Best way to get feedback

[Howbizarre]

I have been reading stories here for a long time, but just recently signed up and posted my first story. After over 3000 views, only one person has commented. (there are 3 total, but the one was a progress update from me, and another an acknowledgement of the person who commented.)

Its not that I am a narcissist looking for a bunch of pats on the back. (Of course who doesn't like it when someone shows appreciation for something you created, but I don't care about the rating as I like to explore controversial material and understand that my mind can be a bit too freaky for some.)

What I do care about is honest opinions on what can get me on track to a more professional technique, even if I may target a more narrow audience. I was involved in an accident that will give me plenty of time to write moving forward so I want critiques that will help me improve.

So anyways, I have seen stories that have dozens of comments and wonder what I can do to solicit more feedback. Is this a common experience for author's here at Literotica, or am I doing something wrong?

 

[Sammael Bard]

You should keep the following things in mind if you have posted a story in Literotica:

1. Out of every 10K readers, only a measly 10 readers might put up a comment on your story.

Kinda lazy of them, isn't it?

If I were in their shoes, I would've done the same thing. Unless a story is absolutely compelling and beautifully written, I don't have the...want to post any comment on a story.

2. There are a lot of storieshere in Lit. Potential readers as well as trashers are bound to miss your writing, if it is a relatively new one.

Unless your story has a very high rating and is in the Hall of Fames, the number of views drops drastically, and so the chance of the number of comments posted.

3. If your story has a controversial theme like that of Loving Wives, then expect a barrage of hate comments.

I wrote an essay about LW, and it recieved an astounding number of replies (63, including my 2 cents to the commenters). That huge amount of comments had been generated in 3 days, and 2-3 comments many days later.

4. If you really want a criticism on your story, there are other authors like Lien_Geller and NaokoSmith who'll gladly provide helpful reviews to improve your story.

5. Basing your opinions from passing anonymous users on this website is a bit naive for anyone wanting to write professionaly. Try other sites, if you may and increase your coverage to the audience.

 

[Hypoxia]

If you want feedback, post in Loving Wives. You'll receive LOTS of feedback. You probably won't much like it. People comment when they are moved in one way or another. Too many here are only moved to nastiness. How to get positive feedback? Write exceptionally well, or luridly. For harsh comments, challenge your readers. For positive comments, pander to them.

 

[Howbizarre]

The kind of feedback I would like to get is, (and these are just an examples)

The pacing is too fast. There is not enough detail and it feels rushed.

--or--

There is too much time spent on unneeded details and it makes the narrative crawl along.

Something more than just "loved it" or "It sucked". (though I haven't even gotten that)

4. If you really want a criticism on your story, there are other authors like Lien_Geller and NaokoSmith who'll gladly provide helpful reviews to improve your story.

What is the proper way to get them or someone here to do that?

If you want feedback, post in Loving Wives. You'll receive LOTS of feedback. You probably won't much like it.

What is special about the Loving Wives category that makes feedback more common than in the others?

 

[SamScribble]

As The Bard has already pointed out, most of the readers here on Lit are not tutors.

There are a small few whose views are both considered and constructive; there are many whose opinions are personal prejudices and are best ignored.

After almost five years of posting here, I have about 20 readers (most of them also writers) whose opinions I value; the rest are ... well ... the rest. If you want useful feedback, find someone (or maybe two or three people) whose judgement you can trust.

Good luck.

 

[Sammael Bard]

The kind of feedback I would like to get is, (and these are just an examples)

The pacing is too fast. There is not enough detail and it feels rushed.

--or--

There is too much time spent on unneeded details and it makes the narrative crawl along.

Something more than just "loved it" or "It sucked". (though I haven't even gotten that)



What is the proper way to get them or someone here to do that?

1. Go to the Story Feedback section of Forum.

2. Browse through the review threads and choose the one whom you'd like to do a review for your story.

3. Post a polite request to them via the reply on their thread for doing your review.

4. Wait for their confirmation.

5. Bingo.

OR.

1. You can post your own thread, asking the readers on forum to provide some valuable feedback.

This way, you'll get a varied response from the people here.

What is special about the Loving Wives category that makes feedback more common than in the others?

1. If you are writing a story that has to do anything with cheating/adulterous wives, prepare to get bombarded by the mob for not writing an ending that involves viscious revenge.

2.The mob is divided on their opinion on the fate of the cheating wife.

Burn her or forgive her.

Choose any one and you'll irk the other group.

 

[Howbizarre]

Thanks for your opinions Bard, you seem knowledgeable about the way things work around here and I appreciate your thoughts. I will try to browse for the reviewers.

