What's with thin-skinned authors and hyper-aggressive commenters?

[SyleusSnow]

As a writer we all crave "positive" feedback. I know exactly what you are saying. Feedback is a drug. To tell you that your amazing.
However as you say some critical feedback is good. Spotting the obvious mistakes.
I have been publishing my stories elsewhere for a while. Got lots of "thanks" but no actual feed back.

I did get one complaint in here that I wrong in English English which I found amusing. Complaining I was putting extra vowels in words...

Overall coming here has helped me. I know in a small way what I have been doing wrong. Which is good.

Heh. I have two long-standing criticisms of Lit comments: there aren't enough of them, and readers are too damn nice . Readers seem to hate being critical.

For some reason, my latest story is getting many comments, including this one: "The most well written, erotic story I have ever had the pleasure of reading."

I mean, wow. But really? Much as I loooove appreciative comments, sometimes one comes along so over the top you wonder if they're being sarcastic.

There's been one criticism: "It seemed to end rather abruptly", which is a valid point. Endings are difficult, and I didn't put much effort into concluding that story. Very happy to be called out on it and I'll do better on the next one.

Anyway. Lit isn't a writer's circle for exchange of literary criticism. Reader feedback is a bonus. I'll take every scrap I can get.

Generally, if someone makes the effort to leave feedback it means the story affected them in some way, positive or not. And affecting the reader is as much a goal of writing as is self-expression.

 

[adverbly]

Just a guess here, but if a whole bunch of people weighed in on you, I'm thinking, just maybe, your "critique" was delivered the same way you're projecting yourself here.

Look at it this way - if one person disagrees with you, they're disagreeing with you. If a dozen people disagree with you, it might be because you're being disagreeable. Sure, it might be a pile on, but if your critique was anything like your posts in this thread, I'm inclined to think, maybe not.

To address your comment, "Do you need to be a writer to comment?" No, you don't, but it helps, especially when you are giving advice how to write "better", because then you're putting your money where your mouth is.

But it helps, above all else, to be courteous

If I posted stories and enabled feedback and ratings, I'd accept them whatever they may be, aside from straight up abuse or hate speech. To my mind that's a straight line from A to B. You can guess and make assumptions about my projections, read my palm or tea leaves if that's your jam, but that's really all it is to me (and you know what assuming does...). That doesn't mean I'd always agree or disagree or even care. The feedback would just exist. It's my work to figure out what to do or not do with it. Getting snarky on people who I want to read my work is counter-productive. Assuming they are new to the space and going out of the way to talk down to them is also counter-productive, not just for him, but the whole site. Not only will they not give any of their other stories a shot, they might be discouraged from the whole site. I already explained my motivation for even responding in the first place, so I don't feel the need to rehash it here. It was pretty straightforward.

The feedback wasn't piled onto the writer. It was two people out of maybe six who happened to have the same feedback that the writer took affront to. Neither one of us was cruel, nasty, seemingly out to make him cry, anything like that. I wrote here almost verbatim my original feedback (almost because it's from memory) to show that that wasn't my intention. I put everything else out there to show that I am not a perfect being. I have nothing to gain by lying about the what or how of my original critique. It is mighty condescending of you to assume otherwise. If I failed to convey a neutral tone, that's my failing, and I can understand that, but my argument is it didn't deserve straight up abuse, and your condescending remarks weren't the ones to help me understand my misstep. You're as bad as the original author.

I don't see a bunch of people disagreeing with me here in this thread (so far, at least). I see some people whose immediate reactions are to respond with rude, knee-jerk responses that are not insightful or helpful that leave me with more questions than answers while not even addressing my question. I see some people who are really helpful and provide insight into how things work here and helpful comments for me to think about, even if they are saying there are better venues to provide feedback (than the feedback section which, hello... Easy to see how that could be confused) and to rethink when to give feedback. I see at least one person who is speaking up to hear themselves talk, apparently. I'm still going through the replies.

