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I wanted to thank the reviewers who indicated which site the story is on.
It helps a lot. I can also see why the moderators requested longer reviews.
If the review is too short, I more than likely will not read the story.

Tari



************************************** See what's new at http://www.aol.com


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

--- In MEFAwards@yahoogroups.com, KAT702H@... wrote:

>
> I wanted to thank the reviewers who indicated which site the story

is on.

> It helps a lot. I can also see why the moderators requested longer

reviews.

> If the review is too short, I more than likely will not read the story.

Tari, on the MEFA website you can easily see on which site the story
is located: the title of the story is a link, so when you just hover
over it with your cursor, you can see to which site it will lead.

I don't think the moderators have requested longer reviews, and I
don't think they should do so.

This is a competetion - each reviewer is completely free to choose the
score according to his/her opinion of where to place the story in the
range of 1 to 10 we have available as points. That means reviewers
should be judicious with how long a review they will write - perhaps
in comparison to other stories in that subcategory, perhaps according
to a personal system etc.

There are reviewers who operate on a narrower scale, or some who use
the full range available. So that a story a reviewer gave 5 points
might mean for this reviewer the highest point he is going to give,
whereas another reviewer who rates this story equally high might give
it 10 points.

Meaning you can't conclude from the length of the review/the number of
points given, how "recommendable" <g> a story is.

I hope I could clear this up, but if not, perhaps a moderator could
correct me or clarify.

Imhiriel

My available time has decreased dramatically over the last year or so and I
can tell you that if I leave even a one or two pointer it means it's
something that I really loved. Some are longer, but most of mine are 2 to 4
pointers this year. I know it's not much, but at this point I'm feeling
pretty good just to be still hanging in here.

In the past, I have used, or tried to use, longer reviews for those that
especially touched me in some way, but I can't do that now. I certainly
appreciate and admire people that can. And while the system is set up to
give more points to longer reviews, it still allows for those of us who
don't have as much time as we'd like to participate at a level we're
comfortable with.

Sulriel

On 10/10/07, Imhiriel <Larys.HMF@web.de> wrote:
>
> --- In MEFAwards@yahoogroups.com <MEFAwards%40yahoogroups.com>,
> KAT702H@... wrote:
> >
> > I wanted to thank the reviewers who indicated which site the story
> is on. > It helps a lot. I can also see why the moderators requested
> longer
> reviews. > If the review is too short, I more than likely will not read
> the story.
>
> //snipped//
> I don't think the moderators have requested longer reviews, and I
> don't think they should do so.
>
> This is a competetion - each reviewer is completely free to choose the
> score according to his/her opinion of where to place the story in the
> range of 1 to 10 we have available as points. That means reviewers
> should be judicious with how long a review they will write - perhaps
> in comparison to other stories in that subcategory, perhaps according
> to a personal system etc.
>
>
> .
>
>
>


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Hey guys,

The question of how long to write reviews is a hotly debated one, to be
sure. Some people are naturally verbose; I know that when I am in a
certain mood I often find that I've written 1500 characters for a story
I really like without even really realizing it. They may not all be
perfectly-chosen or the epitome of literary criticism - but they're
written, they describe the story, the author will have my reaction and
the story has the points I wanted to give it.

Other people may not be quite as lucky, and so for whatever reason they
struggle to write a longer review. As an author I value EVERY review I
receive through these awards, whether it's one point or ten, and I
imagine other authors feel similarly. While I love the long ones, I
certainly wouldn't want people to feel bad about their reviews being short.

Let me repeat that, because it's really very important. PLEASE do NOT
feel bad if you never break 100 characters on your reviews. Or if you
only review five stories. This is a fanfic competition, and that means
it should be fun. Yes, we work hard to run it professionally and make
sure everything is as fair and user-friendly as it could be, but at its
most basic, the MEFAs is about fandom. It's about grad students and
accountants and doctors and stay-at-home moms and janitors and retired
men in goofy hats, all sitting at their computers and reading stories -
and then leaving the authors some feedback. And yes, by doing that we
identify the pieces that the most people enjoyed the most. But mostly,
these awards are about the sheer joy of fandom, letting the authors know
how much we loved their stuff and helping future readings find the
stories that the most people enjoyed. So however many stories you
review, and however many points it is, that's better than saying nothing.

Btw, Imhiriel, I'm not saying that you disagree with the above
statement. Rather this discussion reminded me of some things I've been
rolling around the back of my head, and it seemed a good time to talk
about it all.

