Reaction

[XXplorher]

General note:

Anyone who posts a story here is hoping for reaction, of any kind.

1) If your reaction is: “I hated your story. You’re a piece of crap.” There’s not much they can do with that.

2) If your reaction is: “I hated your story. It sucked because….”. You might discover that next time, you got what you wanted. It’s possible that you taught us something.

3) If your reaction is: “I loved what you did. You’re the greatest ever.” To a true writer? We hate this more than #1. Just give us a reason. We’re not here for ego. Tell me WHY you liked what I wrote. What did I do right? You don’t have to be Freud, but we like to know what we’re getting right. If you are moved enough to say you are? Please try to tell us why. Make yourself THAT important.

4) If your reaction is: “Xxplorher should be President, I want all my children to have sex with him, I want him to fuck my wife hard enough that I’ll never stop wearing pantyhose…”, then you need to keep that to yourself and please don’t run for office,


Seriously though, when this whole thing started I spent 10months w/3 stories on the Top List and got maybe half a dozen responses. They were enough that I wanted to do more. But eventually that fizzled out. Because of the BB my head got gigantic and I never got an answer beyond my own desire to go beYOND what I already had. Don’t let us get there. Tell us there’s more to be done.

People have sex in order to generate response.

Writers put a bunch of words down on paper that might not matter to anyone… unless you say they did. Have sex with us. Tell us that we mattered. We do it FOR response.

(That was dumb. In an effort to be more dramatic I made writers look like… tards. Ooops. Guess I’m not a very good writer.)

 

[Selena_Kitt]

It's one of the reasons I love Lit... immediate feedback. There's little more gratifying than that...

I admit it, I love it.

 

[drksideofthemoon]

It's one of the reasons I love Lit... immediate feedback. There's little more gratifying than that...

I admit it, I love it.

I thought it was the Thursday afternoon backrubs...

 

[Belegon]

It's the thing I miss the most abouut Lit not being my primary outlet anymore... reviews are there, but I want my PC's and feedback!!!! *grump*

 

[drksideofthemoon]

It's the thing I miss the most abouut Lit not being my primary outlet anymore... reviews are there, but I want my PC's and feedback!!!! *grump*

Where's your primary outlet now?

 

[Selena_Kitt]

Where's your primary outlet now?

publishing... which, frankly, doesn't come anywhere close to being as gratifying as Lit, in terms of feedback and votes!

It's so strange, but true...

 

[jomar]

I admit it, I love it.

Lick. Tongue trail kisses. Sorry. It's your AV's fault.

 

[Guest]

publishing... which, frankly, doesn't come anywhere close to being as gratifying as Lit, in terms of feedback and votes!

It's so strange, but true...

Oh jeez...wreck it for me guys...

 

[drksideofthemoon]

publishing... which, frankly, doesn't come anywhere close to being as gratifying as Lit, in terms of feedback and votes!

It's so strange, but true...

That's why I have no burning desire to publish. Not the feedback or votes, but just knowing that people read what I've written. And a few of them even like it.

 

[Belegon]

Where's your primary outlet now?

Phaze.

My writing is now devoted towards publishing. Since March of last year I have written less in actual wordcount than I probably did in the preceding time... but I spend time doing promo and such. So the sheer time I spend is the same. But I spend more time editing and rewriting...

I have finished maybe 10 stories in the last year, of which six are available, two are contracted and two are looking for an audience...not counting the one that I DID post to Lit.

But my length per story has increased. Mixed Blessings is four times the length of my average Lit story.

If that story were on Lit, I would have the scores, the PC's and some feedback. Published in an anthology? I have a couple reviews and a few dollars... there are two sides to every coin. Immediate feedback is a positive about Lit and the lack of it a negative about publishing.

 

[Belegon]

That's why I have no burning desire to publish. Not the feedback or votes, but just knowing that people read what I've written. And a few of them even like it.

I know people are reading it. RT taught me that. And I know I'm on the right path. But I do miss my PC's.

DK... there is a positive side to that coin other than the checks. Promise.

 

[drksideofthemoon]

Phaze.

My writing is now devoted towards publishing. Since March of last year I have written less in actual wordcount than I probably did in the preceding time... but I spend time doing promo and such. So the sheer time I spend is the same. But I spend more time editing and rewriting...

I have finished maybe 10 stories in the last year, of which six are available, two are contracted and two are looking for an audience...not counting the one that I DID post to Lit.