If you're going to advise me to be courteous above all else, I'd like to see that reflected in the way you communicate as well. Unfortunately, unprovoked, you didn't take that path. Right now you're just confirming that there are more people here like the original author and the lunatic commenters. Unless you want to change your tone and try to address the original question or akshually provide valuable feedback that will be heard, I don't see the point in continuing this with you.

 

[adverbly]

If writers want critical feedback, they'll ask for it. It really is that simple.

It is that simple - once you already know that.

 

[adverbly]

Heh. I have two long-standing criticisms of Lit comments: there aren't enough of them, and readers are too damn nice . Readers seem to hate being critical.

For some reason, my latest story is getting many comments, including this one: "The most well written, erotic story I have ever had the pleasure of reading."

I mean, wow. But really? Much as I loooove appreciative comments, sometimes one comes along so over the top you wonder if they're being sarcastic.

There's been one criticism: "It seemed to end rather abruptly", which is a valid point. Endings are difficult, and I didn't put much effort into concluding that story. Very happy to be called out on it and I'll do better on the next one.

Anyway. Lit isn't a writer's circle for exchange of literary criticism. Reader feedback is a bonus. I'll take every scrap I can get.

Generally, if someone makes the effort to leave feedback it means the story affected them in some way, positive or not. And affecting the reader is as much a goal of writing as is self-expression.

Thanks for your point of view. I can see the misstep in my original feedback and how you might have applied it. I really can see what you're saying, and it makes total sense. It (and a couple of other people) contradicts some others, but I suspect there will never be a true consensus on leaving feedback in general, and that also makes sense. Thanks again. I appreciate your input.

 

[adverbly]

@adverbly have a chew on this stuff. https://www.literotica.com/stories/memberpage.php?uid=6326072&page=submissions its mine. Its all fetish based, its "awful" topic to many, in my "awful" English. But hey when when your dyslexic sometimes how ever many times you proof read its still wrong.

Thankfully you and some others are showing me that not everyone on this website is a condescending prick who hates readers that aren't writers, and I'm making a list of whose stories to read. I have a learning disability too. Sometimes I have to find amusing the things we can and can't focus on. I figure if I can't try to take it in stride, I can't expect other people to do differently.

 

[Bazzle]

My last comment on this thread.

When giving feedback - it may have taken you 5/10/30 minutes of your life to read it.

But the author could have spent weeks/months/years writing it.

When feeling overly critical just remember that.

B

 

[PeytonMirabelle]

@adverbly

If I had to offer any advice, I'd say this as a reminder: this only has as much power over you as you let it.

I haven't read the story in question, nor the comments section beyond the pieces you posted, so I am just going off the general vibe here. If you feel that you posted your comments in a genuine vein of attempting to be helpful, and the reaction was negative, then shrug and move on. Maybe they needed to be more thick-skinned ... but you do too. That author wasn't looking for your style of feedback, so don't give it to them. They don't have to have your input and you don't waste time on a writer you feel doesn't appreciate it. Win-win.

I find that most authors ignore comments they really don't like, or just quietly delete them, so I don't think the aggressive response is going to happen a lot. If this puts you off from commenting on most pieces, then don't. Is it worth it to fret over?

I understand your frustration but in the greater scheme of things, it's really not worth expending energy on.

 

[KeithD]

I suppose I had the impression that writers with feedback enabled welcome feedback and that most writers strive to improve their writing regardless of their primary motivation.

That's where you go wrong. This is a share site, not a critique site. So, you are assuming too much and open yourself to being told off when you chose to provide unsolicited negative comment rather than just moving on to a story you might like better. I think what you posted of the comment that sets this thread off wasn't too bad, but you discovered it was unwelcome. You could have just let it stop there and moved on to other stories offered to you for a free read that might turn you on, but you haven't (which puts you in the thin-skinned category you mentioned) and you are persisting in the fallacy that most writers here are posting stories to develop their writing expertise. I don't think that they are and that you have a lesson to learn in this that you aren't learning by taking it to the board and sticking to your "impressions" about what authors have to accept from you, because you have what expertise in literary criticism, exactly.?

