How Do You Like Your Feedback?

[anthrodisiac]

Feedback! We love it, and sometimes hate it. Over the years, I've noticed people have pretty distinct preferences for what type of feedback they get: how honest it is, how direct, how specific, varying ratios of praise/critique, what have you. There's also varying degrees of how well people take feedback, and critiques in particular.

So, pretty simple question, how do you like your feedback?

Bonus question: How do you like to give feedback?

 

[BobbyBrandt]

Feedback! We love it, and sometimes hate it. Over the years, I've noticed people have pretty distinct preferences for what type of feedback they get: how honest it is, how direct, how specific, varying ratios of praise/critique, what have you. There's also varying degrees of how well people take feedback, and critiques in particular.

So, pretty simple question, how do you like your feedback?

Bonus question: How do you like to give feedback?

This ties into a recent comment that I made on another of your posts in a different thread.

I prefer feedback on a whole body of work. When I used to publish in chapters, I would get annoyed at commenters who tended to "jump ahead" with the assessment of the plot or characters based upon only what they had read so far. That feedback was worthless because it didn't really apply to the story in its whole. It was like a food critic panning the appetizer without yet knowing how that part of the meal complimented the entree. A realization once reached, frequently proved them wishing to delete their previous opinion. Now, if they want to finish the story and then state that "it started out slow", or something similar, I could appreciate that feedback.

I am the same as a reader. I seldom comment (only on specific inconsistencies notice, etc.), and never vote on individual chapters of a story. I review the whole body of work and provide feedback on that alone.

 

[Omenainen]

I love honest feedback. Praise is worthless if I can’t trust people to tell me what sucks. This could be a cultural thing, us Finns are mostly of the type of “if you don’t want my opinion then don’t ask, because if you do, I will tell you,” or then just a personal quality, I can’t tell.

 

[Kumquatqueen]

I like getting it. I get about a comment a week, or less if I haven't published anything recently. Preferably something that proves they read the piece.

AO3 only has about 10% of the views or less compared to Lit, but a much higher proportion of engagement.

 

[StrentWriter]

So, pretty simple question, how do you like your feedback?

Honest feedback is good. I am in a bit of my novel at the minute where I know what’s going to happen but no one else does, and they are actively angry at the main character, so the feedback is very intense at the minute.

I do draw the line at abuse though, which I have had a couple of times - those comments I decided to delete this morning.

Bonus question: How do you like to give feedback?

Yes, every time, but it has to be constructive, fair and evidenced.

 

[TheLobster]

So, pretty simple question, how do you like your feedback?

Shaken, not stirred.

 

[forgotmyantidepressants]

how do you like your feedback?

I take what I can get.

How do you like to give feedback?

I only get critical if its asked for. Otherwise, I stay positive. Sometimes, especially when someone seems to be very new, like I'm reading the first thing they've ever shared with someone else, I think the best thing i can do is encourage them to keep writing.

 

[lovecraft68]

I take what I can get.

I only get critical if its asked for. Otherwise, I stay positive. Sometimes, especially when someone seems to be very new, like I'm reading the first thing they've ever shared with someone else, I think the best thing i can do is encourage them to keep writing.

This pretty much speaks for me. I'll take anything, but how serious depends on how serious they are.

As for giving any, I usually stick with what I like and don't touch the rest unless someone has been around long enough that they've encountered some non glowing feedback and can handle it.

 

[Dancefactory]

Most of the feedback I get are simple ”more of this please” or ”more of this, and suggestion of what could happen”. I love the latter for I can serve some reader’s need. Is it’s really detailed I get a bit irritated first, for it’s my job to do the arrangement.

I just got a feedback of a simple thing about how I write and what irritates there - and I really loved it. That’s something that makes me a better writer.

 

[SimonDoom]

I like any kind of feedback, but the best is feedback that is useful. It can be critical, but it should be constructive. I want feedback that I can theoretically respond to, rather than just "you suck!" or "this is awesome!"

I try to give feedback in the same vein, letting the author know with some specificity what I liked.

 

[sirhugs]

I like mine with a glass of hemlock.

unless, of course it is positive and helpful. that does happen occasionally.

 

[AwkwardMD]

I like when it confirms my Three Fluid Standard of Excellence

 

[sirhugs]

I like when it confirms my Three Fluid Standard of Excellence

okay, I'll play... what are the three fluids?

