My First Truly Negative Comment

[JosephineKuo]

Before this year, I hadn't written fiction since college. And before now, I haven't written erotica (I guess you could call it fucktion?). Anyway, today, I got my first truly negative comment. It's on the first story I posted in January, which is the only one that is rated less than 4.5 (it's 4.46). This is the first time anyone has truly bothered to take a shit on one of my stories, and they're anonymous no less, so I kind of feel like I'm now a member of the club.

"it was just interesting enough to read the whole first part, but not enough to read other parts. i'd suggest having someone read it before posting it, not enough meat to the sotry. even for a sex one. keep trying tho!!"

I think the last bit is the funniest. It's like they're saying, "Hey, your story sucked, but keep at it and you might suck less. Maybe."

 

[Specula]

Before this year, I hadn't written fiction since college. And before now, I haven't written erotica (I guess you could call it fucktion?). Anyway, today, I got my first truly negative comment. It's on the first story I posted in January, which is the only one that is rated less than 4.5 (it's 4.46). This is the first time anyone has truly bothered to take a shit on one of my stories, and they're anonymous no less, so I kind of feel like I'm now a member of the club.

"it was just interesting enough to read the whole first part, but not enough to read other parts. i'd suggest having someone read it before posting it, not enough meat to the sotry. even for a sex one. keep trying tho!!"

I think the last bit is the funniest. It's like they're saying, "Hey, your story sucked, but keep at it and you might suck less. Maybe."

At least it was not a rude or insulting comment - for a negative, it was rather mild, quite honestly. Not to worry!!

 

[JosephineKuo]

I'm a freelance business writer who is married to a former college professor turned technical writer. He's my harshest critic and my biggest fan. I can handle the knocks, and I agree, why waste your words if you don't have anything to add? Still, I feel like it's a rite (write?) of passage to get flamed by an anonymous asshole here. So, I guess I'll stick around!

 

[NotWise]

"it was just interesting enough to read the whole first part, but not enough to read other parts. i'd suggest having someone read it before posting it, not enough meat to the sotry. even for a sex one. keep trying tho!!"

Stick around. Comments get worse than that.

You can delete comments if you want. I'd probably let that one stay. Your commentator actually read some of the story. They're telling you what they think, and they're doing it without threatening you or being personally insulting.

 

[SyleusSnow]

Yeah, fairly mild criticism.

I've seen a few nasty comments on other's stories, but in my experience Lit readers overall are too nice (a couple days ago a reader compared my writing to Chekov. Extremely flattering, but yeesh). In three years of posting here I've yet to get flamed at all. Constructive criticism would be a welcome change.

Just read the story... well written and a fine setup for a series, though short and could use more tension IMHO.

 

[GroverLang]

Stick around. Comments get worse than that.

You can delete comments if you want. I'd probably let that one stay. Your commentator actually read some of the story. They're telling you what they think, and they're doing it without threatening you or being personally insulting.

As NotWise says, comments do get worse. That one you’ve received is lukewarm compared with ones you may get in the future. Particularly if he’s become one of your followers.

I’ve got someone who is always one of the first to vote on a story, always gives me a three because he knows it won’t be swept, and leaves a comment which makes yours look like Toy Story. He’s obviously on my followers list so he gets notified as soon as a story goes up. Thankfully, because it’s a three, it doesn’t hit the story too hard. But it’s annoying even though his comments are laughable.

But you have to take it on the chin because there’s nothing you can do about it. They get a kick out of being anonymous and probably follow this forum to see if they’re getting a reaction. Just ignore them.

 

[SisterJezabel]

I love it when people comment the story was so boring that they didn't read past the first page/paragraph etc and yet they clicked through to the end to comment that!

The good comments far outweigh the bad. I try not to reply too much (and I hope I am getting better) but if any comment is anonymous I take it with a grain of salt.

 

[Enchantment_of_Nyx]

Yeah, fairly mild criticism.

I've seen a few nasty comments on other's stories, but in my experience Lit readers overall are too nice (a couple days ago a reader compared my writing to Chekov. Extremely flattering, but yeesh). In three years of posting here I've yet to get flamed at all. Constructive criticism would be a welcome change.

