I just saw a Tik Tok that said writers on AO3 are not looking for constructive criticism in their reviews. I have no audience on this platform so I have to know if this is true? I've always left my pros and cons when reading a fic and now I'm concerned that the authors didn't like that.
Yeah writers are Not looking for criticism, constructive or otherwise. Unless they specifically ask for it, itâs considered rude and honestly a bit hurtful. In the least bitchy way possible, donât do that. Itâs unwanted.
In case there's anyone still on the fence about this: please keep in mind that if you really want to leave constructive criticism, the time to do it is when the story is under construction. Which pretty much limits this category of feedback to beta-readers and other writing buddy types, not the general audience.
Very, very, very few times is an author interested in pulling down and reconstructing their story once it's up. If you are leaving your criticism after the story is finished and published, it is too late. Now it's destructive criticism.
via mikkeneko: #types of corrective comments that I an author would be willing to receive: #'hey I think maybe this is the wrong chapter? this is a repeat of last time?' #'hey the formatting got stripped out of your document and it looks weird' #'hey it looks like part of your story got copy-pasted wrong - one paragraph was repeated twice and another line cuts off mid-word'' #'hey you spelled a character's name wrong in this very easy mistake to make so you may want to go back and fix that'#(but you'd better be Very Very Sure that your spelling is the right one if you're going to do that) #potentially: 'hey you used a very offensive word and from context it seems like you don't understand what it means so here's a heads up'#(but once again you had better be Really Really Sure before you do that) #anything else? anything you object to about the characterization or plot or pairing or style?#i am Not Interested#just hit the back button and we'll part ways in peace
I would also add: "hey, you're missing this tag that definitely applies to your fic and would be helpful in warning people about it"
What about scientifically incorrect /wrong facts set in media in the real world? Yes I know we don't all remember X grade science. It's basic science, nothing advanced. It's incorrect and able to be read by anyone. As another human being, I believe the author has the right to know they're scientifically, realistically, incorrect.
unless the author is encouraging the readers to do something dangerous to themselves or others ("mix bleach in all your cleaning products kids! it's safe and effective!") then no. fanfic authors don't have an obligation to be educational resources either
And it's entirely possible the author is aware it's inaccurate and decided to use it anyway. (Ref: the Martian's initial dust storm; IRL there isn't enough atmospheric pressure on Mars to knock down the HAB, but the rest of the plot, which is painstakingly scientifically accurate, wouldn't have happened otherwise.)
And if you're wondering why fic authors don't like constructive criticism unless they've asked for it beforehand: reading fanfic is like eating a dish at a potluck. Somebody made something as a gift to the community to share. You don't have to eat whatever they brought! Nobody goes to a potluck and eats absolutely everything. You eat the things you like and pass by the rest. What you don't do, is go up to people and tell them what they should have cooked instead or what is wrong with their dish. Unless, of course, they have specifically asked your opinion.
In the same way, if there is something you don't like about a fic, don't say anything unless the author has asked for it.
one very important addition to this convo: writers who do ask for constructive criticism/feedback are, in my experience, often quite young and/or brand new to posting writing online and therefore are much more sensitive to criticism. please, please, please do not be harsh or overly critical even when advice is requested.
i regret the concrit i gave as an older teen to younger teens bc it accomplished nothing except deflating their excitement, and what the hell did i know anyway? if they're writing about their superhero boyfriend, don't rain on their parade, just be helpful.
[and please don't try to concrit anyone in an underhanded way, like the noticeably annoyed reviewer who practically thanked me for not writing combat into one of my stories, but the way they said it clearly indicated they felt i would do a bad job writing something they were so intellectually superior about that had i included it they would have HAD to critique every scene like it was their god-given duty. their review was purely double-edged criticism and it was long.]
Someone once tried to give us "constructive criticism" on a fic, I don't recall which one. @olivesawl do you? And I finally told them to stop because we weren't interested (slightly nicer, but that was the gist). They got all offended and told me if I couldn't accept criticism I'd never "improve." Less politely informed them we'd been writing together for almost 20 years and were doing just fine. If we wanted con crit we'd ask someone we knew whose opinion we trusted not some anonymous person on the internet with an axe to grind. Especially 'cause a lot of the comments seemed to boil down to "have you considered writing in an entirely different style and genre?"
As laid out in previous comments, authors are usually established/confident enough they don't want random advice from strangers, or they're young and just starting out and need a pretty deft hand in getting advice. Either way, the anonymous comments of a published fic is not the appropriate place for it.
(Typo corrections are always appreciated, at least on ours.)
I don't, but I do remember she complained we used too many pronouns and not enough names. The first comment was fine, if annoying, but then kept saying it chapter after chapter, getting more pushy and patronizing as they went, because we weren't following their advice, eventually saying something like "It's not hard if you just try!" and I think I was slightly less than nice at that point.
My fav are the people whose complaint is that you're writing for a ship or character they don't like, and think it's concrit. It must be so interesting to be in the head of someone who thinks they are the Main Character of the entire universe.
