(no subject)

[desertvixen]

I see I have pissed someone off again as far as reviews of their writing. Maybe I should start keeping my mouth shut when a piece doesn't do it for me.

Part of what's funny is that I understand his frustration when it comes to the lack of reviews on work at times. But... I was honest in my review. It didn't trap my interest and hold it through the story. Some of the individual lines did, but not the whole thing.

DV

Comments

reviews

[bluephoenix13.livejournal.com]

My opinion on said subject: if one doesn't want his work criticized, don't put it out there for everyone to read. Not everyone will like everything one writes, so one has to accept that there are people out there who won't. Not just the people who like your writing will comment.

Enough said. That guy needs to suck it up, and if he doesn't want to hear that someone didn't like what he wrote, he needed put it out there for comment. Ass.

[darksakura.livejournal.com]

I have to second the above opinion. If one doesn't want honest feedback, one shouldn't ask for a review. No one knows what to fix if no one ever says what's wrong with it.

[sweet-iced-tea.livejournal.com]

Agreed. If you want reviews and feedback, then you have to be prepared to take it. I think too often-myself included-we don't give crucial constructive criticism enough. You get used to seeing lots of "great story" or "more soon!" types of reviews. Then, when you see one that might be helpful in some way, like, "This part didn't really hold my interest like the rest. Maybe you should consider doing x or y," or even, "I like the idea you're going for here, but it's very unusual to have x type weather in y month in city z," the writer totally freaks out and takes it as a giant flame. All it is meant to be is constructive. Without review and critique, you can't become a better writer. My fic is never going to win anything, that's not why I write, but I want to improve it and would welcome others' efforts to assist me. I have trouble understanding when others don't feel the same.

[surreallis.livejournal.com]

He's sensitive that way. At least the few exchanges I've had with him have given me that impression. I think that he'd take a lot of innocent remarks personally. It's his problem, not yours. Some writers only want cheerleading, and some actually can take constructive crit. Frankly, I only give concrit to authors I really know and respect nowadays... otherwise it ends up in a big flame war, and who has time for that?

I figure if someone doesn't appreciate your effort, then don't waste it anymore.

Well

[(Anonymous)]

If you are going to open your mouth to put down someone's work. Use a bit of tact.

You can say the story held no interest that is fine, you can do it without being tacky like you were Desert Vixen.

I saw you comment to the writer. Maybe you should be a little more careful, then stepping on others feelings. Reviews can be done, easily to say you do not care for a story but you were down right rude.

So it did not measure up to your so called "standard", and it did not "fit" your image, instead of knocking him down , you should have thought to yourself, the writer that you are," How might I be able to help him write a better story?" You in no way, helped him become a better author.

Just for a side note, it seems you not only pissed him off but several others in the process. But they may just be keeping quiet.

Re: Well

[desert-vixen.livejournal.com]

At least I had the courage to sign my name to my review.

I'm sorry if he, and you, and other people disagreed with my review. But I was honest about how I felt. I am attached to the way I write the characters. I went into the story with a little expectation, yes, because he posted a message on the board asking Slayne if she would review it.

There was not a "constructive criticism" that I could find. There were not glaring grammatical errors. He didn't take a totally half-baked plot that you could drive a truck through. He wrote a reasonable plot that seemed like it would work in real life, he wrote dialogue that sounded like something that would come out of a real person's mouth, and he obviously put time into the history he developed. The only thing that I didn't like was... well, it didn't catch my interest. That's not something that you constructively criticize. He's not writing to please me, specifically. He's writing to please himself.

I have apologized. Twice. I do regret that he feels it necessary to leave the group. I have stated that if the discussion questions are just going to incite this sort of thing, I'll be happy to stop them.

DV

Re: Well

[kepulver.livejournal.com]

Just for a side note, it seems you not only pissed him off but several others in the process. But they may just be keeping quiet.

Oh no! Not the passive-agressives! NO! ANYTHING BUT THAT! DEAR GOD, DV how can you stand the thought that there are people out there who are so pissed off at you they're NOT SAYING ANYTHING TO YOU ABOUT IT!? I mean, how can you stand it? It's got to be driving you nuts right? Knowing that someone's mad at you but that he or she apparently doesn't have the stones to either say anything to you or sign their name to their posts telling you how horrible you are for your review of a story?

Though...on a more serious note:

I saw you comment to the writer. Maybe you should be a little more careful, then stepping on others feelings. Reviews can be done, easily to say you do not care for a story but you were down right rude.

Frankly, I've been reviewed by DV more than a few times since I started writing Joe stories and I've always found her to be a good reviewer...precisely because she doesn't worry about stepping on my feelings. Not to say that she's tactless or cruel, but she also doesn't drown me in "Oh! you're so great! you're so wonderful" like 90% of the other reviewers in the Joe section of ff.net.

Then again, I don't think most Joe writers want honest reviews. They want the sort of reviews that they're already getting: back-patting reviews that tell them they're not doing anything wrong.

Which is fine and every writers' right. Not everybody is out there looking at writing as a craft. For a lot of folks, fanfic writing is just something they do for fun, to noodle around with their favorite characters. And that's fine.

But if you ask for a review, but don't say that you really want a backpat? Don't whine if you get a review.

So it did not measure up to your so called "standard", and it did not "fit" your image, instead of knocking him down , you should have thought to yourself, the writer that you are," How might I be able to help him write a better story?"

And the writer in question could have cut short his pity party for a few minutes and thought "You know what? DV is one person. She is not the arbiter of al that is good. She doesn't like my story? Hell with her. I like my story."

But then, where's the Passive-Agressive fun in that?

You in no way, helped him become a better author.

Only person who will help you become a better writer is you. Even the mildest of constructive criticism isn't going to do any good if the person recieving it will not listen to it.

Nice try at the guilt trip though. Needs a bit of work on the form, but keep plugging away, you'll get it eventually.

Kathy