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[RokofAges75]

I just noticed another very stupid use of the star system.

Why is it, that people who write clear, concise, thought out plots with chapters that have correct grammar and punctuation, either get flamed or have people tell them all the little flaws when people who write the biggest, pieces of shit (sorry, it's true) fics with horrible punctuation, and a complete lack of plot line, and SENSE... have perfect stars and a bajillion reviews. Obviously I won't mention what fic I'm talking about (because I value my life) but that really bugs me. I try to give fics like that constructive criticism and tell them that maybe they should spell check, or that commas and periods are their friends but they only pay attention to the 5 star UPDATE MOAR!!!!!!!11111!

...but I'm not bitter or anything.  Though it's very hard to have the power of delete and not use it sometimes!

That totally bugs me too.  It's like the pot calling the kettle black.  People who live in glasses shouldn't throw stones.  All of those sayings LOL.  On one hand, I believe you can recognize good or bad writing whether or not you're a good writer yourself - I'm not the world's best singer, but I know good singing when I hear it, and I know bad singing when I hear it.  But I wouldn't get all critical about a singer who I know still sings way better than I do, unless they were seriously asking me to point out every little flaw I heard in their singing.

If those people put as much effort into finding the flaws in their own stories as they did pointing out yours in reviews, they might be better writers LOL.

[RokofAges75]

Well, maybe we could all write out a general list of critiria for the stories.... That way, people would at least know what's getting looked at.... And then obviously more specific genere things... I'd volunteer for my genre of expertise, but I have a feeling that the only person who would submit their story is me... And I can't very well critique my own.... So... I'd do it... Just stick me somewhere...

And the stories with bajillions of reviews and perfect stars... I say death to them. Let's burn them all! (Not anyone here of course... I know you all work hard. )

I definitely agree; we need some kind of rubric.  The site I had my story reviewed at years ago had just that.  There were all kinds of different things the story was "graded" on, and each one had a point value, and you got back almost like a report card with the points you earned for each thing and some comments.  I wish I still had that review, but I think the site it was on went down, and I don't have a copy of it anymore.

I would be up for doing this if we wanna organize something like this.

[nicksgal]

I hate when the pot calls the kettle black... It makes me so mad.... *clenches fists and goes on a screaming spree*

[mare]

^ me too! And why are pots even talking for goodness sake!

[nicksgal]

They're magical pots of hope and wonder.... and joy... and joyness.

[honey]

I just noticed another very stupid use of the star system.

Why is it, that people who write clear, concise, thought out plots with chapters that have correct grammar and punctuation, either get flamed or have people tell them all the little flaws when people who write the biggest, pieces of shit (sorry, it's true) fics with horrible punctuation, and a complete lack of plot line, and SENSE... have perfect stars and a bajillion reviews. Obviously I won't mention what fic I'm talking about (because I value my life) but that really bugs me. I try to give fics like that constructive criticism and tell them that maybe they should spell check, or that commas and periods are their friends but they only pay attention to the 5 star UPDATE MOAR!!!!!!!11111!

...but I'm not bitter or anything.  Though it's very hard to have the power of delete and not use it sometimes!

It's ok to use me as an example I guess because I can't piss anyone off that way. "Welcome To My Heart" is the perfect example of what you're talking about. It is my most popular story as far as people having it listed as their favorite but there are so many things wrong with that story that I don't even know where to start. 

There are typos left and right. We all know my grammar sucks. (I try but that's just my biggest weakness.)  And to top it off, that story ran in so many different directions that it ended up being like a bazillion pages and has so many unnecessary chapters in it. I swear it has no real plot and it's like one big walking cliche after another. If it were someone else's story I probably never would have made it through the whole thing.

Anyway, my point is that it's by far not my best (bad even) and yet it got so many reviews and so many people added it to their favorites and have asked to host it on their sites. As flattered as I am, I just don't get it. I think maybe because there were so many chapters that it simply got a lot of face time and more people read it. Plus the more chapters a story has, the more reviews it will get. "Welcome To My Heart"  is like 3 times longer than any of my other stories so it makes sense that it has the highest number of reviews.

