• A Fear of Bridges

    A Fear of Bridges

    A little girl's phobia is explained by a past life.
    from 11 reviews.
    Fantasy  Fiction

  • Dinner with the Donners

    Dinner with the Donners

    This is a flash fiction story I submitted as a contest entry
    from 3 reviews.
    Horror and Thriller  Fiction

  • A Storm of Words

    A Storm of Words

    An overwritten essay on why I overwrite...
    from 8 reviews.
    Essay  Non-Fiction


FanStory wrote to christianpowers: A Fear of Bridges finished first in the contest "Reborn Phoenix"


christianpowers: Well, I'm back again for a bit. Life tends to distract me, but I needed to write. It has been years since I've done any significant writing and I'm hoping to get something published on Amazon or get one of my screenplays read by a production company. Hopefully, I can stick to it this time and work, at least, until one or both of those goals are realized.


christianpowers: Wow, this site has a large population of writers seeking applause from a following of fans, as if posting on fanstory is the same as submitting work to be published. I'm not much of a clapper or a follower. Sorry. I'm here to tell you how much your writing stinks. I hope you'll do the same for me.
    redrider6612: There are a lot of members who welcome an honest critique, as long as it is offered out of kindness and a spirit of helpfulness. Offer suggestions for improvement and many will love you. Ignore the fluffies. Welcome to FS. -
    Crackerberries: So are you saying that you want us to tell you everything wrong with your writing? -
    christianpowers: Absolutely...I love harsh criticisms of my writing. Think of me as a literary masochist. -
    shelley kaye: feel free to roam through my portfolio any time....
    -
    rama devi: Hi Christian...warm welcome to Fs. You'll find a number of more serious reviewers are also fairly active in the reviewing forum. Not everyone slaps on automatic fives....so feel free to visit there to find like-minded FS members--those who believe constructive critique is the real value on this site--not silly stars. :-)

    Please feel free to review my work anytime...and I'll review honestly too. Warmly, rd -
    Lady & Louis: So is that a blanket "your writing stinks" whether it does or not? If so, that's flaming - merely the mirror image of meaningless praise, and of no more use to the writer. -
    --Turtle.: I don't think it was a blanket statement.

    Christian, I think you're a solid, tough, though tactful reviewer who is running into the frustration of the masses 'fixation on starz', and expressing the despair of honestly trying to help people improve only to have the door slammed shut because the advice did not come with five stars.

    In truth, most work here needs some help. The trick is finding balance between agenda and fairness, and deciding who to review and why.

    Try not to let the reactions push you into not reviewing per the site guidelines. -
    Lady & Louis: I hope it wasn't a blanket statement, Turtle - it just sounded uncannily like the comments of someone (a standard member) not long ago who really did nothing but flame everyone else and go on about what a fantasic writer he was. So, Christian, apologies if I took that the wrong way! -
    --Turtle.: There are some reviewers who just slap a low rating on things and say things like: I hate stories about french fries.
    (Though, Not as many as there are people who slap a five on a post and say: I love french fries.)

    There are writers here who are thinking bigger than fanstory's ratings and rankings.

    They are out there. -
    --Turtle.: Naw, L&L, your's is a good reminder, too.

    Yeah, some days I want to climb to the top of the stairs and scream, BUT it's sooo awful!

    But these are also people's babies. -
    christianpowers: I love the discussion this started. It made me feel so much better, all of your comments. As for your question L&L, I try very hard to find what stinks in writing...my writing and the writing of others. So, when I say I'm here to tell you how much your writing stinks, I mean it. I am trying to find what stinks and point it out before your prospective publisher finds it and tosses your five-starred work into the trash bin. Some harsh words from me, basically nobody worth impressing, is a lot better than a formletter rejection. However, your point is valid. If I fail to find something stinky, I'm full of praise and generous with stars. It's not as frequent as finding flawed writing, but I've done it plenty of times...I think I, at least, came close to finding flawless work with some of you in this discussion. Thank you for all your comments and support on this. I'm re-invigorated. -
    Lady & Louis: Whew! Glad not to have caused trouble there. :) -
    christianpowers: Yeah, wordiness makes my writing stink like rotten eggs. -
    Aarondodd1989: I feel like I should contribute as I have the same mindset as the majority of you, at least I did when I had the time. Now I usually only read what's been well received :-(.

    It's helpful to make a list of all the people who have accepterd your reviews or ofterred the smae type and focus on reviewing them and the people who just say "Wow, that's a pretty word pattern you have there, by the way would you mind looking at my work" can be filed under 'never review.' That's how I do it anyway, and the people who can't take criticism fall into the same category.

