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Post by kanshu on Aug 9, 2004 1:40:33 GMT -5
Hi! How many chapters do you have planned for "The Breakroom"? And whatever happened to the sackloads of fan mail I sent the guys? Lee
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Post by KarotsaMused on Aug 9, 2004 14:03:33 GMT -5
Really, I think it all depends on how much inspiration keeps coming. So long as there is badfic in the universe, there will always be more chapters of The Breakroom. Heck, I'm gleaning inspiration from every fandom on ff.net and more, so really even if the Saiyuki section ever makes a miraculous recovery (I can dream, can't I?) I'll still have more to harp on. I'd actually originally just wanted Breakroom to be a one-shot...but then the outpouring of support and suggestions was the big enough stroke to my ego that I decided to keep going. ;D I have a .txt file on my desktop that's for suggestions and ideas only, and it has yet to go empty even once.
Edit: as for the fanmail, I think there's one very *postal* worker who's got to deal with it all. Heh...
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Post by kanshu on Aug 9, 2004 15:55:58 GMT -5
Well, I sometimes wonder if it would help to make more serious feedback comments, rather than just saying 'I like your fic'. So you have an entire file dedicated to ideas there? Wow. I just hope that the guys will survive that long. Fanmail... a postal worker? Wowsers. Does that mean, all the love declarations and lingerie will never reach my beloved? Lee
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Post by KarotsaMused on Aug 9, 2004 19:56:31 GMT -5
Ugh, don't me started on insubstantial feedback. I finally update a different fic and the response I get is "I like it. Give me more." Well okay but what did you like? Greedy bugger. Trust me, I've had my moments where I feel bad for the boys...especially because of the freedoms I have given them. Having a space outside of fanfiction from whence the boys can look back at what they've had to do inside of fanfiction means that the world outside is quite preferable. Kind of makes the world of fanfic sound pretty bleak. So I'm kind of working on giving the boys some good days, too. But they're resilient little guys As for that lingerie, let's just say the postal worker probably has some uses for it on his own. *a mirror shatters in the background*
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Post by kanshu on Aug 9, 2004 22:49:57 GMT -5
I know what you mean about the reviews. Still, I'm glad if the readers review at all. But when I spend all the time in writing something and no one even bothers to say 'It sucks'... I'm pathetic, I know. I know I write for my own entertainment. But I also want to know that others like to read what I'm creating. My goal in fanfic writing (Saiyuki) is to try to keep them "in character" as good as possible. If I've done my job, then the reader will feel like watching an episode or reading a manga. Only, of course, that it's just a story. I know it probably sounds silly, but I respect the characters as three-D, 'real' persons (probably comes from growing up with Michael Ende's 'Neverending Story'...). It's also a kind of like a tribute/paying respect to the original author to me. My secret dream is to have the oiginal author read it and say "I like it, you are doing my characters and my universe justice." *sigh* I'm really silly, I guess. I mean, you write original stuff yourself, so you know how much time and effort goes into creating a plausible character. I know it would hurt me to see my characters, my "children", being treated like they often are treated in fanfics. Mutilated beyond recognition. Inserted, where the fanfic author should've made an original character. I know, I've done it myself. But it makes me cringe looking back from here I am now. *sigh* But that's just me, I know. I'm nuts like that. ;D I sincerly hope that the postal worker won't go postal. There's some self baked cake in the next shippment. Lee
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Post by Me-Nuriko on Aug 9, 2004 23:56:46 GMT -5
Hi! I've been working all night and I really should go to bed, so sorry if I make no sense at all. Reviews, yes. Even if it is as OptiMoose says, that we write for our own entertainment, I think we all want to know if anyone else appreciates it. I know I love reading good fics, and I'm very grateful to the authors who give me such pleasure. That makes me want to know if I can give it to other people, too. And yeah, maybe that's selfish or greedy or whatever, but don't we all have that wish? Me-Nuriko
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Post by therhoda on Aug 10, 2004 9:54:01 GMT -5
I am a bad reader! I only review if I have something constructive or something idea wise to pass on. I read every chapter and snicker all along. But if I don't have anything more than- a great chapter, can I have more please. (oliver style) I don't leave a reveiw. This dosn't discourage you as an author does it? I mean when I do leave one I at least try to be helpful.
