Okay.

[author_by_night]

Tell me what to write, and I'll write it.

Writing stuff I actually like, showing stuff in an archive (and spendng all of my morning doing so) and stuff? Isn't working.

So, either I'm a crapastic writer and all my friends who say the opposite are just nice, or I'm not writing what everyone wants to read.

I don't want to be told I'm a wonderful writer. I just want recognition.

The archive... just one comment would've been nice. Something to know it was read. Anything.

But nothing. Nor other fic-related stuff I've posted.

Heck, I've linked some of my friends to fics, and do they get read? 

"OMG I'm sorry, I gotta go!" After five minutes, then nothing anymore.

All the time. And then, "I don't read anything good anymore." If it weren't all the time with every other person, I wouldn't take it so personally.

I don't know what anyone wants. Want me to write Harry/Draco porn? Harry/Snape? How about some Ron/Socks on the side?

I just feel... well, it's weird. "The sky is blue" can get sixteen comments, but anything related to my  fic writing, and everyone runs 87 different 
directions.

I don't know why I feel this way. I just... do. 

It's not really about the fic archive thing. It's about my fics in general.

I want to feel liked and accepted, I guess, and i feel like unless I write hot slashy porn, I won't be.

Maybe I'm in the wrong.

Comments

[rocknroll5s.livejournal.com]

Actually, if you write a Ron/Socks, I will definitly read it. That would make my day.

[valerie-valerah.livejournal.com]

Aww, I'm sorry :( I did look at your fic archive, and I will definitly go back, but I'm actually not in the mood for HP fic right now. Actually, the only fic I've been reading lately is the occasional Office fanfic (totally in love with Jim/Pam right now lol). Please don't think that it's because you're a bad writer, because you're not. I do like your stuff (I really like the Mary Sue parody, but I didn't comment again because I did when I first read it :P). *hug*

fyi, Harry/Draco/Snape/etc. slash totally squicks me out :P

[mbs-bookworm.livejournal.com]

I'm the opposite, it seems. In the last week, I've gotten two reviews for a long-abandoned crackfic crossover over on the Pit which I half hope people would forget.

I think not writing stuff people want to read does have quite a bit to do with it.

[author-by-night.livejournal.com]

Yeah, it does.

[crystalnova.livejournal.com]

As much as I love H/D and as willing as I would be to read it, right now I am feeling up for some good ol' fashioned Dumbledore/McGonagall.

Yes, Amy I love your fics and I'm not just being nice about it. Really.

Ooooh, I think I'll check out that "Fanfic Recs" over in your side bar.

[author-by-night.livejournal.com]

Aw, thanks Crystal.

[ghostlygrove.livejournal.com]

You know, Amy, I've left poems up for, like, two weeks and not a peep, so... *shrugs*

But in any event, my HP hype has been gradually dying down for quite some time now... fics catch my eye even less now.

[gileonnen.livejournal.com]

Mmm, people don't read my stories very much, either. Or look at my pictures. At least, decent people like you will do so out of friendly dedication (did I comment on your unsent letters fic? I thought I did), but less-dedicated folk give them a miss.

I've been catching up with my sisters this weekend (as I've been in college until last week, and this past week, I've been at work when they've been out of school), but I have your archive on hold to read as soon as I can. Maybe you just need to plug more and give it some time?

Maybe everyone is just really apathetic?

[author-by-night.livejournal.com]

I think you did the unsent letters. :)

And I think some people, like you, aregenuienly busy, in fairness.

[petitecrivan.livejournal.com]

I mean to read more of your stuff, because what I've read, I have liked. I didn't read anything from your archive because I didn't have time. But I really really mean to. I haven't read a lot of fanfic lately, anyone's fanfic, or written it, because I've been preoccupied by a certain boy.

[parallactic.livejournal.com]

Personally, I don't read fanfic for characters I don't have interest in, even if I do like the writer. Of the things of yours I have read, you seem to have a decent writing style, although you could cut back on the internal dialogue, and you have a good grasp of characterization. IMO, of course, and that may not be helpful to you at all.

So I think it's just that you're not writing in a popular subject, like shipperfic. Also, HP fandom is *huge* so I think any writer would have their work cut out for them to be distinguished from the crowd.

[tipsytoe.livejournal.com]

You know, I post poetry and random prose, and I got nothing as well. I have to admit, it is irritating because I am trying to exercise my writing and as much as the saying, "Write for yourself, not others" goes, I need comments to be better at what I write. I don't know, crack fics seems to get more attention now. I am not complaining, just an observation, I guess.

So, I think it is futile to get comments for your work. If you want comments, demand for it. Constructive reviews, the works.

[author-by-night.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I suppose that would help.

And I know I've read your poem. At least, I'm 90% sure...

*Hugs*

It's easy to feel left out, yes.

[jamc91.livejournal.com]

Aww, don't be sad. It's hard to get recognition in a such a large fandom.

And yeah, a large part of it has something to do with the lack of sex, I think. It's like, the most popular industry (?) in the world or something. :P

I haven't looked at the archive yet (I've just been playing Sims 2 for the past three days :D), but I'll definitely read some fics. :)

On a side note, it's raining really hard. Rain is cool, but only when you're watching from a window in an air-conditioned freezing cold room.

