Parker'sSire on 6/12/2006 at 07:17
Been gone a couple of days and just caught up...
I needed a good belly laugh. You guys are insane.
(in a very good, backhanded complementary, we are family, play/fight like a French Bulldog, fuckstick, kinda way)
@Strangeblue
(slightly bows head and lightly applauds)
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sypha Nadon:Oddly enough, despite the hostile reaction I got, it still didn't dissuade me from continuing my musical work.
Right response.
But only if you don't, actually, dismiss every negative reaction you got as purely "subjective" or "personal opinion". Many are not. That's the tough part.
Strangeblue's post hit on sonething else.
Tonamel had a very good specific question.
If you had been so unhappy with the first chapter, why, after you had gained experience/direction later on, did you not rewrite it?
Does that not imply that you were aware that it was not the best work you could do?
If it was a time factor (dying, and all that), would that not imply that the main purpose of the book was to publish the book... not tell the story well or simply be the best writer that you could?
(Dangerous ground... no one wants to be an "artist" and, in the same paragraph, say that he knew any part of it wasn't the best they could do. Very hard to defend and doesn't do much for one's credibility. 'Specially if one had complete control.)
And, if that's the case, how could you truly expect there'd be no negative feedback? You already provided it yourself when you knew the first chapter was "weak", even with your own measurement system.
(fuck it... another long post)
True story:
Well known (at the time) Boston based band, early 80s. Huge hit, first album.
World tour w/KISS (same management co), 3-4 album contract.
Band leader/guitarist told me years later that he blew it. Instead of listening to advisors, the record co (I'm not defending record companies here), fans, etc, he decided to be "creative". He wanted to do a "Sgt. Pepper" after only 1 album. He thought that all the others would follow his lead and both want and appreciate his "creativity".
Killed all the momentum.
THEY wanted something (like the 1st album) that they could both relate to and bury themselves in.
Band died away and broke up.
All I'm saying is... well...
KoOk said it...
People don't want you to tell their fantasies, necessarily. But they do want to become immersed in the one they're reading/listening to/watching.
One of your jobs is to make that as easy as possible, with all the skill you can acquire.
It's like animating, or sequencing an orchestral musical piece, or crafting a piece of art. You take the time and do the sweat so that the audience, in order to immerse itself in your fantasy, doesn't have to.
Unless, you're one of the few gifted who have such talent that everything they do.... simply.... works. (Assuming that's not a fantasy, itself)
Ask Strangeblue, and I'll bet that sometime in her growing she's been asked/told to change or add something that was out of her comfort zone and at odds with what she had created or built or planned in her own work. I'll bet she had to let go and learn a different way... not be confortable with her own def. of "good".
Shit, preaching again.
I think you're looking in the right direction; get a real editor. You mentioned proof reading it yourself. Does that not sound odd to you?
I know that you are totally aware that the idea is to give it to someone who:
1) has no real vested interest in editing out or changing whatever needs it.
2) is not inside your head. You might be the person least likely to understand if something works or not. You know how something sounds to you, but you already "know the story".
Last thing: :)
You refered to your book as being "mocked" ITT.
The vast majority of comments or suggestions that you've acknowledged, but, maybe, not actually wanted to hear have been very far from mocking.
I think the answer is pretty clear, and you, basically, said it yourself. You did not want or ask for comments or criticisms. So everything that came your way felt like someone throwing tomatoes at you on stage.
@Cookie Dough
Still searching out that Snickerdoodle muffin.
