In other words: to the left.

[thatrcooper]

They're discussing feedback over at the_slash_pile and I have to say, I honestly don't mind it. I've worked hard and practiced my writing and read books on writing and suffered through critiques from writing groups and had the red pen of death slash all over works of mine. Bad comments and harsh critique can be upsetting, (I've been known to mope for a day or two) but it's one of those things where you have to learn to trust your voice (and the opinions of certain others) and carry on. But I also aspire to be (wait, I am one, weird) a professional writer and so I expect that sort of treatment. I'm not someone writing fanfic or an original story just for fun and posting it online to amuse my friends, so I can see how others would find any unasked for critique upsetting. (Though honestly, if you don't want the world to find your stories, then put them under a lock or keep them private.)

At the same time, I've learned to recognize that some critique matters more than others. I've learned to filter out remarks from people who simply have different taste than me ("eeeew gay stuff!" or "too much porn!" or "fantasy is stupid")--though I do sometimes wonder why they would read my fic after reading the summaries and warnings--the same way I've learned to filter out comments from those who were expecting something else. (Seriously, you ever go into a movie or something expecting one sort of movie because the trailers led you to believe something and it's not that kind of movie at all??? How pissed are you? It's understandable.)

The comments you want to pay attention to aren't just the obvious ones about grammar or typos or plot hole questions, though yeah, notice those and be grateful for them, but the ones in which someone has taken the time to really read through your story and point out, not just why it didn't work *for them* but also why it might not work *for everyone else*. There is nothing disrespectful about this process and I do not understand why people get these sorts of comments and reviews confused with the flame "I AM SO ANGRY RAWR!" reviews, which are a different beast. (Although frankly, if everyone loves you and *no one* hates you, you're doing something wrong). You don't have to listen to a review or a comment like that, it's up to you, as the writer, to make all final decisions, but you shouldn't fear or loathe getting such a comment either. It's a sign that someone cared enough to bother, and trust me, being ignored is far worse than a little criticism.

It would be nice if reviewers, even the haters, could remember that it's someone's baby they are talking about and keep their tone professional, but it would also be nice if no one went to bed hungry anymore and all wars were over and I got to meet Amy Poehler (and not make a fool of myself if I did). But those things ain't gonna happen any time soon. All you can do is keeping writing and choose to take away from the experience whatever you choose to take away. Personally, I take away that people are varied and diverse and what is aces with one person is the most horrifying and obnoxious thing in the world to another, that some people like to work for their answers and others don't want to think in their fun reading time, and that some people are really, really judgy about sluts in love.

Which is their loss really, sluts in love is like my favorite thing ever. But, as Etienne would say, C'est la vie, bitches.

Comments

[janedavitt.livejournal.com]

I've rolled my eyes pityingly over a review when I knew damn well the book itself was paying for a personal bias, but other than that, yeah, I try to cultivate a thick skin. Bottom line, how someone reacts to a book is down to them.

The only time it bothers me and I want to start a dialog is when they get something factually wrong and say it's why they don't like the book and I'm flailing, wanting to explain, but I've learned it's best not to.

The trouble with going from writing fic to pro is that you're expected to respond to feedback -- you're not supposed to respond to reviews. Hard lesson to learn.

[r-cooper.livejournal.com]

Oh god, yeah, the ones where their facts are all wrong and you have to bite your tongue so hard not to correct them! Argh! The worst.

Though actually the judgy one annoyed me greatly, not even on my behalf, I read some of this person's other reviews and she/he was calling characters in other people's romance novels "skanks" and stuff. I can't even.

But yes, it's better just to not engage them.

[dlasta.livejournal.com]

All I want is *one* day where people would not be stupid or dicks.

[r-cooper.livejournal.com]

Good luck with that. :)

[paraxdisepink.livejournal.com]

The most useful comments for me are the ones which let me know whether I've been able to convey what I'm trying to say to the reader, whether all the nuances and motivations and psychology of what's going is coming across. So if someone says, "I don't get why s/he did that or what their deal is," I know i have to work harder. But if someone can just grasp the complexity of something I'm trying to convey, I'm thrilled. I'm thrilled to know that I've succeeded in translating what's in my brain into words, because that's the real struggle of writing. That is what I'm looking for in feedback. Granted some people are more perceptive than others and some people get different things entirely out of stuff, and that's fine, but still.

But also, if I've accidentally put further instead of farther or deprivation instead of depravation, than I wanna know that shit. STAT. I *hate* authors who gets published doing that shit. I don't want to be incorrect. I don't want to be unclean (unless it's deliberate). I want to know whether people know what the hell's going on. I know wanna know what you're getting out of it. I'd be over the moon if someone took the time to have a thinky and say "I don't think x is doing y because of z. I think s/he's doing it because..." Or even a "THis would have worked better if this happened." I don't even care. "This shit was cliched and choppy and I'm disappointed they never get superpowers, so fuck you"? If someone thought that, I wanna know that too. Because I'd be fucking pissed if I were waiting for superpowers and no one got them. You just can't not deliver on that shit.

I just don't want to hear stupid crap like "Why did they have to be gay?" or "Why was this so long?" Stuff like that just tells me you're a dumbass. It doesn't tell me anything I can use to improve my craft.

So there. I had thoughtses.

[r-cooper.livejournal.com]

I think a lot of people are trying to say thoughtful things, but they seem...confused...by what they like and don't like versus why something didn't work in general, and so they get sort of flaily and angry in this really strange way in reviews.

And you're left like, I'm sorry you didn't like or it wasn't what you wanted...or was it what you wanted but my execution failed? But all you have to go on are statements like "I don't know, I just didn't like it."

???

Hate or love it. It sounds like hate, since you bothered to write a comment/review...but you sound sort of indifferent. Weird.