June 4, 2008:

Have been virtually w/o Internet for about two weeks! They finally fixed the danged thing!

April 19, 2008:

ANNOUNCEMENT:

"NEVER ENOUGH HEROES: A Lord of the Rings FanFic Recommendations Blog" has been started by Michelle, owner/moderator of the Aragorn Angst Yahoo Group. Michelle has asked me to help out.

The blog link is http://recs.naiceanilme.com and from now on, that's where you should look for my list of story recommendations. I will gradually delete the recommendations here and put them all there. It's easier for us to manage and it'll be a lot easier for you to find stories you're interested in! Any feedback either via the site or to me via PM or email would be appreciated. Thanks! You can look for my personal recommendations under the 'Thorongirl's Tales of Torment, Trauma, and Travesty' link on the right hand side of the page.

March 3, 2008:

LOTS OF ADDITIONS TO THE STORY RECOMMENDATIONS. ALSO, I HAVE DELETED A FEW STORIES BECAUSE EITHER THE LINKS NO LONGER WORK OR THEY HAVEN'T BEEN UPDATED IN AGES.

'A Tale of Aragorn' by Grecian (complete) http://www.fanfiction.net/s/3987571/1/

'Apostate's Ruse' by CalenlassGreenleaf (WIP) - http://www.fanfiction.net/s/3445523/1/

'Bitten' by Legorfilinde (Complete) http://www.fanfiction.net/s/1504859/16/Bitten

'Enchain' by Pentangle-linnon (complete, young Estel story) http://www.fanfiction.net/s/2804369/1/Enchain

'He Was a Bra' Gallant' by Pentangle-Linnon - http://www.fanfiction.net/s/2637633/1/He_Was_a_Bra_Gallant (complete) -- ANYTHING you read by this author is worth reading!

'In Dark Places' by Peredhil lover (WIP) - http://www.fanfiction.net/s/4097251/1/

'In the Shadows I Wait' by Pentangle-linnon (complete) http://www.fanfiction.net/s/3442897/1/

'Not All Those Who Wandered Were Lost' by Sindarinelvish http://www.henneth-annun.net/stories/chapter.cfm?stid=5230 (Complete)

'Only Water In Your Veins' by Michelle http://www.lotrfanfiction/viewstory.php?sid/=11018 (Complete) - magnificent story by the owner/moderator of the Aragorn Angst Yahoo Group

'Strange Gifts' by PurpleHat: http://www.fanfiction.net/s/35726146/1/ (WIP - SLASH! Pairing is Glorfindel/Estel)

'The Littlest Warrior' by Ravenswing 14337 (great little Estel story though there is a hint of slash that really doesn't effect the story in my opinion) - http://www.fanfiction.net/s/4124310/1/The_Littlest_Warrior

'The Only Way to Kill the Dragon' by Starlight (WIP) http://www.fanfiction.net/s/3995960/1/

'Wherever the Surge Will Sweep' by Jame K (COMPLETE): http://www.fanfiction.net/s/2153626/1/Wherever_the_Surge_May_Sweep

'A Tangled Web' by Nienna Nir (adult content, but not slash) http://www.fanfiction.net/s/1611733/1/A_Tangled_Web (complete)

'Careless' by estelstheone: http://www.fanfiction.net/s/3610472/1/ (heed the warnings, though it is fairly innocuous)

'Dwimmerlaik' by The Lady of Light: http://www.fanfiction.net/s/3628683/1/

'The Eagle's Gift' by Raksha the Demon: http://www.fanfiction.net/s/3638649/1/

'To Live or To Die' by Sadie Elfgirl: http://www.fanfiction.net/s/3639078/1/ (I love all of Sadie's stories!)

Lots more below further down the page! You can also check out my C2 list and my Favorite Stories/Authors lists for more.

April 25, 2007:

I decided it was time to clean up my Profile Page by consolidating my favorite stories and authors into two relatively neat lists. Oh, and for you Aragorn lovers, there is a nifty Yahoo group called Owners of Aragorn Angst where you can find lots of good info and links/postings of stories you might not find elsewhere. It's normally a fairly active group and the members are a pretty friendly bunch. The link is: http://groups.yahoo.com/search?query=Owners+of+Aragorn+Angst

The following are what I call my 'Desert Island Stories' -- that is, stories I'd want to have with me if I was trapped on a desert island, with nothing much to do.

