Predictability is comforting, in a way
Dec. 11th, 2006 05:37 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
farlaSo. Back on Oct 28th, a new author came appeared at Liagiba's thread on what not to do in fiction, and made a long attention-whore post to plug his story. Namely:
In the fic I'm writing (check it out if you want) my trainer starts out with three Eevees (which he rescued, and I've written off the whole Professor giving trainers pokemon, limiting it to something a couple of Professors do in their own home town, not the exclusive way of becoming a trainer. Read it if you want to know more.;)) and I don't plan on him catching another pokemon for at least another year (in the story, not real life). I also hate fics by authors who don't use proper spelling and grammar. I've had to stop reading fics that had potentially good plot lines and characters purely because it was such an effort to read. I don't really care when technologies and other things, and even old things which are expanded upon in the fic, aren't given some kind of scientific reasoning, but it is preferable, and it's something I try to do. And I don't really like it when authors interrupt their stories with their own comments about what was going on. It's a relatively minor issue in my opinion, but still, save comments for the start or finish of a chapter, please. And I know people have already said what I've said in this thread. I guess I'm just looking for an excuse to plug my own story, which really is great, if I do say so myself. Why don't you read it and tell me what you reckon?;) Oh, and my story is much more structured and fluent than this ramble, I assure you. Oh yeah, and I don't like it when the main character is invincible. My one is quite talented, and is very lucky to have three strong pokemon. As a result, he's lost far fewer battles than he has won, but he is by no means freakish. That's all, until I think of some more.
I consider reviewing. I decide not to - after all, he didn't explicitly ask for reviews even if it was an obnoxious plug. The discussion proceeds. The topic of varying OT fic comes up and I agree it's a great idea with one exception, overage trainers. He wrote an overage trainer, so obviously, proceeds into the fray. We argue for a bit before he bows out.
He promptly reappears on my forums, where he manages to piss off Anoh with his first post. I use the novel "third man in a brawl" strategy of trying to distract them. There's some circular aggression about Bush. It goes on well enough until he decides he needs to plug his story again. This time outright asking for reviews.
I still don't review, but I do tell him to knock it off. I also comment on an odd statement of his where he says he knows his characters are gary stus, but it's deliberate.
Now, back on the first thread he claimed to be new and later admitted he had no idea how common and sueish eevees were as starters. If he's realized how sueish three baby eevee, one with shiny coloration, who his character finds in the woods after their mother is injured, is, he hasn't said so. In other words, I find it really odd that he'd know about sues beforehand and could be doing in deliberately, and say as much. It doesn't help that when I read the story it seemed haphazard.
He sticks to his story that it's all intentional. He goes on to say they aren't really gary stus and directly asks me for reviews.
So to recap - I avoided reviewing the first two times, and I stated the second time that I was "nicely" not reviewing. I've just gotten through a long detailed argument with him. He's referenced the fact I'm a harsh reviewer. He outright asks for criticism.
And the third time, I review the story.
So of course, it's perfectly understandable that I get back:
OK (yes, "OK", not "okay". "OK" is actually perfectly
acceptable), I've decided that rather than dissect each of your reviews for their many
flaws, which would take a LONG time, I am simply going to say this: Everything I have
written is there for a reason. The fic isn't perfect, but it is still pretty good, in my
opinion. Looking through your reviews so far, I would say that in about ten percent of
what you have said, your points are more or less valid, and in five percent, I agree. And
I know that I sound like I'm taking this personally. I probably won't be able to convince
you that I'm not. The problem is that you are probably one of the most cynical people I
know, and your cynicism is so great that you view everything you see as inferior, whether
it is or not. I am not so arrogant as to say this applies to my fic, though. It probably
is worse than yours. But there are plenty of fics better than yours. Yes, I skimmed
through some.
