Nice/Encouraging Writers Say

brer · Dec 15, 2007

1. What the hell are you doing here?

2. Don't quit your day job.

3. Uh, use the other end of your pen.

4. Don't you have another four years before coming up for parole?

5. The good news is: I didn't see a single misspelled "the" in your whole submission!

6. You do 4th Person POV so well, and I liked the way you break through that 5th wall to talk to your readership.

7. You sure you ain't a sockpuppet?

8. And you spelled MFA in your profile real well.

9. You write good literary stuff.

10. You be good to me, *wink, wink* and I'll hook you up with a POD publisher that I know.

brer · Dec 16, 2007

11. Instead of spending two hours a day sitting on your butt in a chair trying to write your Great American Novel, you should spend that time working overtime at McDonalds. Think of that extra cash, and the extra exercise you'll get when you're on your feet serving customers, and you'll also get to eat all the frys you want!

underthecity · Dec 16, 2007

12. This is pretty good! Did you try to get it published?

(Yeah, but it met with over seventy rejections.)

allen

Angelinity · Dec 16, 2007

"i can see you've put a lot of ~~words~~ work into this."

nerds · Dec 16, 2007

"Finish that book yet?????"

(I got this just the other day. From a real-life person. :rant:

)

maestrowork · Dec 16, 2007

Now are these "nice and encouraging"?

C'mon, we writers are not a mean, bitter bunch.

CheshireCat · Dec 16, 2007

maestrowork said:
Now are these "nice and encouraging"? C'mon, we writers are not a mean, bitter bunch.

We aren't?

CheshireCat · Dec 16, 2007

Okay, I'll play

My most encouraging comment is usually: "You can write."

Followed almost inevitably by, "But -- "

There always seems to be a but.

CACTUSWENDY · Dec 16, 2007

Wow, I wish I could write like that.

Where do you come up with such interesting stories?

I could never put a story togather like you do.

You blow me away with your insights.

You will be on the Best Sellers list with a book like this.

I am so humbled by your input. Why didn't I see that?

This is without a doubt the best writing that I have seen on here so far.

Success is in your grasp. And to think, I knew you when you were just like me.

lfraser · Dec 16, 2007

Hmmm. There seems to be a bit of cheeky sarcasm in these so-called kind encouragements. And here I thought I was among warm, caring, supportive people sharing the same goals. :tongue

A digression...

I've always wondered whether it's kinder to give encouragement or to speak bluntly. On the one hand you've got your "sour bear piss" school of critiquing (I'm paraphrasing), and on the other nice people who can find nice things to say about almost any amateur writing. I don't know which I prefer...I suspect the former is more helpful from a practical standpoint, but writing is such an emotional pastime. I want people to honestly tell me my writing is good.

Encouraging things to say:

"That's an interesting story you've got there. I don't think you quite capitalized on its potential, though."

"The opening was great, and I loved the ending. However, I think the middle needs some work."

and the dreaded...

"Good luck with your writing." That one always sends me into an endless loop of doubt. Does it mean, "Good luck, because with writing like that, luck is the only thing that will help you?" Or does it mean, "I see potential here and with a little luck I think you'll be a published writer some day?"

heyjude · Dec 16, 2007

lfraser said:
and the dreaded...

"Good luck with your writing." That one always sends me into an endless loop of doubt. Does it mean, "Good luck, because with writing like that, luck is the only thing that will help you?" Or does it mean, "I see potential here and with a little luck I think you'll be a published writer some day?"

Oh, I'm guilty of this. I often say it and ALWAYS mean well by it. "Good luck with this," as in, "This is good stuff, keep going, I hope you continue to get these great ideas and write as well as you have been."

THAT's how you should take it. From anyone!

rugcat · Dec 16, 2007

"Your work is both good and original. But the part that is good is not original, and the part that is original is not good."

-- Attributed to Samuel Johnson.

nerds · Dec 16, 2007

lfraser said:
"Good luck with your writing." That one always sends me into an endless loop of doubt. Does it mean, "Good luck, because with writing like that, luck is the only thing that will help you?" Or does it mean, "I see potential here and with a little luck I think you'll be a published writer some day?"

That's the one that always Scares Me. I KNOW it's meant with the best of wishes and encouraging intentions, I know this. But deep down on a grey day you can easily think it means "Good luck with that, ya jellohead," or, "Hope yer writing fantasies are keepin' ya warm at night 'cuz you'll never afford a blanket at the rate you're going."

This is NOT the fault of the good-luckers, it's all in the good-luckee's weary mind.

benbradley · Dec 16, 2007

brer said:
5. The good news is: I didn't see a single misspelled "the" in your whole submission!

Good! This editor hasn't seen teh InterWeb postings I've made!

JeanneTGC · Dec 16, 2007

In an attempt to do what Ray's trying for...I've had several successful published authors all tell me the same thing, "You'll make it." Because of my perseverence, more than anything else, as far as I could tell. But, I choose to believe them, and to continue to persevere.

Ol' Fashioned Girl · Dec 16, 2007

This at the office Christmas luncheon... boss introduces everyone, then WiseAss associate from another of the boss' companies pipes up and says, "Jenny just works part-time! Her real job is writing dirty books!"

WriterGirl2007 · Dec 16, 2007

maestrowork said:
Now are these "nice and encouraging"? C'mon, we writers are not a mean, bitter bunch.

Speak for yourself.

Let's see... I have a friend/mentor who used to write for a popular show on television. He saw a script I wrote and told me I was definitely talented enough to write for television professionally. That was fun.

Dakota Waters · Dec 17, 2007

knowing this site, this has probably been posted a billion times.

that said:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3YojMu4ETvM

Emily Winslow · Dec 18, 2007

"I would buy this."

And even better: "I would buy this in hardcover."

C.bronco · Dec 18, 2007

"You do what you are."
Alex Cross in Along Came a Spider by James Patterson

quickWit · Dec 18, 2007

Nice shirt.

III · Dec 18, 2007

If you didn't spend all day farting around on the internet, you would be a great writer.

Nice/Encouraging Writers Say

Fear the Death Ray

Finestkind

absent

of all the gin joints

Fear the Death Ray

Mostly purring. Mostly.

Mostly purring. Mostly.

An old, sappy, and happy one.

Bored and Frantic

Making my own sunshine

Lost in the Fog

of all the gin joints

It's a doggy dog world

I *am* Catwoman...and Gini Koch

Hand? What hand?

Black hole of writing...

We were lucky.

Do Not Walk on the Grass

I have plans...

Totally Ninja!

rockin the suburbs

I am Catwoman...and Gini Koch