Also, if you want to read my story and comment feel free to, and lemme know if I can return the favor and look at something of yours if you have anything you would like a fresh set of eyes on.

Thanks again!

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

People will accept any treachery, deceit, or aggression but they wont put up with honesty.

 

[Handley_Page]

. . .


What is special about the Loving Wives category that makes feedback more common than in the others?

Loving Wives has been the subject of much debate.
Frankly, the readership occasionally reminds me of the crowd at the Roman Games in ancient times, baying for blood.
It's also the lurking place for the dreaded Troll, who just loves to screw up the voting by pinning a '1' to a story (good, bad or indifferent) , merely because they can.

I reckon that some of the stories are real gold, some are simple strokers, and some are a good example of how not to write for entertainment.

 

[dawei]

I can sympathize with Howbizarre getting fewer comments than one might expect. I've written a number of chapters in my story series with only a rare few comments. What TheSoulfulBard stated is basically the way it is, except that I've notice that there are many stories that are not necessarily written well or are not rated very high. Yet the story may receive quite a few comments, so sometimes that puzzles me.

I guess if a woman writes about her lust fantasies then some guys are bound to follow her stories. I'm not sure if it works the same the other way around, but there are likely anomaly cases where people get a lot of comments for unexpected reasons. But in general, the number of comments is very low compared to the listed number of reads.

 

[oggbashan]

As The Bard has already pointed out, most of the readers here on Lit are not tutors.

There are a small few whose views are both considered and constructive; there are many whose opinions are personal prejudices and are best ignored.

After almost five years of posting here, I have about 20 readers (most of them also writers) whose opinions I value; the rest are ... well ... the rest. If you want useful feedback, find someone (or maybe two or three people) whose judgement you can trust.

Good luck.

There are some of us who find it very difficult to post comments. If I start think about the impact of the story, I get into ancient English Literature examination mode, and analyse the story to death in technical detail for its use of language and metaphor etc. Once I have done that, I have destroyed my enjoyment in the story, and possibly all that author's work.

There are many authors posting here that produce stories I enjoy, so much so that I don't want to jeopardise my enjoyment by pulling the story to pieces to find out WHY I enjoyed it.

 

[Zeb_Carter]

I have found that the easiest way to get feedback is to write in the Loving Wives category about a cheating wife. And if the hubby knows and approves, you'll get tons and tons of feedback.

Of course there is a downside to this...it's mostly NOT good feedback.


Personally, I have rarely left feedback on any story, with a few exceptions. I will never leave negative feedback unless it is to help a fellow writer. If the story is good and holds my attention I might tell the author that.

Mainly I speak with the vote, but do not leave 1-bombs. The lowest I have ever voted is a 2, once, mostly 3 and above. If the store was absolutely dismal, I just leave without voting or commenting. I won't put down a good writer nor blow smoke up a bad ones skirt.

 

[MrFluffyCat]

Eh, most people won't really mind if its not a BtB story by the end if you have the husband leave the wife, after her infidelity. But if you have him stay, oh boy, you better make sure its a good reason or don't expect to be getting anything higher than a 4 and a barrage of comments such as 'Such a cuckold hubby, fking bitch should have died', type comments. If she doesn't cheat, but just strays and gets tempted a bit some of the commenters will be more lenient if you have the husband save the relationship before crossing that 'line'.

 

[Sammael Bard]

I have found that the easiest way to get feedback is to write in the Loving Wives category about a cheating wife. And if the hubby knows and approves, you'll get tons and tons of feedback.

Of course there is a downside to this...it's mostly NOT good feedback.


Personally, I have rarely left feedback on any story, with a few exceptions. I will never leave negative feedback unless it is to help a fellow writer. If the story is good and holds my attention I might tell the author that.

Mainly I speak with the vote, but do not leave 1-bombs. The lowest I have ever voted is a 2, once, mostly 3 and above. If the store was absolutely dismal, I just leave without voting or commenting. I won't put down a good writer nor blow smoke up a bad ones skirt.

Lol!

I was thinking along the same lines. I have already made my first ever punching bag alt, through which I plan to write trashy LW story.

 

[Zeb_Carter]

Lol!

I was thinking along the same lines. I have already made my first ever punching bag alt, through which I plan to write trashy LW story.

Good luck with that.

I still write them, I have recently post a couple here at lit., but I have comments and voting turned off. I let them suffer reading through the story only to realize that they can't comment or vote in the end.

 

[Sammael Bard]

Good luck with that.

I still write them, I have recently post a couple here at lit., but I have comments and voting turned off. I let them suffer reading through the story only to realize that they can't comment or vote in the end.

