4409616

I. Don't. Like. Crossovers.

Oh believe me, I know that very well at this point, you've made it very clear in every review of my fic. And I can understand what you're saying as well, though I think the reason most people who write crossovers have the crossover philosophy you described is because they don't actually put thought, real thought, into why they're writing a crossover. Most genres are easy enough not to buck up because, as you pointed out even in porn's case, they usually come back to seeing things work out for the characters and the story reaching a satisfying conclusion as the center of their purpose, so to speak. Crossovers, however, are so easily bucked up because most people who write them from the very outset make their main purpose something as tacky, kitschy, dull, and played-out as "HEY! What if X met Y and... did stuff together?!?!" The true purpose of a crossover for a writer should be really to challenge themselves, whether they're crossing over characters from different media or just concepts/story elements with a different setting/characters. But most writers in general aren't interested in challenging themselves, and when you combine that with a genre as easy to buck up as crossovers, you're just asking for trouble.

So yeah, I find myself agreeing with you, at least in the sense that it's far easier to buck up crossovers than it is porn.

4409644 I like making sure everyone knows about my opinion on crossovers, really.

That said, choosing between porn and the average crossover is like choosing between a kick in the teeth or the nuts a lot of the time. A lot of the time it hurts either way.

Thankfully, exceptions exist on both sides of the spectrum. They're always very pleasant surprises, too, which I appreciate.

4409661

Except when the surprise is that something was worse than you could even have imagined... like 120 Days of Blueblood. Reading the Rage Review alone of that made me almost physically sick, not joking, I got a little lightheaded at points.

4409667 I meant pleasant surprises.

Bad surprises aren't surprises. Not any more, at least.

4409670
Yeah, 'tis all too true. Heck, Rage Reviews, while still entertaining, have started becoming so predictable, and it's not even the reviewers' fault, it's because crappy writers keep doing the same crap again, and again, and again. You want alicorn OCs? HERE'S 50!!!!!!!! HiE + Mane 6 shipped with said human? WE'VE GOT A MOUNTAIN OF THOSE!!!!!!!!! It's kinda hilarious and simultaneously depressing.

4409691 I doubt new writers go around looking for common pitfalls and mistakes. I sure didn't when I started. I was just lucky enough miss them as I was learning the ropes.

4409733
True enough. It's still kind of amazing how often you see the same stuff over and over again. It's kind of incredible how many specifically red-and-black alicorn OCs there are.

4409739 There is a reason for that. It comes down to what people want, which is in my opinion the greatest driving factor in everything, ever.

Alicorns represent power. It's logical that we'd want to be represented as something powerful, so they're always going to be kicking around. Red and black is more subtle, but comes down to what people think is cool. Those colours specifically represent, well, trauma. It makes sense we see that when you consider that most people prioritize their own problems over other peoples. Hell, even I do it: it's a natural reaction, and we feel more important if we're the ones that have it hard. Red and black is a part of that, too.

Then you just have to realize that people want to be a part of a universe they enjoy, and want to see themselves in a specific way. Again, I'm no exception: I write AppleDash because I want it. I add more worth to it in an objective manner later, but at the end of the day, I'm making myself happy. Of course, other stories I write for more objective reasons, but it's not hard to see why shipping, self inserts, alicorns, porn, and crossovers are all very predominant in fanfiction.

4409760
Yes, all true, very true.

4409780 I should hope so. It took me about six months to figure out.

I like to think the big difference between me and new authors is I'm self aware.

4409790
Oh certainly. I mean, one hopes that a new author might go into their first work somewhat self aware, but that very often depends on not just experience but also age, and the fact is that most fanfiction writers are very young, so yeah, not too many will be self aware when they start. The good ones come around though and are open to criticism.

4409827 No pain no gain.

There's also the factor that new authors, whatever the age, may simply not be aware there are pitfalls to fall into, and won't research them beforehand. Again, I wasn't. I started incredibly naive and free of all knowledge, and I didn't have the benefit of being a kid, either. I'm an adult now (albeit a young one) and I was an adult then, but my initial stories were written with a minimal amount of research.

You can't research something you don't know exists.

4174470 Y'know, it would be a lot easier to hit the weekly time limit for the featured stories if work wouldn't interpret the term "Summer Vacation" as "An opportunity to jump up and down on you while wearing cleats"
Anyhow, I'm featuring Just Listen this time. I'm sorry that it's a day late, and that my review is taking so long, I just haven't gotten much time to do stuff on here.
Cheers

4431241 It's a day late?

I thought Wednesday was update day...

Anyhow, updated.

4432013 I tried to make my upload day Monday.

4432013 Y'know, I hate getting my wisdom teeth pulled. It hurts.
Anyhow, I guess I'm featuring a comedy this time:
Tearek

4453894 Ouch.

Updated.

4174470 Sorry I missed last week's featured: something really important has been eating up almost all of my time lately. I don't have much time, so I'll need you to feature The Untimely Revenge Of King Hoofenkhamun... this week.
I'm hoping to be back to reviews by the end of the week. Unfortunately, I can't promise it. It's been a bad month in the real world for me. I gotta go. Cheers

4487378 Done.

4487378 Just while I'm passing by, I'm investigating getting some other story approvers (since Charles is down for the moment and only me, Winter, and Dapper have been really active for the past two weeks).

I'll keep you informed what happens. I'm confident the people I'm looking at are very good people.
4488203

4488210 No problem.

Well, I'm a bit surprised that I'm choosing to feature a story without cover art this week, but hey, I read it, and it impressed me, so I'll be giving it the featured spot this week.

Featuring: One last letter from a loyal companion

4488203

4515464 Updated.

Featuring: Desync.

4174470 I'm not sure if I'm still gonna be doing the featured job or not, but assuming that you haven't de-admined me...
Currently featuring: The Truth About Myths and Legends

4174470 *Whistles*
Hey, Biker, could you please keep up with the archiving? I might need that to make sure I don't feature a story more than once. By the way...
Featuring: I Am Demon

4174470 Featuring: Paper Promises

4174470

What the...

... well, for the sake of variety, I guess I'll be featuring Feels Like the First Time.

4682634 Okie dokie lokie.

You may want to edit the link though. Hap will probably give you a verbal bitch-slap for linking to a mature story... on the front page of the group as well...

4682634
We can't link to mature stories! (link to the author's story list or something instead)

4683981 Sorry, didn't know that was a rule. Fixed.

4684881 It's a site rule. The mods get real antsy when it becomes a recurring thing. It's all to do with adsense, I'm told, but frankly I never saw the contract Knighty signed. It could simply be part of an elaborate ritual to spawn the hellkitten from the bowels of FimFiction for all I know.

Featuring: Only the good Die Young

4517263 Oh geez, I totally forgot about this! Sorry about that, life's been a bit of a jerk lately.
Anyway, I'm featuring The End of the Day. Sorry

4174470 Featuring: Gears in the Void

4174470 Featuring: Twilight Falls, Sunset Dawns