What do you want to see from a fanfic board?

[Evil Figment]

Well, we have decided to make fanworks the priority of BMG, that's fine and good.

But the question then becomes, what do people WANT from a fanwork board, (and eventually a site) in terms of features (answering "more posters" or such won't get us anywhere - unless you have an idea to get more members)? What kind of features, as a writer, would you like to see?

[Barb]

Two things came to mind:

Reviews. I posted an original fic on a writing website and got ten reviews in two days, compared with two reviews in three years on FFN and FictionPress.Net.
We need honest yet critical reviews of fics. From everyone, not just the mods.

Ideas. Maybe a thread called "Plot Bunny Zoo" with random ideas for fics or abandoned fics needing completion. The Pokémon fandom is, IMO, almost written out.

[Evil Figment]

Sounds like good ideas.

[Luna Tiger]

Definitely need some sort of category system of sorting. No way I'm gonna trudge through AAMLs by the truckful if I can avoid it. General adventures, shipping (divided into however many ways one can imagine), introspective one-shots, OC trainers, pokemon focused, real life-focused (card/video game), alternate universe (Ash is a WWII soldier), alternate reality (Ash never released Pidgeot), whatever else there can be.

[Evil Figment]

Trying to split these THAT much might be a bit of a hassle. But yes, I think SOME ways of identifying the fics would be good.

Perhaps simply add a line in the fic title.

[MistyRocks]

I like the sorting idea as it is. It's simple and it works. people can avoid the type of fic they don't like (I do have a problem with *that* tho, but I waffled bout that in the topic referring to this)

I say reviews, be they simple or detailed (just something for people to be able to see if there's something they might wanna read). That's what i wanna see. I dunno, maybe start off with mods reviewing fics? that's easier to organise than getting forum members. plus mods should lead by example! and all that good stuff...

[Transfinite]

Perhaps separate subforums for Journey fics, AAML fics, manga fics, etc. so it will be easier to find what you're looking for?

[MistyRocks]

I don't think there's enough fics to have separate subforums (said this to Damian earlier). Sure there seems to be quite a few in this forum, but how many are actually active?

[Evil Figment]

I like the sorting idea as it is. It's simple and it works. people can avoid the type of fic they don't like (I do have a problem with *that* tho, but I waffled bout that in the topic referring to this)

I say reviews, be they simple or detailed (just something for people to be able to see if there's something they might wanna read). That's what i wanna see. I dunno, maybe start off with mods reviewing fics? that's easier to organise than getting forum members. plus mods should lead by example! and all that good stuff...

Problem with saying "REVIEWS" is that people expect to have to say something helpful/useful every time. "REPLIES" is a more useful base idea : it allows for simple "I like it" replies (and for some spammyness on teh side). I think letting pepole know you're reading is FAR more important than always giving useful reviews.

[Blackjack Gabbiani]

We should have a topic about the art of the review. Frankly that's my big problem--I don't really know how to give a good review.

[A Concerned Solomon]

Say what you would or wouldn't do differently. I think it's a lot easier to review something that's bad than something that's good, but pointing out problems is certainly helpful. Don't be brutal about it, as we all make mistakes, but try to make it something fixable and give a way or two to go about it.