Writing for the approbation of other authors

[THBGato]

People in this forum-and any other one-have people they like, and people they don't. They'll go out of their way to fawn and back slap and gush over a story from someone they like. If its someone they don't, odds are they won't read at all. Same for if they're jealous of someone for some reason, or maybe that person has never had an issue with them, but did you see what they said to so and so?

Maybe if/when I've been around as long as you I'll be this cynical. (Don't plan to be.) But I also think this varies depending on how catholic your tastes are.

I only read Lesbian stories. So as much as I might appreciate posts here by, say, @AG31 or @AwkwardlySet , until they write a lesbian story, I'm not going to read their work.

In contrast, I became "friendly" with, say, @redgarters and @Areala-chan because I admire their writing. In which case, you have the horse before the cart.

I also wonder how many of us keep track of who said what to whom in thread X and slagged off Y in thread Z. Especially with new people popping up all the time.

"I did yours now you do mine"

Yeah, I confess to feeling/hoping for that a little when I started, especially when I had writers messaging me directly asking me to read and comment on their work who then didn't reciprocate. (This was probably due to my experience in the DIY music scene back in the 00s, when 50% of the audience for any gig were other musicians and promoters. That was a really supportive community, and it didn't matter your style of music, people showed up.) Now, I don't expect it, but it's nice when it happens.

 

[AwkwardlySet]

The feedback from other authors, especially those who frequent AH, is often given with the intent of being supportive and courteous rather than honest.

There is also more than a little fluffing going around between certain authors here. That's understandable, but it's often being overdone to the point of becoming eye-rolling.

There is obviously more weight in the opinion of a peer, but for the reasons I mentioned, it's hard to accept such feedback on its face value.
When readers try to fluff me and encourage me to write, then at least I know they are doing it because they liked what I wrote rather than expecting a backslap in return.

Then again, if you know for sure that the feedback you received from a peer is genuine, such feedback should be cherished. Such feedback should always contain constructive criticism rather than pure praise, as no author is a flawless genius.

 

[AwkwardlySet]

Maybe if/when I've been around as long as you I'll be this cynical. (Don't plan to be.) But I also think this varies depending on how catholic your tastes are.

I only read Lesbian stories. So as much as I might appreciate posts here by, say, @AG31 or @AwkwardlySet , until they write a lesbian story, I'm not going to read their work.

Hey! There is more lesbian content in my stories than anything else. There's even one purely lesbian series. It's just that it's all D/s themed... and unfinished.

 

[iwatchus]

I appreciate comments from other authors particularly for a few reasons.

A few people have mentioned the obvious one -- they understand what goes into creating the story. This represents, at least to some extent, a shared background. I think all readers, authors or not, want to feel some sort of shared existence with the writer as well as the characters and the world of your creation. But sometimes those shared existences can be from an odd perspective, as far as the author is concerned. I had an uncomfortable comment on an older story yesterday. I do not want to kink shame, so I will not mention the story. But this reader clearly has a strong affinity to a particular kink I do not share. He wanted to explain to me how happy I would be if I combined aspects of the story with his particular kink. In real life. Um No.

Other authors can provide a different kind of constructive criticism than non-authors, remembering, of course, that some of our readers may be authors elsewhere. I would like to think this is why I appreciate comments from other authors. And, while I do appreciate the feedback and do take their suggestions very seriously, I cannot say in all honesty that is what makes me happiest about these comments.

I think the biggest factor for me is actually the sense of being part of this community that the comments reinforces. If a litE author that I respect but is not active on the forum left me a note (although most of my favorite authors are here and active), I would be flattered, probably mores than when one of you leave me a comment. At least if it was a nice comment. But I think it makes me happier to have part of the AH community leave me a comment.

 

[Cagivagurl]

I saw a comment elsewhere that some writers (me included) put greater weight on feedback from other authors than general readers. Contrawise some other writers say they care more about what their readers think than other writers.

I wondered about your motivations. For me, I’m much happier if a writer I respect pays me a compliment, than if it is a non-writer, or a writer whose work I am unfamiliar with does the same.

