A general thought about readers' comments

[boo_dreaux]

Negative critiques are a part of the rocky road that writers must, and probably should, travel. Negative critiques are, in many ways, invaluable in developing a style, in the mastering of the craft. Not all critiques are point-on, but most have a validity in some, if not all, of what is said in them.

The thing is, though, that it's hard to read a trashing of a piece of work when, at the end of the remark, the critic is so proud of his work that it's signed as 'anonymous'. It would seem to me that if the critic has a valid basis for his negative remarks, he would have the 'cojones' to sign his user-name and not hide behind the cloak of anonyminity.

I'm just saying....

 

[Daniellekitten]

There are some people who are afraid if they leave negative feedback, even in the nicest of ways, it will cause people to trash their stories. Some people don't even leave the negative feedback on their stories, but delete them. I leave them, it gives others things to laugh at.

 

[Quesla]

Hi Daniellekitten? Quesla, the blind lady here. I am still meeting frustration with the security codes on the author contact pages! I do hope that it isn't a great hardship to post my praise and touch-up critiques here on AH. I have very little to complain about in your writings. I feel blessed that The Good Lord & Lady have given us such a talented and educated writer to entertain. I wish I had the confidence and education to achieve what you have done! I do believe your fantasy writing has living colour!!! Keep exploring the were characters in all forms. How about some tritons & Mermaids? Got any thoughts about other worlds and alien cultures? Love & Light: Quesla I have pm on, please feel free to ask questions about me, my blindness, fantasy world hopes and writings and give me some hope. I feel lost in the writing world and literary education much less the techno-computer world! -Love Rhoda-Saskatoon, Canada.

 

[voluptuary_manque]

Those frightened folk have good reason to remain anonymous, especially if they are attempting to compete in the monthly contests. I have found myself being trolled on a couple of occasions and I believe it is due to my making all my comments under my 'Net handle. You pays yer money and you takes yer choice.

I retreat to the postition that I'm writing for my own enjoyment and that the comments of other writers on this forum far outweigh those of the general readership . . . unless the readers are praising me, of course!

 

[Lalah]

I'm under the impresion the majority of anonymous comments are from people who do not have a lit account. The majority of people who visit this site do it to read the stories and they don't need an account to do so.

 

[voluptuary_manque]

And while I have no problem with them reading the stories, I really think that one should be required to have an account to make comments.

 

[Lalah]

Why? So we can lash out against those who dare be critical of our works? Personally I'm concerned about the opinion in these messages, not who they came from.

 

[Daniellekitten]

very profound thinking. I still leave the comments so others can get a giggle if they want. Life sucks a lot of the time so getting a giggle out of things is a necessary evil when I can.

 

[JADED_ONE1969]

As for me..

As for me I think commentators on stories should be able to leave anon comments, because I was just having fun leaving humourous comments on various stories that I did not like although no comment was about the writer it was always about the person or persons in the story, although I agree sometimes that is the same, but as a result of this I was sniped at for giving an honest opinion and secondly so called writers( this is just a guess) who got upset with me trash any story I try to write so from now on I only write anon comments be they good or bad,if that makes me a coward so what on this site a person or a group of persons sometimes enjoy scaring off a new writer like myself and If it wasn't for the likes of LALAH and JENNY and my editor I would be writing stories elsewhere, which some people would think YEAH! GW66 has finally gone but what if this happened to every new writer ? this site would die or at least not be as popular. so from now it's strictly anon for me.

 

[elfin_odalisque]

I think the point is being missed here.

These days, the NYT, and all the newspapers beg for reader feedback on op-ed articles. If they meet the required legal guidelines, they get posted - however rude they are about the article.

With 'mashed-up' software, blogs and member-generated material on sites (Facebook, You Tube, etc, etc) we all have to accept a greater degree of openess to allowing views - good or bad - to be expressed.

You can switch off comments, but it seems to me, if you want to post stuff - you should be up to letting others have their say. It's rare to read an offensive PC that is better written than the story it is commenting on.

Like most media-savvy outlets, lit keeps finding ways to get people involved. Perhaps that's why they have such a successful business model. Letting people trash you is great publicity.

 

[caprine]

Remember...

(1) You can please some of the readers all of the time; all of the readers some of the time, but you can never please all of the readers all of the time. (2) People criticise anyone and anything, especially those who know the least about which they speak and they often speak the loudest of all.

