Diamond Drake's Blog - Posts Tagged "truth"
Does anybody ever REALLY want the truth?
Have you ever had this happen . . . someone asks for your opinion and says, "Please, be honest with me. I wanna know the truth." And then you tell them your opinion and they resent you for it? That still baffles me til this day. So I started to wonder if people say that thinking they already know what you're going to say. I've definitely been guilty of that.
As a writer, putting your work out to be judged is a scary thing. You never know what someone will feel or think or what type of impact or impression your work will make upon them. So yes, it can be quite disheartening when you hand over your book to someone you think is going to love it and they don't--or at least not as much as you'd hope. HOWEVER, when you seek out someone's opinion, don't you have to be willing to accept it whether you agree or not?
I can't lie and say I've never been hurt by someone's evaluation of my work. I've cried plenty of tears. Though, once I get past the emotions, I have to take into account what was said. And I also have to decide whether the person who said it was trying to hurt or help me. Most times, it's meant to help me become a better writer, as I keep saying I want to be.
I do think there is a difference between fact and opinion. Someone saying they think your main character should have worn a red dress during a scene instead of a black one because it would have been more seductive . . . well, that's just a matter of personal taste. Yet, if someone points out that your book is littered with misspelled words, run on sentences, fragments, and things of that nature-- well, that's fact and any Webster's dictionary or grammar book will prove it.
Bottom line, if you don't REALLY want someone's opinion, stop asking!
As a writer, putting your work out to be judged is a scary thing. You never know what someone will feel or think or what type of impact or impression your work will make upon them. So yes, it can be quite disheartening when you hand over your book to someone you think is going to love it and they don't--or at least not as much as you'd hope. HOWEVER, when you seek out someone's opinion, don't you have to be willing to accept it whether you agree or not?
I can't lie and say I've never been hurt by someone's evaluation of my work. I've cried plenty of tears. Though, once I get past the emotions, I have to take into account what was said. And I also have to decide whether the person who said it was trying to hurt or help me. Most times, it's meant to help me become a better writer, as I keep saying I want to be.
I do think there is a difference between fact and opinion. Someone saying they think your main character should have worn a red dress during a scene instead of a black one because it would have been more seductive . . . well, that's just a matter of personal taste. Yet, if someone points out that your book is littered with misspelled words, run on sentences, fragments, and things of that nature-- well, that's fact and any Webster's dictionary or grammar book will prove it.
Bottom line, if you don't REALLY want someone's opinion, stop asking!
