'Tis Better to Say Nothing?

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   I couldn't agree with you more londongirl.  I've seen some posts where readers didn't get the symbolism, and even if we as writers think it's obvious, if the audience doesn't get it, then it loses something and is distracting.  So absolutely, that feedback is important.

~Brent

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write4life Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List NYC Midnight Groupie Joined: 21 Jan 2007 Location: Arizona Status: Offline Points: 245	Post Options Post Reply Quote write4life Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 04 Feb 2009 at 10:20am
	I couldn't agree with you more londongirl. I've seen some posts where readers didn't get the symbolism, and even if we as writers think it's obvious, if the audience doesn't get it, then it loses something and is distracting. So absolutely, that feedback is important. ~Brent

rvnyc Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Newbie Joined: 27 Jan 2009 Status: Offline Points: 8	Post Options Post Reply Quote rvnyc Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 06 Feb 2009 at 12:52pm
	The distinction I make is: Good criticism is specific, honest, and addresses something that theoretically can be fixed. (e.g. "I felt cheated at the end when the character didn't confront his father.") Ideally, good criticism should ring true to the author. Bad criticism is vague, personal, and hard to fix. ("I feel like this story tries too hard.") Stuff like that should always be ignored, because you can't fix it, and it just makes you feel bad about yourself as a writer.

bdavid Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List NYC Midnight Groupie Joined: 24 Jan 2009 Status: Offline Points: 44	Post Options Post Reply Quote bdavid Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 06 Feb 2009 at 5:58pm
	I care if readers wanted to know how the story ends. Was their interest engaged from the first sentence to the last? If not, the language, the grammar, the plotting and yes, even the computer formatting is unimportant.

londongirl Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List NYC Midnight Black Belt Joined: 24 Jan 2009 Location: United Kingdom Status: Offline Points: 2699	Post Options Post Reply Quote londongirl Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: 07 Feb 2009 at 12:48am
	bdavid - if your language, grammar and plotting aren't right, how are you going to engage me in the story? Surely they are your only tools? Edited by londongirl - 07 Feb 2009 at 12:51am