Popularity, wank, and reviews: A survey
Sep. 2nd, 2005 03:50 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
author_by_nightI've noticed complaints of people getting more reviews than others, favortism, etc; sometimes, I've been the one complaining. Hence this survey.
Part I: Popularity
1. Is it ever out of line for a moderator or admin to state or imply a preference towards a certain fanfic(s) or author(s) somewhere other than a personal blog or profile? (For instance, on a messageboard).
2. Is it ever out of line for anyone to state or imply a preference towards a certain fanfic(s) or author(s) somewhere other than a personal blog or profile? (For instance, on a messageboard).
3. Do you ever feel that moderators/admins ever unintentionally acknowledge certain authors more than others?
4. Do you ever feel that moderators/admin ever intentionally acknowledge certain authors more than others?
5. Define "favortism".
6. Do you ever feel as though certain types of fanfics are widely preferred? (If so, which ones?)
7. Have you ever felt you would be more recognized as an author if you wrote certain fanfics? Do you still feel that way?
8. Have you ever purposely only read fanfics by certain authors? If so, why?
9. Have you ever felt that people have judged you by your fandom "status" - whether you're a lurker or the owner of a Big Name Site?
10. Have you seen others being judged by their fandom "status"?
Part II: Wank (as in to put down a fanfic, not the other definition)
1. When is wank acceptable, if ever?
2. When does wank go too far, if ever?
3. Have you ever been wanked?
4. Has someone you know ever been wanked?
5. Have you ever wanked someone else?
6. Have you ever witnessed wank happening among a site or group you belong to? If so, did you do anything to try and stop it?
Part III: Reviews
1. When does a review merge from "constructive criticsm" to flaming?
2. Is flaming ever okay?
3. Have you ever quit writing a story due to lack of response?
4. Have you ever flamed a story?
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no subject
Date: 2005-09-02 09:19 pm (UTC)1. No, cause they are still entitled to their opinions. I like how FA does it, by having the mods put a not at the bottom when they are representing FA, and otherwise, it's just them.
2. I sure hope not cause then asking for rec's would kind of be pointless. The only time I'd consider it out of line is in a comparison post when they are putting down someone else because of the preference. That part of my answer applies to question 1 too.
3. Hell yeah. People tend to rec their friends and the genres they like, so certain authors, the ones that are good with that genre/ship, will tend to be mentioned more by those people. (Kind of like how
4. Same as #3. We like plugging our friends and our favorites, wanting them to get their props and wanting our taste validated, so yeah some names show up more than others.
5. Someone's junky OOC fic getting onto and "exclusive" archive, or a major wanker becoming a mod at some forum, cause she's friends with a couple of admin there.
6. Slash, Smut, Slashy smut. Draco fic, MPP fic (no Peter of course), Snape fic, Remus fic, Harry centric fic occasionally. SS/Hr, Hr/D. Smut, Slash, Slashy smut.
7. N/A
8. Not really, though if I like an author, I'm more likely to go outside my comfort zone for a fic of theirs.
9. Nope.
10. Of course, I have been to fandom wank.
Part II: Wank
1. When it's a 30 year old making a complete idiot of herself. I put crackpot theories and childish behavior in this categorie.
2. When authors get kicked off a site or leave it, when a new site is formed, when someone deletes their lj over a wank, or considers resigning over one, or when the wank isn't one, just an excuse to rag on someone for no good reason.
3. Nope, and I probably never will. I'm not a bnf, I seriously doubt I'll ever attain that status, and I don't go around writing incredibly stupid and offensive things in public.
4. Does the SQ disaster count? At least one of the people on my flist was involved in that, though the wank happened before she landed on my flist. Um, I guess pheonixwriter sort of too, cause I debated with her often enough at portkey.
5. You mean like posting on F_W? Yep, though my comments tended to be somewhat tangenital.
6. Yep, witnessed wank, told the author that if she didn;t tone it down, she'd likely wind up on F_W and she didn't want that to happen. She ended up sort of toning things down.
Part III: Reviews
1. When does a review merge from "constructive criticsm" to flaming?
1. When there isn't anything constructive about the critique. Even just backing up the crit with what exactly the author does wrong and why it's wrong is enough in my book to give the author something to learn from and keep it from becoming a flame.
