(On reactions to amateur fiction posted on the Internet)

Oh my, a new story! Now what?

You open your mail, a writers' list or site, and there's new story to be found. Somebody's put it there, and presumably in order for people to read it. So what are you going to do with it?

You have lots of choices. You can read it now, read it later or ignore it. If you read it, you can then pass your own judgement on it, which can mean ripping it to pieces, praising it ecstatically or something in between. You can even cheerfully steal the ideas, the plot or anything else for something of your own, but that's another issue entirely. Whatever you do, you react to it somehow just like you do to other things you are given, buy or otherwise have access to.

Let's start by what can happen if you do read it, i.e. act as a consumer of it rather than ignoring it.

Perhaps the safest option is say absolutely nothing to anyone. Don't bring the topic up in conversation, don't be tempted to give an honest opinion even if asked. This may not be very constructive within a group of writers and readers, but it saves trouble.

If you do decide to discuss your views on this story among other readers, it can be fun, but it can also be a minefield, particularly if some kind soul passes on your 'message' to the author or her fans and the content becomes somewhat distorted in the telling.

So, perhaps it's better, if you want to share some opinion on a story, is to say something publicly on the list or group site where it appeared (if that's allowed or encouraged). This means that the author will more than likely be around too, and at least get your message first hand.

Another option is only to contact the author personally. There are many arguments in favour of private feedback, including keeping comments of the less flattering kind out of the public eye. The problem here is that consumers find it hard to resist complaining about what they perceive to be a faulty product to anyone who will listen as well as just the 'manufacturer', so just how private 'one to one' criticism really is seems questionable in some cases.

Or then, as I mentioned above, you can decide not only to say nothing but to ignore the story altogether for some reason - I'll get to that later.

To begin with, however, let's assume that what you read sparked off enough reaction to make you say something to someone so you take a deep breath and... it's feedback time.

How do you go about it?

To prevent a great deal of problems, I feel that the entire feedback process demands simple, straightforward language on the part of the critic, plus rhino hide on the part of the person on the receiving end. Even so, it's no easy matter to avoid somebody taking something wrongly.

I've always heard that the generally accepted etiquette regarding amateur fiction is to comment on the story, not the writer. However, in a post to a writers' list that I read recently, somebody said that judging writing is judging the writer as a person. Is this true? Well, I'm sure it can be in many cases. Many people will be inclined to base their judgement of an author's personality and/or her entire work on very little, just as they develop a preconceived idea of a whole company once a single product doesn't come up to their own, personal expectations. What's more, those who do go for sweeping conclusions can quickly sound – consciously or less so – as though theirs is an authoritarian view. This is extremely hard on any author who comes into their line of sight.

I do believe that reviewing or criticising a story or an author's work can be completely detached from unfounded preconceptions about the writer just as some consumers can accept that their objection to something stems from personal taste or a one-off fault. So if you find the sex scenes in a given story are too frequent or the torture parts are astonishingly vivid it's somewhat unfair to immediately conclude that the writer is a sex maniac and a sadist in real life. Similarly, lots of typos might simply mean the author couldn't find an editor for this particular story. Also, never forget that personal tastes differ hugely and other readers might love what you hate and not even care about the few wrong spellings or the other things that make you tear your hair.

Everything becomes harder still when personal relationships come into play. If your mate's written something, isn't it tempting to say it's great whatever you really think? Or if you're pissed off with somebody or jealous of them, does this affect your view of the story? Might it make you want to be scathing just for the sheer hell of it? Of course not – people are far too honest to be anything but completely neutral. They wouldn't stoop to innuendo, subtext or other subtleties. And pigs might fly.

And if you don't like something?

Let's move on to some of the drawbacks involved if you don't simply want to offer unadulterated praise.

As I've already said, it's exceedingly easy for an author to read something wrongly. Saying 'I'm not convinced about the characterisation of Mr. X' can easily be interpreted as meaning: 'this person hates me/my story'. A story is normally something extremely dear to the author's heart, and thus frequently gives rise to tremendous sensitivity, defensive behaviour and tantrums in general if it's seen to be attacked unfairly. Or can some writers honestly say that they're above letting criticism affect them in the slightest?

The general rule of thumb of criticism for amateur fiction, or so I've often heard, is to say three good things about a story for every one thing that's bad. Well, I can subscribe to that too, as long as I can find three good things to say (and if I say anything – see below). Usually, I do start with the positive points. Being human I too like to receive the not so pleasant news about my own fiction in a sugar coating, so it's a case of 'do unto others…'

These days, and after having my fingers burned once or twice by indignant recipients of my words of wisdom, however politely phrased, I have to say that if I can't find many good things about a story, my usual reaction nowadays is to say nothing to either the author or anyone else unless I've specifically been asked by the writer to comment on it. Even then I'm very wary of saying much unless I'm fairly sure that the writer wouldn't take it badly. As I said earlier, other people may love it even if I don't. Tastes differ.