Does that mean I’m writing for other writers? How about you?

If I receive a compliment about anything, from somebody that's more talented than me... It means more than a random person I don't know, offering a similar complement.
If I get a nice comment from a favoured author, then it carries more weight... That is absolutely true... Speaking for myself... The respect of your peers is valuable...
I get it, ego... Pride... They exist in all of us...

So, to answer your question...
Yes....

 

[FrancesScott]

I think, while of course some people commenting with non-author profiles, or anonymously, may well be Dostoevsky’s ghost inhabiting a new body, it’s pretty clear from how some comments are written that writing isn’t a core competency. If, on the other hand, the comment is from someone who you know is not just a writer, but an excellent wordsmith, then that adds weight IMO.

It’s probably sexist of me to say, but I particularly appreciate positive feedback from women authors, it’s most likely there are no (or at least less) other undercurrents to such comments. That’s not shade on the many lovely male authors here, just experiential reality.

 

[Milo9012]

I don't think there's anything wrong with that, if it's the approach you take. I don't. I care more about my readers than about what other authors think. I DO appreciate getting a positive comment from a fellow author, but I care more about my relationship with my readers and making them happy, even though I don't actually know them at all.

A critical comment from a fellow author can be a positive thing if it points out something that, if tweaked, can make the story 'better'.

 

[Erozetta]

Honesty. Whoever tells me where I can improve and does so honestly gets the most respect from me.

BenLong, NecessaryDeviance, and Altissimus currently top that list for me as far as authors. Otherwise it's been members like Comentarista and StacNash (touchy subject, I know, but she laid out some legit places I can improve and I do appreciate that even if I don't agree with the methodology of her reviews.)

 

[EmilyMiller]

I think if you ever leave your "improve your writing" phase you should stop being a writer, or an artist of any kind.

I agree. I think - to clarify - it’s like with any new thing, you can often make great strides at first. After you reach a certain level of competence, incremental progress becomes harder. It takes more effort to improve. I don’t think I have reached that inflection point as yet.

 

[Milo9012]

Maybe if/when I've been around as long as you I'll be this cynical. (Don't plan to be.) But I also think this varies depending on how catholic your tastes are.

I only read Lesbian stories. So as much as I might appreciate posts here by, say, @AG31 or @AwkwardlySet , until they write a lesbian story, I'm not going to read their work.

In contrast, I became "friendly" with, say, @redgarters and @Areala-chan because I admire their writing. In which case, you have the horse before the cart.

I also wonder how many of us keep track of who said what to whom in thread X and slagged off Y in thread Z. Especially with new people popping up all the time.

Yeah, I confess to feeling/hoping for that a little when I started, especially when I had writers messaging me directly asking me to read and comment on their work who then didn't reciprocate. (This was probably due to my experience in the DIY music scene back in the 00s, when 50% of the audience for any gig were other musicians and promoters. That was a really supportive community, and it didn't matter your style of music, people showed up.) Now, I don't expect it, but it's nice when it happens.

There is always something in other authors' writing that can be of value to your own. It may not be your preferred genre, but characters are so alike in their motivations across them.

Steven King is a voracious reader of all genre's and his published works reflect it in the range of genre's he's taken on.

Just sayin'.

 

[AG31]

Let's just be honest here. People in this forum-and any other one-have people they like, and people they don't. They'll go out of their way to fawn and back slap and gush over a story from someone they like.

And what would legitimate praise look like????

If its someone they don't, odds are they won't read at all. Same for if they're jealous of someone for some reason, or maybe that person has never had an issue with them, but did you see what they said to so and so?

I see this sort of thing brought up a lot and I don't believe I've ever actually seen such a post.

 

[AG31]

When readers try to fluff me and encourage me to write, then at least I know they are doing it because they liked what I wrote rather than expecting a backslap in return.

How are you able to discern that the motive is to get "a backslap in return" when one author praises another?????

 

[AG31]

The feedback from other authors, especially those who frequent AH, is often given with the intent of being supportive and courteous rather than honest.