My impression is that most post stories here to share dirty stories and that, yes, they'd like like-minded readers to let them know they are like minded, but, no, they are not training for or auditioning for the New Yorker when they post here and that the best approach is to either enjoy the freely provided stories or move on to one you do enjoy.

 

[adverbly]

I’ve recently submitted my first story for literotica. I received some harsh but fair criticism in the comments section, enough to make me take the story down, revise it, and resubmit it with those critiques in mind. The criticism did hurt a lot, but looking at it objectively, I think it was fair and was able to react accordingly. Not everyone will take that same approach. Constructive criticism can be very useful, but poking holes in someone’s work when they’re just writing for fun can be discouraging. I’d recommend only pointing out the absolute most necessary things to critique and to do it a polite manner. Any authors that rebuke that criticism, just move on. It’s not worth the time and energy to fight someone over something so arbitrary.

I like this first ever submission point of view. I can wrap my head around what you're saying. And just to be clear, my motivation wasn't to poke a hole in the guy's work, but I see what my misstep was. As far as the criticism being rebuked, all I can say is I did something different this time. Lol I honestly would not have cared were it not for the out and out assholery. I was in a saucy mood, those twits left themselves wide open, I did not feelike take the high road, and I don't feel bad about it. That's far from typical though.

My last comment on this thread.

When giving feedback - it may have taken you 5/10/30 minutes of your life to read it.

But the author could have spent weeks/months/years writing it.

When feeling overly critical just remember that.

B

Good advice.

 

[adverbly]

@adverbly

If I had to offer any advice, I'd say this as a reminder: this only has as much power over you as you let it.

I haven't read the story in question, nor the comments section beyond the pieces you posted, so I am just going off the general vibe here. If you feel that you posted your comments in a genuine vein of attempting to be helpful, and the reaction was negative, then shrug and move on. Maybe they needed to be more thick-skinned ... but you do too. That author wasn't looking for your style of feedback, so don't give it to them. They don't have to have your input and you don't waste time on a writer you feel doesn't appreciate it. Win-win.

I find that most authors ignore comments they really don't like, or just quietly delete them, so I don't think the aggressive response is going to happen a lot. If this puts you off from commenting on most pieces, then don't. Is it worth it to fret over?

I understand your frustration but in the greater scheme of things, it's really not worth expending energy on.

I agree, and it's not usually the path I would have taken, actually at first I did shrug it off like usual, but the ridiculousness was so over the top bad, like laughably bad, I just knew they didn't comprehend how idiotic they sounded, and I was in a playful mood apparently. I started out in good faith, but they were having none of that. At the end of any day, I don't care what that guy does or does not do with my feedback, he could print it out and wipe his ass with it, but the rest of it... I said elsewhere that it reminded me of the Skeletor Is Love meme - with a twist - and gave in to the urge to be silly. They just caught me in a moment.

 

[Frotter]

I recently made the jump from reading and commenting anonymously to making a slightly less anonymous profile for saving favorite stories and commenting. I'm already regretting taking the chance. The second feedback I posted under the profile drew me a condescending message from the author and the ire of two other commenters who were compelled to address my feedback in multiple entries to the story's feedback section.

My feedback was almost verbatim, "I found the first two sentences awkward and distracting. I don't think they work well.

'I always thought, since I was little, that good was the first word of a candy package.' Which is it? Is that something you've always thought or only since you were little? They aren't the same thing, and if they were, stating both would be redundant.

'I never thought it might apply to my next-door neighbor, Veronica.' It looks like you're trying for smooth and clever, but those two statements together are clunky and awkward, so much so that I couldn't get past the second paragraph."

Because, you know, sometimes you get a a taste of an author's writing and if you find it to be clunky and awkward you're put off on reading a whole piece if you think you have more of that to look forward to. Whether my feedback is considered positive or negative by the author, I do attempt to make the tone neutral and not aggressively insulting. It's not like I wrote, "Here's one star, douche bag." I put thought into it. I don't even think I rated it at that time.

