Tom was livid: "This table is for artists only, not for published authors. Please leave; you are no longer welcome here."
"It's a conspiracy. Well maybe not a conspiracy, but definitely an agreement. They're all in cahoots together so that people like me…" Here he paused and looked around the table. He nodded as if making some great concession before continuing, "People like us, can't get published." He leaned back in his chair now and picked up his coffee with a flourish. He would have lighted a cigarette if you could still smoke in these places, and left the floor open for anybody else who wished speak.…
Article comments
26 - Ruvy in Jerusalem
Hi Gypsyman,
There is a lady who writes for the J-lem post (or maybe she used to write for them - the paper is slowly dying) and her stuff reads a lot like the piece of fluff you put out. I also enjoyed it. After all, it is about pretentious writers - and you were blessed to have one show up to tell you what he thought about having his character exposed in your piece of fluff...
The only reason I note this is that she gets paid for her work. It's just in shekels, not real money, but it still buys her a café hafukh and a cinnamon roll...
So if you can find some small publication without too much trouble...
Ignatius, if Gypsyman had really needed positive critiquing of this piece he would have gone to a writers' group - not here.
27 - IgnatiusReilly
That's right, Mark, because neither the author nor the other commentors, you included, want to be noticed. That explains why you link to your blog in the comments. Does that not scream "look at me"?
You are the one who jumped into the middle of a conversation. I answered your counter argument and then you leave in a huff, so fuck that "I thought I made a good point but was easily dismissed, and since I couldn't back up my argument, I'm going to quit and call names" crap.
No one is telling you or anyone not to enjoy the story. But it is just as valid for people not to like it.
Ruvy, if gypsy only wanted to receive positive comments then he shouldn't have posted it on the Internet.
28 - gypsyman
Ss, thanks, I'm probably not going to do anything with it, because I had no intent of doing so. But your critique is apprecitated. I actually thought about deleting the looked at rest, would have been better without, you're right.
Ruvy thanks for the coments, I appreciate the thoughts.
Mark, thanks.
gypsyman
29 - Elvira Black
Ignatius:
Providing a link to your blog is common blogging practice. Programs like Blogger and most others, I'd daresay, set this up automatically, at least as an option.
Links are part and parcel of the blogosphere. Posting one's link is not screaming "look at me"--it's merely an invite to visit said blogger if one wishes.
Do you have a link you'd care to provide? I for one would like to visit it.
30 - Josh
I thought that it was a nice premise. My only suggestion: streamline. Try to be as concise as possible, and maybe some more character development. Otherwise, I think it made a great point about pretentiousness. I'm glad to find another who hates self-proclaimed "artists". ;)
To Ignatius and Kevin:
There's no problem with criticism, as long as it's constructive. Instead of screaming, "YOU SUCK!!", why not offer some helpful advice? That's all we really want. POLITE, CONSTRUCTIVE criticism.
31 - gypsyman
Ignatius:
We must have crossed paths when I was posting my last comment, I wasn't ignoring you,it just hadn't been mailed to me yet.
You're right everybody has the right to like or dislike anything anybody writes.
The only thing I would disagree with in what you said, is that if gypsyman wanted only positive comments he shouldn't have published.
You're right that if I had only wanted to hear nice things I shouldn't publish at all. That's an inherint risk anybody takes when they do anything publicaly. But the thing is, I never said that I only wanted people to say "nice things" about what I write.
All I ask is that I be treated with the respect that anybody would like to be treated with. Hell I don't care if you think my work is crap, that's your perogative, and it would be a really boring world if we all liked the same stuff.
I wouldn't want everybody to agree with me, where would the fun in that be.
cheers
gypsyman
32 - TA Dodger
A summary:
"I don't like your story, here are the problems I see." -- A critic.
"I don't like your story, and my opinion matters because I'm published. Seriously, I am. -- An asshat.
33 - IgnatiusReilly
gypsyman, I didn't feel ignored nor was an email required.
I think you misread my statements because I never said you wanted nice things written about you, I was responding to your fans' reactions.
If you read my initial comments, I only made reference to your work and was never personal towards you.
it was Kevin who had the nastier tone.
34 - gypsyman
Ignatius:
I wasn't saying you were the one who was taking any shots at me, I was speaking in general, two I though it might look like I was deliberatl ignoring your comment because I had addressed other people by name and not you, and I thought it looked rude so I wanted to correct that impression, and three, I formed the impression that you thought I should only publish if I wanted compliments because you said the following.
"If gypsyman only wanted to receive good comments, he should have only showed it to his mother..."opened a paragraph which went on to say something about shining sunshine up each others asses.
"Ruvy, if gypsy only wanted to receive positive comments then he shouldn't have posted it on the Internet." Stood on its own. In both instances it sounded like you were saying that was my intent or that was what I expected...Anyway thanks for the clarification.
Sometimes I have the same thing happen when I write, I forget that people can't read my mind, and don't know what I'm thinking when I'm writing, so while it looks obvious to me, it's not to thr rest of the world. Perhaps if you had worded it like:" Ruvey, if you think that gypsy should only receive positive comments"
Just something to think about for the next time you comment.
gypsyman