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? I write on LJ, but I reply to every single review I get. I try to match the reply to the comment ("Great!" gets "Thanks!", and "This is really interesting, but why did you...." gets "Thanks. I got the idea from...") And comments with criticism get attention, and I'll gladly edit a posted fic to fix a detail. I worked in a hospital here in Australia for nine years, so I'll throw in phrases like "a standard yellow biowaste container" only to find out that US hospital use red ones. :-)

Re. Cameron unpaired: I have the pleasure of reccing this lovely non-paired Cameron-centric fic by Perspi: Paladin of Empathy. The story was written after Season 2, and is based on the Cameron presented to that date - but it brings out her potential so much that even a Cam-sneerer such as me can enjoy it. Re. replying to reviews: I try my best to respond to every one. If people take the time to comment, the least I can do is take the time to reply.

misere, I think it depends a little on the situation, for example, is the author trying something new? It also might be a one-off situation where a fic isn't to the same standard & the one after is fine. I would be inclined to leave it the first go-around unless I knew the author really well. There's a difference between commenting on something like that versus "oh, BTW, you've got a couple of typos". Lots of typos are inexcusable, that's what spellcheck is for & if an author's got enough to throw me out of the fic because I have to contend with multiple typos I'm likely not to finish & definitely won't comment. Why should I waste my time if they can't do something simple like use a spellcheck (& the number of times such fics say beta'ed by so&so. Give me a break, what were they doing?). The more interesting stuff to comment on is stuff like the recent Fate Machine - the idea was intriguing, but I couldn't buy the idea that Foreman would beat Chase - its the plot choice & style of a fic I'd love to discuss, but most authors just want the "oh, that's great!" I'm not the world's best commentator anyway, I went through a phase of really trying to comment on everything I read (& I used to read a lot), but now I've got a better sense of what I actually enjoy, which authors, pairings etc & I've become much more selective. I'll range widely to find new stuff, but its got to be really good for it to hold my attention to finish it once I start.

Misere, if I were the writer I would want to hear what you have to say. I'm aware, however, that there are writers who can't handle criticism; that's why I would PM first a few times, as someone else already recommended. See what sort of reception you get by voicing your admiration and asking whether she ever accepts concrit from readers. You may find out that this particular person is very thin-skinned and even hostile. Or they might welcome you with open arms and even ask you to look at future work because they're so happy that someone cared enough to be honest.

I need some advice. I found this story while I was cruising over at the Pit. The only reason I clicked the link was because I was wondering if the math mistake would be explained later. It's horrible. I honestly can't tell if it was meant to be this bad. Reading the profile, there is nothing that suggests that English isn't this author's native language, or that they are particulary young(though I have my suspicions). Other than direct this story over to House_MST, what should I do? http://www.fanfiction.net/s/3730475/1/Teenage_Dirtbag

*vomits seizures sporks eyes out* Somebody. MST it now! *still seizing*

Her least favorite clothes are Hollister (because they don't fit, not because she doesn't like them), the last person she talked on the phone with is her mom, she listens for a sibling sneaking into her room, the last time she cried was while watching Titanic, and she references school. Yeah, I'd say she's a teenager and probably closer to thirteen than nineteen. Are there different MSTing rules when the writer is obviously young?

Reading the profile, there is nothing that suggests that English isn't this author's native language, or that they are particulary young(though I have my suspicions). Other than direct this story over to House_MST, what should I do? Me, I'd leave the kid alone. Whoever the author is, she's at least mentally young, if not physically underage as well. Doesn't look to be a troll by the profile, and the story's too inept to be parody, so I figure it's someone jumping in the deep end before learning how to dogpaddle (i.e. use spelling and grammar.) The fic has too many mistakes to bother leaving crit, but on the other hand, she's not committing murder, either. So she'll either learn to do better or quit, but it's best to let her do so of her own accord; no need to be cruel. And MSTs have a way of getting found out by the author getting sporked.

Okay, I have a dumb question for the writers in here: I've noticed that in H/W fics that include pron, Wilson is most likely to bottom - maybe, like, 60% or more of the time. (Or did I just make that up?) Why is that? And how do you decide who's going to be on top in your fics? Is it based on some aspect of characterization - Wilson sometimes letting House run roughshod all over him on the show (hee! I love it that my spellchecker doesn't mind the word 'roughshod') translates into him being a bottom? Or is it purely an aesthetic choice because that's what floats your boat? It's gotta be at least partly the latter, because I've noticed some writers always tend to write one character as a either a top or bottom, no matter who the partner is. Or is that just because it's good fic continuity and reflecting the fact that people in real life tend to prefer one or the other role? Okay, now I'm confusing myself...

Are there different MSTing rules when the writer is obviously young? I don't think you're supposed to MST when the author is obviously young. Because a thirteen year old writing like that is one thing; an eighteen or nineteen year old writing like that is a different story. At least I think that's the rule.

I definitely wouldn't bother leaving "Emilye Rose" any concrit. I'm sure she doesn't want to hear it and would just get into a snit. There aren't any specific rules about MSTing younger writers (I just checked the rules at house_mst), but you don't often see MSTs of fics written by author-persons that young. Some MSTers think it's either too easy or just not cricket. I'd probably do it, except the fic is bad in such predictable ways that I don't think it would be very interesting. As far as positions in p0rn go, it does seem like House usually tops. I think people write him that way because he's the dominant figure in most of his interpersonal relationships. In real life, most gay men both top and bottom, although a lot of people do one more frequently than the other, or for an established couple, one way can sort of become the default. So I don't think it's terribly unrealistic to have House top most of the time. In my two p0rny series, the Arrangement-verse and the Threesome-verse, I have House start out very toppy and then become more generous as the relationship progresses--although that's happening very slowly in the Arrangement-verse. (I claimed the prompt, "Chase finally gets to top," for Get_house_laid, and I think I'm going to write it in the Arrangement-verse.)

Personally, I really like writing House as a bottom. Sure, he appears to be dominant in his intrapersonal relationships, as Dee says, but that's because he's a jerk and he'll insult just about anybody. For me, I like to explore House's vulnerabilities, how he's on less certain footing when it comes to opening himself up romantically. I think that others could easily dominate him in bed--Stacy, Cuddy, and Foreman, certainly. With House/Wilson, I've written it both ways, and that usually depends on who seduces whom in that particular story.

I despise bullying younger fans. I really abhor it and it can get to the point where an entire community starts bashing someone who can't take it. house_caps comes to mind... I do think that being that young excludes one from a lambasting MST. YMMV, but I do feel quite strongly about that. Regarding bottoming, YAY for House bottoming! I think if H/W were in a long-term f*ck buddy situation, it would vary depending on mood, etc. Even for one-shots, it depends on the canon episode it revolves around. For instance, I read an amazing Tritter-arc-era fic where Wilson tops because he's pissed at House, which of course he was for a few episodes there. And that one episode, "Family", where House apologizes to Wilson and then immediately takes it back-- where there's that exchange that's like, House: I'm sorry. Wilson: Okay. House: You're pathetic, I didn't mean that. Wilson: Yes you did. House: Didn't. To infinity. Wilson: Yes you did. You're pathetic. -- Yeah...Wilson would top after that. Have I given too much thought to this? You betcha.