I would like your opinion...

**CrystalPinkTorchic** · 21st July 2003, 10:12 AM

Would you say that fic readership on this site's forums are related to popularity? I mean, does one have to be popular in order to get more people to tell one how to better their writing skills? Again, sorry if this offends any of you!

**Tyler and Hobbes** · 21st July 2003, 01:10 PM

Sometimes yes,but I wouldn't worry if I were you, there are alot of sighlent readers here. Just go on with it and someone should reply, if you needany help or have any trouble pm me, or my AIM is electricguardian. ^^

**Powarun** · 19th August 2003, 03:52 PM

I just read a good article about popularity, and how PS2 and Xbox did so well since everyone said Gamecube is too colorful and taht is why the popular vote gets everything.

I read some fics out of pure curiousity and some I liked, but you see most of the popular fics out here seemed promising of finishing or updating regulary. IT is very annoying reading a good fic and it doesn't get finished, if you wrote something you want to post post it.

**Rambunctious Jamirus** · 19th August 2003, 07:00 PM

Yeah, a bit like fireguardian said about the 'Silent Readers', as long as you get views, then it's being considered. I could ramble on about how I only have one reader who replies after every chapter for one of my fics but I won't. Just check the Views column and if you're getting some, then great! But it's always nice to post what you thought of the chapter or fic. Gives the writer a lot of confidence that you'll keep showing up to reply.

Then again, I'm one of the writers who has pretty much the same people who started reading the story and keeping up with it with few new people (about one new person about every 5 chapters on average) and I can't complain. Just try your hardest to get your fic out there (suggestion: ask a person to make a nice, colourful banner and put the link there. Attracts the eyes) and maybe it will get read and maybe not. Just keep trying!

**The Decapitated Mole** · 19th August 2003, 08:01 PM

Yea, I think that the replies usually do tie into the popularity. They didn't used to, I remember back when I was first here, lots of people replied to everything. Now my fic has had 3 replies to it, each by a different person over a 3 or 4 month stretch. But its gotten 3 or 4 hundred views, so I'm confused what to think...

o_0
jimm

**Gavin Luper** · 22nd August 2003, 08:58 AM

Nah, it has nothing to do with popularity if you ask me. I mean, my fic has heaps of replies and stuff but it wasn't really that popular at the start, and I was a total newbie back then.

It's just luck.

**Chris 2.1** · 22nd August 2003, 10:31 AM

I think the title is very important, I mean, if you have 'Joeys Quest' or something, people know that it will be a trainer fic, and therefore have no intention of reading, because trainer fics are slightly unoriginal. Although, if you have 'The Ying and Yang - a Fantasy Fic' people might enjoy a good VS evil showdown, and check it out.

Don't worry, CPT, you'll have closet readers.

**Dragonfree** · 22nd August 2003, 09:03 PM

Originally posted by ShinyMarill
I think the title is very important, I mean, if you have 'Joeys Quest' or something, people know that it will be a trainer fic, and therefore have no intention of reading, because trainer fics are slightly unoriginal. Although, if you have 'The Ying and Yang - a Fantasy Fic' people might enjoy a good VS evil showdown, and check it out.

Don't worry, CPT, you'll have closet readers.

I have to agree with you there. Actually, when I first discovered the fanfics board at Serebii.net, I looked over the titles and chose the one with the best-sounding title - From Rookie to Champion - to read. And that was lucky, I happened to hit a very good fic with an extremely dedicated author who is sure to have at least two chapters a week if not more...

**Troy - Rise and Fall** · 23rd August 2003, 12:01 AM

I used to get pretty pissed when no one replied to my fics too, but after a while I got over it. Now I just post fics hoping I'll get a reply or two and just to see if people liked it, not to improve myself.

I don't want to be a writer or anything, I just want to write fanfic that I like, so improvement in skills? I'd say I just like my style enough to just throw it on a spell check and see what's wrong after a few re-reads. Of course, plotwise this is completely different.

Another thing, what I've noticed around the first page of the Fanfic Board, is that most (if not all) of the fiction there is Trainer fic. I'm not saying they're bad, or that the plot is overused or whatever biased crap, all I'm saying is: I find Trainer fics boring. Why? The whole part of training pokemon and catching them and whatnot bores me to death. It does. So maybe the fic *is* good and the writing is actually *excellent*. It still bores me.

I do give them a shot and read about two chapters of the fic before I decide I'm going to be bored, no matter how well writte the fic is.

The original fiction is something that I actually find less and less appealing with the pass of time too. Why you ask? Well, take it like this, it's a Pokémon forum and I'm lloking for Pokémon fiction, not original one. Again, not saying it's bad, overused and other biased crap.

You must think I'm a hypocrite, not reading Trainer fics (which *are* Pokémon fanfiction) wither original fics, then what the hell do I want to read? I know, I'm pretty bitchy, but I like to read fics about secondary characters in the Pokémon games, ys, you heard right, games. I have issues with the show being too childish to like it, so I like reading stuff about the gym leaders or about the profs or Team Rocket or whatever that's not about a kid going on a pokémon journey and catching new and exciting pokémon.

So the main reasons why I don't reply to most fics are those above this, not relly an excuse, but what can one do about it?

Just thought I'd leave my thoughts on the subject.

- Troy

**mistysakura** · 23rd August 2003, 02:06 AM

I think that while popularity is a factor, mew fics get replies as well (mr_pikachu).
For one thing, most fics are popular because they're good and have been keeping up to standard for quite a while. Titles matter as well, and originality. I mean, the only reason I go to stuff like "Amy's Quest" (no offense to anyone whoes fic is actually named that) is to give them a few pointers, assuming they're newbies. But most of the time I'm surprised by the stuff that's inside. But then, not everyone criticises for the heck of it, so better titles are still good.
Do some nice blatant advertising in the Fanfic Updates and Summaries... and the rest is just waiting. As your fic goes on, more people will catch on (unless you don't update for two months, like me.)

**mr_pikachu** · 23rd August 2003, 05:40 PM

I guess you could say that fic readership is, in a way, related to popularity. But really, they're almost synonymous. If a lot of people read your fic, I guess you could consider yourself as being "popular". And if you're popular, your friends will want to read your fic. What I'm saying is that a common way to become "popular" is to write a quality fic.

And how the heck do I keep getting mentioned in these things? lol... I didn't realize you guys were still reading...

**DannyBoy** · 23rd August 2003, 05:52 PM

I think time is a major thing in fics. If you look at some of the fics that are from awhile back and are still going, it took some awhile to get a reply. But I also think popularity is another. Most people should just look at views that really shows how many people have read your fic and that what should matter. Everyonce in a while it is good though to get a reply so you know your doing a good job.

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