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SoM ([info]somnambulicious) wrote in [info]fandom_wank,
@ 2005-03-28 15:10:00
Previous Entry  Add to memories!  Tell a Friend!  Next Entry
Current mood:amused
Current music:Antibalas - "Uprising"

Flames! An Elitist Community! Anonymous Comments! And...Furries?
First wank! A tip of the hat to the random anonymous person who linked me to this one...

Remember ChibiSeal and the explosion of wank that followed hir review of Numisma's Inuyasha fanfiction, "Movie House Hanyou?" Sure you do.

Well, ChibiSeal is back, and this time, s/he's got friends. Furry ones, at that.

There has been a buzz in the Inuyasha fandom recently about a slew of unfavorable reviews aimed at some of the more popular fanfictions. At first, it seemed to be random thumbing of noses, but then a few people discovered a community, dubbed inuanonymous ("The community for Inuyasha fans who hate Inuyasha fans,") in which ChibiSeal and a few others post their reviews and snark about the fandom. Members refer to themselves as "The Unabashedly Elite," but refuse to offer any proof of their elite status (beyond their elitist attitudes.) It was a quiet community of what appear to be furry trolls, just one circle jerk among many in this fandom, until anonymous comments started popping up.

As far as I can tell, the wank starts with Chumguzzler's flaming review of Del Kaidin's "Broadway Bound," available for your perusal here. Del and her co-author, Kriscynical, talk about it with their friends in their journals here and here. However, at that point, it doesn't look like anyone had discovered the community's existence (although some anonymous commenters grandfather in some wank once the community is discovered.)

Later, frosty_ermine posts a review of Numisma's "Movie House Hanyou," and somebody finds the community. Much wank ensues.

EXCLAMATION MARKS OF RAGE!

Listen to my opinion, despite the fact that I haven't read the fic in question!

Show me your critic credentials!

Incoherency and nitpicking about the proper spelling of 'y'all!'

Accusations of cannon foddery!

GET. A. LIFE! and an accusation of babelfish usage!

The whole community is a goldmine of wank. frosty_ermine's review thread seems to be the most active, but there are more anonymous wankers here and here. Doubtless this community will be blamed for every single flame - past, present, and future - in the Inuyasha fandom.

ETA: Del Kaidin has f-locked the post about the review on her journal.


(Post a new comment)


[info]hakugei
2005-03-29 12:05 am UTC (link)
Hahaha! I was wondering when this was going to be posted here. Fandom Wank's all seeing eye misses nothing!! XD *snickers*

(Reply to this)(Thread)


[info]jaina
2005-03-29 12:10 am UTC (link)
It's so true. I was perusing my flist yesterday after a weekend out of town and saw the wankage in the Wil Wheaton feed, and I thought, "Wonder if this has made Fandom Wank yet?" Cause, I mean, I love Wil, but he's not *that* popular. And yup, it was here!

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

(no subject) - [info]hakugei, 2005-03-29 12:17 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]jaina, 2005-03-29 12:20 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]hakugei, 2005-03-29 12:49 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]jaina, 2005-03-29 01:32 am UTC

[info]adora_spintriae
2005-03-29 01:43 am UTC (link)
Fandom Wank. Like Sauron in a way.

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

(no subject) - [info]heddychaa, 2005-03-29 07:40 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]mael, 2005-03-29 11:16 am UTC

(Anonymous)
2005-03-29 01:56 am UTC (link)
I'm torn over that community. On the one hand, yeah, those fics they critique could use some revision. I, personally, could never get into MHH, mainly because of the characterization (I don't know who that dog-eared fellow is, but he's not Inuyasha). Nothing against Numisma - she's a nice gal and I've enjoyed some of her drabbles, but that doesn't mean there's no room for improvement. I feel the same way about my own writing.

On the other hand, I've always believed (because deep down I'm a puss who just wants everyone to wuv each other) that a little politeness goes a long way. I can understand a paid editor or a college professor (or, if you can find one that'll do it, a high school English teacher) ripping something apart without a sign of mercy. But if a complete stranger reviewed my story and said, using a cruel and condescending tone, "Your writing sucks, and I'm going to explain why in great detail," my first inclination would be to cry, "FLAME OH NOES!!1" and promptly delete it. If that complete stranger had a neutral tone, I'd be more inclined to pay attention. That being said, any writer who can't step past that initial urge to ignore any kind of coherent criticism needs to grow some thicker skin.

And then there's that small, masochistic part of me who sort of wishes someone would take the time to leave me that kind of review. After rushing into my mommy's arms and weeping for a few hours, maybe I could go back and make my stories something above mediocre.