But my length per story has increased. Mixed Blessings is four times the length of my average Lit story.

If that story were on Lit, I would have the scores, the PC's and some feedback. Published in an anthology? I have a couple reviews and a few dollars... there are two sides to every coin. Immediate feedback is a positive about Lit and the lack of it a negative about publishing.

Publishing seems too much like work. I think it would take away from the enjoyment that I get from just writing.

 

[rgraham666]

It's one of the reasons I love Lit... immediate feedback. There's little more gratifying than that...

I admit it, I love it.

Moi aussi.

I even saved the feedback of stories I've gotten published.

Think I'll go read some now.

 

[Belegon]

Oh jeez...wreck it for me guys...

Wait until you're closing down bars with us at RT, trying to buy a round and having a bookstore owner not let you... *wink*

Wait until you spend your lunch from work going to take a picture of your friends new release at Border's, knowing she'll do the same for you in the near future (Did that Friday)....

All I'm saying is that there are two sides... and the votes and PC's are missed more than I thought they would be...

I DO NOT regret this path...

 

[Belegon]

Publishing seems too much like work. I think it would take away from the enjoyment that I get from just writing.

That's all you, bra. I respect that about you, but don't want to emulate it. I WANT my writing to become my work. I want the book tours, the deadlines, all of it. Good and bad. There are plenty of things I don't like about my nine to five that I am eager to leave behind. And I LOVE the company I work for and like my job.

But I love writing far more. I'll deal with it becoming a job.

 

[Guest]

That's all you, bra. I respect that about you, but don't want to emulate it. I WANT my writing to become my work. I want the book tours, the deadlines, all of it. Good and bad. There are plenty of things I don't like about my nine to five that I am eager to leave behind. And I LOVE the company I work for and like my job.

But I love writing far more. I'll deal with it becoming a job.

Writings been my life since I started about two years ago. I plan on making my million from my work. I only need $999,050 more.

 

[drksideofthemoon]

That's all you, bra. I respect that about you, but don't want to emulate it. I WANT my writing to become my work. I want the book tours, the deadlines, all of it. Good and bad. There are plenty of things I don't like about my nine to five that I am eager to leave behind. And I LOVE the company I work for and like my job.

But I love writing far more. I'll deal with it becoming a job.

Well, I don't have a nine to five job, so I can't really relate to that. Me, I wouldn't deal well with book tours, or deadlines. LOL...

Congratulations, I hope it all works out for you.

 

[drksideofthemoon]

Writings been my life since I started about two years ago. I plan on making my million from my work. I only need $999,050 more.

And I'll be the first in line to buy your book...

 

[Guest]

And I'll be the first in line to buy your book...

Aww, I'll send you a signed one...

 

[XXplorher]

… *sigh*

Does anyone recognize that what I was attempting to say has been tragically compromised? What followed was a bunch of Writers going, me, me, me, me, me.

If I’m a reader – am I going to want to fuel that? Why would any of that motivate me to offer a well considered response? So that you can go make better money? So that I can better equip your ego? So that I can feel pimped out by the story I almost thought you intended to be for me only?

You need to value your READER if you want to satisfy the complaints you currently have.

I am not a commie. I support Capitalism to the fullest and I love Ayn Rand. But if you want to be an artist? You can’t do it for money. You maybe get money if you do it right. And you can only do it right if you’re not doing it for the money.

Consider your reader. Not yourself. That is the responsibility you accept when you decide to be a writer. Are you trying to communicate? Or are you just another vampire?

I meant to show the readers that we are as needy as they are. I meant to empower them. That without them, there is no us. We are absolutely dependant on them. And you all made me look like a fucking dipshit. It’s embarrassing.


(Apologies to Floyd. Stay strong, brother.)

 

[CeriseNoire]

… *sigh*

Does anyone recognize that what I was attempting to say has been tragically compromised? What followed was a bunch of Writers going, me, me, me, me, me.

If I’m a reader – am I going to want to fuel that? Why would any of that motivate me to offer a well considered response? So that you can go make better money? So that I can better equip your ego? So that I can feel pimped out by the story I almost thought you intended to be for me only?

You need to value your READER if you want to satisfy the complaints you currently have.

I am not a commie. I support Capitalism to the fullest and I love Ayn Rand. But if you want to be an artist? You can’t do it for money. You maybe get money if you do it right. And you can only do it right if you’re not doing it for the money.

