Story Criticisms

[thisfadedangel]

I suppose I should say hello, because I've never posted on the Literotica board before...so, hello!

I'm not sure if this is in the right forum, but I am hoping the mods will move it if it's not.

Now, this is not meant to be a rant, and I don't want it to turn into one. I recently posted my first story here, and while the votes haven't been fantastic, they've been decent. My feedback has been pretty informative too, except for a certain group of people (I call them a group for a lack of a better word). These are the people who read it, and then commented with something like, "Oh, it was a really good story, but it might have been better if _________ had happened." Now, if __________ was something that fit into the story, that would be all well and good, but as it is, it's something that would change the whole category of the story.

Seriously. If I wanted to write a story about gang bangs or incest, I would. We don't need to try to make my story into something it's not meant to be, and if someone was looking for a story like that, wouldn't it make sense to go and read something in those categories?

Also, now, this, I just found to be hilarious. I deleted the comment, and I wish I hadn't, but it was an anonymous posting on my story, (which happens to be a nonconsent theme) and I believe it read something like: LOSER, I fear that within a short time, my tax dollars are going to be used to support you while you're in jail." Now, even if I were a male, writing this story (which I'm not), just because someone writes about rape, does not mean they are going to go out and actually -do- it.

So my question is this: Do you other, perhaps more experienced writers, run into this sort of thing a lot? Or do I just attract the nutters?

 

[Stella_Omega]

yes, I have had my share of kooky feedbacks. It probably depends on which category you post in, too. "Celeb" fic gets some ignoramuses, "Lesbian" gets men looking for girl-on-girl (pornstar-on-pornstar) action.
Mostly, I just delete that stuff. but this one, I left up, I treasure it;

this is one of the many bore girl on girl story i have ever read. one the female model you wrote had a boyish build why? why do you writers insit all your female characters look like boys? is there some rule that your women characters have to be flat chested or look like a boy? your story read like a diary more than a story. if i want to be put to sleep i'll print out this story. i was half why threw it and was already nooding off and it was only threepm

 

[rgraham666]

Welcome to the AH, angel. Make yourself at home.

Those people that offer unhelpful criticism are what we call 'trolls'. Nasty little creatures they are. A fact of life as an authour here that no one has yet discovered a counter to. Laughing at them is the best way to handle their feedback.

Again welcome.

 

[oggbashan]

Welcome to the Author's Hangout, thisfadedangel.

You have been unfortunate to encounter the dreaded 'anonymous'. If you search through the archives of this forum you will find many threads about the antics of anonymous and those who think that no story is 'right' unless it deals with the critic's particular aberrant sexual hang-up.

When you start ranting about the peculiar anomalies of the voting system you will be fully qualified as one of the AH 'in crowd'.

Actually no one is 'in' because this is the Author's Hangout and none of us know who that singular author is. Whoever he or she is, it is their hangout, not ours.

Og

 

[Recidiva]

So my question is this: Do you other, perhaps more experienced writers, run into this sort of thing a lot? Or do I just attract the nutters?

Don't sweat it, write what YOU like.

There are some people who find it impossible to look outside their own personal bias or interest, or impossible to say anything constructive. That's just part of the deal when you have large groups of people and the anonymity of people who just like to turn a screw for fun.

Just don't have the bad luck of being an editor's choice. I get the hardest critics on that one. My personal favorite:

"not well-written, not interesting, a waste of time."

 

[impressive]

I've nothing to add to previous posters. Just wanted to say "Welcome!"

 

[Guest]

Yes, story criticisms are always - interesting. Different people have different kinks and envision different plot twists and different endings for your story. They want it to fit their stroke mode.

I just got slammed today on a rather popular How-to story. But apparently it is a subject about which that particular reader has certain sensitivities. I can't do a thing about that.

Welcome to the club!

 

[Colleen Thomas]

LOL,

Lets try a cross sample from my attempt at a straight story:

Basic cheating wife story
09/28/05 By: *** in Southeast USA
Solid betrayal story with all the racial stereotypes thrown in for good measure. The usual rationalizations used to explain away her infidelity.
Very good writing, too bad the subject matter sucks.

From your bio you told us you were going home
09/28/05 By: Anonymous
When you get there will you tell all your family and friends that you are now fucking a black bastard and cheating on your husband? Or, will you bring the monkey with you and introduce him as your new lover and leave your husband at home? What a dumb fucking bitch could write such trash? YOU!

hope you have a great day
09/28/05 By: Anonymous
and i also hope you have a black baby so everybody can see what a dumb bitch you are...hope your hubby divorces you and your parents disown you for fucking an animal like that ...dumb bitch


/28/05 By: Anonymous in USA
Was it well written - of course. Was it interesting and erotic - to a minor degree. When a talented author portrays a dense braindead loving husband and a slut whore wife who disrespects him publicly - then plays the sluts non-concern for the black bastard baby card for attention and unnecessary sick perversion - well one wonders why - a lessor writer may need to do that as a cover up to the lack of ability - just write non-sensical unreal suck and fuck - as thats all they can do - but you - puzzling?

