Quote:
Originally Posted by ProfCrash
I think that an author who accepts feedback from fans will get better. Well, if they pick and choose. So if fans are saying "we love the character development but think that the world building is a little thin" that could be helpful. Or "The story is great but there are a fair number of spelling mistakes, look out for...) could help.
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Certainly true, but it isn't the fan's job. And sometimes fan comments can be more confusing than helpful. I've had fan mail telling me that Tracking Magic should be taken down as it doesn't reflect my real writing talent. I've also had fan mail saying the stories are funny and cute and "just what I needed."
Catch an Honest Thief has a review that mentions typos. I was horrified. I immediately had two editors go through it. Two typos were found (and neither one found a third that a reader sent me over a year later). From the review I had these visions of typos on every other page. I'm happy to fix them, but yikes. A comment like that can cause a heart attack.
Reviews and fan mail can be...interesting. I'm always happy to get any kind of feedback, but you do have to take it with a grain of salt and have thick skin. The woman who told me Tracking Magic should be removed was a fairly big and vocal fan...it's a disappointment to disappoint such a fan, but not every work is going to be a great read for every person.
As a writer, there's a time to take feedback and a time to close your eyes and jump.