"Hi Adverbly,
I see you're new to Literotica. Thank you for your comment on my story "The Girl Next Door." The candy is Good and Plenty. I've been told that my writing has improved over the last few years but alas, clearly not enough to meet your standards. You did the right thing to stop reading, although had you overridden your good sense and continued, you might have ended up enjoying the story. I'd like to imagine it to be so. I guess we'll never know. Look, take some Xanax and lighten up a bit, why don't you? Yours, <author name>"

I don't care if authors respond to feedback. It's certainly not expected, but I can honestly say my remarks were made in good faith that I was saying something potentially helpful (if the author so chooses. Again, no great expectations from me.) His whole message was self-serving and dripping with false humility. He completely ignored my very specific points in favor of mansplaining a different point to me and tried to invalidate my opinion because he's been writing on the site longer than the age of my profile. Telling someone to lighten up because they don't share the same opinion as you goes over as smoothly as telling someone to calm down. Who is going to go out of their way to read stories by an author who goes out of his way to insult them?

I revisited the feedback section to see if anyone else had feedback similar to mine in case I was off the mark. Normally I would potentially give the story a second chance.

"aggressive wackadoo
A most delightful tale. Five stars. Note to adverbly: You are the grammatical genius. Check the punctuation and work it out. Too bad you suffer from anal-cranial inversion. You missed a great story. It's your loss."

I responded almost verbatim with, "I'm not looking for praise, but thank you. You are too kind. Your observation was quite alarming. I hope you'll be glad to know I examined my parts, and they are properly verted. Phew!"

"anonymous wackadoo
Adverbly obviously didn't enjoy growing up. This is a great story...I for one never worry about descriptions of situations or people. It's much more fun and satisfying to find out on your own. This is a story....It's too bad...he missed a great story and probably a lot of fun in his personal life, by letting some talk (or verbiage) get in the way."

That's just outright stupid.

I thought the aggressive wackadoo's comment toward me was unnecessary and a little unhinged, but I responded humorously and borderline kindly in an effort to be like, "Keep it cool, dude," but he did not like that and showed me what unhinged really looks like.

"aggressive wackadoo
Note to both adverbly and dou1t2 - There are those that write to entertain us and those that can produce nothing but criticism. Why don't you try contributing something more entertaining than complaints about grammar that has no effect on the entertainment value of the story? I'll be surprised to see anything useful from either of you. I doubt you have the guts to bare your writing skills to us. And your refusal to get into the story reveals you are both quitters. Please do the author a favor and never click on another of this author's works. We've heard plenty from people like you, and none of it is good."

It wasn't even his story. My feedback was critical, but it was very specific, not, "This story sucks. You suck. Go die now." He wanted something more entertaining so...

"<aggressive wackadoo>, pull yourself together, man. That's a lot of mess right there. It's like the drunk, angry rambling of a middle school-aged boy filled to the brim with righteous indignation because he was forced to accept crinkle fries instead of tater tots at lunch, except it didn't happen to him but someone he fangirls over and makes even less sense -- unless you're also <author name here> which would be an absurd and grim plot twist. I'm acquainted with pre-schoolers with better emotional regulation and who, except in extreme cases of didn't take a nap, don't verbally assault unsuspecting passerby.

Armchair Analysis Anonymous, this applies to you too. Use all the words you want to tell other readers their opinions are wrong. Each one of them makes you look foolish."

I responded to the author via feedback and admittedly had a little fun at his expense too. He deleted my responses (I'm not dumb, I half expected it from the narrow-minded and humorless jerk) and I wouldn't have cared, except he also deleted both critical feedbacks (he overlooked a third agreeing with the points the other person and I made), left up the comments that attacked me and the other commenter by name, and he claimed it was to keep the feedback section inducive to enjoyment by the readers. >Insert exaggerated open-mouth winky face with the thumb to finger okay sign.< I certainly did not enjoy... most of whatever all that was. And I can't imagine those aggressive and divisive comments leave very many people feeling comfortable providing feedback to this guy in the future when he condones such blatant assholery against them.

