The Best Things About Sugar Quill

A rainbow of reasons to love the Quill!

This is in no way a complete list, and this is in no particular order, except the order in which they came to us.

HQoW
Wasn't Sugar Quill partly created to help archive this awesome fanfic?

Good Ship R/H
A whole page devoted to Ron and Hermione -- together. What more could we ask?

SQUKNY! and other summits (well, their minutes, at least)
Well, so I've just seen the minutes. Still, they sound like a valid excuse to put the summits up here!

W.A.I.L!
A crucial part of the Quill, and one that is not completely finished (or at least, not last time I checked). We adore the Weasleys!

The Many Faces of Ron
We love them all...

Updates
What? Was that a hint? Never...


SQ Literacy Project
All joking aside, it's a true good cause. Applause for its supporters!

After the End
Without the Quill, we wouldn't have it. Need I say more?

Flourish and Blotts Fan Fiction Archive
It glosses over the nastier aspects of the stuff *cough* H/H *cough.* Plus, it's all beta-read, which is great.

The Faculty:
Arabella, B Bennett, Elanor Gamgee, Honeychurch, Moey, Yolanda, Zsenya, Carleton97, Christina Teresa, Doctor Cornelius, Jedi Boadicea, Lallybroch, Seldes Katne
They all devote time and energy to making the Quill great. Applause for our beta-readers!

The Pensieve, Parseltongue, and Veritaserum
Not only are these message boards very active, the discussions are interesting and thought-provking. The responses to issues can be almost overwhelming! It helps, of course, that we share certain ideas (see the "Daily Affirmations"), but that certainly doesn't make debate impossible or less enjoyable!

Arabella and Zsenya
Yes, we love our webmistresses and headmistresses!! As the Sugar Quill glossary says, they're responsible for the magic. And they're also responsible for therapy, should something happen to the site... not that it will, RIGHT?


Ask Madam Pince
The beta-reading helps make F&B what it is. We appreciate all the work the betas do to make it great!

The Pensieve
Reviews are so detailed on Sugar Quill. People don't just say "this sucks" (except, of course, they would spell it correctly as SUX) or "this was good." They leave actual messages, and there are no flames. Instead, their reviews are mature and thoughtful. That's rare enough on fanfiction sites, but to find a place where every post fits these qualifications is special indeed.

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Ashwinder's Thoughts:
There is such a sense of community there. In short, the people of SQ ROX! I've been fortunate enough to have met some of them now in real life and I can say that they're all just as nice in person as they are online.

Rheanna's Thoughts:
The organization and sense of community... the gathering of knowledgeable fans, who, for the most part, use punctation... the collection of fics and art....

Pretty Anna Moon's Thoughts:
The entire site ROX - the only way to put it. Coming to Sugarquill is like coming home to my own little neighborhood on the web after being out in the cold cruel world of *other* HP fan fic. The people at Sugarquill are people that I'd actually hang out with in real life - and this was proven by the SQUKNY summit. We had an awesome time - as I told Arabella and Jedi Bodicea, SQUKNY was as fun as meeting J. K. Rowling. Looking back, I'd say it was even better. Thanks to everyone, especially our wonderful headmistresses for making Sugarquill such a great place!

Seagull Laridae's Thoughts:
They have excellent betareaders and everyone is interested in the same thing - high-quality Harry Potter fanfiction.


Lone Astronomer's Thoughts:
--The camraderie! (Have I spelled that correctly? Everyone knows everyone else. Maybe not quite, but close, and I think it's wonderful.
--The Headmistresses! :) Okay, so I'm sucking up. But it's still true!
--The inside jokes that no one else will ever understand.
--The Glossary. We REWL!
--Two words: Chainsmoking Harry. Or lack thereof.
--Weasley men in loincloths!
--Weasley men, full stop.
--W.A.I.L.!!! I think we can all see where this is going...

Rebeccagrace's Thoughts:
The best things about SQ are its wonderful beta-beaders, its intelligent conversation and the fabulous people who post there... and the fanfics are superb, also. And of course the R/H greatness. Zsenya and Arabella ROX...and the SQ is the best of the best.

Michelle Ravel's Thoughts:
There are so many great things about the Sugarquill: entertaining fanfiction written by talented, socially aware and comically gifted people; the message board system where we can discuss all things Harry Potter with equally obsessed Pottheads; the creative yellow-and-red motif which can't fail to make us feel comfortable; the admirable fund-raiser which encourages literacy for those less fortunate. But the absolute best thing about the Sugarquill is its support group of caring people, without whom I'm sure I wouldn't be able to survive Real Life! Sugarquillers are funny, interesting, loving, highly intelligent and amazingly attractive. And, to paraphrase Hagrid, we have two of the best Headmistresses ever. Arabella and Zsenya, you guys didn't know when you created the Sugarquill how much love and happiness you would bring to so many people! You (and so many other hard-working Sugarquillers who help make the magic happen) do so much and deserve more pats on the back than we can give you! Happy Birthday, SQ!!!!

