10369 réponses à ce sujet

[LupusYondergirl]

@Sarah: No, I get the same way. I get three times as many reviews for AOA as I do for my collected one-off stories, but as long as the numbers are about the same from chapter to chapter I'm happy. I used to get about twice as many reviews for AOA as I did for Blue Skies, but that number slowly seems to be creeping up. Not sure why. I find it's best to smile instead of questioning good news.

Like why my video card suddenly started working again at random. I don't know why, but damned if I'm not happy about it.

[Gilgamesh1138]

@Lupus well you are a better writer than me. My reviews have gone down, but I am writing a story that has reached 96 chapters and still going. My hits are high, so I guess I'm not boring people? I don't know, now I am starting to get worried. And YAY for the video card working! Maybe the gremlins left?

[LupusYondergirl]

Don't knock yourself, you're way better at emotional stuff than I am.

I wouldn't worry, my overall reviews per chapter have dropped since the holiday season began, too. A lot of people have said the same thing. With everyone worrying about the holidays, students in finals, and all that associated stress I think people aren't reading as much as they would be otherwise.

[Mahkara]

So I guess people are still enjoying it and reading. I sometimes wish I would get more reviews...heheh.

I feel the same, I'm like, "Damn it, tell me what you think! Why are you hiding your precious, precious opinions from me? Yargh!!!" 

Of course, I am also very upset that I  have gotten no flames. This upsets me to no end.  QQ  So I'm strange.

[Mahkara]

Sarah1281 wrote...

And with chapter stories, after so many chapters I'll have a certain expectation of reviews per chapter and so long as the average falls within that range (like if it were six per chapter and one chapter only got four but another got eight it would be fine) then it's all good.

That sounds mildly neurotic.

I do the same thing.  I mean, if I usually get 20, and then I get 4, it's like...OK, where did I screw up?  Someone help me please...

I do realize that I sort of doom myself by writing about the most hated characters ever.  Which is fine.  But I'd still like to know whether people hate me because they're pissed off about what I said about the lovable and precious Alistair, or whether I'm just so boring that no one wants to read any more...

[jackkel dragon]

I wonder what people will think of me when I get to a scene that was unitentionally inspired by this. It's not exactly a well-loved character, but...

[LupusYondergirl]

Mahkara wrote...

So I guess people are still enjoying it and reading. I sometimes wish I would get more reviews...heheh.

I feel the same, I'm like, "Damn it, tell me what you think! Why are you hiding your precious, precious opinions from me? Yargh!!!" 

Of course, I am also very upset that I  have gotten no flames. This upsets me to no end.  QQ  So I'm strange.

It took me until AOA was at something like chapter 70 before I got a bad review, but when it happened I was SO excited.  "Someone hates me enough to say it publicly!  Someone's finally called my main character a mary sue! Ah, I've arrived!!"

Yeah, I don't claim to be normal.
I'd gotten a few less than flattering mails before then, but most were closer to "confusing and strange" than "flames."  And then there's always the "write the story I want to read" crowd, but I mostly ignore that.

[Jafari]

One thing I've noticed, that many bad stories can have a boatload of reviews. Where some very well done pieces can be virtually ignored. Not trying to sound egotistic or anything. Just something I've noticed. 

Sorry for Hijacking the convo from you guys. :innocent:

Modifié par Links-2-3-4, 06 janvier 2011 - 11:24 .

[Mahkara]

LupusYondergirl wrote...


Yeah, I don't claim to be normal.
I'd gotten a few less than flattering mails before then, but most were closer to "confusing and strange" than "flames."  And then there's always the "write the story I want to read" crowd, but I mostly ignore that.

I regularly get the "write what I want to read" reviews, which I actually find kind of cool, as I enjoy trying to alter bits of the plot to work for my readers.  That said, they have to accept that they won't always get what they want.  (I swear, the same guy appears chapter after chapter demanding that I just kill Cailan and get it over with.  I'm kind of surprised that he's still reading.  That said, he gives awesome reviews, so I don't want him to stop.  I'm just...puzzled.)

But, yeah, I'm kind of saddened by the lack of flames. Like, I seriously thought that "Paved with Good Intentions" would be like wall o'flames, seeing as it's really quite negative towards Alistair.  But I think, in general, that people just don't read what they don't want to read, you know?

[Mahkara]

Links-2-3-4 wrote...

One thing I've noticed, that many bad stories can have a boatload of reviews. Where some very well done pieces can be virtually ignored. Not trying to sound egotistic or anything. Just something I've noticed. 

