I have to say, I love to review, but when it comes to getting my work reviewed, I feel absolutely naked. Completely vulnerable in a way I can't really explain. I'd almost rather dance/ strip around a pole. It's that hard for me.
I'm a professional designer, and I've worked with some really tough ad agencies. I guess that's what made me grow a thick skin. I try to always think of my writing as a work product- something that needs to be improved and sold, and my agency experience has given me a sense of detachment that has been invaluable. So, to answer your question, I used to, but then I decided that I wanted to be a professional writer. The first step to becoming a pro, I believe, is getting over your writing jitters. However, I'm not a pro, so you can take or leave my comments.
Initially, people I don't know, not to mention those with an incredibly high post count or those who hold a "supporter" position, make me feel, bare when they write uber-long reviews or say something really concise that points out a blatant weakness in my work that would make me facepalm. On the other hand, when I get bashes and troll-like reviews, especially from someone who obviously loathes me for a pointless reason or another (or just wants to make the Simon Cowell impression for personal ego) but claims that he's only doing it for critique sake, I sigh and think, "Give me a break. Your review reasoning is null and void. This is all opinion and there's no solid proof of anything that you're saying, but this isn't a matter of opinion. He doesn't know what he's saying; he's saying what he thinks but he's blatantly incorrect." or something to that effect. =/ Word.
Well, "Oh, you" reminded me of the infamous meem, "NO U!". Nothing personal really. If you don't already know, to enlighten you, "NO U" means, "In actuality, what has been stated applies more directly to the former poster than to myself." Nice to meet you, thegearheart, I hope that we get along well.
Hahaha! I totally thought you were talking about me! I was like, "What the heck did I do?!" That was good for a laugh! I'm sure we'll get along great, Palmer.
Yeah, I guess it was wasn't it? xD Sorry if I looked like I was flaming ya. I always do things for a reason, though it can sometimes be a tad bit ambiguous (I'm not in the jeopardy of getting a temp ban right? =/).
I don't mind getting reviews. I am humble when people say they like my stories or writing. If it's constructive criticism I look at the advice and take note and try to understand what they are saying or going with. Sometimes reviewers give some great pointers. However I don't like trolls or "flamers" it's like why bother wasting energy to write something pointless about my work. Reviews make me happy cause then I know someone really is reading my story instead of skimming it.
Look at it this way - if you raised a baby and sent it out into the world without any experience or nurturing at all the baby would have trouble out there. You story is your baby and to give it the best chance of survival and success it needs to be exposed, in a safe environment, to the challenges that wait for it. Here seems pretty safe to me. Those that review your work are doing their best to nuture your story in ways that you probably won't notice because of how close to it you feel. So don't feel naked and exposed, feel comfortable and secure instead - your story's in good hands.
Hello! Im new here and this is my first post. I totally agree. And actually, I HAVE danced naked and stripped around a pole before (hehe) and seriously, having my work reviewed is so much harder! It's not even that I can't handle critiques. I appreciate them as I NEED them to improve my work. It's just.. letting people inside my head, to the deepest part of my heart and soul where my writing comes from is just sooo.. wow. It's hard! But I also love it. It's scary, but I do it, and then if they love my work it's the best feeling.
When I first started out getting reviews, I didn't feel naked. I guess I felt vulnerable in a way because I basically refused to look at anything anyone said and was like, 'well I know better than you,' and just dismissed the critiques out of hand. Luckily, I grew out of that stage (I was about 13 at the time...). At that point in my life, I was so used to having English teachers and my other school teachers read my work and tell me how wonderful it was and how I could become a great writer...all of that, of course, went to my head at that time in my life. I mean, I was just barely a teenager. I got over that when I hit high school and had my first creative writing class and realized that there were people out there my age who could write *better* than me. That's when I told myself to stop being so overconfident in my writing and try to learn more to improve it. I still got high marks in my class because my teachers still liked what I wrote...but I was willing to learn. And ever since, I've always asked for harsh critiques and hard reviews because the harder and harsher they are, the more I can improve my writing. I'll admit that I've always been fairly confident in my writing because it was something my family and friends (and teachers) nurtured in me for years. I just try to never lose sight of the fact that writing is a form of self-expression, so that I never do what some people have done to me, and dismiss someone's writing out of hand. That's one of the worst feelings in the world--to have a piece of your work automatically dismissed, as if you have no ability to improve it...so I refuse to be like that. I work hard at making sure that I don't turn anyone away, even if I sometimes feel like it's hopeless. Because I know in the end, that it isn't. ~Lynn
my book is being edited by my good friend who retired after teaching college English for 12 years. I do have some much older friends uh, yeah I feel your pain. she can be so tough on me! and apparently I am not as grammar inclined as I have thought for, um, forever
Bah! Ignore flamers. Their opinions really don't count here. (Or, it's probably safe to say, anywhere else in life!) Everyone else is just trying to help. P.S: It's good to feel a little vulnerable - it shows you care about your work - but there's no need to get too hung up on a few opinions. Critics will of course vary in how bluntly they offer their advice - if it gets too harsh, tell 'em to back down.
I feel anxious when it comes to being reviewed, but I also have this gloomy weight of doubt that tends to tell me, "They're not going to understand it." I mean they actually say, "I'm confused." If this isn't a problem, I will try to make a better version. I love a challenge, but if they don't come back it's disappointing. I would rather stick to the reviewing. Sometimes it's a pain, because you have to read through someone's writing, even if you don't think it's good. I tend to read snippets and if I don't find it good I stop and tell them, in the most accurate fashion I can, why I couldn't stay focused on what they were writing. I try to give good reviews, but I'm blunt and I think people need to take reviews with a grain of salt. You know what is important in your writing and never say, "I know it's bad". I absolutely hate it when people do that.
People are always going to say what they want, don't worry bout it. If you like it good, now you can always make it better and look for that.
I only tend to feel a bit exposed if somebody is reading my work when I'm present. When that happens, I just feel squirmy.
I like to have my work reviewed because I have to know what people think of it. My goal is to seek approval for my writing, so I'm hungry for critical feedback. Of course, my chief editor is my best friend, so it's easier to handle. She's not afraid to say "Yeah, this part doesn't make any sense, you need to tone that down." LOL