Author of the evening at the corner of the writer's block

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Re: Author of the evening at the corner of the writer's bloc

Postby Spica75 » Sun Nov 05, 2017 6:08 pm

Crescent Pulsar S wrote:Huh. It's so horrible that a hundred people haven't bothered to rate it either way.


What does those two have to do with each other? At all?

As a fanfic writer noted recently, ON AVERAGE, you get a response from somewhere between 1 in 10 and 1 in 1000 readers depending on type of story, fanbase, where and when it's posted etc...
The link is also a "download to read", that alone cuts down severely both on how many will download and how many responds in some way.

And the most important thing? Write what you want, if people like it, great, if not, oh well then you still wrote something you liked.
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Re: Author of the evening at the corner of the writer's bloc

Postby Crescent Pulsar S » Sun Nov 05, 2017 9:55 pm

The rating is what informs most people on whether they should bother with something or not, regardless of whether they read the summary. I think we've interacted enough for you to know that I wouldn't actually believe the kind of statement I made, but if you want to take it seriously then there's no escaping the fact that the rating has a significant impact. True, it really shouldn't, and it's really superficial, yet we use democracy despite doing next to nothing to ensure that what makes it work will perform adequately at the very least. People are dumb, lazy and want to work in the comfort of opinion instead of fact.

I dunno about the link being download-only. I don't get that when I use it.

I generally write what I like, but I also want people to enjoy it. If I had, like, a thousand views and no rating, then I'd feel fine. Or even a couple of comments just talking about the story, maybe starting a conversation. The rating thing is really stupid and doesn't address the technical side of things, which is another thing I want.
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Re: Author of the evening at the corner of the writer's bloc

Postby Ellen Kuhfeld » Mon Nov 06, 2017 10:43 am

When I'm looking for something new on FFnet, I use the "sort" function. I have quite a few criteria, but the one I use to order the stories is "likes". If I'm looking in, say, "Steven Universe" that's because I like Steven Universe -- and the "like" rating is given by people who also like Steven Universe. Tastes will differ. of course, but a decent number of likes suggest the story will be something I also like. Comments? half of them could be "this stinks!". Likes are less ambiguous.

Then, of course, when I too like the story, I have a tendency to follow the author, and perhaps the authors the author likes.

It's nice when my stories get liked -- everybody enjoys egoboo. But likes are far more important when I'm looking for something to read. They're far from infallible, but they're darn useful.
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Re: Author of the evening at the corner of the writer's bloc

Postby Spica75 » Mon Nov 06, 2017 11:50 am

Crescent Pulsar S wrote:The rating is what informs most people on whether they should bother with something or not, regardless of whether they read the summary. I think we've interacted enough for you to know that I wouldn't actually believe the kind of statement I made, but if you want to take it seriously then there's no escaping the fact that the rating has a significant impact. True, it really shouldn't, and it's really superficial, yet we use democracy despite doing next to nothing to ensure that what makes it work will perform adequately at the very least. People are dumb, lazy and want to work in the comfort of opinion instead of fact.


Meh, i usually just take what people say at face value until given proof of otherwise, because on the one hand, i'm used to people saying and meaning just about anything, and on the other hand, i'm really bad at interpreting people.

Something to always remember though, you're part of "people" as well.

Anyway, what you said about democracy made me recall the video i watched just the other day.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vKaPeWoS7PQ
It's a bit long, but he's a good lecturer and quite fun even. And he has experience that very few others have.
As he introduces himself, he's a contradiction in terms, a Greek economist... :mrgreen:


Crescent Pulsar S wrote:I dunno about the link being download-only. I don't get that when I use it.


Actually, now that i was going to describe what i meant, i found that there IS a direct online link as well, i just didn't notice it before, which kinda says something why some people might miss out if they're unused to the site. Below that link to the right there is the Download button, which is clearly visible and up to the right there is a standard button where you can choose to download it in other formats, which is why i noticed both of those but not the direct link to the story.
The link to the story itself is https://www.fimfiction.net/story/383824 ... eliverance

Anyway, something else i noted is that you have to be registered to use the like/dislike function. Even if i was interested in FIM fics, it's unlikely i would register just to give a like unless it was something truly exceptional.

And now, i have actually taken the time to read it, and there's nothing wrong with it, it's definitely not bad and i might be convinced to call it fairly good. I just have zero knowledge of the FIM-verse, limiting me in terms of context.

And i checked, the site "only" has 230k registered users at all, with about 1-2k users online most of the time, essentially the place is big enough that anything you post might get buried in the total on the site, but not big enough to guarantee that almost any and every story gets attention(which is a tendency on big sites like FFN, where sometimes even the most pathetic of stories can get way too much attention).