Back to the question at hand: reviewing should be fun, and you shouldn't
feel bad for not being able to write enough or as long of ones as you'd
like. Now, the fact remains that we are a competition, and we want the
best stories to get the most points. But this doesn't mean everyone
needs to write ten-point reviews. Rather, figure out what point range
makes you feel comfortable. Some people can hit seven without breaking a
sweat, other people have to really work to reach three points. WHichever
group you find yourself in, gauge your reviews so that you give the
longer ones to the stories you like most and the shorter ones to the
stories you still like, just not quite as much as the ones you're crazy
about. Obviously the longer the review that comes naturally the bigger a
range you have to work with. But really, don't stress yourself to reach
ten points if it's too much of a stress.

So yeah. Long reviews are good for the stories you like, but long for
you - not necessarily long according to the ten point scale, if you find
that too much stress.

Marta
Súlriel of Menegroth wrote:

>
>
> My available time has decreased dramatically over the last year or so and I
> can tell you that if I leave even a one or two pointer it means it's
> something that I really loved. Some are longer, but most of mine are 2 to 4
> pointers this year. I know it's not much, but at this point I'm feeling
> pretty good just to be still hanging in here.
>
> In the past, I have used, or tried to use, longer reviews for those that
> especially touched me in some way, but I can't do that now. I certainly
> appreciate and admire people that can. And while the system is set up to
> give more points to longer reviews, it still allows for those of us who
> don't have as much time as we'd like to participate at a level we're
> comfortable with.
>
> Sulriel
>
> On 10/10/07, Imhiriel <Larys.HMF@web.de <mailto:Larys.HMF%40web.de>> wrote:
> >
> > --- In MEFAwards@yahoogroups.com <mailto:MEFAwards%40yahoogroups.com>
> <MEFAwards%40yahoogroups.com>,
> > KAT702H@... wrote:
> > >
> > > I wanted to thank the reviewers who indicated which site the story
> > is on. > It helps a lot. I can also see why the moderators requested
> > longer
> > reviews. > If the review is too short, I more than likely will not read
> > the story.
> >
> > //snipped//
> > I don't think the moderators have requested longer reviews, and I
> > don't think they should do so.
> >
> > This is a competetion - each reviewer is completely free to choose the
> > score according to his/her opinion of where to place the story in the
> > range of 1 to 10 we have available as points. That means reviewers
> > should be judicious with how long a review they will write - perhaps
> > in comparison to other stories in that subcategory, perhaps according
> > to a personal system etc.
> >

Gonna try to make this quick.

Last year, I won one of the awards for MEFA, yet had never heard of
it. Someone nominated my story. I didn't know that there were reviews
to read or anything. I just received a congratultory email.

This year, I was nominated again and decided to 'look into' the
MEFA's...

What I found was a TREASURE TROVE - the best thing, for me, about the
MEFA's is getting to read stories from websites I'd never even heard
of. I would never have read these stories, if not for MEFA.

So - I'm able to review... but also able to really, really enjoy some
incredible stories written by some incredible authors. For this, I
cannot thank the organizers and volunteers enough.

For those who nominate - bless you! For those who agree to share
their stories - bless you! It has been, and will continue to be, a
truly wonderful experience for an avaricious Tolkien fan and reader!

Agape

A lot of the reviews I'm doing are also only two and three pointers
this year--sorry, but that's the way they seem to go. And a number of
drabbles and other ficlets I'm not giving a good deal of review to,
even when I love them dearly, as it's very hard for me to feel
comfortable writing reviews that are notably longer than the stories
that generate them. A psychological thing, I suppose.
Bonnie L. Sherrell
Teacher at Large

"Then do not be too eager to deal out death in judgement. For even the very wise cannot see all ends." LOTR

"Don't go where I can't follow."

I mourn for this nation.

Hi Agape,

I'm glad you enjoy the awards! They really are a lot of fun. My biggest
regret is that this year I haven't had the time I wanted to spend on
actually READING all the stories. RL is just too busy. But what I have
read, I have really enjoyed. So many new gems, and authors I hadn't
found before!

So yeah, I second everything you say. Thanks. :-)

Marta

Agape wrote:

>
>
> Gonna try to make this quick.
>
> Last year, I won one of the awards for MEFA, yet had never heard of
> it. Someone nominated my story. I didn't know that there were reviews
> to read or anything. I just received a congratultory email.
>
> This year, I was nominated again and decided to 'look into' the
> MEFA's...
>
> What I found was a TREASURE TROVE - the best thing, for me, about the
> MEFA's is getting to read stories from websites I'd never even heard
> of. I would never have read these stories, if not for MEFA.
>
> So - I'm able to review... but also able to really, really enjoy some
> incredible stories written by some incredible authors. For this, I
> cannot thank the organizers and volunteers enough.
>
> For those who nominate - bless you! For those who agree to share
> their stories - bless you! It has been, and will continue to be, a
> truly wonderful experience for an avaricious Tolkien fan and reader!
>
> Agape
>

