Reviews for From My Little Black Heart

Reviews For: From My Little Black Heart - Reviews: Page 1 of 10

An Apology 2008-04-12 ch 1, anon.	abuseI previously reviewed under "Reviewer". Sorry about that, I was feeling rather ** off, and being quite a hypocrite, decided to rant off (kinda like what I said about you). The essay just sounded as if you were criticizing the reader, and there were parts where you sounded a bit arrogant. So, sincere apologies, and know that I didn't mean it that badly. (Feel free to delete this and the other review I made)
Dust Cloud 2008-03-23 ch 1,	abuseHahahh...maybe I was a bit too harsh, eh? I kinda just wanted to take it out on someone xD sorry bout that. Thanks for not getting all offended, though. What I mean is that you really do have some good points. I used a lot of the "elves" chapter for helping my story. It's just that you have this air of superiority in the points themselves that's hard to ignore. :( Anyway, seeya.
Dust Cloud 2008-03-22 ch 11,	abusePlease, step off your high horse. You make some good points but you seem VERY arrogant.
Reviewer 2008-03-15 ch 1, anon.	abuseI'd originally kept many examples, but included only what I had to point out. Instead of criticizing other authors and pointing out their flaws, how about reading your own stories, working to develop those instead. Granted, you most likely do this, in fear of being named "hypocrite", but don't overly do so. Someone once told me that every author steals ideas, but only good ones pull it off without being caught. Sometimes these "Sue" qualities can help a character, give them life, as long as its balanced. "If it's not necessary, don't put it", that phrase would undermine nearly all stories. Stories would become a timeline of bland events. A little description here and there could help. Something I have to point out: It's CANON, not cannon. "Because that is what many writing classes/guides will tell you: be descriptive. Sometimes, however, they are just that – guidelines." Then what is this, but a mass of guidelines. Take care that others are reading this, and you are in no way better than anyone in writing. We all have our flaws, as do these authors you name, but no needs to have someone scream them out. Instead of creating these critical essays, concentrate on your own writings. You do make agreeable points, though. I read that you like writing these while you're irritated, so that could explain this essay, an object for you to release your anger and annoyance.
Miss Toadstool 2008-03-12 ch 12,	abuseI'm SURE I'm guilty of the things you've mentioned in this wonderful set of essays, but I have to say, I wholeheartedly agree with you on your points. The one that intrigued me the most, however, is this last chapter. I watched 'mists of avalon' the other day (the miniseries; haven't read the book) and I was surprised that it was supposed to be feminist. All I saw were women villain-izing each other. I'm not a christian, but I noticed that being christian meant you weren't a good woman, and things like that, and it actually made me feel really uncomfortable. And happy that I wasn't born in Marion Zimmer Bradley's world where men will let you down and women will plot against you and you will have no friends. On the other hand, I know that women in traditional arthurian lit. are downplayed and all that and that she was trying to write a super woman-empowered response, but it just didn't ring true to me. personal opinion. I haven't read the book, so it is what it is. (I’m more womanly than you, so I win!) I've read that recently too! During the British... time in India, a lot of the British women wrote romantic fiction about an Englishman, and Englishwoman, and an Indian woman. The Indian woman usually lost out in the end because she just wasn't good enough. However, one book took the position that the English woman wasn't as womanly as the 'exotic' Indian woman, because she was a tomboy. So unfortunately, the Indian woman stole her man. It was meant to be a lesson and a warning to English women (to stay in the kitchen!). I didn't realize things like that were still written, though I'm not totally surprised. Of course, I'm sure it's much more subtle. And of course, the short tempered and aggressive young woman who is scattered throughout fiction... yep. sorry I've rambled for so long. You've done a wonderful job in these essays.
