry if you've done it and think I'm talking to you, I'm not, I don't have the brain power to remember usernames... but c'mon, it's annoying as hell.
So, hi. New here. Hello!
Now then, I just this second recieved a review, a favourite, a story alert and an author alert from someone. That, obviously, made me happy.
Anyway, after reply to the person who reviewed, I flitted off to check out her profile which is something I do often to people who review, only to see that my story was the first she'd put on her favourites.
This also made me happy.
This has been happening a lot lately with some of my strories. I've gone off to investigate someone's profile only to find that I'm either the only one, or one of very few people who has a story on someone's favourites list. Of course, chances are these people are new and haven't had a chance to really read a lot of stories yet, but even so it still makes me giddy. And then there's the people who have been there for quite some time... which just makes me insanely proud.
So, now that I've told you my life story, I was wondering, what little things on FP give you that warm fuzzy feeling?
Now then, I just this second recieved a review, a favourite, a story alert and an author alert from someone. That, obviously, made me happy.
Anyway, after reply to the person who reviewed, I flitted off to check out her profile which is something I do often to people who review, only to see that my story was the first she'd put on her favourites.
This also made me happy.
This has been happening a lot lately with some of my strories. I've gone off to investigate someone's profile only to find that I'm either the only one, or one of very few people who has a story on someone's favourites list. Of course, chances are these people are new and haven't had a chance to really read a lot of stories yet, but even so it still makes me giddy. And then there's the people who have been there for quite some time... which just makes me insanely proud.
So, now that I've told you my life story, I was wondering, what little things on FP give you that warm fuzzy feeling?
All right, so how do people feel about physical descriptions? I think we can all agree about how they should not be introduced, so let's just jump to the description themselves.
So i hate it when the descriptions don't match the characters. It's not since I'm a brunette so I want the MC to be a brunette, but more like....a character is specifically described as one way, but what you imagine is completely different. Mostly hair color. I could be picturing black hair or a blonde-or-brown-no one-really-knows when the person has light blonde hair or something. It messes up the look I've thought up because I picture them as I had, but then that's wrong so I should see it as the author, but the character just doesn't look like it.
Real life example: Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella. Never is Becky's, the MC, hair or eye color, height, ethnicity stated. Sophie says she did this so readers can imagine themselves as Becky (w/c is awesome because Luke is so hot). Speaking of Luke, he has dark eyes and dark hair, and goddammit that just fits so fracking well. anyway, when the movie came out, Becky was a redhead, and we readers freaked out. Unnamiously readers thought Becky as being medium height, with paleish skin and dark brown hair. One person brought up at picture of who they wanted to play Becky, and I screamed because that was who I was thinking in my head and so did lots of other people.
So, I guess character decriptions are not something the author chooses. You say they're a redhead, but actually they have barely shoulder length dyed caramel hair. You say he has surfer blonde hair, but, uh, he has brown. It might be one's fantasies or something. *shurgs*
(side note: 5'4 and 5'6 is NOT short. That's acutally the average height in the US. 5'2 and below is short *throughoutly insulted* Cause what am I? A midget?)
So i hate it when the descriptions don't match the characters. It's not since I'm a brunette so I want the MC to be a brunette, but more like....a character is specifically described as one way, but what you imagine is completely different. Mostly hair color. I could be picturing black hair or a blonde-or-brown-no one-really-knows when the person has light blonde hair or something. It messes up the look I've thought up because I picture them as I had, but then that's wrong so I should see it as the author, but the character just doesn't look like it.
Real life example: Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella. Never is Becky's, the MC, hair or eye color, height, ethnicity stated. Sophie says she did this so readers can imagine themselves as Becky (w/c is awesome because Luke is so hot). Speaking of Luke, he has dark eyes and dark hair, and goddammit that just fits so fracking well. anyway, when the movie came out, Becky was a redhead, and we readers freaked out. Unnamiously readers thought Becky as being medium height, with paleish skin and dark brown hair. One person brought up at picture of who they wanted to play Becky, and I screamed because that was who I was thinking in my head and so did lots of other people.
So, I guess character decriptions are not something the author chooses. You say they're a redhead, but actually they have barely shoulder length dyed caramel hair. You say he has surfer blonde hair, but, uh, he has brown. It might be one's fantasies or something. *shurgs*
(side note: 5'4 and 5'6 is NOT short. That's acutally the average height in the US. 5'2 and below is short *throughoutly insulted* Cause what am I? A midget?)
I noticed that there have been a lot of vampire stories on FP lately and they all tend to be very formulaic. Either (1) the vampire hates the girl on first sight but somehow ends up falling in love with her, (2) the vampire immediately falls in love with the girl, resulting in fluffy goodness that would make Nicholas Sparks turn away in disgust or, (3) the girl is the vampire's slave for some reason that isn't quite specified.
And a lot of other supernatural stories follow this formula, too.
-What sets a supernatural fic apart for you?
-What are some cliches that drive you up the wall?
-What would you LIKE to see in a supernatural fic?
And a lot of other supernatural stories follow this formula, too.
-What sets a supernatural fic apart for you?
-What are some cliches that drive you up the wall?
-What would you LIKE to see in a supernatural fic?
- Music:Don't Hold Back - The Sleeping
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