fan fiction.net

[inzilbeth]

Today, while baby-sitting Pae,  [he's beginning to be a bit of a naughty boy with his stitches and is a complete nightmare with the plastic collar that is supposed to stop him doing that]  I caught up with a few things on the computer including  posting a story at fanfiction.net. Not exactly earth shattering news, you might well think, but I can't believe I've actually managed it. The site has always been a complete mystery to me, so much so that I  usually give up on even finding the simple things like 'home' and the few stories I've read there have mostly been recs where I needed do no more than simply follow a link. So it's quite an achievement for me, though whether I would ever manage to figure out how to post a multi-chapter story like  'A of A' , is another matter again.  Also, since I know there are all types of stories on there, the good and the bad as well as the down right eye-popping,  it does feel a bit like venturing deep into the Edhel Duath and wondering what I'm going to run into when I get there! 

 But at least, as of today,  the site is on my favourites list and I no longer have to google to find it.

Comments

[cairistiona7.livejournal.com]

Hooray for you! I hesitated a long time before posting anything, as you know, and I'm still not sure it's worth bothering with, as that story got only a few reviews. Which story did you post? Your Teitho one?

[inzilbeth-liz.livejournal.com]

Yes, I've only got that and 'A of A' finished! I thought it was worth a shot to see what happens. I'm really amazed that anyone can find anything to read there. I miss stuff even at SoA but, for me, that has to be the most reader friendly site there is which is one of the reasons I check in regularly. Usually I just can't be bothered with the hassle at ff.net.

[cairistiona7.livejournal.com]

Same here... I rarely go looking for fics at ff.net, so I'm at the mercy of those who rec fics there. I never seem to be able to find anything but Mary Sue's there.

[silivren-tinu.livejournal.com]

*applauds you* I always find it quite nerve-racking to try out new websites. *g* Fanfiction.net has been my home since I started writing fanfiction, though, so I tend to feel more comfortable there than anywhere else. If you ever have any questions, I'll do my best to answer them! ;-) Which story did you post?

[inzilbeth-liz.livejournal.com]

Oh thanks, Almet, that's really kind of you. I posted the one shot I wrote for Teitho as it was relatively easy and I don't know if I'll bother putting up 'A of A' yet. I guess we all like what we know. SoA was the first fan fic site I found so I still think of that as home.

[silivren-tinu.livejournal.com]

It is quite easy once you get used to it. :)

SoA always involves bad memories for me - I applied there very early in my fanfic writing 'career' (lol), when I had no real idea what people considered to be canon and what not, and was rejected (twice). I very much felt like giving up writing fanfiction altogether because of it. By now, I think I know pretty well what kind of stories would be suited for the site, but I'm not sure if I'll ever be able pluck up the courage to apply again. ;-) For the moment, I'm very content to just use the site to read other people's stories. *g*

[inzilbeth-liz.livejournal.com]

I'm sorry you have that experience and I can understand how off-putting it would be. I hope you have another go as your stories seem perfectly suited to me. *hugs*

[silivren-tinu.livejournal.com]

I hope you have another go as your stories seem perfectly suited to me. *hugs*
Aww, thank you! *hugs back* That really means much to me! :) I hope I'll dare applying again some time in the not-too-far future. ;-)

Btw, I completely forgot to ask how your username is on ff.net. I hope there wasn't another Inzilbeth and you didn't need to add any numbers. ;-)

[inzilbeth-liz.livejournal.com]

You're most welcome and I sincerely mean that.

I'm 'Inzilbeth of the Dunedain' over there as there was another Inzilbeth who appears to be primarily a Harry Potter fan. This way we shouldn't get confused!

[silivren-tinu.livejournal.com]

Thanks again! *hugs*

'Inzilbeth of the Dunedain' is perfect for you. :) LOL, it is kind of strange to imagine an Inzilbeth writting Happy Potter stories! *g*

[inzilbeth-liz.livejournal.com]

I thought it was an odd choice of name too!

[shirebound]

Good for you!

If you ever need ff.net advice, let me know. I've been posting there since 2002, and have watched it change and grow more complex. I'm happy it's still around, even though it's not the most intuitive site!

