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My desire to be understood is far greater than my desire to be liked. That's partly why I write.
I think there's nothing more damning, or depressing, than false praise. I would prefer the truth, and negative criticism to none at all. I don't really see the point of posting stories otherwise. On the other hand, I don't criticize stories here as it is not expected, nor do I feel it would be appreciated.
Having a separate Forum for criticism is a very good idea.
I am a member of Desdmona's Fish Tank, a writer's group for authors of erotic fiction, where detailed, constructive criticism is given and expected. These are some of their guidelines:
Make two positive remarks.
Make two suggestions for improvement.
Try not to repeat.
This is what we call our 2+2 review. If you want to review a different way, that’s fine too. Just remember to temper any of your suggestions with some positive remarks.
Be specific. Ideally, cite examples. Ideas come from the strangest places, and even if your suggestion isn’t itself useful, it may spark the author’s imagination and inspire a change that is useful.
The best thing you can do for an author is to give your personal impression of the piece. He already knows how he feels about the story, and he knows what he is trying to get across. But he now wants to see if his points have trickled through to you, his audience.
It is common for people’s impressions to differ. With readers of varying nationalities and drastically different backgrounds, we sometimes see a wide range of opinions. This does not mean that one impression is wrong and another is right. Impressions are impressions. The real difference between a good reviewer and a bad reviewer is not the quality of the impressions; it is the ability to clearly and tactfully communicate those impressions.
So do not expect to agree with the comments of every other reviewer. Disagreement is OK. Honesty is more important than unanimity. If you disagree with someone, just make a special effort to be polite.
I think there's nothing more damning, or depressing, than false praise. I would prefer the truth, and negative criticism to none at all. I don't really see the point of posting stories otherwise. On the other hand, I don't criticize stories here as it is not expected, nor do I feel it would be appreciated.
Having a separate Forum for criticism is a very good idea.
I am a member of Desdmona's Fish Tank, a writer's group for authors of erotic fiction, where detailed, constructive criticism is given and expected. These are some of their guidelines:
Make two positive remarks.
Make two suggestions for improvement.
Try not to repeat.
This is what we call our 2+2 review. If you want to review a different way, that’s fine too. Just remember to temper any of your suggestions with some positive remarks.
Be specific. Ideally, cite examples. Ideas come from the strangest places, and even if your suggestion isn’t itself useful, it may spark the author’s imagination and inspire a change that is useful.
The best thing you can do for an author is to give your personal impression of the piece. He already knows how he feels about the story, and he knows what he is trying to get across. But he now wants to see if his points have trickled through to you, his audience.
It is common for people’s impressions to differ. With readers of varying nationalities and drastically different backgrounds, we sometimes see a wide range of opinions. This does not mean that one impression is wrong and another is right. Impressions are impressions. The real difference between a good reviewer and a bad reviewer is not the quality of the impressions; it is the ability to clearly and tactfully communicate those impressions.
So do not expect to agree with the comments of every other reviewer. Disagreement is OK. Honesty is more important than unanimity. If you disagree with someone, just make a special effort to be polite.