Bonnie L. Sherrell wrote:

>
>
> A lot of the reviews I'm doing are also only two and three pointers
> this year--sorry, but that's the way they seem to go. And a number of
> drabbles and other ficlets I'm not giving a good deal of review to,
> even when I love them dearly, as it's very hard for me to feel
> comfortable writing reviews that are notably longer than the stories
> that generate them. A psychological thing, I suppose.
> Bonnie L. Sherrell
> Teacher at Large
>

Hi Bonnie,

Speaking as an author I've been glad to have your reviews. I think the
important thing is that you praise the stories you like and don't get
stressed by the awards, and (so far as is possible within the 1-3 point
range) you give the longest reviews to those stories you like most.
Honestly, I have seen so many subcategories that were decided by just a
point or two. Every vote really does matter - and to the authors, even a
short review can make our day.

Marta

A lovely tribute to the spirit of the MEFAs, Marta! And thank you for
that indelible image of "retired men in goofy hats" reading and
writing LOTR fanfic...I'll be grinning about that for a while! :)

Kathy

--- In MEFAwards@yahoogroups.com, Marta Layton <melayton@...> wrote:
>
> Hey guys,
>
> The question of how long to write reviews is a hotly debated one,
to be
> sure. Some people are naturally verbose; I know that when I am in a
> certain mood I often find that I've written 1500 characters for a
story
> I really like without even really realizing it. They may not all be
> perfectly-chosen or the epitome of literary criticism - but they're
> written, they describe the story, the author will have my reaction
and
> the story has the points I wanted to give it.
>
> Other people may not be quite as lucky, and so for whatever reason
they
> struggle to write a longer review. As an author I value EVERY
review I
> receive through these awards, whether it's one point or ten, and I
> imagine other authors feel similarly. While I love the long ones, I
> certainly wouldn't want people to feel bad about their reviews
being short.
>
> Let me repeat that, because it's really very important. PLEASE do
NOT
> feel bad if you never break 100 characters on your reviews. Or if
you
> only review five stories. This is a fanfic competition, and that
means
> it should be fun. Yes, we work hard to run it professionally and
make
> sure everything is as fair and user-friendly as it could be, but at
its
> most basic, the MEFAs is about fandom. It's about grad students and
> accountants and doctors and stay-at-home moms and janitors and
retired
> men in goofy hats, all sitting at their computers and reading
stories -
> and then leaving the authors some feedback. And yes, by doing that
we
> identify the pieces that the most people enjoyed the most. But
mostly,
> these awards are about the sheer joy of fandom, letting the authors
know
> how much we loved their stuff and helping future readings find the
> stories that the most people enjoyed. So however many stories you
> review, and however many points it is, that's better than saying
nothing.
>
> Btw, Imhiriel, I'm not saying that you disagree with the above
> statement. Rather this discussion reminded me of some things I've
been
> rolling around the back of my head, and it seemed a good time to
talk
> about it all.
>
> Back to the question at hand: reviewing should be fun, and you
shouldn't
> feel bad for not being able to write enough or as long of ones as
you'd
> like. Now, the fact remains that we are a competition, and we want
the
> best stories to get the most points. But this doesn't mean everyone
> needs to write ten-point reviews. Rather, figure out what point
range
> makes you feel comfortable. Some people can hit seven without
breaking a
> sweat, other people have to really work to reach three points.
WHichever
> group you find yourself in, gauge your reviews so that you give the
> longer ones to the stories you like most and the shorter ones to
the
> stories you still like, just not quite as much as the ones you're
crazy
> about. Obviously the longer the review that comes naturally the
bigger a
> range you have to work with. But really, don't stress yourself to
reach
> ten points if it's too much of a stress.
>
> So yeah. Long reviews are good for the stories you like, but long
for
> you - not necessarily long according to the ten point scale, if you
find
> that too much stress.
>
> Marta
> Súlriel of Menegroth wrote:
> >
> >
> > My available time has decreased dramatically over the last year
or so and I
> > can tell you that if I leave even a one or two pointer it means
it's
> > something that I really loved. Some are longer, but most of mine
are 2 to 4
> > pointers this year. I know it's not much, but at this point I'm
feeling
> > pretty good just to be still hanging in here.
> >
> > In the past, I have used, or tried to use, longer reviews for
those that
> > especially touched me in some way, but I can't do that now. I
certainly
> > appreciate and admire people that can. And while the system is
set up to
> > give more points to longer reviews, it still allows for those of
us who
> > don't have as much time as we'd like to participate at a level
we're
> > comfortable with.
> >
> > Sulriel
> >
> > On 10/10/07, Imhiriel <Larys.HMF@... <mailto:Larys.HMF%40web.de>>
wrote:
> > >
> > > --- In MEFAwards@yahoogroups.com <mailto:MEFAwards%
40yahoogroups.com>
> > <MEFAwards%40yahoogroups.com>,
> > > KAT702H@ wrote:
> > > >
> > > > I wanted to thank the reviewers who indicated which site the
story
> > > is on. > It helps a lot. I can also see why the moderators
requested
> > > longer
> > > reviews. > If the review is too short, I more than likely will
not read
> > > the story.
> > >
> > > //snipped//
> > > I don't think the moderators have requested longer reviews,
and I
> > > don't think they should do so.
> > >
> > > This is a competetion - each reviewer is completely free to
choose the
> > > score according to his/her opinion of where to place the story
in the
> > > range of 1 to 10 we have available as points. That means
reviewers
> > > should be judicious with how long a review they will write -
perhaps
> > > in comparison to other stories in that subcategory, perhaps
according
> > > to a personal system etc.
> > >
>

