The Etiquette of Holiday fics

[geoviki]

Like all the rest of you, I'm delighting in the reams and reams of new stories and art (and this year's art is especially terrific!). There's the granddaddy, merry_smutmas, and then others like harry_holidays, hd_holidays, smutty_claus, lupin_snape.... an embarrassment of riches!

As we are encouraging each other as writers and artists, I'm trying to leave feedback as well. One thing that caught my notice, though, has left me feeling uneasy, and I wondered what your views are: In your opinion, is it uncouth to leave concrit that's negative on a fest fic? (Disclosure: this is not anything that's happened regarding my own fic, just other folk's.)

I don't see the author requesting any, for one thing. Personally, I won't do it, but then I never leave anything less than praise unless I'm asked specifically and privately. If I don't like something, I just pass it by. Which unfortunately is the same response to something I've not yet read, so the writer is never sure if I'm unhappy or just behind (if the writer even cares what I think), but there you go.

But IMHO, these stories are gifts. And I can't see criticising a gift. Am I over-sensitive? What do you authors and artists think?

Comments

[maya231.livejournal.com]

Excellent point.

[maya231.livejournal.com]

I'm skimming through some of the longer comment threads after making my own post, and I think this whole discussion is really interesting.

i actually think that the anon exchanges are an opportunity to [unknowingly] leave concrit for well-known writers.

That's a point I hadn't thought of, and I wonder what authors think about that. Are there other forums where authors can post anonymously and get feedback, if they wanted to do this?

I tend to be uncomfortable leaving public concrit unless it is clear that the author wants this, so I am already a bit more conservative than some on feedback ettiquette. But I think I'm just as, if not more, bothered by the concrit on behalf of the recipient than of the author. It may sound silly, but I think there's something sort of magical about receiving a gift, and hearing criticism (even well meant) sort of tarnishes that moment.

And, I admit, I choose to see these presents as gifts for fandom (I, as a fan, get more presents that way, you see), so it sort of tarnishes my moment too.

[geoviki.livejournal.com]

I should have saved it, but if you're dying to see it, I found it on the harrydraco community about 2 months ago. It was centaur!Draco.

[mijan.livejournal.com]

Hey! I saw that you'd received your Smutmas gift, and I remembered this conversation and what you'd said about the exchange you did where you got something that wasn't at all what you'd asked for. Did Smutty Claus give you wanted you wanted for Smutmas this year? :)

[silentauror.livejournal.com]

Heh. Yeah, I really liked it! :) I think half the fandom seems to know who wrote it, though I'm always clueless that way! :P It was great! Very smutty and funny and managed to incorporate two of the main pairings I asked for without betraying my OTP - nice little trick! :D

[mijan.livejournal.com]

Hmmm... maybe I ought to give it a read. I saw the summary. H/D is my OTP, but I've read some hot Harry/Fred/George, and I don't mind it. Wonder how (s)he combined the pairings. It looked really long though, and I've got the flu. Brain can't handle much right now. I haven't read nearly enough of the fics, but I haven't had the time or energy. The only long one I've read was the one I received on HD_Holidays (OMG, I LOVED IT!).

I wonder if I could figure out who wrote it. I suck at guessing (even though it's fun to try), and I haven't been able to figure out ANY of the others yet. Do you have any guesses?

[silentauror.livejournal.com]

I haven't read the one you got for HD Holidays, but I'll put it on my list of Things To Read. :) Actually, there, I've only read the one for Emma. H/D is my OTP, too, so I can vouch for you liking this fic, I think! It's definitely the primary pairing. :) It is long, but it's not a fic you have to plough through, you know? It's very handle-able, heh. :)

I can never guess at this kind of thing!!! Ask Rachel; it totally sounds like she knows! :P

[mijan.livejournal.com]

Pppphhfffbtt!! Leave it to Rachael to keep a secret from me. I shall have to poke her.

I read the one for Emma, but found it a bit flat. However, I DID read the one that she *wrote* (because I beta'd it), and it was fan-bloody-tastic. And the one I received... I completely fangirled it. It had an incredible H/D dynamic (yay for revenge-sex!), far more plot than smut, and the smut that was there supported the plot. However, I like really well-written smut, too. So... I'll give yours a read. Will I need a cold shower? LOL.

[mijan.livejournal.com]

Okay, I'm an idiot. I was talking with a few people today about the fanfic exchanges, and something someone said reminded me of this conversation, and... I realized I mixed up the HD_Holidays fic for Emma, and the Smutmas fic for Emma. I haven't even read the HD_Holidays one. It was the Smutmas one that fell a bit flat. That's what I get for following two exchanges and not paying careful enough attention. *headdesk*
*meep*
Actually, the one from HD_Holidays is on my to-read list, and it looks really good. Gah... I feel st00pid now. Too many fics... too many authors... can't keep up...
*brain fry*

[galaxynumber5.livejournal.com]

Hello, I figure this is a post as good as any to drop you a note saying I added you :) I read A Thousand Beautiful Things (and just found out about the sequel, am reading that next) and had to come tell you how wonderful I thought it was. I avoid most of the HP fic and H/D in particular because when not written well it's just, well, bad. But you got the characters spot on, and despite having taken Draco on a different path from the books you really based your take on him and it was delightfully believable. I enjoyed the fic thoroughly and will definitely read it again sometime, which can be hardly said on most fics I read. So I just wanted to say that, and to say hi.

I won't be fretting if you never add me back - so no worries on that. Happy new year!

Andy

[geoviki.livejournal.com]

Hi, welcome, and thanks so much!

I think my Draco is definitely a fanon Draco - my ATBT was written before Jo's HBP and before that there wasn't much Draco characterization to go from, really. Glad you liked it.

[galaxynumber5.livejournal.com]

A well written and established fanon Draco is so much better than a poor attempt at canon draco, though :)