Comments on: 03/15/2010 http://www.xyliatales.com/03152010/ Just another WordPress site Tue, 07 Feb 2012 07:01:57 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Carl http://www.xyliatales.com/03152010/#comment-3572 Carl Fri, 04 Mar 2011 15:04:39 +0000 http://xyliatales.com/03152010/#comment-3572 This is late -- clearly much has happened and you have lived many days since this original review. I found your story today, and eagerly read the archives. I felt a loss when the story abruptly ended, and wondered what stopped you. I am not a professional reviewer. I am not an artist. I am a romantic, who finds confort in the human heart, and who seeks to understand the order upon which the work is founded. Your story is simple on the surface, with what feels like a deep structure informing every panel. You have a graceful, engaging, and fantastical visual style that also tells the story, and energizes the Xyliate world. I won't refute his criticism -- comments from every source carry a measure of truth. Please know, however, that one reader thanks you for the story, was carried along in the flowing waves of your art, and misses the several people who no longer grow in your pages. This is late — clearly much has happened and you have lived many days since this original review. I found your story today, and eagerly read the archives. I felt a loss when the story abruptly ended, and wondered what stopped you.
I am not a professional reviewer. I am not an artist. I am a romantic, who finds confort in the human heart, and who seeks to understand the order upon which the work is founded. Your story is simple on the surface, with what feels like a deep structure informing every panel. You have a graceful, engaging, and fantastical visual style that also tells the story, and energizes the Xyliate world.
I won’t refute his criticism — comments from every source carry a measure of truth. Please know, however, that one reader thanks you for the story, was carried along in the flowing waves of your art, and misses the several people who no longer grow in your pages.

]]> By: Slamlander http://www.xyliatales.com/03152010/#comment-2801 Slamlander Fri, 20 Aug 2010 11:43:14 +0000 http://xyliatales.com/03152010/#comment-2801 My post seems to have vanished. I posted a similar view at http://slamlander.livejournal.com/322633.html. My post seems to have vanished. I posted a similar view at http://slamlander.livejournal.com/322633.html.

]]> By: PlagueRat http://www.xyliatales.com/03152010/#comment-2754 PlagueRat Mon, 02 Aug 2010 03:07:21 +0000 http://xyliatales.com/03152010/#comment-2754 My second book was panned by a reviewer... he trashed everything from a couple of real misspellings to the entire sweep of my book. In the next few years it became a best seller. It went through at least 20 re-printings. It paid for trips, conventions, and more research. The reviewer still sits in his tiny little room going nowhere. He never creates, all he can do is try to destroy. To heck with him. My second book was panned by a reviewer… he trashed everything from a couple of real misspellings to the entire sweep of my book. In the next few years it became a best seller. It went through at least 20 re-printings. It paid for trips, conventions, and more research. The reviewer still sits in his tiny little room going nowhere. He never creates, all he can do is try to destroy. To heck with him.

]]> By: Ama http://www.xyliatales.com/03152010/#comment-2505 Ama Fri, 21 May 2010 12:15:36 +0000 http://xyliatales.com/03152010/#comment-2505 He gives a valid reading. He didn't like it and he said why, in an entertaining way. He did his job. Even if you are being honest that this hurts, all he's done is given you food for thought. This will help you improve. I've tried to read Xylia a few times... He's raised a lot of reasons why I can't ever finish it. He gives a valid reading. He didn’t like it and he said why, in an entertaining way.

He did his job. Even if you are being honest that this hurts, all he’s done is given you food for thought. This will help you improve. I’ve tried to read Xylia a few times… He’s raised a lot of reasons why I can’t ever finish it.

]]> By: CaliforniaDave http://www.xyliatales.com/03152010/#comment-2504 CaliforniaDave Thu, 18 Mar 2010 06:43:58 +0000 http://xyliatales.com/03152010/#comment-2504 Don't look at me, kiddo - it's all been said, and far more eloquently than I ever could. My first plan was to find the Anton Ego quote...and someone beat me to it. Ah well. :) Don’t look at me, kiddo – it’s all been said, and far more eloquently than I ever could. My first plan was to find the Anton Ego quote…and someone beat me to it. Ah well. :)