2. When the author doesn't give a damn about her story and wants it to be offensive or junk.
3. N/A
4. One really bad H/Hr with DE!Ron, though I did try to explain why everyone was ooc and the fic made no sense. Also one fic that was rated G where Harry rapes Hermione cause she loves Draco and not him. I think I was sort of constructive about that too, maybe.
no subject
Date: 2005-09-03 02:06 am (UTC)3. and 4. I don't hang out around msg boards or other places enough to state either way. I'm more of a lurker.
5. The undeserved preferential treatment of one group or individual over others. Preferential treatment is all right in cases like disabilities, or extenuating circumstances. But if it's based just because you like the person, then there's a problem. Similar to nepotism.
6. Yes. Those having to do with romantic pairings. Multi-chaptered works over one-shots. Those featuring popular characters.
7. I don't write much, but if I did, I suspect I'd get more of a response if I wrote about a romantic pairing. There's more community support (betas, recs, groups, readers).
8. Yes. Because I liked their writing in other works, and wanted to see what else they wrote. If I'm losing interest in the fandom, but still like that writer's works, I'll keep up with the series or check in to see what else they've done. Because they were recc'ed, and I didn't have the time or patience to search out for new fics of unknown quality.
9. If so, then I wasn't aware of it. I'm aware that I'm an obscure fan in one of internet's largest fandoms. I've been around fandom in general for a long time, but it's only recently that I've started participating.
10. Yes. People end up getting reputations--as BNFs, as ranters, as crazed fangirls, as the meta people, etc. Then there's all these accusations about cliques and secret cabals. Basically, a visit to fandom_wank will show you more status wars than you'd ever want to know about.
Wank:
1. Depends on what you mean by wank. I've seen some shifting definitions. If we mean strong arguments, and making mountains out of mole hills via misunderstandings, then it happens. It's part of dealing with people. If you mean full out flame wars, and blowing things out of proportion, like some of the Harry/Hermione contingent, then it's not acceptable.
2. If it's the second defintion, then it's already too far. I'd say it's gone too far when people start using the ad hominem attacks.
3. No.
4. Yes.
5. No. At least, I hope not. I've been involved in some disputes that got pretty heated, but I hope I've never crossed the line.
6. Once. Then it got really out of hand. Now my M.O. is to just to duck and run for cover. Fandom's a hobby, so why would I put up with unnecessary unpleasantness? Right now, I'm pulling back from HP fandom until things calm down.
Flaming:
1. When there's nothing helpful, or when the reviewer starts using ad hominem attacks or insults. There's a difference between, "I found the characters to be unrecognizable, because of a, b, and c," and, "OMG, your characters suck. Did you even read the books? I hope you never write again."
2. No.
3. Partially. That, and due to waning interest, and struggles with the story itself. The story was very bad.
4. No.
no subject
Date: 2005-09-03 06:10 am (UTC)1) No, as long as it doesn't interfere with their moderating duties. I see no reason why they shouldn't be entitled to their own opinions just like everyone else.
2) No, of course not. Every one has their own opinions and should feel free to express them.
3) Yes, but in my experience it usually only happens when referring to above average authors.
4) Yes, but a mod is just a mod. Just because they may acknowledge someone doesn't mean that every one is going to freak out and read that authors stories. Mods have favorites just like everyone else. Their position doesn't make them lose their preferences or opinions.
5) Showing special or above average treatment to a group or individual on a regular basis.
6) Yeah, romance fics. It seems like every story I read just has to have some kind of romance subplot. Even the best epic fics are like that. I've read more fics than I can count that have been ruined by romance... usually in stories that claim to be gen and then put in a pairing at the reviewers urging.
7) Its a no brainer that certain "popular" pairings generally get more limelight and notice. It's not something that can be helped. People will read what they like and as long as others write that brand of story then they’re going to keep having it.
8) Yes. Its simple- if I like the authors work then I look for more of it. That’s all really.
9) Not really. I'm sure it happens to some people, but most forums I'm in judge by the quality of your posts and how you present yourself. I'm quite sure that if I was to make a first post on a site using all netspeak, I wouldn't be taken seriously at all. I think it's all in how you present yourself.
10) Of course, it happens all the time!