I didn't recognise this until I read some of the garbage you wrote in those reviews. I
know your type. You are not the type of person who is pleasant to be around most of the
time. As it happens, one of my closest friends is almost exactly like you. The reason he
is still my friend is because I don't take most of the comments he makes seriously. That
and the fact that fundamentally he is a good, honest person. You probably are too. I don't
know, nor do I care. The point I'm making is that it isn't cool to point out every little
flaw in something (not to mention fabricate flaws), whether to the person who created it
or behind their back. Most people will look down on you for that. Nothing is perfect,
yourself included. I'm not perfect either. I probably don't know the half of it. You could
be laughing your arse off while reading this because I am so completely off the mark. But
I don't care. I'm not trying to impress you. I'm just trying to give my honest opinion. I
guess you
could call it a review of you. I know that's lame, you don't have to point that out, but
it's a pretty accurate description. Again, this isn't personal, and again, you probably
don't believe me.
Hmm. This all reads back a lot heavier than I intended. Oh, well, I'm not changing
anything
Anyway, that's me being honest. Feel free to keep reviewing though. I will still read
them, and take from them what I feel I need to.
In the fic I'm writing (check it out if you want) my trainer starts out with three Eevees (which he rescued, and I've written off the whole Professor giving trainers pokemon, limiting it to something a couple of Professors do in their own home town, not the exclusive way of becoming a trainer. Read it if you want to know more.;)) and I don't plan on him catching another pokemon for at least another year (in the story, not real life). I also hate fics by authors who don't use proper spelling and grammar. I've had to stop reading fics that had potentially good plot lines and characters purely because it was such an effort to read. I don't really care when technologies and other things, and even old things which are expanded upon in the fic, aren't given some kind of scientific reasoning, but it is preferable, and it's something I try to do. And I don't really like it when authors interrupt their stories with their own comments about what was going on. It's a relatively minor issue in my opinion, but still, save comments for the start or finish of a chapter, please. And I know people have already said what I've said in this thread. I guess I'm just looking for an excuse to plug my own story, which really is great, if I do say so myself. Why don't you read it and tell me what you reckon?;) Oh, and my story is much more structured and fluent than this ramble, I assure you. Oh yeah, and I don't like it when the main character is invincible. My one is quite talented, and is very lucky to have three strong pokemon. As a result, he's lost far fewer battles than he has won, but he is by no means freakish. That's all, until I think of some more.
I consider reviewing. I decide not to - after all, he didn't explicitly ask for reviews even if it was an obnoxious plug. The discussion proceeds. The topic of varying OT fic comes up and I agree it's a great idea with one exception, overage trainers. He wrote an overage trainer, so obviously, proceeds into the fray. We argue for a bit before he bows out.
He promptly reappears on my forums, where he manages to piss off Anoh with his first post. I use the novel "third man in a brawl" strategy of trying to distract them. There's some circular aggression about Bush. It goes on well enough until he decides he needs to plug his story again. This time outright asking for reviews.
I still don't review, but I do tell him to knock it off. I also comment on an odd statement of his where he says he knows his characters are gary stus, but it's deliberate.
Now, back on the first thread he claimed to be new and later admitted he had no idea how common and sueish eevees were as starters. If he's realized how sueish three baby eevee, one with shiny coloration, who his character finds in the woods after their mother is injured, is, he hasn't said so. In other words, I find it really odd that he'd know about sues beforehand and could be doing in deliberately, and say as much. It doesn't help that when I read the story it seemed haphazard.
He sticks to his story that it's all intentional. He goes on to say they aren't really gary stus and directly asks me for reviews.
So to recap - I avoided reviewing the first two times, and I stated the second time that I was "nicely" not reviewing. I've just gotten through a long detailed argument with him. He's referenced the fact I'm a harsh reviewer. He outright asks for criticism.
And the third time, I review the story.
So of course, it's perfectly understandable that I get back:
OK (yes, "OK", not "okay". "OK" is actually perfectly
acceptable), I've decided that rather than dissect each of your reviews for their many
flaws, which would take a LONG time, I am simply going to say this: Everything I have
written is there for a reason. The fic isn't perfect, but it is still pretty good, in my
opinion. Looking through your reviews so far, I would say that in about ten percent of
what you have said, your points are more or less valid, and in five percent, I agree. And
I know that I sound like I'm taking this personally. I probably won't be able to convince
you that I'm not. The problem is that you are probably one of the most cynical people I
know, and your cynicism is so great that you view everything you see as inferior, whether
it is or not. I am not so arrogant as to say this applies to my fic, though. It probably
is worse than yours. But there are plenty of fics better than yours. Yes, I skimmed
through some.
