Winterfox:
Oy, are we operating on the "It's his story, so he can do whatever he wants!" here? Okay, that may be true, but he also put his work up for public view, and while an author can write whatever the hell he/she wants to, no one's obliged to like it or view it the way the author wants the reader to.
Not quite, young Shark <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/winkwink.gif" alt="" /> - not quite. My intention was not to oblige a reader to like a story - but putting oneself into the writer's shoes and seeing it from this point of view then, is what I wanted to point out. So, the writer as a traveller's guide and the reader as the tourist - the country is the writer's one, and she/he has to lead on. This involves the reader's willingness to follow first and then point out missing/lacking parts - in respect for the story and with the care to help advance it.
I find that, if I feed my stories to people with views and interests too similar to mine, I'd only get empty yes-men praises
Nonono, it is not about stroking a writer's ego with empty praises. Heavens, Winterfox, writing shouldn't turn out into a "I win, you lose" competition. But if I show a story to a person I trust/know (well, at least those I know, ok? ) she still is clearly able to see what I missed, where I got lost in words or missed a description. And why? Well BECAUSE of the similar views/interests. I don't need "enemies" for this, specially not the kind I meet on my RL tourist travels during my vacations. Guess, you know this kind? Puckered up, sour facial expression, nasal, nagging intonation - and not forgetting the pointed finger, showing with disgust at places?
Kiya
I was asked a few times to read a novel and express my view - if I know it's a genre, I can't make friends with => I refuse and explain. I'm not in the position then to do the story justice. And why? Well, because I have blockades - this wouldn't help the writer at all.
