spnanonhaven | Big Bang/Exchange Fic Discussion #1

WTF is up with all the J2 Summary!nonnie haters? This is a summary of the fic AND a discussion of it just like any others except that it's in a different format (a format, I might also say, that's been around for YEARS). It effectively summarizes the fic and points out the potential pitfalls which is, imo, MUCH better than a one-liner saying "I didn't like it" or "I couldn't get through this shit." At least the summary!nonnie made it to the end of the fic AND spent the time to go through the fic and decide what turned them off so much.

Summary!nonnie, if you ever feel that one of my fics warrants this kind of attention, I want you to feel free because I would love it if someone would point out problematic flaws to me instead of just going off about how much I personally suck as an author. One is constructive (in it's own way) and the other is decidedly not.

I'll remember to never leave feedback from now on unless it's in summary!nonnie form since that's the most useful kind to you :[

ayrt

I sincerely hope you're kidding.

Because I did not say, anywhere, that I didn't like other kinds of feedback. I said that summary!nonnie is more useful than a one line "I didn't like it" and more useful than "this author sucks and I hope they never darken my doorstep with this crap again because they can't write!"

Are you seriously arguing that summary!nonnie's summaries are NOT more useful than vague one-liners and author attacks? To readers as well as authors?

As an author, yes, I'd rather have a one-liner than the evisceration of a summary!nonnie. It tells you a lot. It tells you the story wasn't really memorable to the reader. It gives you a quick feel for how your story is being received. A lot of times people really don't have anything good to say and I've seen other authors complain on here multiple times about how they'd rather receive a one-line comment than none at all. Specifically on the meme, sometimes I just want to get a quick feel for if the readers liked a story or not before I start it and a wall of text or 5-part comment isn't going to be able to do that. There are lots of useful ways to interpret one-line comments.

To the other authors, maybe they are useful. But I'm not going to be able to see past my rage and indignity to ever find it funny to have my fic raked over the coals.

As an author, of course I would rather receive a one-line comment than nothing at all. But if we're doing the "I would rathers" I would much rather have a fully thought out summary that not only points out problematic areas but also does it in a constructive way, acknowledging when those areas may be a YMMV issue as well as pointing out the things I did WELL. On meme, though, you take what you can get.

As an author, I would much rather have a J2!summary--despite the rage and indignity as you put it (I'd also feel those things, yes--it's a rare author indeed that wouldn't (and no, as the author, you're NOT going to find it funny--that's hardly the point))--than a one-liner saying "This is a trainwreck." Speaking from personal experience, I think a J2!summary would be much better than that punch in the gut that the trainwreck comment gives you. Of the two, I consider a J2!summary to be less vicious plus it actually gives you reasons WHY your fic was considered "bad."

I suppose this is a YMMV situation but I would much rather a line by line review instead of that one-line spit in the face. I consider the former to be far more useful for trying to work on any issues I might have.

SA

Also to readers, the summary!nonnies are always going to be more helpful than a one-line comment. And regardless of my personal feelings on the matter, meme criticism is for the readers--not the authors.

It's obviously very much YMMV.

If you were the sporked author, please enlighten me as to what parts of the above summary you might find useful and how. Then enlighten me again to how it wouldn't have been more useful for the person that recognizes these flaws to let the author know in private, if they're willing to receive concrit.

Becuase as far as I can see, this isn't for the author at all. It's for the pure enjoyment of meme so we can laugh and mock badfic.

That would be because it isn't for the author and I don't know where you're getting this idea from. If it did, then yes, you would be sending the author a PM or leaving a comment. Meme criticism, however, exists for readers. If you are the author then you can take from it what you want or you can just not read the thread. Meme has had this discussion a million times over now. Authors certainly don't need summaries of their own stories to decide if they're going to read them or not. You can, however, look at a person's take on the fic and try to figure out why they responded that way. Meme is also--like it or not--generally where people go to leave whatever they like instead of the sanitized version they give the author--letting other readers know an opinion on the fic in order to discuss it. An anonymous book club.

Now, if I was the author and came across this thread, yes, I would be angry and hurt (as you usually are when coming across an anonmeme thread on your fic). From that summary, however, I could surmise logic flaws and plot holes (seeing as how the summary points out quite a few of those). I could assume that I'd be better off using an OC for a villain instead of real life character. I could also assume that "FLASHBACK" is not necessarily a great way to point out flashbacks. And that's just off the top of my head, without looking back at the summary in question.