[author-by-night.livejournal.com]

I hate rain. It's evil. Well, except when we're in a drought, then I love it, because I'm odd.

[jamc91.livejournal.com]

One would think I would get sick of rain very quickly. We never get droughts around here. I can't decide if that's bad or not. It makes for very humid, uncomfortable summers (and springs). :(

[purple-ladybug1.livejournal.com]

I'm sorry you feel that way. I think a lot of people are just busy. I mean, I read two of your older unfinished fics that were silly, but I didn't see a point in leaving a review "oh, you're so much better now" because it's kinda obvious. And I try and review at SQ. I hope you feel better about your work and don't give into the slash and porn. :)

[stmargarets.livejournal.com]

I saw your archive posting and I thought it was nice that you had assembled all of your fics for easy access like a lot of live journal writers do. I didn't realize this was the first time you had done such a thing - otherwise I would have commented. So sorry about that.

But really, just by placing all of your stories in an archive you have given yourself some recognition. This is very healthy and very necessary if you are going to be a writer that doesn't feel crazy half the time. You can see with your own eyes that you have a body of work. You can see your progress as a writer and a thinker.

No one can take that away from you! This is your ground and you have made it. Feel good about that.

About reviews - gah. It's insanity, really. Reviews are nice, but you know deep down that the real payoff comes during the writing process when you finally find that right line or the scene falls into place beautifully. The next best payoff is when you feel that you have communicated something that was never there before to another person. That you have no control over, but when you did get that sort of feedback - it's a great feeling. I don't know if you'd feel that way if you wrote Ron/socks.

So bottom line - if you feel you need recognition, then try to find ways to provide it for yourself:
*Lockhart yourself on the Quill.
*Put stars next to the ones you think are the best.
*Ask an artist friend to draw a scene from one of your stories and post it on your LJ or at another archive.
*Print out all your stories and put them in a pretty binder or box.
*Go on the Pensieve and use quotes from one of your own stories to make a point about whatever the topic is at hand. We don't get enough writing discussion outside of the fluff thread. There are lots of threads on characterization, action, PoV - all things you've thought about. Spread some of your knowledge around. You know more than you think!

*Hugs*

[melusinahp.livejournal.com]

I can't respond to this in detail because it's 1:30 am, but if you post a link to your favourite fic I'll defnitely read it and review. 'Cause I totally know how you feel.

[dmp.livejournal.com]

Well, I used to having people tell me all about the whole "writing for yourself" deal whenever I got down about the lack of reviews. But then I realized that this whole writing for yourself works very well if you're locked up somewhere for the past three years working on an original novel. But fanfic is, in some part, a type of performace. We show our literary tricks to the reading public and expect some sort of applause in return.

Someone mentioned that it's hard to get that attention in a big fandom, and that's true. Also, it's true if you happen to write gen fic and not focus on some sort of ship. The best advice I can think of is to find varius ways of promotion:

1) Look for boards/ML/lj comm that would focus on the characters you write about

2) Try a different sort of advertising. I know it might sound weird, but instead of written plugs, why not try to do a "visual" plug? I know I did a sort of comic-strip/storyboard plug for Sin of Lycaos once, made a webpage for it with a link to the story on the bottom, and then just posted that on several boards and my LJ. Oddly enough, that worked to get in readers that would normally read that type of fic.

3) Reading and reccomending others' work. It's a good way to build a good reputation for yourself with others, and most likely, they would be interested in what you write as well.

Look at this like with publishing. No one can be another JKR, but every writer at least has a few fans. I'm sure you do too. ^-^

[jan-aq.livejournal.com]

I just checked my livejournal f-list, haven't been able to get on for a while so I just saw your message about the archive.

So, either I'm a crapastic writer and all my friends who say the opposite are just nice, or I'm not writing what everyone wants to read.

You're not writing things people want to read. You are a good writer, you have twists and unexpected turns and endings and, well, you're writing is good. It's just that the subject matter and the summaries don't grab readers.

Regular Gen without even a Gen pairing is hard to sell from what I've noticed. If you want more readers than try writing stories with more clashing mentor roles, or hurt/comfort, I find that those have some sort of mystical drawing towards them. Still Gen of course.

Your writing just seems to float out there without a set genre that you stay in. My Luna one-shot only got like one reader. LOL. That's just the way the fandom seems to be.

But don't write whatever because you think people will read it and like it. Write what you want to write that you have a muse for.

[bisforbecky.livejournal.com]

:(, i haven't been on livejournal for a week. but don't care about what other people think, that's the secret to success, i promise!

[lee-calafalas.livejournal.com]

sometimes I write posts that I think are interesting, and then get upset when I see I get no comments. so you're not alone in there. it just appears to me my posts aren't as interesting to other people as they are for me XD

I know exactly how you feel about your writing, I really do. been there, done that. I didn't look into your archive simply because I don't read fanfics anymore - it's not like I lost my respect for them - they just aren't among my top reading priorities right now - so don't take it personally. I'm up to my ears with writing this Course Conclusion Monography - so reading anything else that is not related to that makes me feel guilty as well.

hugs