HI! I'm Forestwater. . . .
I'm a harsh critic. It bothers my friends, because I can be rather rude about it. However, I try to be fair and honest, and I absolutely love reading fiction (fan or otherwise). That's pretty much my hobby and my obsession. I'm very serious about it. DEADLY serious. ALARMINGLY serious.
I blame much of my sarcasm and over-criticizing on Mystery Science Theater 3000 (MST3K).
Avatar: YES! Fictionpress finally, FINALLY has them! This has made my day! So anyway, on ff.net my avatar is fan-related, so I thought this avatar should be more writing or original art-related. Hence the icon. IN case you can't read it, it says, "Talent is helpful in writing, but insanity is absolutely necessary. . . . Is it showing yet?"
RUBRIC!
All right -- after seeing a lot of sub-par writing out there, and trying my best to give constructive criticism, I've broken the main aspects of writing a fanfic (or an orginal fic, technically) into three segments, and given them a grade between 1 and 4 based on quality. This is just something for a reader to look at if (s)he wants to write a good, helpful review. Feel free to use it -- in fact, I strongly encourage it -- but a nod in my direction would be greatly appreciated. Also,
Forestwater’s Fiction Writing Rubric
Writing:
4 — Everything (or almost everything) is spelled correctly. There are few if any grammatical errors, the writing flows easily and there’s variety in the words and phrases used. The vocabulary is advanced, and used well; it’s obvious that the author knows exactly what the word means, and didn’t just pull out a thesaurus and choose a word at random! Purple prose is virtually nonexistent, and it reads like a published novel — well, a GOOD published novel. This is a rarity in the fanfiction world, and not as common as it should be in the original fiction world.
3 — There are some spelling and grammatical errors, but it’s still better than most. Words used make sense in context, but disrupt the flow a little, hinting that the author may have just used the thesaurus to sound smarter. There’s some adjective bloat, and some awkward wording, but it’s still a very well-written piece.
2 — Several spelling errors, or words that don’t quite fit, like the author used spellcheck and picked the first word on the list, even if it wasn’t the one (s)he wanted. Grammatical errors are nearly more common than correct grammar, though it’s still legible. Purple prose abounds, and everything has a “glimmering luster, like moonlight on diamonds” and eyes are “a brilliant emerald, dancing with mischief and excitement.” (Suggestion: If using this to review a work of fiction, it might be helpful to point out to the author such examples of purple prose from the work itself). This is the standard most writing on fanfiction.net is, and while it’s still readable, it does take away from the enjoyment of the story.
1 — Well, at least it’s in its intended language . . . or you think it is. Almost every word is misspelled, punctuation is all but absent, and/or txtspk iz all da raje. Text-block-of-dooms also make this story impossible to read without going cross-eyed, and you feel sick just trying to figure out what on earth “Hary kizzd m n i wuz so happe bcuz he usd hiz tung” means. And the sentences you can read are filled with “crimson eyes flashing with fury” and “jet-black hair falling to her knees” (probably not spelled quite so well, of course). Description is nonexistent, and the entire effect is mind-numbing. This is definitely the most horrifying thing to discover.
Characters:
4 — The characters are all well-rounded and believable. While they may be the hero(ine) and are plenty awesome, they still have flaws and failings. The characters’ personalities are consistent, they AREN’T the most beautiful/smart/perfect people in the world, but they are normal. They are sometimes petty, shallow, and selfish. They can’t all sing with the loveliest voice or always fight with deadly accuracy, nor are they loved by all the people they meet, or even most of them. They are, in short, extremely likeable. As for the other characters: the canon ones are IC all or most of the time, any other OCs aren’t Mary-Sues or Gary-Stus, and all the characters have depth — even the ones you’re not supposed to like. There aren’t any “empty” characters or “foil” characters, which are used to make the main character look good by comparison. Overall, the characters make you care about them.
3 — The characters are mostly well-rounded, though perhaps a bit too perfect. While they harbor some minor/major Sue traits, they’re still likeable enough that you’re hoping they get a happy ending (or at least, don’t want to stab them with a large toothpick). They probably just need a few more flaws to be believable. Canon characters might have some OOC moments, but their actions are mostly plausible, and you feel like the author did justice to the original creator. Surrounding characters could use a bit more depth, but it’s still very good.
2 — The characters are Mary Sues. Whether they’re bearable or not, there is not way past the fact that these characters are far too perfect for them to be likeable by any means. They desperately need some flaws, and to take the Mary Sue Litmus Test. There’s hope for them, but it will take a firm editor and a lot of hard work to make them good characters. It might take some squinting to make sure that the canon characters are, in fact, the canon characters, but with some effort it can be done, and they are even in-character for certain stretches of time! Any characters besides the Mary Sue, however, are only used to make Ms. Mary Sue seem more perfect, either by being evil enough to make Mary Sue look wondrous by comparison, or by worshipping the sacred ground (s)he walks on, no matter what.
1 — Not only is the character a Mary Sue, not only is (s)he irredeemable by any means, but (s)he is so annoying that you long for death — either the character’s death or your own, whatever’s easier. (S)he is the sexiest, smartest, most powerful, most terrific thing in the history of history and everyone adores him/her — unless, of course, they hate him/her guts, in which case they are evil monsters who lack understanding for the poor Sue. Canon characters are recognizable by name and gender only (and often not even by that!), and are basically the Mary Sue under a canon’s guise. The author doesn’t only need to take the MS Litmus test, (s)he needs to be beaten over the head with it and forced to read JK Rowling, Jane Austen and Libba Bray until (s)he can write good characters. Unfortunately, it may be best for this person to stop writing for publication; however, if they really want to, they need a military-minded beta who won’t take any crap, and will do whatever is necessary to make the character likeable.
