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Review tag? No! Review roulette? No!! This is đș Catnip Circle đș, where you give a review and get a review.
The game is simple. If you want to play, you have twenty-four hours to submit a fic of your choiceâkeep in mind it does not have to be a fic you've written! (Though make sure you have the author's permission first.) Once submissions are closed, each participant will be assigned a fic to review by random dice roll. Participating authors, make sure you give the organizer a list of everyone fully caught up on your fic, so they don't get assigned to it. You will have 48 hours to post your review. The game only obligates you to review a single chapter, but review in whatever style suits you best!
tldr; in the span of 48 hours, you'll write a review on a fic assigned to you by random chance, and get a guaranteed review on a fic of your choice. Come one, come all, and roll around in the sweet sweet catnip of critical feedback!
See also Review Roulette, for a different flavor of reviewing game!
Catnip Circle is an opportunity to give and receive constructive criticism on your work. Giving crit can be tricky, and weâre all still practicing these skills! Here are some tips that may be helpful in writing your catnip review:
Q & A
Q: Wait, so can I submit my own fic?
A: 100%! Roll in that catnip!!
Q: But I could submit someone else's fic if I want?
A: Yup! Just get their permission first!
Q: My fic's not hosted on this forum. Can I still play with a fic hosted off-site?
A: This is a forum-based game, and for the convenience of all the players, who may not have accounts on other sites, we ask that you only submit fics that are hosted here. If you have any questions about posting your fic, you can ask them in the Help and Suggestions area, or in our discord!
Q: How do I submit the fic I want reviewed?
A: DM the organizer with the link, either via TR or discord! Let's keep this thread clean.
Q: I'm only looking for positive feedback on my fic and don't want any crit. Can I submit that story to Catnip?
A: Catnip Circle is a game centered around receiving feedback and constructive criticism. You must be willing to receive crit on the story that you submit.
Q: I'm okay with crit on [X] but I don't want reviewers giving feedback on [Y]. What should I do?
A: You can specify what you'd like and wouldn't like feedback on at the start of your story! Many reviewers will appreciate the guidance. That said, if a Catnip reviewer does feel moved to give feedback on [Y], that's their right too. Keep in mind that you are never obligated to follow feedback that you don't find helpful.
Q: Does a fic count as something I've reviewed before if it's the first few chapters? Does it have to be something I haven't read before at all?
A: As long as there are chapters left in the fic you haven't yet reviewed, you can just continue where you left off!
Q: How much do I have to read of the fic I get assigned? Do I have to read the whole thing?
A: Catnip Circle only obligates you to read and review a single chapter. Try to be courteous and fair-minded, though! If you get assigned a fic with a 300 word prologue, for example, it would be good form to read the first chapter as well.
Q: Is there a cap on the length of the oneshot/chapters I submit?
A: You can submit oneshots or stories with chapters of any length, but readers will not be obligated to read and review past the first 10k words. If you submit a oneshot or chapter longer than 10k, you may want to think ahead of time about a good break point for your assigned reader. Similarly, if youâre assigned a 10k+ chapter, clarify with the author a good place for you to break off. Of course, you are always welcome to read the full chapterâor multiple chaptersâof your assigned fic!
Q: There are certain content warnings I'm not comfortable reading. What should I do?
A: If you have a good sense beforehand of what your content warning reservations are, definitely inform the organizer! EG, I don't want to read cw: sexual assault or cw: gore. If any submitted fics have those warnings, you won't be assigned to them. However, if you get assigned a fic and realize there's something in it you can't deal with, just let the organizer know and we'll also arrange an alternate for you.
Q: I don't want to read genre x, do I have to?
A: While organizers are happy to accommodate content warning reservations, they can't accommodate genre requests such as "no fluffy fics" or "only PMD." Catnip Circle involves an element of chance and getting pushed outside your usual reading comfort zone. If you prefer to only read certain specific content, consider reaching out to an author whose work intrigues you and setting up a one-on-one exchange!
Q: Who should go on my reroll list?
A: Your reroll list should include 1) people fully caught up with reviews on your fic and 2) betas and those you have a planned review exchange already scheduled with. Please don't add people to your reroll list for other reasons. If you have a special case, you can always check in with the organizer.
Q: I love Catnip Circle and never want to miss a game. What should I do?