Well, I'm semi-retired and don't wear goofy hats (except for my "Rebel since
1861" cap that I bought in an Adidas story in Manzhouli, Inner Mongolia,
China *grin*), but I do appreciate the sentiments given here as well. Every
review is a treasure simply because something in the story spoke to the
reader enough to inspire them to set their thoughts and feelings down, even
it it's just "Wow!". That single word reivew is no less welcomed by an
author than a review that ends up being longe than the story itself (and
perhaps more so!).

And like Agape, being new to MEFA, I find this a treasure-trove of stories
and authors I would normally never get to read or meet. It is impossible for
me to read, much less review, every story posted on this site, but I know
that I can come back to it at my leisure and read stories I normally would
never have access to. So thanks to all who work hard in putting this site
together and allowing the rest of us access to the best of Tolkien
fanfiction and the people who write them.

Fiondil.


--
*Auta i lýmý! Utýlie'n aurý! ý* Battle Cry of the Noldor at the *Dagor
Nirnaeth Arnediad

Aurý entuluva! ý *Battle Cry of Hýrin at the *Dagor Nirnath Arnediad

Utýlie'n Estel ý* Hope hath come


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

I agree. Were it not for MEFA I would have missed a lot of wonderful
stories. Unfortunately because I belong to several sites, I may not pick a story
to read if it doesn't have enough information. I just don't have the time.
Sorry.

Tari




In a message dated 10/10/2007 11:43:31 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,
agape4rivendell@gmail.com writes:




Gonna try to make this quick.

Last year, I won one of the awards for MEFA, yet had never heard of
it. Someone nominated my story. I didn't know that there were reviews
to read or anything. I just received a congratultory email.

This year, I was nominated again and decided to 'look into' the
MEFA's...

What I found was a TREASURE TROVE - the best thing, for me, about the
MEFA's is getting to read stories from websites I'd never even heard
of. I would never have read these stories, if not for MEFA.

So - I'm able to review... but also able to really, really enjoy some
incredible stories written by some incredible authors. For this, I
cannot thank the organizers and volunteers enough.

For those who nominate - bless you! For those who agree to share
their stories - bless you! It has been, and will continue to be, a
truly wonderful experience for an avaricious Tolkien fan and reader!

Agape









************************************** See what's new at http://www.aol.com


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Posted by: "Marta Layton" melayton@gmail.com aure_enteluva

> Btw, Imhiriel, I'm not saying that you disagree with the above
> statement. Rather this discussion reminded me of some things I've been
> rolling around the back of my head, and it seemed a good time to talk
> about it all.

I understand. You are saying (and much better and more coherently) what
I meant basically ;-).

> So yeah. Long reviews are good for the stories you like, but long for
> you - not necessarily long according to the ten point scale, if you find
> that too much stress.

I know that last year, I was very much in the 2-5 range, with some rare
"trips" to higher points. It was one of my resolutions for this year to
better use the full range available. Especially for drabbles and very
short pieces, this was (and still is) sometimes difficult for me, but
I'm really trying, and it gets easier with time and practice.

Imhiriel

--- In MEFAwards@yahoogroups.com, "Arthur Boccaccio" <namondil@...>
wrote:

>
> Well, I'm semi-retired and don't wear goofy hats (except for
> my "Rebel since 1861" cap that I bought in an Adidas story in
> Manzhouli, Inner Mongolia, China <snip>

I dunno, Fiondil, I'd say that qualifies! ;)

But I must say the thought of an Adidas store in Inner Mongolia is
profoundly depressing.

Kathy

Hi Fiondil and Gang -

This is my second year as a MEFA reviewer and author. I'm not very
prolific as a writer, but I am a jolly fanfic reader. I mostly read
Steward and Sons fanfic on Stories of Arda and tolkienfanfiction during
the year.

