For all my complaints, I suddenly miss ffnet...

[valis2]

I've just completed chapter 57...and I'm very happy. I uploaded it last night to SH and faorg. FFnet is still having problems, unfortunately.

Usually I receive instant gratification because it is up and on ffnet after only 15 minutes or so, and I get three or four reviews there relatively quickly. Then within 24 hrs I get a few reviews on SH, and within 48-72 hours I generally get five or six reviews on faorg. Right now I'm waiting for it to be validated, so I won't see any reviews for a little bit, and I suddenly realized what makes me like ffnet so much...it really is the quick reply to whatever I've written. I can usually look forward to three days of reviews...okay, enough whining. I just hope that they can get it all together and figure it out.

Chapter 57 turned out to be the biggest chapter of them all...3,000 words. I know that's nothing to junediamanti and mariannelee, but for me it's something to shout about. I agonized over a lot in this chapter too. I hate having to write without an outline...somehow I ended up with a week of nothing on my outline, and now I have to flesh it out without a framework. I threw in a new plot twist which is likely to cause a teeny bit of surprise, but I'm still trying to regain my footing. Chapter 58 will be one of those rare fun chapters...I am eager to write it, as there will be a bit of comedy in it. Can't write everything dark, depressing, and meaningful, or it just gets campy after awhile, I think. Though some people can do it. See, I love melodrama...love it love it love it, and I have to remember to tone it down, because it becomes laughable if the dial is set too high.

I have been wondering what happens when a WIP is finally finished...I've been wondering if there is a small segment of the fandom that waits for WIPs to be finished before they read them, and whether there are many of these in the SS/OC fandom. Hey, webbapettigrew, if you're reading, did you find you received an extra bunch of reviews just after you finished parts of the Devil's series? Anyone else see a sudden spike after they finished a long WIP?

I'm also trying to decide if I want to do a little PR work...I was thinking about finding a few relevant comms and attempting to write up a little summary to drum up a bit of interest. Hmmm.

Finally received my 200th review on ffnet...up to 450+ on faorg, though at least eighty are mine, signalling new chapters and please review here...43 on SH...and it looks like I have 31 people getting updates on ffnet, about 150-200 reading each chapter on faorg, and 80-90 on SH...I'm very pleased so far with the level of reviews.

Okay, enough whining, and babbling about reviews.

Comments

[webbapettigrew.livejournal.com]

Personally, I didn't see a spike when I finished "Dilemma", but I did have spikes on certain chapters. Without giving away spoilers, in chapter 24 of "Dilemma" something happens that nobody would have ever expected and it turned out to be much more controversial that I thought It'd be, and I got tons of reviews on that chapter, whereas the next one, you could almost hear the lone wolf howling in the distance...nobody seemed to care! :-D

[valis2.livejournal.com]

Very, very interesting. I've seen something similar...I had a couple chapters with a lot of action that saw 15 or so reviews...but most chapters range from 3-8 for each archive.

[zoepaleologa.livejournal.com]

Congratulations!

I've just finished chapter 52 of mine, sent for beta tonight.

It was a bloody mind blowing 10k words. Though it had a lot of stuff laid down for chapter 53 which finishes a story arc. Then its the final arc. Then freedom!

As regards what Webba has said, I've experienced a climax of reviews and then comparative silence as if I knackered the readers.

I think 3000 words is healthy! That's normally what I aim for - reason being Schnoogle rules, nothing else. And now I am like a Pavlov's dog. Can't stop until I reach that 3000 mark. Sad.

It's really good that you are getting such a healthy level of review in a non-ship story. That's absolutely excellent!

[valis2.livejournal.com]

I'll bet that you will feel tremendous relief once BYA ends...and still, there will be that sadness that this particular chapter in your writing has come to an end.

10K in one chapter?!! You really are da bomb. I can't believe that you can keep up that level of verbosity. It is something to marvel at, really.

It's really good that you are getting such a healthy level of review in a non-ship story.

Honestly, I feel tremendously lucky. I have very, very few "plz rite more kewlies!!1!" reviews, even on ffnet. I have a few very loyal reviewers who review every chapter. I looked around some of the other Dark Arts fics on ficalley, and have noticed that they are not averaging the same amount of reviews, in fact most have markedly less, even those with the same amount of chapters and such. (On Schnoogle they usually have more hits and the same amount of reviews, or more. I almost wish that I had gone the Schnoogle route, but honestly, it was dark enough that I felt it belonged on DA instead.) Though I haven't stirred up the amazing controversy-reviews that you have, I still am overall immensely glad that a few people are taking the time out to read every chapter.

Had a sad moment today, though, when I was (finally) updating and reviewing the outline...I'm really coming to the end here. I have a week's worth of un-outlined story, and then it kicks into overdrive, with a big action filled sequence, a quiet section of story, and then the final big sequence. I can't imagine it going beyond another thirty chapters at the very, very most, and it might not even take that much.

It'll be weird when it's done. But I tell you one thing, I am NOT doing another huge life-eating fic anytime soon. Drabbles. Just drabbles. :)

[mariannelee.livejournal.com]

Actually, most of my chapters are under 6,000, and many under 5,000. It is only recently that I gotten long-winded.

