Unfortunately, Brammers' tact in not putting up details without checking with me has left you in the position of having to make assumptions without really understanding what you're commenting on. Let me clarify.
I'm the one who has asked for concrit.
I've had a pro-concrit policy for ages. Dead right, it's not a big deal. It's not brave.
My pro-concrit stance got me precisely as many cookies as I expected: none. I also got virtually no concrit. Because, as you say, readers assume that a writer who asks for concrit doesn't really want it.
So I've now asked precisely five friends (Brammers being one) to find something critical to say every time they comment on my fic. This is not going to lead to a single extra comment because these five friends are regular commenters anyway. If I find that all it gets me is cookies, I'll ditch it immediately - praise that has to be won by manipulation is not worth much.
What could I possibly want if not cookies? More public examples of how to give concrit cleverly and constructively and (if I'm up to it) how to accept it with a modicum of grace. Also I do want to learn, and I already have in the 48 hours since this started.
You're right in one thing, at least. Anyone can rip a piece to shreds. Expressing your criticism in a way the writer can learn from is a much harder art. As I said to my friends when I asked this of them, they've got the hard end of this bargain, not me.
So no, it's not brave on my part, not special - Brammers was being nice rather than literal in her choice of adjective. It's just something I chose to do.
no subject
I'm the one who has asked for concrit.
I've had a pro-concrit policy for ages. Dead right, it's not a big deal. It's not brave.
My pro-concrit stance got me precisely as many cookies as I expected: none. I also got virtually no concrit. Because, as you say, readers assume that a writer who asks for concrit doesn't really want it.
So I've now asked precisely five friends (Brammers being one) to find something critical to say every time they comment on my fic. This is not going to lead to a single extra comment because these five friends are regular commenters anyway. If I find that all it gets me is cookies, I'll ditch it immediately - praise that has to be won by manipulation is not worth much.
What could I possibly want if not cookies? More public examples of how to give concrit cleverly and constructively and (if I'm up to it) how to accept it with a modicum of grace. Also I do want to learn, and I already have in the 48 hours since this started.
You're right in one thing, at least. Anyone can rip a piece to shreds. Expressing your criticism in a way the writer can learn from is a much harder art. As I said to my friends when I asked this of them, they've got the hard end of this bargain, not me.
So no, it's not brave on my part, not special - Brammers was being nice rather than literal in her choice of adjective. It's just something I chose to do.