Rant: Not Everyone Writes For Reviews

[nyxelestia]

So, in my recent post*, I admitted I was having trouble prioritizing fics in a time of a packed RL schedule, and asked for some responses from my flist to get a general idea of where to go. Some people posted there or voted in the poll, some people PM'd me. Most PM's were various forms of encouragement and advice concerning my fics.

Except for one, suggesting that perhaps I do it by reviews or something, and pick my fics based on that, and drop the fics that don't get many reviews, because what's the point of writing them if I don't get reviews? *headdesk*

I sent back a kind note explaining that I don't write just for reviews and that wasn't the deciding factor. You'd it would end there. But no...

Ze kindly pointed out to me that in general, I'm not a popular author - I don't get many reviews or asked about a lot in finding comms or rec'd a lot, and despite the high number of fics I write, I get very low visibility. Thank you, dear lurker, but I already knew that. What gave you the impression I gave a damn? The lovely note ended with advice that perhaps I should just drop my lesser known fics all together and move on to "PR work" for my other fics, because I'm a fanfic writer and the only point we have in writing and publishing my fanfiction is reviews, and no reviews means no point. (Ze actually said that bolded part)

I'm sorry, but...what?!

Is it seriously hard to believe that some people don't write for the reviews, or care how many they get? Is it really that difficult to understand that some people genuinely enjoy writing for the sake of it? Really? Is is that hard to get that not everyone will hold their fics hostage for review, or that not everyone is intent on getting x-# of reviews or comments?

Seriously, I know I'm not some BNF author and I don't intend to become one - I write because I enjoy writing, and I post because some other people enjoy what I write.

Agh - it's starting to sound dangerously close to RL people, upon hearing that I write, asking me when I intend to publish and make money, and become famous. Ignoring the fact most published writers don't actually become all that famous, why is writing the one and only hobby that you can't do just because you enjoy it, but that it must be for some other purpose?

I get that a lot of people don't like writing, but is it really so hard to understand that other people do? This is fandom, we make art and fics and vids and everything else because we like to. Not to make money, and not always to get reviews. I know there are authors out there who do like to get a lot of reviews, but not everyone is them.

*sighs*

Whether or not I'm just whining about the woes of writers - and if I am, then here, have a lollypop - this attitude of writing as an illegitimate hobby or craft until you get something for it, whether it's money or reviews, is get really damn annoying. Anyone up for a manhunt of people who insist on this "opinion" as fact? I have cookies, coffee, and home-made explosives!

* = updates, thoughts, ect. are still welcome here, btw :D

Comments

[cyberdigi.livejournal.com]

....

Please forgive me for popping in (I lurk about because LOVE your fic)

But

WTF?????

Does this person not realize that YOU are the author?

I'll admit me, myself, I post/write to share my stories and get reviews; my reasons are not simple but they are my own. But I understand many people DON'T, actually I'm inclined to think I'm in the minority (at least the authors I like at least)

I'd totally say ask the person what's they're fav fic is and put THAT one on the backburner, but I'm spiteful that way.

I'll go back to my lurker corner now.

[arithilim.livejournal.com]

......................
.......................
........................
.........................
........................
.......................
......................

Wow. Just, wow. I guess I should give up violin too because I won't ever be a virtuoso. What a sad, sad way to live life.

[arithilim.livejournal.com]

also way to ruin my pyramid lj.

[nyxelestia.livejournal.com]

If it makes you feel any better, the pyramid showed up right when I read the comment in my LJ. :)

[planejane.livejournal.com]

I don't think it was kind at all - the things that commenter said to you. Indeed, it comes across as spiteful, unnecessary and irrelevant.

My advice is to stick to the feedback that resonated with you and try not to be upset by that single useless comment.

