CSI Fan Fiction Critique Group.

TQ: Where do you prefer going for fanfiction? Either as a reader or an author?

I've only recently discovered FanFiction.net. That is a good place to go. I've also found web pages of a few authors whose stories I've liked just through Google or through a link in a forum. I'm still relatively new to fan fic, so I tend to take recommendations from people and such as starting points, depending on which of a couple of shows or families of shows (like the 3 CSI's) it is.

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There was some really good stuff in this story and some not so good stuff. To be honest, the spelling mistakes and capitalization and punctuation errors made it difficult to read the story. This is something that having a beta and a spell checker would really help, because the actual content of the story was really very good. The plot was well developed and it held your interest from chapter to chapter.

There were a lot of spelling errors and occasionally just wrong words that could have been fixed with a spell checker and made the story much more readable. In just the first couple chapters, some of the spelling errors and typos I found were:

fantasty (fantasy), devestatingly(devastatingly), prevelant (prevalent), particularily, (particularly) recieved (received), outter (outer), dishevled (disheveled), explainined (explained)...

I'm really not trying to pick on you, honestly, but it is something that really distracts readers and makes it hard to concentrate on the story.

You have a few problems with punctuation and capitalization in regards to quotes. First, each speaker always gets his own paragraph. And, when the sentence isn't finished after the quote marks, you don't capitalize the next word. Also, if the quote is a statement, a comma, rather than a period, goes before the quotes. So, for example, your paragraph that looks like this:

"Having fun?" He asked, obviously noticing his friend's tense demeanor. Eric stood straight and crossed his arms. "I printed every inch of that bathroom. I've still got nothing." He answered. Speed tilted his head and walked further into the room. "Well I think the percentage of children in AFIS is pretty low anyway."

... should look like this:


"Having fun?" he asked, obviously noticing his friend's tense demeanor.

Eric stood straight and crossed his arms. "I printed every inch of that bathroom. I've still got nothing," he answered.

Speed tilted his head and walked further into the room. "Well, I think the percentage of children in AFIS is pretty low anyway."

As far as the characters themselves, you captured their personalities and mannerisms very well. I'm sometimes reluctant to read Miami fics that include Horatio because his mannerisms and speech patterns are fairly unusual compared to most people's and in fics sometimes he is almost a caricature and other times his unique ways of talking are ignored. But you managed to capture him perfectly without doing either of those things. You really did well with every single character you had in your story. As others have said, you can really almost hear them saying their lines.

The plot was very good, and in keeping with the style of CSI Miami. I enjoyed the story revolving around a crime, which doesn't seem to be something that a whole lot of fan fictions do. Most seem to revolve around the characters in other settings, (which isn't a bad thing, either, of course.) I'm glad this was a longer, chaptered fiction to give the story and characters a chance to develop, but kept to a reasonable length so that the story wasn't dragged out too long so that people would lose interest.

I would also enjoy reading a sequel!
 
Thanks for all of the great feedback on my fic everyone. :) I definitely agree that there are areas in which I need to improve. (Especially my paragraphs. :eek: Not sure why I botched that up so much. I know better) All the more reason for me to keep writing! Characterization and setting has always been a plus with me, so I'm glad I could pull it off and make it entertaining. It's also good to know I didn't make Horatio seem like some kind of clown. :lol: As for the improvement areas, I'll definitely be working on them.

It was a great pleasure recieving such constructive thoughts. I just want to say, LLK and adorelo are doing a terrific job with all of this. :)
 
Thank you Speed I really appreicate it. I really enjoy this group and love spending time with it.

I've been taking to another person, outside of talk CSI, who has an interest in becoming involved in something similar to this. So... it's become my new goal to move us away from talk CSI by September or so and onto another site where we can expand the group to include Fiction an Fanfiction authors from many genres.

Of course... I'd like to talk to Jodie and the rest of you about that more before I make any final decisions.

But... I really appreciate you taking the time to complement us. We do work hard for this here. But... I think it would be a welcome callenge to expand.

Members like all of you that participate evey week certainally make it worthwhile!

Thanks everyone!



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CSI Critique Fanfiction #13: CSI Miami, Calleigh/Eric. "Remembrance." By: CalleighD

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TQ: We've talked about what inspires us as writers and we've talked about what makes us want to keep reading more. We've talked about a lot of things that make the difference between a good and a great fanfic but I'm not sure that we ever really talked about that.

