In my experience, it's a very rare occasion. I was incredibly lucky in the past when a few people came forward and said something, it helped me a great deal. But no, it doesn't happen often, partly because it's too much of a bother, and partly because your friends want to spare your feelings. I thought I'd take care about the latter, at least. ;)
Lovely idea. I welcome con-crit, so long as it's respectful. Flames, in the other hand, get shut down and ridiculed. But sometimes it's hard to know where the line is and, more relevantly, where a specific author will deem the line to be. (For me, if I think the work is irredeemably bad, I say nothing. If I think it has potential then I'll decide whether or not to offer criticism. I usually prefer not to criticize something that's already posted, because if the author doesn't go back and fix it, it will drive me nuts XD)
I've been thinking about doing a meta post on beta reading, more specifically which conditions have to be in place for a successful beta-writer relationship (with me, natch. Everyone is different).
So far I've come up with one commandment and a corollary :
Thou shalt separate Self from Work (but purple prose exists to be mocked)
*g*
TL;DR - I like your idea, and I'll keep your comm in mind if I find something in one of your stories :) (jaylee_g and zjofierose are very, very insistent that I read Don't Stop Believing NOW. Now,
( ... )
Yep, flames are annoying. I should know, my first story in the fandom (I can't even remember its name now, wow, how about that) was flamed badly, and I didn't even know what flames were back then. But yeah, the thing is, positive thinking is awesome and compliments are crack for the muses, but sometimes you just need to know the things you've been screwing up, too. In my case, at any rate.
I'd read that. Beta/writer relationship is a tricky one, and everyone is different, yep. It'd be great to know your thoughts as you both write and beta. ;)
LOL. I envy the heck out of you guys that you are able to meet like that, and talk, and bond and what not. But you still shouldn't let them harass you into this. They mean well, I think. Then again, I wouldn't know. ;)
Haha, that's a form of self-hypnosis, you know? If I repeat that enough times maybe I'll convince myself and all that. :D
What a lovely idea. I accept con-crit and welcome it. Just hate flames. When I first started writing con-crit (except for the mean spirited ones) kept me afloat and helped me improve as a writer. Sadly, my grammar errors are still numerous and horrible. :S Yes, I recognize that flaw of mine and hope to improve upon it.
What a great idea! I may be tempted to put some of my fics up for inspection as well. I agree that concrit can be a very useful tool in order to improve and hone ones talents.
i think this is a great idea. i would love to participate.
i actually had a great conversation with my beta recently about this very thing- we're both on the page about "all creation provides a chance to improve, so why not take it?". i mean, yes, some people just write for fun, and when it's done, they're done, and that's fine. but if i'm going to spend this much time on something, i'd at least like to know that my skills are going up, because i want it to be enjoyed, both by myself and my audience. and i mean, come on, it's learning. and learning, though occasionally hard and/or painful, is usually fun and always worthwhile.
I know my early stories were dreadful. And sure, you can learn a lot by writing continuously and reading good stuff, but sometimes you need a bit of guidance too, I believe. I know I benefited from it, which is why I decided to try and do this. If it works out even once, it's already a plus. ;)
Comments 17
(The comment has been removed)
Reply
(The comment has been removed)
Reply
I've been thinking about doing a meta post on beta reading, more specifically which conditions have to be in place for a successful beta-writer relationship (with me, natch. Everyone is different).
So far I've come up with one commandment and a corollary :
Thou shalt separate Self from Work (but purple prose exists to be mocked)
*g*
TL;DR - I like your idea, and I'll keep your comm in mind if I find something in one of your stories :) (jaylee_g and zjofierose are very, very insistent that I read Don't Stop Believing NOW. Now, ( ... )
Reply
I'd read that. Beta/writer relationship is a tricky one, and everyone is different, yep. It'd be great to know your thoughts as you both write and beta. ;)
LOL. I envy the heck out of you guys that you are able to meet like that, and talk, and bond and what not. But you still shouldn't let them harass you into this. They mean well, I think. Then again, I wouldn't know. ;)
Haha, that's a form of self-hypnosis, you know? If I repeat that enough times maybe I'll convince myself and all that. :D
Reply
Reply
Reply
Reply
Reply
Reply
Reply
i actually had a great conversation with my beta recently about this very thing- we're both on the page about "all creation provides a chance to improve, so why not take it?". i mean, yes, some people just write for fun, and when it's done, they're done, and that's fine. but if i'm going to spend this much time on something, i'd at least like to know that my skills are going up, because i want it to be enjoyed, both by myself and my audience. and i mean, come on, it's learning. and learning, though occasionally hard and/or painful, is usually fun and always worthwhile.
:)
Reply
Reply
Reply
Reply
Leave a comment