Plot:
4 — It’s easily detectable and interesting. The author clearly knows how to write, because each chapter ending/opening is just right to draw you in and make you want more. The plot doesn’t crawl by, nor does it move at such a clip that you’re left wondering what the hell happened. The idea is original and unpredictable; there are only a few times where you can (correctly) guess where the story is going. And if it has been done before, it’s never been done this well, and the other stories pale in comparison. Pacing, foreshadowing, content. . . . The entire arsenal of good writing is here, and the author uses them artfully to create something enchanting.
3 — There’s a fairly interesting plot that, if it isn’t original, it’s enjoyable. It’s probably been done before, and maybe a few have done better, but this is in the top three of its plotline. There are times where the plot is far too fast or too slow, but you are willing to bear with that because the rest of the story and/or characters are good. There are quite a few moments of predictability, but there are some concealed twists as well.
2 — The plot has been done before, and done better. Chapters begin/end awkwardly, and the pacing is all wrong. Why are some moments dragged out to the point of nausea, when others are skimmed over or zoomed through, just when it was getting intriguing? In its defense, however, the story is a fun romp through a familiar idea, and while you probably wouldn’t read it again (or maybe not even finish it), you don’t regret the time you spent on it.
1 — Plot? What plot? Oh, you mean, that tiny little moment of excitement? Yeah, it was cool while it lasted, but it disappeared pretty quickly. . . . The plot is either so overdone that it’s detestable for merely that reason (examples: Hermione Granger is Head Girl, Draco Malfoy is Head boy, they have to share a dorm room and they fall in love and have romantic times; A strange girl finds a hole in the space-time continuum/finds a magic trinket/ gets sucked into her book or movie and ends up in Middle Earth/Harry Potter/Fullmetal Alchemist, falls in love with desirable character, and takes over the original plot). There are no surprises whatsoever beyond the continuous surprise that someone thought this was good enough to put on the internet. The entire “plot” is a million pages of fluff. There may be a bit of conflict, but it is resolved quickly and unsatisfyingly. Or perhaps there is no real plot, merely the plot of the fandom plus a Mary Sue or some other ridiculous character.
Overall:
12-11: Wow. This author is fantastic, and nearly everything about his/her writing is wonderful. Perhaps (s)he could work on a few things, but there is very little wrong with his/her writing. On fanfiction.net, this author is a god(dess) among mortals. To earn this rating, the author has to be pretty damn good — to the point where the reader’s tongue is probably hanging out of his/her mouth in astonishment and joy. Whoa!
10-8: This is a pretty good author, and while (s)he has some errors, they’re pretty minimal and don’t really detract from the story too much. The author most definitely should not feel bad — (s)he is a good head-and-shoulders above many. However, (s)he is not perfect, and there are some things that ought to be fixed. With effort, this author could become one of the superwriters.
7-5: This author needs some work. (S)he’s probably already received some constructive criticism, and (s)he should listen carefully to it. There are several things wrong with his/her writing, but (s)he is by no means irredeemable. It just depends on how much work (s)he is willing to put into his/her writing, and how much help (s)he is willing to receive. Remember (and this is for all authors): Never be afraid to ask for help! None of us are perfect, and we all need some helping hands. Look to your reviewer, and to some of those superwriters, for some assistance.
4-3: Ouch. This author either needs one hell of a makeover, or (s)he needs to stop writing. It’s a difficult choice to make, but some people aren’t authors, and maybe this one ought to keep his/her stories to him/herself if (s)he doesn’t want to strive to improve.
Suggestions:
When reviewing, always leave suggestions, and any other comments you can think of! My list isn’t everything that can be right/wrong in a story, and you should always throw in your two cents! (On another note: If you can think of anything I ought to add, please let me know).
Beta:
Yes or no? Does this person need some help from another writer? Pretty self-explanatory, though some advice for those thinking about selecting beta readers: always read both the beta’s profiles (yes, even the normal one — what someone puts on their profile is very indicative of what kind of writer they are) and his/her stories. If you don’t like his/her writing style or appreciate his/her priorities, then it’s highly unlikely that you will mesh well. Also, look at several betas. Don’t just choose the first one you find.
Like What You See, Kid?
Well, if you want to check out my awesome-cool fan-writings (well, the more recent ones are better. My LoZ ones aren't great; I wrote "Genesis" a LONG time ago, and I started "The Dark Triforce" at around the same time, though the recent chapters are admittedly better. That's a work-in-progress. However, my favorite things I've written are "Moments of You," a Horton Hears a Who! story, and "Yuki and Kakeru's Cooking Adventure!" which is a silly little story about some of the Fruits Basket characters). Check out the following link:
http://www.fanfiction.net/u/996332/Forestwater
About My Stories:
Aedin
This is actually by my mom. That explains why it's awesome. I don't have much to say except that this is her first published (well, sort of) story. I like it a lot, and while there are strong hints of religion, it's not weird or anything, and the main moods are the romance and the intensity. It's definitely worth checking out.
So, How Was School?
This is by me. It started out being a fanfiction for LoZ, where all the characters are in the present, living in NYC. However, I scrapped that, kept the characters as original, and posted it here. It was going to be a long story, but my inspiration died. However, it's a good character sketch, so it transformed into a one-shot developing some characters. It's fairly interesting, and pretty funny.
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