It's hard to hyperventilate and squint at the same time Exactly, you're making me go blind for the wrong reasons 8)

Wow, Norah, I'm blushing! Thanks for the feedback! :) *goes on Cloud Nine*

I apologize right now for rehashing some things that have been discussed pages ago, but I'm only now reading this entire thread. There are so many good points, so now I'm posting a scattering of thoughts. I think that's really good advice and it's true. Are there any original ideas left? There are different writers' takes on the same ideas. extra_cat, there are a ton of original ideas to be done. But yes, there is too much overlap and way too many stories being posted out there that cover the same thing. I can list off the top of my head at least ten unique situations I can put Chase in. House/Wilson is much much harder, but it can be done. I don't think the fandom has begun to touch all the possibilities. So why aren't those ideas out there? For a truly creative writer, its time. For me personally, I write way too much as it is, and I think my audience is tiring of all the fluffy posts. Either them or me. :) There is also a ton of bias out there in filtering what to read. There aren't a lot of people out there that will read Chase fics, especially if they don't include a ship, although I find Chase/Cameron ships to attract the same group of ten people every time. As for different writers takes on the same ideas, it doesn't work. I heard pregnancy mentioned on this thread. I am a woman who has actually had babies. I read all these horrible Cuddy/Cameron pregnancy stories on ff.net which had them giving birth by chapter 4 and in March finally got fed up with it. My WIP on ff.net is now a 100,000 plus word story that in exhaustive detail goes through a pregnancy for Cameron and a pregnancy for Cuddy. It is medically accurate, it shows how long the process really is, and what issues really go into preparing for parenting. Anyway, my story has been dismissed by many and doesn't get anywhere the number of hits of some of my other fics because I am tackling the very overdone cliche of pregnancy. It was only in chapter 26 that I finally started getting comments, "wow, this is so realistic." So, different takes on the same situation mean nothing. If people have decided they've had enough with an overused idea, they've had enough and no writer can change that. It also doesn't matter if the story has other original things that are used in parallel with the overdone idea. The entire fic is dismissed because of one word. It frustrates me to no end. Okay, now that I've got that out of my system, I have another question. Is it polite to reply to reviews? I feel I must do that, but I have heard other writers say it's annoying. Anyone have thoughts on that?

there are a ton of original ideas to be done. I quite agree. There is still a wide range of possibilities left for writers to explore. Even in Harry Potter fandom, which is, you know, the Harry Potter fandom, I've still seen an original fic idea crop up from time to time. It can be done and it is done. It's just not done often. I think part of the lack of creativity is because fandom gets into a hive mind. One person writes this fic and it's a huge hit, and so twenty more people write a fic based off the same idea, thinking theirs can be as popular and good as the original. Or people watch an episode and all get the same thought of, "Dude, wouldn't it be so cool if...?" and a bunch of fics like that are written. Why be creative when the same old, same old still gets readers? There will never not be an audience for House and Wilson finally hooking up or House and Cuddy finally having that really hot sex. Non-creativity sells in fandom.

RE original ideas: I think one of the things, too, about fandom is that people get fixated on pairing rather than situations. Like in H/W, people are more focused on the slash than they are on anything else. Teh sex is the forefront in a lot of cases, which leads to lack of creativity. Because, really, there are only so many ways you can make sex creative before it all starts sounding and/or being the same. Is it polite to reply to reviews? I feel I must do that, but I have heard other writers say it's annoying. Annoying? o.O In what way?

Is it polite to reply to reviews? I feel I must do that, but I have heard other writers say it's annoying. Annoying? o.O In what way? Yeah, I'd like to know too. IMO its good manners to reply to every review you get, even if its just a simple thank you. I find this particularly funny in light of the "OMG, I get no reviews" rants of some authors - please, please tell me that its not the same group who say this :lol: If its annoying & you don't want to reply, don't waste your readers time commenting, turn off the comment feature so we know where we stand! (that said, there are other conventions in other fandoms - SGA readers on lj are incredibly good about commenting on fic, usually just a quick thank you for writing or I liked this. I've noticed that authors there post a blanket thank you to all who read & like the fic at the top of the comments & then only reply specifically to comments with questions or discussion about the fic. This is after all the fandom that has the fic that is the required reading for everyone in the fandom - it had 27 pages of comments just by the folks who bothered to comment last time I looked. I've yet to meet a reader in that fandom who hasn't read it).

IMO its good manners to reply to every review you get, even if its just a simple thank you. Yeah. I agree. Plus, the people who leave comments have taken the time to read and comment, so it's only fair to acknowledge them of that. I'm still totally lost on how replying to people's comments on fics would be annoying. Do they mean they find it tedious to write a whole lot of 'thank yous'? Or...?

I think the "annoying" issue in replying to reviews that fluffy referred to may be the ff.net version of replying, in which people will put notes on the next chapter referring to reviews. That's annoying, to me. LJ makes it easy to reply to reviews, and I typically reply to every review -- especially when they ask a question, because that can generate discussion on the writing process, or where a WIP is heading, etc. I've even used that process to help shape WIPs. FF.net doesn't have that capability. I've replied to reviews through ff.net, but only through the "reply to this review" feature, which sends a private message -- and only then if there's an actual question or comment that's asking to be addressed. Oh, and as to: There aren't a lot of people out there that will read Chase fics... Try writing Foreman fics. It's very frustrating. People complain that there aren't enough Foreman fics -- especially fics that aren't a pairing of some kind -- but then when you write one it's like sending it off via Pony Express and hoping that you'll someday get a reply. The only decent level of response I've gotten from a Foreman fic was when it was a Foreman POV chapter tucked between a Cuddy and a Chase POV so people stumbled across it on their way to the next chapter.