Non-reality and without erotisism - just fun loving sick demeaning male black bastard for loving hubby to raise??

Is that really your best shot? Cmon -


SUCKED
09/29/05 By: Anonymous in USA
And no i am not raciest. If a white woman wants to fuck a black man, thats her buisness. If a black woman wants to fuck a white man, thats her buisness too. I hate this story because it was just another cheating whore wife story. By the way, i didn't even get through the first chapter. Was well written from what i read, but like i said another whore wife story. Sorry author. I do appreciate your efforts though.

To preface, the story is interracial and is in the interracial cat. The content is adulterous. I noted in the author's note it was my first stab at an MF story under this Sn. I further explained the genisis of the story idea. And I rather foolishly said comments welcome.

Annon came storming out with these gems. He followed them with some feedback to my email addy that makes these look like pearls of wisdom from Thoth himself.

This is counter balanced by some thoughful and helpful critique from some readers and some very kind Pc's by others.

My point is, you basically take the good with the bad when you turn on Pcs and anon feedback. It gets no better with experience although some of the typo and grammar Nazi's lay off after a while. Some cats are kinder than others as well. So you may catch less flack with one story than another based on something other than your style, grasp of the tools of the craft or progress as a writer overall.

The trick is to take the good with a smile, study the thoughtful and learn from it, and send the stuff that is just some ass feeling his oats to the trash bin.

From the above, i am able to glean some ignoramouses post hate mail on the ir cat. I say post hate mail, because they obviously didn't read the story. If the POV wasn't enough to tell you it was fictional, the author's note was explict. Considering my orientation, I'm still howling over the one suggesting my hubby leave me.

I also gathered some readers don't like stories with adulty. Exactly why they felt moved to say so is something of a mystery. Unless they assume thier personal peccidillos have some bearing on what I choose to write.

Not very helpful is it?

Two feedbacks, however were gold. Both from regular readers, both pointing out numerous failings in characterization and interaction. Ilet the subject matter master me. So intent on trying to write "good" straight erotica I lost sight of previously hard won grasps of technique.

I guess what I am saying is the crap, no matter how much you get, is insignificant if you get even one that helps you progress.

Best of luck

 

[Stella_Omega]

GEEEZE Colly was it really that bad?
I want to read it- I'd love the chance to feel superior to you!

 

[Colleen Thomas]

GEEEZE Colly was it really that bad?
I want to read it- I'd love the chance to feel superior to you!

I honestly don't know. People I trust implicitly loved it and said it was good, I wouldn't have posted it otherwise. On the other hand, people I trust implicitly also had strong reservations. It's so hard to tell when you are trying something outside your comfort zone.

TCharacterization wise, I really ended up makeing some very basic mistakes I should have known beter than making.

 

[Recidiva]

I'm sticking to romance. There's a kinder audience that expects less hard core theme and vocabulary, and I can be gentle and subtle without having that be a huge disappointment in other categories.

I've gotten feedback with a list of words I should be using. Stuff that knocks me straight out 'o the intimacy mood

 

[cantdog]

Welcome, angel. There have been some gems in the public comment boards here, for certain. Look over Colleen's post again. This is a story someone had to go to the Interracial category to view, and yet the objections seem to be that the story is interracial.



http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y90/sysladobsis/98_babies.jpg

 

[cheerful_deviant]

GEEEZE Colly was it really that bad?
I want to read it- I'd love the chance to feel superior to you!

It wasn't bad. It was fabulous, like all her stories. Unfortunatly she seems to have written in a touchy area. I had figured after reading it that she might get a few comments but apparently I was mistaken... apparently there were ALOT of comments. Show's what I know.

But I still say it was good! Fuck Annon if he can't take a joke!

 

[R. Richard]

ThisFadedAngel:
Welcome to the Author's Hangout! You may just have picked up one of my pet trolls. PLEASE, feel free to keep it!

 

[Alex756]

I personally think hate mail is a compliment.

It means I wrote something that moved someone enough to respond.

I wish I stillhad the 'You are one sick fuck!' email I got on a story ...

If you get a feedback, you moved a reader enough to say something, and that is an accomplishment.

If you moved them enough that they internalized your story enough to make it theirs and think 'what if' ... no matter how weird. You stroked their imagination.

