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 Posted: Fri Jul 18, 2014 10:04 pm
NOTE: This thread is a transplant from the Fanfiction Studio guild. How to Get Read/Reviews We all write fan fictions because we love to write, we love the worlds and the characters of the canon. Sometimes, that's enough for us. But other times, we would like to hear from our readers, to know what they like and what they didn't. What we're doing right and what we're doing wrong. But most of all, we want to know how we can improve! So, how do we get reviews? The first and most important thing is to make sure your stories get seen. If people see your stories, they'll be more likely to read them. A person cannot read what they cannot find. So, the first thing is to make yourself visible. This does NOT mean going on the ff.n Forums or even other websites and begging for readers. No! Doing that tends to irritate people and will, instead, bring nothing but negativity to your story and your inbox. So then, how do you make yourself and your stories visible? Here are some simple suggestions... Get Yourself Seen:* Post in the Forums: I know in the above paragraph I JUST said to not go posting begging for reviews. But this suggestion is not contradicting that. DO NOT go to the Forums and beg for reviews. Instead, go to the Forums and TALK to other fans and authors. Find a discussion Forum for your fandom and chat with the other posters. Swap ideas, makes jokes, debate, share memes, etc. Just generally make friends. If people like you, they'll visit your profile and give the stories you've written a try. Or, if discussion isn't your thing, there are always dozens of RP Forums on ff.n. Same theory applies. If you're a fun player and people like you, they'll visit your profile and read your stories. * Submit to C2 Communities: If you write for a specific pairing, a particular genre, use a unique gimmick, etc. find a Community devoted to it and PM the founder or a staff member. Don't beg to have your story added to their archive. That will earn you an instant rejection. Simply say that you have a story that you think fits their requirements and politely ask them to look it over. If your story is relevant to the C2, then it will be added to the archive and seen by all the Community's subscribers. * Update Regularly: This does not mean "update a lot and spam the ff.n archives". No. Updating regularly is when you keep to a consistent schedule, such as updating every Thursday, or every two weeks, or on the first of every month, etc. Something that your readers can count on and know that the next update is coming and when. This builds a certain relationship between reader and author. Readers will notice and comment on it. * Cross-polinating: This means posting your stories on multiple sites. FanFiciton.Net isn't the only fan fiction sit out there. There's also Archive of Our Own, NovelJoy, LiveJournal, Tumblr, even deviantART has a fan fiction feature. Posting your stories in other places raises your chances of them being see, and posting links in the descriptions or on your profiles to your other fan fiction pages will give readers the choice of reading your work on whatever site they prefer. Those will all help you be seen. But just having people look at your work isn't enough. They have to actually read it and have something to say about it. Otherwise, what's the point of posting a review for a story if you have nothing to say? This is why the CONTENT of your chapters is important. Not just the actual story itself, but also authors' notes, chapter titles, footnotes, and anything else you might add to your documents and updates. Content, More than the Story:* Chapter Titles: Try not to give away spoilers, climaxes, or other important information in your chapter titles. If your readers already know what's gonna happen, it will have less of an impact when they read it. If the main event in the chapter is the hero showing up late but just in the nick of time to save the rest of the cast, don't title it something like "[CHARACTER] Save the Day!". Instead go with something more ambiguous and open to interpretation like "The Cavalry". Give your readers teasers that wet their apatite but don't tell them what's going to happen before it does. Make sure they have a reason to keep reading. * Authors' Notes: This is something I have seen people complain about the most in the Forums and on other fan fiction message boards. Authors that leave bad author's notes. Honestly, this one just might merit a thread all to its own. But for this thread, I will be brief. Author's notes are not the place to respond to reviews. They are not a place to ask or beg for reviews. Do not hold conversations with yourself, or other characters within your author's notes. Do not post rude remarks or insult your readers like this author. Doing that is a sure fire way to lose your reader base. So, now that we know what author's notes are NOT, lets talk about what they ARE. The purpose of an author's note is to convey information to your reader that is pertinent to your story, inform them of any absence you might take from the online world, or delays in updates. That's why they're called "author's notes" not "author's chat space". For example, if you a writing for a fandom that has multiple canons (such a book canon, movie canon, game canon) and your story takes place in one specific canon, but you are mixing in elements from the other canons, that is something that you can explain in your author's note. Or if you know you'll be moving and won't have internet for a time and won't be able to keep to your update schedule, that's something you can warn your readers of in your author's note. * Footnotes: Some of you might like to use foreign languages in your fics. Japanese is the most common that I've seen, but I've also read French, Romanni and Klingon, then of course, there're the authors that like to invent their own languages. If that is the case, do not interrupt the flow of your story by putting translations right there in the narration. It takes the reader out of your world. Put them as footnotes at the end of your chapters. * Cliff-Hangers: The BEST way to get reviews is to end your story on a cliff-hanger. This does not mean you should write atrocities just to get a rise out of readers. Just leave chapters a bit open. After all, even if the story's not finished, if you leave your chapter with things for that moment feeling concluded and satisfying, the reader might lose interest. Try to end your chapters on strong notes that get your readers rev'd-up and asking "What happens next!?"
