I haven't stopped writing, but it is a extremely slow going process at the moment. For those of you who don't know me, I'll give you a bit of an update to my personal life. Late January marked the birth of my son, Stone, so a lot of my free time is given to him. I wish I could write faster or at least master the art of holding Stone and typing at the same time. Sadly, I can't do either.

Also my other reasoning for not writing Vincent x Tifa anymore is that I've become slightly disillusioned by the ship. They're still my number one couple, don't get me wrong, but...well I don't want to start a rant/tirade that's going to make me sound like a nutjob. Suffice to say, I just need to rediscover why I enjoyed them in the first place, which should be plainly obvious, but right now that spark is eluding me.

besides, i'm working on something original (yeah, i'm one of *those* people now). i still sort of miss fanfiction, but i've lost my writing mojo. anyone else have this problem? i can't seem the write anything anymore.

actually, bleuwyn, feel free to bitch about it; it might just make you feel a bit better. ;p i'm a little interested as to why people have lost interest myself.

"Why I'm disillusioned by the VinTi Ship by Bleuwyn..."

Firstly, I'm pretty much a cyclical shipper. I generally rotate to another fandom once my interest in a previous one has fallen by the wayside. And since I haven't played FF7 recently, my interest in it has waned considerably. I suppose this could be fixed by just playing the game, but I can't find the blasted thing.

Secondly, all I had been writing was Vincent x Tifa stories, so I felt like I was in a rut. I needed a change of scenery. Plus, I didn't feel like I was doing them any justice at all. I can think of a decent plot, but that doesn't mean I can write it out.

Thirdly, there seems to be an shortage of decent VinTi fics. I'm not just talking about plot or even characterizations. I'm upset at the influx of poorly written fics in general. I'd hate to be a jerk about this, but spelling and grammar do count toward a good story. So when I see a new VinTi fic that's full of mistakes, I just can't read it. Even if the plot is the best one ever.

Fourthly, I've been writing for about two years and while I don't count myself as a good writer, it's depressing to see some authors that can't even get the English language straight continue to receive praising reviews. I put all this effort in each chapter to make sure I spelled correctly and my punctuation is right, and I get five reviews. Which is great really. Thank you, readers of mine. But then some other author just throws words on the page and doesn't bother using the spell checker gets ten reviews and I start to think, "Maybe I am that crappy if this trash could get more than me." I'd hate to sound selfish, but that's the truth.

Lastly, well...I'm just sick of angsty!Vincent and downtrodden!Tifa. There's only so much of that I can read before I want to throw up. I mean seriously, if I was as angsty as some people write Vincent, I'd shoot myself (not that I'm condoning suicide, but sometimes authors put his angst level a bit over the top). And if you are going to write them like that, make it interesting.

All right, I'm done. I hope I didn't offend anyone, but if I did...well, I'm sorry. I still think VinTis has one of the best selections of stories and authors (myself not included) in the FF7 fandom despite my rant.

i haven't read fanfiction for quite a long time, so i'm going to take your word for it. actually, scratch that--just browsing the final fantasy 7 category now makes me want to shed many single tears here.

I'm upset at the influx of poorly written fics in general. I'd hate to be a jerk about this, but spelling and grammar do count toward a good story. So when I see a new VinTi fic that's full of mistakes, I just can't read it. Even if the plot is the best one ever.

i agree. my grammar and spelling are far from perfect, but at least i *tried* to correct it. i used to go over each of my stories countless times. hell, these authors don't even need to spend hours correcting their work--just a few times through the spell-checker is all i ask.

but something that really irks me is the fanon that the kids start taking as actual canon. that makes me twitch a little inside. like the whole "vincent can't be touched or he has a literal seizure" thing. wtf? it may have been a while since i played the game, but i am absolutly possitive that that was never mentioned or even hinted at. of course, there's plenty more fanon that makes me cry, but i'm not going to go on and on or else this post of mine might be dictionary-sized.

it's depressing to see some authors that can't even get the English language straight continue to receive praising reviews. I put all this effort in each chapter to make sure I spelled correctly and my punctuation is right, and I get five reviews. Which is great really. Thank you, readers of mine. But then some other author just throws words on the page and doesn't bother using the spell checker gets ten reviews and I start to think, "Maybe I am that crappy if this trash could get more than me." I'd hate to sound selfish, but that's the truth.

i don't blame you for being disillusioned. it seems to be that all people want to read nowadays is short, poorly written fluff.

there are still good writers out there, i know. but they get lost in-between all the crap.

