Of FFs, Comments and PMs

Before I say anything else, I'd like to say this:

Some of the FFs I have read on the forum have been far better in terms of writing, entertainment and meaning than the show itself. I think a lot of us will agree on that.

I will now come to the FF writers asking for comments.

I Only ever comment when the FF/ OS moves me to do so. Often all I do is Like and move on.

There are FFs I stalk to an extent that I read their updates before I receive their PMs. Some of the FFs by HeadoverHeels, Minimuffin, Nayika, Madmaxine, Napstermonster, Marybarton, Telefan, Lyra99, Marii, Chinnu, and OSes by Smitar, Mandira, Serialjunkie and more recently the FF by Inked have impressed me to the extent that I keep refreshing their pages to look for updates whenever I am online. Those names are off the top of my head---there are quite a few more, and they deserve a mention too---will update them as my sieve-like brain remembers.

It amuses me to see some FF writers PMing me (when I have not asked for it) and then sending threats on their posts and PMs about un-buddying me, not sending me PMs any more etc.

I write for a living, and have also written a bit of fanfic myself, a few OS es and one unfinished FF on IF, and I do know how much time and effort it takes to write them--- but personally, I write for my own pleasure, and couldn't care less if I don't get too many comments. I did PM a few folks who asked for them, but never told anyone I'll "clear my list" if they didn't respond with a comment!

So,

To all the FF writers I love: Your writing is well worth it, and all your threats are taken in good spirit. I understand it takes time to send PMs and comment love is your only incentive. I will comment when I have good stuff to say, which will be often, but probably not every time.

To all FF writers who send me PMs without my request: Please bear with me. If I'm bowled over with your work, I'll comment. If I like it , I'll press the Like button. If I'm ho-hum about it, I'll move on.

Happy to have got that off my chest!

In the end, I'd just like to say that however much I feel that show can do better in certain episodes, I have to say that the characters of Arnav and Khushi and all the others have been well etched by our CVs, making the reading and writing of FFs such an obsessive pastime on this forum.

Fantastic post...aaapke charan kaha hai Maha Matae😛!!!!! I agree word to word on whatever u have written here👍🏼.

Thank You for voicing that...(the thought occured to me but thought better of writing about it and brushed it aside..)

Originally posted by: lexaxel

Fantastic post...aaapke charan kaha hai Maha Matae😛!!!!! I agree word to word on whatever u have written here👍🏼.

I was formulating a post exactly on these lines and voila I click on one elucidating my exact thoughts. Take a bow really!!!!!

p.s: I have only one grouse, u have not mentioned one of my favourite writer's MadMaxine/ Vidhya ...but then I almost forgot it's ur post and not mine😃.

Eh, matee? I feel ancient now!

Will edit the post to add Madmaxine---that FF with the 'burps and farts', and that one with each letter---wow, they were amazing. I hope I did say that to her.

Originally posted by: tangam

Thank You for voicing that...(the thought occured to me but thought better of writing about it and brushed it aside..)

I myself come from the school of if you have nothing good to say dont say it at all...

I am an avid reader and do edit for journals from time to time and am amazed at some of the quality of amateaur work...saying that I do get a bit put off by demands prior to commencement

Praise should be something that comes voluntarily and sometimes however well meaning the critisicm on a public forum is not recieved well by the writer and since I donot know them personally am unwilling to say something that might cause hurt...

saying that I also see alot of first time writers being ignored encouragement would be nice...not just for thier effort but also for growth...

Let me also take this opportunity to say that I am impressed by the talent out here...some are witty some are soulful, some righteous and to put it all successfully down on paper...

So all you talented folk out there keep writng if your work is good it speaks for itself...dont be dettered if you donot recieve the feedback be right at it...

you have an amazing platform here where you can put your work out there and have a large diaspora of people varying in their out look exposed to your writng...a very good start to whet your talent...

beats the old day where you had to satisfy somones private tastes to publish before others can even get a taste of what you are capable of...

@bold : My feelings exactly. I make it a point to tell people if I'm addicted to their work, and Like the odd OS and FF that I quite appreciate but have problems with---like poor English, or blinding format.

There are times when I see lovely plots marred by bad spelling, grammar or general poverty of language-- but I don't think it is my place to criticize. I'd rather just press like and move on, rather than write an inane comment I don't quite mean.

First of all - an excellent post..!

I may be considered at fault here - 'cause I have once sent a PM with a similar message for un-buddying - for which I immediately felt guilty when some of the people who read my work regularly replied back; but then again, there are certain things for which I would like to defend myself and some other writers who have sent such PMs...