Sorry for Hijacking the convo from you guys. :innocent:

Hijack away! (Anything for conversation)

I've found the same thing. Like, sometimes you read a story that has 1 review and you go "yeah, I see why..." and others it's like "WTF? This is awesome!  Why no reviews?"  One of the best ffic writers I know gets almost no reviews.  I'm kind of baffled by it.  Alternately, I know people who write really great stuff and are ignored.  And I'm incredibly confused as to why some of my shorts have a lot of reviews, and some have (almost) none, when often I don't even like the stuff that has the most reviews, and love the stuff that has like...two.  It's bizarre.

There seem to be some things that generate reviews.  And then there's this huge black box portion of the review equation.  It's kind of annoying, especially as I *know* that people check out how many reviews a story has when deciding whether or not to read it (at least I do, and friends admit to doing the same thing), but it's really a horribly imperfect measure as to whether the writer is great and just not popular for some reason, or pretty mediocre, but well reviewed.  (That said, anyone who's averaging a sufficient number of reviews - say 10 per chapter or more - is probably at least decent.  I have a hard time believing that anyone who has that much of a following for tens of thousands of words doesn't have at least something going for them.   That said, they still may not be good as the guy averaging 2 per chapter.)

[inquartata02]

You also have to watch out how you categorize a story on ff.net when you pick the characters that'll show up in the search terms. Mine has Cousland and Morrigan and normal expectations are that it's Cousland/Morrigan, while my story, as it stands, may or may not be that (or end up being that). I've had one person review "Isn't this supposed to be cousland/morrigan?" or something to that effect.

Edited to add: Good lord, I don't think I've ever gotten ten reviews for one chapter. *returns to feelings of inadequacy*

Modifié par inquartata02, 06 janvier 2011 - 11:59 .

[maxernst]

Do you think that people tend to review stories by people that have reviewed their stories? I've had very few reviews (actually had one review that commented on the lack of reviews), but then I don't read or review other people's stuff much, and I tend to PM the author rather than review. I've actually gotten most of my feedback here rather than on ff.net.



Of course, I'm also new to the ffic game, so very few people have me on their watch list. And it may be that the M/M romance aspect reduces my readership as well. Or that Cousland/Alistair romances are just so old hat nobody wants to read them any more. Or I just write lousy titles/taglines that don't draw people's attention. Or people are turned off by first-person narratives, which a fair number of people are, it seems. I could just suck, but the little feedback I've had has been positive, so I don't think its that horrible.

[maxernst]

@inquartata, I haven't gotten ten reviews for a story yet, so don't feel bad about not getting 10 reviews per chapter.

Modifié par maxernst, 07 janvier 2011 - 12:15 .

[mousestalker]

So not getting into the number of reviews thingy. I get giddy whenever someone says they like my story. As fanfic writers go, I'm rather easy.

Modifié par mousestalker, 07 janvier 2011 - 12:17 .

[LupusYondergirl]

@Links: No such thing as hijacking, anyone's welcome to join.

There's a lot of reasons why some fics get more reviews than others that often have nothing to do with comparative quality. Some characters and pairings are more popular than others, postgame or AU seem to be bigger now than stories that follow the game plot, etc. While I absolutely agree that there are some very well written fics that don't get the attention they deserve, I'd really, really avoid going the opposite direction and ripping into stories that do get a lot of reviews. It never ends well. A lot of the stories with high review counts are written by posters here, after all...



@Mahkara : I don't get small requests, usually. I mean, besides the usual demands for more smut, but that may just be my reader base. I get massive, fic-changing requests. Like "have her dump Anders for Zevran," "Make it a love triangle with Nathaniel," "she and Alistair should get drunk and sleep together" etc. I get people who want me to change major, fundamental parts of the plot in ways that would completely go against the personalities of the characters.

[Jafari]

I'm almost used to receiving near to none reviews since I tend to avoid the main-plot, and write about other characters in the world using the main-plot as a mere backdrop (or not referring to the main-plot at all.) In most of my fictions.

For the story I'm working on currently, maybe... two main characters from the game have at least one chapter for a cameo appearance. But I used "almost used to it" because having no reviews for something you work hard on can be very discouraging. And most people want to read about the characters not really much about the world away from the characters. Not bashing those who write about Alistair, Zev, Morrigan etc - as some are my favourite stories, but for people who write away from the main plot and characters we get used too. It can be discouraging.

