Melony's Malady -- July 2010 -- Litbridge

[driphoney]

No. They don't.

Direct Mail gets about a 2% return on their mailings. Expect seriously less than that here. If you get one piece of Feedback it's likely that 500 people read your story.

If you write for praise, you're not writing, you're manufacturing.

Apparently they don't matter to you, but believe me, many writers post a chapter, wait for the direct feedback on that chapter, then are inspired to write more. You might consider it manufacturing, but everyone putting their 'wares' out there is hoping for some response. Otherwise, they'd just leave it on their hard drives.

People write for all sorts of different motives and it's a little unfair to discount a person's writing if their motive doesn't match your own personal criteria.

By the way, I disagree with you here, but I've really enjoyed you turning this little dusty corner of Lit into a partyhouse.

 

[driphoney]

Thanks for the blind item mention above, and you're welcome.

But, listen, feedback is NOT food for author's soul. Feedback is what you get from your editor, your Mom, your wife. And you should ask for specific feedback, not a general "what do you think?" Never, ever, set yourself up as the kind of writer that needs, or wants, or asks for, "feedback". It's lovely and nice when it comes -- unsolicited.

Market your story. Put it out there that you'd like it read. If people want to send you their thoughts -- lovely. But don't ask. Don't entreat. Because, because, because 99.89% (I've clocked this) of the "feedback" you get will be useless, and if you're a beginning writer without a properly sandpapered skin, can set you down hundreds of wrong paths.

You were lucky to get one lucidly expressed post above re your work. But even that was overmuch (though surprisingly helpful if you're in a place to hear what he had to say). Frankly, you need to just improve your skills as a writer before you can constructively take critique on a specific work. And, like I said above, this is stroke material -- you're only going to be inspired to aspire so much.

There are some story editors here you can trust to give you critique. But the trick isn't asking for critique, it's HOW you ask. Don't just ask for general comments. Ask, specifically, for things you want to know. ("I need to know if my characters seems realistic." "Can you tell me if the scenarios I lay out seem plausible?" "Is the writing too florid?" etc.)

If the goal is to actually improve your writing, ask critique of a select group, not the world, be specific about what you ask for, and don't limit yourself to limiting genre writing like erotica.

If the goal is to stroke your ego, go the Forum Boards and beg for "Feedback".

Best of luck.

Okay, I'm a slow reader, so I just got to this after posting. This is all very true, and well put.

But. But I think it helps, for some of us, to have both types of response to our work (I can't even call what I do that! ) I usually have more than one trusted editor (and sometimes later not-so-trusted as I've learned along the way) read and give me serious writerly critique. It's helped me evaluate my writing better, and hopefully, make improvements as I practice and grow.

But I don't submit writing for them. I'm hoping that maybe, just maybe, someone might enjoy what's running around in my imagination as much as I did when writing it. I want to hear from someone who reads it purely for pleasure and is not judging each word choice, thinking I need to remember less is more or what have you. If I decide that no one is getting anything from it, then I'm back to just keeping it to myself. We're not all professional writers. Some of us are just hobbyists, and this is our main outlet.

 

[Litbridge]

Thanks, all. I have some serious noodling to do. Starting with what kind of story-teller do I want to try and become. Sometimes simply putting fingers to the keyboard begins the process, as I think has happened with "Melony". The learning begins.

 

[Dixon Carter Lee]

Apparently they don't matter to you, but believe me, many writers post a chapter, wait for the direct feedback on that chapter, then are inspired to write more. You might consider it manufacturing, but everyone putting their 'wares' out there is hoping for some response. Otherwise, they'd just leave it on their hard drives.

People write for all sorts of different motives and it's a little unfair to discount a person's writing if their motive doesn't match your own personal criteria.

But we're not talking about all sorts of different motives. If the question were about becoming an okay writer who's only doing this for a hobby -- then have it. But the question was about becoming a good writer. In that respect my advice stands, and is de rigueur.

...t I've really enjoyed you turning this little dusty corner of Lit into a partyhouse.

Very nice of you. I'm thinking of charging a cover.

 

[driphoney]

But we're not talking about all sorts of different motives. If the question were about becoming an okay writer who's only doing this for a hobby -- then have it. But the question was about becoming a good writer. In that respect my advice stands, and is de rigueur.



Very nice of you. I'm thinking of charging a cover.

A hobby writer can't become a good writer? And still desire positive response from his/her reading public?

-------

And I might just pay cover. Will non-monetary offerings be accepted?

 

[Litbridge]

Ooooh, driphoney. That last comment about cover charge leaves a delicious taste of intrigue. Wonder how Dix will respond?

 

[Dixon Carter Lee]

A hobby writer can't become a good writer? And still desire positive response from his/her reading public?

Desire, yes. Entreat, no.

And I might just pay cover. Will non-monetary offerings be accepted?

That would be an uncover charge.

 

[Litbridge]

Painters, sculptors, songwriters, lyricists, musicians, performing artists, actors, comedians, photographers, journalists, oh let's say it -- CG programmers -- and, now, authors do not entreat, they desire, feedback and obtain this unsolicited as their craft improves. I can see the point. After all, they would follow their 'calling' whether or not audiences sit on their hands, attend Gala openings, visit the gallery or read their work. Or would they? Are they more likely instead to warhouse their 'talent', like writers might leave theirs on hard-drives? Depends on how strong your motivation is to succeed at your craft. I sense a stalemate.

 

[Dixon Carter Lee]

After all, they would follow their 'calling' whether or not audiences sit on their hands, attend Gala openings, visit the gallery or read their work.

There you go.

And, remember, when you're a beginner, receiving "general comments" from people who don't know what they're talking about will ALWAYS do more harm than good. (IF you're trying to actually be a writer. Otherwise go for it.)