Some days, it just takes one comment for everything to dovetail right into each other, and make a lot of things snap into place mentally for you
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Also, I completely agree. Simply being a lover of words is enough to give concrit. Our unique positions as audience members, as people who do not live in the head of the one who had written the story, is enough to give concrit. I would go so far as to say that anyone who is likely to read this blog or participate in LJ Idol or make it to week 30 could even give good concrit.
I agree on how important it is to realize people's potential. My policy for years has been that when young people and prison inmates send me submissions to Wild Violet, I always comment with constructive criticism. Some people gain a lot from it. Every once in a while, though, it results in a hilarious letter, where someone writes back haughtily to defend every single one of the aspects of their writing I suggested they revisit. Those are the people, I remain convinced, whose writing will never grow and change.
But everyone who reads DOES have a valid right to provide their feedback. I always value those viewpoints about my own writing, which is why I like the Killing Floor.
Completely agree on being a reader and writer serving as qualification to provide feedback - IF you can and do manage your tone. Some writers are more sensitive than others when receiving feedback, and getting crit that comes across as harsh or patronizing can really shut a person down and make them less likely to push forward, learn from what they are hearing, and grow as a writer. I have seen many people offer constructive ideas to improve a piece, but couch it in language that puts me on the defensive - even when it's not my piece being evaluated. I think it's an important watch out to be sure that we are telling the truth but still keeping the other person's feelings and perspective in mind.
I think a large portion of this is just keeping in mind when we sharing our perspectives and opinions and approaches to a piece that those things aren't universal. It's really easy to slip into language that's very sweeping: "this doesn't work" is quite different from "this doesn't work for me" and adding "and I don't know why" is perfectly valid. That, and well, empathy. Writing is hard work. Even if tearing something apart is satisfying, it's good to keep in mind that another human being worked hard at it, even if you can't see it.
I worry a lot about the tone of the crit I give, and I'm sure I don't always succeed. I love engaging critically with things - I'm a judgey person, and I don't see that as a bad thing. I like getting down into the whys and hows and the what-ifs and examining my own expectations, desires, and reactions to things. And I do this for, um, everything, including lots of things I love (I love a lot of problematic media. Heh. Ask me about Doctor Who sometimes. BE PREPARED FOR A LOT OF WORDS IN RESPONSE. *grins
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I completely agree - and for the record, I always find your crit excellent in both content and tone!
The empathy piece is what is sometimes lacking in other pieces of feedback I run across. Recognizing that your feedback is your personal perspective (YMMV and all that), and that you are engaging with something that another person put heart and time into, should take care of 99% of tone issues.
"and for the record, I always find your crit excellent in both content and tone!"
Whew! I'm glad to know that. I really do worry. (Also, this is totally me going "let's make this comment thread all about meeeeeee!" evidently. Heh. Sorry about that.)
There's a really neat place online called critters, where people sign up and give and get feedback on pieces. They have some GREAT advice on giving good feedback, like this document: It's not what you say, but how you say it. I learned a lot by reading their materials.
Oh man... I'm one of those people who leaves loooong and usually detailed comments of concrit. And, yeah, I can see how that might be intimidating! But honestly, really-o truly-o, all it takes is an opinion. We've all got those
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I agree with you re: gatekeepers as arbiters. If there was a minimum "you have to be this good to get in", I don't think I would have played in Season 8, let alone this season. :)
Your concrit for my Killing Floor piece was sensitive, and at least let me consider what you were saying rather than "Augh! Everyone hates this piece!" Which is my knee-jerk reaction to criticism.
I wish it weren't, but my mother found flaws in everything I did-- everything-- to the point where that feeling is kind of ingrained now
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Also, I completely agree. Simply being a lover of words is enough to give concrit. Our unique positions as audience members, as people who do not live in the head of the one who had written the story, is enough to give concrit. I would go so far as to say that anyone who is likely to read this blog or participate in LJ Idol or make it to week 30 could even give good concrit.
Or maybe I just wanted to justify frist.
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Also, I agree with your statement about giving concrit.
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But everyone who reads DOES have a valid right to provide their feedback. I always value those viewpoints about my own writing, which is why I like the Killing Floor.
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I worry a lot about the tone of the crit I give, and I'm sure I don't always succeed. I love engaging critically with things - I'm a judgey person, and I don't see that as a bad thing. I like getting down into the whys and hows and the what-ifs and examining my own expectations, desires, and reactions to things. And I do this for, um, everything, including lots of things I love (I love a lot of problematic media. Heh. Ask me about Doctor Who sometimes. BE PREPARED FOR A LOT OF WORDS IN RESPONSE. *grins ( ... )
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The empathy piece is what is sometimes lacking in other pieces of feedback I run across. Recognizing that your feedback is your personal perspective (YMMV and all that), and that you are engaging with something that another person put heart and time into, should take care of 99% of tone issues.
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Whew! I'm glad to know that. I really do worry. (Also, this is totally me going "let's make this comment thread all about meeeeeee!" evidently. Heh. Sorry about that.)
There's a really neat place online called critters, where people sign up and give and get feedback on pieces. They have some GREAT advice on giving good feedback, like this document: It's not what you say, but how you say it. I learned a lot by reading their materials.
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I agree with you re: gatekeepers as arbiters. If there was a minimum "you have to be this good to get in", I don't think I would have played in Season 8, let alone this season. :)
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Guess who volunteered to be one of the people deciding that? ;)
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I wish it weren't, but my mother found flaws in everything I did-- everything-- to the point where that feeling is kind of ingrained now ( ... )
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so I'm throwing it out there? Anyone want to Beta Test the new toys LJ is developing? :)
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