OMG. I don’t feel like actually getting into it on the actual post, but I just passed by a post about how fic writers should welcome criticism in comments because friends who beta your fic aren’t experts.
Setting aside the fact that I could easily have every fic beta’d by English PhDs and professional writers if I wanted (some fandoms are crawling with them)…. you know who really isn’t an expert, in my experience?
Random assholes commenting on my fic. They never seem to actually know any more about writing than I do (usually they don’t have any fic of their own posted, wow, what a shock). Nor are they well-intentioned. Oh, I’m sure they tell themselves they want to “help me improve,” but as soon as I disagree with them it becomes clear that they are far more interested in being right (always about something completely subjective) than in helping me grow as a writer.
Now, I’m lucky – I’ve only gotten a handful of truly negative/critical comments (besides like, typos or requests for tags/warnings or that sort of thing). But when it does happen, it goes the same way every. Damn. Time. I have never gotten one that I actually agreed with after serious reflection, and when I tell them hey, I’ve thought a lot about this and I like the way I did it, they never back off and say “Ok, well, just thought you’d like to know my perspective” or something. No, they’re fucking offended that I disagreed, because apparently I’m the only one in this scenario who is supposed to accept (and agree with) all criticism. Criticizing their criticism is not allowed.
It costs you $0 to not comment on a fic. Sometimes it can be hard, I know, when the characterization SUPER bugs you or the plot uses your PET PEEVE to add drama, and you want to tell them so so badly. But just… don’t. Just don’t! Unless the author has specifically said they want constructive criticism, they probably don’t want your feedback.
And here’s the thing – unwelcome feedback almost never convinces anyone to change a damn thing. Just assume that yours won’t be the magical 1% that does and move on. Complain about the fic privately to a friend if you need to get it off your chest.
i’m so here for the five-minute-rule of basic manners as applied to fic – like if it can’t be fixed in five minutes or less, don’t ever say it, because you’re just being mean.
got spinach in your teeth or your shirt’s inside? sure. got a typo or misspelling? sure.
wearing something you’re pretty sure the boss won’t like to a big meeting? maybe, but carefully and kindly. consistent but easily-fixed grammatical errors that may make readers stop reading really quickly? maybe, but carefully and kindly.
i really don’t like this and that and i just thought you should know how much i hate it? probably don’t ever, ever do that.
Exactly. No fic writer is ever going to redo their entire plot and characterization because a single commenter didn’t like it. This is one thing that makes it clear that these people don’t know jack about writing – the way they argue as if they expect me to actually rewrite my story based on their feedback. They clearly have absolutely no idea what that would actually mean, and how difficult it would be. It’s worlds away from pointing out a typo.
(They also have no concept of how egotistical it is for them to assume that their opinion is what I should base my decisions on – not my beta, not the many other people who have commented with the exact opposite of what they just said, and definitely not me.)
can there be a thing called self insert day where everybody just draws themselves hanging out with their fave fictional characters and we all have a collective party so nobody feels self-conscious about posting self insert fanart online
omg this is gaining rapid notes and everybody seems so pumped for this. Can I pick a day and we actually do this?? um. um. How about June 27&28? Self insert weekend!!! that gives ppl three weeks to prepare!! (tag things as #self insert weekend if you actually do it cuz I wanna see your guys’ drawings hehe)
listen, there is absolutely nothing that gets me going like mutual seemingly unrequited pining like? i live for both people losing their minds over the other person in bitter silence. savoring every single accidental brush of their fingers, elbows, thighs, every stray glance, memorizing every gesture or expression they catch while the other isn’t looking, all while being absolutely convinced that it’s one-sided only to finally!! finally find out it wasn’t in a triumphant moment of bliss after years and years of delicious, soul-rending, torturous, heart-wrenching pining. i literally don’t care about the fact that this trope is predictable af and always plays out the same way i will still go wild over it every single time like they’ll be doing the same reveal scene i have seen a million times and i’m still on the edge of my seat gasping “are they gonna kiss???”
my single greatest weakness as far as love stories go
is when a story is told through one character’s (pining) point of view, but you the reader KNOW that their love interest loves them back
and the pov character casually says something that you the reader KNOW is gonna be completely devastating to their love interest, but pov character has NO IDEA, like:
“[innocently devastating thing],” said pov character
a strange look seemed to pass over love interest’s face. “yeah, [seemingly casual response that comes off as a little stilted, for reasons pov character just cannot pinpoint],” said love interest.
“uh, [joke that accidentally just DIALS UP THE AGONY TO A THOUSAND FOR LOVE INTEREST],” pov character added, to cut the tension.
love interest step’s faltered for a second. “[seemingly casual response that is FILLED WITH EXQUISITELY REPRESSED PAIN AND LONGING].” it sounded a little gruff. probably love interest was just distracted, or wanted some space. who could blame them?
setepenre-set 