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Post by kanshu on Aug 10, 2004 12:12:04 GMT -5
Well... it doesn't exactly discourage me. But I have only limited time per day for writing, so I tend to work on a fic that interests people if I have to make a choice. But that's just me, I don't know how others feel about it. I guess, KarotsAmused is beyond such lowly reasons. Lee
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Post by KarotsaMused on Aug 10, 2004 12:44:47 GMT -5
- OptiMoose That, my dear, is a lofty goal, and really the reason I started writing fanfic on my own. I didn't want to superimpose the characters' faces on my own personality traits - I wanted to see if I could emulate the style and interactions of said characters. I have in me, above all else, the love of a good character and a good story. Because of this, I totally understand your respect for the characters as people. Take...for example... Spike from Cowboy Bebop. I can't attempt to write for him because I don't have a solid grasp of his character and I respect him too much to attempt anything half-assed. I have committed this sin before and I repent! (Iapetus nearly shot me for this one characterisation I did of Homura...) I don't know if I'm a 'good' or 'bad' reviewer, but when I do review it's normally either for a count of 'you blew me away' or 'I have a bit of constructive criticism' ... I think I'm probably a bit bad about it because I don't review fictions that don't provoke a reaction, but there's my romantic side showing through. I think I just don't want to leave reviews like "I like it! Give more!" because they irk me to no end. However, I agree with OptiMoose in that I'd rather see "Give more!" than absolutely no response at all. That's a bit disheartening. Yet! I write for my own pleasure first, as sort of a mental exercise. Fanfiction is practicework for my original fiction and because I've forced myself into other characters' heads I've grown in characterising my own creations. As a side note, all OC's in "The Breakroom" are the ones I've killed/given up on because they're so crappy. But, if I had to choose between the two fics I'm working on now, "Blackjack" and "The Breakroom" I'd probably have to go with the one that gets the most support because of the rewarding experience I get after posting a chapter. Yeah, I'm sad like that...but a lot of my writing hinges on those reviews that do have suggestions...so I can actually better myself and continue writing. I'd rather have help than nothing at all, you know? Mm. Cake. I think the postal worker will probably calm down with a bit of cake... ;D
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Post by kanshu on Aug 10, 2004 15:18:36 GMT -5
Leaving review... Depends. If I love the story, I will leave a review, even if it's just a "Well written". If I have more time, I usually add in what I liked, like, a certain sentence that made me laugh, or a particular scene that touched me. If the story annoys me enough to actually stop reading, I try to leave constructive feedback... *why* did it annoy me, and made me stop? The stuff in between depends. If I have time at hand, I go and read stories that don't get many reviews, and try to give the author some feedback. It's usually technical stuff, but even that isn't always welcome. Sometimes, the 'no review' stories are hidden gems, if polished. Those made my heart bleed, really. Talent, but because of beginner mistakes these authors with potential don't get the attention they deserve. *sigh* If you are good, you can get 1 review out of every 25 readers. The ratio for the average author is more like 1 review ot of 100 hits. IMO, the review is the biggest gift that a reader can give to an author. OCs... I try to avoid them. The only OC I currently maintain is Osore Taisho, but he's a plot device, filling in for the real bad guy. He's pretty strong as far as physical power goes, and he received a good education, but he's not entirely sane... Which won't do any good to his mission, or Sanzo&gang. And no, he's not some pervert. Lee
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Post by KarotsaMused on Aug 10, 2004 18:10:09 GMT -5
I think one of the worst conditions I've ever seen is a writer with talent but no grasp of convention. It kills to have to see that. Especially when the writer is astoundingly intelligent and writing in a language not their own. (I'm only buttering you up slightly. No really ) It's always a wonderful find to catch one of the 'no-review' stories that actually have some worth, though. One of the authors I like to show off is Thrasher Productions, simply because of the gigantic style difference between the two stories posted on ff.net. See, you have a paid account so you can see how many hits your story receives. I, being cheap (ah heh) have only review counts to look at. It's more of a way of ascertaining reactions than popularity, though, because if reviewers are like you or me, they review most often because a fiction has affected them. So, to me, they're gigantic compliments. I totally agree with you. My OC's are merely minor contrivances in most stories, operating because there aren't any canon characters to play the pizza guy. I mean, honestly, can you find a good Zoeii Sy in canon? That wouldn't already have her own Breakroom? That's about as far as my OC's go. One major exception comes in "Cornerstone", but I am still insanely proud of that fiction, Keiji, Ren, and Jiro included. And hey, I've only done it that one time, so I'm not all that bad. *sounds like an addict* I can stop anytime I want! No, really!! ;D I think sometimes OC's are okay, if they're created to move the plot along and aren't Sue-ish. If they don't drag the characters ouf of ... well ... character, then they're allowed to be just other faces in the crowd by the end of the day. ...says the author who killed all her OC's in "Cornerstone" anyway...