    There are a lot of writer's who are serious it's just finding out who they are, and reading their author notes or profile can usually ive you a hint.

    Personally, I'm very glad to have another likeminded reviewer. -
    Cindy Warren: I've been chewed up and spit out for telling some people the truth and completely ignored by others. Still, I don't think we can fix what's wrong if nobody tells us what it is. -
    Xelmyrion: My BA is in writing, and one of the things we learned QUICKLY in the curriculum is that wyou will--and need to--receive candid feedback. Without it, you die as a writer. No one has it "figured out" and those who think they do must be successful writers *wink*

    The reviews I give are, I hope, taken in the spirit intended: I have a suggestion that might help your piece or might help you as a writer grow in your craft. If all I do is say the equivalent of "nice work" then I've contributed nothing to the craft and artistry of writing. -
    Rosanne Bauer: Hi Christian. Do you actually have another word in your vocabulary than stink. You're wellcome to review my stories, because I do like an honest critic. But please, please use another word than stink. -
    christianpowers: Sure, Rosanne, I have plenty of generally disparaging and insulting words to use for writing. Awful, trash, drivel, terrible... etc. etc. I'll be certain to take a look at your work and use as many as possible. lol -
    JoyMarie: I wrote a review on your story "Blame It On The Moon" and it seems it has disappeared...Is that because I didn't upgrade yet??? Of course I gave it 5 stars...Awesome story..just don't know where my review went??? -
    Galactia: *.*.*.*CONGRATULATIONS*.*.* ON YOUR WIN OF THE "Sunday, Monday, Doomsday" STORY CONTEST. WELL DONE. -
    christianpowers: Thank you, Galactia. And I'm honored to be writing a book with you. I'm glad my chapter's done. It was challenging, to say the least. Good luck with yours because I think it gets harder with each chapter. Lucky you. lol -
    xotic flotsam: True, all true. Who benefits from inflated review syndrome? (IRS) I'm tied to the post and have the scars to prove that true. Sometimes I wonder if my work was given a deep read, or an ass glossing. That said, be nice, I'm old. -
    xotic flotsam: True, all true. Who benefits from inflated review syndrome? (IRS) I'm tied to the post and have the scars to prove that true. Sometimes I wonder if my work was given a deep read, or an ass glossing. That said, be nice, I'm old. -
    cvcopac: I don't believe, as adults and sharing a common goal to better aour writing, that we should need merrit of any kind other than disscussions between ourselves, but that's not how it works. It works on the incentive program, and it's expensive--consider, entering through the back-door as economy, hmmmmm. I wanted to thank you again for your great review and perhaps review a poem of yours. I see, However, that you are primarily a prose writer, so, when I have more time I"ll be back for a read. -
    James crofoot: Where's calvin, dude? You taking a break from that or what? It was really starting to get good. Just read your latest and laughed my ass off. later man. -
    chasdflynn: Soon after his capture Oswald encountered reporters in a hallway, declaring "I didn't shoot anybody" and "They're taking me in because of the fact that I lived in the Soviet Union. I'm just a patsy!" Later, at an arranged press meeting, a reporter asked, "Did you kill the President?" and Oswald, who by that time had been advised of the charge of murdering Tippit, but not yet arraigned in Kennedy's death, answered "No, I have not been charged with that. In fact, nobody has said that to me yet. The first thing I heard about it was when the newspaper reporters in the hall asked me that question." As he was led from the room, "What did you do in the USSR?" was called out, and "How did you hurt your eye?"; Oswald answered, "A policeman hit me."[146][147][148]

    Not just your writing stinks as you asked us to tell you but your lack of education on matters you comment on. It is not a matter of smell however it seems a matter of how much your head can swell by writing on things you do not know about. -
    Earl of Oxford: There's more to writing than 'It stinks', Christian.

    I've read a few or your replies to less than '5 stars', and you don't always s particularly gracious or thankful ('whatever, Dude' for example)

    Ok, we're ALL a sensitive bunch on here, but I try to 'practice what I preach', though I'm sure I also fail miserably at times.

    Being over-the-top and apparently different will attract some interest for a while, but in theend, we all need to 'ess up'

    You seem a snsitive and nice guy, and I hope you, I, and everyone else can eventually mean and put into practise what we say

    Genuinely, all the best to you, Ray x -
    Deniz22: Christian was nice to me once. I shall always treasure those two stars! -
    Gypsy Starchild: Congrats on your well deserved win with Greed Will Destroy America! -