(i used to retreat to ficwad because that place used to make me happy--you didn't get much feedback, but what you did get was very helpful. however, lately, the crap is starting to spread into there as well.)

perhaps there needs to be some sort of fanfiction site that only allows good writers to become members--not perfect writers or anything, just people with a basic grasp on grammar, spelling and *canon*.

It’s all about the TV now, I guess. About anime and game subtitling—it used to be that fans would be obsessive about watching it in Japanese with the English subtitles at the bottom, but now the majority are like “I want to WATCH it, not READ it.” And RPGs are still not really considered mainstream because the mainstream gamers I’ve talked to said they didn’t feel like reading so much. Our whole culture is turning more towards instant gratification these days… its kinda scary…

….So maybe that’s a reason why those "Written in thirty minutes while I was supposed to be doing my homework" fics get more reviews. And I think the fan base is getting younger, too… I know my fics were really immature and stupid when I first started here because I didn’t have the life experience to write any better (still don’t, I’m just 17)… anyway, that’s what I think on that topic.

And you are right about the angst. I would say that good Vincent and Tifa fics are rare gems. But it’s hard to convincingly get past the monster angst. I’ve tried and I’m failing. Vincent is hard to balance. I think the fact that he’s still PART human needs to be remembered. U_U It’s also hard to find originality these days in anything you watch or read. But I read 99% of the time so maybe I’m just over-exposed….

And hey, it’s not all the fanon; it’s some of the CANNON sequels that hurt VII. But I’m notorious for my harsh opinions of sequels. But, geez, poor Reeve. He was so cool and now he… sucks. T_T If I was Vincent at the begining of Dirge, I would have shot him the second I saw him and then he REALLY would've died.

this makes me very sad, mainly because it's true.

So maybe that’s a reason why those "Written in thirty minutes while I was supposed to be doing my homework" fics get more reviews. And I think the fan base is getting younger, too… I know my fics were really immature and stupid when I first started here because I didn’t have the life experience to write any better (still don’t, I’m just 17)… anyway, that’s what I think on that topic.

everyone's stuff was horrible when they were younger. mine was godawful (hahaha, not that it's good now, either), but i wish that someone would have told me that back then so that maybe i would have improved sooner. the only reviews i got when i was a kid were "great job" or "lolz cute!". me, in my naive stupor, thought "gee! me am gud righter!" when in reality i was horrible.

And hey, it’s not all the fanon; it’s some of the CANNON sequels that hurt VII. But I’m notorious for my harsh opinions of sequels. But, geez, poor Reeve. He was so cool and now he… sucks. T_T If I was Vincent at the begining of Dirge, I would have shot him the second I saw him and then he REALLY would've died.

yeah, but i don't consider the sequels actual canon. ;] really, if you think about it, they make no sense whatsoever and don't really fit into the game's universe. well, to me they don't...

i never played dirge, nor do i plan to. i did see advent children, though; after which i died a little inside.

Do stay very far from DoC. Only some serious HARDCORE Vincent fandom will protect you from its poison... 0_o;;;;

Been awhile since I hung out on this site... well at all. Darknightdestiny has been in contact with me a lot lately, and I got an oddly flattering PM, so I figured I'd come and check up with what was up. When did ff.net get so many darn bells and whistles?!

I haven't particularly been active in the fandom aspect of fanfiction for quite some time, as life sort of smacked me upside the head. But I think I've gotten back into writing a bit and poking people I think are cool. I have Drakonlily to thank for a lot of my mood as of late.

Preamble aside, why have I been writing... other things? I mean, look at my profile, I used to be way hardcore.

Well, mainly because I started hanging with kids that got me more into FF7 backstory (all of which is essentially AU now, thank you not very much, retcon). And I started really liking a lot of the minor characters (Ifalna, Hojo (he doesn't get a lot of love these days), Gast, Veld... etc).

But that aside? Overused tropes. That's really what started to turn me off. Oh, and "RITE MORE!!!". That just about killed my desire to write anything even close to happy or romantic. Not just for this pairing, but for most. So I hide out at livejournal, mostly. It kind of scares me to look at my list of writing. Kind of like, "omg what happened to my LIFE?"

