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    Posted: 23 Nov 2022 at 3:42am
Hello everyone,

Not to start drama but i received some pretty harsh feedback on my micro250 story and it's knocked the wind out of me. I thought this was a supportive community for us newbies but I guessed wrong.

I've decided that I won't post my work in the future. 

If you are going to give feedback, at least make it constructive. Writing can be a very personal thing for some people and the thought of posting online for everyone to see is scary. 

Use the feedback sandwich method if in doubt.


Edited by LZY - 23 Nov 2022 at 3:46am
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote NMiller Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 23 Nov 2022 at 8:23am
I am really sorry that this happened.

I had the same thing in my first 250. They literally broke down every aspect and why they thought it was bad. It was longer than my story.
Luckily for me it was much later and I had already positive reviews...but I still carry their comments with me even though the story is my first published work ever. 

Putting your art out for display is hard and again I am sorry it hurt you badly. It's OK that you don't post but please please please keep writing!!


Edited by NMiller - 23 Nov 2022 at 8:23am
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Ben Daggers Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 23 Nov 2022 at 8:43am
I second what NMiller says. Don't let an unfavourable or unkind comment put you off from taking part, even if you don't choose to share your work on the forums.

I have only ever written three stories (all in the last couple of months for the NYC contests) and each has filled me with a sense of both anticipation and dread when checking my thread pages for feedback. I have had generally very positive experiences on the forum, but did get fairly brutal feedback from the judges in one of my pieces which wasn't terribly fun. I almost thought about sitting out the next contest, but in the end decided to enter last minute and am so glad I did.

For the record, I'd love to read your story if you are willing to share it with a more sympathetic reader!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Wewriteardawn Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 23 Nov 2022 at 9:07am
Hey. Even the greats get harsh criticism. Art is subjective. Do it anyway. Criticism of the work isn't criticism of you as a person. 

Take note of opportunities for improvement and discard the rest. The entire process serves to make us better writers. 

Chin up. 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote Mrsnetpro Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 23 Nov 2022 at 3:27pm
I think there are certain people who are very harsh in their feedback but that's how they are with everyone (and yes if I see it on a thread that I'm reading I look at what else they had to say). I usually don't share mine but that's because I've never gotten more than 3/4 responses and it's almost always limited to the group I'm in so I don't bother. There are a "core" group of people who attract most of the attention on here and honestly I find some of that feedback patronizing.

The only one that has to like what you wrote is you. MF is tough and if it's a new genre it can be even worse. The first few times I entered, I stressed the whole time. Now when I decide to enter I just decide I'm going to have fun and that's all I care about. I don't find the judges feedback particularly useful as it's forced and they aren't telling me what will make me a better writer. I read the "liked" and think they enjoyed it and then the negatives don't fit. 

I literally spent more than two months writing a poem for literary taxidermy and regardless of how well it does (there were more than 1000 submissions) I'm proud of it and pleased I was able to fit so many lyrical references in it from some of my favorite bands. That was the most challenging part of it so anything else I ever do here is a piece of cake LOL


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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Wewriteardawn Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 23 Nov 2022 at 7:02pm
Agreed. Your opinion matters most. I applaud anyone for being brave enough to create and share it with anyone. 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote jennifer.quail Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 23 Nov 2022 at 8:31pm
Okay, so I hunted down your original thread and while the story was gone, I got SOME idea from what I assume is the "mean" feedback. Sounds like you picked a VERY touchy type of romance (therapist/patient) and I can see a variety of reasons many readers (and editors, and judges) would have an extremely negative reaction to it. Sometimes a person doesn't have enough bread for a compliment sandwich and it looks like this person did not. 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (1) Thanks(1)   Quote RumpleStinkbug Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 23 Nov 2022 at 8:58pm
Jennifer.quail maybe because you are one of those not good at giving constructive feedback on a forum for fledgling writers. The judges will do their job accordingly. I see some of the most harsh feedback comes from groupmates. It makes me wonder if it is genuine or if they feel threatened and want to scare off the newbies?? Btw I already seen the new movie that came out called Fall. Best of luck to you precious! 😘
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote jennifer.quail Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 23 Nov 2022 at 9:22pm
Originally posted by RumpleStinkbug RumpleStinkbug wrote:

Jennifer.quail maybe because you are one of those not good at giving constructive feedback on a forum for fledgling writers. The judges will do their job accordingly. I see some of the most harsh feedback comes from groupmates. It makes me wonder if it is genuine or if they feel threatened and want to scare off the newbies?? Btw I already seen the new movie that came out called Fall. Best of luck to you precious! 😘

LOL. Sounds like you are one of those who cannot handle ANY kind of criticism, no matter what the format. First, useful crit is at best going to be half and half, leaning on the 'didn't like' part, because "Yay go you" is nice but not useful. (I put that in a judge's feedback once.) The person who posted the original critique even came back and expanded it and they sound eminently reasonable (and explained the parts they liked more than they already had.) The part you seem to have a hangup about (what they called icky) they unsurprisingly have a very real reason for not liking, and it's one most adults would have realized--that sort of romance, while it does once in a while crop up in romance novels, is a loaded subject. If you write one, you're going to hit people's nerves. 

If you only want praise, I suggest a local writers' feedback group, because people tend to be very averse to non-positive feedback. If one person who had a single specific issue plus pointing out typos  and making their 'compliment sandwich' open-faced is that horrible for you, first, brace yourself for the judges' feedback because they do everything from point out typos to in some cases basically telling you how they'd write it, and second, maybe the forums simply aren't for you. People are usually pretty honest, at least those who give detailed critiques. And they're good at spotting typos. Which we all have. 

You should probably also realize that a lot of people here aren't "fledgling." Some of us have pro-rate sales, some have sold books, some have been writing for thirty years or more. The forum's for people who enter the contest who want to share, which is a tiny fraction of the entries but generally more worthwhile even if as a rule, people are too nice. 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Mrsnetpro Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 23 Nov 2022 at 9:25pm
This thread has gone off the rails. 
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