However, when the MEFAs come along, I'm presented with a huge list of
stories on subjects I would never have dreamed up on websites I didn't
know about. I indulge in hobbit humor, elf angst, bad guys of every
Middle Earth stripe, essays (all of 'em last year), and even tales with
a Vala or two. The MEFAs expand my knowledge of Tolkien's universe and
the fan culture that has grown around it. For that I am eternally grateful.

My question is for Marta and the MEFA admins: When is the 2007 list of
stories made available to the general, non-reviewing public? Some folks
that I know have expressed an interest, and I would like to send them a
URL. (I probably should look at the schedule, right?)

- Steff



Arthur Boccaccio wrote:

> Well, I'm semi-retired and don't wear goofy hats (except for my "Rebel since
> 1861" cap that I bought in an Adidas story in Manzhouli, Inner Mongolia,
> China *grin*), but I do appreciate the sentiments given here as well. Every
> review is a treasure simply because something in the story spoke to the
> reader enough to inspire them to set their thoughts and feelings down, even
> it it's just "Wow!". That single word reivew is no less welcomed by an
> author than a review that ends up being longe than the story itself (and
> perhaps more so!).
>
> And like Agape, being new to MEFA, I find this a treasure-trove of stories
> and authors I would normally never get to read or meet. It is impossible for
> me to read, much less review, every story posted on this site, but I know
> that I can come back to it at my leisure and read stories I normally would
> never have access to. So thanks to all who work hard in putting this site
> together and allowing the rest of us access to the best of Tolkien
> fanfiction and the people who write them.
>
> Fiondil.
>
>

This is my 3rd year with the Mefa and I discovered that each year my reviews
got longer and I'm not an author. But practicing writing reviews seems to do
the trick. I don't sweat the points. Whatever comes to my mind I write down.
When I look at the reviews this year, it falls naturally for me that stories
I like more get longer reviews. The bulk of my reviews is around 3-4 points,
but surprisingly I have written several 10 point reviews without really
trying.With a story I really like that was not much work and it didn't take
me longer than stories I have not much to say about. Writing a review for a
story which was ok, but not outstanding, I find more difficult than writing
a review for a favorite story of mine.

So, I think, people should stop worrying about points. No one is alone in
this competition writing reviews. In the end, I think, it will even out and
the most loved storie will get the most points.

Chris

Marta wrote:

>
> Hey guys,
>
> The question of how long to write reviews is a hotly debated one, to be
> sure. Some people are naturally verbose; I know that when I am in a
> certain mood I often find that I've written 1500 characters for a story
> I really like without even really realizing it. They may not all be
> perfectly-chosen or the epitome of literary criticism - but they're
> written, they describe the story, the author will have my reaction and
> the story has the points I wanted to give it.
>
> Other people may not be quite as lucky, and so for whatever reason they
> struggle to write a longer review. As an author I value EVERY review I
> receive through these awards, whether it's one point or ten, and I
> imagine other authors feel similarly. While I love the long ones, I
> certainly wouldn't want people to feel bad about their reviews
> being short.
>
> Let me repeat that, because it's really very important. PLEASE do NOT
> feel bad if you never break 100 characters on your reviews. Or if you
> only review five stories. This is a fanfic competition, and that means
> it should be fun. Yes, we work hard to run it professionally and make
> sure everything is as fair and user-friendly as it could be, but at its
> most basic, the MEFAs is about fandom. It's about grad students and
> accountants and doctors and stay-at-home moms and janitors and retired
> men in goofy hats, all sitting at their computers and reading stories -
> and then leaving the authors some feedback. And yes, by doing that we
> identify the pieces that the most people enjoyed the most. But mostly,
> these awards are about the sheer joy of fandom, letting the authors know
> how much we loved their stuff and helping future readings find the
> stories that the most people enjoyed. So however many stories you
> review, and however many points it is, that's better than saying nothing.
>
> Btw, Imhiriel, I'm not saying that you disagree with the above
> statement. Rather this discussion reminded me of some things I've been
> rolling around the back of my head, and it seemed a good time to talk
> about it all.
>
> Back to the question at hand: reviewing should be fun, and you shouldn't
> feel bad for not being able to write enough or as long of ones as you'd
> like. Now, the fact remains that we are a competition, and we want the
> best stories to get the most points. But this doesn't mean everyone
> needs to write ten-point reviews. Rather, figure out what point range
> makes you feel comfortable. Some people can hit seven without breaking a
> sweat, other people have to really work to reach three points. WHichever
> group you find yourself in, gauge your reviews so that you give the
> longer ones to the stories you like most and the shorter ones to the
> stories you still like, just not quite as much as the ones you're crazy
> about. Obviously the longer the review that comes naturally the bigger a
> range you have to work with. But really, don't stress yourself to reach
> ten points if it's too much of a stress.
>
> So yeah. Long reviews are good for the stories you like, but long for
> you - not necessarily long according to the ten point scale, if you find
> that too much stress.
>
> Marta
>

The only story in which I actually "count" points for a review is when I
review for my nominees--naturally I want to give them as much as I can. Yet
usually, if I liked it enough to nominate, I can almost always think of
enough to say without worrying about it--they are usually natural 10
pointers. Sometimes I have to remind myself not to go overboard for them.