'What if aliens had come down and abducted Anya and Robert' was the eridest one of these I've ever gotten on a story, but it meant the writer had a connection with the characters enough to imagine them independent of my writing.

Then again, for a gorey horror writer I have a high view of humanity in general

~Alex

 

[McKenna]

Hello Angel, welcome aboard the AH Express!

As you can see, people get all kinds of feedback. I suppose the ones that annoy me the worst are the ones where a criticism is given, but no advice on how to correct it. For instance, I received this one on my latest poem:

* * * * * *

By: Anonymous in Somnambulambia
Sucking insomnia's cock? Wow.

I'm not sure you completely pulled this off, but the idea is so audacious I really liked it.

Um. Now I'll probably be "up" all night. (grumble)

tz

* * * * * *

Of course no follow up email or true nickname was given so I can't ask this person what the hell he meant. If I didn't quite pull it off, I'd like to know why he thought so and what he'd suggest I change to "pull it off". It's easy to criticize; it's far more difficult to critique. Take the coments with a grain (or a whole shaker) of salt. Ask people whose opinions you respect to critique your writing if you want a more in-depth opinion, but most of all, don't take it personally. You haven't attracted all the nutters. If you want them, though, I'm sure there'd be plenty of people willing to pass theirs on to you!

 

[thebullet]

There is one poster who headlines almost all of his posts:
Good but could have been better

The body of his post invariably explains that he would have given the story a higher score if the heroine became pregnant during her cheating adventure.

This guy marks way down if birth control is used.

He has offered to coauthor stories in several public posts. My theory is: he wants the writer to do the writing and he'll shove in some out-of-wedlock pregnancies.


Most recently he has revealed himself to be a truly disgusting racist as well. If his 'pregnancy thing' is perverted by having pregnancy result from an interracial tryst, well, from his POV, what could be more revolting?

Ya gotta love the guy. He is IMHO Literotica's #1 pervert. He gives me the willies.

 

[Alex756]

There is one poster who headlines almost all of his posts:
Good but could have been better

The body of his post invariably explains that he would have given the story a higher score if the heroine became pregnant during her cheating adventure.

This guy marks way down if birth control is used.
.

OMG I got the feeback from him!

*giggle*

Awesome, I broke the rule of eritica of 'thou shalt never mention a condom'

~Alex

 

[McKenna]

Bullet & Alex - Isn't his name Don5478 or something? I know I've had feedback from him too.

 

[thebullet]

In my next story I plan to include condem use, just to piss him off.

Yes, McKenna: Don87654 is Literotica's number one weirdo.

We've all been privleged to receive his strange feedback.

 

[Stella_Omega]

I honestly don't know. People I trust implicitly loved it and said it was good, I wouldn't have posted it otherwise. On the other hand, people I trust implicitly also had strong reservations. It's so hard to tell when you are trying something outside your comfort zone.

TCharacterization wise, I really ended up makeing some very basic mistakes I should have known beter than making.

What- like the *ahem* big black dick thing?
I have two characters who are brothers- black. One of them is hung like a pony, and the other one says "That should have been mine!" but it's the smaller guy that gets the girl. All the same, I just know that when the story goes up here, someone is going to yell at me for the stereotype, ignoring the details that make both these guys individuals.

Now, if I was going to send you hate mail it would be because I know nothing at all about Golf and the ins and outs confuse me!

 

[cloudy]

Bullet & Alex - Isn't his name Don5478 or something? I know I've had feedback from him too.

Yep....if the heroine doesn't get pregnant, he hates the story. Poor man.

 

[McKenna]

In my next story I plan to include condem use, just to piss him off.

Yes, McKenna: Don87654 is Literotica's number one weirdo.

We've all been privleged to receive his strange feedback.

Did you know the sponge is back? You could go into a whole big spiel about whether or not the guy is "spongeworthy".

 

[Colleen Thomas]

What- like the *ahem* big black dick thing?
I have two characters who are brothers- black. One of them is hung like a pony, and the other one says "That should have been mine!" but it's the smaller guy that gets the girl. All the same, I just know that when the story goes up here, someone is going to yell at me for the stereotype, ignoring the details that make both these guys individuals.

Now, if I was going to send you hate mail it would be because I know nothing at all about Golf and the ins and outs confuse me!

ROFL.

The course description was another of my mistakes. I needed the set up to make the commentsmake sense, but if you've never played, who gives a rip if it's par 4 or par 5

 

[McKenna]

Yep....if the heroine doesn't get pregnant, he hates the story. Poor man.

I think maybe I'll register an alt, and every time a story doesn't contain a kilted Scotsman I'll vote it down.





Eeesh! Whatever happened to variety?!