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Post by Elisabeth on Sept 20, 2005 21:11:46 GMT -6
***The opinion of this post is not associated with the opinion of VA***
Itsincredible.com drives me nuts! So sometimes I go in there, read some of the ammauteur work (some of it's good, but for the most part it's not the best but you have to start somewhere) and I give feedback! For instance. Someone posts a story and asks for feedback. I reply:
I like your style and your unique plot. My only warning is do not make your character a victim. You want to always make your main character likeable...or at least, there needs to be ONE hero in EVERY story. DOn't let your cahracter feel sorry for herself unless she realizes at some point she is not a victim of the world. Good luck!
Someone replies to me:
Dude, it's her story..not yours. Let her write it the way she wants to. Keep up the kick ass Brit! It's perfect the way it is!
WHAT?!?!? Am I just spoiled by intelligent authors really pulling apart fiction and giving real feedback?!
This just drives me nuts. I know the clear solution is to just not go there, and basically I won't too much. But I just had to vent about this! Why are some writing communities so scared of posts that don't just say, "LOVE IT!!!! POST MORE!!!! I WANNA KNOW WHAT HAPPENS!!!"
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Post by krystal on Sept 20, 2005 21:43:32 GMT -6
Feedback has become PRECIOUS!!! When I first started writing, it was bountiful and people would actually comment on character and plot. Now, that is so rare, it's a huge surprise to open an email and see more than one sentence.
I can remember getting irritated a time or two when someone hated my story, but I always responded back to them respectfully. Of course, now I'd pay for someone to tell me something negative because it would mean they cared enough to read it and respond!
That's not a hint by the way...haha!
In short--I totally understand where you're coming from. Fans have become so fricking sensitive about everything anymore! I say just ignore that person--if the author tells you to mind your own business, that's different--but frankly, I don't give a crap about the other people, it's not their business.
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Post by Miriam on Sept 21, 2005 2:37:07 GMT -6
I must admit to being one of those who throw out "one liners". Mostly because - I first of all hardly ever know what to write, and 2ndly because I feel that my opinion is less validated because I'm not an author myself.
If I had to write more in my feedback, some stuff would be negative; I'm always brutally honest(and it's very hard to turn that off) - and I want to encourage the author to write more (in most cases).
Krystal, if you want, I'll write longer feedback to you from now on, but expect some negative comments too!
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Post by akimbie on Sept 21, 2005 4:24:01 GMT -6
I understand what you mean about detailed feedback and it *is* nice to get a comment that really delves into your writing and critiques it properly (god knows, I only ever had one person do that when I was writing properly and I loved her for it) but, and at the risk of sounding bitchy, there are some fan-fic writers out there who are never going to get any better - like, really this is all the writing they're ever going to do and sometimes I think it's just nice to say "Yeah, sweet plot, well done."
Obviously every writer wants different things from their feedback but some just want a pat on the back. I think it's fair enough really, they aren't hurting anyone. If they beg for feedback and tell you to be honest, then can't take the honesty then it's their own fault.
But I rarely ever feedback anyway - it's awful I know. I'd feedback something I really loved but I'm maybe too critical so I think nothing is better than what I mostly think! But then again I haven't read most of the fics people rave about.
In the case of someone ELSE telling you off for feedback - well that's just rude!
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Post by krystal on Sept 21, 2005 4:48:46 GMT -6
Well, I'd never be harsh or hurt someone's feelings. But, when I have questions, I usually ask them and if I see a lot of typos or careless mistakes, I tell them. But, I'm sure we're all guilty of the "one-liners". And frankly, that's way better than nothing!
No one wants to hear "God, that sucked." But, I definitely want to know if I've made a mistake in continuity, spelling, grammar, etc etc.
Hmmm, I probably just spelled "grammar" wrong--it looks funny.
Sometimes, I ask for plot ideas--just to stir my tired mind. And once in a while, I get a crazy email from someone who's decided exactly how it all needs to end. I guess we have to take the good with the bad, and as I said, it's so rare now, it's like fresh air, even when it's a little off the wall.
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Post by akimbie on Sept 21, 2005 5:05:47 GMT -6
No I think there are very few people out there who would be really harsh with their feedback, or insulting. Obviously there are some but you can tell between the people who are just being rude for the sake of it and the people who are being critical for the best.
I suppose it is good to point out typo's, grammatical mistakes (lol that is how you spell grammar!) and what have you, I just always feel like the writer is going to think I'm just picking and being superior.
But, you're right - I guess something is better than nothing! I hereby promise to feedback every fic I read =)
And I used to love your e-mails about On My Own, Krystal (it was you wasn't it?) ... you really do ask questions dont you?! ;D
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Post by Miriam on Sept 21, 2005 6:06:57 GMT -6
Goodgled "feedback checklist" and came up with this site: www.crayne.com/howcrit.htmlScroll down for an EXCELLENT checklist (with explanation) on how to give feedback(or be a critic) |
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Post by JRobinson on Sept 21, 2005 6:27:26 GMT -6
The most "interesting" feedback I ever received came from a woman who told me that after reading Story X (believe me, she read EVERY line) she felt the need to sprinkle "holy water" on her computer monitor. She went on to tell me I was all sorts of terrible, horrid, awful things and where I was sure to go. I figured I had done GOOD on that story to evoke such judgment in that lady. ;D
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Post by krystal on Sept 21, 2005 6:29:50 GMT -6
That was most definitely me! I loved that story! Still do...