[inzilbeth-liz.livejournal.com]

Oh thank you, I've a feeling I may need help sooner or later! It's good to know ff.net has its supporters though. You must have seen a fair few changes but the very fact you're still here has to mean something.

[vamp-ress.livejournal.com]

ROFTL, sounds like you're a wee bit technophob:) Once you've successfully tackled down ff.net and you're looking for a new challenge, I can always sign you up with an account at http://www.skyehawke.com:)

[inzilbeth-liz.livejournal.com]

Lol! More than a bit, I can tell you! PC's weren't even invented when I was at university yet my first experience of these things, which were the size of a room, came in my second year when, after a two hour session of listening to complete gobble-de-gook, I was told to write a programme for calculating standard deviation. I can tell you, I've never recovered from the trauma and it was only four years ago that I finally gave up my King Canute stance and bought one!

Oddly, I do actually want to put together a website but I'll need someone to hold my hand through the entire procedure!

Thanks for the link, I'll check it out [and BTW, what DOES ROFTL mean? - and I'm not kidding, I don't know!]

[vamp-ress.livejournal.com]

(Means "Rolling on the floor laughing", which I generally prefer over a simple LOL)

I have a similar history with computers. Spent my first minutes online at uni and from there it went downhill. Soon!

I'd be happy to do any handholding required! I think it's always good to have your own website instead of being solely dependant on other people's services (like LJ, ff.net). So I'd definitely encourage you to try it!

[inzilbeth-liz.livejournal.com]

Ah thank you, that makes sense now!

Once I was through that part of my course, I was determined never to have anything to do with computers ever again. It was actually the possibilities for writing that changed my mind [that and the fact that you need to have some skills in virtually any line of work nowadays].

Thank you so much for your offer. I need to firm up a lot on what a plan to do but I would be most grateful for your help. You are actually one of the people I was planning on approaching to ask for a written contribution anyway. I'm keeping things under my hat a bit at the moment [the only person I've spoken to about it is Cairistiona] but I'll bring you up to speed as soon as I'm ready to roll - which will be a while yet!

[vamp-ress.livejournal.com]

Oh, written contribution. That sounds fascinating *waggles eyebrows*! Just mail when you're read or when you have any questions and I'll try to help!

[inzilbeth-liz.livejournal.com]

Thanks, I will. It's all been on the back burner as I couldn't see I was ever going to get anywhere with it, but you've given me new hope!

[vamp-ress.livejournal.com]

I'm good at that. I also offer virtual kicks in the butt, but those cost a ranger cookie extra:)

[inzilbeth-liz.livejournal.com]

Lol! I'd better stock up on ranger cookies then!

[vilwarien.livejournal.com]

Congrats! For me ff.net is a pita because it's so complicated to upload and edit things. I used to post there but gave up a long time ago. My "home" is SoA since, as you already said, it's easy and user friendly, and sometimes I also post at HASA, where I am a volunteer, but I forget it as often as not.

I remember my time at ff.net when I was very new to the fandom. I read every story however bad that featured my favourite characters and was privy to lots of things over the years.

[inzilbeth-liz.livejournal.com]

Oh I'm so pleased I'm not the only one who finds ff.net hard going! I don't think I would have perservered with fan fic at all if SoA wasn't so welcoming to readers. I've tried to sign up to HASA but I've never got anywhere with it. It doesn't seem to be as active a site as SOA.

[harrowcatliz.livejournal.com]

I found HASA first and then moved on to SOA which I like because it is easy to use and I can safely have it on my favourites list at work. I have followed a few of my favourite authors around to other sites which is how I got onto LJ. I have never liked ff.net all that much and I can't/won't review there.

Oh, and the big plastic neck collar! I know it well. good luck.

[inzilbeth-liz.livejournal.com]

I'm read a bit at HASA but not much. Yes, I sometimes catch up with reviews on SOA at work and feel quite save doing so. It seems to me you either like ff.net or you don't. It will be interesting to see if anyone reads my story!

I think the collar I have for Pae is three sizes too big. He can't cope with it at all!

[lindahoyland.livejournal.com]

Good luck!I started off on ff.net as it took me a long time to be good enough to be allowed on the other sites!

