I recently received what I consider to be my first real negative review of a fic I wrote. In response to reading "Wanted: Love Hina," someone posted the following:
Now, I've received dissatisfied comments before ("Puppy Kisses," my Negi/Kotaro Negima fic, got more than one "this is sick" comment), but it's one thing to get reactive, off-the-cuff dislike, and another to receive a calm, polite, measured statement saying they don't think it's a good story.
While the above review isn't frothing at the mouth, it's still insulting - I don't think of myself as being screwed up - and the implication that this is somehow a downer, instead of being entertaining (because graphic violence can be entertaining, especially when a work done in another genre is altered to be that way) is also clearly said in the pejorative.
I'm not going to respond to the above review; there's nothing to be gained and a fair amount to be lost in what'd almost-certainly become an argument, but I'm curious about what other, more accomplished authors think about this sort of thing. How do you react to negative reviews to your fiction? Do you respond? If so, what do you say in response?
Way too much violence and way to graphic.? You must be a bit screwed up to think that first scene through.
Personally, I dislike when the Love Hina story (a COMEDY ROMANCE) is changed to graphic violence. If I wanted blood and gore I'd pick Akira or something similar.
Probably some people get off on this sort of thing.? I'm not one of them.? There's enough death in the world on the news without having to imagine more.
Personally, I dislike when the Love Hina story (a COMEDY ROMANCE) is changed to graphic violence. If I wanted blood and gore I'd pick Akira or something similar.
Probably some people get off on this sort of thing.? I'm not one of them.? There's enough death in the world on the news without having to imagine more.
While the above review isn't frothing at the mouth, it's still insulting - I don't think of myself as being screwed up - and the implication that this is somehow a downer, instead of being entertaining (because graphic violence can be entertaining, especially when a work done in another genre is altered to be that way) is also clearly said in the pejorative.
I'm not going to respond to the above review; there's nothing to be gained and a fair amount to be lost in what'd almost-certainly become an argument, but I'm curious about what other, more accomplished authors think about this sort of thing. How do you react to negative reviews to your fiction? Do you respond? If so, what do you say in response?