Negative Feedback and the Author

[jon.hayworth]

I have read an awfull lot of postings by authors who are having difficulty in dealing with Negative Feedback.

So lets put the Feedback thing into perspective.
First and foremost you are being published - the one thing most writers want.

Second you have not recieved the most damning feedback, a manuscript returned with a proforma rejection slip. Something that is constantly happening in the world of paper publishing.

Third you are the author you opted voluntarily to publish your work and some people will not like it.

The only criticism I do not want to recieve are pithy one liners that mean nothing. Or abusive mails, like the one Max Sebastian received recently.

My critics are welcome to enter into a dialogue - I know I am not perfect - if I was I would be writing million dollar blockbuster airport novels.

Rant over - I will go and read another rejection slip.

jon

 

[CHEWEY]

RE: Jon

You are right on all 3 matter's. The biggest thing I have a problem with on negative feedback is;
1. If you are gunna give negative feedback at least give your name so that the authors can respond-- a sort of face your accuser thing.
2, Feedback of any kind usually helps me on my next story. It's hard to see some of the stuff when you are so close.
3. If you are gunna give feedback, there is no reason why you should feel that in order to get your point across you need to call names.
4. As for the pithy one liners---that is what most of us are talking about!

But, we do put our stories on the line, in hopes that someone will enjoy them. But, we should not have to put up with the abusive attitudes that some have that can't even write a grocery list. Have a good one CHEWEY

 

[p_p_man]

Quite often I get very useful and helpful...

negative feedback, which I've incorporated into re-writes with a definite improvement on the original story.

 

[KillerMuffin]

Definitions.

Positive feedback: Anything nice that doesn't help the author.
Criticism: Anything designed to help the author, positive or negative.
Negative feedback: Anything bad that doesn't help the author.



Positive Feedback:

You rock! I read your story and came 92 times and I actually grew three inches to my penis! Keep it up!

Criticism:

People have a "waist" and the trash is full of "waste."

Negative feedback:

You suck! Don't quit your day job loser!

 

[Guest]

And many of you who bitch endlessly about getting negative feedback, you do have the option NOT to accept anonymous feedback ! Yeesh, even if someone did put a name or email, are you really going to know who the fuck that person is? Welcome to the Internet, where being anonymous is a way of life!

 

[startrooper]

While it is true that the internet offers anonimity, it is only a coward who slams someone trying to put their work forward without giving the author a chance to reply. Basically, it's the verbal equivalent of a drive-by shooting. Everyone who posts their work knows the risk of getting negative feedback. I for one welcome ANY feedback. Feedback is designed to help a blossoming author improve their work. Blasting the work and/or the author just for the sake of meaness while hiding behind a keyboard is just downright rude.

 

[curious2c]

negative feedback

Having just posted a story and having it show up is exciting in itself. I have had some negative feedback, mostly one-liners. I was upset at first then I realized, hey, I pissed off someone! WOW! It wasn't my intent to evoke this emotion, but somehow I did! I feel that I must honestly say to evoke any emotion to the extent I have read as feedback is amazing to me!

 

[KJGirlie]

Haha curious, that seems a wonderfully positive way of looking at it.

Being very very close to your stories can definitely make it difficult to recieve crits with an open mind. You don't want to feel that someone is attacking characters that have been growing in your mind for weeks or even months- you really care about your stories!! I know that is why I don't submit anything until it had been edited, edited, edited, and read by a few choice people. I know nothing will please EVERYONE, but I certainly try to get the bugs out first.

Yes, change your preferences so that anonymous messages are blocked. Anonymous feedback is, for the majority, jealous readers who want to make you feel bad, or people who simply didn't like your story but don't have anything constructive to say. If the criticism says "I don't like it", but doesn't offer a reason, try to brush it off. That's really all you can do..

KJ

 

[estories69]

My Take on Feedback

Most of the time my feedback is positive, but they don't say anything specific. The negative feedback usually revolves around my annoying tendency to mix past and present tense in my stories.

I think it's fair to say that most people who write a story do so as a hobby. Most aren't REAL writers and thus haven't spent hours upon hours making sure their work is perfet. I think for the most part, criticism should be given with that in mind.

 

[karmadog]

You know, estories69, if they were "real writers" they wouldn't be giving it away. In my case, I rarely write erotica or poetry, and quite frankly, my story got rejected for pay (quite correctly, but you never know), so I posted here. Believe me, I'm not knocking Lit, I think it's a terrific site. Especially the boards, a writer can learn a lot here. Read some of the stuff that KilllerMuffin has up here, or the poets (daughter, smithpeter, RisiaSkye) there are some amazing writers here, just giving there talent to us.

That is not to be found just anywhere.

 

[KillerMuffin]

What is the whole feedback system designed for?

The author? The reader?

It was put in place for the author, however everything is for the reader. The reader decides whether or not to write. Feedback is a gift from the reader and nothing more.

A few tips to cut down on hateful feedback:

1) Make sure sex scenes are at least as long as the buildup to them.
2) Use your grammar checker to spell check. It's a pain in the ass because fiction isn't necessarily grammatical, but it will pick up on misspelled words like waste instead of waist. It'll notice they instead of the. It will also show you awkwardly worded sentences that you can consider changing.
3) Edit yourself. A good rule of thumb is that if you haven't cut a painful number of words you're doing it wrong.
4) Do not use second person. Don't write to "you."
5) Learn how to use a comma.
6) Make sure your characters are believable and don't mention any of the key numbers, height, weight, bra size, dick size, or age (unless age is intrinsic to the plot). If you haven't been doing it for a while you're not going to make unpopular/old/ugly guy have fabulous sex with the 18 year old goddess next door sound anything but totally cliche.

No, these aren't going to get rid of bad feedback altogether because, quite frankly, there is nothing new in the porn world and the same thing over and over gets a reader aggravated because it's a pain in the ass to pick a story, start to get into it, hate it, and then go find another one that looks interesting. Some people have less manners and feel the need to take their frustration out on you.

But everyone gets it, no one is immune. Stephen King has been ridiculed in print more times than any of us will ever get a You Suck! feedback.

 

[Sabledrake]

Oh, what was that quote from Moliere? I used to have it for my sig. Something like:

"Writing is like prostitution. First you do it for the fun, then you do it for friends, and finally you do it for the money."

Me, I like to think I can do it for any or all or a combination of the above. I suppose that I am a 'real' writer, as I have novels in print and have sold a short story or two, but I still write fanfic and naughty stories to post here.

Why? Partly the practice, to hone my skills. But mostly for the feedback. There is something to be said for immediate reinforcement. Something that goes to print might be a year or more until it gets out there to be read.

I like to hear when I get it right, and even more importantly, when I get it wrong. Hearing _why_ I got it right or wrong, though, that's the most important of all. It encourages me to try again, challenge myself, do better next time.

KillerMuffin -- great list! Would that everyone might print it out and paste it to the monitor!

Sabledrake

 

[wcoyote]

gotta feedback question

Being the "new guy" here I find this discussion invaluable.

Recently I submitted my first story and was very lucky to receive helpful feedback.

I have read other writers quote how many "1" votes their story received.

I'm curious how to learn this information. If there's a place on the site to go showing the voting breakdown.

Any direction would be appreciated!

wcoyote