legovanan
Why is it that I don't post on here often anymore?!?! I have a million things to say, and time to say it. I just... don't. Interessant.. Maybe a phase I'm going through or something.
Anyway, now I shall ramble pointlessly:
Do you know what the problem with reading your friend's writing is? I'm going to tell you anyway, so don't answer the question. The problem is that it's hard to distinguish between a friendly standpoint, and a professional, constructively critical standpoint. (Elsa--this is not directed towards you. You know exactly how I feel about your writing. I adore your poetry and admire your "good" form of writing. Your "phanphic" amuses me with it's cheesy cliche-ness and randomness and awesome humor!)
I mean, people tell you, "Go read my story!" If they're a great writer, more power to them; we can discuss writing styles, poetic meters, etc, but if they really do suck, and write cliche Mary-Sues all day that make you nauseous just to read, and then they tell you to review, or ask you what you think, it's so hard not to go, "YOU SUCK! IMPROVE YOUR WRITING OR GET ANOTHER HOBBY!"
Then, if you try to criticize them constructively, with adequate reasoning and logic, tempered, relatively kind words, professionally termed criticism, etc, with good will in every ion of your being, trying to help them be better--they get offended! They start criticizing your writing, even though they know it's so much better than their's, just to get back at you. And then friendships are ruined. Over some piece of crap writing. I am really sorry. I just had to say it. ARGH

So in the future, if anyone that I personally know and see wants me to read their writing, please be reminded that when I criticize you, I never flame, I'm doing it in your best interests, and it's on a professional level, not a personal one. We can hang out and have fun on that level, but I don't read like that. I criticize my own writing every day; I criticize the writing of my favorite authors (just ask Miriel. One of the best writers I have ever read, in my opinion, and I pick at her writing all the time); for Iluvatar's sake, I criticize JRR Tolkien! The HOLY GRAND MASTER! I'm trying to help you damn it! And a lot of times, it's not even that you suck, it's my own personal preference. I read purist canon; I am a canon freak. I like flowery, romantic language. I like remotely depressing, pensive writing. I like the Feanorians. I sound like a cross between Lord Byron and Emily Bronte once in a while, though no where near the genius. I don't like writing like Ernest Hemingway; short, simple, blunt, to the point, boring. "The man jumped into the skiff." That's GREAT. can't you be a bit more descriptive?
"Heaving his aging back, the elderly man jumped into his skiff, knowing that the coming sunrise would signify the beginning of another long day."
Not that I'm rewriting a classic. I write things like, "Always beside you, a dark face to match a dark mood, ai, Caranthir, yours was the dark embers of the shadowy night, when darkness veils all." and I adore writing like,
"The heavy hearted one sits alone, and it seems verily to him that his portion of sorrow is the greatest that the world can bestow, and indeed endless. Then he considers that it was not always so, and that he has perhaps incurred the wrath of the powers that shape the world, and trodden where he should not." ("Of Memory" by Nol. Great story Miriel. You should read)

That's enough for now. I really should finish my hw.