feedback confusing fiction with fact?

[sirhugs]

How many writers get feedback that seems to assume that our stories are truly autobiographical? It makes me wonder if readers don't understand fiction versus memoir. For example, my story Gender Blender, is ' out there'- a crossdressing adventure. Nothing I would even dream of doing personally ( it all started over on Story Ideas where I expressed a fondness for looking at ladies' dainties, then got challenged to put my word processor where my mouth was. Still, because it was in first person, people assumed.....

 

[Un-registered]

Me too!

I was clearly listed as a male od 60+years.

I wrote a story (third person POV) about a mail-order bride in the Wild West. Her husband was killed by Red Indians using arrows and she was kidapped and became the wifee of the Chief.

Somebody wrote and asked me if it was autobiographical!

 

[Guest]

wishful thinking

SH-

I think that there is a good bit of wishful thinking involved. Thinking that the author really has done all those things makes the story a hotter read for some. The chance that the author might be interested in doing some of those same things with the reader is too good of a fantasy to pass up.

I take the projections as compliments. It must be my phenomenal writing that engenders such a response.. not the depravity or the desperation of the readers!

b

 

[oggbashan]

On another thread I complained about feedback on "Donna".

The responses identified the writer (or a friend/relation) with my character and wanted RL advice.

Some of my stories are clearly impossible yet wishful thinking seems prevalent e.g. "I wish my girlfriend would do that."

Self-deception is what fiction is about.

Og.

 

[SexyChele]

I know I have! I wrote a story based completely on a reader's experience who wanted me to write the story for him and post it here. I even preceded the story by stating it was about this reader's experience, not mine. I got an overwhelming amount of feedback from guys telling me how hot I must be and how I must have been so turned on. However, I think the one that took the cake was when I wrote a story about 2 guys together, and I received feedback from men who wanted to "suck my cock and have me make them my bitch." That was a little weird.

 

[Sabledrake]

It's not quite the same thing, but I did get an odd piece of feedback on a recent story, complaining that it was too realistic (citing that the female character should have been more a sex goddess, and that the narrator was too much like an ordinary person) and requesting me to 'repair' that flaw in future chapters.

I've also gotten some vicious attacks in the past, when I was writing fanfiction about a totally insane, twisted, Oedipal character and his manipulative mother. "Thank God _you_ don't have a son, you sick bitch," these letters would say.

Sabledrake

 

[Chicklet]

to my *fictional* incest story:"I would love to get into bed with you and your brother" "Me and my sister had the same experience you and your brother had"

to my gay male story *obviously I am not a man, hello* "I would love to suck your cock"

to many of my stories I get emails inquiring about the experience, or refering to "me" as if I were the character. Really makes me want to stop writing in 1st person, but I like 1st person so much...

 

[Pookie]

How many writers get feedback that seems to assume that our stories are truly autobiographical? ...

<snip>

... Still, because it was in first person, people assumed.....

*raises hand*

 

[Svenskaflicka]

According to my reader's inability to separate facts from fiction, I'm an incestual male Swinger...

 

[Guest]

disillusioned

According to my reader's inability to separate facts from fiction, I'm an incestual male Swinger...

Svenska-

I'm crushed. My image of you is shattered.

b

 

[reohoko]

I don't know...

I am not wood elf, nor a dark elf..... (though I do play one in EQ, but it would be far fetched to beleive you can do that stuff there ROFL)

and I never did any of the stuff in Carrie's Adventures.... well, I suppose that is not completely true.. but not the stuff in that story (ice is nice though )

the other one, well I don't know too many people who haven't.

oh well, whatever trips their triggers, so long as they don't get too annoying...

I imagine that people think Anne Rice has met vampires and Stephen King is paranormal being too. It's all good.

 

[jfinn]

There is this guy in Poland who keeps bugging me for a hard copy of one of my stories and a nude picture of myself. Since the story he's so enchanted with is about gay men, I'm rather inclined to think my picture would not be what he expected.

Jayne

 

[MathGirl]

Good old Ernie

Hemmingway once said something to the effect that it was rude for a reader to ask a writer if something was autobiographical. It was even worse form for the writer to answer the question.

