If preston's post had been, "lol ur books sux!" then I'd agree.
But like I said, if SRD doesn't want to hear criticism, then he probably shouldn't have an "official forum" like the Watch, he shouldn't have a GI, and he damn sure shouldn't post criticism.
Luci, if that's the case then the Watch should be yanked off the net this instant, and all book reviews should be banned. I thought SRD's response was childish. Why should he (a succesful author) feel the need to make an example of someone who didn't like certain aspects of his writing?
That's just petty.
The Gradual Interview
Moderator: Seareach
Last edited by Cail on Tue Oct 10, 2006 6:25 pm, edited 1 time in total.
"There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." - PJ O'Rourke
_____________
"Men and women range themselves into three classes or orders of intelligence; you can tell the lowest class by their habit of always talking about persons; the next by the fact that their habit is always to converse about things; the highest by their preference for the discussion of ideas." - Charles Stewart
_____________
"I believe there are more instances of the abridgment of the freedom of the people by gradual and silent encroachments of those in power than by violent and sudden usurpations." - James Madison
_____________
_____________
"Men and women range themselves into three classes or orders of intelligence; you can tell the lowest class by their habit of always talking about persons; the next by the fact that their habit is always to converse about things; the highest by their preference for the discussion of ideas." - Charles Stewart
_____________
"I believe there are more instances of the abridgment of the freedom of the people by gradual and silent encroachments of those in power than by violent and sudden usurpations." - James Madison
_____________
man you are one stubborn man. 
you're more advanced than a cockroach,
have you ever tried explaining yourself
to one of them?
~ alan bates, the mothman prophecies
i've had this with actors before, on the set,
where they get upset about the [size of my]
trailer, and i'm always like...take my trailer,
cause... i'm from Kentucky
and that's not what we brag about.
~ george clooney, inside the actor's studio
a straight edge for legends at
the fold - searching for our
lost cities of gold. burnt tar,
gravel pits. sixteen gears switch.
Haphazard Lucy strolls by.
~ dennis r wood ~
have you ever tried explaining yourself
to one of them?
~ alan bates, the mothman prophecies
i've had this with actors before, on the set,
where they get upset about the [size of my]
trailer, and i'm always like...take my trailer,
cause... i'm from Kentucky
and that's not what we brag about.
~ george clooney, inside the actor's studio
a straight edge for legends at
the fold - searching for our
lost cities of gold. burnt tar,
gravel pits. sixteen gears switch.
Haphazard Lucy strolls by.
~ dennis r wood ~
See my edit.
"There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." - PJ O'Rourke
_____________
"Men and women range themselves into three classes or orders of intelligence; you can tell the lowest class by their habit of always talking about persons; the next by the fact that their habit is always to converse about things; the highest by their preference for the discussion of ideas." - Charles Stewart
_____________
"I believe there are more instances of the abridgment of the freedom of the people by gradual and silent encroachments of those in power than by violent and sudden usurpations." - James Madison
_____________
_____________
"Men and women range themselves into three classes or orders of intelligence; you can tell the lowest class by their habit of always talking about persons; the next by the fact that their habit is always to converse about things; the highest by their preference for the discussion of ideas." - Charles Stewart
_____________
"I believe there are more instances of the abridgment of the freedom of the people by gradual and silent encroachments of those in power than by violent and sudden usurpations." - James Madison
_____________
we disagree on this Cail man. not a problem. i have a different opinion of the situation. no big deal.
ps....
i see The Watch and the GI as two different things.
criticism here makes sense, we dissect and discuss here.
criticisim in an INTERVIEW does not make sense to me.
ps....
i see The Watch and the GI as two different things.
criticism here makes sense, we dissect and discuss here.
criticisim in an INTERVIEW does not make sense to me.
you're more advanced than a cockroach,
have you ever tried explaining yourself
to one of them?
~ alan bates, the mothman prophecies
i've had this with actors before, on the set,
where they get upset about the [size of my]
trailer, and i'm always like...take my trailer,
cause... i'm from Kentucky
and that's not what we brag about.
~ george clooney, inside the actor's studio
a straight edge for legends at
the fold - searching for our
lost cities of gold. burnt tar,
gravel pits. sixteen gears switch.
