I feel like my world shifted on its axis today with that email. I'm also a big fan of concrit and more than the mindless "More" statements. God only knows I've made many of those in my early years in fandom and how ashamed of it I am now.
I just don't see the point in being offended when a review is not a flame. When people make wild and encompassing remarks that offer no basis, I can see an author being offended because obviously a reader doesn't care about your story enough to give you a well-written review. But critiques are not flames and after having my head bitten off by many an author, I've learned the best way to deliver them is with a bit of compliment about what worked and to word things that didn't very diplomatically. Now I'm told this isn't even acceptable. That's basically telling people to either rave or be silent, something I think is detrimental to the writer.
I wrote some fics way back when and I remember how it used to be. It hurt when someone says something bad about your fic but you either take it and use it to move on or you reject it as being baseless and move on. Do they not want to improve? I know I want better written stories but I guess now it's more of a crapshoot because effectively, readers are now taken out of the equation of the writing process.
For me, I think I'm going to refrain from comment as much unless the author specifically states they welcome critiques. Far be it for me to offer advice when it's no longer wanted or needed. I thought I was being helpful and showing my support of the author (I wouldn't even take the time to review a bad story that I didn't think had promise) but I guess it isn't when they didn't want the help in the first place.
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ninetydegrees
no subject
on 2008-12-21 09:08 am (UTC)I just don't see the point in being offended when a review is not a flame. When people make wild and encompassing remarks that offer no basis, I can see an author being offended because obviously a reader doesn't care about your story enough to give you a well-written review. But critiques are not flames and after having my head bitten off by many an author, I've learned the best way to deliver them is with a bit of compliment about what worked and to word things that didn't very diplomatically. Now I'm told this isn't even acceptable. That's basically telling people to either rave or be silent, something I think is detrimental to the writer.
I wrote some fics way back when and I remember how it used to be. It hurt when someone says something bad about your fic but you either take it and use it to move on or you reject it as being baseless and move on. Do they not want to improve? I know I want better written stories but I guess now it's more of a crapshoot because effectively, readers are now taken out of the equation of the writing process.
For me, I think I'm going to refrain from comment as much unless the author specifically states they welcome critiques. Far be it for me to offer advice when it's no longer wanted or needed. I thought I was being helpful and showing my support of the author (I wouldn't even take the time to review a bad story that I didn't think had promise) but I guess it isn't when they didn't want the help in the first place.