What, in your mind, seperates the good from the great? What does that rare author or fic have that makes them/it just so much more than everything else we experience on a daily basis? Be as detailed as possible!!

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Have fun with the TQ this week guys! I know I will.

Please everyone keep in mind that critiques must be turned in by this Saturday just as with every other week.

The new fic will be featured next Sunday, January 15th, 2008.
 
TQ: What, in your mind, seperates the good from the great? What does that rare author or fic have that makes them/it just so much more than everything else we experience on a daily basis? Be as detailed as possible!!

Part of what separates a good author from a great fanfic author is the ability to write stories with the characters completely in character, everything from manner of speech to mannerisms, to knowing what the character would or wouldn't do. Even in an AU fic, characters should be kept true to who they are on the show. I would not classify an author as "great" if they wrote a sniveling or manipulative Calleigh, not matter how well written the story is, or if they wrote a Horatio as a playboy/player.

Secondly, a great writer, in my opinion, is one that can write a multi-chaptered story and keep it going, keep people enthralled from beginning to end, not dragging it out, not ending it with a rush, and not making it disjointed, as if several stories were written into one. A story that is well planned out.

And lastly, what separates the good from the great is the ability to write a love story (I'm a hopeless romantic), and I don't mean just sex, with sensuality. Some people write romantic story clinically, or kind of forced, but there are some that write it so sensually that it just amazes me. It's like reading something as good as Nicholas Sparks...man can he write love stories sensually!
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CalleighD...this was a very nice, very poignant story. You did very well with it and I'm sure your friend would be proud.

I liked how you wrote some of your emotional dialog, how you got the characters feelings across...like:

“I walked away from that crash like it never happened,” she explained, her voice full of guilt.
and
“Today it’s been 20 years, 20 years since she died,” she swallowed another wave of tears and continued,...
and
Calleigh looked down, “Amanda,” she whispered.

I also liked the small touches...like Eric lightly placing a hand on Calleigh's shoulder "in a comforting gesture, which seemed to relax her slightly." And when she had a hard time getting up the courage to open the box, Eric placed his hand in the small of her back and "rubbed it gently". As I said, I'm a hopeless romantic and love the small touches.

Other stuff...

The story seemed choppy at first, but about 1/3 way through the story I could tell you really got into your groove writing about what happened to Calleigh's friend and the story from there flowed much better.

There were a few minor grammar and punctuation errors. But there weren't very many, so it didn't take away from the story. Here are a few...

“How many victims?” Eric noticed a different tone in Calleigh voice as she spoke...(should be "Calleigh's)
and
Eric sense that she was not yet finished and so just continued to listen. (should be "sensed")
and
Calleigh, you can’t feel guilty for that,” Eric felt her needed to step in, to reassure her that she shouldn’t feel guilt over something which wasn't her fault.(should be "felt the need to step in")
 
I've been meaning to join this group for a while now, but RL keeps interfering. *sigh* I've been neglecting my fanfiction for far too long.

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TQ: What, in your mind, seperates the good from the great? What does that rare author or fic have that makes them/it just so much more than everything else we experience on a daily basis? Be as detailed as possible!!

Well, aside from using proper grammar and such... One big thing is the ability to keep people in character. For instance, you can't have a tough character (ie Calleigh, Stella, Catherine), who's suddenly bursting into tears for the smallest reasons, it just doesn't work.
Another aspect is that a really great writer has to be able to create a good plot, and follow it through. Whether it's romance or a case, it has to follow through, from beginning to end. At the end of the story, all the little pieces have to come together. As Jennifer said, it can't be disjointed. All the parts have to flow together. A good ending is a hard feat. Often, they're either rushed or drawn out. It takes a good author to find the happy medium.
Planning things out is very important. If the author doesn't know where the story is going, how are the readers expected to follow it? When you know the end result, it's easier to put in the little details that help wrap things up, and you're less likely to have forgotten details that leave the reading confused or wondering.

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CalleighD, this is a very sweet, sad story.
You handled the emotional dialogue very well. Small details, such as placing hands on shoulders are always a nice touch as well.

There were a few grammatical errors, but as they were mentioned in the previous review, I won't go into detail. They were minor enough that it didn't affect the story, but still noticeable.

