Public Comment on "Sleeping With Dogs," A Novel

[alphabravo]

An amazing complex story
12/18/03 by Anonymous in USA
I regret not giving this story a better mark, the quality of writing really deserves it, but I just can't. The ending was too depressive for me.
Other than my personal feelings, this story's characters were developed quite well, each done well enough for the character's part in the story. The writing of this long novel is tight, without excess wording, and the plot flows along very smoothly. The author definately knows how to write a compelling and descriptive story.

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I received an anonymous feedback (above) from a reader, (Thank you for that feedback whoever you were) and it was generally very favorable. Words of praise are gratifying to all of us. This reader wasn't happy with the ending however and they made that very plain. (Again, thank you for that)

In explanation, let me say that i didn't cop for an easy solution by using the death scenario, I thought it was required and meaningful to support the plot development and character growth. I also thought it was the most likely result possible for anyone who had been through what Helen, the character, had been through. The death scenario solves all problems and cleans up all loose ends but isn't always the most truthful and righteous conclusion for a novel. In this case I feel it was.

Anyone who has the time and inclination to read, Sleeping With Dogs," submitted by alphabravo, please do so. Any comments or remarks will be answered and I'll do my best to disregard my writer's ego and be as truthful and responsive as possible.

Thanks to a very kind member of our site, I have added a link that will take you to the work being discussed. Thank you, dr_mabeuse, you're a vanishing species, kindness shown to someone you don't know, is a trait that is normally associated with gentlemen and gentlewomen, you are definately in that category! Thanks

http://www.literotica.com:81/storie...y.php?id=116125

 

[wishfulthinking]

Anon feedback /public comments can be a bummer! Usually the best feeback (that raises good questions or makes suggestions that you didn't think about, but now in hindsight...) is anon.

 

[alphabravo]

Thanks, I am considering their suggestion that the resolution was an easy way out. It wasn't, i fell in love with thecharacter as I wrote about her. To me, the ending was a logical, reasonable conclusion. - - - But, you're absolutely right about anon feedback giving you pause, after all, it's anonymous, nothing to be gained or lost by the contributor.


Thanks

 

[wishfulthinking]

Even if you ended the story by letting them live, you probably would have got 10 feedbacks saying you took the easy way out! At the end of the day, you have to be happy with it, and it sounds like you are.

Most people do realise the effort it takes to write stories (or novels), and at least it wasn't a "you suck" comment!

 

[dr_mabeuse]

It’s always a good idea to post a link to the story you’re requesting feedback on. Here’s a link to “Sleeping with Dogs”:

http://www.literotica.com:81/stories/showstory.php?id=116125

(Go to the FAQ to find out how to paste a link if that’s new to you.)

I wish you good luck on your request for feedback. That’s a pretty long story you have there.

---dr.M.

 

[alphabravo]

Well, a link that takes you directly to what you would like to encourage people to read! Now that's a "novel" idea! Thank you so much! Sometimes the obvious can be hidden by your own enthusiasm! It never occurred to me that it would be much more reasonable to make the location of what I was interested in easily accessible. Again, thank you very much. I'll try and figure out how to cut and paste that link into the original post..

There is another book that follows "Dogs" called "Alchemy".. It is a continuation of Dogs and is written from another perspective. All the characters that were in "Dogs" are featured, along with some new, very interesting (to me at least) people and situations.
I'm currently editing Alchemy for the 6th or 7th time.

This entire thing about moderating is foreign to me, I hope I'm able to keep things the way they should be kept...

 

[alphabravo]

Would my agreement yo read a submission of your choice, entice ANYONE out there to read this novel? If I offer to be your devoted reader and read one of your tales, would that influence you to read mine?

It's not as effective in the format that resulted after posting, paras aren't tabbed,, there are some areas where itals were used that show what someone's thinking, and other problems that seem to be part of the way posts work here, but I think the essential character of the tale is all there.

Does anyone know if I can go into the posted copy and edit it?