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Post by annabelle on Feb 24, 2020 22:47:53 GMT -5
Thanks, guys! Honestly, I could go much darker. This was, like, mini-dark. So I guess people responding to something that was mini-dark with so much shock made me think it's better to keep the dark stuff in my brain, in general. Dani Once you start publishing, you're never entirely writing "for you." You always have think about how the public will respond to what you've written. Because it's not fun to be ripped apart. I've had some reviews that were shockingly mean. Like, someone wrote one of my books was "too awful for words" (yet then somehow found the words to go on for several paragraphs).
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Post by devogirl on Feb 25, 2020 0:49:14 GMT -5
I know, mean reviews are the worst! I’ve written some mean ones myself but I try to limit the meanness to reviews of books published 20+ years ago by major publishers, especially when it seems like a cheap romance tossed off quickly. I would never do that to a self-published author.
I hate getting mean reviews too but honestly I think all the comments on the latest chapter were positive. Even that one person who didn’t like the plot developments couched it in a lot of compliments. At the end she said she thinks it’s a genre issue. I think this is the heart of the problem—people have very rigid expectations of the romance genre. I have a feeling if you wanted to post a much darker story on the PD blog readers would go along with it as long as there was a clear warning at the beginning that this is not romance and that it will be much darker than what you usually write.
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Post by linda on Feb 25, 2020 2:25:11 GMT -5
Since apparently I am the one who started the discussion about the writing, I just wanted to clarify that my reaction was not in any way meant as bad criticism, quite the contrary. It was a expression of how much your story got to me, annabelle , which is a good thing. I was surprised that Hannah showed a side of her personality that I really hadn’t expected and that made it impossible for me to identify with her any longer personally. There is maybe the only little point of „real criticism“, the fact that for the first time, a character in one of your stories appears as incoherent. But also that might only be a subjective impression of mine. I would have never taken your asking whether it was too dark for a serious question in a way as to influence your writing. I would never dare. Your are the author and no one else and I absolutely agree that you shouldn’t let the opinion of others influence your writing. But it is a story, not more. I think the whole discussion around it got blown up a bit too much here. I still love reading your stories and I am still looking forward to the next chapter.
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Post by devogirl on Feb 25, 2020 2:27:21 GMT -5
I didn't mean you, linda! I was referring to a more critical comment someone else left on the blog. Sorry that wasn't clear.
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Post by annabelle on Feb 25, 2020 8:33:26 GMT -5
I thought the comments from linda and the one on the blog were both very nice, thoughtful and earnest comments. And it seemed like what they were saying was that they don’t like the darker stuff. In a nice way. It’s hard to say if that’s the general opinion but given there aren’t that many comments total, just one can impact how I’m thinking. But I didn’t think either of them were mean. An example of a mean comment would be this review from The Ugly duckling: “This book was listed as a romantic comedy - I found nothing comedic about it. Pathetic would be a closer word.” I have like 100 of those to choose from!
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Post by linda on Feb 25, 2020 9:17:50 GMT -5
I‘m really relieved to read that you didn’t regard my comment as mean, annabelle. Actually I think the other comment was quite identical with mine, and we both mean it that we appreciate your work. As for the „pathetic“ comment, some people seem to enjoy putting others down with rude words. It’s ok to have an opinion, but the way it is expressed often says a lot more about the character of the person uttering their „opinion“ than about the quality of your work. So heads up! So many people appreciate your writing, I am one of those who can’t get enough of it.
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Post by Amee on Feb 25, 2020 9:27:09 GMT -5
annabelle I'm so sorry you get mean comments like that! I can only imagine how hurtful it must be to be criticized so viciously for something as personal as a story. Of course criticism is something authors have to expect, but there's really no reason to be so mean. And to add my two cents to the "High School Reunion" Controversy: Of course it was cruel and completely not okay for her to do that, but I didn't find it unrealistic or out of character. People do much more horrible things when they feel hurt, angry and humiliated and the entire plot of the story revolves around her holding some deep feelings of hurt and anger. I'm really curious to see how the story ends!
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Post by pam on Feb 25, 2020 11:35:05 GMT -5
I'm also sorry you have gotten these mean reviews. I would never write something like that to any writer. I thoroughly enjoy all your books and hope you keep writing.
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Post by Braced4Impact on Feb 25, 2020 14:57:58 GMT -5
Yeah, I posted a devy story on Literotica and one comment was that it was disgusting. That was disheartening, so I know how that feels.
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Post by annabelle on Feb 25, 2020 17:02:01 GMT -5
I have gotten so many mean comments, I’m used to it. When I was trying to find a good one to quote, one of them for that same book ended with: “Fuck you, Libby.”
I’ve gotten enough good ones now that I can mostly brush them off. Sometimes they even make me laugh.
There’s part of me that would love to write something really dark, but I know I can’t do it. Because one thing that is really hard is putting your deeper, darker fantasies out there and having somebody say “ew.” That IS something I’m very sensitive about, much more so than a mean review.
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Post by Braced4Impact on Feb 25, 2020 22:12:15 GMT -5
I have gotten so many mean comments, I’m used to it. When I was trying to find a good one to quote, one of them for that same book ended with: “Fuck you, Libby.” I’ve gotten enough good ones now that I can mostly brush them off. Sometimes they even make me laugh. There’s part of me that would love to write something really dark, but I know I can’t do it. Because one thing that is really hard is putting your deeper, darker fantasies out there and having somebody say “ew.” That IS something I’m very sensitive about, much more so than a mean review. One of my books had a negative review which inadvertently turned into a positive review. All the things the person was criticizing about were things that the readers enjoyed, so the person was trying to trash it but promoted it better than I could have. Sometimes you've just gotta roll with it (pardon the PWD pun.)
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Post by blueskye101 on Feb 26, 2020 4:43:25 GMT -5
annabelle , I love your stories and did kind of gasp at her behavior but that’s ok. That’s real life. People have bad behavior sometimes, especially if they feel hurt. Did not feel this is too dark at all. Can’t wait for the ending though agree with most on here that it’s never enough.
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Post by annabelle on Feb 26, 2020 22:29:44 GMT -5
One of the things I love writing about is when the protagonist makes a terrible decision. But when I’m publishing to Amazon, I can’t do that because the vocal minority really dislike it. That’s why I went for it here.
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raindrop
Full Member
Posts: 244
Gender: Female
Dev Status: Devotee
Relationship Status: Married/Domestic partnership
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Post by raindrop on Feb 28, 2020 11:12:57 GMT -5
I am very very careful with bad reviews. If I leave a bad review it is never because I dislike a book. My personal preferences are not the same as everyone else’s. I leave bad reviews based on misleading descriptions or failing to mention a book is Christian, MM, reverse harem, etc... Or other technical problems. I think stuff like that needs to be made clear. If I don’t like a book, I think not leaving a review is worse. I generally leave a review for all PD writers who use Kindle Unlimited, just to support the community. However, I do use reading as an escape from my daily stress. Life can be so overwhelming, that I really need an HEA. So while I don’t mind the dark stuff, as in this current story, if it isn’t an HEA, I would be so disappointed. I take that stuff so hard. But, that is my personal preference and, imho not a reason for a good or bad review.
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Post by annabelle on Mar 1, 2020 9:44:59 GMT -5
raindrop I don’t mind bad reviews as a rule. As a reader, they help me make decisions about whether or not to read. As a writer, I think I have grown from them. But what I object to is when they get mean. Telling my main character to go fuck herself is mean.
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