Haphazard Lucy strolls by.
~ dennis r wood ~
have you ever tried explaining yourself
to one of them?
~ alan bates, the mothman prophecies
i've had this with actors before, on the set,
where they get upset about the [size of my]
trailer, and i'm always like...take my trailer,
cause... i'm from Kentucky
and that's not what we brag about.
~ george clooney, inside the actor's studio
a straight edge for legends at
the fold - searching for our
lost cities of gold. burnt tar,
gravel pits. sixteen gears switch.
Haphazard Lucy strolls by.
~ dennis r wood ~
Lucimay wrote:there's a lot of know-it-all's out there who'd just LOVE a chance to tell an actual published author how they screwed up.
Not to mention all the people who actually don't like his books at all, and would love to tell him so. At least all of us here do like it, though we have our various opinions about this or that. But what about the actual SRD-bashers (who we know there are lots of)...
Preston could have easily phrased his comments as a question, such as "i've noticed that over the course of the series your style seems to have changed from intense physical descriptions to a more subtle style. i've wondered if this is because your priorities in telling the story have changed, or ..." and I'm sure he would've answered it gladly, like he did with the recent question about the pacing of Runes and what that meant for the rest of the books. (his gracious answer was essentially "don't judge the whole thing just by the first book, just like w/ the Gap series. Hang on to your hats!"
)"History is a myth men have agreed upon." - Napoleon
-
dANdeLION
- Lord
- Posts: 23836
- Joined: Thu Sep 11, 2003 3:22 am
- Location: In the jungle, the mighty jungle
- Contact:
Geez, Luci, I know you obSESS about Cail's ass, which is, abmittedly, a force to be reconned with, but don't you think you could stay off it for just this once?
Dandelion don't tell no lies
Dandelion will make you wise
Tell me if she laughs or cries
Blow away dandelion
I'm afraid there's no denying
I'm just a dandelion
a fate I don't deserve.
High priest of THOOOTP
*
* This post carries Jay's seal of approval
Dandelion will make you wise
Tell me if she laughs or cries
Blow away dandelion
I'm afraid there's no denying
I'm just a dandelion
a fate I don't deserve.
High priest of THOOOTP
* * This post carries Jay's seal of approval
yes exactly relayer. exactly. 
dAN? you're gonna reconnoiter with Cail's ass????
dAN? you're gonna reconnoiter with Cail's ass????
you're more advanced than a cockroach,
have you ever tried explaining yourself
to one of them?
~ alan bates, the mothman prophecies
i've had this with actors before, on the set,
where they get upset about the [size of my]
trailer, and i'm always like...take my trailer,
cause... i'm from Kentucky
and that's not what we brag about.
~ george clooney, inside the actor's studio
a straight edge for legends at
the fold - searching for our
lost cities of gold. burnt tar,
gravel pits. sixteen gears switch.
Haphazard Lucy strolls by.
~ dennis r wood ~
have you ever tried explaining yourself
to one of them?
~ alan bates, the mothman prophecies
i've had this with actors before, on the set,
where they get upset about the [size of my]
trailer, and i'm always like...take my trailer,
cause... i'm from Kentucky
and that's not what we brag about.
~ george clooney, inside the actor's studio
a straight edge for legends at
the fold - searching for our
lost cities of gold. burnt tar,
gravel pits. sixteen gears switch.
Haphazard Lucy strolls by.
~ dennis r wood ~
-
dANdeLION
- Lord
- Posts: 23836
- Joined: Thu Sep 11, 2003 3:22 am
- Location: In the jungle, the mighty jungle
- Contact:
Change the name to The One Ass, and I might consider using it against an Ur-vile wedgie or something.....
Dandelion don't tell no lies
Dandelion will make you wise
Tell me if she laughs or cries
Blow away dandelion
I'm afraid there's no denying
I'm just a dandelion
a fate I don't deserve.
High priest of THOOOTP
*
* This post carries Jay's seal of approval
Dandelion will make you wise
Tell me if she laughs or cries
Blow away dandelion
I'm afraid there's no denying
I'm just a dandelion
a fate I don't deserve.