Just one thing I wanted to touch on is Calleigh's character. Calleigh is extremely tough. I don't want to call her emotionless, because I don't believe that she is, but she detaches herself from them, and is extremely professional.
Now, this is a tricky situation, because it's a very personal issue, and something that has likely been building up for a long time. You did very well in not allowing her to cry at work, but even having her tear up at work, and talking about something so personal there is unlikely. It may have been better to take them to a new location, away from the lab, for this discussion. As I said though, this is a difficult situation, as it's been building up in her for years. You did very well :)
 
TQ: What, in your mind, seperates the good from the great? What does that rare author or fic have that makes them/it just so much more than everything else we experience on a daily basis? Be as detailed as possible!!

First off, good grammar, spelling and punctuation are essential to any story, I get especially frustrated when there’s actually a good plot underneath a mess of endless sentences and spelling mistakes ( and I don’t claim to be the best with spelling and grammar, but I do try my hardest to make it readable).

A big thing that separates the good from the great is charaterization. Some people just have the ability to write a character perfectly, almost down to that you could read just the dialogue, and no description and still know who was talking. In my opinion any AU fic where the characters are so far from the norm they are almost unrecognisable, I wouldn’t consider being great, because of the characterization, however well it was written.
A fic in which every character was in character would stand out to me as a great fic because it is so hard to write everyone’s different mannerisms and personalities and get them all right.

I find the use of description in a story very important. Imagery is important and both good and great stories have parts, which set the scene and allow you to play out the action in your head. However when you use too much, it can get boring and start to drag on. Great authors know when to stop.

‘He said’, ‘she said’ dialogue can be very monotonous (and I am guilty of this) but it sometimes takes away from an otherwise good story. I mean, a person can shout, scream, whisper etc and I find it helps to follow the story better.

People who have a clever grasp of English and write witty or though-invoking sentences are the great ones; I love reading clever sentences, because I can’t do it myself.

A great story will have a plot that I anticipate reading more of, and that has me checking ff.net every day to see if there’s an update, whereas just a ‘good’ story, I will consider reading on if it really interests me.

A great ending is always important as sometimes when an ending is rushed, it ruins a story, leaving the feeling that everything was ended too abruptly. The same goes for endings where it takes to long to resolve things- I find that frustrating.

In my opinion, great authors are the ones who can write a story that isn’t just a cliché, like they can write a love story without it being corny or they don’t overdo the angst on an angsty story. Great writers find the balance which makes the story all the more readable.

The personal test for me on whether an author is good or great relates to their ability to make me feel the story. I’m quite a stoic person, and any story that invokes some kind of emotion in me in my opinion is a great story. I’ve read a few where I’ve been sitting there actually laughing because it is so funny, and on the opposite side, I’ve had to stop reading a story because it made me cry *stares at Jodie* and had to go back to it later.

People can be satisfied at just being a good author, who writes good stories, but the great ones who write great stories always seem to be willing to accept criticism (constructive), always want to find out ways to improve and keep on learning. And then again there are the people who are just simply brilliant :)

--Please ignore me if I make no sense right now, I just had a lovely 14 hour shift at my new job *bleh*. The critiques were nice to come home to though, I really appreciate all your comments and time :)

LeAnne xx
 
I’ve read a few where I’ve been sitting there actually laughing because it is so funny, and on the opposite side, I’ve had to stop reading a story because it made me cry *stares at Jodie* and had to go back to it later.
Click to expand...

:lol: *hides* I love angst! Leave me alone hehe. I'm owkring on some more now, an argument with my boyfriend inspired more angst :rolleyes: . But I'm also working on fluff, *faints* yeah, fluff!

I'll have my critique up tomorrow :D And the TQ winner from last week, though that'll be difficult as they were more technical questions than interpretation, but I'll work it out. ;)
 
I wasn't saying it was a bad thing- I was using you as an example hehe. I LOVE your ansgt :D

Jodie+fluff :eek: I can't wait to read it :)

I just wanna add how much I actually love this group, and I've never actually thanked LLK and Jodie for making it happen every week so *hugs*

LeAnne xx
 
I’ve only just joined this group, and I’m looking forward to learning loads and improving my writing. I’ve been writing stuff since – well, probably since before it was known as ‘fanfic’! But I’ve only posted one so far, and want to do more and better. I’ve been meaning to join in for a while, but right now my diary is a crime scene itself! This is my first crit, so I hope it’s OK.

