Hee!

[rj_anderson]

Just when you think FF.net has nothing left to say... this arrived a few minutes ago, for Part Three of The Potions Master's Apprentice:

You know, it might surprise you, but some of us come here to read fiction about their favorite characters. I've seen you wrote more of this 'Maud' person. Not that I'm saying you write bad... But just reading about some OC isn't what (most of us) are here for. Luckily, she's not a real Mary-Sue, the beautiful, perky, brilliant teenage girl who everyone loves. At least your character is well-developed.... I'd like to see some fiction from you about the Canon [character]s, willing to write some?

I'll put that in the to-be-considered-but-not-too-seriously file, along with "Have you ever thought of doing a Trio fic?" and "Why on earth write about Snape, of all people?" Once I've got over being "surprised", I mean. What is this thing called... canon?

Comments

[corngirl-jo.livejournal.com]

Did someone really ask you why you wrote about Snape of all people? How do they even MAKE it to your fiction? It SCREAMS Snape!

I wouldn't take it seriously at all. Definitely nothing to fuss over. There are plenty of people out there who want to read and appreciate reading Snape/OC. Especially if it's as well written as yours.

[rj-anderson.livejournal.com]

People have indeed questioned my interest in writing Snape, though not this particular reviewer. Usually it's other fic authors who can't stand Snape and want to know why I would waste my time writing such a nasty, greasy git.

And I honestly did find the review amusing rather than upsetting, but it's very sweet of you to say so. :)

[autumnmist.livejournal.com]

*snorts* Well didn't you know? Obviously someone felt the need to inform you that you have absolutely no right to go around writing canon! You are polluting their minds by FORCING them to read your stories! *keels over and dies*

[shellebelle93.livejournal.com]

*Snort* What-ever. I often wonder why people bother to read fanfiction if all they want to read *about* is the canon characters. Might as well read the first four books over again. (This, from someone who doesn't write very many OC's herself!) I just wonder why on earth they were criticising *anyone* who is writing an original character. If you don't like 'em, don't read 'em.

People stun me sometimes.

[ymfaery]

*snort*

So I guess the Weasley twins and Mad-Eye Moody don't count as canon characters?

[rj-anderson.livejournal.com]

Not only they don't, apparently Snape doesn't. The mere fact that I dared to make an OC the narrator automatically invalidates the existence of all canonical characters in the fic.

Like I said, hee. :)

[cleverthylacine]

Oh, I get the most AMAZING reviews.

A lot of people didn't even READ my story about the Infamous Werewolf Incident because I made Jenna Rosier and Juliana Malfoy the first two narrators. But since I write in first person, I thought it wise not to give Sev the mike before he could say something other than:

"Eek..."

Azalais :)

*rolls eyes*

[(Anonymous)]

>>You know, it might surprise you, but some of us come here to read fiction about their favorite characters. I've seen you wrote more of this 'Maud' person. Not that I'm saying you write bad... But just reading about some OC isn't what (most of us) are here for.<<

I like how the review makes it seem like you should write merely to satisfy the whims of the readers. Clearly this person isn't a writer himself.

Some people. *shakes head*

Teri

Re: *rolls eyes*

[theatresm.livejournal.com]

From the original "criticism":
Not that I'm saying you write bad... (my emphasis)

And Teri: "Clearly this person isn't a writer himself."

Ya think? (Sorry, that's an obvious cheap shot. I mean, we all, like, use really bad grammar once in awhile. A while. Whatever.)

And I also (subliminal scarcasm warning) like how this person assumes they speak for the entire fandom.

What the blankety-blank do people think summaries are for?

Re: *rolls eyes*

[rj-anderson.livejournal.com]

One wonders, especially considering that the (admittedly a bit crap) summary for TPMA is about as emphatic on its OC-centredness as a summary could possibly be. Unless the reader imagined that the "student transferred to Hogwarts in her seventh year" was some canonical character whose existence they'd forgotten about? :)

Re: *rolls eyes*

[cleverthylacine]

Oh, a lot of fanfic reviewers think that you are writing for them.

The arc of House of Ill Faith that gets the most reviews, hands down, is Memory of Fire.

This is the part about Tom and Ginny. And T/G shippers are very, very vocal about what they want. And a lot of them don't get why I don't see Memory of Fire as a love story.

Yeah. It's really romantic to go back to your demon lover, especially if you're doing it with the hidden purpose of getting your own back... *shrug*

~Azalais

[kalinalea.livejournal.com]

I'm so glad you shared that one...what a riot! Truly a masterpiece of condescension. I'm glad you have a sense of humor about it and know that you don't "write bad," even without this person's reassurance. I wonder how anyone could be so confident that she knows what "most" of the readers at FF.net do and don't want in a fic? I agree with what you said about the summary, and I also wonder why she ever made it to part three if she wasn't interested in Maud as a character. It wasn't like Maud was in hiding during parts one and two.

There should be some sort of compilation of funny FF.net reviews. I got one recently that began, "Holly cow!" It's kind of hard to take anything in the review seriously after that!

[rj-anderson.livejournal.com]

*hoots over the image of a cow bedecked with holly*

Yeah, there have been some real reviewing gems over on FF.net. My favorite flame is over there, as well (most of my readers have already heard me quoting it gleefully about 1,000 times, but it ends with the word "sicko").

And yet, every now and then, somebody writes a really thoughtful and intelligent review/critique over there as well, so I can't give up on it entirely...