IF YOU'RE UNDERAGE OR DON'T LIKE SLASH, PLEASE HEED ANY WARNINGS ABOUT RATING AND CONTENT AS THERE ARE A COUPLE OF SLASH STORIES ON THE COMBINED STORY/AUTHOR LIST.

A Runaway's Nightmare by 'estelstheone' (my sister) WIP - M rating; non-consensual themes throughout; not for the kiddies; absolutely riveting) - http://www.fanfiction.net/s/2655944/1/

A Warrior's Experience by 'The Lady of Light' (topnotch Aragorn/Haldir friendship story) - Complete - http://www.fanfiction.net/s/3307588/1/

A Web of Treason by 'Lindahoyland' (you want Aragorn angst? look no further)! - Complete - http://www.fanfiction.net/s/2579722/1/

A Spring's Tale by 'GilFeir' (PLEASE NOTE: THIS IS A/L SLASH) - http://www.fanfiction.net/s/3478633/1/

Agarwaen Bloodstained by 'The Lady of Light' (newest Aragorn/Haldir story; I love this one, but it does have some pretty graphic and intense scenes of violence) - http://www.fanfiction.net/s/3356337/1/

An Assassin's Prize by 'Alice 7' (okay, another M rating; excellent adventure story that evolves into a dark, tortuous time for a fairly young Estel) - Complete - http://www.fanfiction.net/s/1457485/1/

An Eye for an Eye by 'Nili' (my favorite Nili story to date, though her latest is showing promise of replacing this one) - Complete - http://www.fanfiction.net/s/1179397/1/

Animal Magnetism by 'estelstheone' (short humor piece; no warnings) - Complete - http://www.fanfiction.net/s/3020199/1/

Answers and Questions by 'Peredhil Lover' (mature, dramatic writing by one of the newest authors in the genre) - Complete - http://www.fanfiction.net/s/3163065/1/

Aragorn's Average Adventure by 'Erestor' (you'll die laughing) - http://www.fanfiction.net/s/1790869/1/

Awakened Memories by 'Beregond5) (can be found at the HASA site) - Complete - http://www.henneth-annun.net/stories/chapter_view.cfm?stid=6041&SPOrdinal=1

Beyond the Dimril Gate by 'Jay of Lasgalen' (can be found here and at Stories of Arda where I think she has uploaded more chapters) - http://www.storiesofarda.com/chapterview.asp?sid=4668&cid=18629

Blindsided by 'Mackie' (http://www.sen-o-gwend.us/fiction/m-blindsided.shtml (I noticed that the link no longer works; if anyone knows if it's still posted somewhere, write me. Otherwise, I will remove it from the list soon).

Born Brave by 'oxpecker' (one of my favorite new authors; it's amazing how well this young author writes; in a class of her own my apologies if I got the author's gender wrong) - http://www.fanfiction.net/s/3423761/1/

Brotherhood by 'Bodkin' - (lovely, well-thought out story of Estel's upbringing in Imladris - http://www.storiesofarda.com/chapterview.asp?sid=5112&cid=21091

Brothers at Heart by 'Radbooks' (mature, dramatic writing at its best) - Complete - http://www.fanfiction.net/s/2758188/1/

Buried by 'Cheryl W' (you couldn't ask for a more wonderful, emotional story than this; one of my all-time favorites) - Complete - http://www.fanfiction.net/s/1919648/1/

Buried: Descent by 'Pentangle-linnon (complete - young Estel story)http://www.fanfiction.net/s/2640205/1/Buried_Descent

Castle Parts I & II by 'Timmy2222' (amazingly realistic, and fascinatingly dramatic story of our favorite king in captivity) - Complete - http://www.fanfiction.net/s/1833493/1/

Day and Night by 'Peredhil Lover' (another of my favorite new authors) - Complete - http://www.fanfiction.net/s/3190408/1/

