To Crit or not to Crit

[kerravonsen]

astrogirl2 has over here pointed out a potentially interesting community, ccfp_ii, which is basically a "critathon", where people sign up to mutually critique stories (or just critique without being critiqued), which sounds really interesting... except that I went over there and found that most of the people signing up seem to be slashers, which doesn't give me much incentive to sign up. But if there were more gen folk signing up, gen folk in my fandoms, like in Blake's 7 or The Sentinel or Tomorrow People or Stargate, well, then that would be more fun, wouldn't it? (Oh, and astrogirl2 would like Farscape folks to sign up too)

So, my friends, are we going to get into a mutual sign-up pact, or will it all just languish in unrealized potential?

The deadline for sign-up is October the 15th.

Comments

[mistraltoes.livejournal.com]

It occurs to me that I finally have enough finished fic to qualify for this. But I'm a little scared of that word critique. It sounds a little loftier than beta does. Because when I beta I'm just looking for things that need fixing - grammar, continuity, prose rhythm. But critique sounds more like something you'd do in a lit class - analysis of plot and theme, that sort of thing, at which I'm no good. I'm not sure what I'd be supposed to write? Otherwise, I'm all for it.

[kerravonsen]

I'm assuming it's just like beta-reading, only they can't call it that, because it's going to be for stories which are already in public. "Constructive criticism" is what the "cc" part stands for -- which includes positive as well as negative remarks. Think of it as a review if you like. Minimum of 300 words, which I don't expect to be too hard to do.

[mistraltoes.livejournal.com]

Mmf. I hate writing reviews. It requires airing one's opinion. And I fear it might involve trying to write 300 words about a 500 word piece of drivel, or conversely, finding something intelligible to say about a story that's far above my ability to comment on usefully. Nevertheless, if I can find time in the next ten days to clean up and upload to ffnet. enough fic to qualify, I'll probably sign up.

And it occurs to me that you should pimp this on Gen_Fic_Crit.

[kerravonsen]

And it occurs to me that you should pimp this on Gen_Fic_Crit.
What a good idea!