[inzilbeth-liz.livejournal.com]

Thank you, I thought it was worth dipping my toe in the water but how much I'll bother with it, I don't know yet.

[peredhellover.livejournal.com]

Everyone here knows how good I am with anything related to computers ;), but I've never had a problem with ff.net. For whatever reason, I've always found it very easy to post there. And I've never hesitated to—I’ve never understood why the good writers should be scared off by the Leggy-lovin' suethors. I also always get the most reviews at ff.net (and I post almost every where— SoA, OSA, LoTRff, Naice a Nilme, HASA....)

Now HASA, on the other hand, is my nightmare site. I can not get anything to ever post properly there.

[inzilbeth-liz.livejournal.com]

It's interesting, we all seem to have our pet likes and dislikes so I guess it's just as well there are so many sites to choose from. And the only way to find out if a site works for you is to dive in and see. My first impressions of ff.net are that it is a lot more complicated than SoA which is the only other site I've posted at so far.

[rakshathedemon.livejournal.com]

Congratulations on posting at what is sometimes called The Pit of Voles - mostly, I think, because of the sheer volume of lowest-denominater stories, because the site is so huge.

Actually, there are oodles of very high quality LOTR fanfiction stories at FF.net - it was the first fanfic archive I found; and I have fond memories of making my way through almost all the Faramir-centric (and Faramir and Boromir) stories that can be found there. I'd be delighted to post all of my stuff there; but technically, I find it hard. I still don't know how to edit a story on FF.net without getting rid of reviews, and frankly don't want to bother replacing chapters or an entire one-chapter story when I only need to add a word or change two sentences. And there is no tech or other support that I can see. SoA and TolkienFanfiction.com are fare easier to negotiate in terms of formatting and editing, and most of the time I have no problems posting at HASA.

[inzilbeth-liz.livejournal.com]

Yes, it's the sheer volume that makes the site so off putting, I think. I don't have the time or the inclination to read so many poor stories so I just hope that anything decent will turn up somewhere else. Posting probably gets easier with practise but my first impressions weren't good. I consider myself lucky that the very first story I ever read was one of Meckinock's. Suitably impressed, I went on to read many more of the Aragorn stories at SoA.

[peredhellover.livejournal.com]

Well, it is rather easy to filter out the stories at ff.net—just quickly scan the summaries, and if it mentions an OC female character, contains spelling mistakes, just plain doesn’t make much sense, or ends with the dreaded line: “I suck at summerys, just plz read!” you pretty much know you can move on without missing anything! :^D

[inzilbeth-liz.livejournal.com]

Lol! I'll keep that in mind! Yes, the good old unintentional self-filtering mechanism is probably the discerning reader's best friend!

[suzll.livejournal.com]

Cool, congrats!! Fanfiction.net is where I got my introduction to fanfiction so I'm fairly familiar with it, and it's the only place where my (grand total of 2) stories are posted. I can understand how it would seem really complicated though! And it seems like people don't really review there as much.

[inzilbeth-liz.livejournal.com]

Thanks! And I'll check your stories out. I'm glad it works well for you there, though seemed very complicated to this newbie!

[estelcontar1.livejournal.com]

I'm glad you posted your story there. The more places you post them, the better, I think. They deserve to be read.

[inzilbeth-liz.livejournal.com]

Thank you! That's such a nice thing to say!

[mysterious-jedi.livejournal.com]

I like the fact that fanfiction.net had so much variety, but SOA is without a doubt my favorite archive for both posting and reading..."so easy to use, no wonder it's [my] number one!"

[inzilbeth-liz.livejournal.com]

I guess ff.net gets easier with practise. The fact that you have to hunt for stories always throws me since on SoA they're right there in front of you. [A computer dunce like me can't miss them in other words1]

[ainu-laire.livejournal.com]

A belated congratulations XD

SOA is my favorite for reading, myself, but I do love the fact that I can post my parodies on ff.net with open reception (and some of my parodies are downright weird... some don't contain any of the canon characters xD)

[inzilbeth-liz.livejournal.com]

Thanks! I can see that your parodies might be a problem at SOA.