All this to ask what the fuck is up with creepy, thin-skinned authors who can't handle honest feedback on stories they post to a public pornography website with feedback enabled and the hyper-aggressive commenters that go after other commenters? I get people are protective of their work and can be sensitive about anything that's not praise, but being vulnerable is a choice you make when you publicly post and allow feedback. A brief look into the really aggressive commenter's profile makes him look a circlejerking fanboy, but even that doesn't account for his behavior. These guys are more delicate than a virgin's asshole and a lot less fun.

I've been on the internet, so no welcomes necessary. I know there are wackjobs everywhere, it can suck sometimes, and attempts at interaction can go sideways for no good reason, but I try to be mindful. I've read over in the authors forum section about their thoughts on reader feedback and scoring. I leave less critical comments, glowing praise too, with detail, and give four and five stars, but this thing has totally put me off. At first I was annoyed but tried to make it amusing and not so negative. Then I just got mad. If I continue reading on this site, I'm probably going back to anonymous, and definitely will make no attempt at interaction, but as of right now I feel totally repulsed by the experience so far. Seriously, who the fuck attacks the readership and condones those doing the same?!

This is... a lot. To anyone who actually reads this, you're a saint. I'm realistic though and not holding my breath.

Your reaction to his negative reply is over the top. You put waaay to much time and energy into this. These are just stories on a web site meant for entertainment. If you aren't entertained you simply need not read them. If you choose to reply and a person responds in a way you dislike, that is the risk you take by making your negative comment, just as the writer accepted the risk of you leaving a negative comment in the first place. I haven't read the stories in question, and do not need to in order to conclude the person who told you to take a Xanax is right, or better yet get a life.

 

[adverbly]

That's where you go wrong. This is a share site, not a critique site. So, you are assuming too much and open yourself to being told off when you chose to provide unsolicited negative comment rather than just moving on to a story you might like better. I think what you posted of the comment that sets this thread off wasn't too bad, but you discovered it was unwelcome. You could have just let it stop there and moved on to other stories offered to you for a free read that might turn you on, but you haven't (which puts you in the thin-skinned category you mentioned) and you are persisting in the fallacy that most writers here are posting stories to develop their writing expertise. I don't think that they are and that you have a lesson to learn in this that you aren't learning by taking it to the board and sticking to your "impressions" about what authors have to accept from you, because you have what expertise in literary criticism, exactly.?

My impression is that most post stories here to share dirty stories and that, yes, they'd like like-minded readers to let them know they are like minded, but, no, they are not training for or auditioning for the New Yorker when they post here and that the best approach is to either enjoy the freely provided stories or move on to one you do enjoy.

I already explained elsewhere that I let it go at first and then why I picked it up later. It wasn't a thin skin. And I'll let you in on a big secret - I did go on to enjoy other stories by other writers. What a dumb comment. I have not persisted "in the fallacy that most writers here are posting stories to develop their writing expertise." I have never claimed nor am I "sticking to" my "'impressions' about what authors have to accept from" me. You're reading stuff between the lines that isn't there. I think you're forgetting this is a porn site. I may not be a literary critic for the New Yorker, but you are certainly condescending and ridiculous.

Regardless, nothing I wrote validates the abusive behavior received, and I elaborated on that elsewhere too. If you have more of that to spew, spew elsewhere.

 

[adverbly]

Your reaction to his negative reply is over the top. You put waaay to much time and energy into this. These are just stories on a web site meant for entertainment. If you aren't entertained you simply need not read them. If you choose to reply and a person responds in a way you dislike, that is the risk you take by making your negative comment, just as the writer accepted the risk of you leaving a negative comment in the first place. I haven't read the stories in question, and do not need to in order to conclude the person who told you to take a Xanax is right, or better yet get a life.

Whoa, dude. Sick burn! You completely missed the why of my over the top ridiculous in kind comment that was over the top ridiculous on purpose. Disliking a comment and abusive behavior are two different things, also elaborated elsewhere. If you had paid any attention whatsoever, you'd know the writer made it very clear that despite your assertion otherwise, he did not accept the risk of me or anyone else leaving a negative comment. Yikes yikes yikes.