Having said all this, if someone finds something they consider horrendous appearing within a group or list that they belong to, and feel it degrades the place where it's posted or doesn't do credit to the author because it's downright sloppy (and craftsmanship does not equal taste - sloppy is sloppy), then I think they're entitled to react as long as they take the consequences and are aware of what these might be.

I believe, however, it's helpful and an ideal approach for anyone offering comments to explain exactly why and where they think some things need a closer look, just as it's good to tell the author about something they found particularly successful. However, some readers just can't or don't want to write a long essay analysing why they like something or they don't. So just as receiving a mail saying 'I thought it was great' is a personal gut reaction from a reader, so is 'I thought it was awful'.

Going back to consumer behaviour, people might send a short letter to a manufacturer about something that particularly disappoints them (or maybe delighted them), but would they take the time to explain it all in detail? Some will, some won't. So it's logical enough not to expect all feedback to roll in beginning with the 'three good things', however nice it would be. Heck – it would be nice for many people to have feedback at all. The amount that does happen on most groups is remarkably low.

Naturally, nobody likes it when somebody dislikes what they've written and says so, and I'm no exception here. However, if some of my stories are truly revolting for some people, then as long as my critics sign their mails I'll at least read what they say, get out the Kleenex if necessary, and then decide whether it's justified and whether to take it on board for the story in question or for how I write in general. That choice is the right of any recipient of criticism.

Some comments I've received were obscene and by no means restricted to my stories, but since the delightful persons who sent them didn't have the nerve to add their signature, I treated them with the scorn they deserved and hit the delete button. Other people's input on my writing has been extremely helpful even if initially it used to keep manufacturers of tissues in business. I'm improving on that score, slowly, but it's hard. I don't think I'm alone in finding it tough to see that your masterpiece isn't quite as brilliant as you thought, even if your critic tries to be gentle and positive.

I nevertheless believe that criticism of any kind can be done in such a way that inspires respect without damaging friendships or wrecking groups. The problem, I find, is that communication on the Internet is so open to misinterpretation, so however it's meant, there's no guarantee that other people will take it at face value. What, to one person is polite and fair is going to be a flame in somebody else's book - and then the next fandom war breaks out, things become personal, camps form, witch hunts take place... ('you hurt my friend')...

The Internet is wonderful in that it opens up some extraordinary fiction that until now would never have been so widely available. Sadly, however, it's brought with it all the advantages and disadvantages of non-verbal and often very rapidly concocted communication surrounding this massive and potential source of pleasure for many people. Literature has always inspired debate and criticism and always will. It's just that the Internet is a case of 'so far yet so close' – it can be near, immediate and spontaneous enough to hurt and yet distant enough to lose the advantages of the personal touch or a real smile as opposed to an emoticon.

What's feedback like beyond the world of amateur fiction?

I can't avoid issuing a gentle reminder about what it's like in the Real World of publishing, or for those who work on texts for a living, whether professional editors, writers, journalists, translators or copywriters. Here, it's somebody's job to judge the quality of somebody else's work, not their hobby.

When some of the emotion, sensitivity or personal issues are removed things can look very different. I find myself wishing amateur fiction was as straightforward as the feedback process I experience in my profession some of the time, but as an amateur writer myself I'm frequently very glad of the human factor involved. Proof that you can never have it all.

My own long-standing corrector/proofreader (bless her cotton socks) does not don kid gloves and find 'three things that are good about my translation' before informing me in very succinct, no-nonsense terms that I still haven't won my long-standing battle with financial terminology. She's not renowned for tolerance, but she's one heck of a personality and I respect her enormously for the 'no frills' approach, her wisdom and her eagle eye for typos. Out of the work environment, we're able to put our differences aside and concentrate on the white wine. For the first few years, however, I used to get the Kleenex out regularly among bouts of righteous indignation that I daren't usually show for fear of her legendary wrath. I also learned a great deal.

I also find myself on the 'dishing it out end' for a considerable part of the time, correcting the work of other translators. Once I've finished putting my changes into the text, I'm often asked to give a short assessment for either the translator, the client or both. If I find the text really awful I'll say so: neither the client nor I can afford to continue accepting something that's below par forever, and the translator can't afford to make repeated mistakes.