What is faorg? I'm looking for sites.

Marianne

[valis2.livejournal.com]

Oh, it's fictionalley.org, I really shouldn't use that abbreviation, it's confusing. :) I really do like ficalley though...they have some great readers there, and some interesting fics.

Oh, and I forgot to say...

[mariannelee.livejournal.com]

Charming of the Snake is a Yahoo group run by Moisie. She archives only completed SS fiction there. It's a fun group, too.

Marianne

Re: Oh, and I forgot to say...

[valis2.livejournal.com]

Really?! I'll check it out! Thank you so very much!

Re: Oh, and I forgot to say...

[valis2.livejournal.com]

I looked and looked, but could not find it. :(

Re: Oh, and I forgot to say...

[mariannelee.livejournal.com]

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Charming_of_the_snake/

Let me know if you have any other problems with it. If you do, I'll ask Moisie to send you an invite.

Marianne

Re: Oh, and I forgot to say...

[valis2.livejournal.com]

Thank you so very much for the link. I've asked to join, so we'll see what happens!

[saruwatari.livejournal.com]

for me it's something to shout about.

Hell yeah, it's something to shout about. That's a nice chunk of writing.

See, I love melodrama...love it love it love it, and I have to remember to tone it down, because it becomes laughable if the dial is set too high.

Melodrama's like salt. A little adds flavour. Too much renders the dish unpalatable.

I've been wondering if there is a small segment of the fandom that waits for WIPs to be finished before they read them

*raises hand* I do. Generally. The only WIPs I tend to start reading are those by authors I trust. I've been reading yours, and reading a couple others, but generally I stick to what's complete.

[valis2.livejournal.com]

Melodrama has a fine line. Just a smidge too much and the whole thing collapses.

Do you wait to read WIPs until they're finished because you have been burned before by abandoned WIPs, or is it a quality issue? I'm interested. Oh, and I'm so glad you're reading! That's awesome!

I'm a 'waiter'

[weasleyfan.livejournal.com]

I hate to admit this, because I really LOVE when people read/review MY WIP fic. But I have become a 'waiter'. When I see a WIP fic that I think looks promising, I don't read it, though I do put it in my 'favorites' for frequent checking.

This is because, as you've said, I've been left 'hanging' with great WIP fics that die suddenly. I'm faithful about reviewing that which I read... but it generally means I only review once, because I don't read the story until it's done.

I also admit that I scan through reviews before reading a fic. I do this because not everyone uses 'warnings' in their disclaimers, and I personally can't handle reading a fic where one of the main characters dies. I've read some really good ones, mind. But I am a nurse in real life and see death and dying all the time. I like my fiction/fantasy life to be just that. I don't mind losing 'side' characters, even popular 'side' characters. But if the main or one of the main character dies, I don't read it.

I have been 'failed' by that method of 'testing' fics twice, and both times I walked away angry that I had spent so much time reading a fic that was so sad. But that generally helps me 'sort' what I am going to read.

Just my own method. ;)

Re: I'm a 'waiter'

[valis2.livejournal.com]

Y'know, the warning thing is such a difficult issue. On one hand, Yes, I would much rather know in advance if one of the main characters dies...but then again, how far can it go before there is no suspense left in the fic? If you write out everything that happens in the fic, you end up defusing the entire fic. Yet I would hate to read something and not be prepared for Snape or someone integral to die. The comments idea is a good one...a better barometer of what happens.

Do the reviews ever influence you not to read a fic that you might have spent time reading? I'm curious.

Re: I'm a 'waiter'

[weasleyfan.livejournal.com]

No, I don't think I've ever been put 'off' a fic by reviews. Except, like I said, if I know the main character is going to die.

I feel like general warnings are no different than how bookstores divide their books. In a Murder Mystery section, you can expect that there's going to be a murder, and a mystery. ;) Romances don't generally fall in that category if one of the main 'pair' dies. Tragedies are that... tragedies. Sci-fi, etc. I appreciate very much the "warning, character death". JKR even gave us that before OotP! At least then those of us, like me, who have a hard time dealing with something of that magnitude have a chance to 'be prepared'.

Though, of course, JKR is evil... *snicker*... through out the book I thought it was Hagrid...then Mr. Weasley... then McGonagall... Sirius took me totally by surprise! heh. But at least we knew, right?

I recently read "The Truth about Harry", and was hours into hte reading of the fic before I realized the writer was foreshadowing the death of THE primary character in the fic. Even without finishing the story, I was distressed. I read the last few lines of the last chapter, just to see if she was going to somehow "pull it out of the hat" and NOT kill him, but no, he was dead. I didn't finish the story. My other upsetting story was Love's Labors/Paradise Lost. Amazingly well written story... still upsets me if I think about it too much.

I'm odd that way, I realize. Most people don't get that 'attached' to their fantasy characters. I do, so I like to do things to make my reading time more enjoyable and narrow down the things I know I'm not likely to enjoy. Both of these stories, for the record, were FABULOUS stories, please don't get me wrong! I just don't do 'death' well.