Delw Yomenie by 'Imaginigma' (I love this story as it panders totally to my craving for Aragorn angst) - http://www.fanfiction.net/s/2506330/1/

Doomed to Live by 'Fliewatuet' (still a WIP; giver her a nudge, okay? one of THE best Aragorn angst stories I've ever read and she is still working on it, but encouragement can't hurt, right) - http://www.fanfiction.net/s/890935/1/

Eagle of the Star by 'Neoinean' (WIP; awesome story) - http://www.fanfiction.net/s/1936067/1/

Escape by 'Mirrordance' (great AU story) - http://www.fanfiction.net/s/1718432/1/

Exiled by 'Elizabeth Goode' (I love this story) (Complete) - http://www.fanfiction.net/s/1151755/1/

Fading Flame by 'Linuvial Greenleaf' (Complete) (all of her stories can still be found at http://www.angelfire.com/dragon2/irelandsspades/

False Reality by Maranwe Elanor http://www.fanfiction.net/s/1377271/1/

False Trails by 'Mackie' (http://www.sen-o-gwend.us/fiction/mh-falsetrails.shtml) - Complete

Fell Memories by Gwynnd (http://www.storiesofarda.com/chapterlistview.asp?SID=5034) - Complete

First Impressions Don't Always Count by 'Alice 7' (Complete) - http://www.fanfiction.net/s/1336952/1/

First Name Terms by 'The Lady of Light' (love this one) - Complete - http://www.fanfiction.net/s/3264939/1/

For the Love of the Lord of the White Tree by Legolass Q - (one of THE most astounding stories you will EVER read) - Complete - http://www.fanfiction.net/s/2231205/1/

Healing Hope by 'Ithil-Valon' (she writes the best little Estel Stories) - WIP - http://www.fanfiction.net/s/2626518/1/

Heart of Men, The by 'Nili' (I love Nili!) - Complete - http://www.fanfiction.net/s/1353172/1/

Hope Lost, Hope Regained by 'Michelle' (http://www.naiceanilme.com/viewstory.php?sid=944) -- fascinating AU story -- Complete

In the Shadows I Wait by 'Pentangle-linnon' (reads like a classic fairytale; incredibly beautiful) - http://www.fanfiction.net/s/3442897/1/

I Want More by “Aragornwriter” (Aragorn as Elessar; some graphic scenes of violence) http://www.aragorn-legolas.5u.com/iwantmore.htm

In Shadow Realm by 'Legolass Q' (All but complete -- another incredible story by one of the masters) - http://www.fanfiction.net/s/2541912/1/

In the Hands of the Enemy by 'Meckinock' - (if you haven't found this incredible author's stories, now's the time; one of my all time favorite Aragorn stories) - http://www.fanfiction.net/s/2715515/1/

Mire by 'Cheryl W' - (incredible tearjerker; and angst at its absolute best) - http://www.fanfiction.net/s/1559322/1/

Most Precious by Surreysmum (A/L SLASH) http://www.fanfiction.net/s/3704162/1/Most_Precious

Nameless Exile by 'Maethril Aranel' - WIP (love this one, too) - http://www.fanfiction.net/s/2318582/1/

Of Memories and Nightmares by Maranwe Elanor (Complete) http://www.fanfiction.net/s/1534460/1/Of_Memories_and_Nightmares

Priceless Treasure by 'Cassia & Sio' (one of my favorite Mellon Chronicles stories (http://www.aragorn-legolas.5u.com/PT.htm

Quietly Into the Night by 'Sadie Elfgirl' - Complete (I miss Sadie, too; she wrote absolutely wonderful adventure, hurt/comfort stories) - http://www.fanfiction.net/s/2745448/1/

Rohan Conspiracy by 'sg1scribe' (surprise; it's an Eomer story, but it's a darned good one) - Complete - http://www.fanfiction.net/s/1919374/1/

Rohan Ghost Story by 'Katzilla' (another Eomer story but well worth the read) - Complete - http://www.fanfiction.net/s/1660421/1/