Consider your reader. Not yourself. That is the responsibility you accept when you decide to be a writer. Are you trying to communicate? Or are you just another vampire?

I meant to show the readers that we are as needy as they are. I meant to empower them. That without them, there is no us. We are absolutely dependant on them. And you all made me look like a fucking dipshit. It’s embarrassing.


(Apologies to Floyd. Stay strong, brother.)

So do you mean there are no true artists but the starving artists? As for only doing it right if you don't do it for the money, that's really only an opinion.

Some see publishing as validation, and some, since they must make a living, would simply like to do something they love without having to starve.

Since we're only discussing opinions here, I'll share mine. I wrote long before there was any reader for my ramblings, and I'll likely do so long after. Heck, sometimes it's just about getting it all out on paper and making the inside of my skull less noisy.Knowing that I've touched, stirred, or tickled a reader out of blasé apathy is nice, because I know how I feel when a book grips me (an by the way I don't resent the authors for making a living out of what they give me). So ultimately it is all about me, the writing, about knowing I am getting to be a better version of myself through feedback and observation. Do I need a reader for that? Absolutely.

ETA to address original topic: As far as the feedback I get right here, it has helped me tremendously. Yes, I've made friends, yet as nice as they can be socially speaking, they haven't hesitated when needed to say "Cerise, what the hell is with X, Y, or Z in your story? You're getting Lazy. Fix it." That in and of itself helps me always strive for better writing no matter what the rating and lists may say.

 

[drksideofthemoon]

… *sigh*

Does anyone recognize that what I was attempting to say has been tragically compromised? What followed was a bunch of Writers going, me, me, me, me, me.

If I’m a reader – am I going to want to fuel that? Why would any of that motivate me to offer a well considered response? So that you can go make better money? So that I can better equip your ego? So that I can feel pimped out by the story I almost thought you intended to be for me only?

You need to value your READER if you want to satisfy the complaints you currently have.

I am not a commie. I support Capitalism to the fullest and I love Ayn Rand. But if you want to be an artist? You can’t do it for money. You maybe get money if you do it right. And you can only do it right if you’re not doing it for the money.

Consider your reader. Not yourself. That is the responsibility you accept when you decide to be a writer. Are you trying to communicate? Or are you just another vampire?

I meant to show the readers that we are as needy as they are. I meant to empower them. That without them, there is no us. We are absolutely dependant on them. And you all made me look like a fucking dipshit. It’s embarrassing.


(Apologies to Floyd. Stay strong, brother.)

I disagree with the me, me, me, statement. I think what you got was the a few writers discussing their hopes and desires for their writing.

I agree with your statement that you can only do it right if you aren't just writing for money. There has to be the love of writing, the love for what you're writing. Certainly, you can make money from it in the end. And I think that is what a couple of the authors were saying.

If no one read my work, I would still write. The joy I get from writing a story, creating a character and bringing them to life with words is all that I really need. The feedback from readers is just icing on the cake. With that said, yes, we need the readers.

I do try to communicate. I try to take the reader somewhere when they have never been before. I try to make them feel things, and in the end, I try to bring them a bit of happiness to make their day a bit brighter. If I can make one person smile, or laugh, make them see a bit of themselves in what I have written, then what I've written has been a success.

I write simply because I love to write.

 

[EveAnna]

I'm still a new writer but I love the feedback, I've had some really good emails and feedback left on my stories - but I really don't need detailed feedback, just a simple - "I liked it" is good enough for me. But even bad feedback shows me where I've gone wrong.

I've only got the two stories up at the moment but I've loved writing both and wouldn't have posted them if I wasn't pleased with them. I know my writing isn't top calibre but I'm having fun and if I wasn't I'd stop.

 

[Selena_Kitt]

I love Ayn Rand.

Consider your reader. Not yourself.

Kurt Vonnegut once said: "Write to please just one person. If you open a window and make love to the world, so to speak, your story will get pneumonia."

I meant to show the readers that we are as needy as they are. I meant to empower them. That without them, there is no us. We are absolutely dependant on them.

Do readers need to be empowered? I wasn't aware there was a reader power shortage?

 

[drksideofthemoon]

Do readers need to be empowered? I wasn't aware there was a reader power shortage?

I use solar powered readers...

I thought of something this evening. Readers need writers in order to read, but writers don't need readers in order to write.