By Anonymous - 19/04/2012 04:46 - United States - Sparks

Today, I finally asked some friends to read the beginning of a novel that I'd been slaving away at. One of them said it was the literary equivalent of aquarium gravel. Another asked if I'd been sniffing boot polish while writing it. FML
I agree, your life sucks 21 877
You deserved it 4 643

Same thing different taste

Top comments

But aquarium gravel is tough and gritty! If your novel is a mystery, I think that was a great compliment. Wait a second...it's also really disgusting and slimy and smells like dead fish...

Aquarium gravel? Sniffing boot polish? In that case, I suggest you write erotic literature instead..

Comments

TheEpicMilkMan 13

many authors fail before nailing it, you'll nail it one day OP just keep your creative juices flowing and keep trying ^_^ I believe in you!

So basically your writing the equivalent of Alice in Wonderland...

TheEpicMilkMan 13

I love Alice In Wonderland :3 it's dark but amazing c: along with the games lol

Just to let you people know that was sarcasm...

msl1333 4

Is your novel called "faster than the speed of love"?

Was it about aquarium gravel and boot polish? That might just be your problem right there....

Just remember: it probably sounds nicer coming from them than it would from a publishing company. Just ask them what they think needs to be changed and show it to them again when you made those changes.

Your friends sound like asses. I know it's common to jokingly roast your friends but their criticisms went a little too far- to just being plain rude.

Er, not really. I'm a writer and that's the kind of harsh criticism I look for when I present my pieces for critique. One is not going to get any better if they don't hear what people honestly thing of their work. I didn't when I showed my friends and they gave me flowery reviews. I showed real critics and got railroaded. That hurt, not the railroading itself, the fact that I had to hear it from someone else. I personally think OP'S friends gave him 'im a great load of incentive to write better.

I agree. I've done a little writing myself, as a side project. (: If the writing is not up to par, I wouldn't want someone saying it's great, especially when it's far from that. But pointing out what could be improved or what one can do differently, is not asking if you sniffed boot polish. ***btw good luck with your writings!(:

Clear, honest, harsh criticism is one thing. Stupid comments that don't give you any clear information that would help you improve is something else altogether. Get new friends.

perdix 29

#64. I'm so glad you said that. That book ruined 8th grade for me! There's other Dickens that's good, but that story just sucked so badly. And it was so long!