TQ: What separates the good from the great?
A great author will use a good structure for their story, good plot, good spelling and good grammar. These are all things that I value and that make a great story. There's no excuse for sloppiness. (You'll have to just put up with some of my spelling because I'm English, and I haven't yet found the bit on my new laptop that Americanises all my spelling!!

What makes a great story? For me there has to be something in any story that I can relate to. I try to write stuff that is believable, at least to me, based on my own experience, ideas, moods, and yes, even fantasies! So I find it hard to relate to stories or authors that are outside that. I read a lot of stuff, but most of it’s good rather than great. To me a great story has to be believable – or maybe a better word would be ‘authentic’. Characters that are caricatured, plots that are contrived, ways of speaking or language that doesn’t fit the speaker – they just don’t cut it for me. Whatever I read, be it a fanfic, a novel, a piece of poetry, some song lyrics, if it hasn’t “grabbed” me in the first couple of paragraphs, then I tend not to stick with it. It has to fit my way of thinking, my own experience, the way I’m thinking or feeling at the time. (Maybe that makes me a bit of a blinkered reader, who needs to widen her horizons. I’ll work on that!)

I suppose a great story for me has to provoke some kind of response, whether laughter, tears, or just a feeling of “yeah, I know what you mean”. The greatest story has to be the one that grabs hold of me, pulls me in, and takes me right along with it from beginning to end.

Ok. The story. I really liked it. You really brought out the idea, without actually stating openly, that Calleigh usually contained her emotions about her friend, maybe even rarely thought about the incident, but on that one day of the year, she let those feelings out. What really got me was the way you began to express that irrational guilt that people have for surviving any traumatic experience that takes others away – the idea of “it’s not fair, it should have been me”. Maybe you could have gone into that a bit more, maybe not, maybe that wasn’t intended to be the point of that part. But I thought it was good that you touched on that.

I got the feeling that writing this particular piece was a cathartic exercise for you – I’ve done that myself, but never been willing (or brave enough) to share such personal pieces with anyone else. So well done and thanks for sharing this.

I really liked the way you showed Calleigh and Eric’s relationship as really good friends, just being there for each other. And the way Eric kept his mouth shut and let Calleigh explain without interrupting her!

Anything wrong with it? Not really. Just a few spelling / grammar errors, but hey, nobody’s prefect!!
:lol: :lol: :lol:
Leni
 
Leni welcome to our little group :) We love having new people join us :D I look forward to seeing some of your work up here.
I'm English too, but I seem too have a problem with spelling the English English way. It drives my teachers mad...

marymagdalen said:
I got the feeling that writing this particular piece was a cathartic exercise for you – I’ve done that myself, but never been willing (or brave enough) to share such personal pieces with anyone else. So well done and thanks for sharing this.
Click to expand...

This fic was exactly that, and I'm glad it's had a good response. I kept wondering whether or not to put it up to be featured but now I'm glad I did :)

---Oh and LLK, I just read the bit at the top of your post, and I think it's a great idea to expand, the bigger the better, plus, there will be more variety too, which is always a good thing :D

LeAnne xxx
 
TQ: What separates the good from the great?

Well honestly I think deep down it's the amount of passion you have for writing the story. I mean someone who is writing the story because they feel it's oblagatory just doesn't turn out something nearly as good as a person with a passion for what they're writing. You know? Then of course there are other elements that come into play, like syantax, grammar, spelling, characterization, plot, etc. I mean a story without a plot, or with too much plot, also seems to fall short of the best fics. I guess what makes me really love the stories I do is the whole package. My favorite fanfic that I've ever read was "Serendipity" by Januarynineteen on ff.net. It was good plot coupled with great charcterization and intelectual language. I've never read anything that came close to comparing and I still reread it frequently because it's so good.

So... I suppose what makes a great fanfic is that it has the best of all worlds, which is pretty hard to do. I think that's also what makes a great fanfic artist. A person who can capture all of the elements of good writing, a character created by someone else; and their own plot. Then they create something... totally unique. It's like turning straw into gold or water into wine. Amazing.


Critique:

This was an increadibly moving piece. I mean... increadibly. You've got somethings here, some elemnts that I look for, the makings of truly great fanfiction. As I've said like a thousand million times before when offering critiques of people's fics, there's something about wording that just... makes me tingle. You have a gift for words. You have a gift for storytelling and this fic was an amazing testament to that.

