Unhelpful criticism

[CIMLover]

Does anyone else get super aggravated by unhelpful negative feedback?
I have a lot of stories in me, it's just taking some time to put them together and write them. I used to have a bunch on sex stories dot com under a different name but I had them deleted.
In any case, I write a story, make sure I tag everything accordingly so someone who isn't interested in something doesn't wander in accidentally, and still I get this comment: “That was just nasty, and not good nasty at all.” by a reader who has no published stories.
WTF?
It's not helpful, it pisses me off, and it makes me want to use my computer skills to hunt this person down and terrorize them. But I won't, because I'm trying to be a nice guy.
I welcome feedback, even negative feedback, if I can learn something from it, but a comment like that I can't do anything with except stew in my anger.
OK end of rant.

 

[SimonDoom]

I find that after a while I get accustomed to all sorts of comments and criticism, and the nonsense doesn't affect me much anymore. I'm a big believer that criticism should be constructive, but this is the Internet, and we have to be prepared for the fact that many readers have no such scruples.

 

[ChuckWolf]

Personally, I like reading any comments, especially the negative ones - often they make me laugh and just as often, there probably is some merit to the criticism.

One that irked/amused me that I still occasionally think about:

 

[BeechLeaf]

You are perhaps spoiled by the elegant drawing-room conversation here in the Authors Hangout, where quality matters. For therapy, look through some of the other boards - see what stories people want to read, for example, or their advice on how to do things, or their hook-up chatter, or even (with great caution) their politics. To adapt advice to a certain disheartened sheriff:

These are just simple readers, these are people of the land, the common clay of the new West. You know... morons.

 

[AG31]

Does anyone else get super aggravated by unhelpful negative feedback?
I have a lot of stories in me, it's just taking some time to put them together and write them. I used to have a bunch on sex stories dot com under a different name but I had them deleted.
In any case, I write a story, make sure I tag everything accordingly so someone who isn't interested in something doesn't wander in accidentally, and still I get this comment: “That was just nasty, and not good nasty at all.” by a reader who has no published stories.
WTF?
It's not helpful, it pisses me off, and it makes me want to use my computer skills to hunt this person down and terrorize them. But I won't, because I'm trying to be a nice guy.
I welcome feedback, even negative feedback, if I can learn something from it, but a comment like that I can't do anything with except stew in my anger.
OK end of rant.

I find all feedback interesting. I'm afraid I dismiss a lot of negative feedback (not all!) as poor judgement on the reader's part, but I'm interested in the variety of ways people can take a piece of writing. It gives you a good peek into different personalities.

 

[TheOneUpright]

LOL. Went to check your profile... turns out it's your first time posting in "Loving Wives."

If 26thNC’s relatively harmless comment got you this worked up, you’d better buckle up - it gets way worse in that category.

 

[yowser]

I regard a trash-comment from 26thNC as a Gold Star of Excellence. If you've riled him up enough for a diss, you done good.

To his credit, at least his comments at least aren't anonymous, which tend towards the more cowardly vitriolic.

 

[TheOneUpright]

I regard a trash-comment from 26thNC as a Gold Star of Excellence. If you've riled him up enough for a diss, you done good.

To his credit, at least his comments at least aren't anonymous, which tend towards the more cowardly vitriolic.

In his defense, he’s one of the loyal regulars who reads EVERYTHING there daily. So, no matter what you post, he'll be there reading it.

 

[Stanfield2025]

If you've written anything in Loving Wives, it's already too late. Your profile is forever cursed and the trolls are likely to downvote even your stories outside of that category. Good luck. Good news is, you made the hater feel something. And don't we all aim to make people feel things with our tales?

I wrote a story in NC/R and one of the comments on my last chapter says I need psychological help. I checked the profile of the person who left it, and found that they've favorited a ton of Romance and a couple T/I stories. So I assume they tend to read relatively heartwarming stories with relationships that are relatively easy to like, relationships free of coercion.

