How do you tell a friend and a co-worker that their short story is completely awful?

Question

Today I read a story that a co-worker wanted me to review. It was the biggest load of absolute crap I have ever read. It was titled "Rapist-Lover", it's about a woman that is repeatly raped by a stranger, a "gentleman of sorts" then she falls in love with him and she starts waiting for him and then she figures out it is a very shy guy she works with and they fall in love. I felt like tossing it right in the garbage and calling him a "a--hole", no I said "It needs some work" and told him I was busy and would get back with him next week.

Answer 1

You did the right thing by keeping it short. Don't get back to him next week. If he asks you about it, you have a couple of choices. You can tell him the subject was offensive to you and that he shouldn't quit his day job. Or, if you don't want to be that blunt just say he needs to make the structure less choppy, the dialogue more realistic, and the plot line more plausible. Don't agree to read any more of his work. Actually, it's quite insulting for someone to give you a story like that, particularly since you work together. If he presses you to read more of his "work" or to give you more detail about the horrible story you described, tell him to get "Writer's Digest" and find himself an agent, because professionals are paid to give this kind of feedback. I would give him a wide berth -- he sounds like a weirdo.