Poets, do you get enough feedback?

[WriterDom]

There is a lot of interaction from and by the regulars of this board, but in the larger community of readers, do you get enough feedback? I get a little and it usually starts out with something like "I bet you hear this a lot," or "I know you get tons of feedback" And I really don't. I get reads. And I have to admit, I'm not much of a giver of feedback either. But it is nice to get, and I always try to respond when I do.

 

[Senna Jawa]

do you get enough feedback?

The real issue is:

        do you crave feedback too much?

 

[WriterDom]

Re: Re: Poets, do you get enough feedback?

The real issue is:

        do you crave feedback too much?

no, my postings here are more of an afterthought

 

[The_Fool]

Re: Re: Poets, do you get enough feedback?

The real issue is:

        do you crave feedback too much?

Not near as much as I crave mellow whiskey, good cigars and loose women....


Okay, two out of three are affordable...

 

[Icingsugar]

Re: Re: Poets, do you get enough feedback?

The real issue is:

        do you crave feedback too much?

I crave food, shelter and love.
The rest is, well, icing.

And no, I don't get enough of that. Serves me well though, since I don't give half as much feedback as I should.

/Ice

 

[WriterDom]

I remember when we clamored on the story board for a poetry board and now it is so inactive. The poems are increasing. But the forum seems dead.

 

[perks]

I remember when we clamored on the story board for a poetry board and now it is so inactive. The poems are increasing. But the forum seems dead.

He says we're dead
because our pulse
beats like smooth whisky
I don't want
techno raving
through these veins
My poetry has
rhythm of its own
weaving nude
in between
this poet circle
Do I care for anonymous feedback?
this forum of handheld care
massaging my skin
strengthens my resolve
to write
wrongs.

 

[champagne1982]

There is a lot of interaction from and by the regulars of this board, but in the larger community of readers, do you get enough feedback?[. . .]

I remember when we clamored on the story board for a poetry board and now it is so inactive. The poems are increasing. But the forum seems dead.

WriterDom what are you saying? Is this board active or dead?

If you think it's dead forgive me if I disagree. To the contrary, as proven by your own words. We all interact. Each day there is a review of the new poems, accompanied by the reassurance that even if you weren't mentioned, someone took a look at your poetry. On that same thread we all are encouraged to post our own opinions and definitely our thanks if we happen to strike a chord with someone.

If you're seeking something to occupy your mind, maybe you should participate in a challenge or two. These definitely help me hone my verse and stir my muse. I'm actually quite surprised by the number of different people we see stepping up and taking a turn at "the perfect 10" or being "lachrimonious".

I think it's all in what we expect to find as entertainment, education or satisfaction. If you are willing to participate in the realization of those expectations then perhaps as an individual, you will see a little more life from (those aren't corpses) the poets scattered about.

 

[Senna Jawa]

I remember when we clamored on the story board for a poetry board and now it is so inactive. The poems are increasing. But the forum seems dead.

How do you think, why?

    Senna Jawa

PS. Readership is increasing too. While illustrated poems "steal" reads most intensively, it is not at the expense of the "regular" poems, regular poems gain "reads" at a higher rate than in the past. I'll check the stats soon (or at least I intend to) to make sure that this is the case (I hope that that Lit's stats are reliable, I wish they were, while I must say that I haver certain doubts).

 

[Senna Jawa]

Re: Re: Poets, do you get enough feedback?

Each day there is a review of the new poems, [...]

I am sorry but they are a total waste. They are even harmful to those who want to improve their poetry when they take these reviews seriously.

 

[Angeline]

quote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Originally posted by champagne1982
Each day there is a review of the new poems, [...]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I am sorry but they are a total waste. They are even harmful to those who want to improve their poetry when they take these reviews seriously.

This is your opinion. The fact that you believe it is so makes it right for you, but not necessarily for anyone else. I respect your right to express your opinion, but I don't share it. I doubt others do either, but the bottom line for me is that none of us here need be intimidated by an opinion--not yours, not WriterDom's, not mine. People can decide for themselves.

Respectfully,
Angeline

 

[Lauren Hynde]

The daily reviews (reading recommendations, really) are not for the benifit of the writers. They are not critiques, and they're usually not even grounded opinions.

The audience of that thread are and have always been the readers who don't want to go through all the daily crap in order to read the worthwhile poems and make their own mind about them.

Almost anyone here would understand that right away.

