I'm choosing to abstain from this vote.
I liked none of the candidates as Elements stories or even as just stories.
Sorry People.
How did this become some statement of hate that people think less of me for?
Its a personal opinion about the stories and nothing more.
I would have thought that this forum being mostly Adults of sound mind that they would have taken this statement as "Ok, he doesn't like my story, but I didn't lose his vote to someone else" and maybe "If I do badly I might ask him why he didn't vote for me so I can get his vote next time". Instead I was berated as some evil Super-Critic.
Kael, for setting such a high standard for fan-fiction literature, you really take and say things very literally and don't seem to grasp much outside of your own perception. I've always thought you were a great member of the community, a little harsh sometimes, but your comments show a consistent lack of maturity and respect and are replete with unnecessary condescension. To come into a thread and openly criticize works that clearly took time is completely unnecessary and pointless.
I'm not a Pro Writer, I said that earlier. I know what I like and what I want to read when I read an elements story. None of these could do that so I didin't like them. I did not say anymore than that I did not like them until questioned so.
I often appear Harsh because I am Honest, I never cut it short. I don't know what you consider a lack of maturity is but I think taking arms because someone said they didn't like my work seems immature to me. Twisting "did not like" into "you suck" and then having others pick up that statement and run accusations with it is immaturity in action. To accuse of immaturity without any consideration to the detail played out before is immature.
As to the open criticism. Go back and read the topic through again. Here's a link to my first post so you can see that all I did was state an opinion in a mild manner.
http://elementscommunity.org/forum/index.php/topic,10131.msg133887#msg133887
I wrote in human-ish terms because that seemed easier to relate to. Stories are no good if they merely describe a setting; they need to explore characters or ideas. Even science fiction is only worth reading if, in the wonderful tradition of people like Asimov and Philip K. Dick, it explores some concept and its implications.
I second bojengles. You certainly have the right to say here what you want within forum rules, that doesn't mean we can't think less of you for saying particular things. I've been pulling my punches and addressing your words, but your attitude needs some serious adjustment, and I've lost a lot of respect for you in these last two pages.
The Humanish terms stole the Primal nature of elements. If they are supposed to be Water elementals, why do they need a boat?
I didn't feel they were water elementals in any way. The only mention of Water is their drink or maybe Ice-bolts, but nothing about there physical aspects defined them as elementals at all.
"I never told them anything, doesn't mean they didn't take weeks trying, until my lips
were cracked so deep I couldn't speak. "
Why does a water elemental have lips that crack? is it made of flesh or Water?
“Did you see a redhead in a dress run off?”
Elementals wear dresses and have hair? is it made of Flesh or Fire?
It felt like all the characters where humans casting spells and this destroyed it for me. I can't say anything about the story construction but as a consumer I felt I was not reading an elements story and as such did not like it. If you took the same story to Mage you wouldn't need to change a thing. They all acted as humans.
This is what I see an Elemental as.
"Elemental, a creature formed entirely of one of the classical elements in mysticism, alchemy, mythology and modern fantasy fiction"
Why pull punches? How is that Honest? If you took offence because I said I didn't like your story you should step up and prove my comment wrong. If you didn't want to know why I don't like your story you shouldn't have asked. If people think less of me because I speak the truth, then I question the need to have respect from people who would rather live among Jackals and Yesmen. I respect myself because I hold true to my ideals and want people to evolve. I respect those that pick it up and become something better. You even quoted yourself:
Believe you are capable, and always work to improve. "Perfection is unattainable, but if we chase perfection, we can catch excellence." ~Vince Lombardi
Considering what I have read from your posts elsewhere I am surprised you took such a direction and did things like Paraphrasing "You Suck". I'm quite dissapointed that people didn't read the post I said and rather took your paraphrase and went to attack me. I'm dissapointed that people don't understand simple fact when stated. I'm dissapointed that people devolve into emotional fear.
