Larian Studios Forums General Chat The Adorant

Hey Alrik, you shouldn't let the negative feedback you've gotten for this story get you down, for several reasons. Take WinterFox' feedback: she's a darn tough critic, but she gave Rhianna equally negative feedback on the novella. That doesn't make Rhianna's writing bad either.
You could argue that Rhianna got more positive feedback than you did, but that's no surprise for me: Rhianna is somewhat considered a *star* on this forum and her novella has been through a bit of marketing: people tend to expect and *want* such a story to be good. You, Alrik, don't get that kind of publicity for your work and your work is therefore considered *amateuristic* (which has a very pejorative sound to it, but basically it really just means that you wrote it for your own, not for the public and not for a publisher): people who read this kind of work, will have a different attitude towards it, no specific expectations (or worse: lower expectations) and no explicit desire for the work to be good. Just like love tends make blind, the desire for a published work to be good plus the star status of a writer, can blind a reader from any negative aspects of a story, or at least encourage the reader to praise the good aspects of the work.

So much for comparing. Then there's that other kind of comparing:
There's the point you made about The Adorant being one of your favourite: so if some or many people didn't like this work, does it make all of your other works any *worse* than this one? Of course not!
Often an artist's favourite work will not be his fans' favourite work, not just often, but very often this is the case; simply because his favourite work has a certain personal value in it, things of himself are in it, memories, feelings, that none of his readers have experienced: whatever words you write will not be read in the same way you heard or saw them in your mind.
Personally I like writing, but I don't consider myself a writer, I just can't keep it up, it's a challengeing and rewarding, yet difficult, boring, exhausting and lonesome task. I do write music though, and it's exactly the same: I've had lots of negative feedback on some of my own favourite pieces - because the critics just hear tones and melodies, where as every tone and every melody for me is a memory or a feeling that means something for me.

Finally, let's not forget your own achievements: how many *amateur* writers had their poetry published in an international computer game? If your work were really so bad, I doubt that the Larians - who are a profit making company afterall - would even have considered placing any of it scattered around the world of Rivellon to be read by every gamer who buys their product.

Chear up Al, nothing's lost at all <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

AMEN to that

Definitely. It really added something unique to the game. Your poems were not bad at all, Alrik. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/up.gif" alt="" />

I only have to say that I am very sad. And I am angry too. And even though I can control my anger I wanted you to know. I hope now you understand.
I want Al back.

And Al you know how I feel.

I will not say more because it is really hard for me not to say ugly things right now.

The Internship ? Intermship (I miss it in my dictionary ! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cry.gif" alt="" /> ) will take place anyway.

Yes I know Al. But I would prefer to be done under other circumstances. Don´t forget your friends while you are gone.

"As I walk the room there before me a shadow
From another world, where no other can follow
Carry me to my own, to where I can cross over
Close to home - I cannot say
Close to home feeling so far away

Forever searching; never right,
I am lost in oceans of night
Forever hopping I can find memories
Those memories I left behind"

Kejero...

I am afraid I will have to take issue with one of your statements. Rhianna may or may not have 'star status' on this forum, but her writing is not going to be cut any slack for the obvious reason that we will all compare her with her father who is one of the best writers in the world right now.

I thought the name to be a coincidence when I read the novella, and I liked it. Had I known, I would undoubtedly have expected more from her, which would certainly have been very unfair, but nonetheless.

There are certainly many reasons to praise Alrik without knocking Rhianna. As you say, I doubt many of us could claim to have had our poems published in any kind of professional capacity, let alone in an internationally released computer game. That is a major achievement of which Alrik should rightly be proud.

Alrik's poems added mood to the setting - and yes, were good. I never once got the impression they were created by a tyro, and I read a lot of them. Nobody who did not know would think Alrik's poetry was the work of an amateur, I am sure.

Just a few thoughts <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

To be fair dad does have ohhhhh over 30 years more experience than me at writing fiction, so it wouldn't really be a fair comparison in the least. And Elliot Kane, I have to admit the 'not good enough for the daughter of TP' suggestion in your post does hurt and that's something a lot deeper to just growing a skin to protect yourself from getting too bothered by criticisms. It's something that most writers don't have to deal with. On the other hand, in some ways, I am a more successful journalist than my father was, so that helps as a mental cold flannel occasionally <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

I was generalizing of course, and obviously *star status* is an exaggeration, but my point was that many people will still have lower expectations from an *amateur* writer than from a published writer. Not saying this will define the final judgement of the work, but it will influence it. All in my humble opinion of course <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/winkwink.gif" alt="" />


I agree <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> But I'd like to stress, just in case that it wasn't clear, that none of the things I said about expectations (and comparing with *stars*) apply to those poems - I was purely talking about the story Alrik has posted in this thread.

