Something has been on my mind for awhile on the topic of feedback and creators, especially in the spaces of fanfics and smaller original creative works, especially in interactive fiction.
I mash these together, because many IFs are hobby or side projects, or at least one person efforts. For both fanfics and IFs, there is also usually an element of interaction with the creator and for IFs, especially on tumblr, it tends to happen in a “fannish” way.
I have a very long post under the cut, but TL;DR: no creator ever owes you anything and no feedback should be unsolicited.
First however, lets talk about reviews - what are they and who are they for? Reviews are opinions. If you review a book or movie, your audience is other people who might go spend time on this media. The purpose of a review is to inform others. It’s not a way to deliver feedback to the creator - usually by the time you get to reviews, the piece of media is done. It’s not something that’s particularly useful in fandom or for most IFs: most are free or free-ish (for IFs), and it’s simply easy to back out if you don’t like something. Positive based rec lists are more useful: you are drawing attention to something good, not sparing someone from the latest MCU flop.
Next, there’s criticism - there’s a couple of different things that can fall under this umbrella. It can be a more academic review (a criticism of classical novel as canonical literature), it can be a criticism on why something is undesirable to spend time on (games with lootboxes). It can also be directed feedback on things that don’t work in a piece of media. For the latter, I will shove it under feedback, because it’s purpose is the same.
Now, on to feedback.
Feedback is first and foremost meant to be actionable. You give feedback on something because you want to change it, because maybe you’re good at something, or perhaps because you’re noticing something the creator missed.
the thing is though: feedback is usually solicited. A fanfic writer can ask for beta reader feedback. A novelist will get editor feedback. My friend might ask me for feedback on their letter of complaint to the HOA.
Now, you can also leave feedback unsolicited. This can take the form of leaving feedback in the comment of a fic or sending it to an IF creators ask box.
the thing is though - after the creator has put something out in the world, they’ve already asked for feedback from the people they want feedback from. They’re not looking for feedback from bypassers. They’re not looking for “criticism”. They might not even be looking to correct spelling mistakes.
But, viking!! Don’t they want to be better? Anyone should want to be better.
They probably do. I want to be a better writer. (Or maybe they don’t, and they just want to have fun, and that’s valid). But do you know where they want to improve? do you know know what they’re looking for feedback on? do you know what is deliberate choice, and what is an oversight? Unless the creator has directly told you: “Internet stranger, can you please give me some feedback and my pacing,” you don’t know shit. Maybe the pacing is intentional. Maybe they’re working on nailing character voices and they don’t care about pacing.
In short - why do you think you’re uniquely qualified to give feedback to this creator? this is not a school assignment, you’re not their teacher.
but, viking!! I’m a professional editor!
I suggest you go work with your clients. (I highly doubt a professional would not get this whole rant)
still with me?
Now, lets get to creator distance - as I mentioned at the start, this is mostly relevant for fanfic and IF and how those two ways of fandom interactions overlaps. Many IF creators hang out in fandom related spaces, or close to their own fandom. It’s also something I’ve seen authors do, both here on tumblr for a few and mostly on twitter. It’s clearly fun for authors and writers to engage with their fans!
but sometimes I see this lack of distance. Asks get too personal. Demanding. Straight up weird.
I think sometimes, people forget both that the person on the other end is another person, but also that they do, in fact, own their own creation. Just because they interact with the fandom, doesn’t mean they’re part of it. The barrier between fan and creator can become blurry, but it doesn’t mean it’s not there.
Just this morning I saw an ask to IF (which I don’t play), begging the creator to make some side characters romancable. And I get it, the author gives people access to them by answering asks (you’re not emailing c/o Penguin Publishing), but there’s something audacious about asks like that, which essentially tells the author how to write their story. Here it’s where all of the above fits in - this unsolicited commentary - please do this, is no different than unsolicited feedback or “criticism”. Not wanted, or needed.
It’s not a collaborative story.
I’ve seen many asks like this, or asks telling authors they’re doing something wrong and in the end they simply assume the author needs to be told how to write their story.
Think about this for a bit.
Maybe a story element doesn’t work for you, maybe you would like to see something different. There’s no one preventing you from closing the book, hitting the back button.
I sometimes wonder what people hope to achieve with this type of feedback or suggestions. Maybe they think they’re helping? But mostly it comes off as weird and entitled. I hope anyone assumes the author knows what they want and how to achieve it. And if the author doesn’t - see above. They probably have someone they can ask - betas, editors, friends, playtesters.
Creators and authors don’t owe you their explanations either, they don’t owe defending their creative choices. Do you like their storytelling? Do you trust them?
I think creators too need to think of their own distance. Stand by your choices. Reserve a little mystery. Because I see this too; authors getting too involved with their own fandom or their own critics. It’s natural to want to defend, especially with good reason ( here is why I choose these story elements), but in the end I do believe creators need to do create a little distance.
I think it’s so hard, especially with a small medium which relies heavily in many ways on fandom interactions like IFs, and where many people come from fandom. As a fanfic writer, I love talking to other fanfic writers, but here I have no need for mystery, though I still think the solicited feeback clause applies.
I think all of this is increased by the general access everyone has to everybody. I can @ tweet famous actors and authors and the vice president. it’s a strange world and there’s a balance that few have found. Both as fans and creators.
(and yes, if you’re a creator - study Neil Gaiman’s responses. He engages lovingly, supporting, funny. And keeps some mystery around his creations when needed)
