*hugz only plz* And other reasons I won’t read/review

[pendamuse]

Originally published at little black duck. You can comment here or there.

I was going to post this in the comments section of the original article, but I don’t want those bitter dweebs all over my blog.  Now before we all start reading, this isn’t directed at anyone in particular (ducky, I’m looking at you because I can hear the howls of righteous

Comments

[pjvj]

*jumps up and down and asks anyway*

Sorry. I blame the wine.

[droops]

Nothing like a drunk woman jumping up and down. :)

[pjvj]

HAHAHAHAHA!

[pjvj]

I <3 this comment on the Olson post:

Charles Scalfani says:

I'm a software engineer by day (27 years), writer by night/weekends (9 scripts - 1 produced) and people ask me all the time to fix their Windows systems.

I used to help people because I want to be a nice guy and I know more than 99% of the people on the planet about technology, but after a while I got sick and tired of dealing with doing free work on my own (limited) time.

My new response to that request is "Get a Mac."

I too have become a dick. And you dear public/friends/family have made me such.
====================

"Get a Mac." lololol

[pendamuse]

Indeed. Get a Mac and when it goes tits up go pay someone at a Mac store to fix it.

[pjvj]

*scowl* Macs don't go tits up. :P~

[droops]

Even if you're not my momma I'll take a hug. :)

Actually, I understand what you're saying. This is why I never try to write in the first place. I know where my abilities are, and are not.

*says the man that has to do a devotional work next year for publication*

[pendamuse]

Everyone likes hugs!

There are a few writing forums that I no longer frequent because they were designed for read/review, but some of the writers posting their work weren't looking for crits - they wanted to be told what good, creative people they were for stringing sentences together.

[brock_tn]

Most pro authors I know who do say they will read and critique a manuscript expect to be PAID for doing so. Because the time they spend reading and critiquing is time taken away from their own writing.

I see nothing wrong with saying NO. Backing that up with brass knuckles MAY be a trifle excessive.

[pendamuse]

What about a blanket party?

Right, there's a difference between professional obligation (blurbs, crits, reviews) to other professionals and random guy who knows a friend of a friend who shared a beer with you wanting you to eyeball it and tell him what you thinks.

This discussion is also going on over at Facebook, and I swear, you'd think we were turning out indigent mothers into the street with their infants. I've been called selfish, greedy, and inconsiderate because I won't turn a "favor" - and this is just a discussion of the possibility.

If that's how they treat a discussion, can you imagine what actually reading for those people muct be like? And then you still have to give them a crit?

No thanks.

[silveredmane]

Yeah.

I taught university for ten years, until three years ago. I'm still getting requests from students to edit their papers, theses, dissertations and short stories and to 'look over' their grad school applications and cover letters. When I was teaching there and they thought I was getting paid for out-of-class babysitting time it was annoying but understandable. Now I rarely even return the email.