[ego + fics = wank]

Uh, this isn't in response to any one post but kind of an amalgam, built up over time and currently going boom!

    Yeah, so I actually think that the reason I'm all for con-crit, anonymous or non-anonymous, by hook or by crook (in theory, because in practice I neither often get it nor give it), is basically because I think there's nothing (that I see as) good that can possibly come of associating the reception of your fic with your own ego, your self-worth, your willingness to write, etcetc.

    I mean, many of my friends do make that connection and it's not that I take issue with that, because it's their choice, right? As long as nothing is expected of me, it's their choice. Mostly since most of my friends wouldn't be passive-aggressive about that with me in particular (like, 'either you like/read/feedback my fic nice and easy or the cat gets it' = >:O!!1 I mean... let's just say we don't wanna go there, because that's what I like to call emotional blackmail back in the mother country).

And yeaaah, you could see begging for comments as a form of blackmail as well, though when people do it in a widespread fashion and it's not just pinpointed for extra guilt-trip goodness, that's just. (I was going to say 'normal for fandom', but)... it's just usually in bad taste rather than blackmailing, probably (well, especially in the extreme examples on ff.net where the people are like, 'REVIEW OR THE FIC GETS IT, BITCHES!!1'-- but that's just the extreme, right?) Really, it's v. hard, I think, to say 'I'm so sensitive, love me! I mean, love my fic! I mean, don't be too harsh!' while being cultured & mannered & restrained and all that. I mean, I admit it's rude to flame someone or to just wank all over someone's fic about how blah-blah-blah this-and-that-and-the-other point isn't to their liking. I mean, obviously.

But that doesn't mean it's not also ill-mannered in some way to make a big deal of discouraging and bringing attention to such behavior (which is to say, good manners = being above other people's bad manners, I mean, isn't that what it comes down to? Well, as they say, back in Russia...)

Actually, that's why I won't beta just because of friendship and accept when my friends won't beta for me; that's why the people to whom my ego is actually most vulnerable to (my friends!) are the people I'd depend on to give it to me straight up when a fic needs a lot of work or I'm on some kind of crack (which I frequently am, I mean-- I know I am).

( ...blah. I swear I won't mention con-crit for at least another half a year. -.- )

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In conclusion: I know that we all value different things, and you shouldn't necessarily trust other people's opinions 'cause you're not going what they're going for, and so on and so forth. My only issue is when people leave debate, understanding and even mere acceptance of others' fic-values aside and focus on what they need (positive feedback). I can understand that other people don't value the stuff in my recent post about inner and outer character consistency, relationship continuity, all that good stuff; I mean, I can sit there and say 'oh yeah, I really value style and voice and good smut, oh boy do I', and all is well. It's when people don't want to do that we have a problem, don't we.

PS: In light of this, I want to say that if I ever seem that I'm proselytizing with the anti-fanon!Draco stuff or whatever, meaning that I seem to imply my understanding is better than yours, that is not my intent. I just ramble, y'know, and forget to reach out and ask people what they think 'cause I'm a recluse, basically. Um. BUT.

Tell me what you value in fics!!