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  • Comments and criticism

    Does anyone here take criticism/comments of any of your writing (Here or anywhere) under advisement as what to improve for the future or do you for the most part just go "duly noted" and continue doing what you want?

    Maybe a better question is, have you ever found ANY comment useful in some way whether it was negative or not.
    Writing: It's more fun than a barrel of Ebola ridden monkeys!

  • #2
    I certainly pay attention to comments/criticism and I really prefer it when people leave a thoughtful response to something I've written, rather than just rating it, even if that rating is positive. I think several people on here feel that way, which would partially explain why there was a push for awhile to require commentary along with ratings. I'm always hoping for intelligent feedback, but I've learned to not always expect it.

    When I get substantive commentary, I do take it under advisement. This doesn't always translate directly to changing or modifying the specific aspects of the story that were mentioned, though sometimes it does. Oftentimes a commentary will plant a certain idea in my mind and have a sort of general influence over my future writing. Especially if I've received a suggestion from someone whose work I really value and respect, then I tend to assume that they're on to something and take a newly critical look at my own work.

    It's because I think the commentary and collaborative aspects of this site are so important that I've been pretty vocal about telling people that I'm always willing to review their writing and enter into a dialogue about it. I've had several exchanges with various members here via PM and email, as well as a bit on the forums, that I've found to be pretty rewarding and eye-opening.
    My sanity, my soul, or my life.

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    • #3
      I love getting useful comments (good or bad) from people, and I will always read them and see if I can use what they have to say to improve at all. Even if that improvement isn't going to be in the current story, but in the future.

      Like earlier this year I wrote a story about a girl getting punished by her father and then getting excited by it, which I posted on another board before I posted it on my own site. I got several useful comments (and many not very useful comments, mostly because of the subject matter). I then actually changed one section of the story to better get across what I meant, because they didn't seem to see it the way I wanted them to when they read it. I also made lots of changes to small things (mostly spelling/grammar errors, but some others) because of comments and feedback I got. I then posted the much improved version when I added it to my site.

      Here I have not made many changes, except for spelling/grammar errors, because of comments... but that's mostly because I don't seem to get much in the way of useful comments here. Especially in DMs. Almost all of the DMs I get are people just telling me to write more or add to something, not actually commenting on the work I have already done.

      However, when I get suggestions that go against what I was trying to do with the writing, I will simply ignore it or even reply (on sites that allow that) and explain how that doesn't work for what I am doing. Like, in that story I mentioned before that I used comments on to make edits, I had one person who talked about how they wanted to see strong S&M themes, beatings, and "teaching that little bitch a lesson". I had to tell them that I didn't write that story he descried, so those things wouldn't have made sense in mine. I had a much more subdued theme of discovery and not one of cruel pleasure.
      Dragavan: Dragavan Games - Lootin' Wizards - The Land of Karn - Central U (adult) - Dragavan's Adult Stories

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      • #4
        I think it really depends on the comment.

        If it comes from someone I trust and/or respect and/or acknowledge as a skilled writer, I'm more likely to listen, even if it is overwhelmingly negative. If it comes from someone I hate and/or think of as a terrible writer, I don't really care what they have to say. If the comment is anonymous, or I don't know the person, it depends on a number of features- the validity of their points, the length of their critique, the balance of positive and negative things which they mention, and the grammar that they use.

        It also depends on style. I've had a lot of critiques on Rentyre where all I can do is roll my eyes- the story doesn't have a positive ending. Get over it. Grab a pint of ice cream and stream a comedy off of Netflix. I've also had people complain about my double contractions. I think it is every bit as valid as Mark Twain's use of dialect, and a hell of a lot easier to read to boot. Once, I had someone mention my frequent and usually incorrect usage of hyphens, where other punctuation would be correct, and a re-structuring of the sentence would avoid the problem altogether. It's an interesting point... but I'm not writing a professional essay. I've kept an eye on how often I use hyphens ever since, but I'm not about to stop doing it. They convey voice and tone in a manner which is far different from commas or ellipses- usage rules be damned.
        Originally posted by Ryan_DuBois
        Usoki, you're the crankiest asshole we know. Not that it's a bad thing, it just means that you smell funny and are best left hidden in darkness.
        And it's embarrassing when you make any noise at all.

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        • #5
          For me it depends on how much I've had to drink before reading it.

          And what kind of mood I'm in.

          If I'm all pissed off about shit, and then I read a harsh rating; I tend to be a bit more sensitive.

          I appreciate it when people have well thought out comments flowered with praise and virtual high-fives.
          The organ is grinding but the monkey won't dance.

