I read and reviewed a story on fanfiction.net. It was well written and very entertaining. In my reviews of each chapter, I commented on what had happened and speculated as to where the story might be headed. Normal stuff, right?

I was blasted by another member of the fangroup (not L&C) for 'spoiling' the story.

Is there such a thing as a 'spoiler' review?

I've never experienced anything like this before. To me, reviews are not subject to the 'spoiler' heading.

Has anyone else had this type of experience?

Joan

I've never seen that before, Joan. I think the reviewer who blasted you was totally in the wrong and way too touchy about a fic. Now, I mean, if you commented on something that happened in Chapter 11 and the review was for Chapter 5, then I could see it being a spoiler. But commenting on the chapter at hand and speculation on where it might go, there is nothing wrong with that.

It wasn't even the author of the story that blasted me.

I've written lots of stories that have gotten "spoiler' reviews. "Yeah, she's alive!" when you've spent five chapters not knowing if the main character is okay. I never thought of it as a spoiler. To me, part of the fun of the review process is the reader's reaction to the story.

I was confused by the reaction. Sure, I happened to figure out where the writer was going, but I wasn't mean about it. I think I even said that would be a clever idea.

Joan

Weird Joan. Really weird. I too think half the fun is seeing people's reactions.

I agree with DC, if you're mentioning something that you've already read in a further part, that would be considered "spoiling" it for other readers, but I can't imagine you doing that. I'm constantly trying to guess where the author is going in FDK and see if they head in the same direction I would. Strangely enough, I'm usually wrong.

If the poster was reading the FDK before reading the posting part, then it was their own fault if you 'spoiled' it for them. Or if your guess is a good one, good for you!

I usually try to put clues in my stories to let the reader know the direction I'm (the writer / the story) heading. Call it predictibility, call it foreshadowing, but would that be considered spoiling as well?

I always thought foreshadowing was a good thing too. And if, based on that foreshadowing, the reader figures out where you're planning on going, that's a good thing.

Joan

If you're reviewing a specific chapter and only what's in that chapter - nothing from future chapters - then I don't see the problem. Anyone with commonsense should realise to avoid chapter reviews until they've read that chapter and if they read the reviews first instead, they've spoiled themselves imo.

LabRat

I agree.

I completely agree! A review is just that- what you comment on *after* reading or watching or the like. If I wanted to give out a spoiler it would be along the lines of this:

SPOILER ALERT!!!!

... Clark Kent is Superman...

And then this and this may ensue. If somebody was going into that conversation blind, without the spoiler alert, then they have the right to be mad at you.

If you wrote "I thought it was awesome when you had this happen in the chapter that everyone who is reading this comment should have already read," then that's not a spoiler.

And guessing is not a spoiler, either. It just means you're smarter than everybody else.

I thought that was a compliment to the writer that she left sufficient clues that I could figure out where she was going.

I contacted the writer and offered to remove the review. She wasn't bothered by it. Only some other reader was.
Joan