That's the worst torture I can ever think for those BTB crowd people.

No comments...wha..? Damn!

No 1 bombing...? Double Damn!

Makes me wanna go Rofl at the expression of their collective faces

 

[AZMotherLover]

My advice to the OP is to write an incest story, either Mom/son or Daddy/daughter. A well written incest will probably get twice the views and comments as a non-incest story. Like it or not, incest sells here at Lit.

I've never posted anything in Loving Wives, but I do know of another forum where there's a small but vocal clique of cuckold fetishists. I'll never understand that.

 

[lovecraft68]

Post more stories. As you do you will start to build a following of people who like your material. Also the mores stories you have the more chances for someone to find you.

Sci fi does not get a lot of votes or comments compared to some others. LW is a pit, a lot of comments, but most you can do without and very few are constructive in anyway.

Incest is the most viewed/voted on, but not for everyone.

Categories like Group/Mature are good ones. fairly high numbers for votes and views and the crowd there is pretty nice. Romance as well.

Non human will get you the highest scores and least trolling, not sure about comments though.

So keep writing and maybe spread into some different categories, both will help you get more attention.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

I don't recall any feedback that offered helpful corrections.

 

[lovecraft68]

I don't recall any feedback that offered helpful corrections.

I've had a few. Most I have gotten as private feedback. The most common I used to get in comments was pointing out misuse of Lie/lay and to watch out for the their/there and things like that. Nothing dramatic, but at least they are pointing things out not yelling, "Fuck you, you suck"

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

I've had a few. Most I have gotten as private feedback. The most common I used to get in comments was pointing out misuse of Lie/lay and to watch out for the their/there and things like that. Nothing dramatic, but at least they are pointing things out not yelling, "Fuck you, you suck"

The story of my life...FUCK YOU, YOU SUCK.

Soooooo I stumble over writing ideas, try them out, and get FUCK YOU, YOU SUCK. No one ever says THAT WORKS or THAT DONT WORK. Writing is a lot like acting in how the writer must get in the water with what they write to capture the flavor. And when you capture the flavor of the beast is when you get FUCK YOU, YOU SUCK.

 

[TxRad]

The story of my life...FUCK YOU, YOU SUCK.

Soooooo I stumble over writing ideas, try them out, and get FUCK YOU, YOU SUCK. No one ever says THAT WORKS or THAT DONT WORK. Writing is a lot like acting in how the writer must get in the water with what they write to capture the flavor. And when you capture the flavor of the beast is when you get FUCK YOU, YOU SUCK.

Here's a thought you might keep in mind. This is an erotic reading site. People expect sex and they expect a happy ending. They are here to get their rocks off and not to critique your story.

And that is why the feedback is so poor.

 

[Sammael Bard]

The story of my life...FUCK YOU, YOU SUCK.

Soooooo I stumble over writing ideas, try them out, and get FUCK YOU, YOU SUCK. No one ever says THAT WORKS or THAT DONT WORK. Writing is a lot like acting in how the writer must get in the water with what they write to capture the flavor. And when you capture the flavor of the beast is when you get FUCK YOU, YOU SUCK.

Well, you could start a thread in Story Feedback forum asking feedback for your story or you could ask someone to critique your story.

Tx is right. 90% of the readership here are concerned with getting their rocks off.

I never expect a good criticism from anonymous commentors.

 

[lovecraft68]

Here's a thought you might keep in mind. This is an erotic reading site. People expect sex and they expect a happy ending. They are here to get their rocks off and not to critique your story.

And that is why the feedback is so poor.

True for the most part except.....there was a faction of my SWB readers who were upset I went HEA. They wanted the tragic Romeo/Juliet style ending and said I wussed out.

The other half were expecting that and were thrilled for the HEA.

Thing was I sort of gave them both. I had both die, but it turned out as a nightmare so I did the "if I was going to this is how I would have done it"

In the end I defaulted to, "All along this series was unpopular and not for everyone and the characters suffered enough so the HEA is my middle finger at life and anyone that doesn't like it can have it as well."

As for sex? Mostly true also, but....Sci fi does well without a lot of it and romance barely needs any as long as the story is good.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

Here's a thought you might keep in mind. This is an erotic reading site. People expect sex and they expect a happy ending. They are here to get their rocks off and not to critique your story.

And that is why the feedback is so poor.

I appreciate your suggestion, and what you say is true. Someone recently recommended that I stop inflaming readers and toss them an erotic bone to gnaw on. But I'm not after a Special Olympics trophy or LIT LUV. I want to write offensive, abrasive, rub you the wrong way noir. I simply want to write it well.