[Insert obligatory consollation here]...

[Scarlet Jile]

So there you are; reading perhaps one of the most ridiculous pieces of writing excrement you've ever laid eyes upon, or surfing through a forum jam-packed with miscellaneous stuff that you don't even feel like wasting the time to realize it blows, when they crack that not-subtle-enough comment you that despise: That comment that makes your blood boil, that comment that you'd rather insert needles into your eyelids than respond to.

It's always the same, in one way or another. It always implies that they aren't good enough at something to do or try something difficult or arduous, and in a mildly deceptive way demand a consolling response.

For example:
"My writing's okay, but I don't think I'm good enough to get it published..."
- or
"I like it, but I don't think it's worthy of an A."


How do you respond?


"I hope you feel good, making people lie on behalf of your manipulative feelings."
- or
"Gee whiz, I dunno... lol... i think its kind of good i guess... you will probably get an A if you try really hard." [at working up enough money to pay someone with talent to do it]

[Scarlet Jile]

Although I fully expect people to drivel on about honest opinions and the such, I'm curious to find the range of views on the mattar.

[Bookie]

I usually ignore such comments completely. Anything I say to it would either be lying, or rude.

Is someone said something like: "I know I'm not all that great but I expect to get this published in a month or so." Then I'd go about explaining why that wouldn't be possible.

But for the examples you gave, I'd let them think what they like and just point out what I see.

[Scarlet Jile]

Bookie

I usually ignore such comments completely. Anything I say to it would either be lying, or rude.

Is someone said something like: "I know I'm not all that great but I expect to get this published in a month or so." Then I'd go about explaining why that wouldn't be possible.

But for the examples you gave, I'd let them think what they like and just point out what I see.

So you let them live on their cloud of naivety, drifting about only to ask another person, another day?

[Methoxy Six]

I usually don't give in to people who are seeking consollation. It's like girls who say they're fat just so other people will tell them that they're not. Kind of like asking for compliments. But if it's someone I personally know is really self-conscious about their work, I'll encourage them. I won't necessarily tell them that their work is the best of the best, but rather, "You have a lot of talent."

I know this wasn't part of the original discussion, but it also bothers me when I compliment writers and they just push it away by saying things like, "You're just saying that to make me feel better. My writing is crap." And when stories are posted online with author's notes like, "I'm sorry this chapter is so shitty, blah blah blah.." If you think your writing is that bad, why are you showing it to the world? Go off and fix it until you're happy with it instead of fishing for pity.

[Scarlet Jile]

Yeah... it goes along the same lines.

[Bookie]

Zacharra

Bookie

I usually ignore such comments completely. Anything I say to it would either be lying, or rude.

Is someone said something like: "I know I'm not all that great but I expect to get this published in a month or so." Then I'd go about explaining why that wouldn't be possible.

But for the examples you gave, I'd let them think what they like and just point out what I see.

So you let them live on their cloud of naivety, drifting about only to ask another person, another day?

Well, I'd let my critique do the talking. I tend to go line by line in stories and point out problems I see, so if someone says 'I think my story is bad' and I have something to say about every sentence they wrote, then the smart ones would know they are probably right. If I complement I pinpoint what I'm complementing so they know I'm being sincere.

Most people who say that are just fishing for compliments (that's why I do it), so however I reply wouldn't affect their opinion anyway. That's how I see it, at least.

[Scarlet Jile]

Ah, I see.

[Darkreavers]

Zacharra

It's always the same, in one way or another. It always implies that they aren't good enough at something to do or try something difficult or arduous, and in a mildly deceptive way demand a consolling response.

For example:
"My writing's okay, but I don't think I'm good enough to get it published..."
- or
"I like it, but I don't think it's worthy of an A."


How do you respond?

First of all everybody can get published. It just matters if they are worth it or not. Thousands of books, comics and probably even manga are published and they should be thrown away at the presses.

Not everybody deserves a A, but best starts with B. Putting a grade on things is always subjective to the individual reading it. These phrases are usually represented when people are trying to nicely tear down your work. You have to understand that the only real person that needs to be happy with it is you or the audience you're trying to reach. Everybody will not be happy with it. That will never happen.

[JohnWWells]

Suggested response:

"What do you find bad about your writing? Can you point to anything that you're particularly unhappy with? If you want to (get published/get an A), that's probabably a good place to start.

I would suggest concentrating on..."

NOT a suggested response, but a tempting one for the cynical among us:

"Don't worry. If your school's standards are low enough, simply the fact that you put in enough effort to seek and respond to criticism keeps an A well within your reach."

NOT a suggested response, but a VERY tempting one for the cynical bastards among us:

"That is absolutely correct. Your writing is not going to get published in this state. It is probably not going to get published in any state. Not even Puerto Rico, and it's more of a territory."

[Darkreavers]

We all have that Cynical side to us...

[terradi]

It's consolation. If I read it, I ignore the fishing for sympathy and assure them that they can get better if they keep at it. Then I try to point out how.

Again that's an if. I haven't reviewed anything in a while.