but it has sex in it!

[PennLady]

Possibly it might. I looked through all the other comments and to my mind they were well meant flattery rather than criticism of any useful type.

Anon in this case was fairly gentle but at least was challenging, which might be more useful than undiluted praise,

The problem, though, is that I don't know what this commenter thinks is "bland" or "over sentimental" about the story, so it's no help. I mean, just in general? The sex itself? what?

This leads into, or could, a discussion of what kind of comments one is supposed to leave. Some feel that unless the author specifically asks for "help," one shouldn't offer it. Others feel that if you leave the public feedback option on, you take your chances. I, for one, don't mind constructive criticism offered in the comments.

 

[sr71plt]

At some point serious writers stop dwelling on the comments of others (other than the increase or decrease of dollar bills), get comfortable with their chosen style, and just put it out there for others to read or not as they wish.

 

[PennLady]

I agree, sr, and I've never hung on the comments. It's nice to get nice ones, annoying to get ones that offer nothing more than "this sucks," and I'm as comfortable with my style as I guess I'm going to get.

 

[estragon]

I agree, sr, and I've never hung on the comments. It's nice to get nice ones, annoying to get ones that offer nothing more than "this sucks," and I'm as comfortable with my style as I guess I'm going to get.

SA Penn Lady, of course you're not going to change your style. And sr won't change his because it's perfect, just like everything else about him.

But if you leave public comments open and "Send Feedback" open, you gets what you gets.

Gambler's choice.

 

[sr71plt]

SA Penn Lady, of course you're not going to change your style. And sr won't change his because it's perfect, just like everything else about him.

But if you leave public comments open and "Send Feedback" open, you gets what you gets.

Gambler's choice.

Meow.

 

[SydneyBlake]

Penn, you're right

Most of the comments aren't a lot of help, except if they say they like the story, then I take that as a cue to continue following my instincts. Kind of like sex lol. But nonspecific criticism is, at best, not helpful.

I love the ones who attempt to hijack my story and tell me what they think should happen next. I usually already have my outline pretty well set, but every now and then, somebody gives me something to think about. (estrogen, I'm still trying to work katinka in, but she's just not working out. Lol. Jk)

(I'll always allow comments and scoring and email feedback, tho. I never pass up the opportunity to hear feedback. Some is quite good.)

Syd

 

[PennLady]

Syd,

You're right as well. I always advise people to take the comments with the proverbial grain of salt. Good or bad, you can't put too much stock in a random sampling of comments from random people. But yes, sometimes a comment might say something that sparks an idea or makes you reconsider something, and that's not a bad thing.

I haven't had too many people say what should come next, although I had a lot of people wanting to smack Maureen in Numbers Game. Never did write that in.

I'll keep the scoring and comments open as well -- it can be fun

PL

Most of the comments aren't a lot of help, except if they say they like the story, then I take that as a cue to continue following my instincts. Kind of like sex lol. But nonspecific criticism is, at best, not helpful.

I love the ones who attempt to hijack my story and tell me what they think should happen next. I usually already have my outline pretty well set, but every now and then, somebody gives me something to think about. (estrogen, I'm still trying to work katinka in, but she's just not working out. Lol. Jk)

(I'll always allow comments and scoring and email feedback, tho. I never pass up the opportunity to hear feedback. Some is quite good.)

Syd

 

[lloyd_5]

OWLWHISPER produced figures (from his famous 2009 story):

2011 Comparison: last 30 days EC vs Romance:

EROTIC COUPLING: 240 stories rated from 4.81 to 1.67 with a median score of 4.15.

ROMANCE: 111 stories rated from 4.87 to 3.09 with a median score of 4.40.

This is the main reason EC stories hardly ever win monthly contests while Romance ones win every second month. If you're worried about story rating I'd suggest you submit in Romance in future.

[size=+2]james r scouries esq.[/size]
Multiple A.I.R. AWARD winner, MILLION SELLER,
Author of the MOST COMMENTED on
and the MOST VOTED on story on LITEROTICA

Do they run training courses on how to be anally retentive? If so, you have a profitable career ahead of you, just give up the crayon and the childish scribbles.

 

[elfin_odalisque]

Penn Lady, I enjoyed your story a lot even though it is only a vignette. I had to read it again to ease an itch.

I know the song well but, although sung/written from a male POV, the protag is the woman - he is secondary. In your story you switch roles. Although he comes home shattered from a red-eye you put him as the protag when I think the story works better with roles reversed.

It could work equally well in EC or Romance but IMO you lose a bit of dynamism by not making him the antag. She's fresh and bushy-tailed and he's shattered - although coming home early for emotional reasons. She needs to lead against a willing, loving yet exhausted husband

I think you lose a bit of 'oomph' by not letting her lead the encounter - like in the song.

 

[PennLady]

Elfin,

Well, see, now that's interesting, as that's obviously not the way I took it. And you have to admit, the lyrics don't give you a ton to work from (Here are the lyrics, if anyone's curious.) I mean, all she does in the song is cross the room (if you go for a literal read of it).

Perhaps I should try a second version of it.

And I had originally planned a second scene, with them in bed and probably her leading, but it just seemed a good place to end and so I did.

Thanks for reading.

Penn Lady, I enjoyed your story a lot even though it is only a vignette. I had to read it again to ease an itch.

