Why I Would Welcome (albeit dislike) Bad Reviews

If I tell you what you’ve written is brilliant and works on every level, that may be nice to hear, but it isn’t constructive, except perhaps to your ego. But then the occasional ego boost can work wonders when you’re in a slump. And we all get that way from time to time.

~ from the blog Moody Writing

* from Google Images

I’ve always thought, and maybe I’ve talked and written about it quite a number of times, how I’d like my readers to always always give me honest feedback on my work especially if they thought my story wasn’t satisfactory for them. I’d like to hear specific points of what the story/characters lacked, or what made the whole thing just downright sucky. Oh, I don’t need an in-depth, academic, and hifalutin analysis a Harvard (or some Ivy League School) literary critic might make of a classic literary piece. I just want something more than “di ko po nagustuhan, eh” period.

Why? Because I want to know what I need to work on. I want to get a feel of what the public is into. Improvement, is what I am after because snotty as I am about being good (even great)  at what I do, I know I still have a long ways to go.

Of course, I am not saying I will always be happy with what I get. I sometimes might even think the feedback was given without intelligent thought. I’m snobbish that way. But rest assured, I will not call you dirty names, neither will I put out a hit list for you for bashing my work. I will actually appreciate the honesty. And I will appreciate the fact that you’re not sucking up to me by telling me you like my work when you actually hate it, or worse, have not even read it. I dislike kiss-asses, you know?

Do expect further that I will always respect your point of view, and I will always take your feedback into consideration. INTO CONSIDERATION only, mind you, because of course, and you should expect this of any author, what I write, I write because I am compelled to write and write them that way. I may give a little explanation if I thought your conclusions may have been wrong because there were parts in the story you may not have understood but that’s about it. I don’t actually need to defend my work to you or anyone. Ganoon talaga.

Oh, and please do not expect me to actually imbue my storytelling processes with your suggestions. You’re not my only reader, remember that, too, and for all you know, you’re the only one who thinks that way.

So there, consider this an open invitation. A call to take a look at how Edith Joaquin creates her stories. Tell me your thoughts. Like I said, I want to improve and I want you to be part of the improvement.

Cheers!