So lately in my spare time I've been self publishing short stories and putting them up for sale on Amazon and Barnes & Noble. Just a hobby at this point, but it's something I enjoy. This morning I awoke to this "review" of a short story I'd posted for free on Barnes and Noble - "Diary of a Dead Muse."

Review:

"Wow! This is deadly bad. Thank god it's only 20-pages-long-bad. Narrator-author complains that he's never made any money on his e-books or been accepted by a real publisher; none of the members of his critique group has been published, though member John has collected lots of agent-rejections, but all members love his story. Duh, Diary of a Dead obviously-unpublished Critique Group. Here's why this story's DOA and why your book & story don't make you any money or get accepted by publishers, Mr. Author: No plot, no urgency, no conflict, no character development, no dialogue, no setting, no description. No nuthin', Dude, except whining. Very uninteresting whining at that, since there's no Voice at all, let alone a unique one. Take some classes. Get into a critique group with published writers, and not solely self-published ones. Read Hawthorne's stories "The Artist of the Beautiful", "The Birthmark", and "Rappaccini's Daughter". Read Poe's "The Cask of Amontillado". All are free, and while the former's might slow down at times in earlier written work, both authors have great plots, conflict, urgency, and character development (and deal better with the theme of obsession than this story does). While you're at it, get a new Muse, preferably an interesting one with some personality and character development. Read contemporary & self-published author Ian Woodhead's VERY DEAD DOLLS, free from B&N, which has everything yours lacks, and which is bloody brilliant! Excerpt from Diary of a Dead Reader: Killed, Resurrected, & Killed Again by all these self-published writers who don't know the very essentials of good story-telling. Diary of 0*. Diary of Thumbs Down. Diary of a DOA."

Okay. . . .

My first reaction after reading this was to smile. If I'd never put my stuff "out there" before I might have hidden under my bed in shame for a day or two, but I've got a pretty thick skin going, and I've gotten other reviews for this story. What I don't get is the motivation. It must have taken this guy/gal a while to write this raving rant. Why bother? More to the point, why are they so insulted that I published this? The story was free. The story was 2,000 words. It's not like I wasted very much of his/her time or even their 99cents. They weren't forced to read it.

Is it just for the satisfaction of taking someone else down? Do they think they're actually giving advice or being witty? If I read something I didn't like, I might say I didn't like it, but I wouldn't spend my time berating the author for putting it out there.

Anyone had something similar happen to them, or a better explanation for all the random hate?

Just curious because while I find it somewhat entertaining, I don't get it.

Internet is easy to be angry and hateful through with no consequence. He at least read it instead of "OMFG THIS BOOK SUX0RS ITS BAD TROLOLOLOLOL"

I've put old airsoft videos on youtube and they have been pretty torn apart with negative comments. I didn't think it would since were not playing with clear plastic guns in someone back yard. We have a massive play area in the woods(with multiple two store forts and building and little towns) at a local paintball place. We play as an organization with form. Still didn't stop the [censored] comments.

It's written in a rather insulting fashion, but he does present legitimate critiques for you to keep in mind, and gives you advice of stories to read to improve. I've not read the story, so I can't tell if he is on point, but he doesn't seem to just randomly be insulting you for the fun of it.

Pretty much this.

Yeah that's what I thought too.

Yup. If it was just "YOU svck!!!1!" I'd feel differently. They may not have meant for it to sound so harsh either - that happens a lot on the net I think.

Well it does read a bit like a goth's livejournal...

Despite the way the review was worded, the actual criticism feels legit to me.

I've read my fair share of Poe and Hawthorne. :shudders: Ian Woodhead isn't too shabby either

Even without the insults, I don't see a critique other than "I liked nothing about this." He's entitled to think that, but it's not really critiquing it. . .in my opinion, and he seems oddly offended by it.

There is a lot of people out there who do not have much in the way of "people skills", (pretty much like myself lol). Some people come across as intolerant, aggressive etc. specially if they are safely hidden behind a keyboard

While this guy is offering you his albeit, very blunt, opinion of your work, he does come across as a bit of a condescending ass. Although, he does offer some tips, just don`t take it personal

That's the part that made me smile.

I dunno, whether or not a valid point is being made, it does seem that the art of diplomacy is lost on some people, intentionally or otherwise. I guess a lot of it is down to interpretation and some people really do prefer being the recipient of the "direct" approach, though I suspect most would rather have things phrased in a more easy-going way. Very hard to guess the motivation, though: I know of people who use a proper appraisal as an excuse to behave like jerks, but on the other hand you get people who don't really want to beat about the bush and who figure (which some justification) that it's a good thing to get the point across however it's done, and being required to dress it up is a disincentive to saying anything at all.

But whatever the reason, these people exist, and I think all one can do is develop as thick a skin as possible.

This

Actually if you read over it his complaints could be for just about any book. He isn't precise enough, he doesn't say how the story could be improved or exactly why some of the features of it are bad aside from mentioning that one of the characters has an annoying whining complex.

I myself have had a little something I've written reviewed and even the review of my story, that is most likely only 1/10th of what the OP's story is, was far more precise and insightful.

I think that 'critic' was just being a grumpy troll. I'm not saying he's right or wrong, I'm only saying he's mostly just tearing him down in a slightly more advanced format than simply going "olol no characterz develops nub! Tolkin haz much more skills! Go read him 2 learn!"

Honestly the impression I got of the review was that he was simply saying his story had nothing and that other authors could do better.

