Part 2 of 2 (part 1 reply should be either directly or somewhere above this one):
Personally the most difficult one for me is when a good writer (has good writing skills and is capable of crafting a compelling story with good characterizations) uses characters or ships or other elements that I don't like. It's easy to avoid poorly written stories, but it's harder not to be able to enjoy well written works because you don't like one or more primary elements purely based on personal preference. I have to sigh, bite my tongue, and just move on when I see something that has Lindsey or Riley or Dawn in it, especially if they're a significant character in the story or shipped with one of the significant characters I love, because it's just not something I'll read, but that's just the way it is BECAUSE:
*Generally writers write what they enjoy, and readers find the writers that are a good fit for them, not the other way around!*
Fanfic readers generally write positive feedback to encourage the writer to continue, and sometimes in the hopes of subtly (and sometimes not so subtly) encouraging the writer to shift a bit toward what they themselves like. The first is acceptable, imo, while the second is questionable at best. It often (though not always) crosses the line from concrit into personal preference. Here's an example of where it MAY NOT cross that line:
'I love your writing! Have you ever considered writing Spangel (or Bangel, or Spuffy, or Splindsey, etc.)? I think you'd be really good at that, and that's something I'd really love to see!'
Now imo that is neither concrit nor flaming, even though it does express a personal preference, because it doesn't touch upon an actual story written. But if there's ever any doubt as to whether a comment crosses the line, I think a reader should just avoid making it on general principle.
As you can tell this is an issue that for me is sensitive but central to fanfic, and I do wish that people would think about it a bit more, both writers and readers, as well as mods, to help their communities be civil, helpful and encouraging of new writers and new works.
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ninetydegrees
no subject
on 2008-12-21 09:03 pm (UTC)Personally the most difficult one for me is when a good writer (has good writing skills and is capable of crafting a compelling story with good characterizations) uses characters or ships or other elements that I don't like. It's easy to avoid poorly written stories, but it's harder not to be able to enjoy well written works because you don't like one or more primary elements purely based on personal preference. I have to sigh, bite my tongue, and just move on when I see something that has Lindsey or Riley or Dawn in it, especially if they're a significant character in the story or shipped with one of the significant characters I love, because it's just not something I'll read, but that's just the way it is BECAUSE:
*Generally writers write what they enjoy, and readers find the writers that are a good fit for them, not the other way around!*
Fanfic readers generally write positive feedback to encourage the writer to continue, and sometimes in the hopes of subtly (and sometimes not so subtly) encouraging the writer to shift a bit toward what they themselves like. The first is acceptable, imo, while the second is questionable at best. It often (though not always) crosses the line from concrit into personal preference. Here's an example of where it MAY NOT cross that line:
'I love your writing! Have you ever considered writing Spangel (or Bangel, or Spuffy, or Splindsey, etc.)? I think you'd be really good at that, and that's something I'd really love to see!'
Now imo that is neither concrit nor flaming, even though it does express a personal preference, because it doesn't touch upon an actual story written. But if there's ever any doubt as to whether a comment crosses the line, I think a reader should just avoid making it on general principle.
As you can tell this is an issue that for me is sensitive but central to fanfic, and I do wish that people would think about it a bit more, both writers and readers, as well as mods, to help their communities be civil, helpful and encouraging of new writers and new works.