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I received this comment a while ago on my latest chapter for Discovery. I am hurt and quite upset about it.
"Maybe It’s Just Me
This story seemed very promising at first. It seems as though it's more of a political writing with just enough other stuff thrown in to seem like it's about something else. I get enough political stuff elsewhere. I like reading stories here as they generally don't go too far into that. It's not simply that I disagree with the things written in this story. I don't want to read a story that goes off on a political rant from the other side either."
This was my reply:
"This Is Hardly Political
If you think saving the environment is a political argument/issue I feel very sorry for you. It is not political. It is science. Now, as far as this story goes, it was a means to create the scenario in terms of modern day mining activities vs. those written about in the original play. What I describe in this story was a real event in another state and a man is going to prison for it. His activities killed a river. That is not political. That's a tragedy. It never was my intention to stand on a soapbox. I wrote about real situations and events. I work closely with the oil and gas industry, and I am not making this stuff up. I have a Bachelor of Science in Fisheries Biology, and a Master of Science in Environmental Management. I am qualified to discuss this subject."
I should have added " ... on a scientific, not a political basis." It was never my intention to do anything more than add a TG twist to a story and put it into a modern context. I work with "Tree Huggers" and "Anti Tree Huggers" almost daily. I have to deal with both sides of the coin. Right now, I am fuming.
Comments
It's okay to fume
...as long as you're not emitting greenhouse gasses. Sounds like they're projecting their own
politicizing of everything onto you. The same people who scream about someone's simply saying who they are being insidious LGTB propaganda and yoga classes at schools being an attempt to indoctrinate our children into evil heathen religions.
hugs, veronica
What borders on stupidity?
Canada and Mexico.
.
IT's YOUR Story
When you read a story, and that's anywhere, not just here. You the reader choose to read it. if you do not like it you can stop reading it. No one is forcing you to do so.
So if you do not like it, tough, get over it, find something else to read. Writing to the author to complain it was not what you wanted it to be is just plain bad manners.
Sophie
appearances are deceiving in a good way
I thought it could have been leaning towards that but it's nothing like that. It's like your other stories, it's a people story. It contains environmentalists, but it also contains vintners and bartenders and sheriffs. Nobody except her uncle and her have had much character development and your plot is getting to the point where we are starting to see things come together.
I am probably close to the thinking of the commenter but I just don't see any truth in the claim against the story. Frankly this is mild compared with other stories posted here, you are doing a fine job and it's a good story.
I'm told STFU more times in a day than most people get told in a lifetime
I would not pay much attention to the complaint
Every story ever written could be considered a political story if one chose to twist their perspective enough. Here we have plenty of LGBT stories, given enough motivation for or against this anyone could call any story here politically motivated.
As an example I could come out saying that my story Project: Super Soldier is a political statement of why scientists should not be allowed to mess around with the human genome. Of course that is not why I wrote it, nor did the thought ever cross my mind while writing it, but for someone dead set against genetic research they could easily twist the story into that.
We are writers and storytellers, the purpose of our prose is to entertain. We write from our characters perspectives, and there are times that we the author do not agree with the character's view point but know that people and our characters do not always agree with us and write true to the character even when we find their point of view distasteful.
We the willing, led by the unsure. Have been doing so much with so little for so long,
We are now qualified to do anything with nothing.
Honestly
I haven't read the story, but so what? We should write about what we feel, with emotion and indeed passion. Some people may see that as political, and that's up to them. They can go and read something else if they want. Nobody has nailed their gaze to the computer screen.
I write about things I feel deeply, and I try to get the emotion across. I have just finished a section of 'Longer War' that dealt with homophobia, and I have covered that filth in several other stories. That can be seen as 'political'. In another sense, I have also depicted gay couples, both male and female, as normal, loving partnerships suitable for the rearing of children. THAT is seen as poitical by some people, "pushing the LGBT agenda". I could write about green politics, and, well, ditto. What I believe is happening here is that some people simply do not want to be challenged, to be made to think about what effect their beliefs have on this world. It's rather like a smoker, desperate to find 'evidence' that their addiction isn't killing them, or a gun nut desperate to claim that the solution to all the mass shootings that only occur in countries with lax gun controls is to make controls laxer.
Continue to sow discomfort. That is what art should do.
A very political topic
Sorry, but your wrong. I worked as a coal miner for several years, and watching families only source of income be destroyed by the political agenda of liberal politicians makes it crystal clear to me. When the Democratic candidate brags coal mines are closing and miners are going to be out of work, well, I hope she pays for that insensitivity this fall.
You may not have intended it as a political statement, but that's what it is in the real world to those who live with the consequences.
This is a subject that cannot be
properly treated in this forum. You have your opinions and we'll leave it at that. The problem is not simple and any argument based on fact will only be shouted down. The problem was created by the wealthy at the cost of the poor. Rather than seek alternatives, they feathered their nest at your expense and when the time comes, they'll leave you to starve to death. They'll cry about the mines being shut down while eating their caviar and filet mignon.
Portia
Agreed
Suffice to say it is hard to be objective when ones livelihood is being lost.
At one time I had to reinvent myself too by going into poverty (for two years) to go back to school to learn a new skill to survive as there were no longer a lot of jobs in my older profession. The whole Trump thing, as an example, is due in large part to disaffection of workers in the Rust belt where high paying factory jobs are being lost left and right by companies pulling out and moving jobs to other countries. Those affected of course only have high school educations and it is very hard to find 35 an hour jobs that only need a high school educations anymore.