"“Yeah, I think I am,” she turned to face the sea once more and smiled, this time a genuine smile. One which faltered only slightly when she realised the tide was washing the box out to sea. She watched it go, sighing as some of her grief and guilt was carried away with it." --Amazing.



The only thing I have to gripe about is that sometimes the wording is a little awkward. There were a few places it felt like words were missing or maybe misused. There were no misused words that stand out so strongly in my mind, but, uh... maybe ask someone if it all "sounds okay" before you post next time. Like I said, a few places were just a little awkward. Which given that I also told you, and meant it, that you have a gift for wordcraft... do not fret.


Another thing I loved about this, perhaps the thing I loved most, was the story behind it. I know that it is not a story that one should love because it's the tale of a life cut far shorter than it ever should have been but the way you tell it... Even though it depicts the saddness and guilt that Calleigh feels over surviving the accident, uh, you also make Amanda's life seme beautiful. Like... she was this amazingly beauitufl person and that the reader should be happy that Calleigh had her in her life, even for such a short time. Maybe I'm reading too far into it but the beautiful way you tell this story, the language and imagry you use,just has that effect. It gave me a warm sense that even though Calleigh had lost someone she could never have back... she was still eternally blessed to have had her in her life in the first place. She's also fortunate that she has Eric in her life too. It was like a complted circle. Calleigh and the two best friends she'd ever had... standing in the ocean. A methodical place that can hunble just about anyone. Like... no matter how big or volitle the world, like the ocean, can be the only thing that truly matters are the people we love. The people who will love us unconditionally. Best friends.


It was absolutely beautiful. I loved it.
 
It was really hard to pick a winner, because the question was kinda technical, but…

TQ:Where do you prefer going for fanfiction? Either as a reader or an author?

Winner: CalleighD

As both a writer and an author, I almost exclusively go to fanfiction.net. I find the way the fics are laid out on the site easier to follow as opposed to fics posted on a messageboard. I like the fe atures of ff.net such as the story and author alerts, so you get to know about a new chapter/story as soon as it’s posted, and also the review facility, where the reviews are separate to the story. I have read some fics on LJ communities, but I have a hard time navigating LJ that I don’t usually bother. Because of that, I’ve never posted anything on LJ either.
 
Sorry, double post. :eek:

TQ: What makes a story great? Sounds obvious, but I only find it great if I enjoy it.

Now, there are several things I look for when reading; some things I want to see in there and some things I don’t. If I either see or don’t see then, respectively, I’ve read a great story.

1) Characterization is the key. For me, anyway. I can’t read, I mean literally can’t read, a story if it is totally out of character, because I end up analyzing and thinking about how it should be changed and I don’t enjoy it at all. It also makes it enjoyable to read when in character. It doesn’t feel like you’re reading a story, it’s just being there in the moment with them. That, for me, is what makes a story: the ability to make another feel.

2) Spelling/grammar. Now, I know I am probably the BIGGEST culprit on this site for this but, it bugs me. I can see errors in other peoples work, but not my own (which is why I both beta, and have a beta reader of my own) and if I spot to many in a fic, the author gets a review stating it Haha. I don’t play nice (but I’m not too mean either, ‘least I hope not).

3) Plot. I know we only post T and under on this board, but I’ll mention this anyway, Porn without plot (PWP). I’m all for a bit of the o_0 , believe me, but a fic full of it with no substance, meeh, I’d rather not. A decent plot will always catch my eye, I can tell right away if it’ll be good or not, just by the writers confidence. There are several writers on this site, and ff.net, who have this amazing ability to just write effortlessly with confidence and it really does show. I hope one day to be as good a writer as that.

So, for me, if you add all that together and make a fic, you have greatness. In my eyes, at least.

Okay, critique:

Well, LeAnne, you already know I love this and, I’ll admit, it touched me a little too much in places.

Of the points mentioned above, you most excelled with characterization. You wirte Calleigh so perfectly and, I think, people who write her in their fics deserve a meddle because she really is one of the most difficult characters to write. You want her to act in certain ways and do certain things, but you really have to think about what it would take to make her act that way. You did that here.

I like the fact it wasn’t a ‘sudden’ thing that make her break. It was a slow build up of grief over many years, eventually expressing it’s self, and it’s like you just happened to catch the moment. You didn’t force it so you could write about it.

That probably made no sense.

