Subject: This is an extremely long rant.
Author: Elemarth
Posted on: 2010-07-02 01:12:00 UTC

Wow, did I just get scolded... Now, I know you're likely to be on my side, but I need to hear someone, anyone, else's opinion on this.

I've been reading a humorous story about what was really going on during the movies, including an OOC Vader and reasons for the stormtroopers to be bad shots. I was my usual self in reviews -- it made me laugh enough that I was pretty positive in the beginning, except one chapter that disappointed me, and I was fairly positive but said what bothered me. I usually comment on blatant or amusing spelling/grammar errors/typos and general issues I think should be better. The author asked me to be less picky because it was just for fun. Of course, with all the stories I'm reading and my habits, I didn't always remember this.

The last chapter, I commented on the fact that he said "lamented sadly" which I found to be a perfect example of redundancy and overuse of adverbs. I also complained about people who describe Yoda as a "troll" (not that kind), not saying that it just plain annoys me (bad reasoning) but giving the reason that fairy tales and people's judgements of weirdness aren't the same in space. I also mentioned something I was confused about and said something minor that I liked. He *really* scolded me for being overly negative.

I answered, feeling embarrassed but trying to be cheerful. I said I got the message, it's hard to remember who wants, who doesn't mention, and who doesn't want criticism. I didn't say it, but some people have told me my reviews are their favorite, and he's the only one who's said he doesn't want this. I said I know I'm too negative and it's a problem. I said I wouldn't apologize about the troll thing because it really bothers me. I also said that I obviously think it was good or I wouldn't be reading it, I think it's ingenious, and I was considering sending it to you guys as an example of a good OOC. I expected this to be the end of it unless I forgot again.

But he was apparently really mad at me. He told me that I should be telling him the nice things and lectured me for FOUR PARAGRAPHS about being a good person. He said that I apparently have bad reading comprehension because I'm confused about some things (I've only mentioned this twice and said I was distracted while reading it for one of those times) and he's surprised that someone so nitpicky would. He told me to go work on my own writing, kindness, and comprehension. He also said I nitpicked for thirteen chapters. I just counted, and I left nine reviews, by my count three positive, four mixed, and two negative, including three nitpicky things, one of which wasn't directed at him but the fandom. Finally, in the kindest and politest way possible, he asked me to go away.

My mouth dropped open while I was reading this; I've never had anyone say anything like that before. Now, you have to know that I have mild social phobia, and even though I take criticism about my stories because my writing matters that much to me, I can't stand personal criticism that I can't brush off as a flame. It's proof that I've improved that I don't feel like deleting everything I've put on the internet and crawling into a hole anymore, but it still physically hurts.

I also found that he had commented on his story basically making fun of me. The way he'd written it, I thought, "Oh, he's had a few like this, that's why he's annoyed," but there was no more criticism at all on the page of the most recent reviews.

So now I'm thinking, he gets tons of reviews (it really is tons for a first story) and all but mine are positive, but he can't stand that? A lot more sensitive than me. He's telling *me* to be less serious but he makes such a big thing about it? Or was I really that wrong not to have stopped criticizing after he asked me to? And should I answer him or will this just cause a big argument?

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