So while I'm uncomfortable with your criterion of when I like the author in question, not just as an author, but as a person - because how can we *know* a person on LJ??? And, secondly, it raises all my hackles about the high value of socializing versus fic-quality - I do understand where you're coming from.

I'm going to agree with you here. tkp, you nail a lot about the concrit/author relationship. I tend to give concrit in the same way, or at least I attempt to. The problem is, always, how much is an author really interested in, if you don't know them. So, being familiar with the author helps lots. However, as a writer who doesn't have a wide audience and doesn't recieve a lot of feedback, concrit or otherwise, this then leaves me to beg the question: Do I write bad!fic? If I don't get feedback, and I stated this once before in a comment in chrisleeoctaves journal, does that mean that I'm such a poor writer that there just aren't many people who are willing to put up the time and energy to leave feedback, particularly concrit. How do I know?

For me feedback and concrit are the same thing. You've got to give the bad with the good. Of course there are moments when I am overwhelmed with the squee and don't leave the less shiny moments, but in general I do try to be thoughtful.

Now, so I don't sound like a complete ass every time this discussion pops up (please don't tell me it's too late for that), I think I'm going to declare myself confused and retire from the concrit debate. It's so subjective I just can't quite get a grasp on it.