 

[AwkwardMD]

okay, I'll play... what are the three fluids?

Any three bodily fluids

Sweat
Happy tears
Sad tears
Snot (runny nose)
Saliva (drool)
M.ejaculate
F.ejaculate
F.homebrew lube

If the story can concievably have caused your body to move these fluids outside of the body, or if the externalizing of these fluids can be rooted in reading the story, any three from the list (repeats allowed) for a single reader constitutes a success.

 

[jsmiam]

Muhammad Ali on feedback:

 

[sirhugs]

Any three

Sweat
Happy tears
Sad tears
Snot (runny nose)
Saliva (drool)
M.ejaculate
F.ejaculate
F.homebrew lube

If the story can concievably have caused your body to move these fluids outside of the body, or if the externalizing of these fluids can be rooted in reading the story, any three from the list (repeats allowed) for a single reader constitutes a success.

What about whiskey? Or any fine homebrew like moonshine? they are a different sort of lubricant...

 

[StrentWriter]

What about whiskey? Or any fine homebrew like moonshine? they are a different sort of lubricant...

You had me at whiskey…

 

[AwkwardMD]

What about whiskey? Or any fine homebrew like moonshine? they are a different sort of lubricant...

If my story causes your body to produce whiskey, then yes. That counts.

 

[Hampshiregirl]

I welcome it, and so far I haven't had a negative one. I especially like the ones that tell me how my story has excited them sexually.
HG xx

 

[sirhugs]

I welcome it, and so far I haven't had a negative one. I especially like the ones that tell me how my story has excited them sexually.
HG xx

If you haven't had negative feedback, I suggest that you just aren't trying hard enough. Over the years, Ihae periodically posted a story whichI knew would generate controversy, just for the heck of it. Aso because there was somethingnabout the story that I liked, or I wouldn't hae written it. Maybe. "Mom's New Cock" is out there- and saying "I wanted to do a James Joyce styled piece" is admittedly a feeble excuse. And it isn't even my lowest rated.

 

[Actingup]

I like any feedback that shows that the reader has engaged with the story, even if it's negative. Obviously positive feedback is easier on the eyes, but it's not always as useful if the reader hasn't thought about it. The worst kind is performative feedback (written to stir the pot, to bully/humiliate, or to draw attention) that also reveals that the reader hasn't really understood or engaged with the material, which may help explain why I reacted very strongly to St*cnash last year.

How should it be delivered? Well, I had two classic 'shit sandwich' bits of feedback the other day that I appreciated - they told me why the reasons they liked my story, they noted a part that they struggled with, and they had lots of words of encouragement. It's hard to top that as a format.

 

[Comshaw]

Feedback! We love it, and sometimes hate it. Over the years, I've noticed people have pretty distinct preferences for what type of feedback they get: how honest it is, how direct, how specific, varying ratios of praise/critique, what have you. There's also varying degrees of how well people take feedback, and critiques in particular.

So, pretty simple question, how do you like your feedback?

Bonus question: How do you like to give feedback?

In simple, direct terms, like this: "Oh, Oh, Oh....Right there! Yes! Right there! Yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Oh yes! Oh God! Oh God! Oh God! YEEEEEEES! "


Comshaw

 

[NotWise]

I look for readers' gut reactions. It's good if they explain themselves, but they don't have to. Usually critique is about the last thing I want. If I need critique then I can get it from a beta reader, or post a request to Story Feedback.

 

[SkyBubble]

I've gotten feedback that actually was able to make the story better. I've gotten feedback that completely baffles me. I've gotten feedback that makes me think the person was confused. I have one commenter on several of my stories who seems to have a fetish about religious, virginal women. (He's commented on my stories on other sites as well.)

I've gotten feedback that made me laugh. I've been criticized for writing about some people.

 

[ADirtyPerv]

I get plenty of "that was so good" feedback; I'd love it if more people told me what it is that they liked. Or disliked, though most of the negative feedback I've gotten is something along the lines of "This is stupid", which isn't helpful without specifics. Like, what is it about my time traveling glory hole story wherein a guy inseminates his own mother to create himself...that you didn't like?

As far as giving feedback, I comment on most things that I read. I like to highlight bits of prose that affected me, mention how I feel about the piece, and then provide criticism if warranted.