Thread on Nightblooms List today all about flames vs. criticism, and decent fanfic characterizations of the Jossverse folk. 

Made my head spin. 

I remember when I first started writing fanfic, how I used to say all the same stuff as every newbie. "But this is just for FUN!!!! I can write whatever I want!!" So I did. And it showed. My stuff was predictable at best, wince-worthy at worst. 

So kindly allow me here and now to apologize *sincerely* to any and every person who ever sent me constructive criticism back in the day. Cause I *know* I was a total arse about it. 

(((Two instances spring immediately to mind, one re: 'Inheritances', and one re 'Komodo', about a year or so ago. To the two readers who sent me mail about those fics, and expressed their concerns regarding characterization and format respectively, I publicly apologize for my abrupt response. I may not agree with your stance on my fic, but I appreciate your opinions, and that you valued my fic enough to spend time sharing your thoughts with me.))) 

I'm sure I said just what this chick OL said today, "You can't tell me what/how/who to write!" And if I didn't say it out loud, I certainly muttered it under my breath. 

Well, bullshit. People sure as hell can tell you what/who/how to write. When you post in a public forum, in fact, you can EXPECT them to tell you that. Now, what you choose to do with that request is up to you. If the person sends it to you in an offensive format (ie 'you suck donkey balls and should consider writing only grocery lists until the End of Days') you certainly have the right to ignore it, complain to a list parent, and/or send them a lovely message right back with directions to Hell. Or, maybe you can consider the possibility that your writing DOES INDEED suck donkey balls. Particularly if that seems to be the general concensus among people who are not your: beta, mother, best freind since Junior High. 

No one is perfect, no one writes flawlessly and there is no "Right" or "True" way to write any kind of fiction. Writing is an art form, and talent is subjective, and for every hideous fic someone writes, there are ten other someones waiting around to go "that ROCKED!" and shower the lousiest of all fics with effulgent praise onlist.  Why? Hell if I know. I couldn't even convince my 11th grade Humanities teacher that three lines and a circle painted on a rock was hardly comparable to Raphael's religious portraiture. She said they were both art. She said I would flunk if I failed to see her point. I told her she was an idiot. I flunked, but I still feel the same way about Raphael. 

Complicated *and* subjective. 

However, we can all agree that certain writers are better, more talented, more creative, have a deeper grasp of the English language, than others. Your milage on who/what/why these talented people are may vary, but to claim that every writer is created equal is to delude yourself. I will never turn a phrase like Te, I will never write linear stories worthy of a Joss-script like Maayan, and I will probably never write a smoldering smut scene like Lar. Aware of these limitations, I don't take exception to people telling me "hey..maybe you can try this instead, cause this bit didn't work.." 

In fact, I like it when people tell me what they think. It's a way to improve. Since I started fanfic writing, I have indeed improved. Considerably. I say this not to brag, but merely because some of my initial attempts still mortify me. They're all posted here, because I have faith that a reader can judge the evolution between 'Hanged Man' and 'Komodo' in texture, plot development, and poetic style. I believe fanfic readers can read 'Ronin' and then 'Days of Our Unlives' and go, "Oooh yea. That *was* her first fic wasn't it?" regarding the former. Progress, growth, maturation should all *show*. Otherwise, for godssake, what was I spending all this time *doing*? 

Yea, fanfic writing is a hobby, yea it's for 'fun'. But I like to do my best whenever I do anything. And when I post my hobby in a public forum which includes people who consider writing much more than mere sport, I should, and do, expect commentary that may not always be flattering. I cherish my betas by Jess, NOT because she is also my freind, but because she kicks my ass when I write something stupid, be it a run on sentence or an entire unlikely plotline. I LOVE reading Te's reviews of my work because she hits on everything, the good the bad and the ugly, and so when she says she really LIKES something, I know for sure she likes it. She's not just saying 'well done' to blow smoke up my ass. 

I am wary of writers who churn out fic day after day after day....how good can it be if you don't take any time to ponder your subject matter? To tweak things beyond grammar and sentence structure? To try new things, rather than just the same pairing again and again and... 

I take exception to people saying on list "You can't tell this person what they did wrong, 'cause this person writes so well!" Well, that's exactly WHY that person has to know what they may have done wrong. To get even better. Writers who suck ass all over the place seldom get any constructive criticism at all. Usually, they just get linked to on someone's blog or private list somewhere to be giggled at. 

If someone tells you they have taken the time to read your huge frigging story and found a problem with it and then lays it all out for you..for chrisssake as long as they don't insult your mother, THANK THEM. Feel free to go, "well, here's why I wrote it this way, and I beleive it's possible because..." sure, but THANK THEM for taking the time to go through the million pieces of shit out there and picking YOURS to care enough to read and make a comment on. Later on, complain to your freinds if your feelings are hurt, if you must. But then, toughen the hell up. This is a community. Noone is obligated to like you. Or your writing. And no one worthy of being your readership is going to pretend to either. 

(((Addendum: Apparantly, I am completely unable to spell the word friend. 

12/21/01 1030 PM:  lionsheep79: along the lines of me kicking your ass...you've spelled the word friend wrong three times in the last two days on your blog and its driving me crazy. But dont start an OL controversy over it.  because you are PERFECTLY WITHIN YOUR HUMAN RIGHTS to mispell the goddamn word, christ knows.  ::sigh:: ))) 

Commentary? 

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