And I think that gives us much more rein to speak freely - we don't have to worry about the author being upset by our criticism, or offended that we view the story in a way that wasn't intended.
Interestingly enough...it's not the writers who are objecting. I've rarely if ever had a writer object to a concrit post or meta that I've done on their work. Mostly they stay silent. The few, very few, who commented - told me that they were flattered that I did one or enjoyed reading it. I remember doing a concrit review of a published novel by Elizabeth Bear (who was also at the time on my lj flist). She linked to the review and stated that she appreciated the criticism. (Granted it was not that negative in tone and fairly tame to other reviews she's received. I did not rip her novels apart.)
No, the angry reactions I've recieved have oddly enough been from fans of the writer's work or their best buds. The fans are uncomfortable with the concrit, not the actual writer. Darkapple never said anything regarding my concrit of her work - assuming she was even aware of it. (Which I doubt). Nor did unbridled_b. The only ones who did - were on my flist. But when I write a concrit - I'm aware that the person I'm writing about could happen upon it at any time. If it is a public, unfiltered post - that's the risk you take. So I write it with the view that they may see it and blast me for it. BUT - they never have.
Same deal with the source material...Whedon seldon responds to reviews or is negative towards them, well outside of that little ditty he did for Dr. Horrible commentary. But his fans..OTOH.
Over the years I've discovered that...a lot of fans are uncomfortable with any criticism of something they love. Don't spit on my show or fic as the case may be. Not understanding that for some fans, like myself, the critical bit is part of the fun. I tend to be highly critical of the things I love. If it didn't compell me or move me, I forget about it and say nothing most of the time. But if I love it to pieces, to the point of being a fan - of wanting to own it, then I'll criticize it, pull it apart, put it together again, and try to figure out what it is about it that makes me love it so much, or compells me, and what it is that makes me crazy and I don't like at all. A lot of people don't get that. They don't understand the need to criticize something you adore or compells you. ;-) But I think for the writer, while it can be annoying when fans nitpick or critique, it is also flattering - because obviously they liked it on some level or they wouldn't be bothering to do it. And if they take the time to write about in their own journal, blog, etc - outside of the writers...then hello, free advertising. That's a whole new group of readers gravitating towards your fic...that may not have known about it otherwise.
think the overall idea is in character for Angel - it certainly wouldn't be the first time he did something "for Buffy's own good" without consulting her, nor would it be OOC for him to sacrifice innocent lives for the greater good. But the way he tells Buffy "I didn't do this, it just happened" and "it could've been so much worse" just make him sound delusional.
Agreed. I had the same issues with Boyd in Dollhouse. The set-up doesn't quite work. To pull that off, they should have revealed who Twilight was earlier and set up his thought process - and let the big emotional reveal be Buffy's reaction. Putting us completely in Buffy's pov here - is, I think, counter-productive for the overall story and plot line. It makes Angel's story harder to buy. Also, I'm sorry, he sounds like Jasmine in S4 Angel - who more or less gave him exactly the same speech. "Don't you just want to be happy? I'm giving you what you earned. You can put your burdens down. The world is a better place now...join me. Sure people die. They have to. But there will be a lot less deaths...if we do it this way." Jasmine? Made sense. She was a higher being. But Angel? Mr. Dark and Gloomy, Guilt Ridden? Not so much. Unless he sees this as the shanshu and his reward? In which case maybe he's just drunk on power?
no subject
Interestingly enough...it's not the writers who are objecting. I've rarely if ever had a writer object to a concrit post or meta that I've done on their work.
Mostly they stay silent. The few, very few, who commented - told me that they were flattered that I did one or enjoyed reading it. I remember doing a concrit review of a published novel by Elizabeth Bear (who was also at the time on my lj flist). She linked to the review and stated that she appreciated the criticism. (Granted it was not that negative in tone and fairly tame to other reviews she's received. I did not rip her novels apart.)
No, the angry reactions I've recieved have oddly enough been from fans of the writer's work or their best buds. The fans are uncomfortable with the concrit, not the actual writer. Darkapple never said anything regarding my concrit of her work - assuming she was even aware of it. (Which I doubt). Nor did unbridled_b. The only ones who did - were on my flist.
But when I write a concrit - I'm aware that the person I'm writing about could happen upon it at any time. If it is a public, unfiltered post - that's the risk you take. So I write it with the view that they may see it and blast me for it. BUT - they never have.
Same deal with the source material...Whedon seldon responds to reviews or is negative towards them, well outside of that little ditty he did for Dr. Horrible commentary. But his fans..OTOH.
Over the years I've discovered that...a lot of fans are uncomfortable with any criticism of something they love. Don't spit on my show or fic as the case may be.
Not understanding that for some fans, like myself, the critical bit is part of the fun. I tend to be highly critical of the things I love. If it didn't compell me or move me, I forget about it and say nothing most of the time. But if I love it to pieces, to the point of being a fan - of wanting to own it, then I'll criticize it, pull it apart, put it together again, and try to figure out what it is about it that makes me love it so much, or compells me, and what it is that makes me crazy and I don't like at all. A lot of people don't get that. They don't understand the need to criticize something you adore or compells you. ;-)
But I think for the writer, while it can be annoying when fans nitpick or critique, it is also flattering - because obviously they liked it on some level or they wouldn't be bothering to do it. And if they take the time to write about in their own journal, blog, etc - outside of the writers...then hello, free advertising.
That's a whole new group of readers gravitating towards your fic...that may not have known about it otherwise.
think the overall idea is in character for Angel - it certainly wouldn't be the first time he did something "for Buffy's own good" without consulting her, nor would it be OOC for him to sacrifice innocent lives for the greater good. But the way he tells Buffy "I didn't do this, it just happened" and "it could've been so much worse" just make him sound delusional.
Agreed. I had the same issues with Boyd in Dollhouse.
The set-up doesn't quite work. To pull that off, they should have revealed who Twilight was earlier and set up his thought process - and let the big emotional reveal be Buffy's reaction. Putting us completely in Buffy's pov here - is, I think, counter-productive for the overall story and plot line. It makes Angel's story harder to buy. Also, I'm sorry, he sounds like Jasmine in S4 Angel - who more or less gave him exactly the same speech. "Don't you just want to be happy? I'm giving you what you earned. You can put your burdens down. The world is a better place now...join me. Sure people die. They have to. But there will be a lot less deaths...if we do it this way." Jasmine? Made sense. She was a higher being.
But Angel? Mr. Dark and Gloomy, Guilt Ridden? Not so much. Unless he sees this as the shanshu and his reward? In which case maybe he's just drunk on power?