Compliments and Complexity
I am not a nuance person. I’ve learned to play one in public, but subtlety does not now and never has come naturally. I have no talent for moderation. My reactions are all or nothing.
This means just don’t get expressing polite social interest in things to “make someone feel good.” I’ve been told this trait, like my native inability to intuit emotions from facial expressions (or, heck, recognize faces at all) is one of the more telling signs of autism. Take that for what it’s worth.
One practical effect is that I’m fairly resistant to flattery. That’s a good thing.
Being allergic to polite compliments is a less enjoyable facet of the same trait. I have too much experience watching people say nice things to someone’s face only to share to me later that they don’t really believe what they said. So when the vague social compliments come out, believe me when I say I don’t believe them.
I don’t need anyone to tell me I’m a good writer. I actively do not want to be told I wrote a good book. (or two. Or seven, now.)
What makes me happy is when people have specifics to share. Have a favorite character? Loved the language of a particular scene?