Having been at this critting game for years now, I've learned you just have to take what you can from a crit and try to forget the nonsense mixed in with it. People are flawed, all of us are, but not all in the same way. The reviewer who learned English as a second, or third, language, may not realize how poor his/her grammar is. Try to look between the lines for what they are trying (sometimes poorly) to get across.
It is frustrating when critters decide they know how the story is going to end by the first three chapters, but that's an ego for you. Who has a bigger one than a writer? We're are all a prideful lot. But, unless you are willing to chase the critter down and jam the real ending (I know, he didn't see the twist) down his throat, it's a waste of time to bitch at, or about, him/her. Time better spent writing another story with another twist and laugh when they don't see it coming.
I once wrote a piece of flash fiction (500 words) and slapped it up here to get some quick thoughts before I sent it off to a contest. I very clearly marked top and bottom that it was flash fiction and I wasn't looking for a spot in the TT. I know it isn't long enough to qualify. I copied the five hundred words down until the program would accept it and then sat back to wait. Within two days I had used up six credits and got back several different versions of this:
What the hell is this? I don't even know where to start. It looks like you didn't get it downloaded right. You just copied it over and over. I sure hope I can pass the reading test. And on and on. You get the picture.
I can tell you right from the start that I wouldn't be interesed in reading the rest of your novel by what you've shown me here. It looks like you copied the same pages over. Good luck with this. I hope I can pass the reader test.
This sounds more like a slice out of life than a short story. You need to add more to it. You can use up to 5000 words you know. I think you missed putting up some of it or had a problem with the download. I'm afraid I don't know what to tell you. I'm a little worried I might not pass the reading test.
By the sixth one I was laughing my ass off, even though it cost me six credits that I'd worked hard to get, losing the other half of my ass in the process. Not a pretty picture, let me tell you. I think the score ended up being something like a 2.3. And these crits were all from native English speaking reviewers. What a hoot.
But what are you gonna do? I double checked that I had made it clear this was a piece of flash fiction and I was only interested in the feedback, not a pro crit. I marked top, bottom, the short synopsis and read feed with FLASH FICTION and a big THE END at the bottom. It didn't matter, went right over their heads.
What I'm trying to get across is that you can't force people to pay attention to your story if they don't want to. And you can't choose to have only native speaking critters read your babies, it's a world wide peer review site. I truly believe most of them mean well and really try to help. I'm quite sure I've offered advise that turned out to be total bullshit in the end, but I didn't know it was bullshit when I offered my opinion. Laugh it off when you get a funny experience like I did with my flash fiction piece and enjoy the ride. Once I learned to laugh (at myself, too) I could get on with my work. My ulcer sure appreciated the drop in tension.
Denna
This is the thank you forum so I suppose I should..
22 Mar 2012, 13:51
What the hell are you doing here? 
