How well can you take reader criticism? - CrimeSpace2024-03-29T13:27:05Zhttp://crimespace.ning.com/forum/topics/537324:Topic:67327?feed=yes&xn_auth=noFor me the thing is to be ope…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2007-09-02:537324:Comment:689262007-09-02T14:38:02.645ZKeith Dixonhttp://crimespace.ning.com/profile/Keithyd
For me the thing is to be open to criticism (after all, you can't legislate for who's going to read your book) but be able to 'weight' it accordingly. Writing in this crime genre, I give much more weight to those readers to whom I show drafts who actively read in the genre. Comments from others who happen to see the book but aren't devotees of crime may be useful, but I always take their comments with a pinch of salt. If, for example, I were asked to comment on a Romance novel I'm likely to say…
For me the thing is to be open to criticism (after all, you can't legislate for who's going to read your book) but be able to 'weight' it accordingly. Writing in this crime genre, I give much more weight to those readers to whom I show drafts who actively read in the genre. Comments from others who happen to see the book but aren't devotees of crime may be useful, but I always take their comments with a pinch of salt. If, for example, I were asked to comment on a Romance novel I'm likely to say on page 2, "Oh come on! That hero is <i>so</i> not believable ... !" - for which comment I'm likely to get a punch in the face. The perfection of the hero is one of the genre elements that readers in the genre take for granted and expect. Likewise in crime, there are elements that excite those of us who work in it, while confusing or irritating those who don't. You need to respect comments from readers who know the genre while filtering comments from those who don't. I just had another thought...…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2007-09-01:537324:Comment:687522007-09-01T14:01:37.730ZRoger Newburyhttp://crimespace.ning.com/profile/TrubbleBrewin
I just had another thought... my 1st 'Crime' novel is called 'Inside Justice' and although it doesn't get as legally 'technical' as Burl's work, HEAD SHOT etc, it does have a fairly controversial subject... paedophiles and vigilanties. I was infused into writing this story due to much publicity in the newspapers, and on TV about a high number of paedophiles and their crimes which had hit the headlines.<br />
I decided therefore, to write something that was decidedly controversial, particularly with…
I just had another thought... my 1st 'Crime' novel is called 'Inside Justice' and although it doesn't get as legally 'technical' as Burl's work, HEAD SHOT etc, it does have a fairly controversial subject... paedophiles and vigilanties. I was infused into writing this story due to much publicity in the newspapers, and on TV about a high number of paedophiles and their crimes which had hit the headlines.<br />
I decided therefore, to write something that was decidedly controversial, particularly with respect to the manner in which the vigilante groups dispatched the paedophiles; as yet it is true to say that although I have peddled this novel to agents and publishers in the past, I had no success with it. I am planning to re-work it, and include a sub-plot/storyline, although I do have a similar idea for another novel underway.<br />
If this was ever to be published, I would relish the chance to be interviewed by someone who found it distasteful, and who was greatly critical of the subject matter; but then you'd need to ask, "why do they feel so uneasy?" that would be one question I'd fire back.<br />
One novel I have read and which I really liked was 'ACID ROW' by Minette Walters, if you can get it, give it a try. To be honest, I can feel quit…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2007-09-01:537324:Comment:687422007-09-01T13:13:27.970ZRoger Newburyhttp://crimespace.ning.com/profile/TrubbleBrewin
To be honest, I can feel quite indifferent to criticism, dependent on my frame of mind at the time of receipt! I've had two of my unpublished novel/manuscripts read by agents (or so they tell me!), by publishers, both mainstream and vanity, and although they've said they liked them, I simply got the run-of-the-mill 'rejection letter'. However, I have allowed some of my friends and colleague the chance to read my work, and on the whole, they've told me they enjoyed them; they would mention a…
To be honest, I can feel quite indifferent to criticism, dependent on my frame of mind at the time of receipt! I've had two of my unpublished novel/manuscripts read by agents (or so they tell me!), by publishers, both mainstream and vanity, and although they've said they liked them, I simply got the run-of-the-mill 'rejection letter'. However, I have allowed some of my friends and colleague the chance to read my work, and on the whole, they've told me they enjoyed them; they would mention a couple of things they either didn't like or understand, but in all, they liked the stories. My best mate's wife, read 'Medusa's Curse', my horror story, even though she doesn't 'do' horror, and yet she told me in no uncertain terms, that she absolutely loved it!<br />
I said: "aahh, but you're just saying that because we're friends!" She replied quite simply, "No Roger, hun, if I thought it was CR*P I'd tell you so, I really loved it!" I believe her!<br />
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When I was the lighting technician at my local community theatre, when we put on a comedy play, I could see the utter difference in how the audiences reacted on a nightly basis; also from an 'actor's' perspective as well. One night the majority of the audience would laugh consistently; and yet another night, another audience wouldn't even raise a 'titter'! From this experience, I try to write my Sherlock Holmes plays, so that whatever the characters say, and how their actions/reactions are, every one of the audiences might end up 'wetting' themselves! Oh deary me!<br />
