Since we're on fanfiction and reviewers of such-
I'm not sure what's worse/funnier, the guy who reviewed one of my slash fics with "that's so g*y", or the chick to went and reviewed another slash fic of mine with a complaint about how horrible people were to be writing non-canon ships, as well as a list of ships that were canon and therefor acceptable*.
I was reading some fanfic that was clearly labeled as AU (alternate universe) and changed the fundamental nature of the rel
ationship between two of the main characters. The writer had a whole series of these stories. Personally, they didn't work for me, but I love how creative and freeform fanfic can be, so I was cool with the basic idea. Why not try it, right? Well, another person who read them posted increasingly negative comments on them--basically, they just couldn't see that rel
ationship actually happening that way, and since the writer had "some talent," they should really just try writing the rel
ationship as it was in canon.
I thought that was a pretty awful thing to say, about free stories that no one
has to read. I know some writers put notes saying they really, truly want constructive criticism but I don't think
this writer said that, and anyway there were a lot better ways to say what the commenter said. I don't think I would ever criticize the fundamental creative idea someone had, unless it was truly offensive (or maybe point out that it wasn't as unique as they thought it was, but emphasize that they could surely
bring something new to it). If they really wanted constructive criticism I would mention things like grammar or plot holes or pacing. But to say, "I really don't like how you turned the main characters into vampire squid. I just can't see it. But you have some talent, so why don't you just try writing them normally?" Lots of people can write them
normally! But how many thought of writing them as vampire squid, huh?