 

[adverbly]

Thanks to all who managed to not respond hypocritically and did respond with even an ounce of kindness and respect and provided me with a better insight into the dynamics and complexities of this site and the people who participate on it. I appreciate you and your efforts. That aim was too high for some. Your point of views and experiences on the other side of feedback were immensely valuable and gave me a lot to think on. Also thank you for my new reading list. Unfortunately, it's getting trollish here, so I'm not following the thread anymore.

 

[lovecraft68]

100% with the OP

I'll say this for the 100th time. If you are posting a story publicly, and you are allowing comments, anything goes.
Unless were talking something that's outright vicious and a personal attack, anything else is their opinion and they have a right to it.

Funny how no one ever complains about positive comments. I guess "Bestest stories I's ever readed!" well that reader, he knows his stuff. But anything slightly negative turns some authors into goddamn Karens, including the person we just had crying in the forum that some meanie left him a 4 vote.

If you can't handle anything others than readers fawning over you, then maybe you should shut off comments.

Another thing I'll repeat is-unless we're talking loving wives-the vast majority of comments here are on the positive side. But instead of focusing on the 90% positive, they cry about the 10%.

One last point, which is some advice, if you as the author are going to leave whiney snarky replies to comments? Guess what, you just earned a few more negative ones because the trolls will see your easy to get to.

I never respond to comments, good or bad, and I take both with the same attitude of its all their opinion. Every story we write some will like it, some won't and both sides have the right to express their feelings.

We need to come up with an author version of the word Karen.

If you can't tolerate one ounce of negativity writing for public consumption is not for you.

 

[Parhelical]

I'll say this for the 100th time. If you are posting a story publicly, and you are allowing comments, anything goes.

But what of human kindness?

 

[Lifestyle66]

I suppose I had the impression that writers with feedback enabled welcome feedback and that most writers strive to improve their writing regardless of their primary motivation. If that's not true, how is a person supposed to know if the writer with feedback and rating enabled genuinely welcome feedback? In this case, I had no way of knowing that, or if they would consider critique as negative, positive, or didn't care altogether.

When we are given the opportunity to provide feedback, doesn't that potentially make all of us self-appointed critics? I mean, isn't that the point? Critiques aren't all positive or all negative, and again we have no way of knowing how the writer will interpret critiques.

My critique certainly didn't "smash away" at a hobbyist or whatever the author considers himself to be. Painting my initial comment as such and telling someone else to keep quiet basically until spoken to is aggressive and rude as hell. We're all supposed to be adults here. Whether I paid for something or not, I expect if I show even a modicum of respect to a writer, they should do the same in return. I only lost respect for the writer after his condescending message and after taking a few hits of crazy from a couple of insane random. After those, I have no problem with returning in kind. You haven't even addressed the problem with the unhinged commenters.

In addition, I had the expectation that someone with as much experience as the writer to behave better all around regarding critiques. He made the choice to be an asshole when he replied to my feedback. Nobody made that choice for him. He also made the choice to censor legitimate critiques that he didn't like but keep the garbage postings. Those two things say pretty much all you need to know about a person's integrity and motivations.

Yes, some authors here are very thin-skinned, and several of their dedicated followers are equally defensive of their favored author (possibly even the same person, with multiple accounts.) I assume many of them are those now known as "snowflakes", the young who believe they deserve respect and a trophy for participation. They have meltdowns easily.

I am not a good author but trying to learn.

If you have the time and feel like critiquing a story, I would appreciate your thoughts of one of my recent stories Lifestyle Ch. 11 - Demons Past (or any of my stories). That chapter has few views and fell off the radar, with very few ratings and only two very brief comments. At the end of my latest chapter 12, I added in the ending Author's Note "If you enjoyed this story, please take the time to click on a rating star below. And any comments would be appreciated (including the negative ones.)"

I do appreciate negative comments. But I prefer those with a little more quantitative substance, rather than just "Eat shit and die!"

