Forum / No Feedback is Bad Feedback?

• 
  Thomas Shaggy

  Sep 11, 12:10am

  Am I right in this respect? I'd like some outside opinions on the matter. Especially from others no exactly getting as many comments (good or bad) that they are looking for.

• 
  Sam Rasnake

  Sep 11, 05:55am

  Hello, Thomas. I don't think you should necessarily consider that to be the case. Everyone here is different.

  Sometimes works don't receive comments because they're not read - especially now - with the large flow of pieces on the main wall. And these may be great pieces that people can't easily get to because they rotate off. That's a bad situation when that happens, and it does. Sometimes works don't receive comments because they're bad or the writer wasn't really serious in writing and posting the piece. This particular type - the just posting to be posting type - I don't care for because they bump another piece off the wall. Then again, sometimes works don't receive feedback because the author hasn't commented on the works of others. My feeling is if I'm not commenting on other works, why would I think anyone would or should comment on my work - FN should be a support system, among other things. Sometimes readers here don't want to say simply that they enjoyed the read - and don't want to or can't at the time invest the labor and thought into heavy or detailed comments. Sometimes we may just not know what to say.

  To receive more comments writers may want to join some of the many groups here – and be active in the group, commenting on the pieces that are posted there. Sometimes writers send a work to dozens of groups even though they aren’t really active in the group. Those posts, most likely, won’t receive much feedback unless the writers there know the person who is posting the work.

  Another slant is - I have a number of writers here that I turn to specifically for advice on poems that I may not post here - and in that regard we are a writers' group. I may not and wouldn't in fact post a piece on the general wall for feedback from writers I'm not familiar with - unless I wanted a bit of a very general reaction from writers who don't know my work. And that does happen.

  Also, some writers post work for the purposes of feedback, while others only post finished work - I'm in that group - only posting work that has previously appeared in publication. I consider Fictionaut to be a venue - and if I post an unfinished piece here, I won't be able to submit it for publication in a magazine. Everyone doesn't have that view, but I do.

  We all post for different reasons, comment or don’t comment for different reasons. But, we do get plenty of opportunities as readers and as writers.

• 
  Ann Bogle

  Sep 11, 06:28am

  Sam, great reply. I hope others read it.

• 
  Thomas Shaggy

  Sep 11, 08:07am

  Yes, thank you. I feel much better now.

• 
  Keith U.

  Sep 11, 10:48am

  Thank you, Sam, very helpful to me!

• 
  H-M Brown

  Sep 11, 12:12pm

  To add to Sam's comments.

  -- Sometimes works don't receive comments because they're bad or the writer wasn't really serious in writing and posting the piece.

  Some of us writer's feel that when we post our works on Fictionaut or publish our work in Lit Mags or Novels, it's not about us the writer anymore, but about the Reader.

  Let me put it like this. When I write my drafts, it is about me. What I want to put in the story, what I want to say, what I want the theme to be, and so on. But once that work is posted on FN or in Lit Mags, it's all about the Reader. For us to ask our Reader's for Comments about our works is the equivalent of looking over the Readers shoulder, while they're Reading, and putting pressure on them to Comment.

  For me when I write, it's for my Readers to read and discuss amongst themselves, to communicate with each other, and make opinions and thoughts of what they read, not to discuss the work with me personally. There are times and places for that, like at Book Conventions or Book Signings. That's why I don't ask for Comments like I did in the opening weeks I started here on FN.

  That's why it's one of the reasons as you said Sam:

  --We all post for different reasons, comment or don’t comment for different reasons.

  Remember Thomas, FN is just another author's tool to help us writers out in improving or expanding our works among the public, and to reach out and get people to read and discuss amongst themselves of they've read.

  Now for this one:

  -- Then again, sometimes works don't receive feedback because the author hasn't commented on the works of others. My feeling is if I'm not commenting on other works, why would I think anyone would or should comment on my work - FN should be a support system, among other things.

  This, to me, is a bad trend and a bad habit to make on FN.

  Yes, even though this is a community and authors talking with each other will get people to read each other works, I feel that the quality of our works, and the number of reading/views, should not be held to how many Comments we make to each other on FN or anywhere. Nor should Commenting be a pre-requisite to read another person's work.

  "Wow, now that I made 20 Comments on FN, people will finally read my stories and Comment it as well because I met the quota."

  So basically what is being said here, is that no matter how good our writings were, it's not enough. Our work is only good and readable by how many Comments we made to other authors on FN or other sites.

  This is not the way of the Writer in my eyes.

  Our works should be read, and to live and fall, on the merits of our writing techniques and storytelling, not the number of Comments we made to other people's work on FN or elsewhere. If a person reads our work, they'll decide if they like it or not. We can't do anything to change their minds about it. All we could we do is thank them for taking their time to read our works.