Roots by 'Dwimordene' (one of the premier authors in the fandom) - http://www.henneth-annun.net/stories/chapter.cfm?stid=26 - Complete

Shadows and Scars by 'Alice 7' (WIP but a really good one; the author is still working on this to the best of my knowledge but a few kindly reviews may not hurt) - http://www.fanfiction.net/s/2082199/1/

The Sight by 'Merenwen "Aldalas" Silverleaf' (some mature themes here, but very well written) - Complete - http://www.fanfiction.net/s/2671320/1/

Stars of Harad by 'Cassia' (one of the best stories in the Mellon Chronicles series) - http://www.aragorn-legolas.5u.com/SoH.htm

Stirrings of Shadow by 'Fiondil' (look for it at Stories of Arda; I love her stories) - http://www.storiesofarda.com/chapterview.asp?sid=5257&cid=21781

Sword of Elendil by 'Gandalf's Apprentice' - has been extensively revised but only for the better) - http://www.fanfiction.net/s/2485141/1/

Tad Edhel a Firion by "Fiondil' (again, look at the Stories of Arda archive; great young Aragorn story) - http://www.storiesofarda.com/chapterview.asp?sid=4899&cid=19719

Tales of Middle-earth: The First Time by 'Grecian' (I love all of Grecian's stories, though I think this is my personal favorite) - http://www.fanfiction.net/s/2439465/1/

Sacrifices of Friendship by 'Peredhil Lover' (phenomenally funny LOTR parody; if you don't laugh at this, there's something wrong with you)! - http://www.fanfiction.net/s/3355153/1/

This Present Darkness by 'Lamiel' (don't know how I overlooked putting this magnificent tale here before; very, very intense, incredible writing) http://www.fanfiction.net/s/2057806/1/

To Walk in Night by 'Nili' (are we seeing a pattern here? Oh yeah, I love Nili's stories) - http://www.fanfiction.net/s/1589344/1/

Truce by 'Meckinock' (a shout-out to one of the very best authors in the fanfdom) - http://www.fanfiction.net/s/3348658/1/

Twilight of the Gods by 'KatzillaTimmy2222' (this is a collaborative work by authors Katzilla and Timmy2222) -- epic length work; complete - http://www.fanfiction.net/s/1906525/1/

Untrodden Paths by 'Timmy' (you can find this at Stories of Arda) - http://www.storiesofarda.com/chapterview.asp?sid=3916&cid=15176

Visions of Betrayal by 'Nili' (I'm really thrilled with this story; Aragorn angst-fest awaits) - http://www.fanfiction.net/s/3274952/1/

Weight of Power by 'Nefheriel' (Nef is one of those awesome young writers and she just keeps getting better; this story is wonderful so far) - http://www.fanfiction.net/s/3363182/1/

Where the Stars are Strange by 'Dwimordene' (love this one; complete) - http://www.henneth-annun.net/stories/chapter.cfm?stid=107

Wizards's Companion, The by 'estelstheone' (be warned; this is a very mildly slash piece, but it's pretty funny and strangely hot) - http://www.fanfiction.net/s/2866853/1/

Wrong One, The by 'Nefheriel' (her first story and a great one at that) - http://www.fanfiction.net/s/2060972/1/

If any of these links don't work or I have them mixed up, please let me know. Thanks!

Now, for some of my favorite authors:

Alice7

Calenlass Greenleaf

Cassia

Cheryl W

Dwimordene

Erestor

Estelstheone

Fiondil

Gandalf's Apprentice

Grecian

Gwynnd

IcingDeath71 (again, a warning; her stories are slash but she writes so very well)

Imaginigma

Ithil-valon

Katzilla

Legolass Q

Linuvial Greenleaf

Meckinock

Michelle

Nefheriel

Nili

Numenora (just so you know, she writes slash, but I love her stories)

Oxpecker

Pentangle-Linnon

Peredhil Lover

Quickbeam1

Radbooks

Sadie Elfgirl

Sindarin Elvish (you can find her stories at the Henneth Annun archive)

The Lady of Light

Timmy or Timmy2222 (she is posting again at the Stories of Arda site)

WhiteWolf1

10/13/06:

I also highly recommend the Teitho Fanfiction Contest site which also hosts a fairly large library of Aragorn and Legolas fics. There's a new contest every month with the stipulation that you cannot post your stories anywhere else until the contest is over. Check it out!

