TheKindCritic
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Joined 04-19-09, id: 1907574, Profile Updated: 05-24-09

Why, hello there! It seems that you have stumbled across my profile page, or better yet, the profile page of my alias, TheKindCritic. Whether this is to yell at me, to hug me, or... to do some random third thing that I can not currently think of... you are more than welcome to pull up an invisible chair, put up your weary, internet-feet, and pm me with all of your thoughts, complaints, etc. Really, whatever it is that you have to say I am willing and ready to hear.

Now, to answer some questions:

What gives you the right to call yourself TheKindCritic?
Well, nothing really. But why not? There are so many flamers here on the site, and when you combine that with the good intentioned but unhelpful remarks of "Good chapter! Update soon!" it makes it hard for the writer to, well, write. Many people who aspire to be writers try their hand at fanficting first, and when given no feedback, or worse yet, unnecessarily harsh feedback with no real critique, it can put a damper on their hopes and overall ability. I try (and hopefully am successful in my pursuit of) giving back actual advice and a kind word or two; I will never outright say "This is bad," nor "This is perfect," because I honestly don't think that it's fair to sum up a work so vaguely. What a will do is say, "This part was well-written because..." or "It might flow better if you..."
You get the point. Of course, keep in mind that these are only my opinions; I will try to stay neutral, and promise not to say that "Your story is bad because I hate this character/pairing!" What I might do is point out how IC they are, how unique the plot is, how captivating, and so on.
Just remember this - your story's your story. I'm only here to encourage you, in the hopes that you continue it.

How long have you been on the site?
I've been here for several years on various sns, the majority of which have now exchanged hands or been buried down under. So while this actual account is brand new, I have tried to uphold the "Kind Critic Promise" in my past ones. I know what it's like to be "the new writer," or better yet, "the old, no-one-reviews-me-anymore writer," and frankly, I've found both titles discouraging. No one should have to doubt himself because other people leave him in the dark or darken his outlook; I know, because on some accounts, I've been fairly well received, while on other accounts I've been all but assaulted. The writing style, plots, and pairings I've used are all the same; what's different is the readers, what they say, and how it makes me/you feel. Because, while ultimately the decision lies in ourselves whether or not what we write is "good," the opinions of others play a prominent role; it may not be fair, but it's fairly undeniable.

Will you read/critique what I've written?
Yes, just give me the title. I'll read anything, whatever the rating or genre. If it's a category I'm unfamiliar with, I still have good old wiki to consult, but keep in mind that it won't show me everything, so I might not understand everything. Thankfully, I have many friends who watch/read/play many different things, so hopefully they can fill me in. If not, just give me a summary before-hand, please, and be ready for a lengthy review XD

Will you answer any of the often-seen personal questions? Race, Name, Gender, etc?
On this account, I don't see the point. Maybe if I get to know you, but otherwise, see me as whatever makes the most sense. You can call me Critic, though, or T.K.C.

Why haven't you reviewed my story!?
Chances are I haven't come across it yet - title and category, please.

You realize this is stupid right?
Eh, potatoes potatos. Some may find it stupid and some may find it annoying. But I'm sure that some people will appreciate it, and those who don't can just tell me so. I know that I am far from perfect in my writing abilities and that my opinions won't always match those of the majority, but it still seems a worthwhile task to undertake; I might just be able to help a beginning writer, encourage a novice, or add an additional critique to an expert's agenda. There's no harm in what I do, so why shouldn't I (or anyone else) give it a try?

Note to Flamers:
I understand that some of you think that flaming is funny and won't cause any actual harm; you seem to forget that there are little children on this site, as well as aspiring writers. You can argue that the children are not supposed to be here, due to the age floor, and that the writers will benefit from some criticism; in both regards, you are correct. However, this does not change the fact that the children still are here, accompanied by their adolescent insecurities, and that criticism, constructive criticism is not the same thing as a rude remark. So, while I have no intention of "flaming" you, I feel that it's a good idea to point out why flaming may be a bad one. You can agree, or disagree, or, if you feel like it, I guess you'll just flame me...

Other things: Sometimes, if I'm in a hurry, I may leave a semi-short review. Other times, the story may not be long enough for me to give a huge review. If you want a longer one, let me know. Regardless, if it's going to be multi-chapter I will always alert it (unless I mistakenly forget to) and will then review the next chapter. If I don't do it the day you post, chances are that I'm too busy to give it a fair read, so don't be discouraged. If it takes over a week, feel free to pm me and see why - I don't see why this would happen unless I'm away, but whatever the case, you deserve an answer.
Don't let what I say frighten you or add pressure; if you were planning on going an entirely different direction with your story and I say it sounds good as it is, ignore me.

So far as my "selecting" goes, I pick a random category (or random categories) and often choose the first five stories I see. Of course, this is subject to change. Alongside that, I take "reviewing requests," and all in all they make for one solid day.

That's it for now, and thanks for reading.

Hopefully, I'll be reading something or yours soon, too!