How do you deal with reader feedback?

[ElectricBlue]

I have to say that the anonymous comments really got me the first time around. Seeing the amount of moderation and time for posting, I expected too much of anon comment moderation.

Anon comments aren't moderated when they're posted. The site scans for spam and links in comments, and every now and then it would appear that there's be a "hate speech" scan, but that's after the event.

The site has given authors the ability to moderate comments.

Once I figured out you could turn that off (thanks unknown moderator/editor/email responder person), I came back much happier.

I like comments from those willing to create an account. While it doesn't stop the really stupid comments, it certainly limits many of the just plain shitty ones.

Some of the most intelligent comments are from anon. Just because they're anon, doesn't automatically mean they're stupid comments.

I certainly appreciate everyone that takes the time to write something about my works. Good, bad, or ugly, it may give me pause for reflection. Does it mean it's going to be done their way? Unlikely. Is it going to fork one of my stories? Perhaps.

I do miss some of the anon comments but on the whole it's better without it. I can't really think of any major forums that have anon commentary enabled so it's an odd feature here.

I wouldn't stop anon comments, ever. The site allows you to cope with them yourself, that's all that is needed.

 

[talemestories]

Anon comments aren't moderated when they're posted. The site scans for spam and links in comments, and every now and then it would appear that there's be a "hate speech" scan, but that's after the event.

The site has given authors the ability to moderate comments.

Some of the most intelligent comments are from anon. Just because they're anon, doesn't automatically mean they're stupid comments.

I wouldn't stop anon comments, ever. The site allows you to cope with them yourself, that's all that is needed.

We differ on anon comments for sure. I was under the (mis)assumption that because they weren't posted right away that there was some moderation. Live and learn, right? Completely my fault on that as I should have RTFM about Literotica.

While I liked some of the anon comments, most were wasted characters. I never said they were all stupid and I am sure I am missing out on some useful and insightful things but I will certainly use the 'no anon comments' as a good way to deal with spam and general shitty behaviour.

Might be interesting to see this forum as an non-moderated, anon posting paradise ...

Thanks for your thoughts.

 

[Voboy]

Yeah, I never assume the "anon" is a terrible person nor a thoughtless reader. I read stories here for fifteen years and I never once created an account. I had a lot of very thoughtful reactions to a number of the stories I read, and if I'd known I could have posted anon comments I would have. I like to think they'd have been useful.

There are a dozen and one defensible reasons why good, amazing readers won't want to create an account on Literotica. Shutting them out seems arbitrary, to me.

 

[Five_Inch_Heels]

I've considered making a couple of comments on stories recently that would probably be better as Anons.

 

[Rob_Royale]

Inspiration is where you find it. If it's in the form of a readers suggestion, why the fuck not, if the ending in your brain is still 'fluid'? In my recent incest series, a reader suggested the mom get involved, after I simply mentioned the MMCs mom in passing. She wasn't even a character yet. I hadn't done momcest yet and thought I might be ready, so I gave it a go.

But, if the story is set in my mind, the ending firm, I don't let readers comments sway me.

 

[talemestories]

Inspiration is where you find it. If it's in the form of a readers suggestion, why the fuck not, if the ending in your brain is still 'fluid'? In my recent incest series, a reader suggested the mom get involved, after I simply mentioned the MMCs mom in passing. She wasn't even a character yet. I hadn't done momcest yet and thought I might be ready, so I gave it a go.

But, if the story is set in my mind, the ending firm, I don't let readers comments sway me.

Unless it is already written, I enjoy the fluidity or forking of stories immensely. Nothing like some new ideas to apply your own concepts to in writing a story. Instead of 'fuck that' it's more a 'fuck, yeah' in many cases.

 

[harmonicks]

Personally I read all feedback with an open mind.

Sometimes people are critical about aspects of my writing or the story, but on reflection they make a good point and I try and use it to improve what I write in the future - there have been a few complaints in comments which have improved my writing in my opinion. Other times they pick up on aspects which I feel are a creative decision I took consciously and will stand by (for example writing in omniscient third person rather than first person) and so I'll ignore it.

Generally if people are suggesting the story head in a specific direction I would ignore it - generally when I start a story I already have a rough framework for where it's ending up, and I don't see myself ever rewriting that based on what a random comment requests unless the idea really captivates me. Ultimately I write based on what I find interesting and titillating, with the hope that other people out there feel the same way, rather than trying to cater to an audience by including specific tastes I don't share. On a similar vein, I get people frequently requesting a sequel to a story that I wrote as a fully self-contained piece. I'll take the compliment but if I've got no interest in writing a follow-up story then the comments are unlikely to make it happen.

 

[DeMont]

Hi all!

I'm very new here and still trying to figure out how this community works and what I want to get from writing stories.

I'm very interested in how more seasoned writers deal with reader feedback. Specifically, I received some comments on my stories with what readers expect to happen next and it wasn't where I saw the story going. It's not necessarily a bad direction, just one I hadn't thought of.