Part II: Wank (as in to put down a fanfic, not the other definition)
1) Wank is acceptable when the person receiving it completely deserves it. Usually when someone is lacking the common sense to realize they're making an ass of themselves.
2) When it becomes more about the person themselves rather than the action or situation.
3) I'm not well known enough to have been.
4) Yes.
5) I think we all have in one way or another,
6) I've witnessed it begin, but I didn't try to stop it. I'm odd that way, and think that wank is amusing.
Part III: Reviews
1) When it's more about say...having a slash pairing, or a pairing someone doesn't like rather than the plot or quality of the writing. When they're just being malicious.
2) When it's deserved.
3) Nope. My stories usually die out due to lack of time on my part.
4) Yes. Yes I have.
no subject
Date: 2005-09-03 09:05 am (UTC)1. Is it ever out of line for a moderator or admin to state or imply a preference towards a certain fanfic(s) or author(s) somewhere other than a personal blog or profile? (For instance, on a messageboard).
Only if the fics are totally NC-17, featuring human/animal pairings or something. Apart from that, the mods/admins are human like the rest of us and can certainly have their own preferences.
2. Is it ever out of line for anyone to state or imply a preference towards a certain fanfic(s) or author(s) somewhere other than a personal blog or profile? (For instance, on a messageboard).
Ditto to my other answer.
3. Do you ever feel that moderators/admins ever unintentionally acknowledge certain authors more than others?
On SQ, yes, because a lot of them read more fanfic back in the early days, and not so much now, so those are the authors they know the best. I don't have a problem with that, though. Plus, also on SQ, nearly everyone there ships R/H, and like the same sorta fics, so the same ones are going to be recce'd.
4. Do you ever feel that moderators/admin ever intentionally acknowledge certain authors more than others?
Not sure. Probably, if someone asks for a really long, good R/H fic, everyone will recce After the End (and I would too - AtE ROX :)). BUt apart from that ... I dunno.
5. Define "favortism".
Erm. Raving about authors who are bad because they're your friends?
6. Do you ever feel as though certain types of fanfics are widely preferred? (If so, which ones?)
The main ships: R/H, H/G, etc. Also Marauders fics. That's in SQ circles, though. In quite other circles the preference for slash irritates me.
7. Have you ever felt you would be more recognized as an author if you wrote certain fanfics? Do you still feel that way?
Yes. It's an obvious trend in fanfiction that most people love to read about canon's protagonist and sidekicks, hence so many fics featuring Harry, Hermione and Ron. The average fic about the Trio is likely to get more reviews than the brilliant fic about an OC or v. minor canon character. My fics about the Marauders and my one R/H fic gained way more response than my OC fic, my Otto Bagman fic, and others. However, I don't really resent it: it's the way people are and I can't change that. :)
8. Have you ever purposely only read fanfics by certain authors? If so, why?
Oh, yes. I never read anything on ff.net if it hasn't been recce'd to me by someone I trust. :) Quite often I employ that principle with Schnoogle as well. On SQ I feel safe to read anything, confident I won't be jarred out of the story by Horrible Things (icky ships, bad technical errors, de-characterisation, etc).
9. Have you ever felt that people have judged you by your fandom "status" - whether you're a lurker or the owner of a Big Name Site?
Er, I shouldn't think so, I doubt anyone knows who I am to judge me.
10. Have you seen others being judged by their fandom "status"?
Not judged, exactly, but when one has been in the fandom a while you start recognising certain names as big members of the community, and maybe are more likely to follow a recce from them rather than a newbie.
Part II: Wank (as in to put down a fanfic, not the other definition)
> questions deleted because I know nothing about wank and therefore my answers would be non-existent.
Part III: Reviews
1. When does a review merge from "constructive criticsm" to flaming?
When it's just criticism, criticism, criticism, without explaining WHY and HOW the author has gone wrong, in your opinion.
2. Is flaming ever okay?
No.
3. Have you ever quit writing a story due to lack of response?
No. Although response is nice (that's why I submitted myself to SQ, after all), I don't write for it - I write because the story wants to be told. That probably sounds pompous and arrogant, but if it IS, then I'm pompous and arrogant, because it's the truth.
4. Have you ever flamed a story?
No.