Motivation and Feedback - Authors, Choose Best Answers

[CasualWanderer82]

I have to agree with everything so far. 

I've run into some cringe editing issues with my early work, but I own it. Proofreading my own stories has helped me evolve. However, I have considered, given my recent lack of time management skills, to ask for help.

To be honest, I sometimes feel my work is a bit niche. But when it connects, it works. Readers seem to enjoy it, and I've built a solid readership that appreciates where I'm coming from and understands the kind of storytelling I'm going for.

On a personal note, I did go through a rough patch earlier this year, which culminated in some egregious emails and pretty vile words from some, let's say, opinionated people...and for a split second there, I really doubted myself. But it was an enlightening experience as much as it was an unpleasant one. A learning curve, you could say, showing me that authors need to have a thick skin and stick to their guns. If one can manage that, the quality of one's work becomes exponentially better. 

Now, every time I sit down to work on a project, I always try to go back to that core feeling of inner joy I get when I'm writing. And I hold on to that for dear life!

My only regret, when it comes to GA specifically, is not being able to find the time to read more of other authors' work. Between a full-time job, family, writing, and editing my stuff, I'm regrettably left with very little time and mental inclination to delve into other stories. But I definitely need to.

Happy readings, everyone! 📚  

Edited June 18, 2024 by CasualWanderer82

[drown]

2 hours ago, Mikiesboy said:

8 hours ago, drown said:

I have had people be upset at me for stringing them along, creating more questions than answers.

I chuckled at this.

I mean, isn't that what stories do? How can you tell a story without basically, stringing them along. Do they want point form notes on a single page? 

If there’s a balance between answering questions vs opening new ones, I definitely fall on the side of confusion. To me it was just an insanely good self-check, because I am posting as I go along. Could’ve easily let myself be swayed and change things. I did not. Proud of myself. It remains my story to tell.

3 hours ago, Mikiesboy said:

Write your story!  Whether it is 6 chapters or 66. However, it's dangerous to post unfinished work. That leaves you open to outside influence.  Readers are great but they are not the author.

💙

2 hours ago, kbois said:

As far a feedback goes-- if an author wants to increase the amount they get then they need to be proactive and respond to comments. I know most authors do, but there are still plenty who don't or are selective with their responses. I always try to respond to every comment. I occasionally miss one, and once in a while.... who am I kidding.. often I won't respond because... let's face it... some of my readers go off the rails. LOL. But even when I don't respond with a comment, I'll still hit a reaction.

I don’t attract as much off the rails commentary as you do. Far from it. 🤪 But you are completely right, if you don’t engage with your readers, you fail to get the whole point of this site.

[CassieQ]

On 6/15/2024 at 7:19 PM, LJCC said:

This is exactly why I try as much as possible to post finished stories.

The readers should not have any say in where the story is going. If they did, then they should be the ones writing it, not the author.

Same with opinions that affect your own story. If one is serious about writing, NOTHING should sway you to think otherwise in how you write it.

This is an excellent point.  I do have people who I allow to sway my opinion...these are my beta readers and editors.  Not readers of the finished project. 

But I think being affected by comments or feedback is an easy trap for writers to fall into, especially novices.  It's easy to be swayed by what readers want early on, even subconsciously, while exploring your own style and voice.  So it's good to be aware of this.  Once a writer has experience,  they can look at these kind of comments more objectively.  Some feedback I will use in later writing projects, some ideas that I think are cool I will file away, and if a comment is garbage, I'll ignore it.  😂

[drown]

2 minutes ago, CassieQ said:

On 6/16/2024 at 1:19 AM, LJCC said:

This is exactly why I try as much as possible to post finished stories.

The readers should not have any say in where the story is going. If they did, then they should be the ones writing it, not the author.

Same with opinions that affect your own story. If one is serious about writing, NOTHING should sway you to think otherwise in how you write it.

This is an excellent point.  I do have people who I allow to sway my opinion...these are my beta readers and editors.  Not readers of the finished project. 

It is—logically—the best way to go about it.

And finishing a story before a regular reader reads it is the easiest way to remove any sort of influence. I still didn’t do it. 😂 But I probably will for future stories, even future installments to this first one.

3 minutes ago, CassieQ said:

But I think being affected by comments or feedback is an easy trap for writers to fall into, especially novices.  It's easy to be swayed by what readers want early on, even subconsciously, while exploring your own style and voice.  So it's good to be aware of this.  Once a writer has experience,  they can look at these kind of comments more objectively.  Some feedback I will use in later writing projects, some ideas that I think are cool I will file away, and if a comment is garbage, I'll ignore it.  😂

You still have to teach me how to ignore a garbage comment and not let it get to me. 😬

[CassieQ]

9 minutes ago, drown said:

You still have to teach me how to ignore a garbage comment and not let it get to me. 😬

Garbage comments ( we all know what they are) show that they don't care about you as an author or the story you are trying to tell.  So why give a damn what they think?