Oh and Rhi

I think Elliot means the expectations he had *before* starting to read it <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/think.gif" alt="" /> (which makes sense considering the statements I made in my earlier post)
I can imagine how tough it must be sometimes to be 'the daughter of'... Guess you it must be fun to have conversations like
[color:"orange"]'My daddy's a cop!' (bobby for you englishers)
'Oh yeah? My dad's a minister!'
'Ooooh! Well MY dad is TP!'[/color]
...but I still don't envy you <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/winkwink.gif" alt="" />

Oh heck, Rhianna! I meant to defend you not to hurt you! I apologise completely for any offence - it was utterly not my intention to imply you wrre not a good writer - but that the weight of expectation would be greater in the eyes of many people so that you in fact have a harder time than some people may think.

I liked your novella when first I read it, and I still like your novella, just to be clear <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Yes, but that's what he thought after he found out about Pratchett senior.

Kejero...

I may have seemed a little harsher in my earlier post to you than I meant to. I apologise if you felt I was in any way attacking you, as such was never my intention (Though re-reading my post now, it could be seen that way).

I seemed to have been suffering pretty badly from foot-in-mouth disease, or the written equivalent thereof...

Al, you shouldn't try to explain yourself to a critic - generally just brings on more criticisms. Take what you want from their comments, disregard what you don't want and move on.

If you change what you think where fair comments by them then they'll have less negative things to say next time. If you like something the way it is then leave it and ignore the comments. It's your call everytime.

Don't worry, I didn't. I apologise if I gave you the impression that I took your post badly <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggrin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/winkwink.gif" alt="" />

@ Leather_Raven

I have not read a single one book writen by your father. Yeap. I admit it. And I liked the novella as I already said in the "Rihana" thread. And to be honest I don't give a damn who the father or the mother of a writer is. When I read a book I read it because I like it. Not because I have searched the family tree of the writer. Talent is a gift and it is not a heritage to the next generation. So maybe you have it maybe you don't. I don't like though to relate your work with the work of your father, brother, uncle Benn, your stepmother etc. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggrin.gif" alt="" /> For me a writer is good enough when he/she manages to "travell me" and you did. Also for me a writer is good when he writes based on his OWN ideas and not to an idea that someone else invented. Mr Tolkien would start jump up and down in his grave if he could see what is happening with fanfic based on HIS idea. (I wonder to whom I am refering to? <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/think.gif" alt="" />)
Also I wouldn't judge your talent by a novella that was basically an order for you. "I would like an epic novella please. The hero should be called.... and he should have long black hair and you know he must be the..." etc.

So please, go for it if you want. I can't wait to meet your new heroes in an other book, listen to them, see them with my imagination's eyes and join them in a adventure.:)

Sorry for the brutal rape of your language. I do my best but I need some more practice... And I need to read some more English books. Hope it will be yours <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/winkwink.gif" alt="" /> Hope you understood what I mean even with my poor English.
Luc

I thought your reaction was extremely polite and more than reasonable <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Which did not change the fact that my own post was poorly phrased and needed apologising for.

Thank you EK. Writing well is no easy task no matter who you are or whatever your parental situation might be!

If I see this phrase in another of your posts Luc I'll eat my computer! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/delight.gif" alt="" />

Your English is far better than you realise! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/up.gif" alt="" />

ps. Haven't read a single TP book either I'm afraid, though all 3 of my brother swear by them!! I will get to them eventually!

Plus Miss Raven did a fine job on the novella. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggrin.gif" alt="" />

Oh Plowking sorry. I write it very often indeed. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shame.gif" alt="" /> Thank you for the encouragement though. Ah but this is why I love Irish people... Plus they have "heart" if you know what I mean, they know how to party, they have nice hair and eyes and great legs! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/biggrin.gif" alt="" />

Thank you Luc

Well, I guess it wasn't my world and quite a few of the characters weren't originally mine in name, though their characterision was...for example Damian and the Raanaar. However, as far as plot went the only vague guidance I got was in terms of Damian will enter the Academy this way and do these few things, which was decided by Swen, Bron and myself before the story was doubled in size. So the rest; the Gods, rift history and use, all that kind of stuff were purely my fault I'm afraid <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />