"Fanfiction.net": Does No One Review?

[Yeah Way]

Really, am I such a rare individual because I leave a review on most of the stuff I read? Just how small a percentage of readers bother to write even one line on the content through which they've just sat? My last update had 177 views, and received a whole two reviews. -.-

I'm really doing this to let out some frustration, but do please reply.

[Kaguya]

Well, I particularly tend to write what I thought whenever I finish something. I'd say most people simply don't bother, though. There are various reasons. Some people do want to write something but have no confidence, some people do want to write something but simply don't bother... But I'd say most people relate writing as something tedious, really. Even if you do appreciate books or other kinds of written works, it doesn't mean that you like writing. I think that's the principle. I do believe that most people in the world dislike writing, or at the very least feel no pleasure from doing so. It's a pity, really.

[Fox_DL]

I didn't even know that site even existed thanks for sharing..

I'm pretty sure a lot of people want to write a review especially when they want to show appreciation to the author. But when they finally sit down, they suddenly think that the review they've written is too melodramatic, does not make sense, or may subject them to ridicule. Especially if the reader does not have English as a first language. At least that's what I felt when I tried to make a review when I was in high school.

[Yeah Way]

I didn't even know that site even existed :huh:/> thanks for sharing..

I'm pretty sure a lot of people want to write a review especially when they want to show appreciation to the author. But when they finally sit down, they suddenly think that the review they've written is too melodramatic, does not make sense, or may subject them to ridicule. Especially if the reader does not have English as a first language. At least that's what I felt when I tried to make a review when I was in high school.

LOL, thou'rt welcome!

Also, I doubt how prevalent such feelings could be in an anonymous online community.

[Okami]

I thought that FunFiction.net is site for writing fun created stories like a bunch of Naruhina stories that I read there. I Newer have known that people write reviews there too.

[Yeah Way]

I thought that FunFiction.net is site for writing fun created stories like a bunch of Naruhina stories that I read there. I Newer have known that people write reviews there too.

It's how writers know what they're doing wrong and upon what they need to improve, so it's quite important to them.

[Zakamutt]

People really aren't likely to engage strongly by reviewing your stuff - if you had somewhere where people could give short comments, it might get a bit more traffic (but not necessarily, of course...)

Participation Inequality - Norman Nielsen << interesting info on this

[Yeah Way]

People really aren't likely to engage strongly by reviewing your stuff - if you had somewhere where people could give short comments, it might get a bit more traffic (but not necessarily, of course...)

Participation Inequality - Norman Nielsen << interesting info on this

Well actually, most "Reviews" are just brief comments; but my not even getting those is the problem. Very interesting article, BTW; thanks for sharing it. I have no difficulty in believing it.

[Yeah Way]

I'd like to make an observation; although, in doing so, I risk sounding somewhat cocky. People on these sorts of websites seem to be more vocal about things that are outstandingly bad than those that are outstandingly good. Has anyone else thought so?

[Darklord Rooke]

Really, am I such a rare individual because I leave a review on most of the stuff I read?

I only leave a review on stuff I love. So I've only left reviews on about 10 stories. Sorry *shrugs*.

It's how writers know what they're doing wrong and upon what they need to improve, so it's quite important to them.

I'm not sure if this is the best method.....

I see terribly written stories get scores of great reviews from fanfiction.net on a regular occurance.

[Darklord Rooke]

I want to expand on the last point I made, if I could, by posting something written by Lawrence Watt-Evans. He wrote it a while ago but I think the advice still holds up. It's about trying to improve your writing by writing in fanzines.

getting published in a fanzine does accomplish one thing: it gets you an audience. Not necessarily much of one, since fanzines and webzines generally have pretty small circulations, but an audience. Not only that, it's an extremely responsive, appreciative audience--if they weren't interested, they wouldn't get the 'zine. If you write something for a fanzine that is any good at all, or at all out of the ordinary or controversial, you'll probably get a reaction in the 'zine letter column. If you post anything halfway decent on the Web and provide a mailto link, you'll probably get e-mail.

This is called "egoboo." People notice you. You get a response to what you do. It's a lot of fun; it's invigorating.

However, it doesn't really tell you a damn thing about how good your writing is. The standards are different for fanzines. In a fanzine, readers are more concerned with whether you've got an amusing concept than with such trivia as style, characterization, clarity, etc.

And the reaction won't be able to tell you anything useful about what you're doing wrong; it's more likely to be either, "Boy, that was a good story," or "Wow, that one really stank!"

This doesn't do anything to improve your writing.

"But," you ask, "doesn't writing for fanzines provide necessary practice? Won't you see what you've been doing wrong, and improve?"

Well, yes, you just might--but because the feedback in almost all fanzines is virtually worthless, you won't get any more insight than you would if you wrote the stories and didn't send them to fanzines, but instead just showed them to friends, sent them to professional markets, and so forth. And you'll get much less feedback, and less valuable feedback, than if you joined a good writer's workshop, with at least one participating pro.

http://www.watt-evans.com/soyouwanttobeawriter1.html

[Yeah Way]

I want to expand on the last point I made, if I could, by posting something written by Lawrence Watt-Evans. He wrote it a while ago but I think the advice still holds up. It's about trying to improve your writing by writing in fanzines.

http://www.watt-evans.com/soyouwanttobeawriter1.html

Well, that depends on the fandom and the content &c. &c.; but damn it, I'll concede that the majority is useless. I've only ever gotten one useful criticism, and that was only slightly helpful at best. -.-

I think that I'll go through with my plan of using it as English homework to get the opinion of someone whom I know will say something meaningful, assuming I get an assignment relevant enough to do so...

[InvertMouse]

Yeah, that's how it is on the internet~ Most people never bother to comment after absorbing material. For instance, I'd check out tons of iPhone apps, but I never bother to left a review for any of them. It must be particularly hard for writing. Most people these days want more sensations, as in visual and audio, etc. I'm struggling to raise interest for my game projects as well so I know it's very difficult. Good luck !

[Yeah Way]

LMFAO. I just got the first review in months for my main story. Saw the notification in my e-mail; was like "Wow, really? How exciting;" and then I actually read it: "Fuck you and your loser gary-stu." xD

Oh well, shouldn't've expected only to get positive stuff, anyway; so I guess I don't mind... much.

[Eurobeatz]

From what I've seen, people review quite a lot of Fanfiction.net, the problem is that 90% of the "reviews" are either "lol nice fic" or "this suks". But then and again, the quality of most of the fanfics on there are terrible, so it's too be expected.