This is something I've been working on lately -- a greatly expanded
version of the "What is C&C?" section of the FFML FAQ. My hope is that
people will find this a valuable resource, and it will induce them to
post more C&C and less spam.

Right now, this is full of my own opinionated rantings. :-) I would
rather have a document that reflected the consensus of the list. For
this, I need to hear from everyone out there so I know what you think.



"WHAT IS C&C?"
Proposed FFML FAQ Supplement
Draft, 12/98

Writer: Gary Kleppe <kleppe@execpc.com>


WHAT IS C&C?

C&C stands for comments and criticisms. It means feedback provided to
authors of posted fanfics by readers, hopefully with the goal of
improving the fic.

WHO SHOULD C&C?

You should. Yes, you.

Why? Well, if you're an author, you almost certainly want C&C on the
stories that you post. It's only fair that you give the same back to
others. If you're not an author but just a reader, the obligation is
not as strong, but you still enjoy the privilege of being on the list
and therefore seeing fics before they are released to the general
public.

In general, you should C&C because it makes the list a better place
for authors to send their fics. Authors send their fics to the list
because they expect C&C. If they get none, they'll look for another
venue.

WHAT IF I HAVE NOTHING WORTHWHILE TO CONTRIBUTE?

There's always something worthwhile to contribute. Study the section
on types of C&C below.

BTW, C&C is a skill -- it improves with practice. The more you attempt
it, the better you'll be at it.

AS AN AUTHOR, HOW DOES IT BENEFIT ME TO C&C OTHER AUTHORS?

For one thing, the authors you C&C will be more likely to give you
feedback on your own stories. But more importantly, doing it will make
you a better critic, and that will help you notice things about your
own stories that you otherwise wouldn't have.

WHICH FICS ARE WORTHY OF C&C?

All of them.

OKAY, BUT WHICH FICS SHOULD *I* C&C?

This is pretty much up to you. One rule of thumb is that if a fic is
in a genre that you know you don't like (i.e. it's tagged as a
[Darkfic] and you hate darkfics), you should probably leave it alone
unless there's nothing else you can find.

WHAT DOES IT MEAN FOR C&C TO BE "CONSTRUCTIVE?"

It means that the criticisms given don't just point out what's wrong
with the story, they offer ways in which the problems might be
alleviated.

SHOULD C&C ALWAYS BE CONSTRUCTIVE?

Ideally, yes. But whether it *can* always be is another question. As a
C&Cer, you are only human, and you might find yourself in a situation
where you have nothing helpful to say about a particular fic.

DO I NEED TO DO MSTINGS OR SOME OTHER CLEVER FORMAT?

You don't *need* to, no. Attention-getting presentations are certainly
welcome if you wish to do them. They should not, however, be used to
cover up a lack of substance -- for example, an MSTing with a lot of
goofing around that says nothing about the fic.

SHOULD MY C&C BE PUBLIC OR PRIVATE?

Public C&C is that sent to the list. Private C&C is E-mailed directly
to the author, and only to the author. There is a whole range of
opinions as to which is better. (The author of this FAQ has a strong
bias toward the public, but will try to treat the matter fairly.)

Public C&C has a snowball effect; readers can comment on other
readers' comments, and you can end up with a richer discussion. It may
end up reducing spam on the list (by getting people to talk about the
fic rather than irrelevant things). You can get an idea of whether
people agree or disagree with your comments, and if you make a
mistake, it's likely that someone will correct you. Public C&C can be
used to deliver general tips on writing that others will find useful.
Also, it can sometimes eliminate duplication of effort -- if someone
sees that you've spotted a typo, they'll know that they don't need to
tell the author.

On the other hand, private C&C keeps the feedback in the hands of the
person who you know is most interested in it -- the author -- and
insures that no one who isn't interested has to see it. It eliminates
the chance that your remarks will balloon into a huge argument, and
allows you greater flexibility to include things that might be too
controversial, too personal, or just too chatty for the list.

Which of these you should do is something you need to decide on a
case-by-case basis. Some things to consider are:

* Does your C&C say something more substantial than just "I liked it?"

* Do you address general points that might be of interest to other
writers or readers?

* Could some people on the list be inflamed or offended by what you
have to say?

* Are you interested in seeing other people's reaction to your
comments?

* Is the story a good one by an obscure or unpopular author? Do you
think a public C&C would call attention to it?

* Does the author have a stated preference?

* Are you doing nothing more than agreeing with something that another
commentator has already said?

None of these criteria are absolute, unless you want them to be. They
are merely things to consider. The only absolutes are that if you must
flame, do it privately, and if the author requests private C&C only,
you should respect that.

WHAT DIFFERENT TYPES OF C&C ARE THERE?

It's possible to divide C&C into some broad categories -- though there
are probably examples that don't fit into any of them.

* Your reaction to the fic. This is the simplest kind of C&C, and one
that anyone can do. When you read the story, how did you experience
it? Did it make you laugh? Did it make you cry? Did it make you yawn
and wonder what its point was supposed to be?

Being specific helps. It's okay to get a response that says "I liked
the story," but it's better to get one saying "The scene with the
cream pies had me rolling on the floor laughing."

* Factual information. This includes both real-world facts, and
anime/manga series canon, that you think the writer might want to
correct or include in the story. Remember that writers are not
obligated to follow either the real world or the series that their fic
is based on. If a writer makes it clear that he/she is deliberately
taking license, you should probably ignore the point.