 

[Quesla]

YaYeah, ... BUT! ... These trolls don't seem to have any idea of the concept of challenge! (sp?) :A few people on a newly posted thread by Dani showed good examples of what a literate critic can spot and discuss with some good merits. Like Dani's mistake with what saddle might have been on Demon that Jack/aka Heather could've tied her/his loot bag to? And some uncertainities as to the taxes she may have been refering to that was causing Heather & mandy's family to loose the property from the heavy handed taxation of the brits & their king. I am NOT! a good enough horse rider to know the finer nuances of a horses body language, but the person who pointed this one out may have been very correct, unless Jack/Heather had a very heavy hand on the rains, which is very badly frowned upon by any even half decent horseman/woman! Yes, it seemed that Demon was protesting the wrong direction if he was scared of the shot or persuit (sp?) behind her/him! In all likely hood of reality, demon would've bolted rather than reared! Sorry, I'm sure that further references you've made in next chapters will have reflected the changes you'll have to some of these points. I think there was a lot more than just import taxes on goods coming into the colonies that may have been rocking the boat with the colonies during the 1760-70's: for instance: When was the great potatoe famine of Ireland? I'm scottish and english and I know that the forefathers of Ireland and england were and still mad at each other! In 1980, We could not get Irish ferry personelle to accept brittish/english coin or cash billspound notes, they hated the english so much that they would only take irish currencey!Mind you I know that my scottish ancestors also hate the english for their domination over them in the dark ages too!Was the potatoe famine the reason for the first hunter man and his fleeing lady to have escaped to the New World? I can see the hate & bitterness of the older son, Mathew who wanted his title back as the succeeding Lord Stanhope!

 

[elfin_odalisque]

Can I come back again. The way the net is changing things means that you or I can comment on OP-Ed articles in the NYT or the Post. Who pays us any attention, who cares what we write.

If you have posted a story, do what Danielle suggests - delete offensive-to-others stuff and leave the rest. Nobody gets to the comments unless they've clicked on YOUR story first.

 

[Agnol]

The thing is, though, that it's hard to read a trashing of a piece of work when, at the end of the remark, the critic is so proud of his work that it's signed as 'anonymous'. It would seem to me that if the critic has a valid basis for his negative remarks, he would have the 'cojones' to sign his user-name and not hide behind the cloak of anonyminity.

I'm just saying....

Is valid criticism any less correct or useful because you don't know who left it?

 

[sr71plt]

Is valid criticism any less correct or useful because you don't know who left it?

Yes, of course. The validity of criticism is controlled by the knowledge/expertise of the one giving the criticism. So, the answer to your question is "of course." But then, of course, we rarely know much of anything about anyone posting criticism with a fake name. (But that's not the question you asked.)

 

[Agnol]

Yes, of course. The validity of criticism is controlled by the knowledge/expertise of the one giving the criticism. So, the answer to your question is "of course." But then, of course, we rarely know much of anything about anyone posting criticism with a fake name. (But that's not the question you asked.)

I disagree. Someone who has little knowledge of what makes a good story will most likely leave criticism that demonstrates their lack of knowledge. "The story sucked, I didn't believe it for a minute" might be the kind of comment you would get from the person who has never tried to write. "Your characters lacked in emotional realism," might be the comment from another reader who has actually tried to write a story and so knows where you went wrong. Now, knowing who wrote the first comment would make it more valid than the second, just because the second was left by anon?

I would also argue that anon criticism is probably more useful because then you aren't tempted to go rate your work against the person who left the criticism. "My writing is so much better than his tripe!" and then you don't adjust your writing because you feel you are better than them.

 

[boo_dreaux]

Good feedback...

Thanks to all who have a thought and are able to concisely convey that thought.

In rethinking my original post about anoymous critiques, I suppose that I could have phrased my concerns better. I value all criticism, good and bad, because that is part of the learning curve. Thankfully, I can easily separate the knowledgeable critics from those who are, not so much. I weigh each on their own merit and content. I just feel that if a piece of work affects you enough to post a critique, then one shouldn't have to hide behind the anoy tag. With Lit set up the way it is, allowing anoy comments, from non-members or members alike, one must just separate the wheat from the chaffe.

Again, thanks for the varying points of view; a learning experience, for sure.

Boo

 

[age_matters]

i always get bad feedbacks and points because of bad grammar...

it sucks...

because i requested for an editor but she rejected me...

now i don't know if i should continue... i have written about 2 new stories but i just don't dare to submit it...

 

[Quesla]

Quesla here: I am pritty good at grammer and most spelling; except when I have trouble with the forms mode featureon my JAWS, (JobAccessWithSpeech software which makes it hard to go back into the preview feature to correct and space and punctuate! I am completeley blind and listen as if you or your story are talking directly to me in an electronic voicee in a low almost monotone male voice, called "Paul on the program manager program of JAWS. I can certainly correct gramer for you and even spelling; but my punctuation is wierd as I have no university level literacy. I only have a modified Grade 12 with modified math and cremistry/science and exceptional creative writting. Math and science math formulas screwed me up to a C- minus! I was lucky I even got that in consumer math! I am Quesla and my pm is on. : The only problems with sending me files is that I am not very computer literate and don't know how to access other's files in whatever formats they send them in and can only hope my not much more literate sighted hubby can help! Love & Encouragement!!! Quesla