Ernie H may have been full of shit in numerous ways, but the guy certainly did know his writing.

A lot of my stuff is in the first person. That doesn't <necessarily> mean it's autobiographical. I certainly would never tell a reader if it was.

MG

Ps. DurtGurl got feedback on "Patty Makes the Team" asking if it was a true story. Good Grief!

 

[Pookie]

Re: Good old Ernie

Ps. DurtGurl got feedback on "Patty Makes the Team" asking if it was a true story. Good Grief!

Well???


Pookie

 

[MathGirl]

Re: Re: Good old Ernie

Well???

Dear Pooks,
I'm going to try to forget you said that, dear.
MG

 

[Svenskaflicka]

Re: Good old Ernie

Ps. DurtGurl got feedback on "Patty Makes the Team" asking if it was a true story. Good Grief!

rofl

rofl

rofl

 

[jfinn]

Re: Good old Ernie

Ps. DurtGurl got feedback on "Patty Makes the Team" asking if it was a true story. Good Grief!

You mean it isn't?

Jayne

 

[reohoko]

I personnaly, don't get the need to know about authors, not even the fascination with what they look like.

I am happy that they have real lives, and that they do things other than write and you know..... all those little details.

But... I didn't read everything David Eddings or Raymond Feist ever wrote because I wanted to know about them.. but because I love their work..

Personnally, I would rather consider them some godlike beings that see into other dimensions and universes. I don't want to know who they are, just when they will publish next.

But I feel that way about all the authors I ever read.

Which reminds me, it's been over 2 years since I bought a book *sigh.

 

[Guest]

Re: Good old Ernie

. . . Ps. DurtGurl got feedback on "Patty Makes the Team" asking if it was a true story. Good Grief!

Wow. That's amazing. Patty's adventures have truly touched someone, haven't they?

Kinda gets you right doesn't it?

(wiping away tear)

 

[Svenskaflicka]

I feel a bit awkward when someone writes me feedback telling me how they LOVED, say, my story about a woman who comforts her sad baby brother, and they ask me about it, and then I have to write a mail explaining that no, it's not for real, I don't have any brothers or sisters. I feel like I'm letting them down.

 

[Guest]

How many writers get feedback that seems to assume that our stories are truly autobiographical? It makes me wonder if readers don't understand fiction versus memoir. For example, my story Gender Blender, is ' out there'- a crossdressing adventure. Nothing I would even dream of doing personally ( it all started over on Story Ideas where I expressed a fondness for looking at ladies' dainties, then got challenged to put my word processor where my mouth was. Still, because it was in first person, people assumed.....

This always happens to me, even with my mix of first and third person stories.

I think the funniest one was when I was answering a person's "ignorant homophobic response" on a thread, and he slammed me with - "Oh, go home and fuck your pillow biter husband" (or something similar).

Which made ME say - "Oh! You read my stories! (I'm assuming he was referring to my husband strap-on fantasy stories.) Thank you so much! But darling, you do realize they are fiction??"

 

[MathGirl]

Autobiographical Patty

Wow. That's amazing. Patty's adventures have truly touched someone, haven't they?

Kinda gets you right doesn't it?

(wiping away tear)

Dear Sarah,
Considering the story, feedback like that makes me uneasy about the future of the human race.
MG

 

[Guest]

I feel a bit awkward when someone writes me feedback telling me how they LOVED, say, my story about a woman who comforts her sad baby brother, and they ask me about it, and then I have to write a mail explaining that no, it's not for real, I don't have any brothers or sisters. I feel like I'm letting them down.

Svenskaflicka - don't you think that is a compliment to you as a writer? That you were able to evoke those feelings?

I'd say well done.

 

[Guest]

Re: Autobiographical Patty

Dear Sarah,
Considering the story, feedback like that makes me uneasy about the future of the human race.
MG

Be afraid. Be very afraid.

 

[DarlingNikki]

Hmm. All my stories so far are true (except that one lesbian scene) and written in the first person. Yet most of the people who send me feedback are always surprised to hear it. And the sex is totally ordinary and not shocking or unusual at all. I wonder what will happen when I write my incest story for survivor.