Just my opinion, anyway. ;)

Re: I'm a 'waiter'

[valis2.livejournal.com]

I was quite side-lined by JKR as well! I really, really thought it was going to be McG.

I don't think you're odd...it is natural to empathize with the characters you're reading! That's why reading is such a wonderful thing...that's why we read. And I, too, generally don't want to read a story where the character dies. I've read one or two, and it really affected me.

[aramintasnape.livejournal.com]

Wow, it seems like you have a fantastic number of reviews! Well done! I am definitely going to check out your story at some point - there are several WIPs I want to read but as most of them already have loads of chapters, it's a question of finding time! Guernica's 'Knight Errant Chronicles' is another one on my list - she must be at the 50+ chapter stage as well!

What's Fiction Alley like? As an author, I mean? Do they accept NC-17 stuff?

[valis2.livejournal.com]

I seem to have a few really dedicated readers who take the time to read every chapter, which definitely adds to the total. Sometimes I feel kind of bad...after all, a persistent reviewer can add 50+ to the review total...but then again, most of them have something new to say, and I've really come to appreciate them tremendously.

I have one unusual reader with the handle jbfritz who reviews every chapter. He/she began by writing "Great chapter! Can't wait to see more! Please post again soon!" Then s/he started writing "Great chapter! Please post again soon!" Now s/he is down to "Great chapter!" I'm waiting for the point at which I will be receiving "Gr", honestly.

The fic is large enough where I'm certain that only Snapeophiles who don't mind an OC should even bother starting to read it, and most of the time I convince myself that the Snape/OC community is a fairly specialized one, and that everyone in this community already has seen and either tried or skipped it. It is a Harry sixth year fic with three POVs: the OC, Snape and Harry, yet its essence is the SS/OC romance, of course. However, it is pretty subtle for a story in this genre, because I like to write the "slow burn" story as opposed to the "jump in the back of the VW now" story. Not that I don't enjoy reading quickies...right now I just love writing a slowie.

Fiction Alley is a rather interesting archive. It is one of the largest, if not THE largest, HP-only archive. Its user interface is not as user-friendly as ffnet's interface. But it is a rewarding frustration, as once you learn to use it, it has some interesting (and talkative!) forums. Because they read the fics, and send back the ones with too many punctuation/spelling/grammar errors or misspellings of canon names, most of the fics there are of a higher quality than average. There are many good authors there. They also have a LJ feed (chapter_owls) where you can receive updates of all the chapters updated each day. It sounds like a lot, and it is, but it's relatively easy to look through. Also you can receive e-mails for any new posts in threads that you subscribe, and most authors with WIPs will post a message that you can subscribe to that will alert you with chapter updates for their fic.

They mention that it takes up to 10 days to validate a fic, but I've never had that happen. Most are updated within 72 hours, which is no mean feat, considering the volume. They do not accept NC-17, which is sad, but all in all they are a quality site, except for the occasional uploading difficulty. I really enjoy the site and do roam around a few of the forums.

Whew! Babbled a bit there.

[aramintasnape.livejournal.com]

Will have to have a look at Fiction Alley - unfortunately most of the stuff I've written so far is NC-17 so there's no point in me trying to submit it, but sounds like there's some interesting reading material on there. And I would love to read your story as soon as I get a chance - things are a bit hectic at the moment and probably will be until Christmas is over, but it is on my list of 'long' fics that I want to read!

[valis2.livejournal.com]

Really? Wonderful!! I'd love to hear your opinion on it.

[musigneus.livejournal.com]

Came to have a look around your LJ, and only made it this far before I said chapter 57 of what? and found your epic via your user info. My plan for WIPs is always to wait until they're finished to read them. Unfortunately for me, this resolution seldom lasts more than, say, ten seconds (at most) if they look interesting... Which means I started at your chapter 1, came to the end of 57 and am now anxiously awaiting 58+ :).

I'd say The Last Sanguimagus is indeed rather unique and very interesting, both in terms of plot and your OCs. I enjoyed watching things develop between Sarah and Snape; your "slow burn" approach is surely the only way to go given the background you've set up for them. I'm anxious to see what happens with the Defense twit as well (you've done a lovely job setting him up as a menacing annoyance or annoying menace, whichever he turns out to be). Thanks for an enjoyable evening's reading!

[valis2.livejournal.com]

Thank you so very much for taking the time to read it! That's awesome!

The DADA OC was merely meant to be a placeholder when I first envisioned the story...but by the time I began writing out the outline he had grabbed part of the plot too. He reminds me of a certain type of teacher that I've encountered a few times.

I am so glad you tried it...so many people won't bother with SS/OC, and after reading many of the stories out there with that romantic pairing, I can understand why.

BTW, I know I said it already, but your recent SS/RL challenge fic really was awesome. I looked at it again yesterday.

[musigneus.livejournal.com]

I'm glad I tried it too! Even if I have to wait for more (on the bright side, it's something to look forward to).

And thank you for the compliment; it's great to hear that you liked the story enough to read it again.