One Goal Reached...

[curiouswombat]

I have reached my review goal at the Middle Earth Fanfic Awards. It wasn't as high as some people's, and I will exceed it before reviewing season ends - but I am proud to be -





In other news - S2C is likely to be a rare sight on LJ for a little while - actually he is likely to be a rare sight anywhere but at work, in bed, or glued to the screen of his computer. This is because he has started playing his new game; LOTR War in the North. It looks wonderful.

Comments

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

It is a great source of reading material - I try to read a few things that are 'out of my comfort zone' - and almost always find something that made it worth while.

[engarian.livejournal.com]

Congrats. I didn't set a reviewing goal because I know how my time can go, but I was finally able to start reviewing yesterday and, hopefully, will at least get through one round before the end of the month.

- Erulisse (one L)

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

I set myself a fairly attainable goal - but I find watching the slider approaching 100% does encourage me.

There is a lot of wonderful stuff there this year - there always is, but it is so nice to see the fandom flourishing.

[shirebound]

Your reviewing is awesome. *proud of you*

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

Thank you - I'm still busy reviewing - but it is nice to have reached my goal.

[ellynn-ithilwen.livejournal.com]

Congratulations for reaching your goal! :)))

Alen also has his phases with computer games - sometimes he doesn't play for weeks, and sometimes he plays all the time. :p

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

Thank you. The new LOTR game looks very good - the backgrounds and characters are really beautiful.

[hhimring]

I...umm...came across one of your recent reviews... [Blushes beetroot-red and starts mumbling.] Thank you so much! [Blushes even more fiercely and hides.]

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

It was worth every word. And, as I said, just that simple little gesture reminded us of Maedhros' disability and the loving relationship between them - and will stick with me for a long time.

[melegyrn.livejournal.com]

I like your icon. Good thing I wasn't drinking anything when I saw it!

Congratulations!

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

I've had it for quite a while - but this seemed a particularly apposite time to use it!

[lady-branwyn.livejournal.com]

I need to borrow that icon! Lord Branwyn just bought the Isengard expansion pack for LOTR Online. I'd be interested to hear what S2C thinks of "War in the North." Reviews were mixed, though the demo I saw was stunning.

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

Feel free! I think it came from a set of Pratchett ones ages ago.

He is really enjoying it - this was what he said yesterday (http://speakr2customrs.livejournal.com/) anyway, and he has remained glued to it, apart from comfort breaks, ever since...

[cairistiona7.livejournal.com]

Congrats!

I'm not into gaming at all but War of the North does look fun.

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

I'm not into the computerised versions of gaming either- although I used to enjoy the face to face version with a real, live, DM who can cope when you take an unexpected decision - which I really don't think you can in the online versions. But this is very, very beautiful - even I might be tempted by the chance to chat to Aragorn and his foster brothers.

[myrhiann.livejournal.com]

Congratulations!

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

Thank you - although reaching my review goal has been a pleasure - I have only come across three or four things that I have chosen not to review after reading part of them.

[slaymesoftly.livejournal.com]

Good for you!

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

It is a fascinating way to decide on winners - the longer a review the more points from 1 to 10, and obviously the more reviews the more points accrue - to determine the winners.

It is an excellent source of good reading, too.

[slaymesoftly.livejournal.com]

A really interesting concept. I wonder how/if it would work in other fandoms...

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

I am sure it would. The original idea came from older fandom awards in the first place - although I'm not sure which - and it must have been a long time ago as the MEFAs have been around for the past 7 or 8 years.

It means that people can't just go and vote by clicking on the names of their friends without reading - it is difficult to write more than a line in praise of something you haven't read; which would only earn one point. And you can't get away with just writing 'Great' five hundred times as all the reviews have to be published before they count - and any sign of one like that would be spotted straight away.

[slaymesoftly.livejournal.com]

Sounds like a wonderful thing for the authors as well. Specifics in feedback are always an encouraging thing.

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

The reviews are always interesting - I thought you might be interested to have a look at the reviews I got for Pure Morning (http://archive.mefawards.org/story_info.php?story=286&year=2010) last year as an example. This is the only thing I have ever written which has a slash relationship in it.

It won its class - and the person who nominated it (the writer of the first review) said she hoped I wouldn't mind if she used them if she ever needed an example of 'how to write a positive review of something you admire but wouldn't usually read...'

I was very pleased that one of the reviewers hadn't understood the warning at the beginning - as she said if she'd realised there was any slash in it she wouldn't have read it - but she then went on to write a ten point review!

[slaymesoftly.livejournal.com]

Those are wonderful reviews! And obviously for a wonderful story. I almost think I may have read it? Could this be one of those short ones that I dipped into?

So, it's the story that wins the award, based on the number and type of reviews? Somehow I had the idea that the award went to the person who left the most comprehensive and frequent reviews. Or do both the story and the most prolific reviewers get awards?

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

Yes - it is one of the shorts that you have read - I know because you left a nice comment.

The stories in the MEFAs win by having the biggest points score in their class - there is a programme on the site that automatically gives each review a score, based solely on the number of letters in the review, so if you don't like something you don't review it, as even a scathing review would earn points!

But reviewers set themselves a goal for how many reviews they plan to write - and if they reach that goal they get classed as a 'commended reviewer' - as without the reviewers the system wouldn't work.

It seemed very complicated when I got my first nomination in 2009 - but it is really an amazingly fair way of doing them, and certainly encourages me to read 'outside my comfort zone'; so writers tend to get new readers, too.

It takes a lot of organisation though - which is why, I think, they are now almost the only awards in the Tolkien fandom. Almost everyone willing to get involved with awards gets involved there...

[slaymesoftly.livejournal.com]

*nods* I've got it. Yes, it does sound like it takes a lot of organization and work - and the ability to set up that sort of system? Too bad. I like the idea a lot. :)

[binkaslibrary.livejournal.com]

Congrats on the job well done! :D

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

Thank you. There are some excellent stories this year.

[bojojoti.livejournal.com]

Reaching a goal is always a moment for celebration. Congratulations!

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

It is a nice goal to achieve - reading all sorts of tales and then telling both the author and others that they are worth reading!

[estelcontar1.livejournal.com]

Congratulations! I bet you feel relieved.

[curiouswombat.livejournal.com]

It's nice to have reached my goal - and I still have 33 days left - so I should get a few more done, too.