Re: Drain Brameged Inc. Bites the Hand That Feeds It

["jin_hayte" <jinhayte@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

I don't know what the definition of the term "beginning writer" is -
or if I am one of those, having written for quite a few years - but I
can say that the "waves" you speak of, the little tidbits of
positivity - that more often than not means someone telling me I "r0x"
- make me feel ill. when someone tells me that s/he "luvd" my story
and that I "shud rite more" I wonder what a four year old is doing on
a list that contains material that you have to be - at least - 18 to
view. 

now, I've never gotten an out-right flame, which is something I take
as a good sign, but when people point out the flaws in my stories and
tell me they didn't like something, I cherish it. I think about it and
I learn from it.

when I first published my stories, I got a lot of "u rox", "I like
that" and "omg that is awesome!", and they did put a smile on my face,
because I knew of nothing else. but then Mad stepped in and gave me a
blow-by-blow breakdown on my story, what was good and what was not,
and BAM! I learned a whole lot and I loved it, and suddenly the
three-word positive comments were worth jack

to summarize: a C&C - even a negative one - is worth a billion "waves"

quality over quantity, always and forever

--- In buffywantswillow@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, "Howard Russell"
<howardrussell2000@y...> wrote:
> Hello Everybody!
>
> And specifically Mad Hamlet and Carole,
>
> I have to say, in my opinion, there is a huge difference between C&C
and flames.  I've been on the receiving end of some genuine MH C&C and
it's never been a flame.  Some of his critiques I've not quite
understood and others I've felt were wrong, but still not a flame. 
His C&C has been helpful overall and I've appreciated it.
> I've also been on the receiving end of actual flames.  In fact there
is on person who has constantly--and thankfully, privately--told me
that they don't like what I've written.  That, I've found to be the
most disheartening.  Maybe I am weak, but a vague "you suck" without
specifics makes me feel like I've done something wrong even writing in
the first place.  After one of those missives, I find it difficult to
open up my word processor again.
> Equally weak, a vague "That rox DOOD!" at least works as a flame
suppressor.  (What's the opposite of a flame?  Something water based,
I think.  A wave?  What should we call those anti-flame, non-specific
praises?)  I have an average ratio of waves to flames of about 5 to 1.
But it's still the flames that weigh the heaviest.
> So Mad, stop complaining about waves.  You can't stop people from
flaming and we beginning writers need the waves to counteract their
effects.  We're not all as emotionally strong as you.  While C&C is
helpful, it's good to know that someone enjoyed what was written in
the first place.
> Your fellow 'shipper,
> Howard
>
> --
>
> http://www.geocities.com/howardrussell2000/





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