The Review Theory.

Or why people are being stingy with Reviews.

This is my theory on why people on Fictionpress are fining it harder and harder to get reviews on their stories. This was inspired by my story "Tim Stone's Pathway to the Silver screen", so if you want to do a review swap with that story, i.e, you review that story and I'll review on of yours, you'll make a poor writer a happy little bunny! (More on review swaps later in the article.)

Now, what I say might be wrong, or it might be offensive to some, but lets just say that it is just theory and you can't knock the theories until you have proof that they're wrong. I have four main theories, so here they are.

1/ The huge expansion of Fictionpress.

Now, this should entail more reviews, but it doesn't. What it means is, if you put up a story on, for example, General section, you can be guaranteed that by the end of the day, you're story will be moved back to place number eight nine or something along those lines. As more people post, more stories because lost and as most people I know only look at the first one or two pages for stories, unless they're searching for something specific, meaning that something posted that morning will be lost through the deaths of time forever, meaning no reviews.

Then, couple this with the time differences between the three main English Speaking country's who post here, America, England and Australia, and you've got American stories that go up at 4 AM English time, English stories that come up at about Six and Australian stories coming up at weird times (as I don't know the time difference.) to the other two countries. See, stories by American writers aren't going to be read as much as those coming up at other times, although I have to admit, the majority of writers on Fictionpress happen to be American, but that could be because of the type of stories I read.

2/ Appeal.

Okay, this one is obvious, but for some reason the stories I don't find interesting have the greatest appeal to the public. People bearing their souls, people ranting angrily and some rather poor fiction tend to get more reviews than the stories I like to read. But the thing that links all these popular stories together is A/ a Good Title, B/ a good summary and C/ controversial content. For example, I can't remember the name of the story, but it was a story about a girl who thought she was sane, and then was sent to an asylum because her parents thought she was. This story, writing-wise I felt was above average, but Not exactly as great as all the reviews it got. The content was controversial, and so it got people's attention.

But for some reason Popular-Kid-falls-in-love-with-unpopular-kid stories are really popular, and I don't know why. I'd rather shoot myself than read another of them, as I find that they tend to be rather annoying.

If I may use my own example in this, which prompted me to write this, my own story, "Tim Stone's path to the silver screen" hasn't got any reviews, and I can tell you that I've tried putting it in about three different categories, re-names it about five times and re-written the summary more times than I care to remember, and even thought everyone else has rejected it, I still know it's a good story.

How does its appeal stand to other stories on the site? The main character is a Slight Overweight actor who isn't particularly good looking or talented in anything but acting, but has book smarts and a lack of common sense on his side. While a lot of author's have female leads on this site (because, again, I think that as a lot of female writers write fan fiction and came over to Fiction press during the great divide between the two sites, therefore creating a higher female population) who are beautiful but no one knows it, longer suffering from high school and talk to the reader on a personal - I am different level. As many of the people on Fictionpress appear to be the kind of people who aren't the most popular at school (why do I say this? Read the Bio's and stories people!), the would rather identify with a character they aspire to be, (beautiful, intelligent, or noble with Kick-ass fighting skills.) than what they really are (fictionpress writers.). A form of escapism for both writer and reader.

Age is also a big thing. As I find that writers on fictionpress tent to be between the 13-21 brackets, we can assume that most of the characters in stories tend to be between these ages as well. My chacter, Tim Stone is in his mid-twenties, and has gone through high (or secondary if you will) school without being permanently damaged, or at least so it seems and no particular angst. And male. All wrong.

But there is also setting. High school is favourite, home a close first, with mostly alcoholic/drug addicted/ crazy/ abusive/ otherwise horrible parents. Look, I don't deny it's true and it does exist, but something about these stories doesn't add up. How can these people afford expensive Goth clothing if their mother/father/evil stepmother uses all the money for crack/beer/pipe cleaner? Goth clothing is very expensive, and not something that can easily be bought on a small budget. (Trust me on this. At least in London it is very expensive, new rocks being sold at least £100 and general gothic t-shirts costing £15-50, and baggy trousers at £20-60, and although make up is relatively cheap, you have to go through a lot of eye liner.) But friends houses, police stations and clubs are also popular. And what Tim Stone have to offer? A cheap flat somewhere in Oxford, hotel rooms (in later chapters), trailers and cheap apartments in New Zealand.

As I said, my character and other characters tend not to have much appeal, except Ysabelle, an archetypal fictionpress character. Let me have my own indulgencies now and then!

3/ Reviewer apathy.

I won't lie; I suffer from this from time to time. When I read a story that is neither bad nor good, sometimes I won't leave a review, mainly because I'm lazy. One reason I sometimes use to justify this is - I don't have anything interesting to say. I like to leave long reviews, and often, if my parents are having a go at me about something or rather, I'm unable to give the review a story deserves. But sometimes I find that a story just doesn't grab my attention, makes me relate in any way at all. I shouldn't have to apologise for being a white female, but when I read a story about racial prejudice, having never suffered it before (except from my Asian friends, but less said about that the better.) it just doesn't hit me. Where I come from, people just aren't prejudice because they don't really see the point. There's nothing fun in it, and they'd rather bully someone who really has something wrong with them, for example is gay or fat. (Please note that the last sentence was sarcastic.) I just won't grip me, because I just don't see how it can happen.

So, without hitting readers on an emotional level, or the story being cliché, (ack! If I read another badly written piece of angsty poetry, my heads might explode! I can deal with the good stuff, but the badly written stuff is just, don't take me there, okay?) They are less likely to get reviews. At least the offensive stuff has some chance of reviews, even if it is flames.

But also, some people are too lazy to review a story they liked. (I used to be like this, but trying to get over it.)

4/ Everyone wants reviews, but no one will give them.

This is true. You can churn out as much stuff as you like, but everyone else is doing that same, (as quickly said in point 1) and they all want reviews. But, as No one is prepared to tell the truth and say, "well, I want a review, so why not do review swaps" (I have done this with a few people, and to be honest it works.) they end up jaded, not wanting to review until they are review themselves.

So what is the answer? I'd say review everyone, especially stories without reviews and hope that they're so impressed with the reviewer that they click on your sign in name and review something or yours. Now, It must work in at least one case because when I get signed in reviews I like to read what the other person like to write, see how I measure up with them. Now I usually do this, but it's only been recently that I review, unless it hits me hard on an emotional level. It's kind of a thank you present.

But why not do "review swaps" they don't take too long, about five minutes max, especially if you have a lot, like me, to say about the work. It helps all of us to get reviews like this, and it's nice to know that the other person really appreciates your view on their story. Heck, it might not be a good idea, but at least it is a/ truthful and b/ at least I'm trying.

And with the risk of sounding cliché, Please review this piece of work, just so I can get people's opinion on it.

Thank you,

Gloomraven - Xandra The Blue.