 

[Icingsugar]

Re: Re: Re: Poets, do you get enough feedback?

I am sorry but they are a total waste. They are even harmful to those who want to improve their poetry when they take these reviews seriously.

A bit harsh there perhaps. I'd call them reader reviews and personal recopmmendations rather than heavy analytical writer feedback. I frequent that thread to get recommendations on poems that others have enjoyed, for my own reader enjoymenyt, and for inspiration.

Any reaction to one's work can be harmful if one takes oneself too serously.

cheers!
/Ice

 

[Senna Jawa]

This is your opinion. [...] I don't share it. I doubt others do either[...]
Angeline

Voting and democracy have nothing to do with art and poetry.

The bottom line is that many praised poems are littered with "sorrows" etc. The bottom line is that several poets, who showed some promise, after a while went backward instead of forward in their poetry, while active on Literotica. Ergo, Literotica didn't help them. Take your higly intelligent friend Lauren Hynde. She is so busy playing the Literotica poetry board social game that she has never got a clue about poetry. Under different circumstances, if she was also wise besides being intelligent, she would have good poems to her credit. We had here a poet who at the first was artistically quite naive--Zhuk. He made progress, he got published in a strong haiku magazine several times (possibly elswhere too). But he also understood that he has nothing to learn at Literotica and he simply left (I was pleased and honored that he kept in touch with me).

To me all this is personally not a concern, while it would be nice to have an artistically and intellectually honest and stimulating place/environment.

This board occasionally looks not too bad. Characteristically, it is when poets support their efforts with an existing tradition as blues or bar poems (except for the lack of much originality of the produced pieces--but then, it is not that different from the rest of the poems, while in this cases at least their poems make some sense--I am a little exaggerating but only a little).

I am here for the archive, it's a place to keep my English poems.

Of many challenges I did like a few, they had stimulated me and I did write poems on those occasions. (Other challenges were to me too superficial, hence I didn't bother). So, I am not saying that it is all bad here. It is just pitiful.

Once I gave up on Literotica Poetry Board I am here relaxed and at ease (read: I don't care anymore). And in general, it became my attitude to the Internet discussion lists and boards, due to the Internet's present day character (I am not striving at anything on Internet anymore). But then my participation here, to answer the WriterDom question, is only marginal, is a microscopic fraction of what it could have been under different circumstances. (At least I keep my English poems here, at Literotica).

Yes, Icingsugar, the regulars here take themselves way too seriously instead of being authentically serious about art and poetry. They treat themselves seriously at the expense of poetry. The poetry here is treated in an offensive way--nothing counts but social "grace". The new active members of this board quickly become a part of its unfortunate character (or leave like Zhuk).

The irony is that if not the social pleasing of each other was important but poetry then socially this board would be way nicer than it is now, no comparison, it would be a different and much nicer world. To be truly nice it would have to be honest.

 

[Angeline]

Well Senna again I agree with you on some points and disagree on others, which comes as no surprise to either of us--nor does it really matter. My only purpose in responding was to make my point to those who might easily be swayed one way or another that it's best to read, reflect, and decide for yourself. That, of course, is also an opinion; people will take it or leave it.

 

[Icingsugar]

Yes, Icingsugar, the regulars here take themselves way too seriously instead of being authentically serious about art and poetry. They treat themselves seriously at the expense of poetry. The poetry here is treated in an offensive way--nothing counts but social "grace". The new active members of this board quickly become a part of its unfortunate character (or leave like Zhuk).

I do hope that I misread this paragraph, and that you did not put those judgemental words in my mouth. It was certainly not the regulars in here that I was referring to, those I have found to be more down to earth and humble than what is common on the Internet elsewhere.

Granted, there is not much of hardcore analysis going on, but on the other hand, with the vastly difference in style and expression, as well as different experiences, to engage in that would be too high an ambition. And it could as well harm another part of the participants' artistic delvelopment, that is very well nutured in here. This board is instead a healthy, inspirational creative envionment that waves no dogmas and shoots no slander, and harbors no superior holier-than-thou attitudes. And that is hard to come by in this day and age.

rgrds
/Ice

 

[perks]

I'm pretty angry at SJ's judgement.

So weird, that words typed on a screen can invoke such emotion in me.

I'm going to take my authentically serious about art and poetry ass over to the ignore button, and choose to brighten my day considerably.

