Writing Meme--Another Answer

[amberfocus]

corusca asked me to answer number 6, my thoughts on critique.

See "A Dangerous Creature? Not So Much" http://amberfocus.livejournal.com/590135.html for my thoughts on that score.

I think people online often use the guise of critique to tear down people they don't like or authors they think are getting too much attention and haven't paid their so-called dues. It seldom has anything to do with the work itself. I have seen it happen too often. I have seen it from people who are in positions of...if not authority in fandom, they at least have a modicum of power in it. Some of these have been quite vicious and nasty, to the point of driving people out of fandom. Often the critique ends up showing more about the critic and his or her personality, than the story that was written.

True constructive critique is rare. And it is usually done in private. It is polite and well-reasoned and can give insight into how things are being perceived by readers that an author might not have realized. It is helpful and not hurtful. It can point out a canon mistake or fandom faux pas, like writing something like "Doctor Who did this" instead of "the Doctor did this." It is well-meaning and meant to genuinely help a writer improve. That is always welcome.

Comments

[editrx.livejournal.com]

Amen in critique, especially what I've seen in fandom, and I know I've sheltered myself -- deliberately _ from seeing the worst of what people can say/do to each other. It's one reason I've been shy about ever writing for DW fandom here or elsewhere. I don't know, in fact, if I'll ever screw up that courage.

[amberfocus.livejournal.com]

And DW is actually one of the nicer fandoms. I'm a diehard Supernatural fan, but I won't go near that fandom based on reputation alone.

[azriona.livejournal.com]

Ahhhh, the Lirkenwanq. I remember the Lirkenwanq. I do not remember what sparked the Lirkenwanq so much, though. Which is probably significant.

I totally missed the post about you asking for questions, though, because I am a horrible person who was ignoring LJ for far too long and is trying to make amends. Link me, please?

[amberfocus.livejournal.com]

Linky: http://amberfocus.livejournal.com/589332.html

It was spawned by that horrible comm that was doing nasty, mean-spirited, wanky reviews during the whole Children of Time Awards thing, when you were running that review comm for it and we were all writing out thoughtful reviews for it. It was anonymous to start with, but it turned out the nasty comm was written by a Teaspoon moderator at the time who didn't get nominated for anything.

[azriona.livejournal.com]

Seriously? I didn't remember that we found out who was behind it. How sad.

But those reviews...I remember the one they did for the Broadway Musical I wrote. It was hysterically awful, entirely undercut by the reviewer saying up front how she (a) hated crackfic and (b) hated musicals. And then tried to claim I hated Steven Moffat, because I made him sing.

I do not think they got the reaction they were hoping for in me.

[amberfocus.livejournal.com]

Yeah, me, either. Because A Dangerous Creature was one of my most popular short fics on LJ and it was written in response to the nasty. I won't name names because I figure the whole thing is pretty much buried now and no sense in doing that. I don't even know if she's active in fandom anymore. The mod outed herself and admitted she'd done it. She was proud of herself, too. I just felt sad that she'd have that much hatred for other people that she hadn't even bothered to get to know just because their work was nominated and hers wasn't.

She wasn't the only mod who has pulled shenanigans either. There was one of a site here on LJ who did a lot of bad mouthing of folks she didn't know either, and told some outright lies, just was tearing them to shreds behind their backs, not just their fics, but them. Took me forever to track down who was stirring the pot, but I finally did and mostly I was just...extremely disappointed in her behavior. Especially when I discovered she was bitching about me long before I ever came to LJ and she'd never once even bothered to try to get to know me. I don't know. I think folks like that must just have a life that is extremely empty.

[corusca.livejournal.com]

I've always been a fan of criticism, but I feel like you can generally tell when someone has come to it from a perspective of trying to help and encourage vs trying to tear down and hurt. I think I just like attention, be it positive or negative, hah.

Upon reading the other comments though, apparently there was a lot of drama in Who fandom that I straight up don't remember. I guess sticking mostly to my one series meant that I had my group of readers that didn't change too much :-P

I never really had a lot of cruel criticism, but the last couple of stories I posted got a lot of griping in response, and that was plenty annoying itself too. Hmph.

[amberfocus.livejournal.com]

Oh, are you writing again? I haven't been paying much attention to my f-list for the last couple months, just skimming. I'll have to go look for them at some point this weekend.

[corusca.livejournal.com]

Yeeaaah I apparently got really excited about Who again and I don't really know how that happened. Four years of being annoyed by Moffat apparently passed away and I remembered how much I loved it. There are two new episodes in 'A Man Who Wasn't There'.

And on both of them, the first comment I got was someone complaining about what I did! My story, my ending! *muttermuttermutter*

[amberfocus.livejournal.com]

Oh, I will definitely try to find time to read those this weekend. I loved that series!

[sunfall-e.livejournal.com]

I loved that series, too. Amberfocus, I hope you keep writing, too. I really want to read the next story in Wolf moon, and Hunger moon, but anything, really, that you write seems to be good.

[develish1]

Having watched one particular writer walk away now twice, both times as a result of comments that were simply hateful attacks on her, her chosen pairing etc rather than any kind of critique, and knowing another who now f-locks ALL their fic for the same reason, I can definitely agree that all too often less positive comments have nothing to do with story/writing quality.

Thankfully though, there are those our there who will offer genuine critque if it's needed, and support when it isn't

[amberfocus.livejournal.com]

Yeah, it is sad to see writer's walk away. Some people just can't grow a skin thick enough to deal with all the crap that is thrown their way. My skin is pretty thick, but even I've had to take some breaks from the bitchery.

[jer832.livejournal.com]

A concise and perceptive statement of the nature and purpose of true critique. It's sad that people have to be reminded, and a crime that some misuse their freedom to trash others.

I came to lj in 2010, but I know some of the story and I've witnessed some of the aftermath. I'd just gotten to know a few of the best DW fanfic writers even as they left, fed up; or continued posting for the love of writing - but always gun-shy.

I've gotten some strange comments and one or two bordering on nasty. But I've had many wonderful, insightful and encouraging critiques. Some people, like sci, Em, and beachy, spurred me to write a better story, their comments and questions the paradigm of what I was taught critiquing should be. I've also learned that betas, like bloose, can make a pretty good story even better and deserve a lot of credit and thanks.

As you know, dev runs a comm that is welcoming and encouraging - kind of a home for neurotic and shy writers who crave interaction. I'm pretty sure that BWR has helped heal some of the damage you referred to.

[amberfocus.livejournal.com]

Gun-shy is a very good term for it. Or skittish. I still have a bit of skittishness myself over some things. I mean, I don't really care what certain people think at all, but I don't want to be told if they are talking about me, either. I'd just rather not know at this point.