A: Make sure you have the catnipper role enabled on the server. You can do that by following this link and reacting with the cat emoji below!
How to Host
So you want some catnip but there's no game scheduled. No worries, it's super easy to host a round yourself!
1) Announce the game! Use @catnipper to ping people on the server and make a new post in this thread announcing when fic submission are due by and what the reviewing window is. You can use this website to create a countdown so there's no timezone confusion over deadlines. Remind people to PM you with their fic submissions and info about anyone who is caught-up and should be excluded from their fic when rolling.
2) Roll! This is made easy with Negrek's handy Catnip Roller. You simply input the person's name and anyone they should not be matched with, and click. You'll then want to give everyone playing a ping in the server and update the forum post with the assignments.
3) Give reminders as necessary. Use your discretion here. Generally a polite ping at 12 hours or 8 hours remaining is appreciated. If there's an individual straggler, you can remind them over PM to avoid singling people out.
If any questions come up while you're hosting the game, feel free to reach out to @Pen or @kintsugi!
The game is simple. If you want to play, you have twenty-four hours to submit a fic of your choiceâkeep in mind it does not have to be a fic you've written! (Though make sure you have the author's permission first.) Once submissions are closed, each participant will be assigned a fic to review by random dice roll. Participating authors, make sure you give the organizer a list of everyone fully caught up on your fic, so they don't get assigned to it. You will have 48 hours to post your review. The game only obligates you to review a single chapter, but review in whatever style suits you best!
tldr; in the span of 48 hours, you'll write a review on a fic assigned to you by random chance, and get a guaranteed review on a fic of your choice. Come one, come all, and roll around in the sweet sweet catnip of critical feedback!
See also Review Roulette, for a different flavor of reviewing game!
Catnip Circle is an opportunity to give and receive constructive criticism on your work. Giving crit can be tricky, and weâre all still practicing these skills! Here are some tips that may be helpful in writing your catnip review:
- Phrase statements as personal rather than absolute. Instead of âThis is badâ or âThis doesnât workâ you could say âThis didnât work for meâ or âI was confused here.â That way, youâre giving your reaction as a singular reader.
- Ask questions! You might ask questions about the writerâs intent with a line or plot device: âDid you mean to say X instead of Y? Is this character the best perspective character for this scene? This line makes me feel XYZâwas that intentional?â Or you might ask questions about the world or characters: âI wonder what would happen if âŠ? What does this character think about what happened in this scene? How does this group handle such-and-such obstacle?â This is a great way to kickstart a writerâs creative problem-solving process.
- Try to approach the story on its own terms.Thereâs nothing wrong with disclosing that you donât like the genre or game that the story is pulling from, but remember that youâre here to help the author, and they probably arenât able to change what genre or games they like. Can you offer feedback on other aspects of their work instead? How do the characters come across? Does the prose flow smoothly?
- Not everyone will share your take on canon! Try to use whatâs in the story--is it consistent with the rest of the story even if itâs different from your headcanon? Try to approach a story with fresh eyes, and avoid importing your own notions of what must be. A good way to handle this might be to say, âIâm used to seeing element X done in Y way, but youâre doing it in Z way.â Then explain the impact that had on you as a reader.
- If something isnât working for you, see if you can explain why! If youâre having trouble putting it into words, giving an example of an alternative you think would be better can sometimes be helpful to the author to nail down what exactly wasnât working for you.
- Not sure what else to add to your review? Try to answer some of these questions:
- What literally happened in this chapter? Were there any places you werenât sure what was literally happening? Where do the characters stand at the beginning of the chapter, and how have their situations changed at the end? Even a temperature read in these simple ways can be helpful!
- Did the author do something different or creative in this chapter that you havenât seen often?
- What was your favorite moment or character?
- Was there anything that surprised you? Or did a prediction you made earlier come true?
- What do you think will happen next?
- Have you noticed improvements in their work over time or since the last chapter?
- Did you learn anything you might try in your own writing?
- When youâre finished, reread your review before posting. Sometimes when trying to deconstruct what didnât work, your writing can take on a tone that sounds more negative than you intended. It can be helpful to take a step back and read the review in order, as if youâre the author, to understand how they might perceive it. This is also the time to check for typos of your own, especially if youâre reviewing on mobile!