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Posted: Sat Jul 19, 2014 8:04 am
Renkon Root NOTE: This thread is a transplant from the Fanfiction Studio guild. * Authors' Notes: This is something I have seen people complain about the most in the Forums and on other fan fiction message boards. Authors that leave bad author's notes. Honestly, this one just might merit a thread all to its own. But for this thread, I will be brief. Author's notes are not the place to respond to reviews. They are not a place to ask or beg for reviews. Do not hold conversations with yourself, or other characters within your author's notes. Do not post rude remarks or insult your readers like this author. Doing that is a sure fire way to lose your reader base. So, now that we know what author's notes are NOT, lets talk about what they ARE. The purpose of an author's note is to convey information to your reader that is pertinent to your story, inform them of any absence you might take from the online world, or delays in updates. That's why they're called "author's notes" not "author's chat space". For example, if you a writing for a fandom that has multiple canons (such a book canon, movie canon, game canon) and your story takes place in one specific canon, but you are mixing in elements from the other canons, that is something that you can explain in your author's note. Or if you know you'll be moving and won't have internet for a time and won't be able to keep to your update schedule, that's something you can warn your readers of in your author's note. The entire post is very helpful, but I wanted to address this point in particular. I cannot tell you how many authors I've come across who make snarky comments towards reviewers/readers in their author's note or they forego the passive-aggressive mask and are just bluntly antagonistic. From what I have seen, it's mostly caused by reviewers who either make a rude comment in the review itself or the reader is upset that the story isn't getting "enough" reviews, favorites, follows, etc. In regards to the former, I'm going to make a blanket statement for all writers who have received negative feedback: Just because someone was rude to you that doesn't give you a free pass to stoop to their level and be just as nasty. If you do that, other more polite readers might lose respect for you and you might lose respect for yourself. Be courteous even when others are not. It doesn't matter how crass the comment was. Don't be rude to readers/reviewers. If you don't trust yourself to respond to the negative feedback politely, then ignore it. I, myself, don't delete negative feedback from anonymous sources. To me, that will only exacerbate the problem or make you, the writer, look like you're in denial about something or that you're a dictator who is regulating your reviews so you only have "good" ones to show off. Besides, as the writer of the story you might be biased. Take every negative comment with a grain of salt because there might be some truth to it. Addressing the author's notes that only contain complaints about a lack of feedback: That just looks tacky, disrespectful, and petty. It also makes the writer look like an ingrate to those readers who have reviewed, followed, favorited, etc. As writers, we all want feedback on our writing but just because we want it that doesn't mean we're entitled to it. Pouting and stomping your feet won't get you very far. In fact, it might put you on the fast track to getting your story trolled or flamed straight to hell. End rant.