So my question is, how do you guys deal with this? Do you incorporate the feedback in the continuation of the story, give the public what they want? Or do you stick to your initial vision?

I'm not necessarily looking for advice, just curious what you did.

Thanks,
A.

Hey there IWDBTWY,
I have learned, from being in writer's groups, editor's circles, competition judging and so forth that the feedback you will receive will depend greatly on the reader. Invariably there will be those who (for one reason or another) love your work, style and story - alternatively there may well be an equal number who do not. In fact, the second comment on my first story here was a curt, "WTF?"

How do you respond to that, well, you can't. To that one reader the context, content, intent and delivery of my story was completely lost. I can't do anything about that so what I do is regard each and every comment, like, and reader who adds my story to their favourites list as a "notch in the ol' gunbelt" and move on.

Remember, "You can please some of the people all the time, you can please all of the people some of the time but you can't please all of the people all of the time."
Be cool, just do your own thing.

Deepest respects,
D.

 

[TheDok]

Hi all!

I'm very new here and still trying to figure out how this community works and what I want to get from writing stories.

I'm very interested in how more seasoned writers deal with reader feedback. Specifically, I received some comments on my stories with what readers expect to happen next and it wasn't where I saw the story going. It's not necessarily a bad direction, just one I hadn't thought of.

So my question is, how do you guys deal with this? Do you incorporate the feedback in the continuation of the story, give the public what they want? Or do you stick to your initial vision?

I'm not necessarily looking for advice, just curious what you did.

Thanks,
A.

Remember, It's your story, not theirs. If you invited a stranger to your home to eat for free, and he started to make suggestions about how to cook the meal you'd be pissed because that's rude unless, of course, he was Gordon Ramsey on a good day and trying to help. Most of the suggestions you get will be from people who cant write and want you to write their fantasy for free, and when I write, it's my fantasy, not theirs. My advice, unless it's politely put, constructive and points you in a direction you want to go. ignore it.

 

[OddLove]

LONG RESPONSE TRIGGER WARNING

I experienced a similar thing on my ongoing story.

During the last episode of the story my solution was to turn off anonymous feedback, which helped drastically reduce the amount of 'Do this, Stop That' comments. And the one person who was still willing to leave an entitled comment telling me how to change my characters personalities, motives, and values, well... I was able to actually check their profile and see they had zero stories published. Which made it much easier to laugh it off and simple delete the comment.

And now that I found out we can delete comments on our stories, I'm turning anonymous feedback on again for future episodes to the story so people without Lit accounts can still give valuable or fun feedback if they want to.

How I deal with it. I had to reflect and put things in perspective, and find my own solution.

Perspective:

Backseat Writers will make demands like 'Change This' and 'Stop That' which is entitled and obnoxious.

But the 'Wishlist' commenters enjoy the story and/or characters, and they like sharing ideas that are true to the characters and stories, rather then change the direction.

The Wishlist feedback is extremely valuable.

The backseat writing is worthless.

They should be treated as such.

Also there's nothing virtuous or noble about letting entitled and obnoxious 'feedback' live under our stories on here, so if you want to delete comments because they're worthless, rude, annoying, entitled, etc, then that's your choice. People running Lit gave us those options for a reason.

My solution:

Delete worthless feedback and ignore anyone who tries telling me my solution is wrong, unfair, or immature.

 

[TheWritingGroup]

I'm seeing a few people say that opinions only matter if they come from fellow authors.

I ... do not feel that way. I'm not writing just for authors. Honest reactions (including negative ones) from anyone in my audience matter to me. I might not take advice from a non-author, but I want to know that she didn't feel the attraction between Betty-Ann and Kris made sense.

--Annie

 

[Ian_Snow]

Take what I can use, ignore the rest. Having the grace to learn my mistakes took some kicking in the teeth, but now it's easier for me to parse the useful criticism from the negative dreck.

 

[TheDok]

LONG RESPONSE TRIGGER WARNING

I experienced a similar thing on my ongoing story.

During the last episode of the story my solution was to turn off anonymous feedback, which helped drastically reduce the amount of 'Do this, Stop That' comments. And the one person who was still willing to leave an entitled comment telling me how to change my characters personalities, motives, and values, well... I was able to actually check their profile and see they had zero stories published. Which made it much easier to laugh it off and simple delete the comment.

And now that I found out we can delete comments on our stories, I'm turning anonymous feedback on again for future episodes to the story so people without Lit accounts can still give valuable or fun feedback if they want to.

How I deal with it. I had to reflect and put things in perspective, and find my own solution.

Perspective:

Backseat Writers will make demands like 'Change This' and 'Stop That' which is entitled and obnoxious.

But the 'Wishlist' commenters enjoy the story and/or characters, and they like sharing ideas that are true to the characters and stories, rather then change the direction.

The Wishlist feedback is extremely valuable.

The backseat writing is worthless.

They should be treated as such.

Also there's nothing virtuous or noble about letting entitled and obnoxious 'feedback' live under our stories on here, so if you want to delete comments because they're worthless, rude, annoying, entitled, etc, then that's your choice. People running Lit gave us those options for a reason.