Wow, Miriam--that's quite a list there! One of the greatest ways I've found to give real, in depth feedback is to copy and paste the piece, then use a different color text and make comments. That lets the author know exactly what and where in the story I was moved.
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Post by Ella on Sept 21, 2005 6:30:14 GMT -6
***The opinion of this post is not associated with the opinion of VA*** Itsincredible.com drives me nuts! So sometimes I go in there, read some of the ammauteur work (some of it's good, but for the most part it's not the best but you have to start somewhere) and I give feedback! For instance. Someone posts a story and asks for feedback. I reply: I like your style and your unique plot. My only warning is do not make your character a victim. You want to always make your main character likeable...or at least, there needs to be ONE hero in EVERY story. DOn't let your cahracter feel sorry for herself unless she realizes at some point she is not a victim of the world. Good luck! Someone replies to me: Dude, it's her story..not yours. Let her write it the way she wants to. Keep up the kick ass Brit! It's perfect the way it is! WHAT?!?!? Am I just spoiled by intelligent authors really pulling apart fiction and giving real feedback?! This just drives me nuts. I know the clear solution is to just not go there, and basically I won't too much. But I just had to vent about this! Why are some writing communities so scared of posts that don't just say, "LOVE IT!!!! POST MORE!!!! I WANNA KNOW WHAT HAPPENS!!!" Well, people don't post that sort of stuff more because a lot of times authors tend to freak out and can't take criticism. I'm thinking of a few specifics here, actually. And I'm not gonna lie, I've been guilty of getting irritated at certain comments left about my story, but I've chosen whether I believe the person has a valid point or not (and in a lot of cases, they have). But in this case, that girl should have let the author decide whether she wanted to take that advice or not. And saying "it's perfect the way it is" is a big crock of shit. I don't care how good you think you are, there is always, always room for improvement. Comments like might help the author keep writing, which could lead to improvement, but more than likely it will simply lead her to writing the same thing over and over. That being said, I do disagree with your statement, "You want to always make your main character likeable...or at least, there needs to be ONE hero in EVERY story." Main characters don't have to be likeable, per se... but they do have to be interesting and dynamic. But I agree with the 'victim of the world' thing. Too many fics go down that path. |
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Post by krystal on Sept 21, 2005 6:32:27 GMT -6
My gosh--people are insane sometimes! Holy water is a very interesting response!
I have to say I got some pretty interesting notes from people while in the midst of writing "The Quiet One". Some people seemed to think I had it out for Taylor--that I was hoping or wanting something bad to happen to him. I told them I'm not a sorcerer--the act of my writing something doesn't mean it's going to happen or that I want it to. Humans are amazing (and frustrating) creatures!
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Post by Ella on Sept 21, 2005 6:35:28 GMT -6
I understand what you mean about detailed feedback and it *is* nice to get a comment that really delves into your writing and critiques it properly (god knows, I only ever had one person do that when I was writing properly and I loved her for it) but, and at the risk of sounding bitchy, there are some fan-fic writers out there who are never going to get any better - like, really this is all the writing they're ever going to do and sometimes I think it's just nice to say "Yeah, sweet plot, well done." Obviously every writer wants different things from their feedback but some just want a pat on the back. I think it's fair enough really, they aren't hurting anyone. If they beg for feedback and tell you to be honest, then can't take the honesty then it's their own fault. But I rarely ever feedback anyway - it's awful I know. I'd feedback something I really loved but I'm maybe too critical so I think nothing is better than what I mostly think! But then again I haven't read most of the fics people rave about. In the case of someone ELSE telling you off for feedback - well that's just rude! I don't generally give feedback much, either. I've gone away from the days when I could just enjoy fanfic for fun, and nowadays if someone asks me to read something, when I read it I'm always mentally critiquing it in my head the same way that I critiqued fiction in my writing group. Which means there's going to be some 'negative' in with the good. And generally when these girls have begged for honesty and I've given it to them (in the nicest, most constructive way possible), they've gotten irritated or defensive. So... I generally don't bother, unless it's for one of my friends who I know will actually listen and think about what I have to say.  And personally, the 'pat on the back' girls annoy me. I don't think it's a big deal that you want people to encourage you (I think we all want that), but I've seen some girls just flat-out beg and whine until you tell them what they want to hear, and I refuse to do that. |
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Post by Ella on Sept 21, 2005 6:36:25 GMT -6
The most "interesting" feedback I ever received came from a woman who told me that after reading Story X (believe me, she read EVERY line) she felt the need to sprinkle "holy water" on her computer monitor. She went on to tell me I was all sorts of terrible, horrid, awful things and where I was sure to go. I figured I had done GOOD on that story to evoke such judgment in that lady. ;D HAHAHA!!! Job well done.  |
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Post by krystal on Sept 21, 2005 6:36:43 GMT -6
You're right, Ella. And maybe it just depends on how you state something. There's a big difference in saying, "That was so stupid." and saying "It confused me."
And yes--the victimized heroine is very overdone. I guess the heros as well <--that would be me.
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Post by JRobinson on Sept 21, 2005 6:41:47 GMT -6
Personally, I need that pat on the back. And granted, feedback is slim to none these days compared to the past. But stroking my ego won't result in a story coming out in anyone's favor. My original vision rarely changes, though feedback from readers has "tweaked" a character or story development.
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