Favorite negative feedback

[jdnunyer]

I'm sure my writing isn't perfect. I do strive to improve. And I try to take what's useful from even the most negative reactions (if possible).

Nonetheless, I find it amusing/cathartic to laugh at the best of the worst feedback. What about you?

Here are some of my favorites (so far):

"I feel like I've walked in on the last half hour of a three hour movie full of twists and turns and subtitles. WHAT IS GOING ON HERE? How could this possibly be the start of a story?"

The best part is "and subtitles." Movies that make you read suck! Reading sucks! That's why I didn't like reading your story!

"There is absolutely nothing that should bring one to read any of this crap...Dull, boring, and completely unrealistic crap. Not worthy of [Literotica]"

I wonder if the overt fantasy elements had something to do with this reader finding my work "unrealistic"? Nonetheless, I'm very much ashamed to no live up to the lofty standards of a site that accepts every submission that doesn't violate some minimal content and formatting standards. For shame, JD!

 

[PennLady]

I didn't keep this, but after I'd posted the first three chapters of a story (which I have since taken down), and put notes that the rest was available in an ebook, I received an email that told me I was the scourge of the sick, destitute and dying, who could not afford the ebook and accessed the 'net via public computers. I had no idea I had such a specific demographic.

(BTW -- if you want to take me to task on posting only part of a story, please do it via PM and don't waste the thread on it. I explained it at the time and like I said, have taken the story down.)

 

[driphoney]

Let me introduce you to a whole forum dedicated to story feedback:


Story Feedback Forum

I don't have much posted, but my favorite negative is still the comment that I needed to "learn grammer." I did take grammar liberties, but fully understood that, and my score has paid the price.

 

[LettersFromTatyana]

From now on, I'm kind of tempted to refer to PL as the scourge of the sick, destitute, and dying, just because it's so absurd. *snickers*

I received an email that told me I was the scourge of the sick, destitute and dying, who could not afford the ebook and accessed the 'net via public computers.

 

[PennLady]

From now on, I'm kind of tempted to refer to PL as the scourge of the sick, destitute, and dying, just because it's so absurd. *snickers*

I had no idea I was so evil and devious.

Sometimes I wish I had kept that email so I could quote it. However, I decided I didn't need the mental stress.

 

[DG Hear]

I get a lot of negative feedback. It comes with the territory. I do believe that raising emotions in readers, either good or bad, means I did my job as a writer. I've received hundreds of comments that say I should quit writing snf so on. Some people even feel I should commit suicide. There is no name that I haven't been called at one time or another. Here is a feedback I received recently on an old story.

Check out the grammer. It says it all. I love it!
DG

This message contains feedback for: DG Hear
About the submission: Becky's Revenging Angel
This feedback was sent by: Anonymous

Title:

Revalvers

Comments:

Revalvers do not have safies. If you are going to use wepons in your stores please know something about them so you do not look stuppid.

 

[Zeb_Carter]

If it wasn't for the negative feedback I would have no reason to laugh. Even those who read my smut notice the negative feedback and comment on it.

There is a comment on one of my stories from a guy named saratu:

YOUR KIND OF WRITING STINKS!

Now that I know your name I'll not read anymore of your crap stories.

Like I posted all my other stories as AnyMouse. He actually post the same comment on several of my stories...guess he doesn't like LW stories.

I have also gotten any number of comments in LW cat with just the word 'Cuckold', even though the story wasn't about the husband becoming a cuckold.

 

[Jake Marlow]

I've gotten this feedback, nearly word for word, on several stories:

Write much more explicit dialogue.
Keep narratives to a minimum.
Long narratives tend to be boring
and overwritten.
In describing an intimate relationship,
it is the dialogue that is the more dynamic.
Add some pregnancy/bathroom fetish scenes
for variety in future scenarios.

It's like a form letter.

 

[lovecraft68]

I have received nastier and more personal but I will post this one because I feel that the guy put a lot of effort into using his thesaurus to come up with this.

Such arrogance!
06/12/11 By: Anonymous
What appalling penmanship! I can only wonder what sort of deluded egotist believes people really want to wade through all that hyperbole, and then struggle through ten pages of stultifyingly pedestrian semi-literacy!

Perhaps most incredible of all... the chapters just go on and on - and on - and on.

Much like an over-flowing drain...

I will admit I had to look up stultifyingly.

 

[sr71plt]

I have received nastier and more personal but I will post this one because I feel that the guy put a lot of effort into using his thesaurus to come up with this.

Such arrogance!
06/12/11 By: Anonymous
What appalling penmanship! I can only wonder what sort of deluded egotist believes people really want to wade through all that hyperbole, and then struggle through ten pages of stultifyingly pedestrian semi-literacy!

Perhaps most incredible of all... the chapters just go on and on - and on - and on.

Much like an over-flowing drain...

I will admit I had to look up stultifyingly.

The commenter should have looked up "penmanship."

 

[autoplot]

Some anonymous commenter reamed me out for not including a chapter number in my story title. Which was just an honest mistake -- but man, he took it personally. I don't remember exactly what he said and deleted the email, but it really seemed to ruin his day.

 

[GinaTina]

I actually didn't save the email, though now I wish I had. In essence, it was in complete CAPS, poorly written, spelled, non-existent grammar. Also used terminology such as: ur, cuz, wut... etc

It went something like this (forgive the paraphrasing): i know u just had a kid and all but finish ur work its ppl like u with a bad work ethic thats bringing this country down and i dont like how u r writing about the younger sister so much.