Also got an original project. Inspired by FF7, naturally, as I can't seem to get away from this kind of genre easily. After a dry spell of... god, months, I think I'm getting back in the swing of it. Granted, I think the stress of finals and my need for escapism has sort of fueled that.

Not to sound elitist, but you know, I kind of miss things before they started releasing all this merchandise and retcon and the fandom sort of bloated. I mean, wtf is up with the SHM? Are they REALLY that interesting? I saw a fic on the front page (which led me here, there's a reason to my madness) that said "for those of you that miss OGC" and I JUMPED on it. Turned out to be good, but way short.

I've babbled enough. Figured I'd post something because I kind of miss the geekery associated with all the people I used to read all the time and the like. Not that I still don't keep up with certain people (Drakonlily, namely, but we're close). Hope life is treating ya'll alright. ^^

~Cendri

About the SHM... lots of fan girls just pick hot guys and decide I LOVE HIM!!! and then go with it.

But Hojo does have fan girls. I've talked to some on Gaia. They're creepy... not that Hojo's not a fasinating character to write about, he is, but being a FANGIRL of his is just... creepy...

Ifalna, though, you're right there. And no one really looks into Jenova much. At least not that I see.

i know what you mean by that. hojo can be a really interesting and wonderfully creepy character (especially if written by certain authors), but some of his fangirls... wow. they think he's *hot*.

i guess beauty's in the eye of the beholder, and all that jazz.

I think what Verdot was getting at is that that's ALL the reviews say--that there's not much constructive criticism/praise, but instead a lot of vapid remarks. Seeing a simple, "Good job!" or "Continue!" is fine, don't get me wrong, but it's kind of like...a simple "Good job!" is to constructive praise as flames are to constructive criticism. Neither really tell you what you're doing wrong or doing right. I feel that when I leave a review, I should take the time to say something of substance about the work. WHY I liked it, what really worked for me as a reader, etc.

(...And ditto on the Hojo fangirls. I don't really get that. But I guess it takes all types?)

Veritas.

One knows the situation has become dire when the depression caused by the lack of grammar in a tale outweighs the angst of the character within it.

Lastly, well...I'm just sick of angsty!Vincent and downtrodden!Tifa. There's only so much of that I can read before I want to throw up. I mean seriously, if I was as angsty as some people write Vincent, I'd shoot myself (not that I'm condoning suicide, but sometimes authors put his angst level a bit over the top). And if you are going to write them like that, make it interesting.

Eternal angsty!Vincent and downtrodden!Tifa are poor, two dimensional snapshots of the breathing, human, and evolving characters of Vincent and Tifa. For those of us in theatre, rule number one of scriptwriting is that a scene must end with a different emotion than it had when it began. The same general idea can be conveyed to Final Fantasy VII. While Vincent is scarred, moody, and broody, these are not the only facets of his character. He will not only ever be the mourner. Tifa does not necessarily need to be depressed and aching over Cloud in order to relate to and connect with Vincent. To do these fascinating individuals justice, one must approach them with the idea that they are human and ever-changing. Unfortunately, this is not a mindset shared by most of today's fan fiction authors.

Did we discuss this already? Can't remember.

Anyway, I've thought about this a lot—probably more than I should have—and I can tell you exactly why I lost interest. It's a series of things, actually, but it starts with that fiasco called "Dirge of Cerberus."

Not only did it set Vincent up as the self-destructive patron saint of emos (did anyone see his PHS?), it also unleashed a rash of shitty Vincent/whomever fics. Gripe all you want about grammar and poor/nonexistent plots, it all boils down to market saturation. This, in turn, led to Vinti readers taking their authors for granted, which led to authors getting tired of being treated like cattle.

TRUE FACT: At the time of Dirge's release, my Vinti fics were getting maybe three times as many hits than any of my other stories, but just as many, if not fewer, reviews. Thanks, readers! Love you, too! But, really, why would they take the time to leave comments? They had a virtual smorgasbord of Vinti to get their fix on. So an author stops writing? "No problem, I'll just read these other seven over here who update every day with a 900 word chapter."

I think I could've weathered Squeenix's butchering of his character had it not been for "the fans." I'm not going to lie: I may love to write, but I post on public sites for feedback. It's a big turnoff to see tons of hits/alerts/faves with a proportionately low amount of response, makes me feel a bit like a commodity. Who wants to put up with that? Like other authors, it makes me doubt my ability to deliver a good Vinti—and maybe I can't, maybe I'm crap at it. So what am I going to do? Well, Vinti was not my exclusive pairing, and I had other things I wanted to write. So I did.