High priest of THOOOTP
* * This post carries Jay's seal of approval
Calling the GI an INTERVIEW is stretching things there a bit. It's a very informal Q&A that SRD felt was a good thing to do. He had to have realized that some of the people who post to it are going to take issue with his style/characters/stories. Rather than make some sort of phyrric example, why not just delete the stuff you don't want to answer (which I'm sure he's done with the "lol u suk!" messages he's gotten).Lucimay wrote:i see The Watch and the GI as two different things.
criticism here makes sense, we dissect and discuss here.
criticisim in an INTERVIEW does not make sense to me.
And don't forget Luci, this is the "official" SRD forum, and we know he comes in here every now and then. So should we not criticize his work here too?
Look, I understand that no one likes a critic, but I thought he handled this incredibly poorly, and this is one fan he's really alienated.
"There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." - PJ O'Rourke
_____________
"Men and women range themselves into three classes or orders of intelligence; you can tell the lowest class by their habit of always talking about persons; the next by the fact that their habit is always to converse about things; the highest by their preference for the discussion of ideas." - Charles Stewart
_____________
"I believe there are more instances of the abridgment of the freedom of the people by gradual and silent encroachments of those in power than by violent and sudden usurpations." - James Madison
_____________
_____________
"Men and women range themselves into three classes or orders of intelligence; you can tell the lowest class by their habit of always talking about persons; the next by the fact that their habit is always to converse about things; the highest by their preference for the discussion of ideas." - Charles Stewart
_____________
"I believe there are more instances of the abridgment of the freedom of the people by gradual and silent encroachments of those in power than by violent and sudden usurpations." - James Madison
_____________
i am NOT invalidating your opinion. i'm simply disagreeing that he handled it poorly. i think he handled fairly well.
and if he HAS seen the Thoolah posts...ah well...he knows, doesn't he, what some of us think of her. it's not like i don't have criticisms. i just think it was and is a bit uncouth to go to an author's website and give writing advice to a writer. as someone, wayfriend i think, said, it's a bit like bitching about the food at a dinner party.
and if he HAS seen the Thoolah posts...ah well...he knows, doesn't he, what some of us think of her. it's not like i don't have criticisms. i just think it was and is a bit uncouth to go to an author's website and give writing advice to a writer. as someone, wayfriend i think, said, it's a bit like bitching about the food at a dinner party.
you're more advanced than a cockroach,
have you ever tried explaining yourself
to one of them?
~ alan bates, the mothman prophecies
i've had this with actors before, on the set,
where they get upset about the [size of my]
trailer, and i'm always like...take my trailer,
cause... i'm from Kentucky
and that's not what we brag about.
~ george clooney, inside the actor's studio
a straight edge for legends at
the fold - searching for our
lost cities of gold. burnt tar,
gravel pits. sixteen gears switch.
Haphazard Lucy strolls by.
~ dennis r wood ~
have you ever tried explaining yourself
to one of them?
~ alan bates, the mothman prophecies
i've had this with actors before, on the set,
where they get upset about the [size of my]
trailer, and i'm always like...take my trailer,
cause... i'm from Kentucky
and that's not what we brag about.
~ george clooney, inside the actor's studio
a straight edge for legends at
the fold - searching for our
lost cities of gold. burnt tar,
gravel pits. sixteen gears switch.
Haphazard Lucy strolls by.
~ dennis r wood ~
THOOLAH is a perfect example. There are a great many people here who would love for the first sentence of FR to be something like....."The last thought Linded ever had was, 'My those chipper/shredder blades look sharp'." So if he can handle that on his official forum and ignore it, he shouldn't be above ignoring criticism on his website.
"There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." - PJ O'Rourke
_____________
"Men and women range themselves into three classes or orders of intelligence; you can tell the lowest class by their habit of always talking about persons; the next by the fact that their habit is always to converse about things; the highest by their preference for the discussion of ideas." - Charles Stewart
_____________
"I believe there are more instances of the abridgment of the freedom of the people by gradual and silent encroachments of those in power than by violent and sudden usurpations." - James Madison
_____________
_____________
"Men and women range themselves into three classes or orders of intelligence; you can tell the lowest class by their habit of always talking about persons; the next by the fact that their habit is always to converse about things; the highest by their preference for the discussion of ideas." - Charles Stewart
_____________
"I believe there are more instances of the abridgment of the freedom of the people by gradual and silent encroachments of those in power than by violent and sudden usurpations." - James Madison
_____________
So in response he posts it then doesn't answer it (and insults the author)? That's just cruddy.
