What is Constructive Criticism?

[sr71plt]

I don't agree that constructive criticism should necessarily be sought by the author, but concede that most criticism here is both unsolicited and useless. The best criticism should pass an effectiveness test of attempting to improve the writing, and that would exclude 99.9% of comments on stories.

And your fallacy in thinking that "constructive criticism" should be held back if not sought by the author comes in the purpose of "improving the writing." It's a fallacy to believe that everyone posts stories here to improve their writing. I don't think that even a fourth of the people posting stories here give two figs about their writing development--or in anyone's need to show off their purported knowledge of writing by giving them unsolicited "constructive criticism."

 

[holliday1960]

And your fallacy in thinking that "constructive criticism" should be held back if not sought by the author comes in the purpose of "improving the writing." It's a fallacy to believe that everyone posts stories here to improve their writing. I don't think that even a fourth of the people posting stories here give two figs about their writing development--or in anyone's need to show off their purported knowledge of writing by giving them unsolicited "constructive criticism."

Here's question for anyone who might know the answer...I clicked on a link the other day...it's on the story list page and it is titled, I believe, 'feedback portal'. I was expecting to be able to post feedback on whatever story I might find interesting through this link. Instead, I found a list of people who had made random comments about random stories.
I looked at this for sometime, scratching my head, before I began to get the idea that the names and comments shown there were people who seem to make a career of posting comments. It even has a list of "most comments made".
What is the point of this?

 

[ElectricBlue]

It even has a list of "most comments made".
What is the point of this?

Looks like it's just a running list of the most recent comments posted, with the added "bonus" of knowing who the most prolific commenters are. I suppose a reader might say "oh, I always find cumonmyback's comments agree with my opinions" and go read a story on the basis of that. Or find an intriguing comment and go read. Lit's version of 'trending now" in commentary.

You might be looking for this forum http://forum.literotica.com/forumdisplay.php?f=1 which is for folk to solicit and give feedback on specific stories. It's mostly the former, but does have several "reviewer threads" where writers can offer up a story for a detailed critique.

 

[holliday1960]

Looks like it's just a running list of the most recent comments posted, with the added "bonus" of knowing who the most prolific commenters are. I suppose a reader might say "oh, I always find cumonmyback's comments agree with my opinions" and go read a story on the basis of that. Or find an intriguing comment and go read. Lit's version of 'trending now" in commentary.

You might be looking for this forum http://forum.literotica.com/forumdisplay.php?f=1 which is for folk to solicit and give feedback on specific stories. It's mostly the former, but does have several "reviewer threads" where writers can offer up a story for a detailed critique.

So, basically you're saying there is no point? (I didn't think so.) Unless one is looking for a non-paying past-time where they can 'win' with high numbers in a meaningless contest for nothing?

 

[sr71plt]

There must be people who follow the running comments list, as sometimes when I get a comment on a very old story I'll then get another comment.

As far as the Web site listing those giving the most comments, this is probably meant to encourage giving comments.

 

[sharingfantasies]

It used to be known as critique (a.k.a. criticism) but people tended and still tend to overlook and disregard the positive parts of it and instead focused on the negative aspects

In elementary school, students are taught to critique using three stars and a wish. They have to talk about three things they liked in the other person's story before they can say, "I wish this was explained further because... or I wish there was morel/less detail because... or I wish this part was placed in a different part of the story because...".

 

[Tw0Cr0ws]

Constructive criticism?

I've had a few examples:

'You changed the name of the heroine in the last few paragraphs'

'DVDs didn't exist in the 1960s'

'She didn't walk into the bedroom dressed in her bathroom'

'Why are they driving to Hampshire if they're going to Tunbridge Wells?'

But I've also had similar statements that criticised things for being incorrect when I know what I wrote was accurate:

"The term 'pussy' didn't exist in the 1960s and neither were vajs shaved' -

In the UK the term pussy is centuries old, and shaved areas came with miniskirts (and before that as part of treatments for pubic lice. Yeuck!). Meeting bare private parts was initially a cause for concern until it became more common. And I met them in the early 1960s.

True.
The sometimes misused (by Penthouse magazine) word 'merkin' which dates at least as far back as the 1617 refers to a pubic toupee/wig used to cover up the shaving for crabs aka lice, or hair loss due to the use of mercury to 'treat' Gonorrhea or Syphilis.
Pubic wigs themselves date at least as far back as the 1450's.

 

[holliday1960]

True.
The sometimes misused (by Penthouse magazine) word 'merkin' which dates at least as far back as the 1617 refers to a pubic toupee/wig used to cover up the shaving for crabs aka lice, or hair loss due to the use of mercury to 'treat' Gonorrhea or Syphilis.
Pubic wigs themselves date at least as far back as the 1450's.

Now this is one of the rare and valuable pieces of information that I didn't know, and am so glad I learned. Some of you people are just a wealth of info... This should go on Ripley's Believe It or Not!

 

[ElectricBlue]

True.
The sometimes misused (by Penthouse magazine) word 'merkin' which dates at least as far back as the 1617 refers to a pubic toupee/wig used to cover up the shaving for crabs aka lice, or hair loss due to the use of mercury to 'treat' Gonorrhea or Syphilis.

The word also inspired the name of one of Peter Sellers' characters in Kubrick' s "Dr Srangelove" - President Merkin Muffley, thus conjoining two slang/ribald terms.