On Thu, 31 Dec 1998 18:27:37 -0600, you wrote:

At 04:54 PM 12/31/98 -0500, Nightman wrote:

Very interesting Gary.

Indeed.  The idea of Gary writing a FAQ on how to give good C&C...  ^_^

Hey, I just thought it was time *someone* did. :-)

Seriously, it was well-done.  However, I would recommend the following rule
added to any characterization critiques:

If it's a characterization problem, mention it once, and only once.
Mentioning it again in response to the author's response causes it to cease
being C&C and takes it into the realm of characterization argument.  If
there is a serious problem with it, others will comment.  

I think you raise an important point, which should go ino the thing
(somewhere): If the fic author decides not to accept a particular
suggestion, the C&Cer should move on. This is more general than just
characterization -- I think it applies to pretty much anything, though
characterization is a particularly sensitive area because of all the
strong opinions out there.

However, I really don't think a one-mention-only rule should apply in
all cases. The C&Cer, IMO, should judge based on the author's
reaction. If an author says, "I've heard your arguments, and I don't
agree. I'm keeping the fic as is."  then that's it. But if the
author's reaction is, "I'm not convinced yet. What about...." then
that's another story. Tybalt might ban the thread, but that's up to
him, and I wouldn't presume to tell him his job. </brown-nose>

Most flamewars that have erupted due to C&C are the direct result of
someone challenging a characterization interpretation.  Each person will
see the characters in a different way, even with the same material; this is
natural, as people have different backgrounds and beliefs.
Characterization is an inexact science as a result; what may appear to be a
correct course of action to one may seem 'out-of-character' to someone else.

I'm not sure whether that's what Nightman was saying. I certainly
agree that writers have a right to use their own interpretations of
the characters. OTOH, it's legitimate IMO for readers to ask whether
then interpretations work within the story. Are the characters'
motivations believable? Are the characters' actions consistent with
their attitudes and beliefs as developed by the author? How does the
story make me feel about the character? All these are *highly*
significant issues even with *original* characters -- where it would
be loopy of me to suggest that my interpretation of the character is
superior to that of the author.

An author can, of course, specify right up front that he doesn't want
a particular kind of C&C. The risk in that is that it might make some
people decide not to read the fic.


Gary