]]> By: michelle4jerusalem/spas/whatevs http://www.xyliatales.com/03152010/#comment-2503 michelle4jerusalem/spas/whatevs Wed, 17 Mar 2010 18:35:45 +0000 http://xyliatales.com/03152010/#comment-2503 @julie thanks so much for pointing out his response. i disagree with you and with him that he's unqualified to criticize though. anyone's qualified to give criticism. having run for public office twice, i get a lot, everywhere i go - from people who know NOTHING about politics - and everything at the same time. you know, most of these people think they're the first to tell me the same thing i hear from everyone. but without a lot of campaign money, it's not so easy to change the public's perception of any given thing. sometimes grassroots internet campaigns have a massive impact, but mostly people spend a lot of money to get the job done right. still, i listen to everyone. why not? do i know everything? i'm tired of the juvenile brown-nosing that goes on in the webcomic fanworld. it's not helping anyone. do we love xylia? heck yeah. would we love to see barb making more money, like scott of dreamland fame? HELLS YEAH. it's that simple. there's a real clear path to success, but sadly, it's the road less traveled. bc it's so much easier to drown in the chorus of the fangirls and fanboys who are truly doing their heroes a disservice. buck up, young fangirls and fanboys! even if barb has a weakness or two, you can still love her story and admire her talent. but if you want her to get even better, offer some criticism up on your own from time to time. you are capable of critical analysis. repeat that last sentence aloud to yourself a few times. i know it's condescending that i say that, but do it: "i am capable of critical analysis." i just think you're all smarter than this. it's great that you support barb - you're all big giant sweethearts (like mike lynch - the one thing i like about him - obvious big sweetheart - the whine in his voice will never sell a record though - he needs a voice instructor like i need to get to the gym). but one-up that. with love, help the creators you love get better, if you can. i believe in you - i think you can. alexds1, please ignore the above. your post was thoughtful, considerate and spot-on. but then, your comic is pretty good so you've obviously been through this yourself. found the meek recently through what birds know. look forward to your story developing further. one tool i think is great is the side story; if you haven't done so, check out nigel's opus - linked to in the top nav bar on this page. i wish more comic creators would write some prose like this - it really helps us develop a connection with the characters. @julie thanks so much for pointing out his response. i disagree with you and with him that he’s unqualified to criticize though. anyone’s qualified to give criticism. having run for public office twice, i get a lot, everywhere i go – from people who know NOTHING about politics – and everything at the same time. you know, most of these people think they’re the first to tell me the same thing i hear from everyone. but without a lot of campaign money, it’s not so easy to change the public’s perception of any given thing. sometimes grassroots internet campaigns have a massive impact, but mostly people spend a lot of money to get the job done right. still, i listen to everyone. why not? do i know everything? i’m tired of the juvenile brown-nosing that goes on in the webcomic fanworld. it’s not helping anyone. do we love xylia? heck yeah. would we love to see barb making more money, like scott of dreamland fame? HELLS YEAH. it’s that simple. there’s a real clear path to success, but sadly, it’s the road less traveled. bc it’s so much easier to drown in the chorus of the fangirls and fanboys who are truly doing their heroes a disservice. buck up, young fangirls and fanboys! even if barb has a weakness or two, you can still love her story and admire her talent. but if you want her to get even better, offer some criticism up on your own from time to time. you are capable of critical analysis. repeat that last sentence aloud to yourself a few times. i know it’s condescending that i say that, but do it: “i am capable of critical analysis.” i just think you’re all smarter than this. it’s great that you support barb – you’re all big giant sweethearts (like mike lynch – the one thing i like about him – obvious big sweetheart – the whine in his voice will never sell a record though – he needs a voice instructor like i need to get to the gym). but one-up that. with love, help the creators you love get better, if you can. i believe in you – i think you can.

alexds1, please ignore the above. your post was thoughtful, considerate and spot-on. but then, your comic is pretty good so you’ve obviously been through this yourself. found the meek recently through what birds know. look forward to your story developing further. one tool i think is great is the side story; if you haven’t done so, check out nigel’s opus – linked to in the top nav bar on this page. i wish more comic creators would write some prose like this – it really helps us develop a connection with the characters.

