I don’t know what’s keeping me awake and coherent, but I’m still going… just not strong. I really need to get some decent sleep.
My writing site is “fixed”. I don’t really know what happened to it. I thought I had deleted something that apparantly I hadn’t… blah de blah bleh bleh bleh. Yeah. Thrilling.
I am delighted that the site has a way for the members to edit their work now. Now, I just need to get those same members to start COMMENTING!!
Can someone, anyone, just for the helluva it, tell me why it seems so hard to comment on an author’s work? Here we sit in the blogosphere reading everything from internet speak, to technobabble, to fine writing about daily lives, opinions, and nonsense. We comment without hesitation whenever someone’s bad hair day just stirs us, just so. BUT…. if there sits a story, or a poem, or a creative re-telling of a strange trip down memory lane, words seem to fail the commentors.
What’s your theory?
Reaper, harsh criticism can be good as long as it is constructive. To rip into someone just for evil’s sake isn’t quite what I’m usually looking for. However, if something I write makes a reader react in a particularly evil way, I think I’d like to know that.
I feel like I just contradicted myself. lol
Bah! I’ll critisize as harshly as I deem no matter what anyone thinks of it! I usually do it for constructive purposes of course, I just happen to wield a scythe that just happens to sometimes completly destroy stuff! Which is really effective when I mean to make an a-hole out of myself. (insert evil laughter here)
its like art- you have to be careful what you say whether you like it or not.
I’m better prepared for criticism than I used to be. I think blogging helps you have a bit of a thicker skin. :)
I think that if a blog clearly states that opinions on the authors writing are encouraged, the readers should not feel like they will hurt someones feelings. Anytime that I’ve submitted writing to a workshop, I’ve been prepared for the criticism. I may not have like it, but I was prepared for it ;)
For me, commenting on someone else’s work, can make you a friend or an enemy. I know that sounds silly, but it’s happened to me in the past and present and well… it’s heartbreaking to say the least, when you get slapped in the face in written words.
Sometimes I’ll read someone’s writing or blog post and think… “Wow, that was really good”, but when I’m “trying” to curtail that “really good” thought in a comment, 9 times out of 10 it gets me in hot water.
Have you heard the saying… “it’s better to remain silent and thought a fool, then to speak up and remove all doubt”? Well that’s my view on commenting on “most” (keyword) writings/blogs. If I don’t open my mouth (or leave a comment in this case), I won’t hurt anyone’s feelings and in the end… I don’t get mine hurt either.
That’s my story and I’m sticking to it! :)
I will begin to now, I am a fan of writing, check out my creativity section for proof!
Woah! There were some opinions here. Very cool.
Barudo: You’re quite right. I’ve run into that myself where I’m worried about hurting someone’s feeling.
Fred – The workshop you speak of is just what I’m trying to get going with the 3rd Eye Writers site.
Sparkling – I agree with you, it is easier to leave a quick comment on a blog post than something you have to think about.
Ree – I’ve been guilty of that. Asked for feedback and as soon as I’ve gotten it, I want to defend myself all over the place. I’ve gotten better about that, I think. :)
Margie – That “note” could be useful to have at the writers’ site, so I put it in the mission statement. Thanks for the good idea.
Put a little note that “feedback” is encouraged in order to inspire, drive and guide the writers to perfecting their art.
Even the bad feedback or constructive criticism. I’ll never forget my College Lit teacher and how tough she was. Her negativity inspired me and it was exactly what I needed to improve my writing skills.
It’s hard to comment on someone else’s writing because it’s very difficult to gauge receptiveness over the Internet. If I say that the the third paragraph doesn’t flow and badly needs to be fixed, is the author going to say “Good call, I’ll note that for the next draft” or is s/he going to rant about “I want it that way, you’re just not understanding the soul of my work!”? Does this author want a serious critique or are they just looking for emotional validation?
A constructive opinion is what keeps people from commenting on serious writing. A quick bla on someones blog is much easier and quicker, and yes, less often insult, than a thought through constructive comment on a ‘story’ site.
Well, for me, if I see that someone whose blog I read has a fiction story posted, I almost always go back to read at another time. I usually like to give the story full attention instead of squeezing it in between my morning blog surf. As for why people don’t commnet, I would agree with Stephanie. While I like most of the stories that I read, others, I want to just take a red pen to. I would assume that this same thing happens at my blog when I post a story and only get a small number of “Nice job!” comments, lol.
I was actually considering starting a blog, where a writer and post a story and expect to get honest feedback from the readers, almost like a workshop sort of thing. It would be helpful to the writer to get an honest opinion once in a while, as long as that opinion was constructive.
Can someone, anyone, just for the helluva it, tell me why it seems so hard to comment on an author’s work?
Agree with Stephanie… You just don’t want to hurt others’ feelings.
You’re one of the best commentors there, Stephanie… I should have mentioned that I’d like the members who haven’t been commenting to do so. :) Sorry.
Perhaps its a fear of offending or upsetting someone? After all, most writing is quite personal to an individual, so I for one like to have comments contain some positive element even if it contains what I hope is constructive criticism too. On other occasions, even though I may have enjoyed a story, I can find it hard to think of a comment.