Forum / No comment

Lynn Beighley
Feb 24, 03:43pm

Am I the only one who finds getting no comments on a piece much more painful than getting constructive criticism?

I write clunkers and post them here. Of course, I hope there's something worthwhile in my posting, but I also hope that you see what I can't see, my fatal flaw, the thing that, if changed, would turn my clunker into something that could at least be driven.

Are we being too polite and not honest enough with each other?

(I suppose much of this is my own fault for being away from Fictionaut for the last two months. I'm back.)

M
Feb 24, 03:55pm

Hi Lynn. Glad you're back. I'll comment briefly here. It is painful, in my experience, to get no comments. I've struggled with that myself. I'm not sure, though, if that always means a piece is a clunker. It may not have connected with the people who have just happened to read it.

There are a lot of stories and a lot to read. I find myself commenting on the stories of people who've commented on my stuff. I don't know if that's the way to do it or not. But I also, when I'm curious, like to read the stories of those whose work I haven't read yet or who haven't commented.

Maybe if you want people to feel free to say whatever, then say that in your note - ? Just an idea. Take care.

Susan Tepper
Feb 24, 04:45pm

I have never gotten no comments. But I have gotten only 1 comment on work that I thought was pretty darn good. But it's just the way it plays out. Sometimes things don't grab an audience.
Sometimes they grab big. Fictionaut is a huge barometer to see if you are on "the market" which is important to writers trying to get books published.

Christian Bell
Feb 24, 05:38pm

I’ve had some works that have received a bunch of views but no comments (I’ve taken them down). I imagine timing of publication, a work just not connecting, or, in my craziest dreams, a work that is just so damn good that it leaves readers not only with a curious inability to leave a comment but also hitting the Fave button.

I’m surprised when I’m looking through the site and see a work from someone I usually read that somehow slipped by me (this happens a lot to me). There can be substantial volume on this site and sometimes it’s difficult to keep up.

Susan Tepper
Feb 24, 06:18pm

It is very difficult to keep up these days. The site is growing and the work just zooms past. I have put up some work (usually poems) that were published in good print journals and they hardly get the time of day here. Go figure--
But just do your thing and be happy you have the wits to do it. Soon we'll all be old and lamenting our lost time.
Join my new group: What I wanted

Lynn Beighley
Feb 24, 06:27pm

I appreciate the responses. It boils down to:

Too much to keep up with
Having to prioritize what you do read
Simply not connecting to a work

I know we all tend to read the work from people who have commented on our work, something I've not done lately. And I'll make a point of asking for critique in my notes when I post. But I'll also try to give some of the No Comments a chance when they've reached the bottom of the page. Especially new folks, and people I don't know. I think I'll find that satisfying, having been there.

Matthew A. Hamilton
Feb 24, 07:59pm

Yes, this brings up a question I've meant to post. Now seems a good time to do so. Its in regard to keeping up.

There are a lot of writers on FN I follow, the ones in this post among them. So how does "follow this person" button work? I think that if you click on the follow button, you should be notified somehow that new work of theirs is up. Lynn, I am sure I have missed a lot of your work simply because it has slipped through the cracks. That is, it disappears from the main page before I get a chance to see it. If I was notified of your work being posted, it would be so much easier.

Jurgen, if you see this, what can be done?

Katie
Feb 24, 08:26pm

For me, the reason I wanted to be a part of this community is to publish pieces and hear reactions. if you don't like it, tell me why. If there is something I can change.. please, enlighten me. I don't want to know people are reading my work, thinking "eh she could do this..." but keeping it to themselves. no writer is perfect, no work is perfect, and I think it'd be great if we were more open to honest criticism. I want to see people make the best possible piece they can, and an outsiders view can help with those small details you can't see yourself. I'm open to honesty and I hope that's a trend we can start spreading.

I won't hold back, and I don't want others to either.

James Lloyd Davis
Feb 24, 08:30pm

Life moves slowly, but not here. Miss a day, you can miss an entire page full of marvelous writing.

There's no certain cause for the lack of attention and little more cause to believe that when your work is ignored, it's because it's not worthy of comment. Sometimes it's just a simple matter of 'who' rather than 'what.'

There's just so much here to read.

You just keep writing. Work at it hard. Pay attention to details, to content. Don't give up until you're so damned good, everybody knows your name and nobody can afford to ignore you any longer. The key to it all is persistence. If you want people to critique your work, to tell you what works and what doesn't, say so in your Author's note. And then when you get such comments, be graceful no matter what.

Of course, there's a always a shortcut to getting attention from a group like this one. Start a publishing company.

James Lloyd Davis
Feb 24, 08:35pm

Oh, and one more thing. You need to invest some time yourself, read and comment on the work of others here, so it's really a two way street.

Sort of like tithing, or so the televangelists will tell you:

"Bring your tithes unto the storehouse, brothers and sisters. You wanna get? You gotta give!"

W.F. Lantry
Feb 25, 03:24am

Lynn,

I often don't get any comments, but that doesn't mean people aren't reading, or aren't enjoying the read. I've had people mention something much later, which they could only have seen in a previous story which went uncommented. I think I've got about two dozen 'readers' (people who look at what I post). If I get a couple faves, and a couple comments, that's a good day for me. Other people have higher standards... ;)

It's like the old saw said: 'fit audience find, though few...' ;)

Thanks,

Bill

Kait Mauro
Mar 09, 04:09pm

Yeah, I can relate to this because the last three pieces I have published haven't received any comments at all... It's disappointing. It's not like I am only looking for "good work!" comments either, some constructive criticism to help me make my pieces stronger would be VERY much appreciated too.

I don't know what to do about this issue. All I can think of is to start commenting on the work of others a lot more then wait to see if karma returns the favor.

Anyway, not trying to whine, just feeling a little disappointed and wanted to add my two cents to this thread.

-- Kait

Darryl Price
Mar 09, 07:18pm

I think disappointment is the obvious feeling here. And I think that it is perfectly normal to feel that way. Being a writer is full of disappointments. But the up side is getting to make the initial journey with your piece of writing. If it's good enough it will probably with a little luck find its own life. This is a bit sad for writers because you don't get to hang around always to see it happen. But you've got to believe in what you are doing. And keep trying to reach someone with your words right where they live. Even then that may be only a momentary satisfaction. You'll eventually have to climb back into the boat again and sail away into the unknown, sometimes with words as your only friends to accompany you.

Mike Lynch
Mar 09, 08:15pm

Lots of good responses! When I don't receive comments, it doesn't really bother me. I mean, before fictionaut, comments weren't even an option. I just wrote stories, handed out chapbooks, and posted stuff on my website. The handful of unsolicited responses I received were amazing -- more than I ever expected. But the optimism faded quickly. “Back to the grind,” etc. Long story short: I'm just happy to have a cozy little nest for my weirdness -- although I won’t deny that I occasionally get depressed when I encounter the boxes of old unread chapbooks stuffed in my living room closet. ;)
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