Inappropriate Comments and Feedback

[Brayon]

So far, I've yet to receive any harsh feedback. *Knock on Wood* But, I've heard from other GA and Non-GA Authors some pretty horrible criticism of their work. So, what sort of feedback, have you receive that was over the line?

 

As I said, mine has been tamed, and the worse I've gotten was:

1. You need a better Editor.

2. You're too slow in putting chapters out.

Edited August 20, 2017 by BHopper2
Need a better Editor

[Myr]

I've had some pretty harsh critics on FanFiction... who were complaining I got various details wrong... when I didn't.  It was few and far between.

Though I can say that people have asked me to post faster.. since I'm horribly slow with GA itself eating all my open computer time.  When I escape these days, it's not on the computer where more work always beckons.

 

 

[LitLover]

I haven't received terrible criticism yet, thank goodness. A couple of my characters have caused strong reactions and harsh comments, but I expected it, and the comments were directed against the characters's behaviour, not me.  

 

I was also criticized for not being detailed enough about the surrounding world in one story.  I say criticism, but it wasn't really. The reader just felt the story as a whole would have benefited from more detail.  It gave me food for thought, which I believe is what the reader intended.  

[Dodger]

I have plenty of characters who cause a stir and are not liked even by me, but I guess that's different. I think that most readers/authors on the site try to be objective with any criticism which can be extremely useful to someone writing. Constructive criticism should encourage authors to improve and address problems which they may not be aware of, but generally, I think that most people don't bother commenting on something that they don't particularly like. I know that I've done the same thing so maybe a lack of comments, although not very helpful to the author, is a better indication of how well you're doing. Recently, however, I have tried to become a little more opinionated when I comment because I have found it very helpful in the past. I want to know what people really think and if you can learn to accept a little constructive criticism, the good comments tend to mean a whole lot more.

Edited August 20, 2017 by Dodger

[Valkyrie]

I've been pretty lucky as far as feedback goes.  I think the harshest comments I've received have been from my beta/editing team, and that's exactly what I want from them.  They have no problem telling me what works and what doesn't.  I've written some stories that have produced strong reactions and discussion, but I consider that a good thing.  

[FormerMember4]

I think overall that there is good feedback on GA. Some things cause stir, nothing too harsh. There is only one commenter I hate seeing comments. As soon as story goes not their way. They rip apart story and multiple authors.

 I have hard time with criticism, but I open myself to it. A lot is written on lifestyle. I know not everyone's cup of tea. 

 I also remind myself we're artist. It's our journey that we decide to share. You can't have good without bad feedback.

[mogwhy]

3 minutes ago, BlindAmbition said:

I think overall that there is good feedback on GA. Some things cause stir, nothing too harsh. There is only one commenter I hate seeing comments. As soon as story goes not their way. They rip apart story and multiple authors.

  

see, i don't understand this. why rip apart something people work hard at. if you don't like where its going, stop reading it! i think the worst thing i ever said to an author was "even though i'm enjoying the story line, i can't continue to read  it until you fix the formatting". or write faster please

[Cia]

Constructive not critical. The difference is very distinct between providing feedback to an author on what doesn't work and why than just saying something sucks without giving more. You're not going to please everyone all the time and what works for one reader won't work for the other. Do legitimate research if you're not intimately familiar with the information you're using as you write, work hard to make the story the best it can be creatively and constructively, and accept the feedback given in the manner it's shared. Ignore hate, appreciate and be thankful for thoughtful comments even if they're not complimentary, and celebrate what readers love and think you're doing well. 

 

[MrM]

Mostly I get constructive comments. Places, especially, where I screw up and make an inconsistency error. I appreciate those. Mostly, people here are always kind and encouraging which is my payment for doing this. I am so thrilled when someone cares enough to comment, bad or good.

 

There are no Trolls in here that I've found, thank goodness. Other places are not so forgiving.

 

To the GA team: thank you for creating and maintaining such a healthy environment for creativity.

Edited August 20, 2017 by MrM

[Brayon]

40 minutes ago, MrM said:

To the GA team: thank you for creating and maintaining such a healthy environment for creativity.

Hear, Hear!!!

[CassieQ]

I haven't received a lot of criticisms from readers.  I had one person tell me that they didn't like my story because they didn't like trilogies, and I thought that was fair.  To be honest, the harshest criticism I get is from my beta reader.  As it is usually helpful, I'll take most of what he says to heart and make some changes.  

[Former Member]

17 hours ago, BHopper2 said:

Hear, Hear!!!

Well said. 

[Myr]

On 8/20/2017 at 1:33 PM, CassieQ said:

To be honest, the harshest criticism I get is from my beta reader.

You ought to meet my editor.  She beats me to death with edits.  Shhhh... she's watching even now.

 

[Myr]

Told you...

[JayT]

I received an email from a reader from another site. He told me that my story was absolutely horrible and he couldn't believe that I publish something like that. This was after he admitted that he didn't like shifter/vampire stories (which mine was!) I emailed him back and said I didn't appreciate that he would say such harsh words about something I spent my time working on. I further told him that if he didn't like it, he didn't have to read it and that if he didn't have anything positive to say, he should've kept his opinion to himself. 

[mogwhy]

2 minutes ago, JayT said:

I received an email from a reader from another site. He told me that my story was absolutely horrible and he couldn't believe that I publish something like that. This was after he admitted that he didn't like shifter/vampire stories (which mine was!) I emailed him back and said I didn't appreciate that he would say such harsh words about something I spent my time working on. I further told him that if he didn't like it, he didn't have to read it and that if he didn't have anything positive to say, he should've kept his opinion to himself. 

was this your story The Beta? i like that one!