For whatever it's worth, as a non-writer, when I comment I am always surprised to get something back from the writer. I usually comment because something in the chapter or the story sparked some further thoughts or questions that I put into the form of a comment. I don't expect my comment to draw a reply from the writer since it's basically my musing about the story but I'm always pleased if I do get a response even just a "thanks". Of course the surprise and pleasure are always greater when something I said in my rambling way draws a further comment. I rarely comment on grammar/word use/misuse issues unless they are so pervasive as to become irritating (and even then many times if those issues are that bad I won't finish reading the story). Maybe that attitude is not good but to my way of thinking if a writer can't be bothered to check take the time to check for spelling and grammar errors then why should I bother to put enough time in to read their work.

Replying to comments is the fun part of writing fic. I love to hear what people thought of anything I wrote, even if it's: "This made me laugh" or "Wait, that's the end? You're ending like that? WHAT?" I appreciate and do my best to respond to every comment. Some of the comments have made me re-think the direction or tone of stories. That's one of the best things about LJ, the back and forth between reader and writer. The ff.net system isn't nearly as satisfying to me. Too much distance. If its annoying & you don't want to reply, don't waste your readers time commenting, turn off the comment feature so we know where we stand! But then how would those writers get their egos stroked by the little people readers who should be ever so grateful to be graced by the genius of the author? That would never do!

I have had a review that said "Don't reply to this. Replies are annoying." So there are people who don't want replies. Maybe they find it annoying to waste time reading something like, "Thanks for your kind words."

Oy! You guys are making me feel terrible because I am the Worst Commenter Ever. Okay, so it's my own guilty conscience that's torturing me - you guys are blameless. Confessions of a non-commenter: I don't know why I don't comment - I have no good excuses. I used to comment sporadically about 4 or 5 years ago, but then I just stopped. Now, I only seem to comment after either (a) two cups of coffee, (b) one glass of wine, or (c) two beers. And these comments are of the 'Awesome!' or 'You Rock!' type of useless crap. I don't write fiction, but I enjoy reading it. I rec a lot because I primarily read recs and it feels only fair that I should contribute to the pool of recced fic. My hobby of choice (art) has a commenting protocol that is similar to the fanfiction community, though there might be more of an expectation of a solid critique, which I feel more qualified to provide for a piece of art than a story. I'm active in the art community - I give plenty of good critiques. At least, I think they're good. I've done a lot of science writing - I work part-time as an editor, for goodness' sake, although I suck at that, too - but I have absolutely no skills as far as writing fiction. At all. Any critique I could give would be mostly about grammar and spelling, and I tend to hit the backbutton on a story if I encounter any problems with those. So, I guess, my main problem is that I tend to lurk in communities to which I don't contribute anything. And, as I'll never write a story of my own or draw fanart of anything involving actual people, it will probably stay that way. But I like to read, so... :( Okay, I really have no good excuse. But I'm betting that there are a gazillion more evil lurkers out there, just like me - such is the nature of the interweb. I apologize, fanfiction writers of the House fandom, on behalf of lurkers everywhere, for not leaving comments on your fanfics. Please forgive us? We mean no offense. We enjoy your stories and we hope that you keep writing. There, I feel a little bit better :wink: Also: this comment brought to you by Two Cups of Coffee.

Hee! Well, you're definitely not the only one. On ff.net there's a nifty feature where you can check out how many hits you've gotten for a story. The hit:review ratio is always way out of wack. So, either a bunch of people are hitting the backbutton once they see my fic, or they're not leaving reviews. Personally I've never been that offended, unless I get no reviews, and then I'm sad. I mean, some days I'm guilty of the same thing. I'll read a story, go, "Oh, that was nice" and move on. I'm trying to get out of the habit, though.

Oh, so much wonderful feedback on a question about feedback! I love it. Anyway, it is my policy not to pander for reviews, although I do ask people to let me know about something in particular once in a while. For example, in one of my stories I write rather large chapters. I asked people to tell me if they preferred shorter and more frequent chapters or longer ones. Other than that, reviews to me are a gift. I know there are several out there that are following the story based on hits and favorite story/alert selections, but I never get a review. I'm not at all upset by that. One of my issues with authors that beg for reviews (you know the standard comment, reviews are love), I send one, and never ever get a reply back. To me as a reader, that tells me the author is self-serving and really doesn't care about the reader. So, when I see that author put out another fic, I'm inclined not to read it. I don't expect a reply on every review I give, but a "thanks for reading" once in a while is something I expect. So, when I heard a comment once that review replies were annoying, I had to ask, because I find it to be the contrary and I wasn't sure if I was the only one. Try writing Foreman fics. It's very frustrating. People complain that there aren't enough Foreman fics -- especially fics that aren't a pairing of some kind -- but then when you write one it's like sending it off via Pony Express and hoping that you'll someday get a reply. The only decent level of response I've gotten from a Foreman fic was when it was a Foreman POV chapter tucked between a Cuddy and a Chase POV so people stumbled across it on their way to the next chapter. Here here, Namaste! I have one exception though, and I still can't explain it. My most popular fic to date by far is a ducklings fic where among other things (Chase/Cameron) I pair Foreman with a very spunky and outrageous woman that keeps him in line. I give the pairing quite a lot of story time. I'm shocked over how many people tell me how much they love the pairing. I often think why aren't there more Foreman fics, but then yes, what happens is what you describe. I really makes no sense to me. I'll make a deal. The next Foreman fic you write, my review is guaranteed. Also, does anyone recall a good or popular Cameron fic out there where she isn't paired with anyone? I don't. There's an idea.