fiore-della-valle:

OKAY.  SO.

Here’s the thing.  Feedback is always, always, always, subjective.

There is no such thing as objective feedback.  There is no such thing as advice that is always correct.

Writing is a complicated art form.  What is good writing and what is bad writing and how writing could be improved is not simple.  There are no rules that work across the board, period.

Feedback is all about context.

So let’s give some examples.  Let’s talk about Steven King.  Steven King is, by pretty much any measure, an extremely accomplished writer.  He has written so many books it makes my head hurt to contemplate.  He has had his stories turned into movies and television series.  He has made an epic shit ton of money.  He has sold an epic shit ton of books.  It can be argued that he helps define the modern horror genre.

Steven King tells a good fucking story.  His writing is flat as shit.

Not necessarily a popular opinion, I know.  Not necessarily an opinion that will be shared by everyone.  But I have read a fair number of his books, and while I respect his ability to tell a story, to build tension, to take the mundane and make it horrifying- his prose is only so-so.  His worlds lack texture.  His dialog is kinda iffy.

George R. R. Martin is another accomplished writer.  In contrast to King, I find his prose rich and engaging, and his world building is awesome.  I don’t think the man knows how to tell a story.  I really don’t.

Every writer out there has things they do well, and things they do not-so-well.  Every reader out there has things they like, and things they don’t like.  Every story ever written has exactly as many interpretations and emotional reactions as it has read-throughs.  There is no right way to write.

My opinion on Steven King’s prose is my opinion.  My opinion on George R. R. Martin’s storytelling is my opinion.  It isn’t necessarily right, it isn’t necessarily wrong, it’s subjective.  It also doesn’t impact Steven King or George R. R. Martin in any way.  They are not going to change their style to better entertain me, personally.  Nor should they- they are writing their stories, the way they envision them, using the style that suits them.

So here is where we need to talk about feedback on fanfiction.

Fanfiction is written as a hobby, by fans, for free.  When it is edited, it is edited by other fans, also usually for free.  Some of these fans are professional writers, some aren’t.  Some of these fans are professional editors, some aren’t.  Some of these fans are writing in a language they didn’t grow up speaking.  Some of them have physical disabilities that make typing difficult.  Some have disabilities that make reading difficult.  Some are working obscenely long hours at very difficult jobs.  Some have serious shit happening in their personal lives.

And all feedback is subjective.

When someone decides to provide ‘helpful’ critique, it means they have found something in the writing they are reading that they feel could be done better.

But better is subjective.

It depends purely on the reader’s taste.  What you personally find appealing is not necessarily correct for everyone.

I have no way to know what kind of a reader randomscreenname98 is.  I don’t know if they love King or Martin or Lackey or Rowling or Tolkien or Meyer.  I don’t know if they have written anything, ever, in their lives.

Their unsolicited opinion on how I could ‘improve’ something?  Is pretty much useless.  Because I don’t have any context, I don’t know what they consider ‘ideal’ writing to be, and even if I did- their ideal is irrelevant to my writing unless it is similar to my ideal, and if I don’t know them?  I don’t have any way to judge that.  And if they drop in on my work, without bothering to get to know me, and provide that opinion anyway?  I don’t have any desire to judge that- because they aren’t a person I want to get to know.

Feedback is subjective.  Unsolicited ‘constructive’ criticism is not helpful.  It lacks the context that could make it helpful.  Also, it’s rude.

Stop it.