Jonathan 2008-01-15 ch 1, anon.	abuseHm, very amusing. It's amusing because while you make some valid points, you also lay down the law as though you were the end-all be-all authority on writing. Judging by your own work (a prologue found on your live journal site) it is plain that you are a far cry from having the credentials to write a piece such as this one. In fact, this entire piece reads as a giant ode to yourself, a "look how clever I am, and how I can use my large vocabulary to insult others in new and creative ways." It is not helpful, it is a giant lecture that you honestly have no business giving. I refer back now to your own prose found on your live journal. It is gramatically and structurally intact. The fact that it is a fantasy piece is quickly deduced. And that's about all I can say as far as positive feedback. The rest of it suffers from a dry, emptiness born of an apparent fear of the author's: a fear of making one of the mistakes you so thoroughly enjoy pointing out in the work of others. The extreme caution you have taken to be rightrightright has sucked the very life out of your story, leaving it a bland, stiff, lifeless jumble of curtly-written images and characters--characters so self-aware of NOT being a Sue, they are completely devoid of anything resembling someone a reader could care about. As I stated, you may have your grammar and basic forms down, but your story lacks the spark of energy and enriched human emotion that is required of a writer to give it life. My advice would be to stop pointing out in tremendous (tedious) detail the flaws of others; stop proclaiming with supposed authority the how's and why's and the what's of writing, and concentrate on your own work. It is clearly suffering from the your own fear that someone is going to read it and make some of the same observations you have made here. They would be well within their bounds to do so. Jonathan
Michael Islehill 2007-11-28 ch 12,	abuseYes. I would just like to say that I agree with pretty much everything you've written. The only problem with this is that you only tell people what's bad, not what's good and what to do. But I suppose that goes with the title of the essay.
servatis-a-pereculum 2007-10-11 ch 12,	abuseXD If you can find a story about sexless aliens, I will SO read it. This is brilliant, of course. Your angry snarkiness only makes it better...
soojinyeh 2007-10-06 ch 1,	abuseYou have been nominated for a 2007 Fiction Award: Best Nonfiction-From My Little Black Heart by Winterfox. If interested in viewing, please go to my profile, click on my forums and go to 2007 Fiction Awards.
Respect Is Sexy 2007-09-30 ch 12,	abuseUsually I can cite specific parts of any given chapter that rang particularly true, but I would have to cite this whole chapter. I feel like I should thank you for writing this. This has needed saying for AGES. I can't wait for Part II!
painted.music 2007-09-23 ch 8,	abusekonban wa Ah -- one thing I'm NOT doing in my story. I feel slightly better, LoL. Gute nacht -Shan-
painted.music 2007-09-23 ch 6,	abusekonnichi wa scoff I'll have you know that I believe nature to be absolutely stunning. From the eagles to the vultures, from the butterflies to the centipedes, from the sunsets to the wildfires, etc. Albeit, centipedes happen to gross me out just the slightest bit; but nature comes as a whole. Danger and revulsion is a part of that beauty, whether or not it's something you want to live with while camping. Don't diss us tree-huggers. ;P Zaijen -Shan-
painted.music 2007-09-23 ch 4,	abusekonnichi wa "Don’t divide your characters into Hero, Antagonist, Comic Relief, and Designated Love Interest. Put them in one big, all-encompassing category instead: Real People." There's a story on this site called "Childhood Demons" that depicts this thought almost perfectly. I swear, I have changed my mind about the characters about 20 times already. First, I hated the assassin after the designated "Good Guy." Then I found out it wasn't really her fault that she was such a jerk -- basically, she had a lot of pressure around her, mostly coming from a guy who was always bugging her. So, naturally, the next person to hate would be the guy who always bugged her. But THEN I found out that he really loved her, and he tried to protect her without her knowledge. So unfortunate -- I now have no one to hate, LoL. I'm down to hating the demon, but with the way things are going the author will probably make me pity that poor possessor demon in a chapter or two, LoL. Zaijen -Shan-
painted.music 2007-09-23 ch 2,	abuse"Anything in the name of creative art, yes?" I agree wholeheartedly. I once wanted to write a scene where a woman thought she was pregnant. To make it seem realistic, I of course had to figure out how those little pee-on-a-stick things work (since I had no clue whatsoever). Now, knowing myself not to be pregnant, it wouldn't have the same suspense; but it was the best I could do to get into my character's mind. Of course, when my mother's fifteen-year-old, only daughter asked her to buy a box of those pregnancy sticks... heh heh... Oops. I'm not known for my tact. I guess asking, "Mom, can we buy a box of pregnancy tests please?" isn't the best thing to do if you don't want your mother to die of heart attack... :P Zaijen -Shan-
painted.music 2007-09-23 ch 1,	abusekonnichi wa I know you wrote this -- what? -- six or so years ago, so you probably haven't gotten a review for it in... five years or so. I just had to review because this had me rolling on the floor -- mostly because I probably make about half of the mistakes you mentioned (and I'm only up to chapter one). I don't have time now, but I can't wait to get back to this. It's absolutely hysterical! Zaijen -Shan-

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