Having Trouble Getting Attention with new AAR

[Audacia]

Hi guys!

I'm new to the Writer's Study, but an avid writer myself, and have recently begun work on my first AAR. Well, actually not recently, but back in December, when I abandoned the project due to real life constraints. However, I have more recently begun to work on it again, and unfortunately, the little attention and few comments I received back in December have been the only comments I have received since re-visiting the project.

So, I'm asking how to gain some attention for my AAR! I have a link in my signature, I have posted an advertisement in the Ads thread, and I have even contacted a supporter of my AAR back in December (to no avail, he has not contacted me back). In all honesty, I do not believe my AAR is downright terrible, although it might not be terrific. I feel as though it is a solid attempt at an AAR, and I have devoted what writings skills I thought I had to it. I think it is actually pretty good, and yet I have received absolutely NO attention

I'm definitely getting more views, but if indeed my AAR does stink, I would appreciate some comments from people telling me what I can do to make it better. Anyways, I am done with my rant, and simply asking for some advice, thank you all very much in advance

By the way, I forgot to mention, it IS a Roman AAR. So I guess it might be too generic? I don't have any spectacular story to back up the generic storyline, but I have some planned for the near future (the Roman Civil War that is in RSII and such). Anyways, perhaps I need a better storyline or a different faction, I'm not sure...

[MIDN Mainolfi]

You've really done everything that you can do. Getting attention for your AAR will slowly build up as you progress further and further, and word begins to spread about it. You may post quite a few entries before any large-scale recognition is issued to it. Also, as you said, you did temporarily abandon it awhile back, so people may just be waiting for it to pick up steam once again before they become committed. You shouldn't let the immediate lack of attention discourage you, though, just keep up with the updates, and eventually the comments will be pouring in!

Also, I asked the same question about being too generic, and not having accomplished a lot in the game I based it on. But I received the answer, and I've found it is true even with professionally published novels, that you can write an idea that has been done a million times already, it all depends on how you write and present it. In the world of writing, it's difficult, if not impossible, to create any unique ideas. Everything that you do will exist in some shape or form somewhere, but it's your personal touch that will make it stand out from the crowd.

EDIT:

I just finished scimming through the entirety of your AAR, and if you wouldn't mind, I would like to add some constructive criticism. Keep in mind, I'm certainly no expert, and I'm far from the best writer on these forums, so take what you will from my words.

Your AAR has the potential to be something great. But it seems a tad bit too shallow, and too fast. Your characters don't seem to have a great deal of depth, and that makes it hard for readers to get attached to them. Your storyline, or at least the presentation of it, buzzes to the end quite quickly. It seems the route you took was Army A met Army B, they fought, and Army A won a great victory.

Why was it a great victory? How does this affect the people I'm reading about in the story, on both a professional and personal level? What history led up to that battle? What were individual people thinking when they decided that the battle had to happen?

I guess the best way that I am able to put it right now, and I'm not trying to be mean, and if I'm coming off that way, I deeply apologize, would be a history channel documentary that tried to cover all 3 punic wars in a one-hour documentary. It lightly scims over the major details, but in the end, I wasn't drawn in. That's my critique.

On a forum level, you wrote a good amount, and a couple of people commented, but then you disappeared. True, you did post more recently, but it might take some more time for people to rediscover Atlantis.

Also, because I critiqued your AAR, it would only be fair of me to allow you to critique something I'm working on: The Coming Storm of Isengard

It isn't great, but feel free to reply either there, or here as I'll keep checking back.

[Audacia]

Thank you so much for the quick reply!

I totally agree with your criticism, in fact, before I even read this, I was going through my original posts and editing things to make them more in depth. About sounding like a history channel documentary, well that's quite funny, because I felt the same way looking back on the posts I made in December. To be honest, I believe that was my goal in December, to sound like a history channel narrator. But now I feel completely different, and am definitely going to go back and build upon my characters and create a more engaging story.

I will be sure to check out your work as well, I am looking forward to reading it. Once again, thank you very much for the constructive criticism and quick response, I hope you continue to check out my AAR once and a while as well

[Radzeer]

First of all, let me applaud you for looking for feedback here! I always appreciate the work of those who want to improve their writing.

I think MIDN Mainolfi picked on an important point about the story depth/pace, so I won't comment on that further. Let me just add a few other general observations.

- It takes some time for most AARs to develop an audience. Even some of the most successful writers here weren't that successful in their first attempt. At first everybody is just a random guy, so give it time. If you update regularly and keep people informed about your project, they will see that your story is alive and come back to it. Also, many people read who never comment.

- If you have a campaign that is not unexpected, exotic etc., try to develop a plot which makes it interesting. Family infight, rebellious generals, perspective of the common man, an interesting diplomat/spy/assassin etc can give you plenty to work on within the game limits. You can also temporarily take your campaign to an unexpected direction, fighting an enemy nobody could expect. In other words, you can spice it up without a major revision. A general can react to a failed marriage in Rome by taking his army and go against somebody in Africa or Northern Europe. Or anything else. Just give your characters a personality based on ancillaries, traits or just what you think about them. People like to identify with story characters.