-darth_snuggles at LJ (who is very long-winded, in case you couldn't tell)

(Reply to this)(Thread)


[info]somnambulicious
2005-03-29 02:04 am UTC (link)
And then there's that small, masochistic part of me who sort of wishes someone would take the time to leave me that kind of review. After rushing into my mommy's arms and weeping for a few hours, maybe I could go back and make my stories something above mediocre.

I'm with you there. Maybe it's easy for me to say this, since I haven't been targeted yet, but after the initial snark of the attitude wore off, I'm pretty sure I'd be grateful that someone put that much effort into helping me improve my fic (regardless of whether that was the intent in the first place.) If life hands you a lemon, make lemonade, as they say. I've been begging all over the place for someone to tear my own fic apart, but all I ever get in reply is "OMG you can't change anything! It's perfect the way it is!" I know that's not true; hell, I cringe every time I read my own fic. *looks hopeful* Maybe if I call them "furry trolls" again, they'll come target me.

*shakes fist* You hear me, inuanonymous people? You're furry trolls! Trolls, I say! TROLLS!

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

(no subject) - [info]isobelsomething, 2005-03-29 01:44 pm UTC

(Anonymous)
2005-03-29 02:13 am UTC (link)
And then there's that small, masochistic part of me who sort of wishes someone would take the time to leave me that kind of review. After rushing into my mommy's arms and weeping for a few hours, maybe I could go back and make my stories something above mediocre.

Word--says the mouse from a few comments down. Perhaps what we need is to establish some standard way of identifying ourselves as authors who crave concrit? Form a League of the Concrit-Starved? Come up with an author's note that would be recognized across fandoms?

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

(no subject) - [info]somnambulicious, 2005-03-29 02:29 am UTC
(no subject) - (Anonymous), 2005-03-29 03:25 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]telophase, 2005-03-29 07:13 am UTC
(no subject) - (Anonymous), 2005-03-30 01:37 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]kalika_maxwell, 2005-03-29 01:41 pm UTC
(no subject) - (Anonymous), 2005-04-02 06:49 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]pyratejenni, 2005-03-29 04:23 pm UTC

(Anonymous)
2005-03-29 02:22 am UTC (link)
Oh gods yes. Grudge crit or not (and the personal attacks in some of the reviews smell pretty grudgy) I'd kill to get crit of that length. Maybe a we need to form a Masochistic Authors' Society? "Beat my fic, baby. Just. Like. That."

Now how to attract the pretty trolls? Hmmm... maybe I need to start including expensive coffee in my fics....

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

(no subject) - [info]beccastareyes, 2005-03-29 03:38 am UTC
(no subject) - (Anonymous), 2005-03-29 03:42 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]jaina, 2005-03-29 05:52 am UTC
(no subject) - (Anonymous), 2005-03-29 06:01 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]jaina, 2005-03-29 06:09 am UTC
(no subject) - (Anonymous), 2005-03-29 05:36 am UTC
(no subject) - (Anonymous), 2005-03-29 06:08 am UTC
(no subject) - (Anonymous), 2005-03-29 07:08 am UTC
(no subject) - (Anonymous), 2005-03-29 07:04 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]kaen, 2005-03-29 11:49 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]heddychaa, 2005-03-29 07:42 am UTC
(no subject) - (Anonymous), 2005-03-29 07:55 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]heddychaa, 2005-03-29 08:18 am UTC
(no subject) - (Anonymous), 2005-03-31 05:46 am UTC
(no subject) - (Anonymous), 2005-03-30 02:01 am UTC

(Anonymous)
2005-03-29 04:36 am UTC (link)
I'm inclined to agree: I really crave an honest, blunt review about my work. I mean, "update now!!!11!!" is nice and review-count padding and all, but... well, it doesn't take me very far. I would be more inclined to listen if the supposed "flamer" avoided personal attacks and a rude attitude, but in any case, I could still take something away from it with which to improve, right?
and between you and me, I've also got a masochistic tendency or two...

-eostra @ LJ

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

(no subject) - (Anonymous), 2005-03-29 05:26 am UTC
(no subject) - (Anonymous), 2005-03-29 05:36 am UTC
(no subject) - (Anonymous), 2005-03-29 05:54 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]annabelle_lee, 2005-03-29 06:25 am UTC
(no subject) - (Anonymous), 2005-03-29 07:08 pm UTC

[info]mistressrenet
2005-03-29 06:00 pm UTC (link)
I was thinking the same thing...but now that I've started poking around and actually reading some of the fics they're reviewing?

Those authors are lucky to get the crits they get, at least on the fics I've read. It suggests that they might have some hope of being decent authors, which is far more benefit of the doubt than I'm willing to extend.

