What am I, chopped liver?

[rsadelle]

No offense meant to chopped liver or the people who like it.

There have been several conversations about constructive criticism floating around recently. In all of them, people have said to me, in response to constructive crit, "How would you feel if someone did to you what you just did to this author?" My response is, "I'd love it," which is absolutely true. I would love it if someone would take one of my stories (preferably a newer one; I know where much of my older fic sucks) and tear it apart. And yet, despite the many times I've said this, no one has.

Are they sticking to their idea that constructive crit, especially when you dare openly say you don't like something, is evil and mean and should therefore not be done? Am I really such a good writer that they can't find things to criticize? Do they just not care about my writing enough to do it?

There have also been several conversations, although not as recent, about what constitutes a ridiculous pairing. No one ever mentioned James Hetfield/Eminem. I think that's a rather unbelievable pairing. Was the story good enough that the unbelievability of it wasn't noticeable? Was it not quite bad enough to warrant being singled out as a bad example? Was it mediocre enough to slip under everyone's radar?

I wonder if part of the reason no one ever critiques my writing is because I don't have a feedback header anymore. I stopped using it when I really got sick of the "if you don't send me feedback telling me how great this is, not only are you a bad person, but I'll never write again" attitude that many writers imbue their feedback headers with. I don't want to contribute to that. I don't want to beg for feedback. I don't want to guilt trip people into writing feedback. I don't want to blackmail people into writing feedback. I don't want this entry to sound like I'm pouting because I don't get certain types of feedback. I want people to write me feedback if and when they have something to say about my stories. I just wish there were some way for me to make it clear that I welcome thoughts on what doesn't work without sounding like I'm demanding feedback.

Comments

[bubosquared.livejournal.com]

In my case, it's mostly a matter of not knowing what to say. I know how to critisise mediocre and bad stories, but stories like yours, that've been beta'd and beta'd again, are much harder. I end up pointing out what I particularily liked, and especially in *ahem* a certain fandom, that could be misinterprted as me praising you cause you're my friend.

I think people in general are just afraid of saying anything negative anymore for fear of being accused of flaming. Even pointing out what doesn't work, as Joanne does, is a risk these days. [God, I've become an old hag!] I don't get any serious feedback either, except from you lot.

I've been thinking about a good way to emphasise in my fic header that I want in-depth critique, but it all comes out sounding whiny or bitchy or bitter. Which I am, but people don't need to know that. <g>

[rsadelle]

stories like yours, that've been beta'd and beta'd again, are much harder.

Yeah, because then you don't even have grammar and spelling errors to concentrate on. I am fairly fanatical about making my fic as close to perfect as I can, so I can see how it would be harder to find things that don't work. I think what I need to get serious constructive crit is for someone who doesn't like my style/plots to write me some.

that could be misinterprted as me praising you cause you're my friend.

I worry about this too. I generally only write positive things in response to Nette, but it's not because she's my friend. It's because I beta read for her, so anything that I think doesn't work has already been ironed out by the time the story gets posted.

[bubosquared.livejournal.com]

I thinkk that might be a good idea, yes. Because our ideas on what's a good plot, what works, and what is a fluid style may be too close together for me to be really critical.