The Joy of Reviews

[icarus]

I love reviews, oh yes I do.

I've been hearing that there are some complaints about reviews these days. That there's a sense of reader entitlement, a demand for response. Perhaps overwhelm in replying to reviews (I can understand the latter -- I am so far behind it isn't funny).

I'd like to add my ten cents to the debate:

Reviews are wonderful.

Nothing makes my day like a lush, detailed review that points out aspects of a fic that I may have missed, or tells me what works for the reader. Even a one-liner (regardless of spelling!) is enough to bring a smile to my face.

Reviews to me are the equivalent of an audience giggle for the comedian, applause for an actor, or the light in a child's eyes for a storyteller. I'm well aware that my stories are on stage and each one is a performance.

I like to know how it went.

I use reviews (plus the hit counts and the depth, content, and length of said reviews) as a temperature gauge as to what works and what doesn't.

When I started writing Lord of the Rings fanfiction (see dreadful story here), I received very few reviews. Another writer told me "Oh yes, people have such poor taste. I don't get many reviews either -- and you should see the trash people like! Tsk."

I took it differently. Clearly I was doing something wrong.

I re-evaluated my writing, and decided I was putting pretty prose before the story. I gutted my pacing -- which was exceedingly slow (I describe what I did here: How To Write For The Internet) -- and completely changed my style. I cut and cut and cut.

I wrote An Irresistible Photo and then Primer to the Dark Arts.

The reader response turned around 180 degrees.

Reviews poured in. People stopped saying what a good writer I was and started responding to the story. Especially with Primer they treated the characters as if they were real. They were annoyed with Ron, wondered what was going on with Snape, had advice for Harry. Hallelujah.

I changed sections of Primer in response to readers. One ff.net reviewer said "Nine chapters and still no sign of a plot...," which prompted me to tighten my outline. Intensely negative responses to Ron caused me to add a chapter. A compaint "where're the dark arts?" nudged me to flesh a chapter with more magic.

And to this day I still listen. Stories that receive no feedback I may discontinue; clearly I was barking up the wrong tree. Others where someone replies "that was well-written" (eek!) I re-evaluate. Stories people hate, I keep. (Heh-heh, praise isn't the point.)

If several people mention the same sentence or section, I'll bear that in mind.

Reviews are never what I expect. One woman told me, "I was thinking about A '57 Vincent And A Red-Headed Boy while was gardening and I think the Weasleys are...." Another said "We read Guy Talk like a play on vacation." Someone else replied "Sonic Boom takes me back to when I flew airplanes for the Navy...." I received the most wonderful review about The Albatross, where the reader actually apologised for taking the story so personally and talking about themselves (oh no, honey, that's the best reaction, honest).

When I turn a story loose, it becomes an interactive project, firing the imagination of the reader (if it works). Fan art is living proof of how vastly different the story becomes once it reaches the reader's mind.

It's not mine any more.

But I don't know what's happened until I hear. Like throwing a rock into a canyon, I listen for the echo.

Comments

[aubrem.livejournal.com]

"... where someone replies "that was well-written" (eek!) I re-evaluate."

Yes! Yes! Yes! I love when it's about the story (and the characters), not the delivery system! : )

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

Absolutely. That's when you know that the story has legs.

Icarus

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

Sometimes "that was well-written" can be a deep compliment, too--the story is vastly not the individual's cup of tea, but s/he thought so well of it s/he felt compelled to comment anyway. Like you, I can usually tell the difference between "so well-written I had to comment even though I hate porn/that pairing/non-con/etc" and "Well, it was...well-written."

[taligator.livejournal.com]

When I like a story and it WAS well-written, I'll tell the author so. I had no idea one might take that in such a different light.

I try not to gush and say things like "ooh it was just incredible" because that just tells me (if I get that) they liked it, it doesn't say why.

Good thoughts on comments though, I'll have to think a bit more when I write my reviews.

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

There's a difference between a situation where the writing is excellent but it's getting in the way of the story and a situation where you're caught up in the plot and the writing shone. Usually the former will say "wow, great writing" and then mention nothing about the story, or it will be something along the lines of "you are a much better writer than most."

Hmm. I don't know if these examples are very good, but the point is it becomes obvious from the review that the story itself had no impact. Or sometimes it isn't, but you'll recieve another right after that one that's more clear, or as a rule after a few comments of "nicely written" the story doesn't catch anyone's interest and lays there like day-old potatoes.

Icarus

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

Sometimes it's well-written, but the writing so dominates the story it's like a billboard blocking the view. You're so busy being impressed by the writing, you forget about the plot.

You're right though. The different types of "that was well-written" are apparaent.

Icarus

[lillian78.livejournal.com]

I always value reviews except, of course, in the case where they're in some sort of bizarre version of net speak that I can't figure out. I've gotten a few of those. :-D

[mad_maudlin]

See, I still write mainly for myself, so while I read all the comments, I don't often do much with them except ponder. For instance, I got way more reviews for "Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy" than for "Damn Tornados" although I personally like them about equal and DT was hyped way more. Why? Dunno. Don't particularly mind, either. The comments for "In Thy Orisions Be" were all over the mark in terms of reaction to Snape (who I thought I'd written as a pretty big bastard). I posted an itty-bitty little snippet called "Eventually" to Table for Three and got a review about how it was exactly like what had happened to the reviewer a couple weeks ago...a bit TMI, yeah. And I once got a comment on "Strange Bedfellows" gently informing me that "hermaphrodite" was somewhat offensive and the preferred term was "intersexed." (I changed the author notes but not the text.)