For all the rest, I give the same sorts of reviews I give the rest of the
time: whatever pops into my mind, whether 1 point or 10 or anything in
between. Normally, I find most reviews fall naturally into the 2 to 3 point
range for shorter pieces, and 1 or 2 points for the others. If I have more
time to spend reviewing, they also tend to be longer.

To me, the most important thing is to be both honest *and* positive! Points
are secondary.

Dreamflower

On 10/11/07, Chris <grzonka@comcast.net> wrote:
>
> This is my 3rd year with the Mefa and I discovered that each year my
> reviews
> got longer and I'm not an author. But practicing writing reviews seems to
> do
> the trick. I don't sweat the points. Whatever comes to my mind I write
> down.
> When I look at the reviews this year, it falls naturally for me that
> stories
> I like more get longer reviews. The bulk of my reviews is around 3-4
> points,
> but surprisingly I have written several 10 point reviews without really
> trying.With a story I really like that was not much work and it didn't
> take
> me longer than stories I have not much to say about. Writing a review for
> a
> story which was ok, but not outstanding, I find more difficult than
> writing
> a review for a favorite story of mine.
>
> So, I think, people should stop worrying about points. No one is alone in
> this competition writing reviews. In the end, I think, it will even out
> and
> the most loved storie will get the most points.
>
> Chris
>
> Marta wrote:
> >
> > Hey guys,
> >
> > The question of how long to write reviews is a hotly debated one, to be
> > sure. Some people are naturally verbose; I know that when I am in a
> > certain mood I often find that I've written 1500 characters for a story
> > I really like without even really realizing it. They may not all be
> > perfectly-chosen or the epitome of literary criticism - but they're
> > written, they describe the story, the author will have my reaction and
> > the story has the points I wanted to give it.
> >
> > Other people may not be quite as lucky, and so for whatever reason they
> > struggle to write a longer review. As an author I value EVERY review I
> > receive through these awards, whether it's one point or ten, and I
> > imagine other authors feel similarly. While I love the long ones, I
> > certainly wouldn't want people to feel bad about their reviews
> > being short.
> >
> > Let me repeat that, because it's really very important. PLEASE do NOT
> > feel bad if you never break 100 characters on your reviews. Or if you
> > only review five stories. This is a fanfic competition, and that means
> > it should be fun. Yes, we work hard to run it professionally and make
> > sure everything is as fair and user-friendly as it could be, but at its
> > most basic, the MEFAs is about fandom. It's about grad students and
> > accountants and doctors and stay-at-home moms and janitors and retired
> > men in goofy hats, all sitting at their computers and reading stories -
> > and then leaving the authors some feedback. And yes, by doing that we
> > identify the pieces that the most people enjoyed the most. But mostly,
> > these awards are about the sheer joy of fandom, letting the authors know
> > how much we loved their stuff and helping future readings find the
> > stories that the most people enjoyed. So however many stories you
> > review, and however many points it is, that's better than saying
> nothing.
> >
> > Btw, Imhiriel, I'm not saying that you disagree with the above
> > statement. Rather this discussion reminded me of some things I've been
> > rolling around the back of my head, and it seemed a good time to talk
> > about it all.
> >
> > Back to the question at hand: reviewing should be fun, and you shouldn't
> > feel bad for not being able to write enough or as long of ones as you'd
> > like. Now, the fact remains that we are a competition, and we want the
> > best stories to get the most points. But this doesn't mean everyone
> > needs to write ten-point reviews. Rather, figure out what point range
> > makes you feel comfortable. Some people can hit seven without breaking a
> > sweat, other people have to really work to reach three points. WHichever
> > group you find yourself in, gauge your reviews so that you give the
> > longer ones to the stories you like most and the shorter ones to the
> > stories you still like, just not quite as much as the ones you're crazy
> > about. Obviously the longer the review that comes naturally the bigger a
> > range you have to work with. But really, don't stress yourself to reach
> > ten points if it's too much of a stress.
> >
> > So yeah. Long reviews are good for the stories you like, but long for
> > you - not necessarily long according to the ten point scale, if you find
> > that too much stress.
> >
> > Marta
> >
>
>
>


