What an interesting post! I especially like your distinction between the two types of writers in the fandom. I'm not sure which category I fall into, though, since I've never really looked at it like that before.
I was really baffled by your story about the girl who stopped writing after one comment of critique. I absolutely agree with you that no one can make you stop writing except yourself. So that truly baffles me.
When I look at myself and my experiences in fandom: I've received critique in the past (and I'm talking constructive criticism, not the 'OMG you made Harry gay!11!' type flames) and that has always helped me in my writing. When I look at my writing from 2,5 years ago, when I started out writing fanfiction (and writing in English for the first time) and my work now, I can honestly say that I've improved. A lot. But that's all thanks to critique I've received. If it hadn't been for someone politely telling me that perhaps this or that could be improved, I don't think I ever would have tried to improve my writing. I don't think I'd have even realized there was something 'wrong' with what I was doing and that there always is room for improvement and growth in your work.
So to me, critique is very important as part of developing myself as a writer. I have no ambition to become a 'professional, published' writer at this point, but that doesn't mean that I don't take my writing seriously, because I do.
So, yeah, the idea of anyone giving up writing because (part of) their audience gives them pointers as to what can be improved is something I'll probably never understand. It only makes me wonder why these people started writing in the first place and how much they really love it. Not all that much is my guess, because otherwise why give it up so easily?
no subject
I was really baffled by your story about the girl who stopped writing after one comment of critique. I absolutely agree with you that no one can make you stop writing except yourself. So that truly baffles me.
When I look at myself and my experiences in fandom: I've received critique in the past (and I'm talking constructive criticism, not the 'OMG you made Harry gay!11!' type flames) and that has always helped me in my writing. When I look at my writing from 2,5 years ago, when I started out writing fanfiction (and writing in English for the first time) and my work now, I can honestly say that I've improved. A lot. But that's all thanks to critique I've received. If it hadn't been for someone politely telling me that perhaps this or that could be improved, I don't think I ever would have tried to improve my writing. I don't think I'd have even realized there was something 'wrong' with what I was doing and that there always is room for improvement and growth in your work.
So to me, critique is very important as part of developing myself as a writer. I have no ambition to become a 'professional, published' writer at this point, but that doesn't mean that I don't take my writing seriously, because I do.
So, yeah, the idea of anyone giving up writing because (part of) their audience gives them pointers as to what can be improved is something I'll probably never understand. It only makes me wonder why these people started writing in the first place and how much they really love it. Not all that much is my guess, because otherwise why give it up so easily?