So, yeah. I guess I view fic-writing as more like conversation than performance. (Or economics, which is how some people have analyzed it.) But clearly both outlooks work, or we both couldn't be writing fic...

[guest-age.livejournal.com]

I've always thought that "that was well written" was one of the highest compliments I've ever recieved. To me, it means that while the pairing or maybe just the general turn of events in the story (if I've killed off their favorite character or something), they still thought that it was good enough to leave a review. Of course a H/D shipper is not going to leave me a review on an R/D story and say "Wow! Great fic! Really hot!" Of course not...a few might, but the die-hard shippers won't, because they just don't care for R/D. But, if I've written my fic well and they like it, then they'll usually leave a review like "wow, not my OTP, but that was really well written and well thought out." That's a good kind of "well written," isn't it? Always has seemed that way to me. I once wrote a Dudley/Draco story (don't ask me what possessed me to do it) and when I started I had no sense of belief in the couple, but by the time I'd finished writing it, I had really started to believe in them and that it was possible. When I posted it, 99% of the reviews I recieved were "woah, strange pairing, but really well written!" and to me, that's a compliment because even though I have probably squicked their eyeballs out, they still liked it enough to leave a review and at least say something. I see your point about how it can be a negative thing, but in my opinion, any review is a good review...some are just better than others. :-)

[ataniell93.livejournal.com]

I got a lot of reviews like that for a Draco/Narcissa I wrote; people thought it was extraordinarily pretty and well-written, and they couldn't believe they were liking a 'cestfic. :)

[theemdash]

Thank you, yes--that's the point of writing reviews. I agree whole-heartedly which is why it's rather depressing when many of the reviews I receive aren't detailed.

So this is the part where I thank you for writing indepth reviews when you can. ;)

[skuf.livejournal.com]

where someone replies "that was well-written" (eek!) I re-evaluate.
I say that ever so often :o)

Very nice essay - makes people like me want to review, yay. Now if only I could find time to read fic…

[shudaizi.livejournal.com]

This is weird. I've been on a /serious/ Snape/Harry binge for a couple weeks now. I've been hanging out non stop at Detention! and only today read Primer to the Dark Arts. I usually lurk, I dont feel qualified to review. Which is weird, because many times, a reader just letting an author know her work was enjoyed is appreciated. Or so authors I know tell me.

Imagine my surprise when after reading this story I am looking through the Daily Snitch and see your artical on reviews. Even then I didn't make the connection until I read your post just now.

So I just wanted to say that I enjoyed Primer to the Dark Arts so much, that I stayed up long after I should have been asleep to read it. Then as soon as I was done, reread parts of it. When I got back from class, I read it again. Then went on to the other stories you have listed there. I love the glimpses in to their relationship. Got any more? :)

[dracos-faghag.livejournal.com]

How fun, you've made it to the daily_snitch! :D

I always try to comment when I read something I enjoy, although I can never seem to find the words to adequately express how I feel.

[adred.livejournal.com]

I think I'd agree all round. I like to know that someone has enjoyed or not enjoyed. Any comments are welcome. It's frustrating when you know your stories are getting hits, but people aren't commenting. I rarely read a fic myself without commenting - the writer has made an effort to communicate, and should be spoken back to, IMO. Even if it's just to "squee" :-)

[cordelia_v]

Apropo the discussion we had in chat, when you were looking over the draft for me (and thanks again!), I thought I'd link to an exchange I had with Atra about some of these issues. I was able to articulate it more fully for her, than I did with you: here

[harveywallbang.livejournal.com]

wow.. i'm in that exact position.. i know my writing is good, but i'm not getting a lot of reviews.. my best friend's writing is good, and she gets millions of reviews... but... i..well actually, yeah, my one main fic doesn't really have so much of a plot.. things have been "happening".. but happenings don't necessarily constitute a plot, do they?

oh icarus, you're my writing mentor/idol..i've learned so much from you.

[impetuousoddity.livejournal.com]

I like your writing style. Not only are you grammatically correct, for which I am everso greateful, your plots are meaty, and the relationships you create between characters are complex, never mainstream. I enjoy reading HP fic, however it is so hard to find anything to suit my, er, specific tastes. You satify my appetite. And I will bear this post in mind when, if, I ever write another fic. It's not within the HP genre but they all connect anyway; good fiction is good fiction, same with the bad. You truly are rea breath of fresh air in this smog-covered world.

[miladyhawke.livejournal.com]

Hey, I just wanted to stop by and thank you for your article on how to write for the internet. I've used it myself, but I often find myself referring others to it when I beta and think it could help them :)

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

Thank you for letting me know, that's wonderful to hear.

Icarus

[miladyhawke.livejournal.com]

Great *g*

I forgot to say that I thought to come back here and say that because I was just referring somebody to it tonight (who really, really needed it, LOL) :)