Whose This Anonymous Person...

[SimoneLisbon]

Who's This Anonymous Person...

And why are they always picking on me...

Does it make you angry, concerned about your ability to write, or do you just not care when negative feedback comes from an anonymous poster?

Simone

 

[SamScribble]

I know what you mean – but I think it probably goes with the territory.

Not all anonymous comment is bad. I’ve had quite a lot of good and useful comments from Mr (or Ms) Anonymous. But there are also quite a few ignorant angry people of the same name out there.

As far as I’m concerned, the first thing Anonymous has to be able to do is write a properly-constructed phrase, sentence or paragraph. If they can’t do that, I’m not sure why they think I should be taking their advice.

By the way, in your entirely-understandable grumpiness, I think you may have written ‘whose’ when you meant ‘who’s’.

Keep on keeping on, that’s what I reckon.

 

[soflabbwlvr]

I consider negative feedback from anonymous posters to be nothing more than grafitti. Anyone with conviction behind the criticism would sign with a screen name. I still would not know the person's identity, but I would know where to send a response.

 

[Zeb_Carter]

I know what you mean – but I think it probably goes with the territory.

Not all anonymous comment is bad. I’ve had quite a lot of good and useful comments from Mr (or Ms) Anonymous. But there are also quite a few ignorant angry people of the same name out there.

As far as I’m concerned, the first thing Anonymous has to be able to do is write a properly-constructed phrase, sentence or paragraph. If they can’t do that, I’m not sure why they think I should be taking their advice.

By the way, in your entirely-understandable grumpiness, I think you may have written ‘whose’ when you meant ‘who’s’.

Keep on keeping on, that’s what I reckon.

And shouldn't someone who lives in a glass house refrain from throwing stones?

 

[TE999]

And why are they always picking on me...

Does it make you angry, concerned about your ability to write, or do you just not care when negative feedback comes from an anonymous poster?

Simone

I consider sophomoric, inarticulate, profane, negative comments from 'Anonymous' to be the ravings of a coward, nothing more.

 

[SimoneLisbon]

...I think you may have written ‘whose’ when you meant ‘who’s’.

Keep on keeping on, that’s what I reckon.

You are correct. Considering the biggest complaint I receive about my writing has to do with grammar issues, I may have Freudian slipped that in there...This is why I started taking advantage of the volunteer editor program...It has been a life saver...I also write a lot of first person perspective and try to make bad grammar a part of that character's voice...

 

[lovecraft68]

And why are they always picking on me...

Does it make you angry, concerned about your ability to write, or do you just not care when negative feedback comes from an anonymous poster?

Simone

I get a lot of Anonymous comments because I write in the incest category and some people don;t want to admit they read it so many of mine have been positive comments. As far as the basic hate spewing "you suck" comments go. Honesty these are the people who had their lunch money taken from them as kids and walked around with permanent wedgies. The classic ring your doorbell and run away type best thing to do is to piss them off simply by continuing to do what you have been doing and keep writing. In the case of constructive criticism take those as compliments because if the person thought you were that bad they wouldn't bother so in a way they are saying; hey you're pretty good but... so take them somewhat seriously but in the end just take the good with the bad and some times the real zingers can be pretty damn funny.

 

[mynameisben]

You are correct. Considering the biggest complaint I receive about my writing has to do with grammar issues, I may have Freudian slipped that in there...This is why I started taking advantage of the volunteer editor program...It has been a life saver...I also write a lot of first person perspective and try to make bad grammar a part of that character's voice...

Here's what I do. Every story I ever write begins the same way, with the same ingenious literary construct:

The old storyteller cleared his throat and said, "Once upon a time . . ."
​

With the above construct in place acting as a wrapper, everything in the story is spoken out loud by the storyteller character as a direct (albeit lengthy) quotation. All typos, therefore, are defensibly intentional and function to describe the storyteller's regional dialect. All grammar errors are also spoken and describe the same character's level of education. Since all errors of either type fall within the aegis of the mighty double-quotes, the author gets off scott free!

 

[SamScribble]

You are correct. Considering the biggest complaint I receive about my writing has to do with grammar issues, I may have Freudian slipped that in there...This is why I started taking advantage of the volunteer editor program...It has been a life saver...I also write a lot of first person perspective and try to make bad grammar a part of that character's voice...

It's OK, I'm not a stickler for schoolbook grammar rules. The rules are there as a suggestion. Use them or break them as you see fit. Although to break them well, you usually do need to be aware of them.

I like Joan Didion's view: ‘Grammar is a piano I play by ear. All I know about grammar is its power.’

And, yes, 'bad' grammar as part of a character's voice can be quite effective, can't it?

Cheers

 

[TxRad]

Anonymous has anonymity to hide behind so he/she can say anything with impunity. Take it with a grain of salt and a dose of aspirin.

What gets me most about anonymous is the ones that ask a question? Some of the questions are pretty good but where do i reply to discuss it?

 

[_Lynn_]

And why are they always picking on me...

Does it make you angry, concerned about your ability to write, or do you just not care when negative feedback comes from an anonymous poster?

Simone

Some of the anonymous comments make more sense than those with names.