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Post by kanshu on Aug 11, 2004 5:11:50 GMT -5
Huuh? I've been to conventions before. I have a perfectly good grasp. Especially on the guest stars. ;D The paid account is something of a test. Besides, the guys at ff.net need money to run the servers and all. It also offers a neat add on to the search function. The average numbers are not based on the paid account, though. I got them at one of those pesky fan author conventions OCs... To be honest, I rather have an OC who is a Mary-Sue, then having to deal with a m/m pairing where one of the characters serves as alter ego for the author. I wonder... if Mary-Sue wasn't looked down upon that much, would there be less Mary-Sueish shonen-ai/yaoi?
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Post by KarotsaMused on Aug 11, 2004 11:42:05 GMT -5
;D Ah-hahaha I get it. Grasp on guest stars. I think it's way too early in the morning for me because that took me a few minutes Fan author conventions. Sounds fun. So far I have only convened upon ComiCon - on two hours of sleep so it's all sort of a blur - and didn't really take much from it. At least you got some helpful informative stats. Gish! Alter-ego shounen-ai is sometimes tricky to spot and a lot harder to avoid than your average Mary-Sue. It's that sneakiness that makes it evil. Har. While you bring up an interesting hypothesis about the inversely proportional effect of the popularity of the Mary-Sue as opposed to the other methods authors take to still get their manifestations into their fictions, I doubt Mary-Sues will ever not be 'looked down upon' enough for the idea to ever be proved. But it's definitely something to think about. I maintain my stance on OC's as 'somebody's gotta be the pizza guy' Which brings me far, far back to Osore Taisho. I'd meant to touch upon this character earlier on but, in my lengthy ramblings, forgot! YAY for non-perverted bad-guy OC's!! They're so wonderfully rare, and I think it's often because writers submit to reviewer pressure!! When I was writing 'Cornerstone' I got reviews like "This is great, but when is Keiji going to rape Sanzo?" Just another deplorable habit in the fanreader community. But oh, well. We'll survive. It's coooool. (I think I just wanted an excuse to test out that smiley)
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Post by kanshu on Aug 11, 2004 13:53:38 GMT -5
Hehe... I suggest "Media West Con". It's THE convention for fanfic authors. It's been a few years, though, since I've last visited it. You know... I was just thinking.. how about if you use the shonen-ai Mary Sue in the Breakroom? You could have them split from the one or other guy. Or display an inner monologue, when, for example, a possessed Hakkai tries to persuade his 'inner' Mary-Sue that she please should stop? Well... with my OCs, I have the same policy as with the characters I'm writing. They must remain true to themselves. And while there are enough perverts running around, I would be a poor author if I had to rely on them to make my characters suffer. (She says, nervously looking over to 'Slaves'... but then, that's an AU and being a sex toy isn't always fun.) But for the regular universe, I do have other plot devices.
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Post by Me-Nuriko on Aug 11, 2004 14:50:39 GMT -5
About reviews: Of course I get happier if the reviews I receive have something of value to say, be it CC or praise. But I'm that sort of person that definitely takes a simple 'I like it' before nothing. I guess that's a leftover from school, when the teacher stood hovering over the entire class, demanding everybody to 'analyze this text, do you like it or not, what do you like/dislike, what is good/bad, why is it good/bad'. I hated those assignments. I could only say if I liked it or not, not why. When I review now, I always try to say something more, but it's really hard for me. That's why I appreciate even if someone only tells me she/he likes it. About OCs: Eh... well, I use quite a lot of OCs, but I have as far as I know never written anything MarySue-ish. Please, tell me if I'm wrong, because if I have, I really don't want to repeat that mistake. I think OCs are necessary. It helps to make other kind of stories than those that only deals with the canon characters inner struggle and their relationships with each other. I like to write about those things, too, but I have a weakness for plots. And plots are easier developed if there are more characters to work with. I always try to write the characters IC, and according to those who review I manage fairly well. Hopefully, it's not so that all those who don't review thinks differently.
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