"There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." - PJ O'Rourke
_____________
"Men and women range themselves into three classes or orders of intelligence; you can tell the lowest class by their habit of always talking about persons; the next by the fact that their habit is always to converse about things; the highest by their preference for the discussion of ideas." - Charles Stewart
_____________
"I believe there are more instances of the abridgment of the freedom of the people by gradual and silent encroachments of those in power than by violent and sudden usurpations." - James Madison
_____________
_____________
"Men and women range themselves into three classes or orders of intelligence; you can tell the lowest class by their habit of always talking about persons; the next by the fact that their habit is always to converse about things; the highest by their preference for the discussion of ideas." - Charles Stewart
_____________
"I believe there are more instances of the abridgment of the freedom of the people by gradual and silent encroachments of those in power than by violent and sudden usurpations." - James Madison
_____________
(btw, he deserves credit for supplying an e-mail address. Most people who post such messages are too, well, let's call it "timid" to risk a personal response.)
this hints to me that he may well have emailed old preston with a lengthier response.
(oh yeah...heh, it was SRD himself that made the "dinner guest" metaphor)
you're more advanced than a cockroach,
have you ever tried explaining yourself
to one of them?
~ alan bates, the mothman prophecies
i've had this with actors before, on the set,
where they get upset about the [size of my]
trailer, and i'm always like...take my trailer,
cause... i'm from Kentucky
and that's not what we brag about.
~ george clooney, inside the actor's studio
a straight edge for legends at
the fold - searching for our
lost cities of gold. burnt tar,
gravel pits. sixteen gears switch.
Haphazard Lucy strolls by.
~ dennis r wood ~
have you ever tried explaining yourself
to one of them?
~ alan bates, the mothman prophecies
i've had this with actors before, on the set,
where they get upset about the [size of my]
trailer, and i'm always like...take my trailer,
cause... i'm from Kentucky
and that's not what we brag about.
~ george clooney, inside the actor's studio
a straight edge for legends at
the fold - searching for our
lost cities of gold. burnt tar,
gravel pits. sixteen gears switch.
Haphazard Lucy strolls by.
~ dennis r wood ~
-
wayfriend
- .
- Posts: 20957
- Joined: Wed Apr 21, 2004 12:34 am
- Has thanked: 2 times
- Been thanked: 6 times
If you don't see the difference between SRD coming over to the Watch and looking for some criticism... and someone putting some criticism in the Question bin ...
I think we're lucky to have SRD answer questions as informally and as conveniently as he does. It's generous. If he has rules, like don't send me criticism, or say please, or refer to me as "Your Authorness" ... heck, I'll do it. If I don't like the rules, I won't use the GI.
I think we're lucky to have SRD answer questions as informally and as conveniently as he does. It's generous. If he has rules, like don't send me criticism, or say please, or refer to me as "Your Authorness" ... heck, I'll do it. If I don't like the rules, I won't use the GI.
.
No Wayfriend, I don't see the difference. This is his official forum, after all.
All I'm saying is that I'm sure he's deleted hundreds of critical messages. He went out of his way to post that one, then not answer it.
Like school on Saturday....No class.
All I'm saying is that I'm sure he's deleted hundreds of critical messages. He went out of his way to post that one, then not answer it.
Like school on Saturday....No class.