Edited June 18, 2024 by CassieQ

[drown]

3 hours ago, CassieQ said:

Garbage comments ( we all know what they are) show that they don't care about you as an author or the story you are trying to tell.  So why give a damn what they think?

I'm addicted to harmony to a fault.

And I guess we're back at trying to please people, which is something I need to stop.

[Mikiesboy]

3 minutes ago, drown said:

And I guess we're back at trying to please people, which is something I need to stop.

You're writing a story—entertainment they get for next to nothing. Your 'pay' for supplying that is a like or comment. I think that's more than a fair trade.

[CassieQ]

1 hour ago, drown said:

 

And I guess we're back at trying to please people, which is something I need to stop.

You can't please everybody.  Please the ones that matter.

[Krista]

16 hours ago, ReaderPaul said:

@Krista, I agree that the writer must control the story.  But perhaps the comments might end up suggesting another possible story.  Twice in emails to authors I have asked about possibilities, and the authors were inspired to write a story because of my comments.  One was a traditionally published author, and the other an online author (not one on GA, though).  But in both cases, the author controlled the story.  That is the way it should be, unless you are writing a traditionally published story for which a contract has been signed, which specifies that certain things must be in the story.

Another thing.  If we like an online story, we should encourage the author to keep writing.

Well that's fine, what I and others have mostly warned against is allowing chapter comments to dictate how the next chapters or following chapters/character development should play out. Especially if it feels like a "good" change.. or a "popular" one. If a writer is writing along, and they come up to a bit of a roadblock, they need to really think about what they want and where their goals are with the story, and not lean on what readers have 'wanted' or posted as possibilities.  You have to be a bit blind as an author to these things, or take them as I do... entertainment that makes me smile.. and does motivate me really.. as all comments do.

The story I am working on right now is one Wildthing had as an idea for an anthology or prompt, but got stuck on and lost motivation. I liked the idea, so I rewrote it a little bit, and now I'm working on it. I hope I do it justice as it is a good idea..  

I've been very tempted, especially for Ridley to continue with the ideas I received via comments. I have been stubborn and not allowed myself to think too hard on it. 

I've had two story ideas floating around in my head.. I have a rule that if they marinate and continue to do so, and aren't fleeting ideas, that I need to at least make the attempt. So, if those two pan out to something one of these days, I'll need new ideas.  Neither of them came from story comments or PMs, but it is nice that you're passionate enough as a reader to motivate the authors you enjoy as well.

Authors and readers should have a symbiotic relationship where both know their roles. The writer should be the one writing their own stories. The Readers should be the ones that read, comment, critique constructively, and motivate the author. The Author should respond to their readers and build a sense of community beyond the story. 

[Krista]

1 hour ago, CassieQ said:

You can't please everybody.  Please the ones that matter.

 

[Myr]

6 hours ago, drown said:

You still have to teach me how to ignore a garbage comment and not let it get to me. 😬

You think those are fun as an author, try running a website. 

So for gamers out there, or anyone that enjoyed the Fallout TV show so recently very popular on Amazon, Todd Howard, the studio head at Bethesda Game Studios (Fall Out, Elder Scrolls, Starfield), he had commentary about feedback on the internet that likewise applies to any and all creators.  Worth a listen in whole, if you like those things, or just this short clip if you want another perspective on internet feedback. 

(About 19 min in)

 

[Mike Carss]

A pitfall I discovered early on was inadvertently spoiling an element of my story by responding to comments. The problem stemmed from readers asking pertinent questions. I could sense their impatience for the next chapter -- quite humbling. Now, as much as I want to respond to everyone's comments, I have to hold back. Even a non-committal response can provide a clue and ruin the suspense. Recently, one commenter playfully called me out on my lack of responses to key questions. 😅

The design of this site is great, though -- for readers and authors. Having readers posit in the comments what characters might do next, or how they'll escape a situation is so much fun to read. No, they don't affect the story because I only post finished work, but they've often come up with some great ideas.