5/31/06:

Announcement: For now I've decided to put my story ' Best of Intentions' on hold and don't plan on posting more on it until at least late summer. I love writing it but have had little time lately and I would actually like to finish the story before I start posting again. (I may do some challenge fics as presented on the Aragorn Angst Yahoo group and one-shots in the meantime, but am not sure right now).

One of the reasons I want to put my story on hold is that I miss reading and reviewing and lately, I've been thinking so much about getting another chapter out that I can't concentrate on reading and reviewing. As someone with Attention Deficit Disorder I should have known. And I DO think that you guys like the encouragement that steady reviews give you and if you don't mind too much, that is what I'll be concentrating on at least over the summer. If I'm wrong, tell me, but lately I feel like I've been letting a lot of you great writers down.

Anyways, sorry if I've disappointed anyone. I know it's crummy to start reading a story and then not see it finished. But there are SO many writers on the site who are better than I am, that I would rather be encouraging them than offering up my own paltry tale at a decidely slow and very random pace. I will finish it but I won't post it again until I do. I have what I think is at least a moderately interesting and unusual plot in my head, but I never seem to have the 'alone' time I need to devote to the story. I do plan on finishing, but hate to keep anyone wondering 'when'.

Look for a lot more reviews coming your way soon! (Although, unfortunately, it probably won't be 'til next week as I will be away much of the next several days).

5/22/06:

I've been discussing this with another site friend and we've come to a similar conclusion. Posting on weekends, for whatever reason, seems to result in fewer reviews, more site screw-ups, and less feedback. Also, we, at least, are probably going to start sending review responses in one large e-mail the same day a new story chapter is posted instead of doing them as they come in. I know Nili does that and it's a lot of fun to read the review responses in one letter. That way, even if the site here does mess up -- not sending out story alerts, author alerts, showing up new chapers -- little things like that (cough) -- at least regular readers/reviewers will be looking for our stories. So if in the past you've taken my advice to post on weekends, let's just say that lately that doesn't seem to work very well. Maybe there will be a change come summer, but for now, I'll probably 'see you' on the weekdays!

Also, I personally will review a story whether or not I get a review response, but having been on both sides now, I will always send review responses. To me, it's a bit like sending a thank you card for a gift. The review is the gift, the response, the 'thank you'. If you have time, frankly, it's good manners to do it!

10/14/05:

Wondering how to get reviews/readers? I've written over a thousand reviews on this site and these are some things I've noticed. Strictly my opinion, and mostly dealing with Lord of the Rings fanfiction, but for what it's worth...

Above All: Write a good story, with a decent plot. Whether you're doing bookverse or movieverse, make your characters believeable and interesting. Make us care about them. Don't rush the action, and don't underestimate your reader's intelligence. Your own original characters are fine but remember that most readers dally here because they like the original work. A Lord of the Rings fic centering on 'Crystal' or 'Marcy' or some other outlandishly modern-sounding characters is (to me, at least) never going to be more interesting than one that centers on Aragorn or Legolas. If you're looking for pointers on writing really excellent original fictional characters, check out stories by Meckinock, Nili, Timmy2222, Katzilla, sg1scribe, or some of the other authors I list below as being among my personal favorites.

Summary

The summary is the first thing people see. Do not underestimate its value. Use proper grammar, spelling, punctuation, etc. This cannot be overemphasized. I personally rule out most stories simply based on the atrocious summaries presented.

Make the summary interesting. Do not make self-defeating statements such as: 'I don't know how to write summaries' (then what would make me think you could write a good story?) or the classic: 'this summary stinks but me and my friends think it's good. Read it!' Right...

If you really have a problem writing a decent summary, take a look a the summaries written by the site's better authors. Look at what interests you.

Mention any major character that your story might be featuring in the summary. People do searches based on the character list.

