- A GOOD WRITER will get INSPIRATION from a GOOD FIC.
- A BAD WRITER will STEAL the observed fic and TWIST IT to his/her OWN STANDARDS.
Wrong. An 'idea' cannot be stolen or plagiarized, someone's 'story' can be. For example, I've been reading a story called Snakebite, a Rise of the Guardians fanfic. The 'idea' is: Pitch takes naga form for some reason and begins a relationship with Toothina. If we treat this idea as stolen or plagiarism, then you're saying that Crow Chasing the Butterfly, which has Pitch taking the form of a crow, is stealing from Snakebite. This would also include any story that has ever had Cavity as a pairing with a transforming Pitch.
But what about stories that aren't Pitch/Toothina? I'm sure there are plenty of BlackIce or RottenEgg where Pitch has changed form, or are you trying to say that Snakebite or Crow Chasing the Butterfly has first dibs on Cavity and no one else can write it? I guess both of these stories should be reported for plagiarism, as Harry Potter stories had several characters transform into mythical or animal form and hook up with someone long before there was an RotG fandom.
Do you see what I mean? You cannot claim ideas, only your own story that is uniquely yours. There may be hundreds of detective novels that fallow the same idea and format, but they are not the same. That's like saying all weddings are the same, or all music in all of history is the same and unoriginal.
And calling an author or any kind of work unoriginal is the highest of insults.
- A GOOD WRITER will leave a PRAISE-WORTHY REVIEW on a fic.
- A BAD WRITER will SCRUTINIZE and BAD-MOUTH a fic because they feel INFERIOR and MUST make this person FEEL INFERIOR as well.
If a story is good or not is purely personal opinion and has nothing to do with writing ability. I can't write poetry even if my life depended on it, but that will never mean I am not a writer nor will it mean I have no right to state my opinion on what I think is a good or bad poem. You seem to think scrutinizing a story is a bad thing done only by trolls, when anyone leaving you their opinion of your story, good or bad, is scrutinizing you.
Also, anyone who leaves a negative review feels inferior to you and must make you feel inferior? That is not what receiving negative criticism means. If someone reads your story and thinks it's bad, they have every right to tell you so if they choose. The difference between them and a troll is intent and wording.
For example, here are two paraphrased comments I received in regards to BFFT.
Anon 1:
Something you should do is not to go out of your way to hurt people. Many of these characters and stories are personal to the author and you shouldn't be a bully.
This person, while not for the style or topic of my show expresses my own thoughts and opinion on BFFT and dramatic readings like it on YouTube. It is not a positive review at all, nor is it worshiping the ground I walk on. It is helpful and a completely grounded opinion of my show that is worth keeping in mind. This person is trying to help me not only to create a better show, but be a better person.
Anon 2:
Your voice sounds like you're sucking cocks.
Not only is this not a review, it is fully mean spirited and comments on something that is beyond my power to change, rather he likes the sound of my voice or not. This isn't a review, it's not helpful, this is a flat out insult meant to upset me.
You also seem to think that anyone leaving you any kind of 'praise' is good, when in fact, it's not always the case. Someone commenting, "This story is great!" is just as unhelpful as the guy who told me to suck cocks. Comments like that are emotionally uplifting, but they aren't helpful as receiving both positive and negative criticism would be.
- A GOOD WRITER will ASK ADVISE and for a few POINTERS for his/her own fic.
- A BAD WRITER will STEAL ANOTHER'S IDEAS and DENY it.
Wrong. We've already went over how you cannot steal or plagiarize an 'idea', so lets talk about denial and criticism again.
'Good' writers, as you seem to think in such black and white terms, do not always ask for advise nor pointers for their stories. Not everyone is interested in telling a better story, some people just write and go about their day and if someone likes it, fine, if someone doesn't like it, fine. Not everyone, as you seem to think, wants criticism.
I recently read a Lord of the Rings story that I want on BFFT because it would make for brilliant discussion on writing characters, but the author states during the author notes that she doesn't want criticism in any form, especially negative criticism. Regardless of how I feel and what I want, I have to respect that, as I have said during the reading of My Inner Life. She is still a 'bad' writer in my opinion, but I will not say anything to her to correct it.
Even a 'good' writer will deny something they did wrong. It's a human emotion called 'pride' and even something as simple as saying, "that's wrong" to someone will immediately make them tense and go on the defensive as if they've been attacked. It is normal to get upset when someone points out a mistake, the point you, as an author, want to make is that you calm down and handle it rationally.
Ignoring the fact that we are talking about ideas and how it is impossible to steal them, you are again trapping yourself in nonsense wording. You say a 'bad' writer steals another person's ideas and denies it, the with that same logic, you are saying that a 'good' writer steals another person's ideas and admits it. So that's a-okay. This makes no sense. Plagiarism is plagiarism, regardless of denying or admitting it. It neither makes you and good or bad writer. Plagiarizing someone else destroys your credibility as any kind of artist, not just writing.
- A GOOD WRITER will HUMBLY take a CRITIQUE, even if its a HARSH ONE.
- A BAD WRITER will start a HATE-WAR with a CRITIQUE.
Wrong. Even 'bad' writers will ask for critique just as soon as 'good' writers will fight you tooth and nail over your critique. Good does not equal right and positive, just as Bad does not equal wrong and negative.
A persons personality does not equal how effective their writing and social skills are.
- A GOOD WRITER will TAKE any SUGGESTIONS and CONSIDER them.
- A BAD WRITER will take OFFENSE and THROW IT BACK in their FACES.
Wrong. As I have repeatedly said, 'good' and 'bad' are interchangeable and do not reflect the writer's personality. A 'bad' writer can just as easily take suggestions and consider using them, while a 'good' writer can take offense and throw it back at well meaning people.
Also, suggestions can be ideas, and if you accept those ideas, you are plagiarizing the people who had the ideas in the first place, which is contradicting what this list is saying. What I just did was a 'criticism' of this list and what I have been listing is negative criticism of how all these points are wrong. Perhaps that is not how the original list maker intended it, but this is why we scrutinize everything and make suggestions on how to improve it so that there are no lapses in logic that lose your readership.
- A GOOD WRITER is HUMBLE, EXPRESSIVE, FIRM yet FAIR, and PATIENT.
- A BAD WRITER is PRIDEFUL, LAZY, ANGRY, and IMPATIENT.
Wrong. Again, 'good' and 'bad' are interchangeable and simply because one can write well, which is something that is subjected to the reader's opinion of the work, it does not mean they aren't prideful, lazy, angry, or impatient. A bad writer can easily be humble, expressive, firm yet fair, and patient. It again boils down to personality of the individual and their emotional status that day.
You cannot hand out such generalized terms and expect to place everyone neatly in one or another category. That isn't how people work and that isn't how writing works. Everyone is different and will respond in different ways to stories and reviews. The only rule one should fallow is 'Don't intentionally be a dick". When you leave a review, try to be has helpful and informative as possible. When writing a story, try to be open to new ideas and suggestions as well as accepting both positive and negative criticisms in stride. Reviews are meant to be helpful, not hurtful.
Now if you excuse me, I'm going to get a pb&j sammich and a soda. :)