There you have it! Maybe it's a cheap reason, but it's an honest one. Dirge, Square, and the fans killed my radio star. There's always a chance I'll return to it in the future, but it's pretty low on the priority list.

Though I am more skilled in poetry than full on multi-chaptered works of fiction, I still enjoy reading the Vinti stories others have penned. I would review every Vinti I come across if it were not for the fact that my reviews would often appear months or even years after the publishing date. Bleuwyn, Motchi, Darknightdestiny, JessAngel, and thelittletree are perhaps the writers I revere most on fanfiction.net, but I am a little shy about approaching their fiction with my comments (for me, this is tantamount to reviewing Mario for the N64 in the year 2007.) If reviews and concrit are still desired, even after the completion of the stories, then I will be most happy to oblige. :) PM me or post here if you have a particular fic you would like reviewed. :)

"No problem, I'll just read these other seven over here who update every day with a 900 word chapter."

My standard for any story I read is 1,000 words per chapter, absolute minimum. Anything less generally does not have the substance required to develop the characters and their relationships. Exceptions can be made in certain instances, however; "There was a Man, a Woman, and a Birthday" was subtle, witty, and managed to reveal identities and motivations while excluding any stating of the characters' actual thoughts. All in under 250 words.

Like other authors, it makes me doubt my ability to deliver a good Vinti—and maybe I can't, maybe I'm crap at it. So what am I going to do? Well, Vinti was not my exclusive pairing, and I had other things I wanted to write. So I did.

Motchi, you are exceedingly talented, and I begin to wonder if hell has frozen over when you doubt your ability. While I proudly wave the Vinti flag, I confess I am also a Quistis fan, so I really do not mind your dabbling in other pairings. :)

I can't speak for anyone else, but reviews are an amazingly powerful tool. There have been numerous times when I've been happily plugging away on a fic only to have a review for an older story come in that made me go take a look at whatever it was the reviewer was raving/complaining about. Sometimes it leads to thinking about that old story arc, and maybe even writing to it. Sometimes, it just makes me feel a little poignant and wistful. The point is: it doesn't go unnoticed. And this is in no way a solicitation for reviews.

Motchi, you are exceedingly talented, and I begin to wonder if hell has frozen over when you doubt your ability. While I proudly wave the Vinti flag, I confess I am also a Quistis fan, so I really do not mind your dabbling in other pairings. :)

I'm afraid I never know quite what to say in the face of praise, so I hope a humble "thank you" manages to convey my deep appreciation for your compliments. Oh, and I can't say I have your dedication to Quistis, but if you're a Tifa/anyone fan, I'm your girl.

you're asking me? i have the memory of a tadpole.

Gripe all you want about grammar and poor/nonexistent plots, it all boils down to market saturation. This, in turn, led to Vinti readers taking their authors for granted, which led to authors getting tired of being treated like cattle

poory written stories (i.e. grammar and spelling) and the fans are what turned me off long before the sequels were much of a deal. nowadays, it's a bit of everything. i'm getting jaded, i suppose. but i probably mentioned that countless times before.

I think I could've weathered Squeenix's butchering of his character had it not been for "the fans."

hahaha. fans always tend to annoy the crap out of me, in most cases. by this point, the fangirls of vincent have nearly turned me off of this character altogether.

there was a time where if i saw a random, bastardized version of a japanese word (in my reviews), i'd go nuts. to this day, it still irks me some.

There you have it! Maybe it's a cheap reason, but it's an honest one. Dirge, Square, and the fans killed my radio star. There's always a chance I'll return to it in the future, but it's pretty low on the priority list.

as always, i'm glad for your honesty! it's not just vincent and tifa anymore, though. it's ff7 in general. i'm losing interest. i need some kind of jump-start, something to kick my ass back in gear.

I believe what draws one to a certain character is the traits in that person that one sees in himself. Although he does not truly exist, within the sanctity of our own minds one might feel that he has found a friend, or one he can relate to, in Vincent. When those common characteristics lose strength or importance, the preoccupation fades as well and eventually becomes little more than a memory or a phase the person has progressed through. Many Vinti authors may find themselves relating less and less to Vincent, and the only word of hope I can present is to reevaluate the character: who he is, what he stands for, what he wants in life, and the inconspicuous facets of his personality that one may have missed in his initial impressions. The same applies to Tifa. If every nook and cranny of their minds and hearts have been discovered and there is nothing new, then I cannot contribute any further aid, except my prayers for continuance. Perhaps this is all a load of rubbish, I do not know - but it is all I have to give, along with my humble thanks for the time and effort you have spent shipping quality Vinti.