(Reply to this)(Parent)


[info]fandom_bitch
2005-03-29 02:01 am UTC (link)
Wow, this is impressive wankage. My back is sore from ducking from all the flying spooge. What a work out.

I actually liked Chumguzzler's review...no personal attacks, pointed out what she saw were the problems, fairly constructive...but frosty_ermine's? Naaasty. Mind you, I can see why it was naaaaasty, but yowch.

Still, there were some good comments and excellent feedback there.

The various anonymice comments were amusing though.

(Reply to this)(Thread)


[info]telophase
2005-03-29 05:30 am UTC (link)
I have this theory that I've spammed far and wide that people who give brutal crits haven't learned the difference between movie and book reviews that you see in the paper, on television and on the Net, and real critiquing.

In one case, it's a piece of writing that's meant to be seen as entertainment, because it sells magazines, books, and adspace, and the reviewer is aiming to get responses from readers and is not interested in helping the creator of whatever's being reviewed improve. In the other case, it's a piece of writing (or a phone call, or whatever) that has the specific purpose of helping the creator improve and does not have to sell anything. In the past five years I've had my art looked at by a lot of professional artists and editors (hell, had a phone call from an editor today talking about my work) and in no case at all have I been made to feel bad on a personal level. They're always quite clear that they're criticizing marks on a piece of paper and not me personally, their attitude isn't "This is a piece of crap" but "You can do better than this," and at the end of a crit session I'm itching to try again.

There's always people who have *way* thin skins who start crying when someone dares to insinuate their creation isn't God's gift to mankind, of course. I think their parents spent more time massaging their kids' self-esteem than teaching them important lessons like "there is always someone better than you and sometimes your best isn't good enough."

Rant over. :)

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

(no subject) - [info]fandom_bitch, 2005-03-29 05:41 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]telophase, 2005-03-29 05:54 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]jaina, 2005-03-29 06:08 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]telophase, 2005-03-29 06:15 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]sairobi, 2005-03-29 06:47 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]telophase, 2005-03-29 07:00 am UTC
(no subject) - (Anonymous), 2005-03-29 09:13 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]isa, 2005-03-30 01:58 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]telophase, 2005-03-30 02:08 am UTC
(no subject) - (Anonymous), 2005-03-29 03:17 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]telophase, 2005-03-29 04:24 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]mistressrenet, 2005-03-29 04:06 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]telophase, 2005-03-29 04:29 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]mistressrenet, 2005-03-29 04:45 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]telophase, 2005-03-29 04:51 pm UTC

(Anonymous)
2005-03-29 02:07 am UTC (link)
Am I the only person out here who thinks the writers are being ridiculous? Mostly because I, as a writer, would love to get a review that is so nitpicky and in places rather constructive, whether it was all critical or not. And... whatever the reviewer's motives, I feel like every time a BNF blows up like this over concrit it turns other potential reviewers away. I mean, I guess this isn't as bad as saying "Pointing out spelling mistakes is not constructive criticism!" or Anne Rice's rant but still.

A hopeless plea aimed at BNFs everywhere:

Please, for the love of the written word, grow some thicker skins and stop rejecting concrit.

Admittedly, I may be biased in the reviewer's favour as I agree with her points about the coffee in the freezer and the olive oil in the pasta and the Olive Garden tiramisu. And especially with her dislike of the euphenism "hot canal."

(Reply to this)(Thread)


(Anonymous)
2005-03-29 03:10 am UTC (link)
Admittedly, I may be biased in the reviewer's favour as I agree with her points about the coffee in the freezer and the olive oil in the pasta and the Olive Garden tiramisu. And especially with her dislike of the euphenism "hot canal."

You're not the only one. I read all three of those and tried not to cringe. But it was completely trumped by that "hot canal" thing. Who started that? *pinches the bridge of her nose* Really? We need to find them and beat them with broomsticks.

(Reply to this)(Parent)

I agree
(Anonymous)
2005-03-29 03:55 am UTC (link)
Writers are very silly. Many of them call perfectly innocent concrit flames, despite the fact that the concrit is very polite and merely pointing out what the author could improve upon. When things like that happen, it makes me want to strangle someone...or at least stop being polite and start being assholic in my reviews. I've seen stories where people say "Don't flame" and expect us to say only "OMG!!! i lurves ur stories!!1!eleventy!! update sooooon or ill sick *Random Bishie* on j00!!1"

On the other hand, there are authors out there are who really want to have people tell them how to improve. I used to write some stories, but nobody ever told me how to improve. I kinda lost interest in it. Maybe someday I'll write again, but until then, I'll continue to read and laugh at bad!fics!!