I cannot fathom how this person would read my story but not notice its category, the tags, or the clear disclaimer in chapter 1. Maybe it made them uncomfortable, which serves them right for not paying attention to what they were reading. So I view the comment as a badge of honor, as it means my story is sufficiently disturbing to some people.

 

[NotWise]

Does anyone else get super aggravated by unhelpful negative feedback?
I have a lot of stories in me, it's just taking some time to put them together and write them. I used to have a bunch on sex stories dot com under a different name but I had them deleted.
In any case, I write a story, make sure I tag everything accordingly so someone who isn't interested in something doesn't wander in accidentally, and still I get this comment: “That was just nasty, and not good nasty at all.” by a reader who has no published stories.
WTF?
It's not helpful, it pisses me off, and it makes me want to use my computer skills to hunt this person down and terrorize them. But I won't, because I'm trying to be a nice guy.
I welcome feedback, even negative feedback, if I can learn something from it, but a comment like that I can't do anything with except stew in my anger.
OK end of rant.

It's always good to be less of a troll than the people you're complaining about.

As far as your Loving Wives story is concerned, know that negative feedback is par for the course in the category. If you're sensitive to it, then don't post stories there.

Tags are used by readers trying to find a story, but if they find your story on the New list, through the category hub, or even through your public profile then they may never see the tags. If your story includes polarizing content, then its pretty inevitable that you'll offend some readers.

We put ourselves out there with the stories, and it would be great if the feedback were always constructive, but that's not how people work. You need to grow a thick skin.

 

[SimonDoom]

In his defense, he’s one of the loyal regulars who reads EVERYTHING there daily. So, no matter what you post, he'll be there reading it.

I just checked, and according to his profile he has posted over 37,000 comments. I can't even imagine.

 

[yowser]

It took him four dogged years to track down one of my tales and finally deal it a lethal blow.

by 26thNC on 04/25/2020
Jim the cuck enjoys his whorewife after her gangbang. Lowest of the low.

by You on 04/26/2020

Endorsed!
Finally, four years later, my story gets dissed by 26thNC. The stamp of quality...

 

[IWroteThis]

Does anyone else get super aggravated by unhelpful negative feedback?
I have a lot of stories in me, it's just taking some time to put them together and write them. I used to have a bunch on sex stories dot com under a different name but I had them deleted.
In any case, I write a story, make sure I tag everything accordingly so someone who isn't interested in something doesn't wander in accidentally, and still I get this comment: “That was just nasty, and not good nasty at all.” by a reader who has no published stories.
WTF?
It's not helpful, it pisses me off, and it makes me want to use my computer skills to hunt this person down and terrorize them. But I won't, because I'm trying to be a nice guy.
I welcome feedback, even negative feedback, if I can learn something from it, but a comment like that I can't do anything with except stew in my anger.
OK end of rant.

First, don't assume that a person hasn't written anything based on them not providing you a convenient link to retaliate. As much as you hate getting certain comments that are related to your story, a lot of people hate getting comments that are NOT related to the story they're posted under even more. So, they separate stories and comments under different accounts, or under an account and Anonymous.

Along with that, this is far from the only place that people can publish stories that they write. In fact, you mentioned one of those sites yourself. A lot of them allow things that Literotica doesn't. There are also a lot of sites with a broader reach, but more restrictions on content, that they could be publishing on.

Second, and most importantly, thinking that somebody has to be able to do something themselves in order to judge the results of others doing it has to be one of the most ignorant and idiotic things that a person can believe. I don't need to be a chef to know if food tastes good, and I don't need to be a writer in order to know if a story sucks.

Third, if you find that comment unhelpful, I would say that the problem is you. It's a bit vague about which part was nasty, but I have no doubt that you know which part(s) they were referring to.

The fact that you desire to retaliate against this individual simply reinforces my first point. People like you are why so many people don't comment from their story account (and why I should probably use a puppet account for the forums.)

 

[Stanfield2025]

Third, if you find that comment unhelpful, I would say that the problem is you. It's a bit vague about which part was nasty, but I have no doubt that you know which part(s) they were referring to.

