Reader's Series: momams

momams

About fan fiction and me…

To be completely honest, before Twilight I had never heard about it. I have always been an avid reader. One of the reasons I love it so much, is the opportunity it gives us to meet new people. Along with the authors, we explore characters that we’ll come to love, hate, admire, suffer with, feel sad, or happy for them.

When I finish a book, I usually find myself thinking about the characters’ lives outside the story. I always wished to know more, and could only accomplish it inside my head. Characters in different stories are seldom alike, but in fan fiction, the same character in one story might be a hero, while in another the villain. That’s the reason I cry and laugh, because it amazes me how multifaceted the characters are in the fandom.

I have found so many wonderful and talented authors in fan fiction, authors who share a wide range of stories and characters for everybody’s tastes. That single fact, astounds me constantly.

The fact that I can review the stories I read, truly surprises me. I have had always wanted to be able to tell authors what their stories mean to me. What I enjoy, what makes me cry, or laugh. The parts I relate to and the ones that show me things I would probably never thought of.

Fan fiction gives both authors and readers the wonderful tool of reviews. A tool I have come to enjoy immensely. My not-so-small-ranting about every chapter is simply my way of showing appreciation and praise to the amazing people who share their stories with so many of us, people from so different places. So, I want to thank every author who takes the time to fully read my reviews and even more, those who reply to them.

The day I found fan fiction, it opened the doors to an amazing world were the stories I could only imagine came to life bigger and better than my mind could ever make them. “Seducing Ms. Swan” was the first story I got trapped in, probably because I could relate to it, having taught in middle and high school during my early twenties, just as Bella is in that remarkable story. Imagining Edward/Robward as my student was exciting to say the least, but it wasn’t enough, I needed more. Furthering my search, I stumbled upon Twilighted and then to Fanfiction.net, and I became addicted, “obsessed” according to my husband.

I read stories from different genres. However I am sucker for love stories. I enjoy stories with strong Bella’s. Strong personalities like the ones ericastwilight writes, where Bella can go from genius engineer to famous therapist, always maintaining certain personality traits that make me want to keep reading more. I found I have a liking for BDSM that I had never imagined. I also read stories that don’t follow traditional guidelines like “The Perfect Wife”, “Just the Three of Us” or “”, stories that may Wrong Side of the Streetnot be liked by most since they deal with premises that break society’s reestablished rules or are considered taboos. But of course, I also enjoy more traditional personalities such as the ones in UnaRJ’s stories about cooks, dancers and girls with indescribable professions.

Reviewing became a great experience, but was even better when authors began writing back. When I received a message from StarLightSuccubus commenting on my fondness of her stories, an amazing friendship I never imagined began. This incredible world of writing and reading has sucked me in and it still seems like a dream come true.

I have wanted to write for a long time. Sadly, I’m not very good at writing stories. But thanks to fan fiction, I have found that I can at least write decent reviews. Some amazing writers even like them. So I try to review almost everything I read. Even when I find a story with several chapters already posted, I try to review each one. A good comment like “great chapter” could do, but not for me. I like to put my thoughts, opinions, questions in it. I think that if someone takes the time to write, edit, beta, check their writing, and share it with us, writing a good review is the least I can do to show my gratitude.

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Author's Blurb by tnuccio

Reviewers…they kind of make or break this little thing we call fanfic, don’t they? Some are …good…some are, well, not so good and others, others are just wonderful.

It’s weird, this little fascination we have, at least I think it is. I have been in this fandom for nearly two years now. I started out reading fic, couldn’t get enough. Read and Read and Read…then, I began beta’ing. Well that then led to actually becoming friends with a great group of authors. After that step I realized just how important the readers actually were. Prior to that, I was just a reader; did I hold any importance in my eyes? No. Did I make a difference to the authors in the overall scheme of things? No. I was just another person picking up their work and reading. I couldn’t have been more wrong. I learned that after talking to my friends who wrote, learned how much they valued their readers and the ones who left reviews held a special place in their hearts. I got it, but I still didn’t really “get” it.

So, I debated. Then I said, awwww hell. I’m gonna write a story. So, with their support I did just that. I posted my story to both fanfic and Twilighted, then I sat on pins and needles and I waited. Because, all of a sudden, the readers really did matter. I’d stepped over that threshold; my fate was in their hands. Did it suck? Was it half way decent? Did anyone get it??

I realized right away, I craved their feedback. It made me smile; it made me feel like I’d done something really good. It wasn’t so much what I had written, but the validation of my peers that made me feel like I’d accomplished something. It was all about the reader.

So, with that, I don’t write a super well known fic, it’s rather small in the AH spectrum. But I would have to say, I have the best group of readers. They are spectacular, wonderful even, and loyal. When I was asked if I’d be interested in taking part of the reader series I immediately said yes. I wanted to take the opportunity to highlight someone who was a great reviewer that wasn’t someone I knew or talked to outside of my story. Someone who everyone else may not know. After looking through all my reviews I decided the fandom needed to know momams.

Momams has consistently left me some of the most wonderful reviews I’ve received. When I say that I don’t mean reviews where people say…”I love your fic, it’s great, your’re great, etc.” Not that those are bad reviews to get! J

Momams takes time with her reviews, they’re never short, and they’re never simple. They’re always thought out and amazingly spot on. After ever chapter she reads she leaves me reviews that speak to the characters and their actions. She analyzes my writing and tells me what the characters are feeling / thinking / doing. She takes what I’ve written and she validates everything I have in my head. I can always tell if “I’ve nailed it” when I get her reviews. She has an uncanny way of taking what I’ve written and telling me back what it means to the characters and the story as a whole.

She gets it. And she lets me know that she gets it. Then she tells me how the characters get it and how it’s affected them, and I know…then I know…I nailed it. I got it right.

Momams is the kind of reader you want reading your story, the kind of reader who lets you know that what you’re doing is really coming through. She honest and thorough and always makes me smile!