Flamers: How do you deal with them and are you one?

[MillyFan]

If you write fanfics (especially if you post on ff.net) you most likely have been either flamed or flamer.

As for me, I've been flamed-and I honestly can say that some of the flames have helped my writing somewhat. For example, I pay strict heed to flames accusing me of OOC or rushed scenes, because these kind of flames can often help your weak points-but I ignore flames that are obviously personal attacks on me as a person rather than criticism of my writing. If all someone can say is something like "ur an iddot," I'm not going to worry much.

Yes, I also am a flamer critic: but for specific reasons. I don't just cruise the site looking for fics to slam in the reviews, and I don't outright flame work that just needs minor improvement (usually, in thise cases I do my best to be nice or just ignore it.)

However, I do unrepentantly flame Mary Sues, fics that are so illiterate that they look as if the writer failed grade school, so OOC that the person knows nothing about the characters, PWP fics, or a pairing that completely makes me retch.

So, that's my story: I'd like to hear yours.

[Haibane Shadsie]

I believe there are a few times I have flamed, but generally, I am not a flamer. What I give is constructive criticism.

I bet some people whom I've given constructive criticism to their stories have thought me a flamer, but what I give is stuff to honestly try to help improve the writing. In such reviews, I try to give the good points of the story, things I liked about it, then go into what can be improved. I tend to do this also, with stories I really, really like.

It comes from my experiences in seeking help in my original writing. I was once a part of the Del Rey Online Science Fiction and Fantasy writing workshop, where reviews giving constructive crits were expected, and where "ooh! I love this so much!" and other such pithy comments common on a place like the fanfiction network just wouldn't fly. If one liked something in a story, one was expected to tell exactly what one liked. If one did not like something in a story, one was to tell exactly what and how one thought it could be corrected or improved.

Now, I'm a part of an in-person meeting writer's group, and we do the same thing. If one is serious about writing, one likes to put their work forth for constructive criticism.

I am aware that most people on the fanfiction network and other such fanfiction archives have no desire to become professional writers, and are just writing their fanfiction for fun, but my experiences in the realm of serious writing have lead me to review most fanfiction like I review original writing from those who are serious about it.

As for horrible Mary Sues and stories on the fanfiction network that are written by illiterate people... I usually just don't bother. I can usually tell from the summaries, or even the titles, that the fic is probably very bad, and I avoid reading such fics. One the occasion that I do read such a fic, perhaps lead in by an intersting title or a deceptive summary... I tend to leave it midway through reading and not leave any kind of critique. I just don't bother with those... as I don't think those people even want help.

[CobaltAngel]

I've never been directly flamed, but I did find a website once where someone had made a, as they called it, MST of one of my fics. I was very offended at first, and was about to flame them, but God helped me to realize that that would have been just a stupid thing to do. I prayed, and got over it. ^_^V It really truely was that simple. ^_~

[uc pseudonym]

Haibane Shadsie stole practically everything I was going to say about constructive criticism.

Meanwhile: If I enter a poorly written story, I leave. Frankly, if someone writes 200 word chapters without a single period, any number of words I can say would be futile.

[Heaven's Cloud]

One time I was flamed for writing a fanfic on Gundam. I wasn't very old at the time, and my grammer was very bad. My spelling on words that I really didn't know how to spell was horrible. They got pretty mad because of all that. But now I have better grammer and spelling, and I am glad I do not enter that board any longer.

The way I delt with it was that I told a mod, but yet he didn't do anything, so I told an admin, and he said he would do something, but obviously never got around with it. So I just left the board, and found another board that I stayed at for 2 years, then I got bugged and moved here, and here is where I started writing by the insperation from many of the writers here. I have tried my hand at fanfiction, but I dunno, I just feel better writing my own stories.

[CobaltAngel]

You know what's sad? When people posty annonoumus flames on FF.net because they're not even brave enuff to post their name with it...

[MillyFan]

Yeah, but. . .you can delete those pretty easily.