Responding to Negative Feedback?

[afternightpersonality]

Hi all. I posted several stories recently, and one in particular (that I freely admit I put in the wrong category) received some VERY negative responses. I completely understand the readers' reasons for not caring for the action of the story. I have resubmitted it under a different category. My question is whether or not I should respond to the negative comments. Has anyone had any experience or success with this? I don't want to start any sort of argument or anything like that. I actually feel the need to apologize. They were highly upset. Anyway, just wondering if anyone else has dealt with this and how it turned out for them. Thanks!

Afternightpersonality

 

[PayDay]

... Punch them?

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Argument

Lets start by squaring you away on what argument is. I think you confuse it with quarrel.

 

[DG Hear]

Hi all. I posted several stories recently, and one in particular (that I freely admit I put in the wrong category) received some VERY negative responses. I completely understand the readers' reasons for not caring for the action of the story. I have resubmitted it under a different category. My question is whether or not I should respond to the negative comments. Has anyone had any experience or success with this? I don't want to start any sort of argument or anything like that. I actually feel the need to apologize. They were highly upset. Anyway, just wondering if anyone else has dealt with this and how it turned out for them. Thanks!

Afternightpersonality

I don't usually respond to comments. They wanted to speak their mind and they did. This is a free site and they could have chose to leave the story and didn't. Just continue to write what you want. I do answer some feedback but it's just to thank the reader for taking the time to comment. I don't apologize for what I write.
DG

 

[slyc_willie]

I don't usually respond to comments. They wanted to speak their mind and they did. This is a free site and they could have chose to leave the story and didn't. Just continue to write what you want. I do answer some feedback but it's just to thank the reader for taking the time to comment. I don't apologize for what I write.
DG

I have to echo this.

As I see it, the moment a writer allows the readers to dictate what she or he is writing, they're doing one of two things: compromising their work, or placating an audience.

By pulling your story, I fear you may have compromised it. It may work out better for you, but you let a few loud voices dictate your work. Your voice will always be louder, because you're the one writing. It should be, anyway.

 

[dougsan]

You asked for a critique of your work from the members of this forum, where we tend to be quite opinionated and tend to speak our minds, especially when asked to. What's wrong? Did we find your offering lacking? Take a deep breathe and reread the responses. Maybe you can learn something once you get beyond the directness and language.

I am a writer of sorts and I don't have the balls to offer any of my stuff for discussion yet.

 

[PennLady]

I think it depends on the feedback. If it was negative but constructive, you might want to tell the commenter the story's been re-posted. If it's more trollish, let it go. It's not worth the effort.

 

[sr71plt]

Don't be surprised if your attempt to recategorize the story doesn't take. Category placement is a privilege claimed by the site editor. She may decide to leave it where it is.

If you can't take the negative comments just turn comments off. (You can do this in two levels--all comment or just anonymous comment.)

Most likely complaining about something like this on the forum will just encourage more negative comment on your stories, by the way. Nobody on the forum can do a thing for you--they are all subject to the same treatment and this comes up weekly on the forums.

 

[NaokoSmith]

Don't worry about negative comments. Comments hugely vary. I got one recently that said 'what a load of waffle' then I got three that said, 'I LOVED it, I want more' about the same story. One even spelled out exactly what more he wanted from me, with medical references to prove it was possible . I didn't reply to that one . Actually I didn't read it all because I was rolling on the floor crying with laughter and could no longer see it properly.

I think it's best not to take things too seriously. Use what you find constructive and ignore the rest. Don't feel obliged to reply. I sometimes post a comment saying thank you for your feedback, but one really negative comment I just deleted cuz it sounded like trolling.

 

[sr71plt]

I got one recently that said 'what a load of waffle'

But you would have taken the comment "what a load of pancake" as a compliment, right?

 

[NaokoSmith]

But you would have taken the comment "what a load of pancake" as a compliment, right?

Well, gosh, have you seen my pancakes? We're not talking flat, stale and unprofitable here! I think if my work is being viewed as sweet and fluffy, I'm onto a winner.

Here's a free plot bunny for you, sweet thing:

 

[JackLuis]

I was severely chastised by a reader for serving Stags Leap cold, with veal, she/he said that Stags Leap should be served at room temperature, unless it was Chardonnay.

Funny thing was that It was a Chard, in the story and she/he missed it.

 

[NaokoSmith]

I was severely chastised by a reader for serving Stags Leap cold, with veal, she/he said that Stags Leap should be served at room temperature, unless it was Chardonnay.

Funny thing was that It was a Chard, in the story and she/he missed it.

LOL, comments - especially from the Anonymice, should be left to breathe for a bit before you consider how worthwhile it is taking what they say seriously.

 

[bronzeage]

Give polite thanks for nice comments and ignore negative comments.