Or something like that. Made me smile.

 

[autoplot]

It went something like this (forgive the paraphrasing): i know u just had a kid and all but finish ur work its ppl like u with a bad work ethic thats bringing this country down and i dont like how u r writing about the younger sister so much.

Or something like that. Made me smile.

Wait, by "work" did they mean a story, or something else?

But really, Anon has a point, it's pretty impolite of you to wreck up the country like that.

 

[PennLady]

I actually didn't save the email, though now I wish I had. In essence, it was in complete CAPS, poorly written, spelled, non-existent grammar. Also used terminology such as: ur, cuz, wut... etc

It went something like this (forgive the paraphrasing): i know u just had a kid and all but finish ur work its ppl like u with a bad work ethic thats bringing this country down and i dont like how u r writing about the younger sister so much.

Or something like that. Made me smile.

Something like this is precisely why I advise people that this is not a forum with peer review, and hence any comment should be taken with a grain of salt. This one should have been taken with a pillar of salt.

 

[jdnunyer]

This message contains feedback for: DG Hear
About the submission: Becky's Revenging Angel
This feedback was sent by: Anonymous

Title:

Revalvers

Comments:

Revalvers do not have safies. If you are going to use wepons in your stores please know something about them so you do not look stuppid.

[SARCASM]
It is a common misconception that there is a corollary to this rule that states "If you are going to write to an author to tell them that s/he is 'stuppid', you should have fewer than 17 typos per sentence lest you yourself look 'stuppid."'

There is, however, no such corollary.

/[SARCASM]

 

[jdnunyer]

I actually didn't save the email, though now I wish I had. In essence, it was in complete CAPS, poorly written, spelled, non-existent grammar. Also used terminology such as: ur, cuz, wut... etc

It went something like this (forgive the paraphrasing): i know u just had a kid and all but finish ur work its ppl like u with a bad work ethic thats bringing this country down and i dont like how u r writing about the younger sister so much.


Or something like that. Made me smile.

LOL. How dare you bring the country down?

 

[GinaTina]

Wait, by "work" did they mean a story, or something else?

But really, Anon has a point, it's pretty impolite of you to wreck up the country like that.

I assume he/she/both/neither meant my current story. I'm not as quick to update like some of the other authors here. I wish I was but I just can't seem to write as quickly as most. But I WILL finish it. Just you watch.

And I'm not sorry for wrecking the country. Do you hear me? I'm not sorry at all and I'd do it again in a second. So there.


And yes, PennLady, I agree. It's best not to take things too personally on the interwebs. Still though, it was rather funny.

 

[jdnunyer]

I didn't keep this, but after I'd posted the first three chapters of a story (which I have since taken down), and put notes that the rest was available in an ebook, I received an email that told me I was the scourge of the sick, destitute and dying, who could not afford the ebook and accessed the 'net via public computers. I had no idea I had such a specific demographic.

Scourge of the sick, destitute and dying does have a certain ring to it, though.

 

[autoplot]

I assume he/she/both/neither meant my current story. I'm not as quick to update like some of the other authors here. I wish I was but I just can't seem to write as quickly as most. But I WILL finish it. Just you watch.

And I'm not sorry for wrecking the country. Do you hear me? I'm not sorry at all and I'd do it again in a second. So there.

I will totally watch. Assuming you haven't triggered an economic apocalypse.

I've gotten some "hurry up!" posts from people, but fortunately none have been abusive yet. That's just silly.

 

[jdnunyer]

Such arrogance!
06/12/11 By: Anonymous
What appalling penmanship! I can only wonder what sort of deluded egotist believes people really want to wade through all that hyperbole, and then struggle through ten pages of stultifyingly pedestrian semi-literacy!

Points for originality, at least?

 

[lovecraft68]

Points for originality, at least?

Sure I'll give him that, and I even "immortalized" him here.

Also for the record that comment is still up. I have had readers ask me why I leave it and honestly it's because I want people to know that I am fair, I won;t delete a negative remark. Also won't give him the satisfaction.

Now as a bit of a back story, I know damn well who this came from. The "over flowing drain" remark was sent to me months before in a nasty e-mail. I have a very good memory. This came from another author. I copy and pasted this remark and dumped it onto one of his stories with the title. "I think you dropped this"

I posted it under my user ID and it was gone within an hour of my posting it.

 

[jdnunyer]

I copy and pasted this remark and dumped it onto one of his stories with the title. "I think you dropped this"

I posted it under my user ID and it was gone within an hour of my posting it.

Wow. That sucks that another author is responsible. But I like your response.

 

[lovecraft68]

Wow. That sucks that another author is responsible. But I like your response.

High school drama at it's best! Tell you what though I won;t get another. Really think he thought I wouldn't know who it was.

 

[PennLady]

And I'm not sorry for wrecking the country. Do you hear me? I'm not sorry at all and I'd do it again in a second. So there.

And yes, PennLady, I agree. It's best not to take things too personally on the interwebs. Still though, it was rather funny.

Here, here! Stick to your guns. If bringing down the country is the price of good writing, then so be it. And yes, it was funny.

Scourge of the sick, destitute and dying does have a certain ring to it, though.

'Tis a title I shall wear with honor. (For I doubt anyone else will.)

 

[NicoleSix]

I never delete a comment even though I'm a frequent LW story author. I guess I'm probably the scrourge of several categories too.

I like to leave the anon comments stand in all their misguided, pathetic glory. "Fuck you right back!" I say to the people who knew they would hate my story before they got past the title.