Just a Tad Deflated Right Now - Comments

Okay. I'm probably just going to be saying what everyone else has said but I need to say it anyway because you deserve to hear it and know it in your heart that you are a good writer. No, not even good, you are fantastic. The way you compose your characters is brilliant. It helps to have a picture in mind when reading them but even if you hadn't used Max or Joseph or Tom I would still be able to picture who you're writing about. I would know Jonathan's arrogant smirk and Bowen's cheeky smile. I can hear their voices in my head when I read. I can sense the woe and the weight that Sebastian feels in his heart. I feel it with him. Your characters have become a part of me... and that's just your characters!

Dom, I've said this before, but I'm gonna say it again. Your imagery is one of the best, if not the best I've seen on Mibba. It's delicate and beautiful and it paints a very clear picture of what you want the reader to see. You take us into that world and let us experience it for ourselves through your words. You should be proud of that! That's not a skill to be taken lightly.

Your friend, I feel, took this opportunity to drag you down. I say that when I don't really know and she could be perfectly lovely. However, it comes across as though she's envious of your writing and wanted to rip it to shreds. To make you doubt yourself so that you'd give up and she wouldn't have to be jealous anymore. Either that or she just thinks she's a literary genius. Tell her to call back when she works for Random House or any other publishing company.

You're amazing. Don't let anyone ever tell you any different. Now, I'm going to spam your comments with gifs.

Excuse me while I jump right in front of her and kick her right in the shins.
While you did ask for the constructive crit I feel, from what you say, that she went WAY overboard. And you say she seems like she didn't even read parts and messed things up/ Well excuse me, lady but stop your crit now if you are going to skip parts. She makes me angry.

Don't let her get you down though. Take everything she says to thought (though not too much). Maybe separate all her notes, answer her questions, like write them down without looking through what you have written and then go back and see if it is in what you have written (that's what I do!). That way you can see if she has any valid points at all or if she is just a big bag of jerkface! It may be overwhelming at first but everything will be alright.

You are an amazing writer! Your diction is absolutely perfect. Also, if you are happy with what you have written then everything is alright. You first and foremost should be happy with your work. You know I love all your stuff. It's my all time favorite. There will always be people that tear pieces down and nitpick every detail. BUT JUST REMEMBER YOU ARE AMAZING AND A GREAT WRITER <3

Okay well she's wrong and what I do when people give criticism. I either fix the little things, stuff I know isn't a huge deal or I myself agree with. The rest can piss off and be ignored.

If you know your story is good then don't let too many peoples opinions ruin your love for what you've done. I'm pretty sure everyone that's read and commented on your stories on mibba know you are a fabulous writer. There is nothing wrong with your stories.

They are amazing and always enjoy reading because I get taken to new worlds, meet amazing characters, and get emotional every time.

Don't let one person ruin what tons of others enjoy and what you love.

Can I go on this trip too?:)

Well give her a big ole bitch slap for me okay? XD

I'm sorry your family doesn't seem to be very supportive or helpful.

I don't understand this part. :( "How many times does she stumble? Why is she running? Is she a submissive character? What does she do on a nightout?"

What does it matter how many times she stumbles, the running is in context I imagine, she can determine if the character is submissive and again, what does it matter what she does on a night out?

Sorry, those last questions were just a bit "What..." to me.

I can't believe she called one of your stories by the wrong title...

Just hang in there, okay? Keep what she said in mind, look the story over, make some improvements if you see fit, then maybe put it away for a bit and repeat.

I don't blame you, I'm sensitive with my writing too. Though I don't do a whole lot...

@ little sparrow.
See this is one of the reasons you're adorable, thank you

@ Carpe Diem !
Firstly, that class sounds amazing and I am insanely jealous. Secondly, thank you for the wise words. It won't deter me from writing, I don't think anything could. I just wasn't expecting so many damn notes, especially since she didn't really tell me the things she liked and what worked. I know if roles were reversed I would tell her the strong points along with the things I felt could be worked, and stressed it was my opinion. I think I'm just going to go back to using mibba and my mentor. I got some good constructive crit on here just the other day and felt really positive about it.
Thank you for everything!