I know from my own writing there isn't always a correlation between number of comments and the fics I thought were my 'best' or indeed the ones I had most/least fun writing. It's a bonus to get a comment from a delighted reader, or sometimes moreso to get a comment that offers genuine and heartfelt concrit. But if comments are our bread and butter most of us would starve to death.

why is writing the one and only hobby that you can't do just because you enjoy it, but that it must be for some other purpose?

So true!! But I'm finding increasingly I treat that attitude with the disdain it deserves.

Good luck with whichever endeavour you decide to proceed with next. ♥

[nyxelestia.livejournal.com]

My lesser-quality (at least to me) stories tend to get more reviews, and vice versa. It's also something I notice in fandom in general - some of the most popular/well-reviewed fics really suck, while some of the best fanfics out there get little to no recognition at all. My fanfic I consider one of my best isn't all that popular at all. (Then again, it's sympathetically from Uther's POV, who/which is getting less and less popular with each episode).

[lassroyale.livejournal.com]

Boy, if I were writing solely for reviews and to gain fandom notoriety, I'd have given up LONG ago! What that person said was very mean-spirited, and it seems like they had every intention to knock you down a few pegs for whatever reason. I'd cite jealousy, but I don't really know - either way, I don't understand how telling you those things is constructive or meant to be encouraging. (Really, I'm having a hard time even seeing what they were trying to attempt there, besides just being a plain 'ol bitch/bastard.) Also, WTF is "PR" work for your better known fics?!

Also, whoever this is has done their homework on you! Y'know...I retract my previous statement - seems to me like this person is pretty jealous of your writing.

You do wonderfully. You write what you want and have very clear direction in what you do. And I'd venture to say that you've carved out a niche for yourself in fandom, and have also worked very hard to do so. :)

Don't let it get ya down - hell, when I found wank about me in mean_merlin I pouted about it for awhile, but then decided that any attention is attention and it means that people have an opinion about me. And that's more than what some authors get. ;)

::snuggles and gives you love bites::

[nyxelestia.livejournal.com]

homework on me = ?

But yeah, I'm not actually sure if it was intended to be mean spirited or what, but it was definitely shocking to hear all this.

Thank you. I like to write (and I don't exactly know what my niche is, but whatever it is I enjoy it :P). And I've been wanked about in mean_merlin, before, and what I saw was relatively polite compared to some other wank I've been on the receiving end of. o.O

Thanks for the nicey words. :D

*cuddles and leans into love-biting*

Well Gosh!

[jbuggy.livejournal.com]

It sucks that there are unfriendlies out there huh!?

I am a perpetual lurker (still rather new-yadda yadda) and I don't often review...still new-yadda yadda. But I read. Oh boy do I read and it irks me when other readers don't respect the art. I look at these fics as a window into a mind (sorta-I could go all theory crazy here but I won't).

Keep doing what you're doing. Know that you're great. Know that no matter what you are enjoying the process and that those jerks can really just shove it!

Re: Well Gosh!

[nyxelestia.livejournal.com]

Even lurkers are welcome! (I use a statcounter for my fics, so even if you don't review, I see you! :D Though your thoughts on my fic are still always welcome :D).

And, feel-fre to go all crazy theory - I'd love to hear it. ^+^

[artphilia.livejournal.com]

Some people...
Don't worry. I love writing too. And I like reviews although I don't write only for reviews. I prefer some strange pairings and don't even get flames not to mention nice reviews. What the hell, I have fun writing and so do you. Don't worry about that person.

[nyxelestia.livejournal.com]

I like reviews, no doubt about it, but I don't write reviews and it's not really going to kill me if I don't get reviews.

[lady-drace.livejournal.com]

Oh lord. I'll just stop writing right now. Because I'm pretty sure I'll never be a published writer or even a BNF. *snort*

Just as a funny note: The single most stupid story I ever think I've written was the one that got the most (and the most enthusiatic) feedback.

Maybe this explains a few things. Like the popularity of Twilight.

[nyxelestia.livejournal.com]

Maybe this explains a few things. Like the popularity of Twilight.