My solution:

Delete worthless feedback and ignore anyone who tries telling me my solution is wrong, unfair, or immature.

I agree with your comment almost entirely, apart from deleting worthless comments. When I [published first, nasty comments about my characters and demands on how to write got to me, and I deleted some, Now. I don't care and leave them as a record of what some rude, self-entitled idiot has said. Hopefully, later, he/she will understand what a stupid wanker they have been, and for that reason I prefer worthless arrogant input when it comes with a monicker because these folks are so wrapped up in telling you what you should do, they are making even greater fools fof themselves in "public" Comments by the back seat drivers are often badly written because they are incapable of writing their own fantasy and think you should do it for them

 

[FrancesScott]

I received reader feedback about my short story, Ice Cream, along the lines of “Big words make cock shrink, ug!”

My totally adult way of dealing with this was to write a 750 word story consisting entirely of monosyllables.

 

[TheDok]

I received reader feedback about my short story, Ice Cream, along the lines of “Big words make cock shrink, ug!”

My totally adult way of dealing with this was to write a 750 word story consisting entirely of monosyllables.

Not erotic I know, but when I was at boarding school, some imaginative teacher instructed me to write an essay as punishment, entitled "Day in the Life of a Bumblebee." I wrote Bzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz ....... for three pages. I cannot remember the teachers name but remenber his response very well - Six of the best with the cane on the bare.

 

[FrancesScott]

Not erotic I know, but when I was at boarding school, some imaginative teacher instructed me to write an essay as punishment, entitled "Day in the Life of a Bumblebee." I wrote Bzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz ....... for three pages. I cannot remember the teachers name but remenber his response very well - Six of the best with the cane on the bare.

My schools weren’t quite like that!

 

[ShelbyDawn57]

Hi all!

I'm very new here and still trying to figure out how this community works and what I want to get from writing stories.

I'm very interested in how more seasoned writers deal with reader feedback. Specifically, I received some comments on my stories with what readers expect to happen next and it wasn't where I saw the story going. It's not necessarily a bad direction, just one I hadn't thought of.

So my question is, how do you guys deal with this? Do you incorporate the feedback in the continuation of the story, give the public what they want? Or do you stick to your initial vision?

I'm not necessarily looking for advice, just curious what you did.

Thanks,
A.

Mostly, I'll consider their input and, if it matches, I might use it. With my Amber's Ambush series, I took a different route and after the first chapter, the story has been completely driven by user requests. It's an interesting challenge to try and combine sometimes conflicting ideas, but that makes it fun.

 

[iwatchus]

was thinking about this and remembering the comments on my lone LW story, which far outnumber what I got on any other story. It is still my most viewed story, although is hopefully about to be eclipsed by this weekend.

Anyway, despite the terrible reputation LW has, most of the criticism I got was constructive. Most of the complaining was about two plot points that broke their suspension of disbelief. Although this chronologically my 25th story published, that was because it was submitted for an event. It was actually my eighth or ninth story written (I forget when I actually wrote it) I was surprised by readers picking holes in what was designed to be a fluff plot. It was meant as a fun set up of the (non-sexual) climax of the story. I have worried more about the details since then. Even on a few other fluff plots that I have written.

 

[MillieDynamite]

You're under no obligation to take their suggestion and act on it. You also don't have to ignore it if they happen to give you a golden nugget to use.

 

[MissEmmEss]

I love love love when people leave a comment on my stories. Under my previous profile, I did get some rude ones, but overall people are really supportive and nice on here. I even had another reader defend my story from the jerk. I'm trying to be better about leaving comments myself, since I know how much I appreciate them.

 

[Five_Inch_Heels]

I got one that simply said 'Too dumb.'











I haven't figured out if they meant the story or me.

 

[MissEmmEss]

I got one that simply said 'Too dumb.'











I haven't figured out if they meant the story or me.

What a jerk.

 

[MissEmmEss]

was thinking about this and remembering the comments on my lone LW story, which far outnumber what I got on any other story. It is still my most viewed story, although is hopefully about to be eclipsed by this weekend.

Anyway, despite the terrible reputation LW has, most of the criticism I got was constructive. Most of the complaining was about two plot points that broke their suspension of disbelief. Although this chronologically my 25th story published, that was because it was submitted for an event. It was actually my eighth or ninth story written (I forget when I actually wrote it) I was surprised by readers picking holes in what was designed to be a fluff plot. It was meant as a fun set up of the (non-sexual) climax of the story. I have worried more about the details since then. Even on a few other fluff plots that I have written.

People can get pretty heavily invested. That's a sign that you really grabbed them and sucked them in!

 

[SmilingLez]

Coming into this discussion as a poet, my first story was published today, comments are different. Perhaps it's my writing style (not the expected short story format), perhaps it's the difference between poetry/prose and short stories. The wording of the comments are different. I do believe readers expect to be stroked by a good story vs a good poem/prose (even though both are erotica), so their comments reflect that. YMMV

 

[Five_Inch_Heels]

What a jerk.

Them?



Or me?