Constructive Criticism

[marieldraconis]

People with low self-esteem are going to have problems with any type of criticism. If you say good things about what they’ve done/written/said, they’re going to assume you’re just saying that to be nice, unless they’re very proud of what they wrote. Even that pride only lasts for a few days. If you tell them bad things, they’ll accept it as their due and become even more convinced of their own lack of worthiness.
How do you handle the situation, then? Mixed criticism. Find something good to say about it, even just “you developed a great image here.” Then find something bad to say about it—and say it in a way that suggests improvement. “Do you think you could add dialogue here to explain X?”
Above all, say something, or the writer/artist will think they’re so horrible you don’t consider what they do worth looking at. And never assume that the person has high enough self-esteem to be able to take that.
I haven’t necessarily followed this yet, but I will try to follow this from now on, and I encourage you all to do the same.

Comments

*ekopage*

[chalavienne.livejournal.com]

when i fail to comment on your writings, it's usually because i've been a horrible person and just haven't checked livejournal in a long time >.> I'll try to keep up with the ones you're editing this week, but if you really really want some feedback email me something and i'll guarantee i'll read it. sorry, i tend to only check LJ like once a week now because I'm not using it so much (facebook...FAAAACEEBOOOOOOKKKKK...;-P) but as a general note, you rock, your writing rocks, and you kick major buttocks. :-D

Re: *ekopage*

[marieldraconis]

You see--this is the problem. I want to believe that, but in a few hours I'm going to go off on another sulk and be convinced that even the stuff I'm happiest with is completely terrible.
Well...except for the "kick major buttocks" part. That I believe. One of my friends on campus had her ex-boyfriend show up two weeks ago, and though I never actually met him, she told him about me and scared him so much that he was jumpy around brown-haired girls with glasses that day. Mwahahahaha.
Right, yes...e-mail poke Chala when I want reading.
Speaking of Facebook...several people yesterday posted a comment on my roommate's behavior:
"Canada is talking to me!" *BOUNCEBOUNCEBOUNCE*