OMG It finally makes sense! \o/

:D

/wave

[stardate64783.livejournal.com]

Why would you write for the sake of reviews? That's just...I don't see the point of it? Fanfiction's written for fun. It's sort of ridiculous to just write them for the sake of peer acceptance. O_o

/two cents.

Oh and hello!

Re: /wave

[nyxelestia.livejournal.com]

Hi! :D *waves back*

[stardate64783.livejournal.com]

It was probably also wrong of me to just accuse said messenger of the validity of their views. ahem. Maybe they just didn't know better?

[nyxelestia.livejournal.com]

Well, in a sense, they had a view based on opinion, not fact - what do you think they could know better?

[stardate64783.livejournal.com]

I've run into some people who have opinions that they display as very matter of fact, simply because they didn't know any better. (I.E. homosexuality = physiological disease.) Not being the person themself, I can only guess that maybe they were taught that writing is not a hobby but something that's more akin to a competition? Whoever has the most reviews wins? Or that popularity means everything? I don't know. You're a pretty popular writer in my book and it's fanfic, so I personally don't see the point of PR. Maybe you and I and the rest of the people who are like "wtf" were introduced to fanfic as something fun whereas whoever that is got introduced to it as something like a popularity contest?

[nyxelestia.livejournal.com]

I suppose that makes sense. Fanfic being a popularity contest certainly does happen, and I've run into it many times before - just never so directly, and so firmly as me having to lose the fun part of it for competition or something *shrugs*

As for my own popularity *shrugs* I think I'm popular in my "niche", whatever it is, but outside of it I'm not well known. But, people enjoy my writing and I enjoy writing and that's all that matters to me. :)

[stardate64783.livejournal.com]

Well I enjoy your writing. I may not comment as much (usually because I don't have such brilliant things to say other than "HOLY FUCK I'M DEAD/NEED NEW PANTIES") but I do enjoy them. :)

[nyxelestia.livejournal.com]

Hey, that's still a good review. I give panties for reviews! :P

[stardate64783.livejournal.com]

In that case...

/TRUCKLOAD OF PANTIES.

*cough* I may be a bit too fond of the Master and Servant series

[nyxelestia.livejournal.com]

I'm glad you like it. ;) I hope you will enjoy the future installments when I get the time to write them

[stardate64783.livejournal.com]

No rush! Just GUH. The imagery that you write for them is like WHOA.

[crazytook.livejournal.com]

hi! sorry, i was looking around for merlin fanfic and uh, yeah i just kinda saw this rant and i thought it was interesting because i have never heard anybody say that about FANFIC or FANANYTHING EVER! I mean, i have heard ppl complain that bad art should be kept to yourself, but for goodness sake, it's fanfic. as far as i was concerned, most ppl DO write it for enjoyment, cause it's fun, and posting it is just kind of a side effect. And whatever ppl are telling you that you need to write to publish are ridiculous, cause lots and lots of ppl write for fun. So are ppl just not allowed to have hobbies anymore?
i mean, ive written the occasional fanfic, and dont get me wrong i love it when i get reviews, but like, almost nobody reads those, and it doesnt stop me, nor do i really particularly want to work to "get more publicity". ive a friend who doesnt even put her stuff online or show it to anyone half the time.
i wonder if ppl like that think this cause of the culture of doing what you love and rising to the top. i mean, i may be in a different culture then you, but you know, it might be how obsessed the culture is with fame. but yeah, whatever, just my two cents. im still really shocked that that person said that to you. i mean, about fanfic no less..it just seems...random.

but yeah, i shall go back to stalking your fanfic.
-crazytook

[nyxelestia.livejournal.com]

People complain about everything, and yes, I suspect that American culture's "rise to the top" centrism/drive (where are you from, for culture?) has something to do with it. Though it is also a cultural aspect, rising to the top at all costs, all across the world.