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Hi Fiondil,

> Well, I'm semi-retired and don't wear goofy hats (except for my "Rebel since
> 1861" cap that I bought in an Adidas story in Manzhouli, Inner Mongolia,
> China *grin*), but I do appreciate the sentiments given here as well. Every
> review is a treasure simply because something in the story spoke to the
> reader enough to inspire them to set their thoughts and feelings down, even
> it it's just "Wow!". That single word reivew is no less welcomed by an
> author than a review that ends up being longe than the story itself (and
> perhaps more so!).
>

I agree - I love them all, personally. :-)

> And like Agape, being new to MEFA, I find this a treasure-trove of stories
> and authors I would normally never get to read or meet. It is impossible for
> me to read, much less review, every story posted on this site, but I know
> that I can come back to it at my leisure and read stories I normally would
> never have access to. So thanks to all who work hard in putting this site
> together and allowing the rest of us access to the best of Tolkien
> fanfiction and the people who write them.
>

There were times (like when I was working as opposed to being a grad
student) that I could read nearly every story I really wanted to. Not
every story, but the ones with summaries that interested me. This year,
I realized early on that wasn't going to happen, both because of my
school obligations and the fact that categories were announced later on
in the summer (so I knew I'd get less done in that free time). But the
thing is, that's okay. I'm still reading some great stuff, and whatever
I read is better than if I didn't.

I'm so glad you and Agape and other "newbies" are enjoying the awards so
much. Thanks for letting us all know.

Marta

Hiya Steff!

> However, when the MEFAs come along, I'm presented with a huge list of
> stories on subjects I would never have dreamed up on websites I didn't
> know about. I indulge in hobbit humor, elf angst, bad guys of every
> Middle Earth stripe, essays (all of 'em last year), and even tales with
> a Vala or two. The MEFAs expand my knowledge of Tolkien's universe and
> the fan culture that has grown around it. For that I am eternally grateful.
>

*grins* I wasn't nearly as big of a Thranduil fan before some fantastic
MEFA stories over the years convinced me that yes, he really is a
delightful character.

> My question is for Marta and the MEFA admins: When is the 2007 list of
> stories made available to the general, non-reviewing public? Some folks
> that I know have expressed an interest, and I would like to send them a
> URL. (I probably should look at the schedule, right?)
>

I don't know that there's any definite date. I know that Aranel was
talking about putting together a database displaying all of the
nominations over the years, which would include 2007, but we're talking
after the results are announced for that.

The simplest thing to do is probably to log in to the site as guest. To
do this, go to http://www.mefawards.net (while you're not logged in) and
click the "login as guest" link. This will show you the voting page, but
the links to actually add something to the site (like to enter a review,
or to nominate a story if we were in that season) don't work. If you
click on one it will tell you that guests do not have access to that
site feature.

So even non-members can look at the stories nominated (by clicking on
the "Browse Nominated Stories" link) or read reviews (by clicking on the
"Read Reviews" link). The only difference is that they can't do the
things restricted to members, like vote.

If you need a list of the nominated stories I could probably come up
with it over the next few days. However, to actually gather the links
would be more effort than I can really put into it. Let me know if you'd
like a list of the titles and authors, though, and I'll do it.

Marta

Hi all!

Chris wrote:

>
> This is my 3rd year with the Mefa and I discovered that each year my reviews
> got longer and I'm not an author. But practicing writing reviews seems to do
> the trick. I don't sweat the points. Whatever comes to my mind I write down.
> When I look at the reviews this year, it falls naturally for me that stories
> I like more get longer reviews. The bulk of my reviews is around 3-4 points,
> but surprisingly I have written several 10 point reviews without really
> trying.With a story I really like that was not much work and it didn't take
> me longer than stories I have not much to say about. Writing a review for a
> story which was ok, but not outstanding, I find more difficult than writing
> a review for a favorite story of mine.

Oh dear, this is my 3rd edition as well and I am even not sure in what
range I normally review. Am I a 3 pointer, 5 pointer, perhaps a 7
pointer? I never looked at that to be honest and I am starting to wonder
if I actually should keep an eye on that by now given the responses :) I
always try to review immediately after I read the story (with fresh
impressions), some stories I like to let it rest a bit longer or I read
it again. Then I just type away, do a quick spell check in word and
voilá, read it over once more and hit on submit review. The thing is, as
for length, the length of my reviews isn't any different from reviews I
normally leave on archives, so yeah. :c)

As for reading: no I can't read everything I'd like to. I have a huge
wish-list and I hope I can make it before the end of the year because I
am currently on a varied reading diet of Miffy, Dribble (reading with my
son who's very fond of books), mixed with Tolkien, fan fic and other
novels. I asked the powers that be for more hours in a day and darn,
that still hasn't happened! If I don't get around to review the stores
left on the wish list, I leave a review on the archives after the
deadline passes.

