On Fri, 21 Jun 1996, Richard D. Lawson wrote:
Don Wang writes:
BTW, I'm just wondering that since your "Thy Inward Love" has
been the popular fanfic lately, how much C & C did you get on
each part? I noticed that there is a lot of responses to it but
most of it isn't really C & C, like the stuff on Japanese grammar
and the following debate over Akane. Just want to know what should
be the "normal" number of C & C on a Ranma fanfic. I don't know.
I don't expect much c & C, but I figured that 2 responses isn't
really much of C & C at all. Therefore, I wanted to gather some > statistics and see how enthuastic are the FFML and whether they're
just ignoring me or the whole list altogether.
I think these rules cover fanfic response:
1) Ranma gets responses. If it's about Ranma, people will read it.
Too true.
5) Fanfics based on other Anime characters may or may not get a
response. BGC seems safe, and SM, but 3x3 eyes may get you only one
comment.
You'll notice that none of the above *mentions the quality of the fanfic
at all*. You might write the most moving piece of fanfiction ever, but
if it's based on My Blue Earth, no one may read it. Same thing on a
Ranma/One Pound Gospel crossover; very few people may have read OPG, so
they may not be interested in how in fits with Ranma.
This is a gripe I hear all the time on the ML, and one I only partly agree
with. Admittedly, C&C for other anime is rare - but this isn't necessarily
the ML's fault. Fanfiction _requires_ , by it's very nature, the reader to
be familiar with the series. Let's face it, anime plots are long,
convoluted, and full of complex and implausible events; it's simply
unreasonable to expect a reader who's never seen the series to just dive
right in and enjoy it.
This is why I don't C&C many BGC fics. I've never scene the series, I
have no clue who these people are, and until I get to know them I could
care less what happens to them.
Another factor, one that I suffer from myself, is "Series Hate". I
can't stand Sailor Moon. I don't mind if other people like it, but I
simply will not read any S. M. fics. I don't care who they were written
by; Jimbo Biles, a three year old, my long-lost brother, it doesn't
matter. I won't read 'em, which means I won't C&C 'em.
Author recognition is another factor. Many people complain when their
first fic, the one that they need C&C on the most, gets one two-line
responce. They are justified in being upset. I was lucky enough to get a
decent responce to my first piece, and that's probably why I'm still here.
All I can say is: don't be discouraged. Name recognition takes time to
achieve.
And now, let me give you all a little tip on how to increase the amount
of C&C your stories get: WRITE C&C ON OTHER PEOPLE'S STORIES!!!!! People
remember things like that, and will be more likely to return the favor.
This doesn't mean you should try to kiss up to them...just that your
should give a critique.
If I had a dollar for everyone who's complained about lack of C&C on
his latest piece, but who has only given C&C himself once or twice in the
past month (if that) well, then....I'd have a lot of dollars.
As a rule of thumb, if your spam volume is more than 4 times your
C&C/fanfic volume, you need to change your ways.
Now, if you write a category 1 or 2 fic and get no response, *then* you
should worry; it usually falls into the Thumper method of response:
"If you can't say something nice, don't say nothing at all."
I remember the long and labored silence some of the worst fics have
created....
There are plenty of other reasons for silence, though. Many people are
a tad too quick with the delete key. Others have a backlog of fics to
read. Series have a big problem; once you've said something on chapter 1 &
2, you're much less likely to comment on chapter 3. Spacing out your
chapters helps, but also runs the risk of people not remembering the first
bits. Several series writers, faced with a declining amount of C&C, have
worried that the series was going downhill. Nope.
So, that's my (admittedly limited) experience with this ML. If anyone
has something else to say, I'd love to hear it.'
What he said.
- Mike of No Particular Title or Handle
===/\=====+==================================================================
/ \ l Mike Loader - Lincolnite, Amberite, Illuminatus, Discordian,
/ () \ l Journalist, Author, Traveler, Historian, Java Fiend.
/ \ l Trier - LA - LV - Kiev - Reno - Hong Kong. Fnord.
-------- l mloader@scs.unr.edu
==========+==================================================================
--
-Richard
sterman@sprynet.com
http://home.sprynet.com/sprynet/sterman