I felt the same way about the lack of constructive criticism. I just received my first technical constructive criticism (as opposed to a reader saying they would like the story to have gone a different way). At the end of my story, I included the following:

"I appreciate the feedback I’ve received so far. It’s been very encouraging and it motivates me. Please don’t be shy about leaving constructive criticism, though. I can’t learn from mistakes if I don’t know about them."

Compared to my request for feedback at the end of previous chapters, it was a little more direct about wanting that type of criticism and why I was looking for it. I don't know if receiving the criticism when I included that request was coincidental, or that helped, but I thought I'd throw it out there in case you want to try it. I also keep my comments after the story to a minimum so that my request for reader feedback doesn't get buried.

 

[Enchantment_of_Nyx]

I’ve got someone who is always one of the first to vote on a story, always gives me a three because he knows it won’t be swept, and leaves a comment which makes yours look like Toy Story. He’s obviously on my followers list so he gets notified as soon as a story goes up. Thankfully, because it’s a three, it doesn’t hit the story too hard. But it’s annoying even though his comments are laughable.

That is downright creepy. Sorry you have to deal with it.

 

[Tigersman]

As a volunteer editor I never leave negative comments for all to see. If I find problems with a story I normally send them a message. I may suggest they find an editor.

 

[ElectricBlue]

Keep it. Any commentator that can't quite spell 'story' - don't expect intelligence from that joker .

 

[exgovie]

disregard this type of message

Before this year, I hadn't written fiction since college. And before now, I haven't written erotica (I guess you could call it fucktion?). Anyway, today, I got my first truly negative comment. It's on the first story I posted in January, which is the only one that is rated less than 4.5 (it's 4.46). This is the first time anyone has truly bothered to take a shit on one of my stories, and they're anonymous no less, so I kind of feel like I'm now a member of the club.

"it was just interesting enough to read the whole first part, but not enough to read other parts. i'd suggest having someone read it before posting it, not enough meat to the sotry. even for a sex one. keep trying tho!!"

I think the last bit is the funniest. It's like they're saying, "Hey, your story sucked, but keep at it and you might suck less. Maybe."

Disregard any comments you receive unless they are a valid and "constructive" comment. I believe what he said was it was not good enough "stroking" material for him. I normally would never post here because I do not consider myself qualified. I only may give a rating after reading to say how much I enjoyed it but "never" a low rating because it adds nothing to writer.

 

[soflabbwlvr]

Before this year, I hadn't written fiction since college. And before now, I haven't written erotica (I guess you could call it fucktion?). Anyway, today, I got my first truly negative comment. It's on the first story I posted in January, which is the only one that is rated less than 4.5 (it's 4.46). This is the first time anyone has truly bothered to take a shit on one of my stories, and they're anonymous no less, so I kind of feel like I'm now a member of the club.

"it was just interesting enough to read the whole first part, but not enough to read other parts. i'd suggest having someone read it before posting it, not enough meat to the sotry. even for a sex one. keep trying tho!!"

I think the last bit is the funniest. It's like they're saying, "Hey, your story sucked, but keep at it and you might suck less. Maybe."

I think you are being overly sensitive. This comment is hardly someone "tak[ing] a shit on [your] story." Believe me, you will know when someone truly leaves a steaming pile. This is a reader offering his opinion that the story needed more. Your profile says "please tell me what you think, good and bad." If you only want to hear praise, then perhaps you should amend that statement or turn off reader comments. Otherwise, you will need to develop thicker skin. This reader offered what he or she considered constructive criticism, and it was offered in a friendly manner. Lit. readers can be much harsher than you have experienced.

 

[KeithD]

If this was a negative comment worthy of bringing to the discussion board, as Bette Davis once said in a movie: "Fasten your seatbelts. It’s going to be a bumpy night” in terms of your Literotica author experience. Welcome to Literotica writing, though.

 

[lovecraft68]

That's tame, come back when you get a profanity laced personal attack or someone telling you to fuck off and die.

Seriously, that wasn't all that bad, the end part you're laughing at is meant to be encouraging. "I didn't really like it, but keep trying"

I've had people beg me to stop writing

 

[ChuckWolf]

I've received a few negative comments, but the only one that ever annoyed me was a criticism over the usage of host vs. hostess in regards to a female character in the story.

It was such a minor and pedantic criticism, but also incorrect.

If you're going to be a grammar-nazi, you really need to know what you're talking about.

