Like, I'll get feedback that basically boils down to 'have you considered making this character not neurodivergent' or 'this character's internal monologue about how they don't feel safe if there aren't other identifiably queer people around makes me uncomfortable'. - ThreadSky

ashthestampede.bsky.social • 55 days ago

Like, I'll get feedback that basically boils down to 'have you considered making this character not neurodivergent' or 'this character's internal monologue about how they don't feel safe if there aren't other identifiably queer people around makes me uncomfortable'.

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krovris.bsky.social•55 days ago

I feel like a person’s comfort with queer media is on them. Plenty of straight media makes me uncomfortable given the themes, but I still consume it because it’s still good. Some feedback is meant to be tossed out and ‘i’m uncomfortable with queer experiences’ is (imo) one of ‘em!

ashthestampede.bsky.social•55 days ago

I mean, no one's actually saying "I'm uncomfortable with queer themes". It's more, the totality of their feedback in a certain area points to a lack of comfort with queer themes.

It hits different than the throw-away criticism I encountered in, frex, art school

krovris.bsky.social•55 days ago

100% understand re: tone. After all, a person who beta reads your stuff knows what to expect thematically! But for example, white pals / fellow creators have given me insight about what they found uncomfy re: race in my writing before. I’ve absolutely done the same, and without meaning to!

krovris.bsky.social•55 days ago

I just think it’s important to take the source of feedback into consideration so we can stay true to what we want to express; sometimes uncomfy themes are the most authentic and deserve the spotlight, even if it alienates a fraction of a fraction of the people who pick up our stuff. In my opinion!!!

ashthestampede.bsky.social•55 days ago

Because - to use a real example from art school - instead of "have you tried not using text (in a photo series about language and identity)", it's "have you tried not writing about your own experiences"?

ashthestampede.bsky.social•55 days ago

To say nothing of The Confusion over sex scenes written from trans points of view.

Which makes it difficult to sort out what I need to fix and what I don't. I want to be accessible to straight people, but I'm also. Like. OKAY with straight people being uncomfortable/confused by trans POV characters

katarzynaokelo.bsky.social•55 days ago

I don't think you need to make straight and/or cis people comfortable at all, this is not your job as an writer to keep within comfort zone of the reader (especially that every person zone is different, so it would be imposible task anyway).

katarzynaokelo.bsky.social•55 days ago

But I think it's not bad idea to pay attention, where beta reader's comments indicate that something was hard to understand or was outright misunderstood. Clarity is not a bad criterium in general to keep in mind during edits.

ashthestampede.bsky.social•55 days ago

Absolutely. But in this instance, that calibration feels a lot more personal than normal run of the mill 'missed the point' criticism

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