]]> By: Sarfitb http://www.xyliatales.com/03152010/#comment-2502 Sarfitb Wed, 17 Mar 2010 14:24:25 +0000 http://xyliatales.com/03152010/#comment-2502 Barb, don't sweat it too much. I know how you feel ( that insane urge to shred and delete, to start all over, to give up and never try again) but just because some people don't like us or our stuff does not mean we are worthless! If we try to hold out for universal popularity we are gonna be in for an awfully long wait! Don't give up! We like you and Xyliatales, otherwise we wouldn't be haunting your doorstep regularly for more updates. ^.^ Barb, don’t sweat it too much. I know how you feel ( that insane urge to shred and delete, to start all over, to give up and never try again) but just because some people don’t like us or our stuff does not mean we are worthless! If we try to hold out for universal popularity we are gonna be in for an awfully long wait! Don’t give up! We like you and Xyliatales, otherwise we wouldn’t be haunting your doorstep regularly for more updates. ^.^

]]> By: HenrikeD http://www.xyliatales.com/03152010/#comment-2501 HenrikeD Wed, 17 Mar 2010 14:11:47 +0000 http://xyliatales.com/03152010/#comment-2501 Hey Barb, I can understand that this review came in hard because it`s a very negative (and in my opinion rude) one. I personally don`t like reviews that are written like this and you are not weak for finding this hard to deal with, because it`s your art and in a way that is part of who you are. If I would receive a critique or review like this one I`d want to throw my pencils away and curl up in a ball in the corner of my room because the review is harsh, very harsh. And you care for the story, you care for your characters, you have put your time and effort into it and some guy just burns it down in an article. The thing is...it`s just an opinion. And yes, some people are going to agree with him and others, like us, don`t, it`s a matter of `taste.` But just because the guy does reviews on the web doesn`t mean his word is law. Personally I think that he doesn`t like it because he prefers it brought in a different way. I get the feeling that he doesn`t like slow paced comics, or mushy romance at all, but there are audiences that actually LIKE that, no matter how hard other people may find it to believe. I`ve looked around his site to what kind of reviews he usually does and overall the things he labels as negative are the things that I like in stories. And the ones that I liked (and there are even some of my absolute favourites in there) from what he did got the least stars. Does that mean I have a weird interest comics? No, it means that he and I are different. There are people who`ll agree with him, they were there all along but came and just left again because they didn`t like it and that`s fine, you can`t please everyone. You can`t like all comics that are roaming on the web. But the people who read this story and like it, they`ll come back and that is the audience you`re doing it for. We believe in the story, we come back every week for it. And you write and draw for us, right? :) I agree with Der-shing/Alexds1 here, take what you agree with to improve and make the story (even) better, if you already feared (I thought I read this in the blog) some of these were the weak points in the story then try to improve them. (you said so yourself: you were fairly new in writing when you started out, so you can`t expect it to be flawless) And then let it rest and don`t let it take you off of your goal you have for this comic, don`t change things you don`t want or give up because one person says so. YOU are writing this, and YOU decide how the story goes. There`s always someone who likes it the way you wrote it. :) One more quote and then I`ll sut up :D : `And he is right- in our cynical, dark, electronic high speed world, is there really a place for old fashioned silly romance?` Oh yeah sure as heck there is!! What makes him right?? I don`t agree, AT ALL! Romance and love and loyalty is what this world needs, even if it`s mushy (which I like) lol. We have enough darkness and cynicism already, I think people love this story because there`s hope in it of unconditional love and triumphing over evil. Try to focus on the love for your comic Barb. :) *lots of hugs for you* Hey Barb,

I can understand that this review came in hard because it`s a very negative (and in my opinion rude) one. I personally don`t like reviews that are written like this and you are not weak for finding this hard to deal with, because it`s your art and in a way that is part of who you are. If I would receive a critique or review like this one I`d want to throw my pencils away and curl up in a ball in the corner of my room because the review is harsh, very harsh. And you care for the story, you care for your characters, you have put your time and effort into it and some guy just burns it down in an article. The thing is…it`s just an opinion. And yes, some people are going to agree with him and others, like us, don`t, it`s a matter of `taste.` But just because the guy does reviews on the web doesn`t mean his word is law. Personally I think that he doesn`t like it because he prefers it brought in a different way. I get the feeling that he doesn`t like slow paced comics, or mushy romance at all, but there are audiences that actually LIKE that, no matter how hard other people may find it to believe.
I`ve looked around his site to what kind of reviews he usually does and overall the things he labels as negative are the things that I like in stories. And the ones that I liked (and there are even some of my absolute favourites in there) from what he did got the least stars. Does that mean I have a weird interest comics? No, it means that he and I are different. There are people who`ll agree with him, they were there all along but came and just left again because they didn`t like it and that`s fine, you can`t please everyone. You can`t like all comics that are roaming on the web. But the people who read this story and like it, they`ll come back and that is the audience you`re doing it for. We believe in the story, we come back every week for it. And you write and draw for us, right? :)

