is it because these people DON'T review and are defensive?

[ivy_chan]

I don't understand why people are so quick to fly off the handle when anyone, no matter how politely, expresses the opinion that they might want some feedback on their fanfic. I mean, seriously. Saying: "I wish I had more reviews, not faves", or "It would be nice if you left a quick note," is not saying: "I DEMAND YOU WORSHIP ME, BITCH

Comments

[lvsinsanity]

It's not just fanfics, you get the same hate for artwork too. If you say that while you enjoy the nice positive feedback, you'd enjoy some crit too, all you get is nothing. -_-

[ivy_chan]

Well, Jesus. And it's so cool to hear an artist go forth and ask for crit, too!

[scdsam]

Personally, I think it might be partly just a bad aftertaste in people's mouths from people who DO tend to use comments like that for attention (usually more along the lines of, "Nobody's commented, I will never write again BAWWWWWW

[redbrunja]

Personally, I think it might be partly just a bad aftertaste in people's mouths from people who DO tend to use comments like that for attention (usually more along the lines of, "Nobody's commented, I will never write again BAWWWWWW")

I think it's a combination of this and laziness. (Which I admit I have been guilty of.) However, since I've started to see how many people read my fic versus says something, I try to comment (even if it's one word!) on ever fic I favorite or put in memories.

[ivy_chan]

There are definitely bad authors who hold fics hostage for reviews, but I can tell when the person who's talking about reviews is one of those or not. There's a definite sense of entitlement about them, not: "I wish I had more reviews," but: "I should have reviews, and if I don't, I'm going to scream." People are jumping all over BOTH kinds of people, and it kind of makes my left eye twitch.

For me, it's not necessarily about critique so much as it's about...people reading my stuff and liking it. I view that they must have enjoyed my fic if they spent the time to put together a review.

[ivy_chan]

I'm seeing comment-grubbers so seldom and the review-grudgers so often lately it's making me annoyed. Yeah, you have no obligation to review, but it's a nice damn gesture if you read and enjoyed the fic.

[t3h_toby_chan]

I'm stuck in the middle cause I'm a huge hypocrite about comments. I lurk and often doubt the significance or welcomeness of my input, but at the same time, I've lurked my way into obscurity in my fandoms, so when I post fanfic, I hardly get any reviews or sometimes none, and that makes me incredibly nervous, wondering what I did wrong and why my fic (or art) was so horrible as to not be commented n by anyone. I've only been posting on LJ too, so there's no fav count or 'hits' to keep track of.

I imagine some lurkers feel uncomfortable having the implicit demand of communication put upon them.

[ivy_chan]

Honestly, I think the 'leave a comment' or 'review' button is an implicit suggestion of communication in itself, but people seem most upset when the author in particular asks for feedback. It could be that they feel unable to comment or that they've had bad experiences before, but I also think there's this element of defensiveness as well, because they know they don't review, they don't want to think they're legitimately upsetting people, so they decide it's the other person's fault for being greedy. (This is to explain the vitriol, not lurker nervousness.)

[hungrytiger11]

here's this element of defensiveness as well, because they know they don't review, they don't want to think they're legitimately upsetting people, so they decide it's the other person's fault for being greedy. (This is to explain the vitriol, not lurker nervousness.)

I'd never thought of it that way before and it makes so much sense!

[celarania]

To be honest, I don't think it's you. As scdsam said it might be, in part, a reaction to people who are nasty if they don't get comments or reviews. I'd also add that sometimes it seems like some people are never happy with the feedback they're getting (more, more constructive, nicer, whatever) so again it might leave a bad taste in their mouth. The other thing that might be annoying is leaving longer feedback for an author or artist only to have them seemingly ignore it. :/ I suppose worse yet are the people who ask for crit and then get defensive about it. The other thing is that I do believe that an artist or author should be happy to work for themselves, but some people take that to the extreme where they shouldn't be bothered if they don't get reviews.

I guess what I'm saying is that they have no reason to get so upset, but at the same time, bad authors can ruin a good reviewer.

[redbrunja]

Nothing makes me less inclined to comment than seeing that an author hasn't responded to previous comments. Why through my words into the net to be ignored?

[ivy_chan]

This rant's not about me, it's about someone on ffrants who recently posted an entry in which they wished all the people who faved her work would leave her reviews, possibly. And some people jumped on her.

I don't mind people having different opinions on what reviews they prefer, because we're all individuals and it makes sense for us to like different things. The people replying don't take into account that the author's enjoying fandom too, both by writing fic and being acknowledged for that fic. They snark about the author saying 'how dare you not enjoy the fic the way I wanted you to enjoy it!' but they're basically saying: 'how dare you not enjoy my reader participation the way I wanted you to enjoy it!'

Bad authors can make you edgy, but that's certainly no excuse to jump on anyone who likes comments to their work.

[celarania]

That makes it odder. I would think other authors would want more feedback and sympathize. I mean, it'd be one thing if it seemed like the author in question was writing only for the popularity, or was being overly nasty about the kind of comments they were getting/ungrateful. Jeez, I'd know if I were more popular I'd still probably complain to other artists that I never got any meaningful critique. Maybe the other authors are angry that someone is getting more comments than them and seems ungrateful? (Kind of the "I'd be happy if I got half as many comments" mentality.)