Comments | m_mcgregor: Urgh.

m_mcgregor

Urgh.

Jul 28, 2009 17:12

liz_marcs just brought up fanfic authors who will reply with a "I'm not trying to be a professional writer, I'm just a fanfic writer" when you point out a legitimate problem with their grammar or other work. This reminded me of another pet peeve excuse of mine ( Read more... )

set phasers to nerd, writing thoughts

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Amen, brother! anonymous July 28 2009, 21:42:34 UTC

Years ago, on the FFML, I ran head-to-head with someone with this attitude. I couldn't -- and still can't -- understand how someone could want to write but not want to write well. I asked him, "What's the point of writing something if no one wants to read it because it's so rife with errors? Don't you have any pride in your work?" I never got an answer back.

Re: Amen, brother! m_mcgregor July 28 2009, 22:00:44 UTC

The point is that they're looking to get that quick ego-stroke of someone giving them mindless positive feedback.

I believe "great work!" is the go-to response they're looking for. They aren't writers. They're addicts.

Re: Amen, brother! nezzid July 29 2009, 04:44:39 UTC

I have to admit,I too am a praise-whore, but at least I'm a high class one. I love it when a reviewer will tell me that they enjoyed my fic, but I love it even more when a reviewer is so invested in the piece they ask questions and provide constructive criticism on my writing style. I swear, I geek-gasm everywhere.

As much as I do love the "great work" reviews, I thought the whole purpose of writing in the fanfic community was to practice one's craft while exploring familiar and dear characters with the added benefit of constructive criticism that would help one to, hm I don't know, IMPROVE. Maybe I'm just silly.

Re: Amen, brother! m_mcgregor July 29 2009, 21:19:24 UTC

Constructive criticism and feedback (praising or not), truly in-depth analysis of something I've done? That's the holy grail. I've gotten it very, very rarely, but it's always treasured. I can't pretend getting good feedback isn't nice, but there's nothing like someone caring so much about what you wrote that they actually tell you what you did right and what you did wrong.

Not just because of the ego boost, but because like you said, it's what helps you improve. And that should be what we're all striving for.

Re: Amen, brother! arkeus July 29 2009, 22:13:29 UTC

Well, you know, i think what you did wrong in your Xander-is-raped-by-giles story is that you didn't have Tony help Xander.

Yes yes, you had the whoel parallel where Tony wash and bandages Xander after his bouts with the watcher, him saying how persevering and noble xander was. But! But, you could have diverged from the parallel and gone to have tony kill the watcher. It's sad that Xander was chosen as bookbag-carrier as a sacred duty, and thus was taken in charge by the watcher council, and the dilemna about xander wanting to "taste a twinky" and "be a normal boy, not a bookbag carrier" was touching, really.

Still , i would have liked to see Tony growing from his son's plight, and...

Oh god, please kill me now *_*

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