Some people genuinely read the chapters and you get to know the extent of their involvement into the FF just by reading the comment... As Tangam rightly pointed out that comments are something that come naturally...

But then what are you supposed to do when someone adds you to the buddy list expecting a PM for the next update - saying stuff like 'OMG - This is too good' etc etc etc and then never bother to open a PM - let alone read it? You can hardly group your buddys - one which you are going to send un-buddying PMs and the other without it!

You might have made this post from your point of view, I agree - but again, I know even the writers you mentioned above - who are more than brilliant at writing - have faced the same thing at some point of time - people request PMs and then completely ignore them!!! Being on the receiving end, we may not realize what goes behind writing such PMs - and till the time when I had to send a PM with such kind of a message, even I never realized what the need was for all such drama! But there comes a point when as a writer, you just can't take the ignorance from people who have praised your work in the past!

There are some writers here that need to improve seriously on the grammar and the vocab front - and some merely copy stuff and ideas from numerous sources - and I'm against such PMs from these writers. But some of the story writers are so original and narrate the story with amazing finesse - and if you think from their point of view they aren't wrong. Most of them are not professional writers and they pen down their imagination at their leisure and a little appreciation is what they need in the end...

I don't know what caused this upsurge from you, but you need to think from both sides about this... And I think being a writer yourself, you can understand this better than most of the people. And if you seriously don't want PMs from certain people, there is always the option of blocking a person - just in case!

Sorry for the lengthy post! But I hope you understand my point'

I agree with u... I personally dont mind silent readers as i mention many times but i always feel that pressing the like button is the least they can do as an acknowledgement to the pm.. whether they are readers or not...

Originally posted by: Pearl_mystic

First of all - an excellent post..!

I may be considered at fault here - 'cause I have once sent a PM with a similar message for un-buddying - for which I immediately felt guilty when some of the people who read my work regularly replied back; but then again, there are certain things for which I would like to defend myself and some other writers who have sent such PMs...

Some people genuinely read the chapters and you get to know the extent of their involvement into the FF just by reading the comment... As Tangam rightly pointed out that comments are something that come naturally...

But then what are you supposed to do when someone adds you to the buddy list expecting a PM for the next update - saying stuff like 'OMG - This is too good' etc etc etc and then never bother to open a PM - let alone read it? You can hardly group your buddys - one which you are going to send un-buddying PMs and the other without it!

You might have made this post from your point of view, I agree - but again, I know even the writers you mentioned above - who are more than brilliant at writing - have faced the same thing at some point of time - people request PMs and then completely ignore them!!! Being on the receiving end, we may not realize what goes behind writing such PMs - and till the time when I had to send a PM with such kind of a message, even I never realized what the need was for all such drama! But there comes a point when as a writer, you just can't take the ignorance from people who have praised your work in the past!

There are some writers here that need to improve seriously on the grammar and the vocab front - and some merely copy stuff and ideas from numerous sources - and I'm against such PMs from these writers. But some of the story writers are so original and narrate the story with amazing finesse - and if you think from their point of view they aren't wrong. Most of them are not professional writers and they pen down their imagination at their leisure and a little appreciation is what they need in the end...

I don't know what caused this upsurge from you, but you need to think from both sides about this... And I think being a writer yourself, you can understand this better than most of the people. And if you seriously don't want PMs from certain people, there is always the option of blocking a person - just in case!

Sorry for the lengthy post! But I hope you understand my point'

I agree with you every point Sai!!!
You have just penned down everything I wanted to say.

One more thing that I would like to add is that even I am not a great writer...there are many better writers in this forum...and I never force anyone to read my work...but then ppl ask for PMs and never bother to comment or even hit a like button.

So basically I also write for my pleasure...even if I get one comment...it doesnt matter.

Edit: And one thing more that I would like to add is that there are so many new good writers in this forum which are not appreciated at times...b/c they are new. Something which even tnagam has said above.

wow i am really surprised at such a post. becos i have never seen a post like this b4. writers i know put in lot of effort to write and if they demand a comment let them do so. if they threaten on a PM say it back to them on a PM why all this on a public forum. the best way to respond to a writer's ott antics is to stop reading his or her ffs. i have read quite a few ffs here and there are so many its amazing. but i must say one thing, about this forum's writers. very few of them finish what they start and no one has bothered making a good index of all the ff- cataloging them as incomplete/complete. in most forums i have been to - when you catalog as complete/incomplete- automatically writers pull up their socks and readers comment.