I think that you don't necessarily need to have a thick skin to take criticism, but you need to be able to evaluate what the reader is trying to tell you, about how they veiwed your work. Unfortunately some people can be unkind in their remarks, and not be able to get the criticism across in a far more productive fashion, which would be beneficial, rather than have a counterproductive affect.<br />
May I close my comment, with my best wishes to everyone who are writers here, and that you all have success with your endeavours, no matter what the critics say! You know, as a reader somethi…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2007-08-31:537324:Comment:685672007-08-31T20:52:11.425Znorbyhttp://crimespace.ning.com/profile/norby871
You know, as a reader something I've noticed about other readers is that they tend to only comment when they either a) really like something or b) really hate something. Unfortunately it's usually the second one. I don't know why they feel it necessary to vent their spleens at all of you. Personally, when I've read books I've disliked, I tend to keep it to myself-I just don't recommend the book to others. In my opinion, the need to write someone and flay them because you didn't like a book says…
You know, as a reader something I've noticed about other readers is that they tend to only comment when they either a) really like something or b) really hate something. Unfortunately it's usually the second one. I don't know why they feel it necessary to vent their spleens at all of you. Personally, when I've read books I've disliked, I tend to keep it to myself-I just don't recommend the book to others. In my opinion, the need to write someone and flay them because you didn't like a book says more about the person writing the letter than anything-it's their malfunction.<br />
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Of course, that doesn't make it any easier to hear. I'm going through something right now that can make it easy for me to sympathize. Take the awful ones with a grain of salt and keep faith in yourself-just think how shallow their ego must be if they have to write such things in order to feel better! The only way I know to get ar…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2007-08-31:537324:Comment:684392007-08-31T04:31:49.824ZKevin Allmanhttp://crimespace.ning.com/profile/kevinallman
The only way I know to get around incredibly hurtful or nonsensical reviews or criticism is to remember there are a lot of loons out there, and some of 'em will be reading your words.<br />
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Also: <b>Picture a person of "average" intelligence -- and then realize that 50% of people are dumber than <i>that</i>.</b> It's sobering.<br />
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I've got a pretty thick skin, and it's gotten thicker with age. I don't take good reviews much more seriously than I do the bad ones (though they're nice!)...and the bad ones…
The only way I know to get around incredibly hurtful or nonsensical reviews or criticism is to remember there are a lot of loons out there, and some of 'em will be reading your words.<br />
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Also: <b>Picture a person of "average" intelligence -- and then realize that 50% of people are dumber than <i>that</i>.</b> It's sobering.<br />
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I've got a pretty thick skin, and it's gotten thicker with age. I don't take good reviews much more seriously than I do the bad ones (though they're nice!)...and the bad ones are easy to dismiss as outliers if the person seems to have an agenda, or lack of experience. But if I had a few bad reviews that brought up the same points, you bet I'd listen. An aggregate point of view like that is valuable feedback.<br />
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As a critic, I know I've written things that writers haven't liked. While I think I can justify my reviews (positive and negative, as well as the vast squishy middle), I hope the writer isn't crushed even when they're not good. And in my experience, it's the <i>weaker</i> writers who are the quickest to write off any critic as just an a**hole with a keyboard. Reader criticism -- well, at…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2007-08-30:537324:Comment:681722007-08-30T09:35:47.849ZBurl Barerhttp://crimespace.ning.com/profile/BurlBarer
Reader criticism -- well, at least they bought the damn book. I read the criticisms of my work on Amazon.com and sometimes it upsets me, and it is always the same criticism: I devote a significant amount of my true crime books to the courtroom, defense, and legal battles. Often, what happens in the courtroom mirrors what happened in the crime. No better example exists than the legal insanity found in my book HEAD SHOT. The real story is what happened AFTER the murders -- the trials, the…
Reader criticism -- well, at least they bought the damn book. I read the criticisms of my work on Amazon.com and sometimes it upsets me, and it is always the same criticism: I devote a significant amount of my true crime books to the courtroom, defense, and legal battles. Often, what happens in the courtroom mirrors what happened in the crime. No better example exists than the legal insanity found in my book HEAD SHOT. The real story is what happened AFTER the murders -- the trials, the perversions of justice, the prosecutorial misconduct, the manipulation of psychological evaluations, and much more. So, of course I get criticised for "dumping a bunch of trial transcripts" into the book. In truth, there were three trials, mistrials, and appeals to the State Supreme Court. The most work in the entire project was condensing all that into a readable narrative...and then readers bitch that it was too legal. Is all they care about blood and guts and perversion?<br />
