O_o

[feuervogel]

Note to future self:

Never send someone who doesn't read outside a very narrow section of SF (hard SF, mostly) your space opera novel to beta read. The resulting commentary full of insults that you don't know how to write and that stories that don't focus on the technology aren't "really SF" is not only not helpful but rage-making, and you will have to figure out the most polite way to say, "You have no idea what you're talking about" without coming across as That Writer saying "You just doooon't understaaaaaaand my viiiiiision."

picardrikerdoublefacepalm.jpg

Comments

[stormsdotter.livejournal.com]

Ugh! I agree with the whole 'thank them an walk away' comment.

Sadly, I cannot help because (1) I am not a very good fiction editor and (2) I am rather dead and trying to find what is wrong with me.

[feuervogel]

It's really hard to walk away from being told you basically suck and know diddly squat about writing, let alone the entire science fiction genre (which is, of course, only the gee-whiz high-tech type of story, otherwise it's not *really* SF, just wearing an SF skin and "might even be called sci fi" (but not actually be SF, of course.))

So I'm envisioning this conversation instead:

"This cake is horrible. It doesn't make sense. It's not tall enough, and there's no frosting. You don't know anything about dessert at all."

"That's because it's not a cake at all. It's a pie."

(Oh, and I hope they figure out what's up! From personal experience, I can empathize that having a mysterious undiagnosed illness is frustrating and full of suck. (Sorry for repeat edits; this originally got stuck in the wrong place.))

[tammylee.livejournal.com]

It's really hard to walk away from being told you basically suck and know diddly squat about writing, let alone the entire science fiction genre (which is, of course, only the gee-whiz high-tech type of story, otherwise it's not *really* SF, just wearing an SF skin and "might even be called sci fi" (but not actually be SF, of course.))

Sorry to threadjack, but this is EXACTLY when you have to walk away. You know there's no way you've missed the mark that badly, he has nothing constructive to really offer, and you're mad.

[feuervogel]

I meant "walk away from" more as in walking away from being rear-ended while you're driving.