As far as the picking apart good stories I don't really know. It's never really happened to me, though I always ask people to do it. Lord knows I need it. Dee is the only one who points out my grammatical errors for me. (and I love you for it thank you  )   

From the other perspective though, I will give constructive criticism when I read a story. If something doesn't make sense to me, I'll let you know. But I only ever read the "good" stories to begin with so those are the only ones who get reviews from me. If the story is totally horrible I just don't get past the first chapter so I don't review it. 

[nicksgal]

As far as the picking apart good stories I don't really know. It's never really happened to me, though I always ask people to do it. Lord knows I need it. Dee is the only one who points out my grammatical errors for me. (and I love you for it thank you  )

Awwwww.... I'm glad my grammar nazism helps. I certainly like to be helpful.

[RokofAges75]

I'm all about good grammar and mechanics, but even I will admit, there is something to be said for the stories that might be a little lacking in that area, but still have "the it factor" - that combination of a compelling storyline, interesting characters, and voice that makes people read and enjoy it and overlook the typos and other flaws.

Without trying to pick on anyone (this is meant as a compliment, not as a critique), the Swollen Issues trilogy is one of those to me.  If I were looking strictly for impeccable writing in that story, it would have a ton of red marks by the time I finished going over it.  One of the authors isn't a native English speaker, so her parts are at times awkwardly written just because she's not writing in her first language.  It's not without its punctuation issues and other stuff either.  But even though I am a grammar police at heart, I've always been able to overlook those issues with those stories because they draw me in anyway.  I was so addicted to the second story that I'd go check the page more than once a day on the off chance they had updated it and not gotten around to sending out an email yet.  I'm not quite that way anymore, but it's still a story I will drop everything I'm doing to read when I get an updates email for it.  It may not be everyone's cup of tea, and I don't know that it's gotten a lot of exposure on AC, but I do know a lot of people who like it, so I'm not alone there.

So Kelly, I haven't read the story you're talking about, but maybe it's one of those.  Might not be the best written, but it has the "it" factor that makes people go crazy over it.

[RokofAges75]

My friend Susan's stories are an even better example that Swollen.  She has major punctuation issues; she leaves out commas and randomly puts question marks at the end of sentences that aren't questions.  It's really funny, but it drives me nuts.  But her stories are so unique, and her way of storytelling is so captivating, that it totally doesn't matter - she's one of my favorite fanfic authors because all of her stories have that "it" factor for me.

She's not on AC, but her stories are on my site.

[nicksgal]

But a lot of those hugely popular ones don't really have compelling characters or voice, in my opinion... They're just watered over teenyness...

[honey]

haha it would be nice to think so. The way I look at it, is that while that one has so many flaws and I don't take it down even though I know I can do better, despite it's "success", I still see it's flaws and have tried not to repeat them in stories that have come after it. Who knows if I really am though, cause no one will pick apart my stories. lol 

[honey]

And I need to read Swollen Issues. It's been recommended to me by lots of people. It's on my "list". But I agree with you on being willing to overlook grammar (to an extent) when it's an excellent story. (Especially since I don't catch it most of the time anyway )

[nicksgal]

I think you're doing just fine, Kelly.

[Rose]

haha it would be nice to think so. The way I look at it, is that while that one has so many flaws and I don't take it down even though I know I can do better, despite it's "success", I still see it's flaws and have tried not to repeat them in stories that have come after it. Who knows if I really am though, cause no one will pick apart my stories. lol 

I bet it might be the "it" factor. Cause you are a good writer . That and we are our own worst critic. I have people who still read Divisions of Reality which shocks me, cause the beginning, well it was started forever ago and my writing wasn't all that great then. You can so tell as you get to the most recent chapters. I kind of wonder why, but I'm happy about it don't get me wrong. So we're also our own harshest critics in writing anyway.

[nicksgal]

I think the fan base is my harshest critic. *nod*