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Violent Crow Vice Captain
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Posted: Sat Jul 19, 2014 8:45 am
Violent Crow Renkon Root NOTE: This thread is a transplant from the Fanfiction Studio guild. * Authors' Notes: This is something I have seen people complain about the most in the Forums and on other fan fiction message boards. Authors that leave bad author's notes. Honestly, this one just might merit a thread all to its own. But for this thread, I will be brief. Author's notes are not the place to respond to reviews. They are not a place to ask or beg for reviews. Do not hold conversations with yourself, or other characters within your author's notes. Do not post rude remarks or insult your readers like this author. Doing that is a sure fire way to lose your reader base. So, now that we know what author's notes are NOT, lets talk about what they ARE. The purpose of an author's note is to convey information to your reader that is pertinent to your story, inform them of any absence you might take from the online world, or delays in updates. That's why they're called "author's notes" not "author's chat space". For example, if you a writing for a fandom that has multiple canons (such a book canon, movie canon, game canon) and your story takes place in one specific canon, but you are mixing in elements from the other canons, that is something that you can explain in your author's note. Or if you know you'll be moving and won't have internet for a time and won't be able to keep to your update schedule, that's something you can warn your readers of in your author's note. The entire post is very helpful, but I wanted to address this point in particular. I cannot tell you how many authors I've come across who make snarky comments towards reviewers/readers in their author's note or they forego the passive-aggressive mask and are just bluntly antagonistic. From what I have seen, it's mostly caused by reviewers who either make a rude comment in the review itself or the reader is upset that the story isn't getting "enough" reviews, favorites, follows, etc. In regards to the former, I'm going to make a blanket statement for all writers who have received negative feedback: Just because someone was rude to you that doesn't give you a free pass to stoop to their level and be just as nasty. If you do that, other more polite readers might lose respect for you and you might lose respect for yourself. Be courteous even when others are not. It doesn't matter how crass the comment was. Don't be rude to readers/reviewers. If you don't trust yourself to respond to the negative feedback politely, then ignore it. I, myself, don't delete negative feedback from anonymous sources. To me, that will only exacerbate the problem or make you, the writer, look like you're in denial about something or that you're a dictator who is regulating your reviews so you only have "good" ones to show off. Besides, as the writer of the story you might be biased. Take every negative comment with a grain of salt because there might be some truth to it. Addressing the author's notes that only contain complaints about a lack of feedback: That just looks tacky, disrespectful, and petty. It also makes the writer look like an ingrate to those readers who have reviewed, followed, favorited, etc. As writers, we all want feedback on our writing but just because we want it that doesn't mean we're entitled to it. Pouting and stomping your feet won't get you very far. In fact, it might put you on the fast track to getting your story trolled or flamed straight to hell. End rant. I think this exchange between myself and another poster in the other guild accurately conveys my own feelings on the matter: Ren LehCrow I cannot tell you the number of times have have completely abandoned a fic, even going so far as to remove it from my alerts because the author posted an incredibly cunty author's note. Nothing will get me to forget a story quicker than treating the reader (me) like s**t. Its one thing to beg for reviews. Its annoying, but I understand it. I'm more bothered by authors who hold stories for random for reviews. That annoys me and prompts me to NOT review. But I will still follow and read those stories. But an author that has not respect for readers. Insults them in author's notes, calls them rude names for adding a story to their Alerts... THAT is what really grinds my gears. We do not HAVE to read the story. We are CHOOSING to read the story. If an author wants to continue to have their stories be read and reviewed, then they need to have AT LEAST a basic respect for their audience. If they have no respect for their audience, then I see no reason why the audience should respect them. I feel the same way. Except I won't stop reading it completely. I might take it off my favorites list, but I'll leave the story on my alerts. If I started it, I'd like to finish it -assuming the author DOES finish it. And who knows, they might wake up one day and realize what a d**k they've been and stop.