General

Be sure your formatting and layout is pleasing to the eye. Separate paragraphs as necessary. Use boldfaced type on your main story page summary if you have one. For example you would type it like this:

Author's Note: write whatever author's note you choose to write

Summary: fill in the summary here

It looks more professional and easily captures attention.

DO NOT rely on spell checkers. They won't recognize the difference in words that sound the same but mean different things. How many times have you seen 'bear' and 'bare', 'loose' and 'lose', 'reigns' and 'reins' mixed up? Enough said.

DO NOT put authors' note in the middle of your story. It's very distracting and should be done either at the beginning or end of the story.

Be creative. Name your chapters. After all, which intrigues you more -- a chapter entitled 'Cruel Torment' or one that simply says 'Chapter 4'?

If you are writing a long story, post a preview of an angst-filled chapter at the beginning or end of your very first chapter. Whets the appetite. Or, at the end of a story, post a preview of an upcoming story. (This suggestion came courtesy of lindahoyland) .

To borrow from the late Elvis Presley, 'Don't be Crude'. When you're writing LOTR fics, remember that modern slang, modern names, crude language, bathroom humor, and so forth totally destroy the atmosphere Tolkien's world embraces.

Be loyal to your readers and reviewers. If you start a terrific story, please don't leave us in the lurch. Unless you have a good reason not to finish, then finish. Leave an author's note if you can't.

If your spelling, language and/or punctuation skills leave something to be desired, try to get someone to beta (edit) your story. I know a lot of intelligent people who simply cannot spell or discern which word to use where.

When you're writing and you think that maybe your word use could use a little more flair, open an on-line thesaurus and use it. It's a great way to expand your vocabulary and make your story more interesting! After all, there is more than one way to say, for instance, 'villain'!

When and What to Post

If your goal is to get lots of review HERE, if you post on other sites, post here first and then, there. Chances are reviewers will review where they first find your story.

See the top of my profile page regarding review responses which, incidentally, do seem to encourage reviewers to review again. It's a common courtesy, sort of like sending a thank you note for a gift.

Don't post multi-chaptered stories all at once. They are easily buried and most people aren't going to take the time to read them. There are exceptions, but it seems to hold true most of the time.

Manners

Remember that old saying: 'What goes around, comes around'? Nothing's changed. If you flame, and you are sarcastic and brutal in your reviews, don't be surprised if your stories don't get read/reviewed. There is absolutely nothing wrong with constructive criticism. Just don't be insensitive. I never want to be the reviewer who keeps some poor author up all night crying. I'm hoping you don't want to be either.

Reviews

A brief acknowledgement at the beginning or end of your story is appreciated. Better still is an e-mail to all reviewers. (See below for more info regarding this). I review whether an author acknowledges my review or not, but I will be the first to admit that an acknowledgement makes reviewing a lot more fun!

Don't beg overly much for reviews. You can mention it, but don't threaten. Play nice. I like to review a lot and I try to stay loyal to the stories I begin reviewing, but I only have so much time. Generally speaking, if you're on my C2 list or favorites, I'm probably reading, but I can't always review. I'm genuinely sorry, but just keep that in mind.

And lastly, remember, MOST readers DON'T review. It's frustrating, but they just don't. So don't get too discouraged. Your 'hit' count might be a more accurate assessment of how your story is actually doing.

10/4/05

Just a little info: I have read Tolkien's masterpiece four times but I am absolutely receptive to well written AU stories. Aragorn has been my 'dream guy' for almost three decades. Seriously, any guy who can make an elf give up immortal life has got to have a lot going for him! Viggo just made me 'slightly' more obsessive! Thus, I am:

9/17/05

Manager of the massive Aragorn-centric C2 list: "Why Me? Or How Did I Get Trapped in These Tales of Torment" -- putting my obsession to work for you! My alltime favorite story is "An Assassin's Prize" by Alice 7. Just as a warning, though: this story is rated 'M' for a very good reason, but rest assured that the subject in question is handled with sensitivity and maturity and the author has written a topnotch tale.

By the way, in the unlikely event that you were wondering, my pen name is a pun.