I agree with Der-shing/Alexds1 here, take what you agree with to improve and make the story (even) better, if you already feared (I thought I read this in the blog) some of these were the weak points in the story then try to improve them. (you said so yourself: you were fairly new in writing when you started out, so you can`t expect it to be flawless) And then let it rest and don`t let it take you off of your goal you have for this comic, don`t change things you don`t want or give up because one person says so. YOU are writing this, and YOU decide how the story goes. There`s always someone who likes it the way you wrote it. :)

One more quote and then I`ll sut up :D : `And he is right- in our cynical, dark, electronic high speed world, is there really a place for old fashioned silly romance?`
Oh yeah sure as heck there is!! What makes him right?? I don`t agree, AT ALL! Romance and love and loyalty is what this world needs, even if it`s mushy (which I like) lol. We have enough darkness and cynicism already, I think people love this story because there`s hope in it of unconditional love and triumphing over evil.

Try to focus on the love for your comic Barb. :) *lots of hugs for you*

]]> By: Erin http://www.xyliatales.com/03152010/#comment-2500 Erin Wed, 17 Mar 2010 13:59:48 +0000 http://xyliatales.com/03152010/#comment-2500 Just so you know, it's OK TO HAVE SOME SAP! I think we forget that there IS something magical about forever loves and destiny, beyond fae and the supernatural. If it seems like it's all been done it's because you're hitting on the true desire of our fantasies - that love is eternal and unbending, unyielding, that good overcomes evil, that evil is an action, not a person and that people can transform to better themselves. If you've ever seen Secondhand Lions, remember the speach that's given on "how to be a man". If someone is bored by that, they're missing out on the greater parts of human existance. I have learned over the past 10 years that it is necessary to believe in love stories. And that they can come true (I'm in one). Thank you for writing/drawing this one for us to immerse ourselves in. Your stories are as good as melted dark chocolate and a good wine. The plot is comfortably paced, and while not the most complex out there, it draws you in with it's softness. Plus there have been a few quirks here and there that make me think, "hmm - I would have never come up with that!" The drawings are fantastic and constant in their high quality - very important! Most of all, it allows all of us to commune over the heartfelt belief that there is magic in the world; there is good in the world. Just so you know, it’s OK TO HAVE SOME SAP! I think we forget that there IS something magical about forever loves and destiny, beyond fae and the supernatural. If it seems like it’s all been done it’s because you’re hitting on the true desire of our fantasies – that love is eternal and unbending, unyielding, that good overcomes evil, that evil is an action, not a person and that people can transform to better themselves. If you’ve ever seen Secondhand Lions, remember the speach that’s given on “how to be a man”. If someone is bored by that, they’re missing out on the greater parts of human existance.

I have learned over the past 10 years that it is necessary to believe in love stories. And that they can come true (I’m in one). Thank you for writing/drawing this one for us to immerse ourselves in. Your stories are as good as melted dark chocolate and a good wine. The plot is comfortably paced, and while not the most complex out there, it draws you in with it’s softness. Plus there have been a few quirks here and there that make me think, “hmm – I would have never come up with that!” The drawings are fantastic and constant in their high quality – very important! Most of all, it allows all of us to commune over the heartfelt belief that there is magic in the world; there is good in the world.

]]> By: Iokheaira http://www.xyliatales.com/03152010/#comment-2499 Iokheaira Wed, 17 Mar 2010 10:55:42 +0000 http://xyliatales.com/03152010/#comment-2499 Do you know how hard it is to find decent fluffy romance? Cursed difficult, is what it is. *grumbles* In any case, I've seen and read fluffier romance, and there are not many comics of any kind as beautifully drawn as this one. Critics such as this one are a pet peeve of mine, anyway - they seem to suffer from a delusion that there is one single standard of Art that everybody must aspire to, and anything that doesn't match their idea of Art must be trash. While in reality, there are unimaginably many visions of Art and in addition to that, equally many styles of good entertainment, all of which have value. Not to say that all results of human creativity are equal, just that it's stupid to think that something isn't good if you personally don't like it. Do you know how hard it is to find decent fluffy romance? Cursed difficult, is what it is. *grumbles* In any case, I’ve seen and read fluffier romance, and there are not many comics of any kind as beautifully drawn as this one.

Critics such as this one are a pet peeve of mine, anyway – they seem to suffer from a delusion that there is one single standard of Art that everybody must aspire to, and anything that doesn’t match their idea of Art must be trash. While in reality, there are unimaginably many visions of Art and in addition to that, equally many styles of good entertainment, all of which have value. Not to say that all results of human creativity are equal, just that it’s stupid to think that something isn’t good if you personally don’t like it.

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