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Posted: Sun Jul 20, 2014 10:28 pm
I find the one sure way to get reviews/views is to write M-rated fics for popular fandoms xD
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Posted: Tue Jul 22, 2014 12:41 am
Mera D I find the one sure way to get reviews/views is to write M-rated fics for popular fandoms xD ...I've done that too. xd Except the rating is more for language or suggestive situations in my stories. redface Or I just don't put a rating like I tend to do when I'm updating in AO3. wink
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Posted: Wed Jul 23, 2014 5:02 pm
Mera D I find the one sure way to get reviews/views is to write M-rated fics for popular fandoms xD Are you serious...? I guess I might need to spice up my fanfictions wink
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Violent Crow Vice Captain
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Posted: Wed Jul 23, 2014 5:07 pm
Mera D I find the one sure way to get reviews/views is to write M-rated fics for popular fandoms xD I know, right? However, my M-rated fics are only rated so high because of language and violence. That's probably disappointing to some of my readers. rofl
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Posted: Wed Jul 23, 2014 5:17 pm
Violent Crow I know, right? However, my M-rated fics are only rated so high because of language and violence. That's probably disappointing to some of my readers. rofl You're one of those people who I glare at (the screen name/image) intensely because there wasn't a lemon scene to fulfill my desires emotion_donotwant
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Violent Crow Vice Captain
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Posted: Wed Jul 23, 2014 5:28 pm
Sinnto Violent Crow I know, right? However, my M-rated fics are only rated so high because of language and violence. That's probably disappointing to some of my readers. rofl You're one of those people who I glare at (the screen name/image) intensely because there wasn't a lemon scene to fulfill my desires emotion_donotwant Wow... Thanks for making me choke on my coffee. Do you know how much it burns to have coffee try to come out of your nose? But the laugh was worth it.Anyway, I can't write lemons. I don't mean that I get all embarrassed or awkward trying to write them... I'm just awful at trying to get the scene right. I feel like there needs to be a lemon-writing seminar or something. xd
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Posted: Wed Jul 23, 2014 5:36 pm
Violent Crow Wow... Thanks for making me choke on my coffee. Do you know how much it burns to have coffee try to come out of your nose? But the laugh was worth it.Anyway, I can't write lemons. I don't mean that I get all embarrassed or awkward trying to write them... I'm just awful at trying to get the scene right. I feel like there needs to be a lemon-writing seminar or something. xd
AND YESSSS. THIS x100000.
I'll love you forever & whoever write it up. I want to see how the thought process of writing a lemon scene is like emotion_kirakira
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Violent Crow Vice Captain
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Posted: Wed Jul 23, 2014 6:43 pm
Sinnto LOL. I'm sorry but it's true. That is exactly what I do when I finish an M-rated story. I don't even know why I expect M to have lemon scenes only. I blame how some T-rated stories can be very violent and how FF.net doesn't really track them or flag them (at least not any that I know of).
AND YESSSS. THIS x100000.
I'll love you forever & whoever write it up. I want to see how the thought process of writing a lemon scene is like emotion_kirakira Yeah... I mentioned the lemon thing to the captain before but she pointed out that we have some youngsters on here and that it might not be appropriate to post something like that... Did I really use the word "youngster"? My gosh, I'm 21 not 71! sweatdrop However, I really, really, really would like to get some pointers on writing lemons in case I decide to have my fics live up to their M rating. I've read some amazing lemons and some truly cringe-worthy ones. I definitely don't want to write a cringe-worthy lemon. I'd rather not mentally scar my readers.
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Posted: Wed Jul 23, 2014 7:48 pm
Sinnto Violent Crow I know, right? However, my M-rated fics are only rated so high because of language and violence. That's probably disappointing to some of my readers. rofl You're one of those people who I glare at (the screen name/image) intensely because there wasn't a lemon scene to fulfill my desires emotion_donotwant LOL omg me too XD I kinda just expect it to be there in a m-rated fic haha
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Posted: Fri Jul 25, 2014 5:52 am
I don't mind mentally scarring my readers, but only if I was actually intending to. lol
I've read some truly awful A/N's too, it made me immediately not want to read any further. I don't mind some replying to reviews and stuff in one (I do it with multi-chapters, when there are anon reviews particularly, but only really briefly), but not if you're trying to reply to everything.
There's a Harry Potter challenges forum on FFN that I joined last year, and it's helped a ton with getting feedback. eek It's awesome.
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Posted: Fri Jul 25, 2014 2:01 pm
I love replying to my readers. Sometimes they message back, sometimes they don't. It's all right. But authors who put it IN their story IN the A/N? confused That's not OK lol.
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Posted: Fri Jul 25, 2014 6:56 pm
Violent Crow there needs to be a lemon-writing seminar or something. xd There is so much YES in this statement. I can't even...
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