Here's what I'd say for something fair to middling:

"Basically fine and good choice of adjectives – also very few typos! Please be more consistent and accurate with terminology, though. Also check your apostrophe use, please respect the client's formatting and see in particular corrections to para. 3, where you misunderstood the sense. Finally, make sure you respect deadlines in future."

Or perhaps I should expect my client to pay me extra time for saying something like this:

"Hi, Simon. This was a lovely translation from many points of view. Your spelling was really astoundingly good, and your imaginative use of adjectives was wonderful (hey, I'd never have thought of using 'majestic' – lovely alternative to 'imposing'). I'm delighted to see you've followed the client's instructions about formatting at least some of the time too, although it would be really helpful if one day, as I've suggested a couple of times before, you could possibly spare the time to look into Word's 'format' feature so you can handle bullets, indent paragraphs and use double spacing or whatever the client does in the original - but don't worry if you can't.

Oh, and don't take this badly but I really do think you should look into apostrophes. Again, this is nothing too serious, as I do know it's hard. As for the economics terminology, I realise you're not a doctor of economics, so you can't be expected to know that. Perhaps you should look up (provide list of 20 websites here) or of course I can do all your research for you again in future.

And whatever you do, darling, don't get upset about that paragraph where you completely got the wrong end of the stick. It's perfectly understandable and simply a question of some terribly obscure grammar that I just happened to know. That's what I'm here for, right?

So all in all, wonderful job. Keep up the good work, keep smiling – oh, and don't worry about any of this – it's not intended to make you feel upset in any way, only to be helpful. That's also what a corrector's for and we must always bear in mind that a translator has an amazing creative flow, so you really can't always be expected to take trivia like punctuation into account as well. No worries about being late, either - I didn't mind working until three this morning because you were delayed – anybody's pet cockroach can go and die like that. I know you did your best. Can't wait to work with you again!"

Now, in my ideal world, a letter of comment to an amateur writer should be somewhere between the two extremes in terms of approach: a mixture of sensitivity and honesty.

Responding to feedback / getting a two-way process

And what about acknowledging comments from your critics, the 'consumers'? Some authors (or translators or manufacturers) do, some don't. It's hard to do so graciously if the comments weren't very positive, but good education would seem to dictate that it's the right thing to do. Most companies at least say they've received your missive regarding their products, even if it's a standard letter. Personally, if I take the time and trouble to send feedback - even the highly complimentary type - and don't get as much as a very quick 'thanks', I won't bother doing so again.

Finding places where there is some kind of two-way flow of comments on amateur writing is no easy matter. Some do exist, including some larger sites that aren't dedicated to a specific genre and that offer various types of feedback depending on where you find, or make, your niche. This is perhaps more neutral, although the intimacy of a small group is perhaps missing.

Sadly, I can't help adding, I've seen – from both the inside and the outside – several 'intimate' groups or lists degenerate into some sort of a war zone where bullet-proof vests are a useful accessory – and some aspect of feedback is often at the root of all the trouble.

Silence from the ranks?

So, having dwelt on the pitfalls of feedback for a while, what about when you choose to refrain from comment, or simply ignore a story?

Again, this is a consumer thing – it's like when you get receive a gift or buy something that turns out to be less than satisfactory. What can you do? Well, you can complain, use it anyway, or simply leave it in a drawer, pretending it doesn't exist or genuinely forgetting that it does if you can't actually destroy it or throw it away.

Silence regarding a story on the part of readers doesn't mean much, since as I said earlier it's been proven over and over again that the number of people who do give feedback to amateur fiction writers is very low. It might mean that they haven't read it, or it might not. Maybe they're too busy, are sparing the author's feelings, or just can't be bothered. The writer may never discover whether a lack of reaction comes from indifference or from the fact that everyone is too speechless with admiration to do her work justice in words. Usually, of course, authors think the worst.

On this subject, I've seen several online tantrums from people who are outraged by lack of reaction and practically demand it from the list or site they post to - either by an outright 'say something' or a 'poor little me' approach. Sometimes this leads to online, apologetic gushing, whose sincerity one could be led to doubt. My own gut feeling for cases like this, which has developed over time, is normally to refrain from any comment since I don't like the feeling that I'm being coerced.

I would add, however, that I also think there's a fine line between being unable to resist telling your online mates that you've written something you're proud of in the hope that they'll read and comment, and virtually demanding that an entire group provides feedback within a week of posting something. Enthusiasm and bragging or fishing for compliments are easily confused – another case of the Internet (or a clumsy author) fostering misunderstanding.