I'm so thankful this site exists, and that the community is so active. ❤️

[Krista]

22 minutes ago, mcarss said:

A pitfall I discovered early on was inadvertently spoiling an element of my story by responding to comments. The problem stemmed from readers asking pertinent questions. I could sense their impatience for the next chapter -- quite humbling. Now, as much as I want to respond to everyone's comments, I have to hold back. Even a non-committal response can provide a clue and ruin the suspense. Recently, one commenter playfully called me out on my lack of responses to key questions. 😅

The design of this site is great, though -- for readers and authors. Having readers posit in the comments what characters might do next, or how they'll escape a situation is so much fun to read. No, they don't affect the story because I only post finished work, but they've often come up with some great ideas.

I'm so thankful this site exists, and that the community is so active. ❤️

There is entertainment in trying to squirm around a spoiler to be had, really. Be a tease, by all means.. responding to comments is the best opportunity to do so. Just don't give the milk for free in the end.   I have went well out of my way in responding to comments to be difficult, to the point where I probably sounded like a lunatic in the attempt.

I do like to make the attempt to give what I get, so if the comment is more than a, "Awesome chapter.." and has questions and plot/character elements, I want to return the favor with more than a, "Thank you," or "Glad you liked the chapter!"

But yeah, spoiling the next chapter or the story in general in the comment section, I think is something that plagues most people. We like talking about our writing... and if you're like me, you may talk too much. 

 

[Jason Rimbaud]

I'm real late to this convo, and probably have no real reasoning for responding as I haven't posted anything online in years for anyone to be able to comment. And the stuff I had written in the past wasn't that good so I really didn't get any comments anyway. 

I do know that online communities seem to be more of a popularity contest than anything. So use that to your advantage, If you are a writer that needs/crave/seeks/wants feedback, you have to put the work in yourself. Engage with the members on the site, and not just with your story, become active with other peoples stories and you will gain all the likes, reactions, comments you want.

It's human nature, if they like you as a person around the forums and such, when you post a story, people are generally more apt to comment on your work. If they don't like you, for whatever reason, they are less likely. 

That is how I have been here since March 2006 and no knows me or cares what I write about, I'm not very active on the forums so I could post the most amazing story in the world and no one would read it. Because I haven't invested my time in building my name on the site. I think it's all about what you give. 

My seventeen cents worth of useless ideas for this year

 

I just divided my total number of comments by how many years I have been on GA, I average 6.38 posts a year. I just did two today, no wonder I'm spent. 

J

 

 

 

Edited July 10, 2024 by Jason Rimbaud
Corrected my Join date and did some math

[LJCC]

10 hours ago, Jason Rimbaud said:

I'm real late to this convo, and probably have no real reasoning for responding as I haven't posted anything online in years for anyone to be able to comment. And the stuff I had written in the past wasn't that good so I really didn't get any comments anyway. 

I do know that online communities seem to be more of a popularity contest than anything. So use that to your advantage, If you are a writer that needs/crave/seeks/wants feedback, you have to put the work in yourself. Engage with the members on the site, and not just with your story, become active with other peoples stories and you will gain all the likes, reactions, comments you want.

It's human nature, if they like you as a person around the forums and such, when you post a story, people are generally more apt to comment on your work. If they don't like you, for whatever reason, they are less likely. 

That is how I have been here since March 2006 and no knows me or cares what I write about, I'm not very active on the forums so I could post the most amazing story in the world and no one would read it. Because I haven't invested my time in building my name on the site. I think it's all about what you give. 

My seventeen cents worth of useless ideas for this year

 

I just divided my total number of comments by how many years I have been on GA, I average 6.38 posts a year. I just did two today, no wonder I'm spent. 

J

 

 

 

Damn. You truly are an old member. 🙂

[Jason Rimbaud]

19 hours ago, LJCC said:

Damn. You truly are an old member. 🙂

Are you saying my member is old? tsk tsk tsk

J

[LJCC]

2 hours ago, Jason Rimbaud said:

Are you saying my member is old? tsk tsk tsk

J

Your word, not mine. Ahihi.

I was about to say, Young at heart... 🙃

[George Richard]

On 7/10/2024 at 1:03 PM, Jason Rimbaud said:

…

That is how I have been here since March 2006 and no knows me or cares what I write about, I'm not very active on the forums so I could post the most amazing story in the world and no one would read it. Because I haven't invested my time in building my name on the site. I think it's all about what you give. 

…

J

 

 

 

Jason,

Not quite as long here as you,  but almost (July 2008). I think I’ve ready just about everything you’ve posted and like it all. Just not as goos about commenting as I should be.  

[Jason Rimbaud]

5 hours ago, George Richard said:

Jason,

Not quite as long here as you,  but almost (July 2008). I think I’ve ready just about everything you’ve posted and like it all. Just not as goos about commenting as I should be.  

I know I'm not the first member by a long shot, but we are both old farts me thinks.  

