Fanfiction Lounge

[JX Valentine]

To support this claim because you seem to be in an argument:

Is there such thing as too much detail?

To put it very simply, there is such a thing, and one form of it is called purple prose. In fact, in many cases in fanfiction, it tends to be purple prose.

Alternatively, if you're not spending full paragraphs describing the curtains in overly flowery prose, there's such a thing in that drawing attention to unnecessary objects often evokes a feeling of Chekhov's Gun. As in, if you draw attention to the fact that there's a very ornate rug on the staircase, chances are, we're going to start thinking that rug's going to be important somehow. When it turns out it isn't, then it suddenly feels like you've just wasted our time. Yes, overdescribing anything is a bad thing because it slows down the plot, and on top of that, it's intensely frustrating because we sit here waiting for something to happen for so long we either get bored and go find another story or we start attaching meaning to something that actually doesn't have much meaning at all.

In other words, it's basically like what Feign said: it drags down the plot or it focuses the reader's attention on something that doesn't actually matter. The reader comes to your story to be entertained, and if nothing happens for four pages because you're so busy describing how a character looks, unless it's particularly important, we'll get bored. Yes, it's a good thing to help the reader visualize what's going on, but overdoing it's a problem too. The trick is to find a decent middle ground.

 

[bobandbill]

Well, perhaps not publicly nominating or voting but more like sending secret ballots to Asty via PM to point her in the direction of particular titles that may have stood out more than others. In other words, they're suggestions. That way, she won't actually have to kill herself over reading every fic that's been updated or published within the past month/time period.

The main reason why I'm concerned about doing it publicly is because I'm worried that doing that may just end up with a popularity contest -- as in, people end up voting for certain fics because they know their ballots would be read or because they see other people voting for a certain fic. That and she's not pressured to go with the fic with the most votes. She's merely told which fic to pay attention to because of whatever reason, and we'd have no reason to gripe over it not being democratic if she decides certain fics with less nominations/votes is of higher quality than one that got over 9000 votes that particular month.

IMO, have use suggest good fics 'secretly' via PM >>> a public thing, really. Of course though, it'd depend on whether it'd suit Astinus' grand plans or not. XD (Also could there be the slight chance of her drowning in PMs recommending the same old popular stuff that was up two months ago? =/) (Oh, and hurrah for slipping in an over 9000 joke. -_-)

Is there such thing as too much detail?

As mentioned above...well, yes. -_- Generally, one can really have too much of a good thing. Except of course of Miror B. I recall a book being rather decent in places... but they simply overloaded too much on describing every single character. It got rather frustrating after a while - waited for stuff to happened, but it couldn't because, darn it, the guys doing renovations in the buildings had to be introduced in depth before they faded back into the background and the story could continue. (The fact that most of the important characters' names started with the letter 'B' didn't help matters either). -_-

Of course, too little description also isn't advisable - it's the balance that one should aim for.
Well, it's weird, because it's also used as a slang term, kinda like "cool" or "awesome."

I'm now torn between spelling it differently or just leaving it like that for the lulz.

I'm with celuthea - leave it in! XD

Otherwise, usually, it takes awhile to get a review if you're new or particularly unknown in a community. I know you've posted poetry before, but really, you're still a new face around here compared to, say, bobandbill.

My face isn't that old, is it? *Looks in the mirror* Ok, I was wrong. =|

But yes - it's generally how things go, really - takes a while to get noticed in such places, really. Just keep at it, get yourself more 'known', and be patient and all.

*is tempted to be now even more distracted from writing the next chapter and tries to resist*

 

[Astinus]

Okay, so I like, totally have no idea what's going on because someone's name change is making me want to yell out references to a science fiction book series written by a Mormon and I'm eating a ham sandwich (THIS IS IMPORTANT TO KNOW!) even though it's not really a sandwich because I'm only using one piece of bread and I want to get things done online so I can go play the Sims because one of my Sims (my favorite Sim, he's my baby) just gave birth to twins and so I want to lol and make even more references to science fiction book series written by a Mormon and the twins have an older brother named after said Mormon and...

Ojikay.