Canis M.'s Thoughts:
It's a community of writers and readers who are committed to helping one another--and having a great time while they're at it.

Seldes Katne's Thoughts:
Sugarquill is one of the friendliest, most supportive places on the 'Net. The people who post here are almost without exception decent, thoughtful people who geniunely try to make the visit a positive experience. We have an international cast, which is one of the best characteristics of Harry Potter fandom in general -- I love being able to "meet" and discuss HP with people from all over the world. Even someone like me (I'm a confirmed non-shipper) can find discussions of interest here.

As an adjunct faculty member, I'm also privileged to work with a splendid group of authors, all of whom are busily exploring the Potterverse in ways that entertain and delight their readers. I'm continually amazed at the ideas these writers generate and humbled by the immense time and effort they put into their stories. These people could only be volunteers -- there's no amount of money on Earth that could buy this kind of creativity and dedication.

Sugarquill is an example of how wonderful things can be accomplished by a group of people with common interests and goals, from the faculty members who maintain and improve the site, to the readers/writers who take time to answer other members' questions about culture, plot points, extracurricular activities, and just how those owls know where to deliver the post. It's a kind of community that's united, not by nationality or religious beliefs or race, but by shared interest and enthusiasm.

Alanna Granger's Thoughts:
One of the best things, for me, is being treated like an equal. I'm younger than almost all of the SQers (young enough to need a parental permission form to post fics), but no one has ever condescended to me, no one has ever treated me like I was less important because I was younger. Sure, I bow in your venerable wisdom, but you guys are so great! When I "grow up," I want to be just like you ;-). As long as I can carry on an intelligent and mature conversation, it doesn't matter if I'm 14 or 140.


Auror Borealis's Thoughts:
The best thing, or ranking high among the best things, in my opinion, is the really kewl community at Sugar Quill.

Elanor Gamgee's Thoughts:
The Best Thing About SQ: Finding the friends I always wanted

Hildigunnur's Thoughts:
It is a community where people try their best to make all feel welcome but are not afraid to admit their eccentricity.

Starbuckxs's Thoughts:
For me the best thing is how everyone is willing to help. It’s strange to find a place where you won’t be ridiculed for your mistakes, you will learn from them. And SQ is just the place...

JK's Thoughts:
There are so many. I think probably the best thing is the community. The people are kind and considerate, and you always get help if you need it. We can have friendly debates, and they tend to stay that way, unlike so many other sites. People are always willing to show a newbie around, and to give encourqagement to someone going through a hard time with writing or in real life and to congratulate those who are going well. I have made many friends through the site, and hope to continue to do so.

Then there's the stories. There is an archive of quality fan fiction of the sort I like, with the ships I like. Plus there's the marvellous Professors who give their time to help each author become the best they can be and make their stories the best possible.

We can be silly. We can be serious. We can even be sirius.

And that's why I love Sugar Quill.

Asia Elizabeth's Thoughts
The Daily Affirmations: reading them was what hooked me to the Sugar Quill in the first place. It was like they read my mind.

Parseltongue. "Parseltongue is the first place I go when I turn on my computer." --Beruna Ford. And she's got it right. It's good to see people you meet online posting about their worries and accomplishments. On September 11th, it was where I could find out that all of my New York SQers were okay.

The fanfiction, because I know that it'll be something that I want to read.

The Glossary, because I like having a part in the creation of a language that few are KEWL enough to understand.

People who "Wear the Quill Proudly." Whether it's on a tattoo, t-shirt, or computer screen, it's great to see people who are proud of Sugar Quill... because it's great to see people who feel the same way I do.


Circe's Thoughts:
SugarQuill is a community. Everybody cares about each other, differences are respected, and disputes are handled in a civil manner, always. Another good thing is that SQ offers a beta-reading service; it's such a fitting tribute to the books that sparked millions of children to read. I won't even go into FirstBook and the First Task. ^.^

Holeybubushka's Thoughts:
First off, I have to say the fics. The archive is filled with all types of fics, the types that make you laugh, cry and feel happy and warm inside. All have such excellent grammar, it's a treat. Then you have how incredibly biased this site is. And they're proud of it! SugarQuill never pretends to be something that it's not. However, nobody shuns anyone else. The Fan Boards are filled with people who have one basic love -- Harry Potter, and everyone is allowed to express how they feel. It just so happens that everyone loves R/H or H/G! The quick and easy layouts doesn't undermine the site, simple yet very cool. Kinda like Sugarquill itself.

Anne's Thoughts:
The best things about Sugar Quill, in my opinion, are not just the fantastic fanfiction archive or the creativity it inspires and promotes (though those are certainly big factors in its success), but really the sense of community and friendship that the SQ has. So many new friendships have been built on the message boards and chat room, and it is the people that give the Sugar Quill the warmth and character it possesses, much the way I imagine the halls of Hogwarts must feel.