ed_rex | Do you want a spanking?

I know that a number of you are artists, some professional and more of you of the aspiring variety; it is the latter towards whom this poll is primarily aimed: those who are self-publishing or working with very small presses (or whatever is the equivalent in your particular medium/media).

When wearing my critic or reviewer's hat, my inclination is to accentuate the positive, particularly when dealing with the "small fish" of the arts and especially with those exploring self-publishing and/or open source methods of distribution. In other words, I'm inclined to simply ignore work that doesn't interest me or which I find inhabits that large grey area between Bad and Good. (Unless of course I'm being paid for my opinions or something truly repugnant is also dangerously popular.

But neither of those latter conditions is likely to apply to the marginal and the up-and-coming artists out there.

Hence the poll, below. I am curious what creative folk think about reviews. Is any publicity good publicity? If someone (er, that might be me) on your friends' list reads or views or listens to your work and doesn't think too highly of it, do you want to know it or would you rather I just keep my big mouth shut?

(For the record, I'm willing to risk the hurt feelings; if I release something, I'd rather a bad review than none at all.)

[Poll #1496171]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

I don't really let anyone read anything I've written more seriously, I am too sensitive, so I can't really give feedback here.

...but, uh, not too surprisingly I am sure, your post title got my attention.
*innocent grin*

I should have known you'd be first out of the game. But yeah, if you're not publishing, the question is pretty moot.

So far your responses are falling in the direction I expected.

Namely - any of the writers/comic book creators/musicians/artists I have met whom are "ultimately want to do this for a living" welcome fair but honest reviews.

And for that matter, most of the hobbyists (e.g. fanfic writers) I know do too, and the one or two exceptions I can think of have both advertised the fact that they are looking for unconditional support rather than critique in their blogs to begin with.

Edited 2009-12-08 16:10 (UTC)

I'm not surprised, either, of course (except by who few responses there have been at all — maybe I should post a "roll-call" poll, try to find out how many people are actually reading this damned thing.

Or maybe I should post about all the snow-shovelling I've done today (and more to come in the morning).

I'd be scared of negative reviews. I have a thin skin sometimes ;)

Do people ever make negative comments about your photos? If so, what (if anything) do you do about it/them?

My sister-in-law does all the time, but mostly because she's a beeotch. LOL. All you have to do is look through my photos on facebook to see some of the shitty things she's said about them.

I don't really do anything about it :P I just ignore her... because I'm not entirely convinced that her opinion is shared by most people who view my pics...

*shrug*

I think I'd block her if I was you - seems to me there's a big difference between posting things to Facebook (presumably for fun, to share with friends and such) and publishing something, in which case negative criticism is fair game.

1. By "small press," I don't mean recently. But I've been published in stuff.

2. Like everyone else in the world, I want people to go on about what a creative genius I am and how my stuff changed their lives and blah--blah-blah. And fangirls writing badly written porn about my characters. I'd settle for infamy. But I also want to know if I'm Doing It Wrong.

I'd like even better if fangirls were writing badly written porn about me — but I'd pretty happily settle for my characters.

I'm with you on wanting the honest reactions, even if it hurts.

I want two opposing things:

I want constructive criticism.

and I want the person to be able to understand why I did whatever it was that I did (said, created, etc) Or at least appreciate where I was coming from.
And if they don't, that's criticism.

And if they don't, that's criticism.

That can go both ways, though; one must criticize the critic. If they're really obtuse, it might be their problem, not the artist's. That said, I wouldn't immediately jump to that conclusion; if nothing else, someone not getting it can be a learning opportunity.

I wouldn't say I am not ready for prime time. Just waiting for prime time to recognize me.

You're deadly serious about your work; i'd have been shocked if you'd voted otherwise.

Do you want a spanking?

Of course I want a spanking... ;)

Re: Of course I want a spanking... ;)

4 out of 5 dentists say don't go to the 5th dentist

Re: 4 out of 5 dentists say don't go to the 5th dentist

no subject

Really?

Re: Really?

Re: Really?

no subject

Ahem

With reviews (or more accurately: responses)

Re: With reviews (or more accurately: responses)

no subject

I'm not surprised