How do you know their intent?

 

[ShelbyDawn57]

I saw a comment elsewhere that some writers (me included) put greater weight on feedback from other authors than general readers. Contrawise some other writers say they care more about what their readers think than other writers.

I wondered about your motivations. For me, I’m much happier if a writer I respect pays me a compliment, than if it is a non-writer, or a writer whose work I am unfamiliar with does the same.

Does that mean I’m writing for other writers? How about you?

It’s going to depend on the context of the comment. If a writer I respect deigns to read my work and leave a comment that reflects of my ability as a writer, then absolutely that carries more weight than anonymous. If the comment is more emotional, perhaps telling me I reflected something they’re going through or touched them in some way(perhaps drew a tear or two), I think those comments are equal regardless of the source. Rage hate I ignore equally.

 

[PennyThompson]

I aspire to be your favorite writer's favorite writer

I don't know if writer/reader feedback is better or worse, but it is often different, for me! I think writers tend to pay attention to different things than readers do, at least on the average. I think I get more technical and craft-related feedback from writers, and I get more emotional/sensual feedback from non-writers, and I find both to be incredibly valuable.

I don't think I buy some of the faux-stoicism about feedback and engagement I see in AH sometimes, to be honest. If you didn't care about what other people thought of you work, you'd turn off comments and ratings. Or better yet, you'd just write in a paper diary and bury it in your back yard

 

[BobbyBrandt]

I waited until I had an opportunity to go back through all the roughly 690 comments on my various stories before commenting here, because I could not remember ever getting any feedback that was recognizable as being from another author here. Nada. Zilch.

Personally, I never gave that any thought. Authors, especially most in the AH community are not my target audience.

That being said, I have often left constructive comments on stories written by some in the AH community, usually focused upon the technical aspects of their writing rather than the story itself. The fact that I finished the story should be an indication that I enjoyed it enough to offer feedback.

I don't comment anonymously and I don't do so with the expectation that the author will reciprocate. I do so because the story had issues or merit that deserved comment.

 

[AwkwardMD]

What a fascinating collection of statements on the subject!

 

[crookedletter]

What a fascinating collection of statements on the subject!

Is this one of the steps?

 

[AwkwardMD]

Is this one of the steps?

? I don’t think so?

 

[crookedletter]

? I don’t think so?

I mean as opposed to drinking. It's okay, it wasn't a good swing, carry on.

 

[THBGato]

There is always something in other authors' writing that can be of value to your own. It may not be your preferred genre, but characters are so alike in their motivations across them.

Steven King is a voracious reader of all genre's and his published works reflect it in the range of genre's he's taken on.

Just sayin'.

Oh, I read other genres... Just not here. Just this week I've read:
One of the "Rivers of London" series by Ben Aaronovitch
'Went to London, took the dog" by Nina Stibbe
"Station 11" by Emily Mandell
"The Doors of Eden" by Adrian Tchaikovsky
"Home fires" by Kamila Shamsie

I come to literoritca to read lesbian romance and whatever @PennyThompson writes.

I aspire to be your favorite writer's favorite writer

You're there babe!

 

[AwkwardMD]

I mean as opposed to drinking. It's okay, it wasn't a good swing, carry on.

I guess it's 6:16 in LA somewhere!

 

[PennyThompson]

Oh, I read other genres... Just not here. Just this week I've read:
One of the "Rivers of London" series by Ben Aaronovitch
'Went to London, took the dog" by Nina Stibbe
"Station 11" by Emily Mandell
"The Doors of Eden" by Adrian Tchaikovsky
"Home fires" by Kamila Shamsie

I come to literoritca to read lesbian romance and whatever @PennyThompson writes.

You're there babe!

But what did you think of Vocational Awe, you were my Audience-Of-One for that one

 

[TheLobster]

I mean as opposed to drinking. It's okay, it wasn't a good swing, carry on.

Au contraire, it was an excellent swing, sir.

 

[crookedletter]

Au contraire, it was an excellent swing, sir.

thanks, I needed that