* Comments on the story itself. Is the idea sufficiently fresh -- or
at least handled in a fresh enough way -- to allow interest? Are the
conflicts in the story clear? Does the plot develop comfortably,
taking time to visit interesting story aspects and subplots, but not
bogging down or losing its focus? Is the ending properly climactic,
and does it offer a sufficiently satisfying resolution of the primary
conflict?

What about the handling of the characters? For series characters, is
the treatment consistent with the major aspects of the characters that
we know from the manga/anime? If the character is changed, do the
changes make the character more interesting rather than less? For new
characters, are they believable and sufficiently developed? Do they
fit into the manga/anime milieu?

[The above are criteria that I think about when I read a story. If you
think some of them aren't important, don't use them. If you have other
ideas on what to look for in a story, I'd be interested in hearing
what they are.]

* Comments on the way the story is written. Are there errors in
grammar, spelling, punctuation, etc? Are there places where the dialog
sounds wooden, or forced, or unbelievable for the particular
character? Are any scenes paced so slowly that they drag -- or so
quickly that the impact they should have isn't there?

What about exposition? Is too little explained, making the story
confusing? Or is too much exposition getting in the way of the action?
Is information presented in a way that seems natural for the story?

For a prose story, is the choice of narrative person and perspective
appropriate and consistent? Are character thoughts revealed at
appropriate times and in appropriate amounts? Are there any awkward
phrasings, or any words or phrases that are repeated unnecessarily?

[The above are criteria that I think about when I read a story. If you
think some of them aren't important, don't use them. If you have other
ideas on what makes good writing, I'd be interested in hearing what
they are.]

WHAT TYPE OF C&C SHOULD *I* DO?

Whatever kind you feel the story at hand calls for -- provided that
you feel qualified to give that kind of C&C. Obviously, you can't do
grammar corrections until you're skilled with English grammar.

WHAT SORTS OF DISCUSSIONS ARE *NOT* C&C?

As the cliche goes, not all is gold that glitters. Several types of
discussions might appear to be C&C, and are often tagged as C&C, but
aren't:

* Offshoot discussions that move away from the fic in question. For
example, the use of a gun in a story might lead to a thread on the
general topic of which weapons are more effective than others.

* Character debates. While talking about a story's treatment of a
character *is* C&C, a general discussion of that character's faults
and virtues isn't.

This is not to say that the above shouldn't be posted. Whether they
should or not is a matter of list policy; consult the FAQ or the
moderators. But in any case, they aren't C&C.

AS A WRITER, HOW CAN I GET PEOPLE TO GIVE ME MORE C&C?

I recommend the following:

* Do more C&C yourself. Writers remember who gave them high-quality
C&C, and will be more inclined to return the favor when they have the
chance.

* Don't spam the list a lot. The people who are most annoyed by spam
are the same ones who are most likely to give you good C&C.

* Format your fics properly when you post them. That means plain
ascii-only text, with a fixed 70-80 characters per line. Trying to
read sloppily-formatted posts is a headache that many readers won't
put up with -- and if you do get responses, the bulk of them will
probably just be complaints about your formatting. Also, if you have
major problems with grammar, spelling, etc., try to find a pre-reader
who will correct your stories before you post them. Make it a
pleasure, rather than a chore, for people to read your stories, and
more people will read them.

* When you get C&C, reply to the C&Cer. Explain which of the C&Cer's
suggestions you'll be implementing, and why the others aren't right
for your fic. Even if you're not going to use any of the advice you
were given, your reply at least shows that you gave it serious
consideration, and that will make the person much more likely to spend
time C&Cing your future work.

Now, here are some strategies that I DON'T recommend:

* Writing shocking, controversial fics that people will notice.

* Choosing a particular manga/anime series to write in that you think
people will more likely comment on.

The first of these WILL get you more responses -- but probably not the
kind that you want. Mostly, you'll get people telling you that you're
a crazy, sick person; some of them will mean this in a good way,
others not. If all you're looking for is attention, fine. But this
kind of response probably won't help you improve your writing.

Note that I'm NOT saying that you shouldn't write this kind of fic --
only that the desire for more C&C is a poor reason for doing it.

The second, well... you be the judge. Basing your stories on the
better known anime/manga series gives you a bigger pool of potential
readers -- but it also means that more writers are competing against
you for those readers' attention. As far as I can tell, it pretty much
evens out. About all that can be said is that if you have a proven
track record writing fics based on one series, you'll probably have a
bigger reader base if you keep writing in that series, and a smaller
one (at first) if you branch out. In any case, my advice is to write
in whatever series you have good ideas for.

HOW DO I GET THE KIND OF C&C I WANT?

The best way is to ask for it. Specify in your author's notes what
kind you want, and more importantly any kinds that you DON'T want so
that no one wastes his or her time doing it for you.

WHEN SOMEONE SENDS ME C&C, AM I REQUIRED TO REPLY?

It's not a requirement; however, it greatly increases your chances of
being C&Cd again by the same reader. C&C takes time and effort, and a
C&Cer wants to know that it's not wasted.

HOW CAN I RESPOND TO C&C THAT I FEEL IS UNFAIR OR ABUSIVE?

First of all, DON'T give back the same. Dealing with your critics by
flaming, mailbombing, etc. is extremely unprofessional, to say the
least, and regardless of the provocation, other writers and C&Cers are
not going to look upon you favorably for doing it.

Some things you can do are:

* Give the person the brush-off. Simply respond with something like,
"Your opinions will be taken into consideration. Have a nice day!"

* Explain calmly and simply why the person's response isn't helpful to
you. "Thank you for your comments. At this point, I don't feel that I
can use your suggestion. This is an original flavor story, and for
Fiancee X to 'die a horrible flaming death' would make it too much
like a darkfic."