Now, as a reader, I can read through the summary and decide if I would like to read the fic in question. If I think its flaws would not hinder my enjoyment of the kink, then I can read. If I think that they would overwhelm my reading experience, then I can skip (and consider myself already up-to-date on the events in the fics because of the summary).

Again.

SA

Whoops. Forgot to end my post: Again, meme criticism is NOT for authors. As an author it certainly can be useful (if not always gentle) but it's not aimed at the author.

LOL! BUT U GUIZE, SPORKING IS SOOOOO HELPFUL! CAN'T U SEE THAT?

rofl

LOL! Just like you!

Awww, you're so totally adorable. I just want to pinch your cheeks. *pinch* Nice troll, nice. There, there.

You're hysterical.

No offense, but these threads aren't about the author. They're for readers, and a tl;dr crack dialogue whose only purpose is to mock the author and show off how clever the summary nonny can be isn't helpful. I'd rather have a couple of paragraphs summarizing any important plot points and what the nonny thought about the writing.

ayrt

If you read downward, you'll be able to see that I clearly pointed out that the threads were for the reader.

And the summary nonnie does point out what they think of the writing. In an amusing format imo. A lot of times, I'd much rather read these than the actual fics in question because I like them so much. I also don't think that it's particularly mocking the author but rather the fic. It's in the same vein of the MST3K fics that used to be all the rage, like, seven years ago. You personal mileage may indeed vary. That doesn't mean certain nonnies need to be hating on a type of summary that they, personally, don't enjoy. If you would like a different kind of summary, then you can certainly write one.

AYRT It's in the same vein of the MST3K fics

Yes, exactly. That's what I don't like about them. They are fics in of themselves. I don't want to read a fic to get information about a different fic. Next thing you know, people will be writing fics about the summary nonnies' fics. On Yuletide! ;)

ayrt

Only if I can ship summary!nonnie with someone like reference!nonnie.

That doesn't mean certain nonnies need to be hating on a type of summary that they, personally, don't enjoy. If you would like a different kind of summary, then you can certainly write one.

I disagree so hard. The summary!nonnies put it out there and everyone can react however they want to it, just like we do with fic. They can't expect everyone to say something nice or not say anything at all.

YMMV. I'd much rather have a summary in any format than no summary at all.

I'd rather have no summary than something like this one but like you said mileage varies.

Big Bang/Exchange Fic Discussion #1

Re: J2_EA: I Dream of Jensen [PG-13] by queeberquabbler

Re: J2_EA: I Dream of Jensen [PG-13] by queeberquabbler

Re: J2_EA: I Dream of Jensen [PG-13] by queeberquabbler

Re: J2_EA: I Dream of Jensen [PG-13] by queeberquabbler

Re: J2_EA: I Dream of Jensen [PG-13] by queeberquabbler

Re: J2_EA: I Dream of Jensen [PG-13] by queeberquabbler

Re: J2_EA: I Dream of Jensen [PG-13] by queeberquabbler

Re: J2_EA: I Dream of Jensen [PG-13] by queeberquabbler

Re: J2_EA: I Dream of Jensen [PG-13] by queeberquabbler

Re: J2_EA: I Dream of Jensen [PG-13] by queeberquabbler

Re: J2_EA: I Dream of Jensen [PG-13] by queeberquabbler

Re: J2_EA: I Dream of Jensen [PG-13] by queeberquabbler

Re: J2_EA: I Dream of Jensen [PG-13] by queeberquabbler

Re: J2_EA: I Dream of Jensen [PG-13] by queeberquabbler

Re: J2_EA: I Dream of Jensen [PG-13] by queeberquabbler

Re: J2_EA: I Dream of Jensen [PG-13] by queeberquabbler

Re: J2_EA: I Dream of Jensen [PG-13] by queeberquabbler

Re: J2_EA: I Dream of Jensen [PG-13] by queeberquabbler

Re: J2_EA: I Dream of Jensen [PG-13] by queeberquabbler

Re: J2_EA: I Dream of Jensen [PG-13] by queeberquabbler