pure journal-spamming

[ciroccoj]

Good morning today. Walked to my mom's and back, had lunch at the Rideau Centre (mmmm Bento Sushi!) and a fairly nice visit. The only problem is that my mother's not doing terribly well. Which I'd rather not get into - not because it doesn't matter to me, but because it does.

So. Fluffy cathartic rambling cometh:

Thursday Threesome - the school version.

Onesome: School-- What was your favorite year in school? Yeah, the one you had the best time in or learned something special or had that learning breakthrough?

Probably first year university at Queen's. Although it was an incredibly tough year for a lot of people around me, I loved being at university and being able to hang out with so many interesting, intelligent people. I loved going to classes where I actually learned things. I loved being a grownup.

Twosome: Bus-- Hey, how did you get to school in the early years? Walk? Bike? Mommy van? Bus?

Mostly walking or bus. I always lived almost exactly one mile from school, and usually preferred walking over the school bus.

Threesome: Stop ...and when did you stop going to school? ...or did you? Are you still at it?

Graduated BAH 1993, BEd 1994, then worked/had kids until 2002, when I went back for law school. Still at it.


I've been getting some interesting fb lately on ff.n. Rather negative for the most part, which is not necessarily a bad thing - I prefer negative fb be given privately, but I often appreciate it when it's constructive. However...

The fb I've received lately has made me wonder if the persons reviewing have actually read the stories they've reviewed. I try not to dismiss negative fb just because it's negative, but it's hard not to when the fb bears little relation to what I wrote. Eg (totally making these up) "Why didn't you write about Jack?" when a story is 1/3 Jack-centred. "So how come you never said who was guilty?" when the last chapter had the words, "And the guilty party was X!"

The other thing I really don't get is people reviewing the story that wasn't written, as opposed to the story that was. Example: I had a history teacher in high school who assigned us an essay with the instructions "Write 10 pages about Julius Caesar." We handed in our papers, and a few days later received them back, with the following marking scheme: intro 5 pts; Caesar as statesman - 10 pts; Caesar as military commander - 10 pts; Caesar as private citizen - 10 pts; conclusion - 5 points.

Which meant that if your essay was all about Caesar's political career, you could only get a maximum mark of 20/40 points.

Well, this is the kind of thing I don't get about some fb - and not just fb aimed at me or at fic, but in general. I see this kind of thing in RL as well, in movie or book reviews. Finding fault in the fact that what you thought should be there, wasn't, and dismissing what was there just because it doesn't fit into your predetermined marking scheme. "The author does not adequately explore the lives of the teachers at Hogwarts." (Um... that's because it's about the students). "The director failed to explain Count Dooku's rejection of the Jedi way of life, or the reasons behind his dissafection with the Republic." (Yeah, because the movie wasn't about Dooku.)

Anyway. I've been wondering what to make of this kind of fb. If the reviewers logged in I would be able to contact them and exhange ideas. But they're anonymous. And reading their reviews over... I'm not sure there's too many ideas there to explore. I hate dismissing negative feedback, but... ::shrug::

Comments

that's one reason

[animaltalker.livejournal.com]

I don't accept anonymous feedback. I realize that to some that may seem cowardly but how can you, as you say, have a dialog if the person doesn't even have a signature, so you can find out who they are. One thing I don't like about ff.net is that there really isn't a place for a dialog to take place between the writers and the readers. The writer writes and posts his or her creative endeavor and then the reader gets to comment but there is no chance for rebuttal or even a simple thank you for taking the time to acknowledge my work.

And as you say it's when the feedback gives you an idea to explore that it's really worth something. I got one recently that begged me to finish a piece I had not considered unfinished. Now I'm thinking about it and seeing how I could continue it and how it might be interesting to do more with it.

PS how do you like my new icon - it's me at about 18 months I think. I told my husband I thought it was one of my first truly bad hair days but he thinks its 'cute'

[ciroccoj.livejournal.com]

That's one reason
I don't accept anonymous feedback.

Yeah, I can see that. I prefer to accept it anyway, because some people feel less paranoid about posting a review anonymously even when their reviews aren't malicious, and it hasn't really been a problem for me so far. The few anonymous flames I've gotten have been far outweighed by many other very nice anonymous reviews.

PS how do you like my new icon?

Hee - very cute :)

[bast2.livejournal.com]

i remember telling you that shortly after i started the rodger/serena fics i got some nasty comments--but they were privately sent to my email addy--except for one person who kept on goading me in the reviews. jj suggested i block the person--i finally did--but since yours are anonymous, you can't do that. so, perhaps rosie's suggestion of only taking signed reviews is a good one?

[ciroccoj.livejournal.com]

jj suggested i block the person--i finally did--but since yours are anonymous, you can't do that.

Oh, the reviews aren't flames. In fact, I think whoever left them may have thought they were being 'constructive.' It's nothing bad enough to warrant a blocking - it just puzzles me somewhat.

so, perhaps rosie's suggestion of only taking signed reviews is a good one?

Yeah, it's got some merit, but I prefer to just keep accepting anonymous reviews anyway. So far the positives have outweighed the negatives, for me. Besides, the few actual flames I've gotten have actually been pretty funny. Like the person who posted 21 'reviews' saying, "Who the hell told you you could tell Reikson what to or what not to say, eh?!? JERK!"

It's all part of the bizarre glory that is the internet. I might change my mind if I ever get something truly spiteful or hurtful, but so far the strongest reaction I've had has been confusion ;)

[daf9.livejournal.com]

I've found with limericks, with mine at least, I get lots of negative feedback, for the most part not constructive. But I don't mind negative feedback, even of the "it sucks" variety, as long as it doesn't involve profanity. Those I delete.

[ciroccoj.livejournal.com]

I get lots of negative feedback, for the most part not constructive.

?!

I love your limericks. They're a hoot, even when (or rather, especially when ;) they involve the Wrongest of the Wrong in terms of pairings, mental images, etc.

What kind of negative feedback do you get? Is it an objection to limericks in general, or the subject, or what?

[daf9.livejournal.com]

Hard to say whether the objection is to the subject or the format Once I got a comment that the limericks were bad limericks - which is a perfectly valid comment since my limericks don't scan the way limericks should. But usually the negative comments are of the "this is terrible" or "this sucks" or some less polite variation on that general theme.

[tudorlady.livejournal.com]

If it helps, I practically split a gut over some of your limericks. Those that I do not split said gut over, I appreciate for the sheer difficult of execution. Please keep it up.