And then there's the kind in between...

Sporkings apply to what? by Xanthia B. on 2010-02-08 13:51:00 UTC Reply

Does anybody here have a howrse account? *raises hand*

Okay, if you do, please check out this forum: http://www.howrse.com/centre/forum/?id=331985

It's a writer's forum, and full of these horrible stories. As a howrse member, if I make fun of them on howrse, I get in trouble.

SERIOUS trouble. I don't want to get kicked off the website, but it's really bad. None of them are using any fandoms, but they are pretty much all aspiring authoresses. And they also seem to be stealing some stuff from S. Meyer's Twilight Series (Though for what reason, I cannot fathom).

I don't want to hurt their feelings, but I seriously don't want to let them have their little fantasies of becoming bestselling authors. It's stupid. To summarize these stories, they're bull.

I'm being really nasty, but it's true. I feel so terrible. Am I breaking PPC protocol by being so mean?

~Xanthia B.

Well.... by JulyFlame on 2010-02-08 19:37:00 UTC Reply

Maybe instead of sporking you can try and give them constructive criticism? A bit of 'you did this well, but this needs work'?

Yeah, do that. by Maudlin Hart on 2010-02-09 00:05:00 UTC Reply

And if concrit doesn't work, SPORK THEIR BRAINS OUT, YO! That's my usual strategy. If they reply to constructive criticism with OMG UR SO MEEEN! whining, you can feel completely without guilt in writing a merciless parody.

And then there's the kind in between... by Makari on 2010-02-09 07:50:00 UTC Reply

There are, of course, the ones who will run with con-crit, and genuinely make the effort to improve, and the ones who will do as Maudlin Hart says. And then there's my least favorite, the ones who take the criticism, pick it apart, and then give you back all the reasons it's not valid while completely ignoring the fact that they could be less than perfect.
What does one do with those, I wonder? A sporking, as well? It is a rather Suethor-ish thing to do, but some of them actually do have work that's not bad, just... could be better.

Re: And then there's the kind in between... by Maudlin Hart on 2010-02-09 13:06:00 UTC Reply

I always had the impression that we don't go after "not bad, just... could be better", but "so bad it's horrible" fic. It's definitely more fun and easier to spork a fic with a horrible blatant Sue, OOC characters, and bad spelling than it is to spork one with a slightly Sueish char and some typos.

Oh, definitely. by Makari on 2010-02-09 16:10:00 UTC Reply

I think I meant more egregious flaws than that... but I've lost my train of thought. My apologies. ^^;

Your train of thought has been derailed! (nm) by Maudlin Hart on 2010-02-09 21:40:00 UTC Reply

And I'm not even sure I was on it. by Makari on 2010-02-09 22:33:00 UTC Reply

I think what I may have been getting at is, what does one do in a case like that? I've been asked multiple times by friends in creative writing courses to look over their work, and oftentimes that's all I get back, 'your argument is invalid because of this and this and this'. How can you help someone improve, especially someone who's asked for the assistance, when they're so... defensive?

...is there even a way?

(and wow, I've sidetracked a little from the original discussion, whoops.)

Yeah, it's a phase. by Neshomeh on 2010-02-10 19:55:00 UTC Reply

I've been there. I think it's right in between being completely unable to accept criticism and seriously considering what other people have to say about your work. I mean, if they're constructing a lucid counter-argument, at least they are taking the time to think about what you said, even if they can't accept its validity (yet). In a best-case scenario, in time and with perspective, they'll be able to look back and understand your point, and that will help them become more receptive to criticism in the future.

Of course, there are always times when an author has to stand up and say "No, I did that on purpose, thank you very much, and it's not my fault if you didn't get it." Sometimes that's true. But mostly it isn't. That's the part it's hard for writers to learn. {= )

~Neshomeh, who is now in a phase such that she gets annoyed when people DON'T give concrit.
Re: And I'm not even sure I was on it. by Miah on 2010-02-10 02:57:00 UTC Reply

Not really, at least until they have matured enough to want the help. If all they are doing is defending against your concrit, then they didn't really want it. I've been there, when I was less mature.

I don't know if you have heard of Critters or not, but they have a couple of articles on how to give crits to those writers that say they want the help, but don't respond well. According to the site, it isn't perfect with the occasional spats between authors and critters, but maybe it will help.

http://www.critters.org/whathow.ht

That is an excellently interesting site, thank you. (nm) by Makari on 2010-02-10 19:47:00 UTC Reply