Turning a blind eye

If a reader chooses to ignore a story on purpose rather than because of lack of time or forgetting to read them, that's a reader's right, and I think most of us have done it. I have to admit that I tend to skim just about anything within 'my' more specific groups eventually, rather than taking a conscious decision to avoid certain stories or writers. Admittedly, it helps that when in non-editor mode I read fast, but there are reasons for taking the time I do.

Firstly, it's often a story as a whole that pushes my buttons, even if there's something that I like less or the first few paragraphs fail to inspire me. Secondly, and particularly on a smallish list dedicated to a specific type or genre of writing, treading on toes by using somebody else's plot, ideas or catch phrases stands out like a sore thumb, even if it's done unconsciously. I'm not going to go into plagiarism here, but it's another bone of contention that few groups of writers escape completely.

Thirdly, and probably most importantly, I like to see how other people write, even if their style isn't particularly my cup of tea or the first chapter doesn't really grab me. I may not read a given story over and over as I do with others, but that's another… story. I have a few items of clothing I wear and wear and wear, while others have probably only been out of my wardrobe once or twice. Maybe I'll wear them/read them again one day or have a major clearing out session. My choice. Some people might have many things that have never been worn, or keep everything. That's their choice – and I don't think there's a 'right' or 'wrong' here, simply an approach you favour.

Can you regulate reactions to a story?

And now a last topic: what about the idea of 'regulating' feedback? Here's where things aren't quite the same as for consumer items, because a closed group can have official or even unspoken rules – difficult to enforce but rules all the same – meaning that anyone can't just 'attack the manufacturer' at will.

Lists, sites or groups can state, for instance, that no public criticism (or no negative criticism) is allowed, which is fair enough. Some moderators or participants (like myself) feel that this is about a hobby so why should people expose themselves to a public hanging unnecessarily?

Perhaps some authors are happy for their creations to be ripped apart within that group, but this requires rhino hide of the extra-strong variety. A warning to the writer, or even getting his or her agreement for it to be analysed doesn't seem like such a bad idea either. As for negative, public reviews of an author within a group where he or she isn't present, this is obviously impossible to stop but rather tough on that writer if she then hears about it much later and doesn't have the chance to put his or her own views across.

Once you opt for making your work available on a completely open source such as your own site, or an open archive, then it has to be said that your work is an equally open target, and ethics or courtesy may be applied even less than within some kind of group. There, you're showing off your goods to anyone who comes along. Your story has become a freely accessible consumer item. Your 'critics' may not know you, and although their neutrality is a positive thing in some ways they might not spare your feelings either. As I said earlier, you can't stop people talking.

I could well be a little too focused on the idea of a closed fiction group or list as being something of a proving ground here – others could see it as a story's final resting place and as such one where, rules permitting, it's fair game for any kind of public comment whatsoever.

"I don't want to know, thanks…"

And finally, what about the few writers who publish something on an open or semi-open source, and then state 'no feedback'? This is a complete mystery to me despite the fact that I appreciate just how close to your heart something you write can be and how seeing it treated harshly can hurt. One argument is 'I write for myself, so it's nobody's business to criticise it.' Yes, I definitely think we all write for ourselves to some extent, but the 'so don't you dare say anything' attitude simply invites the question 'and why not? You've already had enough nerve to put it up there, to share it, so why can't you take the consequences if everybody doesn't love it?' It's rather arrogant to expect everyone will love it – do any of us love everything we read?

What's more, let me say yet again, nothing is going to stop people talking about a story or expressing an opinion – or at least if they feel it has something worth discussing, whether good or bad – but if you say 'no feedback', they just won't do so to you. And however sensitive you are, better the devil you know…

So – perhaps harshly – I'd say if you don't want feedback and are genuinely writing for yourself, then don't put it where others can see it. It's the only way.

Conclusion

In some ways, I have to admit that a story is not quite the same as most objects, items or services that you've bought or been given. Like other creative things, such as a hand-knitted sweater, works of art, literature or music, it's the result of its creator's time, inspiration and feelings. As such I feel it generally deserves to be treated with more respect than a lot of things that you acquire, because of the personal involvement.

Courtesy and sensitivity when reacting to someone's story or when handling criticism of yours never hurts. Honesty is nice. Fair play and tolerance are delightful. A sense of humour is a great help. Being realistic and fully aware that opinions on what you write will vary is a tremendous asset. Oh, and being aware that feedback is usually a rare commodity anyway is also worth knowing.

But whatever the approach or attitude taken, one thing is certain: as soon as anyone other than the author sees it, that piece of writing will be judged in one way or another, just like any other consumer item in the world.

2002

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