~Typing Monkey

(Reply to this)(Parent)


(Anonymous)
2005-03-29 05:30 am UTC (link)
Yeah, the tiramisu and the olive oil thing got to me too. As an Italian-American, I can tell you right now that it's my least favorite Italian restaurant. No self-respecting Italian would go there for an "authentic" Italian meal. If you go to the North End in Boston, all of the best Italian bakeries are these little family-owned, hole-in-the-wall places. Nobody goes to a chain.

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

(no subject) - [info]mistressrenet, 2005-03-29 05:02 pm UTC
Psst!
(Anonymous)
2005-03-29 05:03 am UTC (link)
There is some mighty whack (http://www.livejournal.com/community/deadmentalking/104736.html) going on over at Dead Men Talking (http://www.livejournal.com/community/deadmentalking).

(Reply to this)(Thread)

Re: Psst!
(Anonymous)
2005-03-29 05:54 am UTC (link)
I clicked on that thinking it would have something more to do with the post. After doing so, all I have to say is what the hell is this shit? This doesn't have anything to do with this WANK.

Oooh! Are you one of the people being made to look stupid on the troll comm?? Trying to detract from your shame? Hee hee. That's funny.

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

Re: Psst! - (Anonymous), 2005-03-29 06:32 am UTC
Re: Psst! - [info]aloysius, 2005-03-29 02:10 pm UTC
Re: Psst! - [info]redjackcash, 2005-03-29 05:12 pm UTC
Re: Psst! - (Anonymous), 2005-03-30 02:04 am UTC
Re: Psst! - [info]lurker32, 2005-03-29 05:32 pm UTC
Re: Psst!
(Anonymous)
2005-03-30 12:47 am UTC (link)
The mighty whack gets whackier with the James Bond villain-esque (http://www.livejournal.com/users/orangutan/135325.html) monologuing by a banned player in the mod's journal. With bonus reincarnation!

(Reply to this)(Parent)


(Anonymous)
2005-03-29 09:15 am UTC (link)
I gotta say, no matter how wanky that com is, their user icons/lj names are CUTE.

(Reply to this)


[info]sunhawk
2005-03-29 09:15 am UTC (link)
whoa, what's with all the arctic animals? @_@

(Reply to this)(Thread)


(Anonymous)
2005-03-29 10:41 am UTC (link)
Indeed.
One could get the idea that it's one person with several accounts trying to get him/herself an ego-boost via imagined friends...

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

(no subject) - (Anonymous), 2005-03-29 03:07 pm UTC
(no subject) - (Anonymous), 2005-03-29 07:28 pm UTC
(no subject) - (Anonymous), 2005-03-29 07:28 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]mistressrenet, 2005-03-29 05:37 pm UTC
(no subject) - (Anonymous), 2005-03-29 10:31 pm UTC

(Anonymous)
2005-03-29 10:55 am UTC (link)
Seems to be a pattern.

Or a very, very disturbing coincidence.

(Reply to this)(Parent)

(no subject) - (Anonymous), 2005-03-29 06:46 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]mister_terrific, 2005-03-30 01:22 am UTC
(no subject) - (Anonymous), 2005-03-30 09:41 pm UTC
(no subject) - (Anonymous), 2005-04-10 12:48 pm UTC

[info]fryingpanofdoom
2005-03-29 06:51 pm UTC (link)
Ahh, Inuyasha fandom. Quiet for the most part, until wank surfaces and everything goes to hell.

At least it's not Kikyou vs. Kagome wank.

(Reply to this)(Thread)

(no subject) - [info]somnambulicious, 2005-03-29 07:02 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]elektra3, 2005-03-29 10:21 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]somnambulicious, 2005-03-29 10:45 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]hakugei, 2005-03-29 10:57 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]somnambulicious, 2005-03-29 11:00 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]hakugei, 2005-03-29 10:55 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]rosehiptea, 2005-03-30 12:33 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]mister_terrific, 2005-03-30 01:28 am UTC

[info]deoridhe
2005-03-29 09:01 pm UTC (link)
Oh my! I am in love with the antarctic animals! The snark contained in their posts puts a fire in my loins that not even the fiercest icy gale could quench!

*falls over giggling*

(Reply to this)

Health Problems???
(Anonymous)
2005-04-10 12:59 pm UTC (link)
Wow...just wow...Isn't it unhealthy to be that--cranky--all the time?

I kinda feel bad for all of them--life's gotta suck to be that *itchy 24/7

*pets grumpy little animals...It'll be okay, you guys don't live that long anyway* ;)

(Reply to this)

  
   
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