Question regarding the appropriate response to a particular brand of internet comment · 6:13pm Apr 21st, 2017
"This wouldn't pass a creative writing class."
"My history class wouldn't accept this source."
In the past year I have had the misfortune to have both these comments thrown at me by internet strangers, and I find myself fantastically infuriated by them. Such statements combine high-handed arrogance with trollish dismissal, yet I find myself flummoxed for a proper response. They aren't *direct* insults, so to call them out as such feels difficult. They're impossible to prove or disprove, so one cannot present evidence to the contrary. And while withdrawal is the intelligent response when faced with disagreeable online personalities, to do so concedes the right and ability to publicly defend one's works and/or arguments. Barbed wit feels appropriate, but that may be more my enflamed emotions than anything.
What is an appropriate response to such comments, presuming that one is committed to the discussion at hand?
This is incredibly pompous. The majority of hollywood movies wouldn't pass a creative writing class, but here we are, popcorn in hand. Pop culture is more about quality than originality, for better or worse. See "The most dangerous game" contests.
No, that's closer to a post-traumatic stress flashback, but less intense, involving fewer hallucinations and generally causing you to lunge for the pause button rather than more general property damage.
...okay, moving on.
Honestly, I'm in agreement with ponygrad, with one modification. Using ponygrad's argument, goad the opponent into dismissing as many widely liked properties as possible in order to discredit them with the audience and expose them as a pompous hack while maintaining very careful and passive word choice. Their opinion will hold little weight, you will be hailed as a master of self-control, and you'll have reminded yourself of a ton of fun movies you should totally go watch again.
Perhaps something along the lines of, "Well, yes, schoooling often does have little to do with the realities outside the classroom, you pompous twit."
One can, in very specific circumstances. “It would pass the one I teach, because…” followed by a long lecture, for example. Alternatively, “It did pass the writing class with so-and-so…”
That, however, is usually a losing proposition, because someone who throws this kind of argument at you is generally not interested in knowing any kind of truth, they’re interested in winning, so they’ll just resort to more blatant methods of putting you down. So barbed wit is a strategically better option.
Relax, breathe in, breathe out. Repeat: “I am a good writer,” possibly replacing “good” with whatever superlatives your conscience will allow.
In my own humble opinion, you do deserve one or two of those.
You could always fall back on the tried and true response of "K"
Here's a thought: Ask them, "Why?" Why wouldn't the story in question pass a creative writing class? Why wouldn't a history class accept a particular source? If the person who left those comments is truly interested in constructive criticism, they'll expand on their comments. If not, then they're not worth your time.
By the way, we're all talking about fan fiction based on an animated show originally aimed at children. What the heck does that have to do with history?
I know that it's not helpful to say this, but the internet is crawling with trolls, arseholes and windup merchants of every stripe. Nothing can be done about it, I'm afraid, and it's best just to ignore them completely.
Speaking as a man with over twenty years experience reading and critiquing fanfiction, I can confirm unambiguously that you are a good writer, and would assuredly pass a creative writing class.
As for the sources and the correct use and citation thereof, I would be disinclined to invest too much faith in the opinions of cantankerous internet randoms.
I would use this:
i1.kym-cdn.com/entries/icons/original/000/018/842/you_are_wrong.png
It gives your thoughts on the matter, while leaving them on the heel and forcing them to either justify their comment (making room for in depth rebuttal on your part), or quitting the field (usually in bad taste) which yields in your victory.
I'd say just ignore 'em. It's clear they're not valid comments.
4504723 This right here. If you really are committed to a open and honest discussion then ask them to explain their remarks. Why wouldn't it pass? Why wouldn't it be accepted? If they don't have an answer, or their answer is some variation of "it just wouldn't", then you know they have nothing useful to say.
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Thanks.
But I should note this post isn't a result of the "OMG I just realized I'm a terrible writer!" feeling we all get now and then. This is more of a, "Murder is illegal, I know because I just checked, so what's the next best thing I can do?" post.
4504723
I frequent the American Civil War forum, and unfortunately so do a number of neo-Confederates. We don't get along.
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Thanks. It is saved for future use.
You can ask them to clarify. Then you can have fun reading their "superiority". I bet 9/10 don't know what they're talking about.
EDIT: come to think of it, this is a site for fanfiction. It's a place for people to share and enjoy creativity, not rule systems and academical literature. Maybe it's because Brazillian lterature is awful, but finding good authors, here, that exceed it in matter of creativity and even technique is not that hard.
Being done with that part of my life ("education"), I find more entertainment reading something by a select group of authors here rather than in the great masterpieces. Mostly because people here draw inspirations from their own soirces of historical pieces and authors.
Reading is good. Period. The rest is nitpicking and jealousy.
If that's the whole of the argument, ignore it. Those are, on their own, unfalsifiable (and thus unprovable) claims, so it doesn't even rise to the realm of poor criticism. And creative writing courses are run by English/Literature professors/teachers (or local equivalent), a group which by its nature lends itself to having specific or 'strange' (for a given definition) views on what constitutes good writing. Take any complaint that cites a creative writing course for any reason other than to offer direct, clear advice/criticism (e.g. "you can't just state personality traits without showing them" or "have you considered trying X to support the theme") with a grain of salt.
For the history one, I would say it's not bad (in fact it's very good) in general to make sure you're using proper sources when discussing. However, the complaint of "that source doesn't count" needs to be explained. If the source is bad, why is it? Does the commenter know of some problem (say, proven allegations of lying or a brazen lack of substantiated research) that disqualifies it? If so, the commenter should say why. If the commenter cannot provide such an explanation, then the initial "that doesn't count" comment is meaningless.
Because you are you and as far as I'm concerned, everything that drips from your pen/typewriter/word processor is gold, I' would say you have every right to tell them to "Go (pardon my parlance) F*CK yourself"
In all seriousness, either politely ask them as to how is it garbage and see if they have anything useful to say. If they don't, quietly point to your massive brass ba- I mean... viewcount and explain your reasoning when you wrote the thing and state that you're sticking by it.
I wholly sympathize with you though. The fandom or just the internet in general can be cruel and it's why I've decided not to write any more political/complicated fanfictions that require people to wikipedia history pages and geopolitical terms.
Dan, you feeling better mate?
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I was always fine, thanks.
This was less a crisis of confidence than a desire to gain knowledge in one-upping a particularly infuriating brand of internet skirmish.
4514139 Glad to hear it. I will also mention that you shouldn't be afraid to block the more... volatile individuals if they simply refuse to shutup. The main reason being that your wellbeing is more necessary than having to explain the same thing twice.