  And in conclusion:

  FN has gotten so big in traffic and membership, people can't read every single story posted here AND drop comments so easily.

  Also keep in mind EVERYONE, that there are Readers who are not members of Fictionaut, and reading our works. But since they are not Fictionaut Members, they can't post Comments on our works if they wanted to.

• 
  Sam Rasnake

  Sep 11, 12:43pm

  I agree with your point about forced comments, HM. That's very true. And I realize that a number of writers here don't want or even expect comments. Also agree that the merit of a piece shouldn't be judged on comments or even stars. Yes - good point. In my own take about my writing, the piece that I consider to be the best work I've ever done - or, most likely, will ever do - has received very few comments or favs. I know, however, what an important piece it is to me and for me - but I'm not troubled that others don't really care for it as much as other pieces. That's all part of reading - It's very subjective.

  In thinking about comments though, I do think that if I expect or want or need for readers to comment on my work - for whatever reason... editing, clarity and so on - then, I'd better be commenting on other writers' works.

  And your point about non-members reading works here is very true, and a good point to remember. They can't comment even if they want to, but they can and do read works here.

• 
  Susan Gibb

  Sep 11, 01:50pm

  It's all pretty much covered here, Sam especially put the general tone and purpose of Fictionaut in clear terms.

  I would agree with Sam about the commenting, though, as inviting some form of reciprocity. Otherwise, it's not just a case of believing that that person never comments, but rather that he/she never bothers reading other writers' work.

  Also, I'd add that while we do have "workshop" groups, they're not as active because there's so much going on right here. Julie Innis mentioned in a recent story's comments that she appreciated that feedback was requested. That's really the way to go here. Otherwise, we're more mindful of each other's egos and professional status and don't offer anything more than suggestions or typo errors. This really isn't a workshop community first; that's an availability when help is sought.

  I think you'll get the gist of it all as you move around the site. It is an undeniably talented, supportive, and friendly group. Welcome!

• 
  Susan Gibb

  Sep 11, 01:52pm

  BTW, re Julie's suggestion, the request for feedback was made in the "Author's Notes" on the posted story.

• 
  Darryl Price

  Sep 12, 09:53am

  I don't know about anyone else but I find I only have little windows of opportunity to spend time reading stories posted at Fictionaut. I love to do this and to leave a comment but sometimes I have missed a great deal or a fantastic new piece simply by being at work or at home and being engaged in other activities. When this happens I like to go to the recommended stories list or the most recently posted and see what's shaking--even then I don't have unlimited time to pursue the matter. I don't think we should beat ourselves up over this. It's a huge community. If you can explore you should. When you feel the connection to a piece you should comment. But you can't read everything. It's impossible. You are going to miss some great stuff, and probably something of yours might fall through the cracks in the process. Don't give up. Try again and keep trying. You wouldn't be a writer if you didn't think it was worth it. We want you here.Give us more. And keep it up.Pour it on.

• 
  christopher malo

  Sep 12, 05:19pm

  For me, I always encourage feedback and criticism. I'm most interested in improving the stuff I write. I am far more interested in workshopping pieces than having them "published" in a place where there are no standards or requirements to do so. If that is someone's definition of being published, it;s a dime a dozen with the internet these days. Finding people to honestly critique my work in progress is infinitely more important and valuable to me.

  I think views are difficult to gauge. I am not interested in poetry at all, and since you can't see wordcounts, I don't realize I am clicking on a poem. When the page opens and I see it's a poem or something very short, I immediately hit the back button. But that counts as a view. In the same vein, I just posted a 6k word piece. 21 views, and I'm guessing somewhere in the neighborhood of 0 to 1 reads.

  I'd rather have 2 views and 2 comments/critiques than 100 views and 0 comments/critiques.

• 
  Car Gonzalez

  Sep 24, 08:33pm

  First off I want to start off by saying there are so many talented writers here and the amount of stories is amazing, especially if you love to read (thats me).

  I was one of the lucky few to read/hear about this site on Mashable a couple weeks back.

  Days passed and I found myself coming back to the site just to read even though I didn't have an account. I couldn't help it. I immediately immersed myself in the site.

  I'm not sure what it is, but their is something definitely special about Fictionaut can't quite put my finger on it yet but its there.

  As for your question, I would say some of the views you see on your stories are from people visiting the site who do not have access to comment. Most of those views are also likely from word of mouth too. Like Mary Gaitskill,

  http://therumpus.net/2010/09/mary-gaitskills-first-published-story/

  I say embrace the views on your stories whether or not they comment is irrelevant. Whether its music, art, writing or anything else...the more your name is associated with good content the better.

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