 

[Bramblethorn]

If writers want critical feedback, they'll ask for it. It really is that simple.

On this: There are a bunch of authors in this very forum asking for feedback. There are even more looking for an editor or a beta-reader who can give feedback on stories before they publish, when there's still time to do something about it. If you're serious about wanting to help authors, it's a much more efficient use of everybody's time and patience to go help those people instead.

Re. comment deletion: this isn't censorship. Censorship is when you are prevented from expressing your opinions, and that's not happening here. You can publish all the critiques you like on your own blog, and neither Literotica nor the government will stop you. But nobody else is obliged to grant you free space on a website that somebody else is paying for.

Most commenters are lovely, and I'm generally okay with taking constructive critique in comments when it feels like they're there for talking about the story. In some cases I've rewritten chunks of a story because a reader comment made me realise I'd made a bad choice.

But some commenters are kind of parasitical. They're not really there for a conversation about the story; they're there to show off their own cleverness (often in catching "errors" that may or may not actually be errors) or to broadcast their own tiresome opinions about Kids These Days or whatever else they feel like ranting about. They could post that stuff on a blog, but nobody would read it. So instead of working to attract eyeballs by being interesting, they piggyback off somebody else's work.

When an author deletes a comment, it means they've read it. If the purpose of the comment really was just to let them know about an issue and help them improve, job done - in which case, why would it matter if the comment stays up? When a commenter gets mad about their comments being deleted, it gives the impression that they weren't there just to help the author, that it was more about getting their fix of attention from the other readers. An author has no duty to indulge them in that.

 

[AlinaX]

To oversimplify, feedback falls into three categories:
1. Abuse about the author and/or characters, for embracing unliked fetishes, or for being too 'woke', or simply for not biting dicks off when they had the chance. (Go figure.)
2. Feedback about the story, which can be anything from detailed praise/criticism to, "It was all right."
3. Technical feedback - typically grammar, but sometimes other details too.

No. 2 is what we authors crave and, importantly, matters to other readers. Go ahead, tell me I'm rushing the character growth, or tell me that anal/watersports/incest isn't your thing but you enjoyed x, y & z anyway. Tell me that you found the story soul-destroying. All of this feedback is good because it means the story was read and that it made an impact somehow.

No. 3 is tricky. Tell authors that we don't write very well, and it hurts and discourages us from writing. For an *author* to leave such technical criticism is even more upsetting. I've once or twice commented on a fellow author's story about a technical issue that I thought could be improved, but I've since concluded that it was a mistake to do so.

Such technical criticism should only be offered if the author asks for it in the forum.

Bear in mind that readers come here for the stories and get them for free. Authors are not being paid, and there is no editorial support - unless you're very lucky. Not all authors are fluent in English. Some are, but are new to writing or have dyslexia or, well, who knows. Some have found a helpful editor, but the editor hasn't helped entirely...

Grammar, syntax, etc., are important, but ultimately readers come here for the stories, and that's what feedback in the comments should focus on.

 

[Bazzle]

We all crave #2 it means that the reader has read it!

 

[Bramblethorn]

To oversimplify, feedback falls into three categories:
1. Abuse about the author and/or characters, for embracing unliked fetishes, or for being too 'woke', or simply for not biting dicks off when they had the chance. (Go figure.)
2. Feedback about the story, which can be anything from detailed praise/criticism to, "It was all right."
3. Technical feedback - typically grammar, but sometimes other details too.

No. 2 is what we authors crave and, importantly, matters to other readers. Go ahead, tell me I'm rushing the character growth, or tell me that anal/watersports/incest isn't your thing but you enjoyed x, y & z anyway. Tell me that you found the story soul-destroying. All of this feedback is good because it means the story was read and that it made an impact somehow.

No. 3 is tricky. Tell authors that we don't write very well, and it hurts and discourages us from writing. For an *author* to leave such technical criticism is even more upsetting. I've once or twice commented on a fellow author's story about a technical issue that I thought could be improved, but I've since concluded that it was a mistake to do so.