Point is, those folks would feel any story related to the owners of 'evil companies' who value profit over people would be considered political too. I agree with other posters: there is no way to avoid reading something political in a story ANYWHERE, only to not read the story if you find it disagreeable.
BS
' When the Democratic candidate brags coal mines are closing and miners are going to be out of work, well, I hope she pays for that insensitivity this fall'
That simply doesn't happen.
Razor's Edge
I haven't read your story so please don't take this personally.
Writing is a balancing act. Your never want to lecture your reader, yet you want your writing to have meaning and context. If you dn;t think you went too far . . . the odds that it was a "rant" are quote low.
What was said in that comment came from a strange point of view. My guess is the two of you probably would be uncomfortable drinking a beer together.
Write for yourself first. Find a reader who you admire and write for her. If she likes it, don't let the rest of the world bother you. That's advice from none other than Stephen King. He writes for his wife.
Jill
Angela Rasch (Jill M I)
Writing of the people, by the people, for the people…
… is almost by definition political. Perhaps the critic should try 'Animal Farm'?
Rhona McCloud
Don't fume
You are doing fine. The story does not rant.
You are letting one dissident get to you. I think as an author you need a thicker skin. Virtually anything is going to get some negative reviews. Some say Harry Potter promotes deviltry.
I would guess 99+% of your readers would take your side in this.Let the majority rule, and keep writing.
Indeed
Indeed... this is how the series actually got its original popularity, you know? The first couple books were well written but not really bringing people in from the usual fantasy readership any more than any other youth targeted fantasy... and then schools started banning it from their libraries and it got news coverage and word of mouth, especially as people started reading it to see what all the fuss was about and enjoyed the stories. That's how I first heard about that Potter kid.... and I've ALWAYS been a fantasy/sci-fi reader.
As to the original post / problem with feedback... I wouldn't worry about it too much. Some people feel entitled about their free fiction... and have the impression that every author who puts pen to paper on a subject that that reader isn't thrilled to read, is a loss of a story that should have happened. I sometimes wonder if thats where all the negativity towards the Whateley Universe comes from... we've stolen away authors who should be writing other stories and we should be punished for it. *shrugs*
NOT POLITICAL, RIPPED FROM THE FABRIC, of NOW!
Portia,
Brightest of Blessings, unto Thee and Thine.
Nice writing, building into a Telling of real life, Drama.
Thank You, from a reader.
Olivea Peterson
Nice to hear from you
I hope you are well.
Portia
if this is a political story then
I think the one Red and I are writing will likely not be posted here because it could be far more easily construed as being political. it deals with royals, ursurpers, and the actions of the ruling class in their attempt to hold their realm together. Watch out for those politically minded sorcerers who want to take over the world.
LittleRock... I like your story, even if I have to read it slowly. I'm improving though, if I close my right eye I can read faster.
Anesidora
Nooooooooooo!
Post your story! Pleaaaaase?! :P
Seriously, Portia, don't let one person with a stick you-know-where ruin your enjoyment of your own story. I haven't been reading it, but there's only so much one can read, and there are a lot of great stories on this site and others right now.
Abigail Drew.
a truism applies here
you can please some of the people all of the time, but you can't please everyone all the time.
Any story that contains any subject the someone feels strongly about can raise the 'political' comments.
Which means some can be hurtful since they don't agree with what is presented.
Stupidity is a capital offense. A summary not indictable.
Not worth dignifying with a reply
So it's political. So what? If someone doesn't want to read it, they're not compelled to.
If they don't agree with your politics, let them write their own stories expressing other views.
And if you feel you can't ignore those types of comments, publish your stories with public comments turned off, as I do.
I'm not going to apologize for my statement
I meant exactly what I said. I wasn't trying to insult anyone . Just to be clear I was not referring to the aspects of the transition of the main character or the reactions to that. What was aggravating and, quite frankly, distracting, was the heavy references to the oil fracking and ,all that surrounded that on either side of the issue. In my opinion that whole thing takes something away from an otherwise good story. It was unnecessary.
I understand that as a conservative I'm very much in the minority here. I still enjoy the stories and can identify with the inner workings of a number of characters.
Since You were Obviously Not Familiar With
... the original story or its outcome, or the outcome of this story for that matter, I don't think you are in the position to judge the content. What was expressed were opinions of the characters and they were essential to the story line. The sheriff expressed opinions far more in line with the right. The members of Greenpeace express another opinion. If someone doesn't want to sell his mineral rights to the Big Oil & Gas Companies, that is his prerogative. The example I cite in the story was not made up. A frack water hauler actually did what I used for an example. That cannot be ignored. I deal with a number frack water haulers who are totally above board. I've worked with others who cut corners and ignored safety. They are out of business.
If being a conservative means ignoring facts and science, so be it. Galileo had some appropriate comments after being forced to recant his statements about the earth rotating on its axis while in orbit about the sun. "It still turns." "The Emperor and His New Cloths" would be another good analogy.
Your arguments run counter to science and are not much different than what is going on in North Carolina and some other states. Good science is not something to use when its only convenient to your agenda.
I certainly don't want or need your apology.
Portia