Another one that irks me is when I reveal in detail the background and upbringing of the killer and then someone says that there is no information about the killers background and upbringing. The ultimate criticism, however, was when a reader complained that there was too much about ballistics in the book, MURDER IN THE FAMILY, when there was NOTHING about ballistics in the book -- the crime was done with a knife. So, I learn that despite the importance of legal issues, many true crime readers don't care about justice, law, ore anything such as that. Too bad.<br />
Oh, I almost forgot this criticism...:"Dont buy this book. It was such an upsetting story that i had nightmares for weeks." Of course it was upsetting -- a 7 year old girl raped and murdered is not a happy story. What was the reader expecting?<br />
I do enjoy praise, and I'm happy to say that I get plenty of that as well. However, the negative stuff does have an impact.<br />
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Burl Very badly, I hate to admittag:crimespace.ning.com,2007-08-29:537324:Comment:679512007-08-29T18:34:43.879ZVicki Delanyhttp://crimespace.ning.com/profile/VickiDelany
Very badly, I hate to admit
Very badly, I hate to admit My parents don't read my work…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2007-08-28:537324:Comment:675732007-08-28T14:22:17.983ZNaomi Hiraharahttp://crimespace.ning.com/profile/gasagasagirl
My parents don't read my work, at least they don't admit to me that they do!<br />
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Negative comments about the work are one thing, but negative comments about me--a stranger--is quite another. But then I'm writing about some risky topics (a-bombing, etc.), so it should be expected. It's just that I was able to handle these things much better in my incarnation as a newspaper editor. I just have to remember Ray's technique--off with their heads!
My parents don't read my work, at least they don't admit to me that they do!<br />
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Negative comments about the work are one thing, but negative comments about me--a stranger--is quite another. But then I'm writing about some risky topics (a-bombing, etc.), so it should be expected. It's just that I was able to handle these things much better in my incarnation as a newspaper editor. I just have to remember Ray's technique--off with their heads! Donna, my parents don't like…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2007-08-28:537324:Comment:675692007-08-28T14:14:51.499ZChrista M. Millerhttp://crimespace.ning.com/profile/christammiller
Donna, my parents don't like my writing either! Too dark for them. They told me I should write more like Leonie Swann (THREE BAGS FULL).<br />
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If my book ever gets published I hope I can keep your words in mind, because "a matter of taste" should really be the cornerstone to every writer's attitude about reader comments, agent rejections, editor suggestions....
Donna, my parents don't like my writing either! Too dark for them. They told me I should write more like Leonie Swann (THREE BAGS FULL).<br />
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If my book ever gets published I hope I can keep your words in mind, because "a matter of taste" should really be the cornerstone to every writer's attitude about reader comments, agent rejections, editor suggestions.... It really doesn't bother me a…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2007-08-28:537324:Comment:675342007-08-28T13:00:15.271ZDonna Moorehttp://crimespace.ning.com/profile/DonnaMoore
It really doesn't bother me at all. Obviously, it would be LOVELY if everyone liked my book, but, as a reader, I know there are books that I really don't like that loads of people do. And books I love that people whose reading DNA I usually share loathe and detest. I like to know WHY people don't like books that I adore, and I'm sorry that they don't, but it's just a matter of personal taste, and that goes equally for things I write too. I know of one negative review of my book (there are, no…
It really doesn't bother me at all. Obviously, it would be LOVELY if everyone liked my book, but, as a reader, I know there are books that I really don't like that loads of people do. And books I love that people whose reading DNA I usually share loathe and detest. I like to know WHY people don't like books that I adore, and I'm sorry that they don't, but it's just a matter of personal taste, and that goes equally for things I write too. I know of one negative review of my book (there are, no doubt, more, but I am of the 'tend not to google myself' camp) and I actually really enjoyed what the reviewer had to say. Had it been personal, I would no doubt have been upset, but it was about the book. I wanted to write and thank him for the review but I worried he might think I was being sarcastic.<br />
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So no, negative reviews don't bother me. I've not yet had someone send me an e-mail saying "Your book was pure shite" so I'm not sure how I would react to that. On the other hand, I REALLY love it when someone out of the blue sends me an e-mail and says something nice about something I've written that they have enjoyed. A nice comment can leave me with a glow and make me happy for ages. The bad stuff I tend to get over very quickly.<br />
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My mum doesn't like my book. She thinks I'm warped and I swear too much (her actual comments were "My daughter is weird. Weird, weird, weird." And "Can you write something NICE next time dear?") I still love her :o)