I live in the belief that if someone else than you say it svcks, then it just svcks. I've given up a lot of projects because of that, many of them I dearly loved.
Haven't read your stories and never will, so I can't comment on how accurate the review is. However, if you have received more positive than negative comments, then consider yourself a "mixed", or "successful" depending on the amount of positive reviews.

The review is a long one and the person apparently read the whole thing. It's not just whining, but it does include a lot of unnecessarily strong terms. Black and white reviews are hardly compelling to me. If it's all svck svck and nothing seems good, I won't buy it (the review). Nothing is inherently bad.

He didn't have to be precise, there was nothing concrete in the story at all. It was just a monologue without form or structure.

There wasn't just a character who whined, the whole thing was just one character whining.

*Nod*

The internet is indeed a very cruel place where people just love to break others, flame them, spit, curse, and whatever else they can. Most of these people are sad individuals that do it online because in the real world they couldn't get away with it. Others are just hateful people that want to drag down and spit on as many people as they can in this world until their time comes.

Know how you feel OP I run an MMO information website and my name on a forum was the subject of a flame on a website. It got really bad to where people were saying whatever they could about me just because they wanted to. Even got to the point that those around me turned against me flaming on the board and even though it broke me down I just picked myself back up. That's all you can really do is learn from the experience, dust yourself off and persevere onwards towards whatever you want. Even now on this board there's someone that's trying to troll me but I just deal with it.

No worries OP just take it in stride and keep on doing what makes you happy.

Wait, was your story free or was it being sold?

If it was up for sale like you said originally, then I can see complaining about wasting money on it, as it's their right to complain.

If it was free, then it's simply a review with constructive criticism. He may have been a bit rude, but you're taking it a little too personally. The world would be full of terrible things if no one bothered to give any criticism. Since you wrote something and put it up for everyone to see, you must be expecting feedback on it. That means you're going to get some negative feedback. If it bothers you so much that you have to ask yourself "why would someone do this?" then maybe you shouldn't be posting it at all. Too often I find people posting their work on the internet and seeming to only expect positive feedback, saying things like "if you don't like it don't read it" in the face of negative feedback. Well I say, if you don't like negative feedback, don't post it.

It's not about being mean over the internet. He sounded like he had a lot of legitimate complaints that are worth investigating. Why did he go to the trouble of typing it all up? Well, I'd say it was to give you a great set of criticism to look at and to help yourself improve.

Granted, I have NOT read your story, but having written and read countless reviews and edits myself, this critique doesn't sound as harsh or unfair as you seem to think it is. Realistically all they do if suggest you read several other authors and titles that have focussed on similar content to your work, and to find a group of peers that might have more advanced tastes and abilities. That doesn't seem like a bad road to take, in my opinion. If you are struggling to get started as an author, you should at some point consider that your approach is flawed. Is this the only negative review you've recieved? Or is there a good chunk of similar reviews? If it's the only time you've recieved a negative review, well... you probably haven't been writing very long if you've never had anyone say they didn't like your work. Don't take it to heart if you feel it is unfair, or inaccurate, but honestly (and again WITHOUT HAVING READ THE PIECE MYSELF) it doesn't seem like that negative a review.

Nope.

Edit: Reading back on comments has made this comment invalid. Please do ignore it.

That’s a depressing life philosophy, Pisteralo, stick with something if you believe in it. Most ideas get rejected repeatedly before they're adopted.

This is my hobby. I’m not insulted by the review - though I don’t think the reviewer was trying to be constructive – but not everyone is or has to be. It’s a literary story written in a stream-of-consciousness, “diary” style, so his suggestion to read eighteenth century horror may mean he expected the story to be something it wasn’t. Or not. I don’t know; I just don’t get the unnecessarily snarky “hey Mr. Author” tone of it.

Thanks for the input, everyone. May the internet have mercy on you

Clicked on the link in the sig to read the story, so I could answer your question.
Do not have a Kindle, am not going to purchase a kindle soley to read your story, not in the mood to jump through hoops.

Perhaps he was correct, perhaps he was not, why does it make a difference if your skin is thick?

We see this all the time on this forum as well as on ANY internet forum or site where there is user feedback. It's as if the supposed anonymity of not having to look someone in the eye, or hear their voice gives people who might be the mildest mannered people some sort of license to be uncivil, uncouth, sarcastic without wit or humor. These same people rage if the same behavior is turned on them. He mayhave some valid criticisms, but who can tell, Lady N? When it is couched in a consistently combative and insulting tone - for what? Did his internet tough guy attitude impress someone somewhere? He devalues his own advice by sloppy staging.

I am in no way saying people should pretty up or back off legitimate crticism. But reading crap on the internet, it's often not criticism, it's often just some random [censored] loving the sound of his internet voice and who seems to harbor undirected anger at who knows what. I guarantee you that if that person who wrote that, and the OP starter were sitting in a writer's group, the author of that critique would not have the nerve to just be a rude [censored]. He'd have to find a way to say "the story was flat and didn't lead the reader anywhere interesting. The tone came off as self-serving." A critique can be harsh, but when you add useful advice about some authors who may be successfully covering the kind of territory the author is trying for, it gives some useful direction without, in effect saying "you svck this svcks and here is my pithy five word quip in closing."

Tough but honest criticism is an art. A tough but honest critique can even inspire the person trying to improve. An angry ranting crticism just makes it seem like the person somehow took it personally, as if there had been some sort of gun to his head to first read and then review something. Meh.

Note - OP, I did not read your piece, sorry. I am just voicing my ongoing pet peeve about the uselessness of the anonymous angry internet critic.

Blame http://www.wallpapergravity.com/wallpapers2/345/345166.jpg.

:intergalactic: