What about my fragile ego?

[lostllama]

Just curious about the feedback authors get. I have a story or two backlogged and I'm wondering what type of feedback to expect.

Are stories met with indifference? Or enthusiasm? Are people honest and harsh when deserved? Or is everyone treated with saccharine coated words? Does the feedback come mostly on this board or by email?

Not that I expect anything other than an inordinate amount of praise....

 

[Weird Harold]

Just curious about the feedback authors get. I have a story or two backlogged and I'm wondering what type of feedback to expect.

...

Not that I expect anything other than an inordinate amount of praise....

It all depends on how good your story is and what category it's in.

I've got two sotries posted. The first got panned pretty badly, both here on the BB and via e-mail. The second got sparse reviews, altough nothing but good ones.

You still have a little time to get your custom made rhinoceros hide suit made.



[Edited by Weird Harold on 11-19-2000 at 09:16 PM]

 

[KillerMuffin]

I get mostly email. I've had about two good jobs on the board, one about the character I liked the least, and one about audios in general. Or did I get on the board and beg for that one? I never remember.

Most of my email has been of the good work, want more! variety. I rely on editors for the jeeeeez Muff, you actually wrote that??? Oooookay, hope you don't plan on submitting it. The reason? They see it prior to submission.

Ooooh, nother plug for the wonderful editor services. Smoooooches to Whisper and Indy and SimplyS and WH (even though he's never seen mine).

 

[Whispersecret]

I think that a story isn't going to get much feedback if it's mediocre. A really fantastic story might get some good feedback. A really bad one might get some unsolicited pans as well. Think about it. When you read a so-so story, you're probably not motivated to write the author.

I've gotten most of my feedback by email, but at the end of my story I specifically asked for positive and negative feedback.

If you do end up asking for feedback, here or by email, then be prepared to hear the bad as well as the good. Most of the time when authors ask for feedback here on the bulletin board, a few people end up responding.

Best of luck.

 

[lostllama]

Thanks everybody. I appreciate all your insights.

 

[wild_jay]

I have four stories posted and have had no feedback.

Unfortunately, I think some really good material kind of gets 'lost' so to speak. Happens to all the new contributors.

Authors that have a following, and deservedly so, will get a wider readership and more feedback.

If anyone is interested, my latest story "The Account Executive" is on the New board. Click on my name and you'll get the other three. Let me know what you think, E-mail me at jmasterson8@home.com.

Happy Thanksgiving!

 

[Whispersecret]

I don't think that's an accurate statement, wild_jay. I'm sure Laurel can rattle off the names of several first-time contributors that made a splash.

 

[talk2024]

Wild Jay...

Might help if your email address was posted on your author's page. I received a good number of replies when my story was posted, all via email.

 

[wild_jay]

Okay, fair enough Whisper, not "all" new contributors but as Literotica gets larger and more popular it does become more difficult to get noticed. This is an observation, not a criticism.

I really don't know why my E-mail isn't posted on the Author's Page...in fact the last time I checked (a few days ago) I wasn't on the Author's Page at all. However, I'm under the impression, the new scripts etc. will solve that problem.

 

[Andra_Jenny]

I find that there is not an immediate rush of replies, but that they come over time. Most people seem to come upon what I have written not when it is new, but when they are seeking that particular genre. I have yet to get something negative because people seem to tend to respond to what they like and generally want to encourage you to write more of what they like. I just have a short attention span and am not good on following up on promised sequels.
AJ

 

[Skibum]

My experience has been that there is a rush (okay, two letters isn't exactly a rush!) in the first day or two a story is posted, but they dry up pretty soon after that. With the large number of stories in the archieve now, the new posts are most easily found by readers. I think any ffedback will come while the story is on the "New" posts list.

 

[Laurel]

Increasing reader feedback to our authors is one of our big priorities. To that effect, if you go to the new script site:
http://www.literotica.com/stories/
and click on any story, you'll notice at the bottom of every page a link that says "Send instant anonymous feedback to the author." This enables readers to send you their responses via a form on our website, so that they don't have to leave the site or open their mail program to send feedback.

It also allows those of you who don't feel comfortable about making your email address public to receive feedback without making your address known. If you login to your profile, you'll notice two separate questions:
Make E-mail Public?
and
Allow anonymous feedbacks?
Checking "yes" on the second will give readers a convenient, easy way to send you a "way to go".

How effective this will be in increasing feedback - only time will tell. We are hoping to launch the new site for real within the next couple of weeks, and then we'll be tweaking and improving the look and feel of the whole shebang for months. Any ideas you may have as to increasing feedback are definitely appreciated!

 

[CAT~~]

I know how you feel......my ego just took a beating when I went to pull up my stories and they have them listed with another woman's icq number and email address......
I'm hoping that Laurel will fix this (I'm hoping that she does) Just emailed her and the site to make them aware of the mistake.
I had gotten a few emails on my first stories but not on my last. I think that if your story touches the person reading it (lol....you know what I mean). They are more likely to write to you. A lot of times after I've read a particularly good story I will write right away. But sometimes I do get sidetracked and might not remember to do it until later.
I have found that since I've started submitting stories, I'm better at letting people know when I enjoy them. I know what it feels like to have them ignored....grin.

 

[Jenne64]

I've a few stories posted here and on other sites and the feedback is as varied as the stories on the sites. Some good, some bad, but never indifferent. You have to learn to embrass them all and take them for what they are. I've had some seriously wacko e mails before but I think that is to do with being female rather than my writing.

If your gonna write erotica then I respectfully suggest you lose your ego-)) Infact if your gonna write anything that is for general consumption by the public then lose your ego. I know it's not easy but it saves a lot of heart ache in the long run. When someone sends an e mail that says your writing sucks, then shove it where it belongs if it's annoymous: ie the trash can. If it's not annoymous hten reply with caution, serious ego bashng is how some people on the net get their kicks.

If your story is the best you can do and you like it then great. If someone offers (Preferably another author you respect) advice and help then take it. I did and my writing is improving ( hopefully) because of it. If i got 10 e mails all telling me that my story sucks then I would have to wonder if that wasn't the case if you see what I mean.

Feedback is always good in my book. It's just a case of working out what's constructive and what's not. Like a lot of people on this site I'd like to write and have something published oneday. I'm also a realisist and know that if I ever take that road, my ego will take one hell of a bashing if I let it. I'm sure that rejection letters are more common than yes we want your book letters, so learning to handle your ego now is a good thing.

I'd better shut up and go write something before this hole gets any deeper-)) I'll whatch for your story and attempt to give you some good, honest feedback.
regards,
Jenne64