The comment is vague. There's nothing specific in it, so it's inherently unhelpful. If I was the author I'd have no idea wtf they mean, why they didn't like it, where I could even improve, nor would I find the comment to be in good faith. It's just bad faith "criticism" that I'd be happy to dismiss.

Good faith comments aren't that difficult to make, so I have zero sympathy or patience for people afraid to comment because they know what they want to say is bad faith.

 

[caleb35]

You are perhaps spoiled by the elegant drawing-room conversation here in the Authors Hangout, where quality matters. For therapy, look through some of the other boards - see what stories people want to read, for example, or their advice on how to do things, or their hook-up chatter, or even (with great caution) their politics. To adapt advice to a certain disheartened sheriff:

These are just simple readers, these are people of the land, the common clay of the new West. You know... morons.

Yes, quite, indubitably. You are so correct, @BeechLeaf. Would you pass the port, please? Hmm, that's good, I love a 20-year tawny. Is anyone up for tennis later?

 

[IWroteThis]

The comment is vague. There's nothing specific in it, so it's inherently unhelpful. If I was the author I'd have no idea wtf they mean, why they didn't like it, where I could even improve, nor would I find the comment to be in good faith. It's just bad faith "criticism" that I'd be happy to dismiss.

Yes, it's a bit vague, but that doesn't stop me from drawing information from it. Even without reading the story I can apparently understand more from it than you and the OP combined.

Good faith comments aren't that difficult to make, so I have zero sympathy or patience for people afraid to comment because they know what they want to say is bad faith.

Sorry, but a comment doesn't have to be made in bad faith to draw ire. If you believe otherwise, again, the problem is you, not the comments.

 

[Stanfield2025]

Yes, it's a bit vague, but that doesn't stop me from drawing information from it. Even without reading the story I can apparently understand more from it than you and the OP combined.

I agree that information can be drawn from bad-faith comments. How the commenter felt about the story overall, for example. Doesn't mean I respect those comments or the people who leave them. Additionally, I don't play guessing games with comments or criticism. If they can't bother to be specific about the criticism, I won't bother to take them seriously. It's like the old adage: any claim that is made without evidence can be dismissed without evidence.

Sorry, but a comment doesn't have to be made in bad faith to draw ire. If you believe otherwise, again, the problem is you, not the comments.

The comment in question is obviously bad faith, so I'm strictly talking about people who want to leave bad faith comments. I never once implied that good faith comments can't draw ire.

 

[BobbyBrandt]

Does anyone else get super aggravated by unhelpful negative feedback?
I have a lot of stories in me, it's just taking some time to put them together and write them. I used to have a bunch on sex stories dot com under a different name but I had them deleted.
In any case, I write a story, make sure I tag everything accordingly so someone who isn't interested in something doesn't wander in accidentally, and still I get this comment: “That was just nasty, and not good nasty at all.” by a reader who has no published stories.
WTF?
It's not helpful, it pisses me off, and it makes me want to use my computer skills to hunt this person down and terrorize them. But I won't, because I'm trying to be a nice guy.
I welcome feedback, even negative feedback, if I can learn something from it, but a comment like that I can't do anything with except stew in my anger.
OK end of rant.

I don't get a lot of negative or useless comments, but when I do, I enjoy leaving them for other readers to respond to.

A reader's peers will eviscerate a troll much more effectively than me simply deleting their comment.

 

[Stanfield2025]

I don't get a lot of negative or useless comments, but when I do, I enjoy leaving them for other readers to respond to.

A reader's peers will eviscerate a troll much more effectively than me simply deleting their comment.

Yeah, it's fun to see people do that. I don't think I'd ever delete a comment unless it was truly unintelligible, I was being mobbed by trolls, or had my home address in it or something.

 

[IWroteThis]

I agree that information can be drawn from bad-faith comments. How the commenter felt about the story overall, for example. Doesn't mean I respect those comments or the people who leave them. Additionally, I don't play guessing games with comments or criticism. If they can't bother to be specific about the criticism, I won't bother to take them seriously. It's like the old adage: any claim that is made without evidence can be dismissed without evidence.

