Alright., Flame-proof vest on. Options

[ShraX]

Hello. I'm new to this forum but have been busy in the Fanfics section for a while until just recently. Forgive me if this doesn't belong here as I would think nothing but fan fiction belongs in that section of the site; General Discussion seemed like the most sensible place to put this.

I hope this doesn't seem rude but something's been bugging me for some time.

Sitting in my cold dorm room two years ago, something odd happened. I was bored to the point of head-to-desk banging as I'm sure many of us have been, and my insanely overpowered character in Morrowind didn't tear me away from the dismal college setting anymore. So, I started writing a Morrowind fanfic for kicks called The Tale of Gaenor, and decided it wouldn't hurt to post it on the official TES forum so I could get some outsider feedback and maybe discover I had some sort of talent that had finally awoken.

I'm hardly attempting to toot my own horn but the comments I received were better than expected, so I went with it and turned it into a 36-page story revolving around Gaenor and his past. I had lots of fun with it and learned from the others posted on that forum. I find no shame in admitting that I checked my thread for more replies between classes in the hopes of fueling my motivation to continue.

Since then, I came up with two other stories called Trials of the Mad God and Gaenor: Reloaded (the second one posted on the Fanfics section of this site). Perhaps I got too wrapped up in myself but I focused less on others and just wanted to know how people felt about what I wrote. The positive comments kept coming, fewer than before but still greatly appreciated and taken to heart. A mistake, possibly, and here's why.

I noticed the same people who replied to my stuff were commenting on an equal level of praise to other peoples' stories. I read them and thought, with as little self-glorification as possible: Really? Is this really like mine? These guys must be putting on an act for everyone, then.

I'm not looking for pats on the back, but if anyone's read some of the.. (there's no kind way to say this without watering down how I feel) lower-quality works on that forum and noticed this, tell me why.

Thanks.

[Mazelure]

I want people to comment about my stories often so I will know whats wrong with them... and I agree with Joryn... I have the same feelings towards other stories but hey there not mine... and by the way I was kinda let down when Gaenor's friend was killed... I thought that earlier in the story you sayed something like he had to give up his life in order for Gaenor to live or something... I have bad memory... plus the way that ultimate evil necromancer guy was incredably injured with one stab... and the way he got killed... I thought he would have put up more of a fight than just hurl one fireball... but I'm getting out of topic... so I might as well shut up now...

[ShraX]

Mazelure,

I hate Gaenor: Reloaded, and I hated writing the second half of it after I started it again. It's so childish, the way I was writing.. I didn't use the language I normally would use, probably because I saw his adventure as being childish itself. I was racing to finish it because I was just having a dreadful time pulling ideas out of my head for what would happen next. I'm glad it's over, but I could've done so much more with it.

Maybe I should've asked for criticism.. pure criticism, instead of expecting it. I understand politeness is extremely important to most, but to me, it's masking true feelings. For example, I post on the official forums all the time. Most of the time I comment with a stupid joke, and sometimes I give insight to someone's problem or quest help. Depending on what was said and what the argument is, I reply. I never worry about being polite, although I probably should as it's expected, but I find that more often than not, being polite when you feel differently is grossly unfulfilling, and really waters down my personality.

While I still don't have an answer to my original question, I'm somewhat satisfied, and glad you guys gave truthful responses, and I thank you for that. The next time I write something and offer it to others to read, I'll be sure to tell them to give me the verbal equivalent of a cinder block over the head in terms of critique and I mean that in the best way.