I read them all and consider them part of the learning process.

 

[Bebeslut]

Most of the Anonymous comments I get are from the same guy (you can tell by the way the comments are worded) and they are generally pretty positive, even though I consider this Anonymous pretty much of a moron.
I haven't had a negative signed or unsigned comment yet that I thought was worth spit. When one worth spit comes along, I'll take note of it.

 

[favoritesgoddess]

I don't discount Anonymous because I realize not everyone who comes here to read wants to sign up to be a registered member. I try to judge the judgment on its own merits and not discount it because someone didn't want to give Lit. any information. I've had some useless comments from users with screen names, too.

 

[talismania]

I respect Anonymous. The ugliest comments on my stories have all been from Anon., however Anon. has also left some of the nicest. Anon. also seems to be a regular reader, something I appreciate.

I was an Anonymous until I decided to start posting my own stories. I'm terribly shy for the most part, and would have posted stories anonymously if that were allowed. Some Anons are cowards, maybe, but I think most just like to read and enjoy (and occasionally comment for better or worse).

 

[Bebeslut]

I don't discount Anonymous because I realize not everyone who comes here to read wants to sign up to be a registered member. I try to judge the judgment on its own merits and not discount it because someone didn't want to give Lit. any information. I've had some useless comments from users with screen names, too.

How come your profile doesn't list any stories for you?

 

[favoritesgoddess]

How come your profile doesn't list any stories for you?

When they started showing up on other sites credited to other "writers", I took them down. I've published one book on Amazon so far, just to test the waters while I figure out my next move.

 

[SimoneLisbon]

Anonymous has anonymity to hide behind so he/she can say anything with impunity. Take it with a grain of salt and a dose of aspirin.

What gets me most about anonymous is the ones that ask a question? Some of the questions are pretty good but where do i reply to discuss it?

I guess you could always respond in the comments of your story maybe?

 

[lovecraft68]

I guess you could always respond in the comments of your story maybe?

I don;t suggest doing that, if that person comes back and sees you dignified his dumb remarks he will do it more often. Nasty anonymous comments should be treated like something you just stepped in. Wipe it off then just keep going and don;t look to see what was on the napkin.

 

[Black13]

Blowing off negative feedback's just as bad as blowing off positive. Look past the disapproval, look at what they're saying, and look to see if anyone else is saying the same thing. Then, compare it with what you intended, to see if you did something wrong in your delivery or if you just happened to lose somebody.
Many either don't get it, don't like it, or just don't share your tastes and philosophy. The only thing that you can control is how you deliver your point and, to some degree, the audience to whom you are delivering the point. If you have a good idea that's poorly executed (take the movie adaptation of "Watchmen," for example), you're going to get a lot of negative feedback. Grit your teeth and read it, because that's what makes you better. If it's one random shitstorm in a sea of valid praise, scrape it off, unless it stands alone as a good point.
Above all things, don't let it get to you so much when someone doesn't like your stuff. People aren't gonna like your stuff, and a lot of them don't have the courtesy or understanding or empathy to smooth it out with you.
On that bombshell, I might add that I have a very bad case of stage fright.

 

[Loring2]

Hey now..

Here's what I do. Every story I ever write begins the same way, with the same ingenious literary construct:

The old storyteller cleared his throat and said, "Once upon a time . . ."
​

With the above construct in place acting as a wrapper, everything in the story is spoken out loud by the storyteller character as a direct (albeit lengthy) quotation. All typos, therefore, are defensibly intentional and function to describe the storyteller's regional dialect. All grammar errors are also spoken and describe the same character's level of education. Since all errors of either type fall within the aegis of the mighty double-quotes, the author gets off scott free!

Cut out that kind o' talkin', you aint supposed to do things that way. Heh, heh heh.

 

[HeyAll]

Just delete it from your story page- problem solved.

 

[bronzeage]

And why are they always picking on me...

Does it make you angry, concerned about your ability to write, or do you just not care when negative feedback comes from an anonymous poster?

Simone

Negative anonymous feedback is a peeping Tom who keeps his eye to the crack in the curtains for an hour and complains of how ugly the woman is.

 

[estragon]

The worst is when they ding your story with a 1 or 2 (Lawrence Welk?), leave no comment, provide no feedback, and waltz off into the night. To anonymous, or even less than anonymous: OK, you didn't like it. OK, you don't have to tell me why. OK, you can drop the bomb and run. But what does that say about you?

 

[1sickbastard]

And why are they always picking on me...

Does it make you angry, concerned about your ability to write, or do you just not care when negative feedback comes from an anonymous poster?

Simone

Nah, don't sweat the negative comments by any-mouse.
Look at it this way, what you've written has affected the reader enough to bother to take the time and effort to write the comment, so you know you've managed to touch the reader in some way, and touched him/her strongly enough to elicit a reaction.
If the comment has something to say about your writing style, take it in context and apply it to your future works. If it's about the content and amounts to no more that 'you suck', shake it off and keep going.
While good comment are certainly nicer than negative ones, isn't that what writing for an audience is about?

 

[Guest]

Neat idea

Delete