First of all, whether or not a comment was made in bad faith is not your decision to make. That is a matter of intent, which you are not privy to. Expressing dislike for a story you disliked is not bad faith. That would simply appear to be your defense mechanism that allows you to ignore unpleasant comments, which would make your response to be one of bad faith.

The comment in question is obviously bad faith, so I'm strictly talking about people who want to leave bad faith comments. I never once implied that good faith comments can't draw ire.

Obvious to your biased perspective, perhaps. To me, it's just a reader expressing their opinion of the story.

 

[CalBishForNow]

The comment in question is obviously bad faith, so I'm strictly talking about people who want to leave bad faith comments. I never once implied that good faith comments can't draw ire.

I think either you're using "bad faith" in a nonsensical way or you're making assumptions I don't get about 26thNC's mental state.

First of all, a link to the story in question: Needed some 'me time'. Anyways, "bad faith" means intentional deception. There's a 3,000-word Wikipedia page on it in every possible context. The objectionable comment is that the story in question is "just nasty, and not good nasty at all." I'll bet he sincerely believes that. His complaint doesn't have to be detailed to be sincere. Thus, not bad faith.

 

[Stanfield2025]

I think either you're using "bad faith" in a nonsensical way or you're making assumptions I don't get about 26thNC's mental state.

First of all, a link to the story in question: Needed some 'me time'. Anyways, "bad faith" means intentional deception. There's a 3,000-word Wikipedia page on it in every possible context. The objectionable comment is that the story in question is "just nasty, and not good nasty at all." I'll bet he sincerely believes that. His complaint doesn't have to be detailed to be sincere. Thus, not bad faith.

It doesn't matter whether he sincerely believes it. It's not meant to help the author. Maybe it's not bad faith, but it's shitty. Therefore I have no respect for it. And the author ought to have no respect for it. There aren't good intentions behind it, therefore it's a comment worthy of dismissal.

 

[Stanfield2025]

First of all, whether or not a comment was made in bad faith is not your decision to make. That is a matter of intent, which you are not privy to.

I judge intent from simple observation of their actions, which are clear here. Saying a story is just nasty can't come from good intentions. That's not possible.

Expressing dislike for a story you disliked is not bad faith. That would simply appear to be your defense mechanism that allows you to ignore unpleasant comments, which would make your response to be one of bad faith.

No, expressing dislike for a story you disliked can be shitty. You can also express dislike in a civilized manner. Plenty of people do it with no issues. I've done it with no issues. I've also received non-shitty criticism with no issues. Hell, I welcome non-shitty criticism because it's specific and actionable. It has helped me plenty of times in the past. But those who wish to express dislike in a non-civilized manner ought to be dismissed. Yes I am biased against shitty criticism, as anyone else should be IMO.

 

[CalBishForNow]

It doesn't matter whether he sincerely believes it.

Yes it does! That's what "bad faith" means! If you don't trust Wikipedia, Mirriam-Webster (a major, widely used dictionary is generally considered a straightforward source), The Legal Dictionary (I don't know a thing about it but it doesn't look like it has an axe to grind), and Jean-Paul Sartre (he's talking specifically about self-deception about self-determination, but still, about deception) agree, "bad faith" means deception!

You might want to admit that you weren't aware of the specific, widely used meaning of this term. It's okay, it happens to everyone sometimes.

 

[Stanfield2025]

Yes it does! That's what "bad faith" means! If you don't trust Wikipedia, Mirriam-Webster (a major, widely used dictionary is generally considered a straightforward source), The Legal Dictionary (I don't know a thing about it but it doesn't look like it has an axe to grind), and Jean-Paul Sartre (he's talking specifically about self-deception about self-determination, but still, about deception) agree, "bad faith" means deception!

You might want to admit that you weren't aware of the specific, widely used meaning of this term. It's okay, it happens to everyone sometimes.

I'll walk back my specific use of "bad-faith" but I won't walk back my lack of respect for shitty criticism. And whether the comment is sincere or not, it is shitty and I'll happily mock/dismiss it.