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Janet, it's the same principle at play as when you choose a car you like ...and suddenly you start noticing them all over the road. You learn just enough about something to suddenly take notice. It takes a while to adjust too. You may never stop seeing the flaws, but sooner or later you'll learn to adjust your perception enough to read past them for enjoyment sake.

That's not a bad thing if you are still in the drafting phase. Discipline can kick into high gear once the drafting is done and the rewrites begin

Congrats, it was a good one!

Wow...very cool list   And your wife is in very good company--it's the highest selling genre on the planet.

I chose LL because it was my sister's name and she never got to finish my first novel. But now that I know it's also Supergirl's secret identity, I love it even more!

If there's an inline button at the top, I'm not seeing it. I just went and checked.   And no, it's not a gigantic issue to scroll, but I'm noticing on full novel reviews, it does become an irritation.  I even tried using the small "next" button hoping it would keep me in IN-line mode for the next chapter and no joy.

Having the button at the top or bottom will not effect anyone who is still deciding if they want to review something. But it would make it tons more efficient for those who go into a next chapter already knowing they're going to review it.

Dill, I never disagreed with my husband, I found a way to reconcile it is all. I didn't care if my work was compared to others. Most of the time the comparison would be a good thing. In the literary world, comparisons, particularly of those you admire, are a much sought after thing. Complimentary comparisons are the gold standard for authors tout to the hilt in terms of marketing.

I've never set out to write like authors I admire, or write music like artists I covet, but I do endeavor to evoke a similar feeling. It's that wonderful sense of soul satisfaction when something you've read, or listened to strikes a chord within you. If I can feel that way about one of my own finished works, it's a success, regardless of what others have to say. Selfish? Probably, but it's my most powerful motivator. I'll work tirelessly to come away feeling something genuine--and if I don't, it gets scrapped or reworked until I do.

All that said, [ahem vern], I'm also not opposed to dipping my nib in the formula ring. I've written several romantic leaning novels which are not only highly formulaic, they're quite limiting in terms of attaining selfish satisfaction. Yet, I'm no less proud to have completed them. Mainly because I found writing in a strict formula framework to be as challenging to pull off well as pantsing can be. In some ways I'm even more proud of those novels because not only did I find the challenge fun, I came away feeling humbled by how difficult disciplined writing can be.

It's a parallel analogy.  Here, I'll change for you...

My husband has dragged his feet for 30 years about getting involved in writing as a creative process. He believes "there are no true original works because all they've all been done before." My simple side of the argument was always; so what?

I believe....
There are an infinite combination of words & scenarios as there are dimensions to feelings, moods, and passions. And while we may in fact dutifully give a nod to those who have inspired us, originality is rooted in the self--and there isn't another person, ever, in the entire universe, who is exactly like you (I.E. they will never create a work exactly like yours unless plagiarizing).

Better?

The pure fiction argument has been going on in my house for decades. My husband has dragged his feet for 30 years about getting involved in the songwriting process because he believes "there are no true original songs because all the chords have been played a million times over". My simple side of the argument was always; so what?

There are an infinite combination of chords and progressions as there are dimensions to feelings, moods, and passions. And while we may in fact dutifully give a nod to those who have inspired us, originality is rooted in the self--and there isn't another person, ever, in the entire universe, who is exactly like you.

....aaaaand Corra moves in for the Dill smack down....Yay! It's starting to feel like home again (except I miss the old names)

Methinks you're parsing now, Dill.  But yes, I agree with the overall point you are making. Different doesn't equate to bad, it's just different.

I responded because this subject fascinates me. Not just as a novelist, but also as a songwriter. I've spent the last year digging into research a because my band is in the midst of writing their next album. As the primary lyricist, I wanted to try to figure out the mechanics behind why some songs grab when others don't. I didn't find a single answer--I found many. What most of them had in common was the universal appeal factor; something the listener can easily grab a hold of. For lyrics it's being able to relate. For beat, it's uncomplicated. 

That research opened my eyes to how I approach writing in general. I've noticed my novels have become a lot less complicated and I place a lot more emphasis on universal themes. Does that make them better? Probably not. I still have a lot to learn. But I can see the difference and I like it.

I think I see the point Dill is trying to make--but he could have framed it a bit less abrasively. I think Dill is trying to make the point that non-fiction is more authentically emotional because it has firm roots in reality. However, I also think he's woefully missing the point that fiction has roots in reality too. One of the first basic principles of successful fictional storytelling is to give the reader something they can relate to, sympathize with, or champion. You can't do that without drawing from reality. And just because those facets are framed in a fictional telling, doesn't make them any less authentic. If you succeed in immersing the reader to the point of investing, their emotional response (whatever it is) is genuine.

Janet, I too have had emotional reactions to things I've written. It happens most when I return to re-read a difficult passage after having stepped away for a while. But it has also occurred during the writing. Usually because whatever I've just written hits a little too close to home. It's natural. We're human.

Thank you Randy!