I have read the ideas posted, especially about posting a number of pieces of writing with some variety in content, but other than the numbering and the fact that several are being read (at least looked at) I've gotten no comments. How does on find some creative feedback?
New Author: Finding Good Feedback... or Any At All
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Chicklet
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gr8_4play said:
Besides posting here, in the story feedback section, it's pretty difficult. Only one in about two-hundred reads gets you a feedback, and I've found only one in about fifty feedbacks to be some creative insight to your story.
So, for the best creative feedback, start a thread just like this one. Include a link to your stories or specific story, and give a little bit about what you're looking for. We'll do our best to get back to you, and see how it goes = )
-Chicklet
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I have no idea what generates feedback. I've had some stories where I was lucky to get 10 messages, then there's my newest one where I got 90 on the first day. I think the amount of feedback has more to do with the story and the genre it's in than it does with anything structural about how you ask for feedback. As for creative feedback, my experience is that while I love feedback and respond to all of them that aren't anonymous, most of the messages aren't substantive. You get a few very thoughtful ones, and if you respond with questions those folks will answer enthusiastically. Most readers just aren't in it to be form or substance editors though.
If you want real creative input, in my view the best way is to identify authors you admire and who have a style compatible with your own and correspond with them. In time you will find other authors whose opinion you respect who will be happy to read your stories before you post them and bat ideas around. And to talk about the story ideas before you write them. You can do the same for them and in my opinion, those relationships are the most satisfying part of this whole hobby. And the best way to improve your writing. I've been lucky to find one really good editor/mentor/friend along those lines - with that you don't need much more! Scott
gauchecritic
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gauchecritic
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Grandma's Rocking Chair
This piece is so gentle I find it hard to believe that it can be regarded as erotica.
As I was reading I was struck by the amont of description of the title object. My first thought as I read was that you go into the description of a piece of furniture far too much for an erotic tale. By the time I got to the end I realised that the title of the story was exactly a description of the story content.
I read another piece "First Time" and found although you do include more sex it is just as gently written as the other, although if you added in parentheses to the title 'with a condom' it would have been a more apt description.
I really don't know what to say except that I personally wouldn't seek out such stories on this site and I'd guess that more than 75% of the average 'trawler' wouldn't either.
That's not to say that there isn't an audience for your work but they will be few and far between.
You're style is very readable and it takes no effort at all to get to the end of the stories, but there doesn't seem to be what KillerMuffin likes and deems necessary; conflict. (I disagree on this point about what coflict can be)
Another thing missing from your tales is any sense of "people". Those in the two I read could easily have been anyone at all. They had no eyes, no colouring and particularly no thoughts of their own to identify them as individuals. I learned more about the grandparents in the first story than I did about the people actually involved. They (the grandparents) had an apparently wild sex life in what must have been the 1800's amidst all the 'puritan' times. Grandpa was a masterly craftsman (I go for the home-built theory) and Grandma was something of a wanton.
I couldn't really find anything seriously wrong with the structure, spelling or grammar; a few typos a couple of repetetive words, but that's all.
In sum, there wasn't really anything exciting which would draw me in. There wasn't any sense of tell me more, neither were there really any conclusions.
Don't know if this helps but it is what I saw.
Gauche
Now you can reply and tell me I managed to pick the only two stories in that style.
This piece is so gentle I find it hard to believe that it can be regarded as erotica.
As I was reading I was struck by the amont of description of the title object. My first thought as I read was that you go into the description of a piece of furniture far too much for an erotic tale. By the time I got to the end I realised that the title of the story was exactly a description of the story content.
I read another piece "First Time" and found although you do include more sex it is just as gently written as the other, although if you added in parentheses to the title 'with a condom' it would have been a more apt description.
I really don't know what to say except that I personally wouldn't seek out such stories on this site and I'd guess that more than 75% of the average 'trawler' wouldn't either.
That's not to say that there isn't an audience for your work but they will be few and far between.
You're style is very readable and it takes no effort at all to get to the end of the stories, but there doesn't seem to be what KillerMuffin likes and deems necessary; conflict. (I disagree on this point about what coflict can be)
Another thing missing from your tales is any sense of "people". Those in the two I read could easily have been anyone at all. They had no eyes, no colouring and particularly no thoughts of their own to identify them as individuals. I learned more about the grandparents in the first story than I did about the people actually involved. They (the grandparents) had an apparently wild sex life in what must have been the 1800's amidst all the 'puritan' times. Grandpa was a masterly craftsman (I go for the home-built theory) and Grandma was something of a wanton.
I couldn't really find anything seriously wrong with the structure, spelling or grammar; a few typos a couple of repetetive words, but that's all.
In sum, there wasn't really anything exciting which would draw me in. There wasn't any sense of tell me more, neither were there really any conclusions.
Don't know if this helps but it is what I saw.
Gauche
Now you can reply and tell me I managed to pick the only two stories in that style.
Feedback
I have posted several stories lately "Brother Ray Counsels" 1/ 2/ /3/ 4. I asked for feedback and recieved several positive and on annonymous who signed as Jill. She was quite blunt saying "Your writing is crap, this may turn men on, but it turns women off". I am a man so I write as a man and suggest for jill to only read those stories written by women.
Revbroray
I have posted several stories lately "Brother Ray Counsels" 1/ 2/ /3/ 4. I asked for feedback and recieved several positive and on annonymous who signed as Jill. She was quite blunt saying "Your writing is crap, this may turn men on, but it turns women off". I am a man so I write as a man and suggest for jill to only read those stories written by women.
Revbroray
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Feedback...
I understand your frustration, revbroray, that sort of feedback isn't very helpful. It's better than the "You suck!" ones, though. Jill may be way off base, but she's at least telling you that in her opinion your writing style is offensive to women. If it turns out that she is representative of women's views, perhaps you should put a caution at the start of the story. Telling her to read stories by women is off the mark. Many of my stories have done better with women than men - I think that's true with a lot of male writers on this site. The reverse is also true - many stories written by women appeal more to men. As a general matter, both men and women like well written erotic stories regardless of the POV - in all genres - and if women as a group are offended by your style perhaps you should rethink it. To be purely mercenary, they make up half of your potential audience. If your stories are scoring well, I'd ignore Jill's comments - you can't please everyone - but the issue isn't that men write for men and vice versa. Scott
I understand your frustration, revbroray, that sort of feedback isn't very helpful. It's better than the "You suck!" ones, though. Jill may be way off base, but she's at least telling you that in her opinion your writing style is offensive to women. If it turns out that she is representative of women's views, perhaps you should put a caution at the start of the story. Telling her to read stories by women is off the mark. Many of my stories have done better with women than men - I think that's true with a lot of male writers on this site. The reverse is also true - many stories written by women appeal more to men. As a general matter, both men and women like well written erotic stories regardless of the POV - in all genres - and if women as a group are offended by your style perhaps you should rethink it. To be purely mercenary, they make up half of your potential audience. If your stories are scoring well, I'd ignore Jill's comments - you can't please everyone - but the issue isn't that men write for men and vice versa. Scott
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