Q & A
Q: Wait, so can I submit my own fic?
A: 100%! Roll in that catnip!!
Q: But I could submit someone else's fic if I want?
A: Yup! Just get their permission first!
Q: My fic's not hosted on this forum. Can I still play with a fic hosted off-site?
A: This is a forum-based game, and for the convenience of all the players, who may not have accounts on other sites, we ask that you only submit fics that are hosted here. If you have any questions about posting your fic, you can ask them in the Help and Suggestions area, or in our discord!
Q: How do I submit the fic I want reviewed?
A: DM the organizer with the link, either via TR or discord! Let's keep this thread clean.
Q: I'm only looking for positive feedback on my fic and don't want any crit. Can I submit that story to Catnip?
A: Catnip Circle is a game centered around receiving feedback and constructive criticism. You must be willing to receive crit on the story that you submit.
Q: I'm okay with crit on [X] but I don't want reviewers giving feedback on [Y]. What should I do?
A: You can specify what you'd like and wouldn't like feedback on at the start of your story! Many reviewers will appreciate the guidance. That said, if a Catnip reviewer does feel moved to give feedback on [Y], that's their right too. Keep in mind that you are never obligated to follow feedback that you don't find helpful.
Q: Does a fic count as something I've reviewed before if it's the first few chapters? Does it have to be something I haven't read before at all?
A: As long as there are chapters left in the fic you haven't yet reviewed, you can just continue where you left off!
Q: How much do I have to read of the fic I get assigned? Do I have to read the whole thing?
A: Catnip Circle only obligates you to read and review a single chapter. Try to be courteous and fair-minded, though! If you get assigned a fic with a 300 word prologue, for example, it would be good form to read the first chapter as well.
Q: Is there a cap on the length of the oneshot/chapters I submit?
A: You can submit oneshots or stories with chapters of any length, but readers will not be obligated to read and review past the first 10k words. If you submit a oneshot or chapter longer than 10k, you may want to think ahead of time about a good break point for your assigned reader. Similarly, if youâre assigned a 10k+ chapter, clarify with the author a good place for you to break off. Of course, you are always welcome to read the full chapterâor multiple chaptersâof your assigned fic!
Q: There are certain content warnings I'm not comfortable reading. What should I do?
A: If you have a good sense beforehand of what your content warning reservations are, definitely inform the organizer! EG, I don't want to read cw: sexual assault or cw: gore. If any submitted fics have those warnings, you won't be assigned to them. However, if you get assigned a fic and realize there's something in it you can't deal with, just let the organizer know and we'll also arrange an alternate for you.
Q: I don't want to read genre x, do I have to?
A: While organizers are happy to accommodate content warning reservations, they can't accommodate genre requests such as "no fluffy fics" or "only PMD." Catnip Circle involves an element of chance and getting pushed outside your usual reading comfort zone. If you prefer to only read certain specific content, consider reaching out to an author whose work intrigues you and setting up a one-on-one exchange!
Q: Who should go on my reroll list?
A: Your reroll list should include 1) people fully caught up with reviews on your fic and 2) betas and those you have a planned review exchange already scheduled with. Please don't add people to your reroll list for other reasons. If you have a special case, you can always check in with the organizer.
Q: I love Catnip Circle and never want to miss a game. What should I do?
A: Make sure you have the catnipper role enabled on the server. You can do that by following this link and reacting with the cat emoji below!
How to Host
So you want some catnip but there's no game scheduled. No worries, it's super easy to host a round yourself!
1) Announce the game! Use @catnipper to ping people on the server and make a new post in this thread announcing when fic submission are due by and what the reviewing window is. You can use this website to create a countdown so there's no timezone confusion over deadlines. Remind people to PM you with their fic submissions and info about anyone who is caught-up and should be excluded from their fic when rolling.
2) Roll! This is made easy with Negrek's handy Catnip Roller. You simply input the person's name and anyone they should not be matched with, and click. You'll then want to give everyone playing a ping in the server and update the forum post with the assignments.
3) Give reminders as necessary. Use your discretion here. Generally a polite ping at 12 hours or 8 hours remaining is appreciated. If there's an individual straggler, you can remind them over PM to avoid singling people out.
If any questions come up while you're hosting the game, feel free to reach out to @Pen or @kintsugi!
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