 

[WriterDom]

No, I'm not saying it's dead, but it just seemed to be slow for the 24 hours after I posted this. And a lot of familiar names I used to see seem to be missing. I guess that's the nature of boards and no one's fault.

But it seems we do agree that we want more feedback.

There are changes that could be made to make things better. For one thing, the poetry list needs to open at random points like the stories do. To illustrate this, I wrote a poem just to see how quickly it would make the top list called "1 last fuck before we say goodbye". It has almost 6000 views in 10 months, while my poem that starts with a "z" written a year earlier has 1000. Illustrated poems move up even faster. In a year from now, the most read list will be all illustrated, audio, and a few that start with something other than letters. One could almost make that case now.

Also I'd like to see the division of erotic and non-erotic on the top lists, but I don't see that ever happening.

 

[Icingsugar]

Another thing: Can I search the poems on Lit? I tried finding a poem I read a few months ago here. But the only things I could choose from was story categories. Is there a separate search enginge for poems? If so, it's well hidden...

 

[WriterDom]

A poem search would be a good thing to play around with. I don't think there is one though.

 

[Lauren Hynde]

Take your higly intelligent friend Lauren Hynde. She is so busy playing the Literotica poetry board social game that she has never got a clue about poetry. Under different circumstances, if she was also wise besides being intelligent, she would have good poems to her credit.

Ah, how nice. Flattery will get you nowhere, Senna.

So, you think I'm an example of stagnation. That's so sweet.

Under different circumstances, I could tell you about why I'm here and what exactly is the nature of my relationship with poetry. It wouldn't matter, though, so I'll just admit to enjoying the Literotica social game.

I could ask you to explain why do you say I never got a clue about poetry, or better yet, I could ask you to go through my poetry list and demonstrate how each and every one of my poems are crap. I could, but I won't, quite frankly, because I know you wouldn't know how to go about either task.

I also won't ask, because I don't give a rat's ass about your opinion. Let's face it, someone as narrow-minded as to distill pearls of hilarious wisdom like 'anatomy which is not on surface is not any object for poetry' and then goes on to say that, safe from a scene from a hospital, the mention of human organs or bodily fluids has no place is a poem, can't be taken too seriously. I still laugh my ass off every time I remember that one. And how many different variations of the "This is crap" "Why?" "Oh pulleeze; I'd be here for a week trying to tell why. Oh, look at the time. Let me conveniently disappear for a month or so" dialogue have we read over the last year and a half?

You know, unlike many others, I have no problem with you being an ass-hole. Rude pricks with a sharp tongues who say what they think and call crap by its name are usually OK in my list. What I can't stand are rude pricks with a sharp tongues who say what they think and call crap by its name that don't have the wit, intelligence or common sense to back up their statements, who are virtually incapable of holding intelligible discussion and whose whole concept of logical reasoning seems to be exclusively associated with numbers.

You're more like one of those old people who walk too slowly in the middle of the sidewalk all day talking about the government and the old days. Sure, everyone feels the urge once in a while to discretely push you under a bus, but at least you're a colourful character.

When you say you're only here for the archive, it reminds me of people saying they only write for themselves. It's complete BS and you know it. You're here for our little social game too. That's your part.


- L


PS: I'm aware of the qualities --and there are plenty-- and flaws of my own writing, and I can assure you the array of clues I have on the subject goes far beyond what you imagine.

 

[Senna Jawa]

[...]

That was a perfect illustration of the drastic difference between intelligence and wisdom. L got the earlier one but none of the latter. Keep dreaming L. (L also has proved how superficial is her social game).

 

[Lauren Hynde]

Untruthful? LOL There's a first time for everything, I guess...

 

[TheDR4KE]

I'm pretty angry at SJ's judgement.

So weird, that words typed on a screen can invoke such emotion in me.

I'm going to take my authentically serious about art and poetry ass over to the ignore button, and choose to brighten my day considerably.

A wise decision. SJ has proven himself time and time again to be closed-minded and judgemental, without any skills in analysis or elucidation.

A veritable pseudo-scientist of a poet. He is the biologist who performs an experiment to see if his guess was right, and washes the outcome down the toilet if it wasn't, rather than opening up to new possibilities.

Quack

the D (who misses the flame war thread )

 

[paganangel]

sj kept me off of these boards. purely abusive.

the problem was only he would be critical at all. this thread alone gives me hope. perhaps people will now, in an open forum, be willing to do what they previously would only do in anonymous feedback.