[JayT]

3 minutes ago, mogwhy said:

was this your story The Beta? i like that one!

yup....the guy sent it after I posted the prologue to a site that starts with N and ends in ifty. 

[mogwhy]

9 minutes ago, JayT said:

yup....the guy sent it after I posted the prologue to a site that starts with N and ends in ifty. 

i didn't read it there. if anything, i thought it was your 1st story and needed a tiny bit of work, (grammar, spelling and the like) in the beginning, but it got better! not enough to make me stop reading  

 

like i should talk, i forgot a whole word 

Edited August 22, 2017 by mogwhy

[LitLover]

23 minutes ago, JayT said:

I received an email from a reader from another site. He told me that my story was absolutely horrible and he couldn't believe that I publish something like that. This was after he admitted that he didn't like shifter/vampire stories (which mine was!) I emailed him back and said I didn't appreciate that he would say such harsh words about something I spent my time working on. I further told him that if he didn't like it, he didn't have to read it and that if he didn't have anything positive to say, he should've kept his opinion to himself. 

 

I've never understood people who leave negative comments that aren't constructive.  "This sucks" won't help me as a writer, especially if they don't like the story because it's a genre or subject matter they don't enjoy. Why read in the first place in that case (especially if warned in the story description)?  If, on the other hand, the person has suggestions or criticisms about my writing style or story flow I'm happy to hear them. 

Edited August 22, 2017 by LitLover

[Parker Owens]

2 hours ago, JayT said:

I received an email from a reader from another site. He told me that my story was absolutely horrible and he couldn't believe that I publish something like that. This was after he admitted that he didn't like shifter/vampire stories (which mine was!) I emailed him back and said I didn't appreciate that he would say such harsh words about something I spent my time working on. I further told him that if he didn't like it, he didn't have to read it and that if he didn't have anything positive to say, he should've kept his opinion to himself. 

 

I have gotten very few outright terrible reviews, and have tried not to take them to heart. That was difficult at first. Like Lit, I appreciate a well reasoned critique of something I post, and have received some very helpful ones. Best of all, those who commented became good friends afterward.

[Cia]

What's the pits is when you get them via Goodreads or a sale site on published work because you really can't respond to the very public comments. I've learned to ignore a lot... but the one reviewer who said an eBook was a 'waist of time' to read just got a laugh. Yeah... that's a person whose literary opinion I'd be concerned with. Legitimate complaints about plot flow or believable events or correct information (like medical/legal/what-have-you) are one thing, but when someone reads your story and complains when they ALREADY KNOW they don't like the premise? They're flat out idiots. Good response to them, @JayT

[Dolores Esteban]

The comments I get are mostly constructive feedback. Sometimes comments sound negative, but they often point to a problem I didn't see, like a plot hole for instance. A couple of years ago, I was told my writing showed that I was a spoiled brat. I was offered no further explanations. I still don't see the commenter's intent. The star system was a problem, too, in the past when an anonymous user - for whatever reason - voted down stories, mine and others, by giving them immediately after a posting only one star. 

 

[Timothy M.]

Mostly, if I have something really critical to say or question, I'll do it in a PM. If other readers do the same, then that may be why you don't see so many public ones.

 

But sometimes I get so annoyed my opinion comes out in a comment. I often regret it afterwards (thank god for the new edit comment function) even if I consider my point valid. A lot of the time I don't bother, because I have the feeling those authors won't listen to even constructive criticism, so why bother or upset them for no reason?

 

Spoiler

One example was an author having a teen who had been critically sick go on a camping trip in a remote area  - this didn't seem plausible at all.

 

And the word Mouthwash (if used in a positive context) will always elicit a PM and/or the loss of me as a reader. So now you know how to get rid of me.   

 

Oh - and to answer the question - yeah, I've gotten a few harsh comments, but they were all well-deserved as far as I recall, so no hard feelings.

Edited August 22, 2017 by Timothy M.

[Brayon]

2 minutes ago, Timothy M. said:

And the word Mouthwash (if used in a positive context) will always elicit a PM and/or the loss of me as a reader.

 

I'm curious as to why the word "mouthwash." The only times I've seen it used, was when a character used said item when brushing teeth. Unless, you're meaning someone using it in an erotic manner. Then... wtf! LOL.

[Valkyrie]

16 minutes ago, Timothy M. said:

Mostly, if I have something really critical to say or question, I'll do it in a PM. If other readers do the same, then that may be why you don't see so many public ones.

 

But sometimes I get so annoyed my opinion comes out in a comment. I often regret it afterwards (thank god for the new edit comment function) even if I consider my point valid. A lot of the time I don't bother, because I have the feeling those authors won't listen to even constructive criticism, so why bother or upset them for no reason?

 

  Reveal hidden contents

One example was an author having a teen who had been critically sick go on a camping trip in a remote area  - this didn't seem plausible at all.

 

And the word Mouthwash (if used in a positive context) will always elicit a PM and/or the loss of me as a reader. So now you know how to get rid of me.   

 

Oh - and to answer the question - yeah, I've gotten a few harsh comments, but they were all well-deserved as far as I recall, so no hard feelings.

You and I have had some good discussions about my stories, Tim.  Your comments always make me think.

 

And I'm with Bhopper.... what's up with mouthwash?