I have one reader who never even watched XF, who I met through the Farscape fandom. When I posted my most recent XF story (not "the last" because I have one more to finish), she read the entire thing, all 200K. And sent me a long feedback letter, which by far surpassed any of the feedback I received on the story from people within the fandom.

It was marvelous. She commented on the characters, the tone, the plot (such as it was), pointed out some minor problems she had with language and flow... SO great. That's the kind of feedback you print out and tape to the wall, because it's from someone who really got the story, and appreciated not only the story but the technical aspects as well.

compulsive typing (I refuse to call it writing).

t looks at piles of typescript from the years. Carefully doesn't think how "compulsive typing" applies to self.

That's a good line.

English Breakfast tea:

And I have yet to be well-and-truly flamed, although I received a couple of mildly disturbed letters from people for the abortion!fics and the child-killing!fic. No flames, though. Sigh.

because it's from someone who really got the story

See, this is what alarms me - yes, I'm a sensitive flower and Too Tender For Fandom - what if I didn't get it and the author thinks I'm stupid and I get a bad grade? (And then I remind myself that I'm being a nitwit.)

I suppose it's tricky in some ways because I'm a reader but neither a writer nor someone who has any kind of an analytic background, so my insecurities kick up when I say anything more than "I really enjoyed this, thanks for writing it."

I got a feedback letter a couple of days ago for a story I wrote last March. Now that was a lovely surprise, even more so because it pointed out what worked about the story and why it worked.

I've never actually been flamed for a fic of mine--yet--although I'm about to serve up a couple of sacred cows as barbeque in one of my fics. Is it wrong for me to admit that I'm actually looking forward to the flames?

See, this is what alarms me - yes, I'm a sensitive flower and Too Tender For Fandom - what if I didn't get it and the author thinks I'm stupid and I get a bad grade? (And then I remind myself that I'm being a nitwit.)

You think you're a sensitive flower? Everytime I see something in my in-box about a fic, I think "oh, god, they hated it. My god, look at the size of it, they must have analyzed it line by line and found every place where I utterly violated canon and common sense. And maybe they're right, maybe Xander would have thrown him out on his ear and never deigned to let him so close. I think I need to become a Trappist monk and never say a word again."

Yep. Issues.

what if I didn't get it and the author thinks I'm stupid and I get a bad grade?

General principle: If you've done enough thinking to realise that there's a bad way to send feedback, then you'll think enough about what you send that it's good.

Flames are an indication that you're pushing people's comfort zones. I'm all for them.

Unless you get them because you lied in the headers, which is misleading marketing.

I'm not that great at sending feedback...okay, I suck...but when I do I try to actually say what I liked, what makes me read the story again and again, stuff like that. I still feel weird about pointing out things I don't feel work but I'm trying.

I love constructive criticism, but mostly I get ... well, "I wish you hadn't used second-person pov, it's strange and alienating" or "I don't see what this has to do with the show you're ostensibly writing about." Only I'm paraphrasing, because I don't feel like looking up the exact wording. I don't think anyone has used the word "ostensible" in feedback to me, which is a shame, because I'm fond of it.

Granted, it's hard to write detailed feedback for very very short vignettes; I think people who write long stories probably get more of it.

And by "constructive" I do mean negative points as well as positive ones. I think the only bit I've gotten--aside from betas--is someone who disagreed with my Darla characterization and told me why.