Poll time!

[neadods]

So, there's a fan author I want to send an "I really love your fic" email to.

...only I want to add a line along the lines of "I'm very impressed with your level of detail and world building and I am not easily impressed; I've been reading fanfic for almost 40 years and used to be a book critic." And I can't tell if the natural reaction to that comment would be "Wow. That's really something; I'm flattered" or "Wow. What a blowhard; she's flattering herself."

[Poll #2018444]

Comments

[redpanda13.livejournal.com]

I think I'd phrase it a bit differently (she said, succumbing to the ugly desire to get fingers all over someone else's prose). How about something like:

"I've been reading fanfic for nearly forty years and your level of detail and world building are among the best I've ever seen."

If you were a professional book critic, getting paid actual money, you might mention that; if not, I'd leave it out. (I can't recall what the situation was; blame my swiss-cheese brain.) If you want to compare her writing favorably with good pro writers, go for it.

[neadods.livejournal.com]

A nominal payment now and then... but at least two of my reviews that are still up on the Reviewing the Evidence have been blurbed on printed books.

[starcat-jewel.livejournal.com]

^^ That's almost exactly what I was going to say. Consider it seconded.

[lil-shepherd.livejournal.com]

Thirded. I, personally, would be very flattered to receive that review, but I think the book critic bit does sound just a wee bit off.

[neadods.livejournal.com]

I thought it might. Some of my reviews have been used as blurbs - I was flattered, but it doesn't work into conversation well, does it?

[purplecat]

fourthed. I'd stop at "reading fanfic for almost 40 years" and not mention the book critic stuff unless you get into a conversation with them.

[neadods.livejournal.com]

Fair enough! I just might get into that conversation - we're both going to be at GridlockDC, apparently.

[not-hathor.livejournal.com]

I'd leave out the bit about being a book critic; while it establishes credentials (as in, 'I have experience and know what I'm talking about, not just a gushing fan-girl'), it also sounds a bit snobbish...