I didn't recognise this until I read some of the garbage you wrote in those reviews. I
know your type. You are not the type of person who is pleasant to be around most of the
time. As it happens, one of my closest friends is almost exactly like you. The reason he
is still my friend is because I don't take most of the comments he makes seriously. That
and the fact that fundamentally he is a good, honest person. You probably are too. I don't
know, nor do I care. The point I'm making is that it isn't cool to point out every little
flaw in something (not to mention fabricate flaws), whether to the person who created it
or behind their back. Most people will look down on you for that. Nothing is perfect,
yourself included. I'm not perfect either. I probably don't know the half of it. You could
be laughing your arse off while reading this because I am so completely off the mark. But
I don't care. I'm not trying to impress you. I'm just trying to give my honest opinion. I
guess you
could call it a review of you. I know that's lame, you don't have to point that out, but
it's a pretty accurate description. Again, this isn't personal, and again, you probably
don't believe me.
Hmm. This all reads back a lot heavier than I intended. Oh, well, I'm not changing
anything
Anyway, that's me being honest. Feel free to keep reviewing though. I will still read
them, and take from them what I feel I need to.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2006-12-12 12:25 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-12-12 01:43 am (UTC)opinion.
My opinion > yours.
I am not so arrogant as to say this applies to my fic, though.
I am, however, arrogant enough to say that it does not. Repeatedly and without actually coming out and saying it but implying it so much that it's really quite funny. Seriously.
But there are plenty of fics better than yours.
Therefore your arguments automatically PHAIL!!
You are not the type of person who is pleasant to be around most of the
time.
Therefore your arguments still PHAIL!!
Most people will look down on you for that. Nothing is perfect,
yourself included.
OMFG this so totally proves that have no idea what you're talking about, you mean, mean person.
You could
be laughing your arse off while reading this because I am so completely off the mark.
Negrek: Why, yes.
I
guess you
could call it a review of you.
Because I cannot come up with any adequate defense of my fanfiction, I shall instead prove that your arguments fail through a detailed and unbiased analysis of your behavioral tendencies and how they, consequently, cause all of your points to be invalid.
Oh, well, I'm not changing
anything
You big meanie.
I will still read
them, and take from them what I feel I need to.
Please continue to waste your valuable time fueling my righteous!anger over how very mean and cynical you are. I greatly enjoy ignoring everything that you tell me and giving me opportunity to rant at you about how mean people don't know anything. And it's nothing personal, it's just all about how mean I think you are.
Sincerely,
Disgruntled Author Whom You Reviewed
no subject
Date: 2006-12-12 02:36 am (UTC)Farla is a big meanie mcmeaniepants! See me violate Ebert's Law! Ad hominiem attack! U R A MEANIE!!11!1!one
no subject
Date: 2006-12-12 02:39 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-12-12 02:46 am (UTC)You should see his first attempt where he tries justifying things. It involves things like saying he knew he did no research, but that since the pokemon world was different, that was just how things were.
And there was this brilliant bit of reasoning where, because the pokemon had all run away from the loggers, he was perfectly safe from attack...as he headed away from the loggers deeper into the forest where it was quiet.
It ended with Most of your points were, in my opinion, completely invalid. In some cases, you had a point, and I accept and thank you for pointing them out. This might be a change for you, but it is nice on occasion to point out the good aspects of a fic in a review once in a while. I completely understand your desire to criticise, after all, that's what reviews are for, but it is equally helpful to point out what an author should keep doing, don't you think. Otherwise they might decide to second guess you, and change something you actually thought was good. Just a thought.
And I'm not bitter or anything about the harsh review. Keep them coming, this is good.
no subject
Date: 2006-12-12 02:50 am (UTC)I'm so jealousI'm looking for things to find wrong.But really, is it such a shocking revelation that I'm not nice? When did I give any other impression and how can I fix that?
no subject
Date: 2006-12-13 05:53 pm (UTC)By the way... everything he said is kinda.... :coughbullshitcough:
And for the record, you're a very nice person to be around! ^^
no subject
Date: 2006-12-14 03:39 pm (UTC)And thanks!