Unless you end up on the frontpage, most people wont find it. Simple as that. Annoying, but true.
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Re: Author of the evening at the corner of the writer's bloc

Postby Spica75 » Mon Nov 06, 2017 11:55 am

Ellen Kuhfeld wrote:
Then, of course, when I too like the story, I have a tendency to follow the author, and perhaps the authors the author likes.


Yes, that is often a decent way to find more good stories.

Ellen Kuhfeld wrote:It's nice when my stories get liked -- everybody enjoys egoboo. But likes are far more important when I'm looking for something to read. They're far from infallible, but they're darn useful.


Mmm... I often try to search in various alternate ways to be able to find the less common stories that tends to get the most likes.
Like searching for stories with 2 characters that are usually not put together(regardless if as a couple or not), or combining searches for a little used character with a high "at least # words" setting and things like that. And sometimes i just make wordstring searches, although those tend to end up with FAR too many hits much of the time.
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Re: Author of the evening at the corner of the writer's bloc

Postby Ellen Kuhfeld » Mon Nov 06, 2017 12:36 pm

Spica75 wrote:Mmm... I often try to search in various alternate ways to be able to find the less common stories that tends to get the most likes.
Like searching for stories with 2 characters that are usually not put together(regardless if as a couple or not), or combining searches for a little used character with a high "at least # words" setting and things like that. And sometimes i just make wordstring searches, although those tend to end up with FAR too many hits much of the time.

Whatever works. When I'm searching, I specify "English" and "Complete", and use "Angst" as a delete option. And if somebody likes one of my stories, I go to their page to see who and what they like. And sometimes, when I really like an author, I check other fanfic sites. There's one really good MLP story, for instance, that Daniel Jess Gibson did, that wasn't on FFnet. I found it on Mediaminer -- Out of Place.
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Re: Author of the evening at the corner of the writer's bloc

Postby Crescent Pulsar S » Tue Nov 07, 2017 2:56 pm

Ellen Kuhfeld wrote:Likes are less ambiguous.

In the context of there being no dislikes, sure.

It's nice when my stories get liked -- everybody enjoys egoboo.

I don't. I'm more concerned about improving myself and reaching an acceptable amount of people, because my goal is to be entertaining, not make myself feel good with success.

But likes are far more important when I'm looking for something to read. They're far from infallible, but they're darn useful.

That sort of thing rarely works for me. I'm not the type who looks for things in stories that are highly typical, like romance, shipping and the like. I've probably enjoyed more stories with a meager amount of likes than I have stories with a ton -- at least at FiMfiction. In Ranma 1/2's case, the issue is more having to do with jadedness and a general lack of interesting and/or quality work.

Spica75 wrote:Something to always remember though, you're part of "people" as well.

I readily admit to being dumb and lazy, among other things, but I've generally divorced myself from humankind. And in this particular context, where likes and dislikes are concerned, it's not applicable to me. The likes are the last thing I consider, and that's only if my other considerations don't convince me either way first.

And now, i have actually taken the time to read it, and there's nothing wrong with it, it's definitely not bad and i might be convinced to call it fairly good. I just have zero knowledge of the FIM-verse, limiting me in terms of context.

My stories tend to be context-heavy/dependent, so... Yeah. A fair amount of the story's substance was lost to you. In fact, I was actually trying to do something that hadn't been done with the character in fan-fiction, so just having knowledge of the show wouldn't be enough for what I'm trying to achieve. If someone can still enjoy it without that last part, though, then that's fine.
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Re: Author of the evening at the corner of the writer's bloc

Postby Ellen Kuhfeld » Tue Nov 07, 2017 6:33 pm

Crescent Pulsar S wrote:My stories tend to be context-heavy/dependent, so... Yeah. A fair amount of the story's substance was lost to you. In fact, I was actually trying to do something that hadn't been done with the character in fan-fiction, so just having knowledge of the show wouldn't be enough for what I'm trying to achieve. If someone can still enjoy it without that last part, though, then that's fine.

When reading fanfiction, if you don't know the territory, you'll be less able to enjoy the story. When I'm thinking of a new source/world to read, I like to start with crossovers to a world I'm familiar with. I've watched a lot of anime, and can usually fit right into a familiar place. Not always, though -- I don't plan on reading Kill la Kill fanfics. That anime is too frenetic to catch details. Utena, Ranma, Sailor Moon, Tenchi, Marimite -- there, I'm at home. It wouldn't be hard to get into One Punch Man stories -- Saitama is not complicated.

Now if you wanted something unusual, but appropriate -- dump Dragonball Z into Doc Smith's Lensman series. That would be a true contest to see who could escalate their powers fastest!
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Re: Author of the evening at the corner of the writer's bloc

Postby CRBWildcat » Tue Nov 07, 2017 11:26 pm

I don't. I'm more concerned about improving myself and reaching an acceptable amount of people, because my goal is to be entertaining, not make myself feel good with success.


