Been flamed by me? Feelings a little roasted? Please bear with me and read the following:
1) Definition of Flame:
to “flame” someone is to viciously insult them or their work in a manner that has little or no redeeming value. Note that “flame” is a general-usage netword, and is not appreciated anywhere…especially not in writing/creative groups. - The Fanfiction Glossary.
Given this definition, I do not flame. I sincerely hope that my reviews are never considered rude or of an insulting nature to an author. If I don’t know you, why should I insult you?
Well then, if I don’t flame, what do I do?
2) Harsh – but constructive! - Criticism
This would probably be as high as I go in my reviews. I may complain about a fic and give several hints that I wish it had never been written; however, I have resigned myself to the fact that people will write trash, and on occasion I will read it – usually by mistake, though. And my personal policy, at least where Narnia is concerned, is to review everything I read. Bar none.
3) General Form of Review
I’ll probably start out by rolling up my figurative sleeves and grousing about how I hate to have to write long reviews to writers of poor fanfics. I may apologise in advance if I’m in especially nice mood. Then I’ll probably start picking it to pieces. Oh joy. I type slower just at the thought.
These are usually areas I will touch on: plot, grammar, spelling, content, characterisation, canon, Mary Sue/Gary Stu-ness of a character, unoriginality of the piece, poor flow of writing/events, and misunderstanding/misrepresentation of C.S. Lewis’s works/worldview.
I will do my best to point out specific examples and suggest how to fix them. On only a very few fics will I blatantly recommend instant removal from the site.
I will never personally insult an author. I will never use a swear word in any review. But if a fic is bad, I will let you know.
4) Understatement
I will use understatement in my review. A whole lot of it. So if somehow you can’t understand that, a sentence like ‘your grammar could use a bit of work’ probably means that it’s a wreck and you should re-take all your high/junior highschool English courses. (This only applies in flames/harsh reviews; in normal reviews, I don’t use understatement as much, since they’re usually shorter and easier to misinterpret). So if you think I was being nice…. read it again. I was probably being civil and polite, but I won’t be nice to bad fic. Understatement of the year.
5) Where’s the Constructive?
I make a point to include at least one, if not several, constructive comments. If I don’t – my mistake. Please let me know. Politely.
6) Why I Do It
Because I’m a cynical, mean-spirited girl who enjoys inflicting pain on fellow authors. No, not really – as cheesy as it sounds, I do it because I care. About you personally? Perhaps. God grant me the grace to – but mostly I do it out of love for Narnia and respect for Lewis. I also do it out of the (mostly) vain, idealistic hope that somehow my comments might help reform a writer.
I can’t bear to see Narnia and its inhabitants mutilated and otherwise disgraced by bad writing and perverted imaginations. I also dislike seeing Lewis’s beautiful work ruined by people who couldn’t write their way out of preschool. I don’t like writers who have no respect for the author and the time and effort he put in to his works. I could go on.
7) Wanna Gripe? PM me.
Link’s on the side of the page under ‘my fanfiction’. Click on it, then click ’send message’. Gripe. Moan. Complain. No cussing, please. I’ll get back to you.
bookwurm23 said,
19, January, 2009 at 8:35
Wow. I really do appreciate this. It’s totally true. I wish I had the courage to say everything that I want to in a review; I’ve read some pretty badly written ones. I think that if more people reviewed like you say you do (less swearing, more constructive criticism, less being mean spirited) the world of writing would be a better place. I also think that your reasons for this “flaming”, as others call it, are really well thought out, as well as great reasons that I would use if I had the courage to write such things.
So far, with what I’ve read, you have impeccable grammar and great spelling; I do appreciate that you actually do know how to write before you criticize others. It irritates me when people gripe and moan about bad grammar and spelling when they can’t write either.
Well, that’s basically all of what I can think to say! Great job, and I commend you for your frankness.
.::Bookwurm23::.
Bundibird said,
20, January, 2009 at 7:48
Heh, I like you. Good on you for being so honest. I have to tell you, you make me want to double check my spelling and punctuation before I send you anything. I’m now thinking of the PM I just sent you, and how many times a non-capitalised ‘i’ featured. Lol.
I cant say I’ve ever suggested to someone that they actually remove a story from the site (SERIOUS improvements, yes, but not removal), but I cant say that I’ve ever read one so dreadful either! But I’m glad that you’re so critical about stories you read – ESPECIALLY Narnian ones. Because there really is some dodgy stuff out there, and I really would like to get some of those authors in a classroom and teach them the difference between a full-stop and a comma. Or, even, just the difference between punctuation and no punctuation.
As for slashy or incesty fics… well, most of them are clearly labelled, but there are certainly some that sneak in under my radar and catch me by surprise. Same as you, I have let them know what I thought about their fic in quite a frank manner.
Thanks for your honesty in revewing; I, and any other author who wants to improve, appreciate it.
Love Bundi