"There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." - PJ O'Rourke
_____________
"Men and women range themselves into three classes or orders of intelligence; you can tell the lowest class by their habit of always talking about persons; the next by the fact that their habit is always to converse about things; the highest by their preference for the discussion of ideas." - Charles Stewart
_____________
"I believe there are more instances of the abridgment of the freedom of the people by gradual and silent encroachments of those in power than by violent and sudden usurpations." - James Madison
_____________
_____________
"Men and women range themselves into three classes or orders of intelligence; you can tell the lowest class by their habit of always talking about persons; the next by the fact that their habit is always to converse about things; the highest by their preference for the discussion of ideas." - Charles Stewart
_____________
"I believe there are more instances of the abridgment of the freedom of the people by gradual and silent encroachments of those in power than by violent and sudden usurpations." - James Madison
_____________
-
Zarathustra
- The Gap Into Spam
- Posts: 19845
- Joined: Tue Jan 04, 2005 12:23 am
- Has thanked: 1 time
- Been thanked: 1 time
He would have impressed the hell out of me if he'd addressed the criticism head-on, since he chose to post it at all. If he'd said (again), "No, you're wrong. If you check out my Gap series, you'll see my general progression has NOT been to taper off on the intensity." He could have plugged his book, engaged a fan in a dialogue, and refrained from giving the impression that he's a fussy-pants who wants his dinner guests to be kiss-ass yes men. He could have shown that he's serious about this "writer as warrior" thing. [I know, he uses that phrase to mean "a warrior against his own writing fears," and not to mean "warrior against criticism." But I'd say he's lying to himself if he doesn't list facing criticism as a fear. After all, he's basically said that's why he doesn't read the Watch very much.]
And he could have said that he purposely toned down the intensity as a contrast to Covenant's story in the first chronicles, that this a natural, planned progression rather than an emerging timidity in his later years. Or he could have said, "Just wait, you ain't see nothign yet," and really set his fanbase on fire.
Instead, he just seemed pretentious and unwillinging to face criticism. I think Cail is right; he did himself a disservice. But hey, none of us are perfect. He's still my favorite writer.
And he could have said that he purposely toned down the intensity as a contrast to Covenant's story in the first chronicles, that this a natural, planned progression rather than an emerging timidity in his later years. Or he could have said, "Just wait, you ain't see nothign yet," and really set his fanbase on fire.
Instead, he just seemed pretentious and unwillinging to face criticism. I think Cail is right; he did himself a disservice. But hey, none of us are perfect. He's still my favorite writer.
Well, I would beg to differ! But, once again, I'll say that there are ways of going about this! And I agree with Relayer (?): posed as a question it would have come across a lot less "harsh" than it did.Cail wrote:It's obvious SRD doesn't give two craps about what his fans think of him (unless they're stroking him)....
And there are, as far as I'm concerned, rules of engagement. Wayfriend is right: what SRD does (the GI) is generous and generosity should be paid in kind.
Then again, who knows what is going on in SRD's life. Perhaps Preston caught him on a bad day. Who knows. But, hey, I'll embrace SRD's "humanity" any day. Warts and all.
-
spacemonkey
- <i>Haruchai</i>
- Posts: 628
- Joined: Sun Aug 27, 2006 6:21 am
- Location: z ero sp ac e
Cheers, Seareach!! Despite being a best selling author, he does take the time to respond to his fans. Think posting a less than "nice" E-mail makes a difference?? NO! If you don't like what SRD did, try getting a hold of David or Leigh Eddings, they have plainly said they don't want to talk to ANY of their fans, MAYBE answer snail mail, and to send any inquiries to their publisher. THAT'S SNOOTY!!! SRD may have only had a bad day, think about it.......Seareach wrote:Well, I would beg to differ! But, once again, I'll say that there are ways of going about this! And I agree with Relayer (?): posed as a question it would have come across a lot less "harsh" than it did.Cail wrote:It's obvious SRD doesn't give two craps about what his fans think of him (unless they're stroking him)....
And there are, as far as I'm concerned, rules of engagement. Wayfriend is right: what SRD does (the GI) is generous and generosity should be paid in kind.
Then again, who knows what is going on in SRD's life. Perhaps Preston caught him on a bad day. Who knows. But, hey, I'll embrace SRD's "humanity" any day. Warts and all.
There is one Law
that the Wild Magic
can Destroy or Maintain
for good or ill
BE TRUE!!!
Floating High But I'm Always Down......
that the Wild Magic
can Destroy or Maintain
for good or ill
BE TRUE!!!
Floating High But I'm Always Down......