Such technical criticism should only be offered if the author asks for it in the forum.

Agreed on all of these but especially that last bit. I understand the temptation, I used to do it myself when I was younger and didn't realise how obnoxious it was. But since I discovered the joy of nitpicking people who have asked for nitpicking (and who are willing to pay for it!) I've become much more selective.

A further thought on feedback:

A lot of workplaces have some kind of performance management system, where people get feedback on how they're doing their job and how they could improve.

There are a lot of different approaches to it, but almost universally the advice is that criticism is given in private. There's a reason for that. Getting back to what I said earlier about people commenting for self-aggrandisement, it might be worth asking oneself: if I'm really trying to help the author improve, why am I putting this in public comment rather than private feedback?

 

[ElectricBlue]

There are a lot of different approaches to it, but almost universally the advice is that criticism is given in private. There's a reason for that. Getting back to what I said earlier about people commenting for self-aggrandisement, it might be worth asking oneself: if I'm really trying to help the author improve, why am I putting this in public comment rather than private feedback?

Yes, I was going to make the same observation, but the guy wasn't listening, except to himself.

The OP is like so many before: comes in with a pile of obnoxious comments, gets called out on them, then tries a volte face and is all sweetness and light, tries to think he's the one been wronged, and fucks off out of the thread, but not before pulling the learning disabilities card. Good one, blame your behaviour on something else.

The opening post still shows who walked in with the crappy behaviour. He can't make that go away, however much he tries to point the finger at everyone else.

 

[LegoHead]

For shits and giggles - what the author didn't find amusing. It's all out there now. I feel relieved.

Since your feedback didn't have the author falling to their knees with an open mouth ready to receive your divine ejaculate, your solution was to come to the forum and post the confrontation in search of validation. Judging by the narrow scope of your character, I'm sure you're praying the author will read your post and experience emotional pain. Hopefully, they'll blow your grievance out of proportion, and you'll be able to check off another win in the troll column to assuage your deflated ego.

You sound like a thin-skinned incel who's one more rejection away from threatening to buy an assault rifle.

You have some maturing to do, so get to it.

 

[Lifestyle66]

Agreed on all of these but especially that last bit. I understand the temptation, I used to do it myself when I was younger and didn't realise how obnoxious it was. But since I discovered the joy of nitpicking people who have asked for nitpicking (and who are willing to pay for it!) I've become much more selective.

A further thought on feedback:

A lot of workplaces have some kind of performance management system, where people get feedback on how they're doing their job and how they could improve.

There are a lot of different approaches to it, but almost universally the advice is that criticism is given in private. There's a reason for that. Getting back to what I said earlier about people commenting for self-aggrandisement, it might be worth asking oneself: if I'm really trying to help the author improve, why am I putting this in public comment rather than private feedback?

PUBLIC would be someone posting a comment to a story.

But in the "Author's Hangout", we're dealing with discussions among authors (supposedly), and potentially gaining something from an "educated" debate on issues or a critique of a story approach.

UNFORTUNATELY, these forums are not educated debates.

 

[LilyWaters]

Something you may not know Adverbly (as you do not write stories here) is that it's a bit of an ordeal on this site to correct small errors or stylistic elements of a piece. You can't just log in and make changes. You have to remove the entire story, make any changes, and then resubmit it, where it goes to the bottom of the list for submissions. It takes at least a week to be reposted, often much longer.

For this reason, giving feedback that mimics a close reading analysis or focuses on specific grammatical points is not actually that helpful. The critiques you made about the first sentences of that story may be valid, but... it's really more effort than it's worth for the author to change them, and then there's your public comment, hanging around the story forever.

If you're invested enough in the writer's work that you think your feedback could help them improve, you could message them privately and say something "Hey, I really like the way you write your characters and stories; would you be interested in some suggestions I had in terms of your sentence structure?" Or, as EB said, you could gauge their interest by seeing if they have asked for feedback.

Also, and this I promise you from the bottom of my heart, if you spot a little error here or there, it's often the case that the writer saw them too, the MILLISECOND after they hit the submit button.