 

[Enchantment_of_Nyx]

I've had people beg me to stop writing

Badge of honor?

 

[lovecraft68]

Badge of honor?

I've worked hard to be that offensive dammit!

 

[lovecraft68]

For the OP's perspective here are some gems from one of my loving wives stories

by Anonymous
01/24/14
I gather that the object of the contest is to get the lowest score?
Okay, I'll help.

by Ducky7
02/04/14
Another 1* shit story.
Find another hobby.

This is one of my all time favs

by Anonymous
02/14/14
Never Again
Where does he get this pathetic shit? I got sick of picking the corn out his verbal diarrhea on the second page and had to stop reading. Awful. Just awful.

by Anonymous
09/19/14
you shit pissed and vomited on valentines day
i usually like your stories but this was the most fucked up excuse for a story that i have ever read

by TMSPTGR3
01/26/16
Sick
You are one sick fuck to dream up characters like these.

by Anonymous
07/13/17
Flush
is the olny proper response

 

[SimonDoom]

That is very mild criticism, by Literotica standards.

Recently I got this criticism to a story I published about a year ago. I'd been publishing here for about two and a half years when I published it:

"Bad Very Bad
Regardless of what some these people say this was an extremely bad story im not going to tell you what i think you want to hear to try and be nice and not hurt your feelings my 5 Year old niece can write a better story then this it was so bad i hope this was your only story cause i tell you if not you should stop posting them before you ruin this site i wished i was blind and couldn't read that's how bad it is tell you what you want to learn to write an actual decent story take writing classes about 100 times a week no scratch that not even that will help you write a decent story do us all a favor and quit just completely forget how to write"

No mincing words. I just totally suck.

 

[lovecraft68]

That is very mild criticism, by Literotica standards.

Recently I got this criticism to a story I published about a year ago. I'd been publishing here for about two and a half years when I published it:

"Bad Very Bad
Regardless of what some these people say this was an extremely bad story im not going to tell you what i think you want to hear to try and be nice and not hurt your feelings my 5 Year old niece can write a better story then this it was so bad i hope this was your only story cause i tell you if not you should stop posting them before you ruin this site i wished i was blind and couldn't read that's how bad it is tell you what you want to learn to write an actual decent story take writing classes about 100 times a week no scratch that not even that will help you write a decent story do us all a favor and quit just completely forget how to write"

No mincing words. I just totally suck.

A word of advice my friend, never believe anything someone who doesn't know 'I' should be capitalized says.

 

[SimonDoom]

A word of advice my friend, never believe anything someone who doesn't know 'I' should be capitalized says.

Maybe they thought they were e.e. cummings?

 

[Enchantment_of_Nyx]

That is very mild criticism, by Literotica standards.

Recently I got this criticism to a story I published about a year ago. I'd been publishing here for about two and a half years when I published it:

"Bad Very Bad
Regardless of what some these people say this was an extremely bad story im not going to tell you what i think you want to hear to try and be nice and not hurt your feelings my 5 Year old niece can write a better story then this it was so bad i hope this was your only story cause i tell you if not you should stop posting them before you ruin this site i wished i was blind and couldn't read that's how bad it is tell you what you want to learn to write an actual decent story take writing classes about 100 times a week no scratch that not even that will help you write a decent story do us all a favor and quit just completely forget how to write"

No mincing words. I just totally suck.

"i wished i was blind and couldn't read..." I thought I WAS going to go blind for lack of punctuation. My brain absolutely dug in its figurative feet and refused to process. And was it just me, or did you get the impression he didn't like your writing? Or existence?

 

[Enchantment_of_Nyx]

For the OP's perspective here are some gems from one of my loving wives stories


This is one of my all time favs

by Anonymous
02/14/14
Never Again
Where does he get this pathetic shit? I got sick of picking the corn out his verbal diarrhea on the second page and had to stop reading. Awful. Just awful.

It's not everyone who gets feedback from an anonymous scatologist.

 

[Enchantment_of_Nyx]

I think reader feedback is great, but only when it's specific enough that you understand where the reader is coming from and what they're talking about. Even if the criticism isn't psychotic, like Grover's stalker or Simon's e.e. cummings wannabe, or lovecraft's scatologist, it still isn't useful unless you know what the reader is really talking about. It would probably be a mistake to let such non-specific criticism affect future writing.