 

[Saxon_Hart]

LOL, comments - especially from the Anonymice, should be left to breathe for a bit before you consider how worthwhile it is taking what they say seriously.

Amen! The anonymice are there to entertain, not to be taken seriously, unless they say good things. Often I am quite entertained by Mr. Anonymouse's prose.

 

[Dyslexicea]

As I see it, the moment a writer allows the readers to dictate what she or he is writing, they're doing one of two things: compromising their work, or placating an audience.

I agree and disagree. I do think constructive criticism can be helpful.

As a matter of fact many writers here at Lit have a complete lack of knowledge about our anatomy, which from time to time I do point out.

Not to mention many don't have the slightest idea about a woman's sexual response cycle. Big deal so we get wet, by the way it only take between fifteen to thirty seconds to become wet when we are sexually aroused. It has nothing to do with how aroused we are but almost every writer here uses wetness to show if a woman is really, really aroused.

I realize that most men don't understand a woman sexual response cycle but as writers you all surely should.

I also point out many flaws in lesbian stories written by men, not because I don't think men should write lesbian stories but to help them write better lesbian stories.

Of course I have my wicked side, I love to criticize the misogynistic, I'm the perfect husband who hates his cheating wife, story. I do so with no intent to be helpful.

 

[damppanties]

If you feel the negative comments are a result of submission to the wrong category (which you said you already corrected or are trying to correct), then you have two options:
1. Delete the comments as they would no longer be accurate after the change of category.
2. Delete the story entirely and resubmit in the right category if you feel you need to start over with votes too.

In any case, wouldn't recommend responding to comments because no one really comes back to read responses to comments.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

Dear Reader

Dyslexic is fulla crap per usual. Whatever you write, regardless of its correlation to how real lesbians are, someone is gonna think, HE'S TALKIN' ABOUT ME!

 

[sr71plt]

1. Delete the comments as they would no longer be accurate after the change of category.
2. Delete the story entirely and resubmit in the right category if you feel you need to start over with votes too.

Option 3. "Oh, well," and move on to writing the next story.

 

[afternightpersonality]

No complaints.

Don't be surprised if your attempt to recategorize the story doesn't take. Category placement is a privilege claimed by the site editor. She may decide to leave it where it is.

If you can't take the negative comments just turn comments off. (You can do this in two levels--all comment or just anonymous comment.)

Most likely complaining about something like this on the forum will just encourage more negative comment on your stories, by the way. Nobody on the forum can do a thing for you--they are all subject to the same treatment and this comes up weekly on the forums.

Oh, I'm not complaining. I wasn't upset by the comments. I've been a journalist. Negative feedback is common. My worry was that, in having categorized this incorrectly, I may have inadvertently turned off some readers to the site itself. People can certainly think and say whatever they like about my writing. I enjoy seeing the responses, both positive and negative, because it allows me to get an idea of how readers see things differently than I do. I won't be responding. I appreciate everyone's replies here and the help in making the decision. Thank you.

 

[Stella_Omega]

you will not have turned anyone off to the site.

 

[TxRad]

First of all, welcome to the AH.

What category did you post it in and why was it the wrong one?

Ya might want to add a link to your sig line so the lazy around here can find the story in question.

 

[HeyAll]

I just delete them.

If they're long written criticisms, then I don't even bother reading it and just delete it.

If you let it get to you, then they've succeeded.

The only the that matters is that you like your story, and others like it too.

 

[Handley_Page]

[OFF TOPIC]

Here's a free plot bunny for you:

Ah, Lunch.
Just the job; and as fresh as possible.

PS.
Apologies for the distraction.

[/ONTOPIC]

 

[afternightpersonality]

Romance v. NonConsent/Reluctance

First of all, welcome to the AH.

What category did you post it in and why was it the wrong one?

Ya might want to add a link to your sig line so the lazy around here can find the story in question.

I posted it in the Romance section, thinking, at the time, that the second part of the story (that I have yet to finish) would explore the romantic side of the relationship. Of course, not sure it would have mattered after the first part of the story. I guess I am somewhat a product of the historical romance genre, wherein many, many ... many male characters have a domineering element to them. There is generally always some kind of scene where the male gets angry, yada, yada, yada, you know how it goes ... but it never goes to the extent of rape (neither does my story, but you don't realize that until the VERY end), which is what these readers seriously disliked about my submission. I am somewhat of a sub in my own intimate encounters (that sounds really cheesy), so a bit of reluctance and teasing is more exciting to me than disturbing, but I understand the reaction from the readers who left feedback, most of whom I believe thought I was somehow promoting NC as romantic. That wasn't the point, at all, but I can def. understand how it was taken that way, and that's why I changed the category. Anyway, that's a lot of explanation. You can read the story here, if you like: http://www.literotica.com/s/david-and-morgan-ch-01