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          • #6
            Here's another related question. Anyone write anything they're ashamed of, or just look at it and say "I can't believe I wrote that."
            Writing: It's more fun than a barrel of Ebola ridden monkeys!

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            • #7
              Originally posted by End Master View Post
              Here's another related question. Anyone write anything they're ashamed of, or just look at it and say "I can't believe I wrote that."
              Nope. My writing, like my poop, smells of Chanel No. 5.

              I suppose there are a couple of things I've written professionally that just don't reflect my views in any way, shape, or form. I was just whoring out my expertise to someone craving a smattering of literacy for their publication. I myself am of course not really crazy, but crazy was the order of the day, so crazy it was. It's like, I'll get dressed up as an orthographic French maid...if you pay me enough.

              EDIT: Also, I wish people would write some sassy visitor messages on my profile, because that would make me feel very special indeed. After hauling ass through Chinatown today, I just don't feel special in the way a middle-class white girl should.
              Last edited by Vesnic; 12-30-2011, 04:23 PM.
              My sanity, my soul, or my life.

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              • #8
                Go to your nearest ghetto, and I guarantee the locals there will make you feel very special. Especially if you're a middle class white girl.
                Writing: It's more fun than a barrel of Ebola ridden monkeys!

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                • #9
                  Originally posted by End Master View Post
                  Here's another related question. Anyone write anything they're ashamed of, or just look at it and say "I can't believe I wrote that."
                  Not exactly ashamed, but yes I have things I look at and say "I can't believe I wrote that." Can't say any of those are posted online anywhere, but actually written by hand in spiral notebooks (before my computer days). One of them was even rewritten (partially) several years after I wrote it and it's still not good, but most of those are dead and never going to be revived.

                  There are many things I wrote that I know I could greatly improve on if I rewrote them today, but I can see my writing in them and am not ashamed of them at all. Many of those are online somewhere, as I used to post them on newsgroups back in the day and then on sites I went to or joined over the years.

                  Very little of what I write am I completely satisfied with, however. I tend to aways see the flaws and think I could make it better, but I have to stop working on them and them post them or I will never stop. Again, not the same as being ashamed of them, but never perfectly happy either.
                  Dragavan: Dragavan Games - Lootin' Wizards - The Land of Karn - Central U (adult) - Dragavan's Adult Stories

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                  • #10
                    Is replying to story comments something that would be useful?

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                    • #11
                      I suppose being able to use quotes would be nice in regard to that but we can pretty much reply already since you have the comments and ratings sections combined now. I like the feature as is, but maybe that's just me.
                      The organ is grinding but the monkey won't dance.

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                      • #12
                        Being able to reply to the story comments is one of the best new features of the new site as far I'm concerned.
                        Writing: It's more fun than a barrel of Ebola ridden monkeys!

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                        • #13
                          Has anyone here gotten any criticism about their story being sexist, racist or unkind to the gay folks?

                          I was just wondering since I sometimes see other writers of CYOAs get accused of the above. And I swear this isn't me! (Which is surprising actually, but most major complaints I get are about my stories having too much swearing, which baffles me even more.)

                          EDIT: Whoops, looking back on some of my comments I did get accused of all three of these things for A Very Special Story a few times, but that was more due to the readers not getting the satire and parody and thought I was writing something meant to be taken completely seriously. (So the real problem there was with the readers being clueless idiots, not me being insensitive asshole! Yay!)
                          Last edited by End Master; 03-19-2012, 01:48 PM.
                          Writing: It's more fun than a barrel of Ebola ridden monkeys!

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                          • #14
                            Originally posted by End Master View Post
                            Has anyone here gotten any criticism about their story being sexist, racist or unkind to the gay folks?
                            Yeah, I've experienced this. Gurl PowR! was twice accused of reverse sexism, once by that random Lithuanian and another time by our dearly departed MRH, who announced that the story was "thinly veiled male-bashing". I think this is another case of readers being clueless idiots rather than me being an insensitive dick...er, cunt.
                            My sanity, my soul, or my life.

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                            • #15
                              Only once. I wrote this about a kid in high school (sophomore year) and got called all of the above. The story actually was all of those things.

                              http://www.fictionpress.com/s/157133...e_of_Christian

                              Everything on that page is old or unedited/unupdated. Actually, only "Rise of the Bureaucrats" has seen a significant facelift since its posting there.

                              EDIT: wow, I'm really glad I've progressed as a person since then.
                              Last edited by Locke; 03-19-2012, 07:38 PM.
                              Last edited by Locke; 06-27-2014 at 12:16 AM.

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