Only thing I was a little unsure of was the fact it was in the lab when she ‘broke down’. I don’t know, I can see her being all (for you’re benefit ;) ) ‘Scully’ about it and walking away room him; not talking about it until he cornered her outside or at home.

I also love how you made it romantic without using a kiss. I tried to do that with my recent chapter of Resolute Breath, but I don’t think I was as successful as you, my dear. :lol: You did make it romantic, and sweet and a little tender, but you didn’t feel the need to ruin that with the whole ‘Calleigh, I love you *kiss* ‘ stuff. It was a good move.

You’re plot, while relatively simple, was effective. Like I mentioned a second ago, it didn’t seem forced, it was… effortless.

I can see, in places, where it was hard for you to write. It’s something I do, writing is an outlet for me, and I find I reveal more about myself that I think in my writing; I can be worrying sometimes. But it works here, the little touch of personalized emotion really makes your story whole.

Spelling and grammar could use a little tweaking, but I think you know that. :D Normally you’re great, so I wont hurt you too much. :lol:

I second LLK, That’s all there is? I want more!

-- Jodie
 
I'd like to welcome marymagdalen's first ever featured fic! And I'd also like to welcome her to the group!

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CSI Critique Fanfiction #14: CSI Miami, Horatio. "Lost and Found." By: marymagdalen

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Topic Question:

When writing fanfictions related to the CSI franchise how do you come up with ideas for specific cases? When you come up with the ideas, how do you write them? How do you know what evidence to have the CSI's find? How do you present it?

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Dude it's technically monday. I'm So sorry! But it's still friday in Cali... so I'm going to pretend I live there for the moment.

Please keep in mind that critiques are due by this coming Saturday.

The new featured fic will be featured on Sunday, January 28th, 2008.
 
Week 13

TQ: What, in your mind, seperates the good from the great? What does that rare author or fic have that makes them/it just so much more than everything else we experience on a daily basis? Be as detailed as possible!!

Winner: CalleighD The most detailed response out there!! Very good, but i guess you ahd more time than everyone else :lol:

First off, good grammar, spelling and punctuation are essential to any story, I get especially frustrated when there’s actually a good plot underneath a mess of endless sentences and spelling mistakes ( and I don’t claim to be the best with spelling and grammar, but I do try my hardest to make it readable).

A big thing that separates the good from the great is charaterization. Some people just have the ability to write a character perfectly, almost down to that you could read just the dialogue, and no description and still know who was talking. In my opinion any AU fic where the characters are so far from the norm they are almost unrecognisable, I wouldn’t consider being great, because of the characterization, however well it was written.
A fic in which every character was in character would stand out to me as a great fic because it is so hard to write everyone’s different mannerisms and personalities and get them all right.

I find the use of description in a story very important. Imagery is important and both good and great stories have parts, which set the scene and allow you to play out the action in your head. However when you use too much, it can get boring and start to drag on. Great authors know when to stop.

‘He said’, ‘she said’ dialogue can be very monotonous (and I am guilty of this) but it sometimes takes away from an otherwise good story. I mean, a person can shout, scream, whisper etc and I find it helps to follow the story better.

People who have a clever grasp of English and write witty or though-invoking sentences are the great ones; I love reading clever sentences, because I can’t do it myself.

A great story will have a plot that I anticipate reading more of, and that has me checking ff.net every day to see if there’s an update, whereas just a ‘good’ story, I will consider reading on if it really interests me.

A great ending is always important as sometimes when an ending is rushed, it ruins a story, leaving the feeling that everything was ended too abruptly. The same goes for endings where it takes to long to resolve things- I find that frustrating.

In my opinion, great authors are the ones who can write a story that isn’t just a cliché, like they can write a love story without it being corny or they don’t overdo the angst on an angsty story. Great writers find the balance which makes the story all the more readable.

The personal test for me on whether an author is good or great relates to their ability to make me feel the story. I’m quite a stoic person, and any story that invokes some kind of emotion in me in my opinion is a great story. I’ve read a few where I’ve been sitting there actually laughing because it is so funny, and on the opposite side, I’ve had to stop reading a story because it made me cry *stares at Jodie* and had to go back to it later.

People can be satisfied at just being a good author, who writes good stories, but the great ones who write great stories always seem to be willing to accept criticism (constructive), always want to find out ways to improve and keep on learning. And then again there are the people who are just simply brilliant
 
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