Why can't authors handle criticism?

[ZombieBucky]

if the author puts it up on the internet or out in the world it shouldnt say 'hay guyz bee nice or elze i is block you lololol'. the world judges. an author puts it out on the table, they should have the emotional maturity to handle criticism of all kinds. if not, then we should revoke all pen, paper, computers, typewriters, word processors, and all other tools to write/type/communicate with.

[Mr Bekkler]

Just because it's the internet doesn't mean everyone who writes wants criticism, be it constructive or not.

Nor does it mean they deserve criticism (or praise for that matter), whether they get it or not.

Most importantly for us, it doesn't excuse the reader from basic manners, which is forgotten all-too-often in cyberspace.

[ZombieBucky]

it doesnt just necessarily apply to the internet either. when put on the publishing table youre going to be told that it sucks if it sucks. the internet does need manners, but wherever you put your material, it will be criticized. an author should be mature enough to take both a trolls flames and the critiques of a publishing agent.

[anonymouse]

One would assume that when someone posts their stories on the Internet, essentially a huge public forum, he/she is in fact asking for feedback. When I don't want people to comment on my story, I either don't post it or lock it.

Anyway, if you are familiar with Fanfiction.net, you'll know that many authors do ask for reviews, only to become upset when someone takes them up on it and criticizes the story. Sure, they don't want criticism, they want praise, but then the reviewers have the right to write down their honest opinion of the story since the author never specified praise.

[Mr Bekkler]

As long as they want to hear it, I agree with you. But if it's not stated or implied it's just polite to ask. It's like saying hello when you answer a phone or knocking before you enter somebody's house.

That is, if you want the author to pay attention to your opinion, and not toss it aside as just flaming.

"Would you like my honest opinion?" would help Triforce if he keeps having problems with authors handling his critique.

[ZombieBucky]

'would you like my honest opinion?'
'yeah sure whatever'
'<long and drawn out review here, basically stating gently that the story in question sucks dinoballs and they need to either scrap it completely or do some serious revision>.'
'OMG TROLL IMMA REPORT YOU'

thats the problem. if its a bad review, then they freak out.they report people for 'trolling' when theyre actually being quite kind. if i wanted to, the nice and gently put review could be worded like this: 'your story sucks, bitch. ditch it or fuck it over some, because it just sucks.'
everyone should accept that not everyone will like their work and if they dont like it theyre going to say so. when you give an assignment to a teacher, s/he will tell you whats wrong with it and have you go fix it.
THERE IS A REASON FOR THAT.

[Mr Bekkler]

Of course a teacher will tell you what is wrong. That's the point of an assignment.

That's like saying people will respond to your posts if you write on this forum. It's a forum. People are going to read and respond. It is implied when posting here that you want somebody to respond. It's not a formal work. You're not citing anything and you're not selling anything.


If the scenario you posted about the author screaming OMG TROLL actually occurred, I'd say, yes that author is a 5 year old whiny bitch. But "Yeah sure whatever" is a good indicator that they don't give a shit in the first place, so by critiquing you're wasting your time.

Someone who wants an honest opinion wouldn't act like that. They would have the maturity to accept the faults of their work and chances are if the critique is actually going to be a reader's honest opinion it's not going to be "Your story sucks, bitch, ditchi it..."etc.

It doesn't change the fact that most of the drama and bullshit can be averted by asking if they give a shit what you think in the first place.

[Truthordeal]

Yes, but on sites like FP or FFN it's probably not proper code to say: "Hey, you mind if I give an honest opinion?"

I don't know how to word it, but its there. Gah, I suck.

[GenesisOne]

If the scenario you posted about the author screaming OMG TROLL actually occurred, I'd say, yes that author is a 5 year old whiny bitch. But "Yeah sure whatever" is a good indicator that they don't give a shit in the first place, so by critiquing you're wasting your time.

Very true.  

Someone who wants an honest opinion wouldn't act like that. They would have the maturity to accept the faults of their work and chances are if the critique is actually going to be a reader's honest opinion it's not going to be "Your story sucks, bitch, ditch it..."etc.

But what if the greenhorn author simply refuses to improve? You can’t force him to improve his work.

Simply put, if he doesn’t want to, it’s his choice. Of course, he won’t have any right to brag about his work since he didn’t invest any effort into it.  If he does brag anyway, then have him consider this:

You ever heard the scenario of a tree falling down in the middle of a forest and no one’s around to hear it?  Well, the same thing goes for Fan Fiction.  If we don’t read it, then his work is nothing to us.

[ZombieBucky]

(i actually put in 'yeah sure whatever' because i was being lazy.)
the world is an open forum. when you put your work out, whether it be words or art or an idea or anything, people will judge it. people will express what they like and what they dont like. it is going to happen whether you ask for it or not. if i were to say something stupid here, then someone would probably tell me its stupid. why? this is an open forum.
the internet is an open forum, much like the world. i put something stupid here? you guys are going to tell me it's stupid. the internet shouldnt have rules that say you cant tell someone something is stupid. sure, there should be rules that tell you not to be horribly cruel about it. but you should tell someone something sucks and they need to redo it. if you arent mature enough to handle that, then you should just stop posting things on the internet. it doesnt get you girlfriends (trust me), it doesnt make your dick grow (trust me), it doesnt make your boobs grow (trust my sister), it wont make you fly, it wont make you popular, it wont get you good grades, it wont do any of that. so if you cant handle criticism, keep your work within. never let anyone see it. never show it to anyone. because if it sucks someone is going to tell you so.
we are not your mothers. not everything you do is amazing.

[Mr Bekkler]

Manners=/=Rules.  I'm not saying you HAVE to do anything.


Directly from a google search of "manners giving criticism"
Here is the link.

Unsolicited criticism is rarely considered to be constructive because NOBODY ASKED YOU. On the other hand, if you see somebody just destroying something they are trying to accomplish and you want to give them the benefit of your expertise and experience, ASK if they would mind a little constructive criticism. Then if they agree, you are not giving unsolicited criticism, because in effect, when they acquiesced to the offer of criticism they actually created a de facto solicitation. This will hold up in any court of manners, but just to be safe, consult with a Certified Courtesy Consultant.

[ZombieBucky]

but doesnt letting the world see it invite criticism and compliments?

[Mr Bekkler]

Not in all cases. Sometimes it's just concept work or preparatory work as a step toward a more complete draft.

Especially if the author has a following, he/she may be allowing the "fans" to peek into his/her writing process.

Sometimes it's just something they shelled out and they know it's not perfect but they're trying to make a point and didn't have much time to do it.

You also have to consider the fact that many people see constructive criticism as different things. Some immediately chop up a writer's work for grammar. Some go for canon (where applicable, like in fanfiction). Some make suggestions to help the flow of the story and the actual storytelling behind what was written. Personally, I think the ideal criticism touches all these, but doesn't forget to mention what's good as well. Lots of people forget to balance the bad with the good, leaving the author with what looks like a big hate note.

It's all circumstantial and/or relative. But if it's posted online in a forum, like on the compendium or some fanfic forum, chances are it's fair game.

[anonymouse]

Hmm, I was always under the impression that the mere act of posting it where everyone could see it meant that criticism is invited. There's another writing site called ImpishIdea, where authors who don't want criticism explicitly state so in a note directly preceding the story. If there is no such request, the understanding is that the story is fair game. What's that phrase...right, "silence means consent".