- Create conflict and suspense. If an AAR is just a series of victories, people will appreciate the campaign but not so much the narrative. Most people can beat the AI, it's no big deal. Lose a few battles, and suddenly the campaign gets interesting. I'm not saying you should lose on purpose, just don't always overpower the AI. It also gives your characters interesting personalities. Once I lost a general in a battle I won. His son came of age next turn, and I developed him to revenge his father as a rogue general. He lost his first battle as a youngster (hardly escaped), then over time he looked for his father's killer, eventually revenged him (even if that battle was not in my campaign plan), and on the way back he was ambushed and killed too. It made a good story.

- Consider submitting your AAR to MAARC or a battle from it to BAARC. Even if you don't win, it will give your work publicity.

- Finally, read a lot of other AARs. See how other writers do it. Leave comments there. Chances are that many of them will read yours and leave comments.

Hope this helps. Good luck!

[Audacia]

I appreciate the tips, and I must say I am very glad to have come to the Lounge for advice!

I have considered submitting my AAR to the MAARC, but I think I will wait until next month and let my story develop a bit more. But I definitely appreciate the help, and really thank you for taking the time to look at my AAR and provide me with advice

[Hesus de bodemloze]

Keep posting new chapters of your AAR so that people will see it is continuing and a life. Compete in MAARC, try to show your face where ever you can. Read other members AAR and post comments maybe they will get interested and stop by to read your AAR but don't spam threads to just for the sake of it. Try competing in BAARC as well it is not directly linked to your AAR but people will see your link and you 'll have a bigger chance to get "discovered" by others.

[Robin de Bodemloze]

What is this ad thread people speak of? I'm writing a S2 AAR but it seems that in general there's not a lot of attention paid to this kind of thing

[Radzeer]

What is this ad thread people speak of? I'm writing a S2 AAR but it seems that in general there's not a lot of attention paid to this kind of thing

This one.

Also, it takes time for people to start commenting on new AARs. You can figure out from the number of views how many follow it though. And the crowd is usually bigger for RTW and MTW2 AARs (since the games have been around longer).

Lose no heart!

[ReD_OcToBeR]

As long as you post regularly, respond to readers, participate in the community( reading other's work, commenting if you feel the need etc.), and enjoy what you are writing you'll do fine. But mainly though, you have to enjoy it, which I can't stress enough. As soon as it becomes a chore, it's lost or on a slow decline much like some stories i had/have.

If what you're doing is of good quality, heart, uniqueness, entertaining, the people will come. It's like watching someone sing, you know when they are giving it their all, and when they just plain are not.

And as Radzeer said, RTW and MTW2 games gather the most views, although I'd say that any AAR in the MTW2 section when matched against an RTW AAR will get more views in the long run. All other games need time to mature so don't get discouraged.

[Robin de Bodemloze]

Yea I enjoy what I'm writing. It's just my first TW AAR and my first AAR of any kind for years, so was hoping I'd get some feedback on how I was doing etc. There does seem to be more interest as I write more which is encouraging, and some good suggestions from different people.

In any case it's an interesting experience for me (started thinking about the next chapter at work once ) so we'll see what happens. Thanks for the advice! And take a read if you have time to burn

[ReD_OcToBeR]

Yea I enjoy what I'm writing. It's just my first TW AAR and my first AAR of any kind for years, so was hoping I'd get some feedback on how I was doing etc. There does seem to be more interest as I write more which is encouraging, and some good suggestions from different people.

In any case it's an interesting experience for me (started thinking about the next chapter at work once ) so we'll see what happens. Thanks for the advice! And take a read if you have time to burn

Yeah I do the same thing from time to time, I'll think of things in my head about the chapter I am working or, or want to post etc.

I've been working on something for the past week now and I'm somewhat excited, well not like teenage girl hop hop excited, but enough to use the word. Then I think is funny somewhat because you/everyone are really posting an AAR for your own... satisfaction, if you can call it that. Since it'll never be published, read by people who dont play TW games, or many that do for that matter. You wont be payed or become famous, you're just doing it because you feel the need to. I guess its hard to word, when you put so much time into something that so few people will see. I guess they're for creative people. I can honestly say though it feels awesome when your word is liked by people and they want more.

As for your AAR, I will take a look sometime over next few days. I'm off work for a few and am really diving into my next project on here. I feel the need to do it, and am just going with it. All of my other AARs will be dropped as I've just lost interest in them due to bad timing creating them when I did. Now im settled and don't have my mind elsewhere. Sorry to ramble on, im talkative today lol.

[Radzeer]

I'm off work for a few and am really diving into my next project on here. I feel the need to do it, and am just going with it. All of my other AARs will be dropped as I've just lost interest in them due to bad timing creating them when I did. Now im settled and don't have my mind elsewhere. Sorry to ramble on, im talkative today lol.

But I can understand your point. Just don't leave us AARless! (I know it's another one coming, but still.) Writers like you do not show up every day.