From:        Ryan Mathews, mathews1@ix.netcom.com

You wrote:

   	I just know that this whole discussion has left me feeling like a 
bit of a hypocrite.  After all, I _really_ like getting C&C... but send 
out a dismal amount of my own.

I rarely critique unless asked.  The main reason is that, when I 
critique, I can sometimes be pretty harsh, and I'm afraid I'll step 
on someone's feelings, or worse, they'll shoot back about something 
in one of my stories, in which case there's negative feelings all 
around.  C&C is important; I just often don't have the nerve to give 
it.

I can sort of understand that... but I have to admit I tend to be a 'be 
polite, but be honest, and let the chips fall where they may' critiquer. 
I hope that being polite will take care of any hurt feelings; but if it 
happens, it happens. I guess I've also been lucky so far, in that all the 
people I've critiqued so far have been decent people. ^_^

(It's also true that most professional critics are not creators.  
Think this is important?)

I'm beginning to wonder. I've almost certainly had more success -- both 
in terms of public response and in terms of private satisfaction -- with 
my C&C reviews than I've had with the fic part one that I posted, and 
I've also had a lot better luck just getting the C&C's done than I have 
with finishing either of the fics I'm working on. :) 



Travis Butler
(The Professor, formerly of Myth and Magick!, Lawrence, KS;
 tbutler@tfs.net, now from the Wandering Powerbook;
 <http://www.tfs.net/personal/tbutler/>;
 Mac page <http://www.tfs.net/business/tbutler/>)

...Cats are the proof of a higher purpose to the universe.