Look, if y'all wanna come up with new solutions for FFotM, I'm ojikay with it all. Because yeah, I don't/won't have time to read all the fics posted, like now. So if you want to make sure that my head won't explode and I go FLOUNCE FLOUNCEY! then y'all can do stuff.

And yeah, I mean that fics that stand out are of a higher quality, but we all know that those fics don't always get the attention they deserve because people like reading easy and cheap fics. Easy and cheap like yo' mommas. Yeah, I went there!

And now I have a Sim to baby.

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE, MY POST COUNT ENDS IN 69! LOLOLOLOLOLOLOL

 

[txteclipse]

Perhaps instead of having a voting system, we should simply send PMs to Astinus trying to persuade her to pick a certain fic. We'd tell her why we believe it deserves FFotM, and she could go from there. Here's how it would play out:

One nomination could be something along the lines of "This author uses an interesting and refreshing writing style to portray an engaging plot filled with fantastic description, pacing, and character development." Then you have five thousand other nominations saying "lol this is gr8 stry pick this 1!!!11!"

The first fic would win. It's not dependent on number of votes, but on the quality of the fic itself. Astinus would obviously proceed to review the fics that have the best nominations, and then pick the best one out of those.

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE, MY POST COUNT ENDS IN 69! LOLOLOLOLOLOLOL

Meh, 52's better.

 

[JX Valentine]

Okay, so I like, totally have no idea what's going on because someone's name change is making me want to yell out references to a science fiction book series written by a Mormon

I totally did not choose this name just for that. Whatchoo talkin' 'bout, Willis?

Perhaps instead of having a voting system, we should simply send PMs to Astinus trying to persuade her to pick a certain fic.

Yeah, that's pretty much what I was thinking. XD Basically, the votes come attached with a small paragraph explaining why that fic stood out for them. The privacy prevents people from wondering why it's not a democracy when Asty goes to choose something that may not have gotten the most votes of confidence. Sorry if it wasn't worded clearly.

 

[Astinus]

In other words... I get to make the final decision, and no one can say anything against me because I'm the personal assistant who hired a god.

Ojikay.

Besides, with this new system, it means that more fics will hopefully be read and maybepossibly reviewed, instead of just the cruddy fics that get looked at because we like to laugh at people.

I would write more, but I am covered in peach and blueberry yogurt.

Discuss this.

I totally did not choose this name just for that. Whatchoo talkin' 'bout, Willis?

Quit messing with my head, Val.

 

[JX Valentine]

In other words... I get to make the final decision, and no one can say anything against me because I'm the personal assistant who hired a god.

Ojikay.

Besides, with this new system, it means that more fics will hopefully be read and maybepossibly reviewed, instead of just the cruddy fics that get looked at because we like to laugh at people.

Eeeexxxactly. (Hee. I used three X's.)

Although to be honest, I didn't think of the latter. Probably because I was more going, "lol. What kind of things would be sent to Asty as a result of this?"

I would write more, but I am covered in peach and blueberry yogurt.

Discuss this.

You went into the yogurt pit without me?

Quit messing with my head, Val.

Put your clothes back on, Andrew.

 

[Ninja Caterpie]

I reckon the thing with the sending and stuff would be good, and then we'd get a good proper FFotM and Astinus wouldn't have that much trouble.

Damn, that was all one giant run-on sentence. xD

And and and and and then I'd go read something that didn't have a bad grammar title or was locked after 2 posts or wasn't called Anima Ex Machina.

Once again, run on sentence. >.< What's with me today?

You went into the yogurt pit without me?

We all did. Or, at least I think we all did.

Wait, you did know that, right?

 

[Astinus]

or was locked after 2 posts

But how else can you see my rapier wit?

Although to be honest, I didn't think of the latter. Probably because I was more going, "lol. What kind of things would be sent to Asty as a result of this?"

That was my optimism showing again. Sorry. :(

You went into the yogurt pit without me?

Sorry. :( I do have pictures though.

Put your clothes back on, Andrew.

That's what Angel said.

No, really.

 

[Ninja Caterpie]

But how else can you see my rapier wit?

I'd read more than just those. So I can appreciate other people's rapier-sharp wits too not that they have any, obviously our g mod is the only one with them right.