> So, I think, people should stop worrying about points. No one is alone in
> this competition writing reviews. In the end, I think, it will even out and
> the most loved storie will get the most points.

Absolutely, for me personally the MEFA's isn't about who wins, I always
loved it because it is one huge story sharing fest for me. It's like at
the start every reader/author comes with a list of stories they liked so
much the past year, that they want to share with others and the reviews
show how much the others liked them as well. To me it always feels like:
ooh this is a good tip, or this story is really nice and I should read
more of this author, or I never thought Ranger/Hobbit/Orc/Elf/Maiar
stories could be so much fun!

Read, review and most of all: have fun!

Rhapsody

I haven't had a chance to jump in here yet, so here goes. *waves enthusiastically* Hi everybody! This is my first year being nominated for MEFAs and reviewing and while I am currently behind in my reviewing, I am really enjoying the stories! I've actually been late reading some of my favorite authors' updates due to reading MEFA stories! It's a wonderful contest and I think it's great so many of you volunteer your time to to run/nominate/review for it!

I wanted to say, I'm glad you post the reviews like this on the group, because seeing other peoples reviews has helped me with writing my own.(I admit to being terrible at writing reviews. I never know what to say!) I was unsure exactly how it all worked for so long, I put off reviewing initially. But to see exactly how others review and the points they hit on helps immensly in knowing what to comment on in the stories I am reviewing. Thanks!

Marta,

>*grins* I wasn't nearly as big of a Thranduil fan before some fantastic
>MEFA stories over the years convinced me that yes, he really is a
>delightful character.

I wasn't a big Thranduil fan to start either, until I came across the MEFAs last year, and though I didn't actively participate, I found some wonderful stories (I think I'm still reading some of the nominations for last year that I saved the links for *grin*) and authors and ever since, the Elvenking has had a special place in my heart. He is such a complex character, that he is intriguing when done well. I was so pleased one of my Thranduil fics was nominated. *waves at Rhapsody*


NiRi (AKA Nieriel Raina)



Nieriel Raina, Glorfindel's Chambermaid - Keeper of Legolas' Cloak and Lothlorien Brooch and Gimli's Battle Axe

~*~ ~*~ ~*~
"The centuries are long, and if I come to my marriage-bed already knowing all there is to know, it will soon grow tedious. In the end, I do not need one night to prove to myself that I am male."
- Legolas
(Quoted with permission from the story "It Is Custom" by Mar'isu)



---------------------------------
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[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

'Absolutely, for me personally the MEFA's isn't about who wins, I always
loved it because it is one huge story sharing fest for me.'

Rhapsody...

I absolutely love this phrase, Rhapsody - the MEFA's are like a
HUGEsmorgasbord.

I'm getting fat! LOL - thanks MEFA.

Agape


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Hi Nieriel,

> I haven't had a chance to jump in here yet, so here goes. *waves
> enthusiastically* Hi everybody! This is my first year being nominated
> for MEFAs and reviewing and while I am currently behind in my reviewing,
> I am really enjoying the stories! I've actually been late reading some
> of my favorite authors' updates due to reading MEFA stories! It's a
> wonderful contest and I think it's great so many of you volunteer your
> time to to run/nominate/review for it!
>

I'm really glad to hear you are enjoying the stories! That's what it's
all about after all, and if the MEFAs can connect you with some good
ones, that's a definite good thing. *beams*

> I wanted to say, I'm glad you post the reviews like this on the group,
> because seeing other peoples reviews has helped me with writing my
> own.(I admit to being terrible at writing reviews.

Good! It can be a bit tricky to find your footing at first, to know what
to say. Sometimes examples can help a lot. I'm glad seeing them is
helping you.

> Marta,
>
> >*grins* I wasn't nearly as big of a Thranduil fan before some fantastic
> >MEFA stories over the years convinced me that yes, he really is a
> >delightful character.
>
> I wasn't a big Thranduil fan to start either, until I came across the
> MEFAs last year, and though I didn't actively participate, I found some
> wonderful stories (I think I'm still reading some of the nominations for
> last year that I saved the links for *grin*) and authors and ever since,
> the Elvenking has had a special place in my heart. He is such a complex
> character, that he is intriguing when done well. I was so pleased one of
> my Thranduil fics was nominated. *waves at Rhapsody*
>

*nods* He is a character that the more I learn about him, the more I
love. And he's a character we don't see that much of in canon, except
for _The Hobbit_ and that's through the eyes of one of his prisoners -
not his best light. I've loved reading Jael, and Elliska, and and and
.... so many more! And as someone who normally prefers Gondor, I really
never would have found these jewels except through the MEFAs.

Marta