There's absolutely nothing wrong with that, but it does make me wonder how you've managed to become so well-acquainted with my or Bleuwyn's Vintis. Do we even have non-M-rated ones?

Seriously, M-ratings don't always stand for "smut." Sometimes, it actually stands for "mature", as in "relationship complexities and THIS STUFF IS DEEP." Many M authors (me included) will even put up warnings at the beginnings of chapters for people who want to avoid intimate situations without having to avoid whole stories.

as always, i'm glad for your honesty! it's not just vincent and tifa anymore, though. it's ff7 in general. i'm losing interest. i need some kind of jump-start, something to kick my ass back in gear.

*fires up the cattle prod* All right, come on. Get yer Erse over here and take it to the mojo like a man!

Besides, didn't you say something to me about a Reno/Tifa? Hmm?

but, i actually believe a lot of what you said holds true to many writers here. a lot of us see a little of ourselves in some of the characters.

i honestly don't know how the good writers on this site do it. ;D

*fires up the cattle prod* All right, come on. Get yer Erse over here and

take it to the mojo like a man!

wh-where're you gonna stick that thing, motchi? ...motchi?

erp. i might have casually mentioned something about reno/tifa. *cough*

Very few non-M's, but the ones you do have were well-written. :) I came across you and Bleuwyn through Darknightdestiny and JessAngel. If I approve of an author, I usually take a look at their favorites lists or recommendations and check them out. You were recommended.

Sometimes, it actually stands for "mature", as in "relationship complexities and THIS STUFF IS DEEP."

THESE types of stories I enjoy immensely. I had always assumed better safe than sorry on the M's, but if you could point out to me which stories are not primarily smut-fics and have the depth I search for, I would be most grateful. :)

Where do you think I'm going to stick it? (Warning: you may experience a tingling sensation.)

Maybe all you need is a prompt for a drabble?

kinky.

Maybe all you need is a prompt for a drabble?

hmm. i suppose. i might write one just yet. who knows? at the moment i'm a little taken with another fandom, but ff7 fans always find their way back eventually. ;]

Do something with this prompt: "Just because it's red doesn't mean it tastes like strawberries." Either Reno/Tifa or Vincent/Tifa.

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/3670034/1/Definitely_Not_Strawberries

ehh. i'm rusty.

Gee, if that's rust...

You should be getting my review soon. The only I have to add to it is: DO YOU WRITE THUNDERCATS SMUT? *is hopeful*

heh. i'm pretty sure most readers will interpret it only as "lolz kawaii!!", then i will have to hunt those kids down... see? that damned word just wastes everyone's time! huh, i bet they're the same people that think reno in advent children is a wonderful and realistic interpretation of reno from the game.

DO YOU WRITE THUNDERCATS SMUT? *is hopeful*

THUNDERCATS HO! actually, i barely remember that cartoon.

i think they're making a live action movie on it, too. (they should make one on captain planet--that'd be the best, worst movie ever.)

Thanks for writing that challenge! I was so glad to see you do it. See, you haven't lost your stuff!

From what everyone is saying, it seems like the quality of fics on this site has taken a nosedive. I'm disappointed. There really aren't any other fanfic archives out there that can replace this one in terms of popularity.

But you know, if anyone has the time, helping a fledgling author can be a rewarding experience. I had a couple of young'uns under my tutelage a few years back. It's a great thing to watch them improve with guidance. And it's the intelligent author's only way of fighting back against the ever-growing tide of badfic.

1. Forums are not to be used to post stories.
2. All discussions including language and content must be suitable for teens.
3. The owner/moderator(s) of this forum is solely responsible for content posted within this area.
4. All forum abuse must be reported to the moderator(s).

1. Forum admin/moderator
2. Fanatic (on site for more than 2 years)
3. Fan (on site for more than a year)
4. Regular (on site for more than 6 months)
5. Camper (on site for more than a month)
6. Apprentice (on site for more than a week)
7. Newbie (on site for less than a week)