So don't feel so inadequate Inquartata

Modifié par Links-2-3-4, 07 janvier 2011 - 12:32 .

[inquartata02]

Wow, imaging Maggie with your fic's Alistair makes me want to claw out my eyes. They have such a good brother/sister dynamic that... ugh. I cannot see them together, even if plastered.

[Mahkara]

maxernst wrote...

Do you think that people tend to review stories by people that have reviewed their stories? I've had very few reviews (actually had one review that commented on the lack of reviews), but then I don't read or review other people's stuff much, and I tend to PM the author rather than review. I've actually gotten most of my feedback here rather than on ff.net.

Yes. Within reason.

It stands to reason that people are more likely to read something mediocre by a friend or someone who's reviewed them a lot than by a total stranger.   (I certainly am.  I mean, I'd feel really guilty if I had a buddy who I emailed daily and refused to read, you know?)  That said, it's not an end all be all.  I've reviewed lots of people who I don't think have *ever* read one of my fics, and get reviews from a contingent of people who don't write ffic, or who do write, but I don't want to read.  It varies.

I do *try* to at least read a story or two of people who review everything I write as it seems polite to check them out.  (Plus, I'm always after new fic, and figure that someone who likes what I write has similar taste.) But if it either strikes me as boring, I hate the pairing, or I just don't like the fic, I ignore them.  So mileage probably varies a lot.

[Mahkara]

mousestalker wrote...

So not getting into the number of reviews thingy. I get giddy whenever someone says they like my story. As fanfic writers go, I'm rather easy.

I'm inclined to think that it's not just quantity, but quality.  A short "lol" isn't nearly as meaningful to me as a five paragraph (or longer...yeah, I've gotten those which rock!) review where the person really seems interested in what I'm writing.  One of my shorts got 16 reviews (yeah, I know, OMG, squee! indeed!).  Another got 12 (also squee!!!!), but the reviews were longer and more favorable.  IMHO, the second was a lot better, which I think the reviews reflect.  (If that makes any sense.)

[Mahkara]

LupusYondergirl wrote...

@Mahkara : I don't get small requests, usually. I mean, besides the usual demands for more smut, but that may just be my reader base. I get massive, fic-changing requests. Like "have her dump Anders for Zevran," "Make it a love triangle with Nathaniel," "she and Alistair should get drunk and sleep together" etc. I get people who want me to change major, fundamental parts of the plot in ways that would completely go against the personalities of the characters.

Yeah, those are pretty goofy. Although getting her drunk and making her sleep with Alistair would be pretty entertaining...

But, no, no, bad idea.  (Really, all of my ideas are pretty wacky.  I love going with the weird...)

[Jafari]

Mahkara wrote...
A short "lol" isn't nearly as meaningful to me as a five paragraph (or longer...yeah, I've gotten those which rock!) review where the person really seems interested in what I'm writing.

Ditto; If I ever got a "lol" for a review I'd be pretty much sat there like, o_o. I do like reviews where people are deeply intrested in the story and with the characters, basically giving out a Roger Ebert review. At least a postive R.E review.

[LupusYondergirl]

@inquartata02 You know? They'd probably wake up, go into projectile vomiting, and commit seppuku out of abject horror. Especially in AOA where they basically do think of each other as siblings.

I don't care how drunk they are, the closest they'd get to falling into bed is if they fell down while having a friendly drunken brawl near a bed. And then they would laugh and stand up again. Or pass out. Either way, pants would stay on.



@Mahkara : Trust me, it really wouldn't work in my fic. And it would involve massive betrayals of the people they both actually do love, which would make the whole thing kind of tragic.

[Mahkara]

LupusYondergirl wrote...


@Mahkara : Trust me, it really wouldn't work in my fic. And it would involve massive betrayals of the people they both actually do love, which would make the whole thing kind of tragic.

I'll take your word for it.  Even if I must admit that the moment of "OMG, what have we done...." is one of my favorites to read about/write about.

Then again, what is it that Tolstoy said?  "Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way." I totally like watching characters be totally miserable.  I'm a horrible sadist.

[Sialater]

mousestalker wrote...

So not getting into the number of reviews thingy. I get giddy whenever someone says they like my story. As fanfic writers go, I'm rather easy.

You, too?  

[Jafari]

Mahkara wrote...

Then again, what is it that Tolstoy said?  "Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way." I totally like watching characters be totally miserable.  I'm a horrible sadist.

Ditto! xD I like to make my characters suffer from time to time! I enjoy giving them a good kick around rather than a happy ending.