I know the song well but, although sung/written from a male POV, the protag is the woman - he is secondary. In your story you switch roles. Although he comes home shattered from a red-eye you put him as the protag when I think the story works better with roles reversed.

It could work equally well in EC or Romance but IMO you lose a bit of dynamism by not making him the antag. She's fresh and bushy-tailed and he's shattered - although coming home early for emotional reasons. She needs to lead against a willing, loving yet exhausted husband

I think you lose a bit of 'oomph' by not letting her lead the encounter - like in the song.

 

[estragon]

Meow.

Did I just hear a galled jade wince?

 

[PennLady]

Did I just hear a galled jade wince?

Dare I ask what a galled jade is?

 

[sr71plt]

Did I just hear a galled jade wince?

No, you heard a reaction to an entirely uncalled for and catty slur. Grow up. I thought better of you. Apparently I was wrong. (I thought a lot better of Penn Lady too. But I guess here, she just wants to continue with the play.)

In the thread that encouraged you to be catty here, I was responding to the issue, not you. Here, you are just being personal--as well as dead wrong. On the very day you posted this, I was pointing on another thread to having made a mistake--and defending another poster on having made a simple typo as well.

If all you want to do on this forum is chat with Penn Lady and fawn over her writing, I can understand why you want to choke off any discussion from me, though. Have fun celebrating each other.

 

[PennLady]

No, you heard a reaction to an entirely uncalled for and catty slur. Grow up. I thought better of you. Apparently I was wrong. (I thought a lot better of Penn Lady too. But I guess here, she just wants to continue with the play.)

In the thread that encouraged you to be catty here, I was responding to the issue, not you. Here, you are just being personal--as well as dead wrong. On the very day you posted this, I was pointing on another thread to having made a mistake--and defending another poster on having made a simple typo as well.

If all you want to do on this forum is chat with Penn Lady and fawn over her writing, I can understand why you want to choke off any discussion from me, though. Have fun celebrating each other.

Okay, I was asking a legit question. Or sort of. I didn't know what estragon meant by "galled jade," and so I asked, partly in jest. I'm not trying to be catty or slur anyone. I like joking around, but don't aim to offend.

Honestly, I thought this was an good question and I was interested to see what others would say, and if they'd had a similar experience, and other thoughts on votes/view/etc. I've enjoyed reading what others have said, including yourself.

 

[sr71plt]

I have no idea what it means. Although, I guess I was supposed to know--or pretend that I did.

I don't have any trouble figuring out its intent--at least "sort of."

I'm a little tired of folks ragging on me for what I don't do--or because I do have experience in writing and publishing. I'd think they'd have plenty of attack fodder to work with on what I actually do.

 

[estragon]

Let the galled jade wince, our withers are unwrung.--Hamlet, Act III, Sc. 2
No point in arguing, sr.

 

[estragon]

Let the galled jade wince, our withers are unwrung.--Hamlet, Act III, Sc. 2
No point in arguing, sr.

But to answer SA Penn Lady's question, the withers of a Horse are the muscles which unite the neck and shoulders. The skin of this part of a horse is often galled by the pommel of an ill-fitting saddle, and then the irritation of the saddle makes the horse wince. Colloquially, said when someone is stung. Or put another way, if the shoe doesn't fit, why wear it?

 

[sr71plt]

Or put another way, if the shoe doesn't fit, why wear it?

That's rather my point on calling you on the uncalled for slur.

Not that you plan on being honest about it.

 

[PennLady]

But to answer SA Penn Lady's question, the withers of a Horse are the muscles which unite the neck and shoulders. The skin of this part of a horse is often galled by the pommel of an ill-fitting saddle, and then the irritation of the saddle makes the horse wince. Colloquially, said when someone is stung. Or put another way, if the shoe doesn't fit, why wear it?

I never, ever would have gotten that reference. It's unusual, I'll give you that.

 

[estragon]

sr, if you feel slurred, nothing I can say will change that. SA Penn Lady, it was never my intention to involve you in a brawl. I'm out of this discussion.

 

[sr71plt]

sr, if you feel slurred, nothing I can say will change that. SA Penn Lady, it was never my intention to involve you in a brawl. I'm out of this discussion.

OK, why wouldn't I feel slurred? Point to where I've ever claimed to be perfect. You're being mealymouthed. Stand up to what you've posted. I'm tired of this hit-and-run back-biting crap.

 

[estragon]

I said I was out, and I mean that I'm out. There's no point in arguing with you. And I don't want a brawl in the midst of a discussion of a story by a writer I admire (not "fawn over"; if I praise highly, I mean it). But I do thank you for giving me the basis for a character for my latest story Up On The Roof, due for publication shortly.

 

[sr71plt]

Yep, hit-and-run slur tactics. I really did think better of you.

The cutsy "I'll use you in my next story" is just another nasty tactic in that behavior.

(And, yes, I did notice you were kicking dirt on the challenge to back up the original slur.)

 

[PennLady]

And I think this thread has run its course...

 

[sr71plt]

Back to the top, if you get a comment that you can't figure out and you can't (or don't want to) contact the one giving the comment about, isn't the best thing to do to look at what's being pointed to to see if there is something that now bothers you about it as well and then, if you do see it, act on it, and if you don't, just forget about the comment and move on?