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[wiseheart]

There is a certain sort of reader/reviewer that I seem to attract, no matter where I post my stuff. Basically, they tell me they like the story at first (if I'm very lucky) and then go on and on about what they don't like and what I should do instead.

I really don't understand these people. If I don't like a story, or certain aspects of it, I simply hit the Back button. If I can't find the kind of story I'd like to read, I go on and write one. But I'd never have the audacity to tell an author what they should write. It's their story, after all (or, in this case mine), and it's up to the author what they want to do with a story and where they want to go with it, right?

I don't understand either why people ignore warnings and author's notes. For example, I cled that "Iceman" won't be a Janto story. Just to make it clear. And yet I got reviews in which people 'hope that Jack and Ianto will hook up' in the end.

I mean, WTF? It's said in advance that they won't. So why keep people bothering? It's not so that I'd be hired to write them the story they want, is it? This is an attitude I meet from time to time in different fandoms. As if they'd pay me for writing what they want. Well, they don't, so I'm not oblied to write a story after their taste, am I?

The other thing that pisses me off royally is the picking on typos and stuff. I mean, I'd love to have an army of steady betas who look through every single thing I write and weed out the mistakes. Sadly, I don't. And interestingly enough, most people - usually the most critical ones - can't be bothered to offer their beta services. So what? I'm writing in a third language but still a lot better than many a native speaker who can't write properly in their mother tongue.

Comments

[lhun-dweller.livejournal.com]

Argh! What a pain! I think sometimes that people misunderstand the notion of "reviewing" -- it's not a writer's workshop or a creatie writing class at university, and certainly no one is paying money for it. I can't imagine people writing the kinds of things they write to you (and others) if they had to tell you to your face...

I'm beginning to wonder if a tendency I'm seeing here in the States is also invading the fanfic realm. It seems to me to be a notion that one should be able to have things exactly the way one wants them, right now if not sooner. And no surprises -- except ones they like -- no sharp edges, no prickly points, no uncomfortable feelings that aren't quickly resolved, no messy ambiguities or situations with only bad and worse choices. But all of these are things that make for great storytelling! And you are very good at writing such things. I wish more folks could appreciate the craft of what you do, instead of wanting more of the same old formulas. [sigh] Here, have some Elvish waybread and a nice glass of Dorwinian wine with me!

[wiseheart.livejournal.com]

I'll take the beer from Riddermark and the Dwarven ale, if you don't mind, but otherwise...

People are idiots, and I won't change my writing to accommodate them. It's still annoying to go through their idiocy sometimes.

[third-charm.livejournal.com]

Preaching to the choir, hon! Been there and had to block that, too. Folks are nuts and refuse warnings then complain. I have no problem with calling them out on it in the review section itself if I have too and if the idiocy continues I block them. I take no BS anymore.

[wiseheart.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I do tell myself to ignore them all the time and then I get upset anyway.

How are you doing, by the way? Haven't heard of you for a very long time.

[illereyn.livejournal.com]

...I guess you don't want any reviews on your stories, then. I think there's an option to turn commenting off in LJ, and you can simply stop message notifications on FF.net.

[wiseheart.livejournal.com]

No, I actually cherish reviews. I just wish people would comment on the stories I actually write, instead of stories they believe I should write to service their special wishes. That's a difference.