A Little Kindness

I'd like to ask a favor, please...

I'm just about done with the last edits on Show Me Yours, my second free Love is Always Write story. In avoiding those edits (because I loathe revising and am always looking for excuses to delay it) I've looked at some of the other LiAW stories that have come out. There are some wonderful pieces of work, and others less to my taste. But already, there is more great free reading than I have time for.

The other less-pleasant thing that struck me as I looked around was how many of them had at least one pretty-harsh review.

I want to ask you all, as you read these, to remember what this M/M Romance writing event is about.

Some of us are professionals - you have every right to expect my writing to be up to whatever standards you are looking for. If you don't like my style, if you hate one of my characters, disbelieve my plot, get bored or, hell, if you hate the color of socks my MC wears, feel free to review my story as harshly as you choose. Almost every story I've ever written has received 1-star ratings from someone. That's your right and privilege. Maybe you'll warn off other readers who hate pedantic language or green socks. Go for it.

But some of the writers for this event are putting their work in the public eye for the very first time. We ask them to do this. As Group members, we coax, and encourage, and tell them how much fun it will be. We push them to expose their creative baby to the world even if they're feeling a little unsure. And they do.

People who have never written a short story before work for a month and a half, and then tentatively, anxiously, and with tender pride, present the result to us. For free.

And some reviewers are writing reviews with one star, or exclamations points and bold letters about how wrong/bad/not to their taste the story was. I'm a pro and these would be painful for me, but they'd be part of the deal. For these new writers it seems unfair.

I'm not asking you to lie and say a story you didn't like was wonderful. I'm definitely not asking you to perjure yourself or misrepresent your tastes. All I'm asking for is a little kindness towards the amateurs and first-timers who are giving you the gift of their efforts.

Before you rate a story you didn't like, go look at the author page. If this is the only story listed, if the author has never charged anyone for their writing, be kind. If you hate the story, do you really even need to write that review? No one is losing money buying these. If someone else is going to hate it too, they'll know soon enough. If that review is going to be all about the story's failings, maybe you can just mark it as "read" and move on.

If you're determined to write your analysis of a story and it's not favorable, be polite. Don't highlight and underline it. If you can, round your stars up and not down. Find something, anything, that you did like to mention. These new writers spent many, many hours of effort, sweat and emotion in the creation of their story. (If you think that's an exaggeration, you go write one and see how demanding that first effort can be.) Perhaps in your eyes they failed. But give them some leeway and courtesy for the effort. It was a gift to you. You don't have to like it, but don't throw it back in the giver's face.

Please keep it generous, keep it kind, so I can feel truthful next year when I say to a newbie, "Try it. It's a lot of fun."