A little comment about concrit...

[quidditchgrrl]

If you want to improve as a writer (fanfic or otherwise), you must listen to constructive criticism. No, not those folks who seek to insult you personally ('I can't believe you would write about rape! You're an evil person!'), but those who read what you've written and respond in a thoughtful manner, whether they liked what you've written or not.

I love to get reviews; all authors do. To paraphrase epicyclical, show me someone who doesn't read their comments and I'll show you someone trapped under something very heavy and can't get to their computer. One liners are okay, I appreciate that the reader took the time to write even that little thing. The best reviews, however, are not always the most complimentary.

They've changed my views on what I've written, and have changed the outcomes of subsequent chapters. They've made me more aware of my particular grammar mistakes and driven me to have some of my fics beta-read before releasing them to the fandom at large. They've caused me sleepless nights (am I really Harry-bashing? I love Harry, right? Or maybe I'm subconsciously spoofing fanon fluffy!Harry...) and moments of helpless laughter.

Concrit isn't a personal attack; it's a person's view of your world through their eyes.

No work I release is for my entertainment only, else they'd sit on my neon-colored floppies and collect virtual dust. I rarely entertain the squeeing masses (all three of them, lol) and I don't need stroked and petted to make myself feel good. Like what I've written, great. Don't like it, well, I need more than 'this sux!' to understand your point of view.

I try to give concrit in a loving way, when I do give it. Typically I don't make it past the second paragraph before I click away; I can't get into a fic that starts out trite or stereotypically ('Hermione was so excited to get to Platform 9 3/4. She'd lost tons of weight and finally had her frizzy hair straightened'). You gotta impress me (or squick me terribly) to get me to the end of the page. If I can't review objectively, I don't comment at all.

I wouldn't be half the awful PWP writer I am now if it weren't for concrit. I look on it as a compliment, whether it be bad or good. But honestly, I'm afraid of praetorianguard, man - her concrit is brilliant and brutal. I could use some of that, no matter how much it stings.

Comments

[fearthainn.livejournal.com]

Concrit is *extremely* valuable...and yeah, it can hurt sometimes, but the most important thing for writers to remember is that you are not your story. (Generic 'you', of course.) If someone doesn't like your writing, that does not mean they don't like you. And most of the time, for people who do write concrit (and they are brave folk - I sure don't do it), what they're doing is trying to help you get better. They're not ripping your precious work apart and stomping on it because they have something against you, they just see how it can be more precious and are pointing it out to you. (If they were stomping on it, they'd MST it, not give you concrit.) Take a deep breath, step back, find your objectivity and take offered advice for what it's worth. You don't have to agree with what they say, but don't assume that they hate you if they say "You know...this didn't work for me and here's why". Never underestimate the value of an outside opinion. :)