 

[Feign]

I'd trust the rusty bayonet, you never know when it will come in handy ;)

 

[txteclipse]

I'd trust the rusty bayonet, you never know when it will come in handy ;)

Rocket-powered über sword for me. Four thousand pounds of battalion rending, fortress smashing, gravity repulsing (hehe pulsing), ozone annihilating goodness.

 

[.Ozymandias]

Okay guys, I have a question *collective groan again*

When you read something that is clearly bad!fic, how do you respond? Do you ignore it and try and obliterate it from your memory, leave a helpful review or maybe a flame?

*Disclaimer - this isn't aimed at anything I've read here, it's a general question.*

I personally try and offer the author an olive branch, point out a couple of places where they had mistakes and hope that they take it to heart. Then, if they completely ignore me, I try and obliterate it from my memory.

 

[Dagzar]

When you read something that is clearly bad!fic, how do you respond? Do you ignore it and try and obliterate it from your memory, leave a helpful review or maybe a flame?

If it's clearly a bad!fic, I usually just press the back button. I'm usually too lazy to write a review detailing what's wrong. Though, if the fic is only half-bad, I sometimes give some advice if I have nothing else to do.

 

[txteclipse]

If it's clearly a bad!fic, I usually just press the back button. I'm usually too lazy to write a review detailing what's wrong. Though, if the fic is only half-bad, I sometimes give some advice if I have nothing else to do.

Same here. I can usually tell after the first couple of sentences that it isn't worth reading if it's a true badfic.

 

[Bay]

When you read something that is clearly bad!fic, how do you respond? Do you ignore it and try and obliterate it from your memory, leave a helpful review or maybe a flame?
I would leave a helpful review and hope that the author will improve. If not however, I''ll leave a message saying since they are not improving, it's not worth my time trying to help you when I could go help someone else.

Not to be rude or anything, but I think "obliterate it from your memory" is a bit too strong. I would just say, "forget about it." That's just me, though. ^^;

 

[Negrek]

When you read something that is clearly bad!fic, how do you respond? Do you ignore it and try and obliterate it from your memory, leave a helpful review or maybe a flame?

I don't get past the first paragraph of the majority of 'fics. I just backbutton out of them; I'm not going to waste time reading more unless I've been asked.

 

[JX Valentine]

Sorry. :( I do have pictures though.

Val demands them. Jane does too, but you know how Jane is.

When you read something that is clearly bad!fic, how do you respond? Do you ignore it and try and obliterate it from your memory, leave a helpful review or maybe a flame?

Oddly enough, if it's badfic, I backbutton unless:

1. I was asked to review.
2. The author is bragging about their story/begging for reviews/snapping at the decent reviewer they've already gotten/otherwise annoying the crap out of me. Bad reason to review, but it's like if you have a little kid who constantly whines to get you to do something, you either continue to ignore the kid or do it to get it over with.

In either case, I usually try to give a blunt and honest review. I avoid flaming them because that leads to arguments which leads to me not being in a happy place, but I make things detailed so the author can understand where mistakes were made, how to fix them, and (especially if they were bragging) that from the readers' perspective, they still have room for improvement.

 

[Astinus]

When you read something that is clearly bad!fic, how do you respond? Do you ignore it and try and obliterate it from your memory, leave a helpful review or maybe a flame?

Depends on the level of badfic. If it's obvious to me that the person is just not trying, then it's closed right away and I sit back and wait for complaints to flood in. If the OP is someone who's just inexperienced, then I wait for other people to review because I'm too important. I just keep my eye on the thread in the case of arguments or in the case that a reviewer gives wrong advice. Then I troll the thread. :D

I don't have the time to do that now though. ;;

 

[Scarlet Weather]

When you read something that is clearly bad!fic, how do you respond? Do you ignore it and try and obliterate it from your memory, leave a helpful review or maybe a flame?

Generally I backbutton. However, when I find those rare specimens of badfic that are either A) so awful that they're funny or B) have a large fan following who don't know any better or are absolutely famous, these days I end up MSTing them- though without authorial permission, I refuse to post them on any sort of public forum.