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A Feedback Rant
Mar. 17th, 2005 09:00 amI was having a conversation last night about feedback, and the sorts that you receive and what sort is preferred. We both agreed that concrit was the best, one or two word reviews that said nothing other than 'this sucks!' or 'this rocks!' were the worst, and that anything that pointed out specifics was welcome like mana from heaven. But there were two subjects that we were more iffy on. These were: feedback out of a hope for reciprocation, and feedback out of pity.
I've seen cases of both all over, and have received a bit of both myself. And to be quite honest, they both make me uncomfortable.
When the reviewer is clearly doing it to a) either gain favor with the writer, or b) get the writer to review/rec their fic, I take some issue with it. This just seems, to me, to be in bad taste. Especially when it's done poorly. I don't know how many reviews I've seen that read something like 'oh wow, this is really good, I wrote a story that's nothing like this at all except it has a character that knows these characters, please read it and review it since I did the same for you!'. It just strikes me as dirty. It's like panhandling for reviews, or promising to give oral sex only if you get it first. I've ranted before about people desperate for reviews/feedback, but the more I see the more it irritates me. Some people are more subtle about it, but it's still insulting to everyone involved. To the writer because you've admitted you read their fic for no reason but to promote your own, and to you because you have a piece of work you feel you need to solicit feedback for. That just isn't cool. Be proud of your work, or make it something to be proud of. The lesser degree of this, and I know we've all seen this, is feedback in the hopes of gaining favor with a writer. Any writer who bases affection and worth on their reviews has some issues.
Reviewing for pity's sake is less irksome to me, but still makes me raise my eyebrows. I don't feel the need to give out gold stars and pat people on the head just to make them feel good about themselves. If I read something and I like it, I review. If I don't like it, depending on the author and how invested I was on the story, I'll still leave a review. But if I have nothing to say, don't know if the author will take any review that isn't glowing as a complete rape of their ego, or just plain hated the fic, then I'm not going to say anything. Regardless of if they have no reviews, few reviews, or begged for feedback at the beginning.
I also don't like the idea some people have that reviewing is compulsory. But that's another rant for another day. I overslept, and I have a date this afternoon.
I've seen cases of both all over, and have received a bit of both myself. And to be quite honest, they both make me uncomfortable.
When the reviewer is clearly doing it to a) either gain favor with the writer, or b) get the writer to review/rec their fic, I take some issue with it. This just seems, to me, to be in bad taste. Especially when it's done poorly. I don't know how many reviews I've seen that read something like 'oh wow, this is really good, I wrote a story that's nothing like this at all except it has a character that knows these characters, please read it and review it since I did the same for you!'. It just strikes me as dirty. It's like panhandling for reviews, or promising to give oral sex only if you get it first. I've ranted before about people desperate for reviews/feedback, but the more I see the more it irritates me. Some people are more subtle about it, but it's still insulting to everyone involved. To the writer because you've admitted you read their fic for no reason but to promote your own, and to you because you have a piece of work you feel you need to solicit feedback for. That just isn't cool. Be proud of your work, or make it something to be proud of. The lesser degree of this, and I know we've all seen this, is feedback in the hopes of gaining favor with a writer. Any writer who bases affection and worth on their reviews has some issues.
Reviewing for pity's sake is less irksome to me, but still makes me raise my eyebrows. I don't feel the need to give out gold stars and pat people on the head just to make them feel good about themselves. If I read something and I like it, I review. If I don't like it, depending on the author and how invested I was on the story, I'll still leave a review. But if I have nothing to say, don't know if the author will take any review that isn't glowing as a complete rape of their ego, or just plain hated the fic, then I'm not going to say anything. Regardless of if they have no reviews, few reviews, or begged for feedback at the beginning.
I also don't like the idea some people have that reviewing is compulsory. But that's another rant for another day. I overslept, and I have a date this afternoon.