One more thing we have in common, and that worries me. :o

I readily admit to being dumb and lazy, among other things, but I've generally divorced myself from humankind. And in this particular context, where likes and dislikes are concerned, it's not applicable to me. The likes are the last thing I consider, and that's only if my other considerations don't convince me either way first.


If you've really divorced yourself from humankind, you might want to double-check at the courthouse; I have a sneaking suspicion that the paperwork for that case was never filed. :P
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Re: Author of the evening at the corner of the writer's bloc

Postby Crescent Pulsar S » Sun Nov 12, 2017 6:13 pm

Ellen Kuhfeld wrote:When reading fanfiction, if you don't know the territory, you'll be less able to enjoy the story. When I'm thinking of a new source/world to read, I like to start with crossovers to a world I'm familiar with. I've watched a lot of anime, and can usually fit right into a familiar place. Not always, though -- I don't plan on reading Kill la Kill fanfics. That anime is too frenetic to catch details. Utena, Ranma, Sailor Moon, Tenchi, Marimite -- there, I'm at home. It wouldn't be hard to get into One Punch Man stories -- Saitama is not complicated.

Now if you wanted something unusual, but appropriate -- dump Dragonball Z into Doc Smith's Lensman series. That would be a true contest to see who could escalate their powers fastest!

I recently started reading a crossover with My Little Pony and Dresden Files, even though I had next to no knowledge about the latter. <_<

CRBWildcat wrote:One more thing we have in common, and that worries me. :o

You say that as if it's a bad thing.

If you've really divorced yourself from humankind, you might want to double-check at the courthouse; I have a sneaking suspicion that the paperwork for that case was never filed. :P

I don't automatically accept the fantasies of others as being true, real or applicable. I just have to avoid it 'cause of a consensus in delusion. ;/
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Re: Author of the evening at the corner of the writer's bloc

Postby CRBWildcat » Sun Nov 12, 2017 8:09 pm

You say that as if it's a bad thing.


More worrisome than bad. *shrug*

I don't automatically accept the fantasies of others as being true, real or applicable. I just have to avoid it 'cause of a consensus in delusion. ;/


Is that a fancy way of saying that you agree to disagree? :?
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Re: Author of the evening at the corner of the writer's bloc

Postby Crescent Pulsar S » Mon Nov 13, 2017 5:40 am

I'm saying that marriage, divorce, courts and all that is made up, and the only reason why they seem important is because of consensus, tradition, precedence and whatever humans often pass as "logic." If I'm crazy for not wanting to play make-believe, then fine. That doesn't stop me from divorcing myself from humanity, lest someone wants to be accused of using a double standard. I think it's healthier to enjoy your own fantasies, rather than buy into others. It's a good way to save!
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Re: Author of the evening at the corner of the writer's bloc

Postby CRBWildcat » Mon Nov 13, 2017 8:47 am

Normally in this instance both Curtis and I would be logical with you, but hey---as the Brotherhood leader, I'm more inclined to react to you the only real way possible.

*Callista grabs Crescent and slams him into a snazzy yellow three-piece suit. In other words, a literal civil suit.*

OBJECTION!
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Re: Author of the evening at the corner of the writer's bloc

Postby Crescent Pulsar S » Wed Dec 06, 2017 3:15 pm

Your reaction is just as saddening as the responses that I got -- so far -- from the latest chapter of Recherche. Everyone got blinded by Starlight Glimmer instead of saying anything about the more substantive and subtle portions of the chapter, which drives the story forward. I wonder if anyone even made the connection between the content of the chapter and its title. :(
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Re: Author of the evening at the corner of the writer's bloc

Postby CRBWildcat » Wed Dec 06, 2017 11:50 pm

It's not that some of us haven't noticed it, Nekkidism. Speaking for myself, I'm usually not inclined to comment on serious stuff in fanfiction unless I can either turn it into something funny, or if I can put my true thoughts and feelings into words. If I can't do the latter, then I fall back on humor or randomness. If I can't do that, then I keep my mouth closed.

*smirks* That's a fancy way of saying that you didn't catch Crescent's intentions with his story, Calli-chan.

*scowls* Alright, alright. I didn't give it much thought at the time I read it, okay? Happy?

Almost. Anyone ever say you're adorable when you're angry and flustered? I'm surprised random strangers haven't tried to kiss your hand yet.

*Callista's face turns a bright red. With a cry of anger, she grabs Zapana and jams her up to her neck into the sidewalk.*

*grins* Now I'm happy.

Just shut up, Zapana.
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