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[redconvoy]

Gotta use my mascot today.   I may need the Jack Daniels after this!

Here is what I am going to say to those who ask for advice for fic plots.  Take or leave the advice, but don't bash the source of the constructive criticism.  You may or may not want to be a professional writer; however, if you ask for feed back for a plot, don't be surprised if

Comments

[redconvoy]

Feel free to comment :D I know your advice was on the original post. I was like, why hasn't she said anything and I went there and I was annoyed. That's why I said those things and defended everyone. I then decided to do something on my page as well in comment to her response. She shouldn't advise on how to write an original character. I could do a lecture on that.

I had to deal with constructive criticism myself a while back. I was not immune to that. For instant, I had the experience years ago of having a guy who was a better artist than me verbally kick me in the ass to tell me that I could draw better and after that, I did. My art improved. I thanked him a thousand times over for it.

I did a Transformers Fanzine from 1991 to 1995 and I still have the originals and looking back at them, they stunk. Now I know what some of the people were saying when they criticized it (They weren't even subscribers). The people that subscribed to it didn't help because they wrote the same way or wanted to see me fail. I don't want to even pursue the version I want do now because I did a total revamp. Who wants to read that? They want to read about robots killing each other, not about human drama.

I try to advise other writers that ask for it not to do the original character thing unless one can really pull it off. Hers was the cookie-cutter story plot for a Sue and the main characters were background characters except for the two vying for her attention. For someone do to these fics, I question whether or not something is lacking in their lives that they have to create these fantasies. That is why I asked the girl of the post originally if she was a loner. She even admits to fulfilling her heart's desires. I don't look at writing fiction to fulfilling my every fantasy. I think romance fiction writers are guilty of that kind of writing in a sense.

I write to entertain because I enjoy it. In real life you have to make your own dreams come true. Sometimes you have to fight for those dreams like I had to and I'm sure you and everyone else had to also.

Feel free to "barge in" anytime :D

[frenziedpanda7]

I did my share of "wish fulfillment" writing in my teens, but worry when one has not outgrown it by the end of high school. I worry even more when people can't accept any kind of critisism. How do they survive the working world?

I was lucky that several outstanding writers took me under their wings, and gave me honest accessments of my first posted story. I no longer let any of my fics go to the "The Pit" without a thorough going over by my beta, and the difference is amazing! Why can't people understand that the best review is the one that tells you where you went wrong, and suggests ways to fix it?

[redconvoy]

I question how they survive in the real world myself. You can't have an employer step on egg shells around someone because they can't take constructive criticism, although I have seen that in my place at one time. The current management doesn't take any crap which is what I like.

I've had more experienced writers do that for me too which I was greatful for. The problem with the fic writers currently is that they want praise, not criticism. If you do that, you are a bad person and a troll. I wrote one and told her, after giving her an honest review, to read the disclaimer on ff.net that says something to the effect of constructive criticism, but at the time I spelled it out to her. She apologized after for it. I told her that being like that will get her fired in the real world. I told her when someone gives your advice, it's best to follow it.

I never did the wish fulfillment fics when I was a teenager or in my 20's. I didn't know about that stuff honestly until I joined Transmasters and found people putting themselves into Transformer fics. Each club member had to make up a character that represented us, but mine didn't and I never used her. I have to say though that after reading the first issue of my fanzine, Roderick (the character I made up) would be a Stu in a sense, but not all of the way. I did Simon Furman's light god concept. Roderick was a descendant of Primus and had these powers, could read minds, and couldn't be killed. I was like, what the heck was I thinking??? When I was in high school, I did Mighty Orbot fics. ;D They were so laaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaame! My friend did a better version which were R rated.