@ colibri
Woah. That's a brilliant/terrifying situation to be in when your mom's a professional. Though it seems like it's given you a thick skin when it comes to your writing and has helped you improve and that's wonderful. Yeah I think that's what happened, and really all I wanted to know was how read because I know I'm to close to it to be a fair judge. I just wasn't expecting the dissection haha. I think I will hold off showing her until I feel completely comfortable with it. Anyway, thank you for your lovely words!

@ thewolf.
We should get Kit and maybe Joseph Morgan? and go to Italy ;)
This is the only thing I do which I'm super protective over. I know my stuff needs a lot of work, I'll own that. I know that my writing only hits a certain type of reader because of my style, even my mentor tells me that (in far nicer terms haha) but like you I do actually like how I write. It's taken me a long time to reach a point where I actually have faith in my writing. I just shouldn't have sent her anything. I wasn't ready haha.
Ha she actually just text me to correct herself but I haven't replied yet. Thank you as always for being your wonderful self and being there with wise words :)

Yes, yes we can go to Italy. Or maybe go stalk Kit and kidnap him.

I'm really sorry that you feel deflated. I know the position you're in is really tough. I've never shown anyone in real life my stuff either because I'm absolutely terrified something like that is going to happen and, like you, I'm really fragile when it comes to writing. I guess the best thing to do is take what she says and see how you feel about it and go from there. Everyone has a different writing style. There are published books that I've read and been like WTF IS THIS? Like, for real. So you don't describe the room in intimate detail? Maybe it's not important to know that. I know that my stories could undergo serious criticism but I like how I write and it works for me. You describe what's important and that's what matters. Seems she should take that into consideration.

The other things where she's calling it the wrong name and asking for things you've clearly given in the story, well that's just her being lazy I think. It's also a little disrespectful not to call it by its proper name. Like who even does that? I haven't read one of those stories but you know that I read Nightbook and I adore it. I don't think you should change it unless you want to. Writing is super personal. Outside of grammatical stuff and historical accuracy, I don't think changes should be made to something you write unless you want to change it. Write how you feel, not what others demand from you.

That's my advice but I don't know everything so let's just go hunt Italian men hahaha

I wish I could loan you my mother. She's a writer (journalist and author), and she understands more, I guess? It's scary, showing people what you've written in real life. Especially in real time, because man let me tell you, I'm always nervous when my mum reads my writing. She's pretty serious about the whole process, and she'll flat-out tell me if it's bad. I do wish that I had someone that would give me that much feedback on my work. Even if it's not wholly positive, you know? Because over the years, the things people have criticised about my writing have made me stronger as a writer. I think that everyone gets those people that read the story but don't really read it. They don't understand the mindset you were in while writing, so they don't grasp the concept of the piece. AKA there are sucky people out there. I agree with Carpe Diem !. It does sound like her being impatient. I think maybe you should hold off on showing her your writing, especially if it's making you feel bad. You shouldn't feel bad. Everyone gets bad criticism, and it does hurt. You're not a bad writer at all. You should know that.

While it seems like your friend is trying to give constructive criticism, some of her questions are a bit off, so I can tell you that right off the bad. You aren't supposed to do exposition in stories to start the story off, so her questions really just seem to be like her being impatient or her wanting justifications for something that doesn't need it. I'm in an advanced writing class where twice a week we sit down and discuss two students stories every single class for an hour and fifteen minutes so I'd like to think I have an idea of what I'm talking about, but I don't know everything.

What I do know: don't let it discourage you. Sometimes people know what they're talking about, sometimes they don't. You should always write for an audience, but never specifically a person so don't change anything just because of her opinions. I've read some of your stuff and you're an extremely talented writer, you've got a gift. I think everyone needs polishing, including myself. I know there's nothing worse than having your stories ripped to shreds (I have to go through that for a grade) but in the end it'll make us a better writer.

I've got full confidence that you're stories are wonderful. You'll be wonderful and I have no doubt that not all of those criticisms were spot on.

hugging you

First of all come here
Secondly, I know how you feel about family not caring about your work, I tell my dad or someone really nice comments I got on my work and r just tells me someone's going to steal it if I don't take it down. As for the notes, that's just one persons opinion, and maybe she just scanned through it really quick and didn't actually read it thoroughly, because if she did she'd know both those stories are gold so
Anyway, hang in there my dear