J

[BendtedWreath]

As a new writer, the feedback I hunt for is from other writers to learn and grow. I have been more than fortunate to have a variety of eyes looking over my amateur work and giving me advice. 

[Justin4Fun]

For those of you who write as I do, posting a chapter as it's finished, do you ever find yourself frustrated or even angered by comments? Readers questioning your choices when they don't have the information that you, as the author, do? Saying things that derail your intent by raising issues that will be resolved in the future? Or issues that don't exist in 'your' world due to the fact that your world doesn't exist in reality?

[Ron]

@Justin4Fun A word of advice: Practice developing a thick skin.

You’re never going to please most of the people some of the time. <— please note the seemingly incongruous connection between the terminology. Basically, I’m saying give up on the idea of pleasing more people than you might think you deserve (that’s self defeating). That’s also not to say that perhaps, with fortitude and a large dollop of luck, you will one day prove your detractors wrong — oh, so wrong. 😉

[Jason Rimbaud]

37 minutes ago, Justin4Fun said:

For those of you who write as I do, posting a chapter as it's finished, do you ever find yourself frustrated or even angered by comments? Readers questioning your choices when they don't have the information that you, as the author, do? Saying things that derail your intent by raising issues that will be resolved in the future? Or issues that don't exist in 'your' world due to the fact that your world doesn't exist in reality?

I enjoy people's guesses, and their theories. I play around with them, give them fake answers, flat out lie to them. I hope that whatever I come up with is better than their guesses.  But weinerdog is a really good guesser, a few times I've been tempted to change something because he guessed something in chapter one that happens in chapter 12.  

I personally feel if someone is engaged enough to offer those guesses, or whathaveyou, then I'm doing something write/right. 

I've had someone get frustrated with a story because they felt it wasn't "romantic" enough. I gently reminded them my story wasn't a romance story. Maybe I lost that reader, but if the reader is wanting something you, as the author, isn't planning on giving them, it's better for them to move on to another story that fits their desired formula. 

So that's my meandering answer. I don't get frustrated, and sometimes I might even take a theory they have and use it for a different story down the line.  

[Jason Rimbaud]

On 6/22/2024 at 8:38 AM, Krista said:

probably sounded like a lunatic

I'm betting on it. 

[Krista]

3 hours ago, Justin4Fun said:

For those of you who write as I do, posting a chapter as it's finished, do you ever find yourself frustrated or even angered by comments? Readers questioning your choices when they don't have the information that you, as the author, do? Saying things that derail your intent by raising issues that will be resolved in the future? Or issues that don't exist in 'your' world due to the fact that your world doesn't exist in reality?

When you post something online you have to be ready for them to actually read what you've posted. Engagement is something that we shouldn't take for granted, because it isn't guaranteed. There are some great and engaging readers within this community, but there's also a lot of stories and not enough minutes of free time in the day. So engagement is something we should all welcome.

With engagement there is criticism. Which I think might be where you're leading with this. I'm a little bit confused, because readers who are so engaged with the writing that they ask questions, hypothesize, create theories, or gripe about a character's decisions or the events within the chapter seem like positives. Something that shows you that the readers feel strongly enough to react to the writing and wish to engage with it.

If you're leaning on criticism, or you know comments similar to the nature of: "This chapter sucks, I can't believe you did this, it's shit..." then yeah, that can be frustrating to a degree. Mostly because that's not criticism, as the comment doesn't describe the reason for the comment. It's like a headline with no article.

With that said though, if people are giving you constructive criticism that goes beyond a temper tantrum or whining, then you need to be okay with reading it (regardless of what it is). Digesting it. Maybe even considering it. You' may know where the story and/or character is going, but there may be some author blindness and you might not have explained or given the information out in a clear manner that has caused some kind of disconnect. 

People are different, readers are different. What you might have thought would draw them into the chapter, they may overlook for something else that happened. That happens with my writing. I write a paragraph that becomes my favorite of the chapter and I think there's something deeper within it, and 85% of the comments are about a single line of comedic, dramatic, or off-handed piece of dialog far removed from where I anticipated their minds to be. That's just the life of a writer. We can't dictate as authors how people respond to our writing. We may share an opinion, sure, but they're still going to say and do what they feel like.

Just as Readers should expect that Authors are writing their own stories and must accept the words on the page for what they are. You're not going to get your way by screaming the loudest. If there's true criticism to be had, then make it so. Growth happens through mistakes and learning from them.

Learning how to take criticism, true constructive criticism is a learned experience, both in giving and receiving it. It should get better with time, if you're open to the possibility there are people out there that can teach you something. If not, then criticism is always going to be a frustrating one-way dead end road.