[Lugh] Why Do I Bother?

[Lugh]

sighs...

why do I bother to write anything at all?

no one reads it

so

why bother?

 

another author commented how he got 20 emails in one day after posting...

I've not gotten 20 emails since posting my first piece...

so

why bother?

 

another author commented that he thought I was "the best" in my genre...

yet...

no one reads what I write...

if they do read it...

they don't say so...

so

why bother?

[Krista]

I'm just going to say, don't give up on a good thing. You know you're good and you know you like to write and you know you're good at it. So don't be moody like me and just stick to what you're doing.

 

 

I cannot wait for your Anthology piece I know I will like reading it.

 

 

Krista

[jfalkon]

Its a good question. I don't get much feed back either compaired to some of the stories I read. I do remember a discusion about fanmail where a few authors said that they had 20 responses. I think they are the lucky few. When I read stories I usualy see 0 to 2 reviews for the short ones. (The same goes for my stories.) For the longer ones it seems to be proportional to number of chapters. (probably because they apear as new several times)

 

I think there are a few popular writers here who get a lot of responses but most of us get one or two for more popular stories. I know that I don't always coment on what I read even if I like it. Sometimes I wait till later to coment. I suspect more people are reading our stories than we know...and now that you brought it up you may get some feedback soon. Any way don't give up. It would realy suck to loose anyone from this site. You are all very creative.

[Graeme]

Feedback (or rather, the lack thereof) is the eternal bane of the internet writer.

 

I've been writing for almost three years now, and I don't get what I would consider to be "volumes" of emails. There is a small set of regular readers who will usually comment, and I get a new person every so often who will send me a comment. I will say, though, that I'm happy with that -- I don't normally go out of my way to advertise my stories or push for feedback.

 

I know that there are readers who like to wait until a story is completed before they start to read, so once a story is announced as completed you may get more feedback. Simply asking for feedback is also often enough to get a small spike in responses.

[old bob]

Feedback (or rather, the lack thereof) is the eternal bane of the internet writer.

Simply asking for feedback is also often enough to get a small spike in responses.

Its not only the story itself which brings feed back

As a reader, I'm also interested to know more about the writer. GA gives us a lot of contact possibilities, forums, chat, blogs.

Lugh, I understand your feeling... but look what public authors do for their "marketing" .

Remember, we talked together once a lot in Live chat, and that brought me to read all your stories. Graeme is right. "if the mountains dont come to you, go to the mountains".

BTW, I like your poem "why bother" . Its worth for a lot of other kinds of lament

Edited April 16, 2007 by old bob

[Julieqt2]

*makes note to email adoring drooling fanmail instead of sending it over messenger* I've been reading online for years and as a general rule email 90% of authors to thank them for the privelege of reading. It seems the polite thing to do. However it gets daunting sometimes as to what to say, i have talked to another reader that told me they never sent emails because they felt that they didn't know how to comment in a way that was intelligent. Basically that they had nothing to add except that they enjoyed the story and how many times must an author get such a useless email. After a half hour lecture on the fact that that isn't a useless comment that person now emails faithfully.

 

Myself as a reader with absolutely no talent for words atttt alll i can understand where that thought comes from which is why most of my thanks go something along the lines of "great story thanks for sharing"

 

So basically although in a perfect world everyone who enjoys your work, which is probably anyone that has ever read more than 3 words of it, would give you feedback. I'd try not to let it get you down when you don't get it cause YOUR WONDERFUL AND ANYONE THAT DOESN'T THINK SO IS BONKERS

 

Julie

[Camy]

I agree with Juliegt2 (odd kinda name, sounds a bit like a robotic thingy from one of your stories). You are wonderful, Lugh, and it's sad that you should be surrounded by so many people who are bonkers (Bonking is something else entirely).

 

Perhaps they haven't seen your site www.landofthefey.com

[Gandalf]

I am a guilty one.. I do occasionally write writers but not consistantly. I have talked with you and may have even done a response on your ga site. But I am not good at following thru with writers. Part of it is just what was mentioned above... I don't feel that I have an intelligent criticism so I hate to appear as foolish as I am. I have said and will say again that your have me reading a genre of stories that I don't generally read. I would be very sad if you are unable to finish Erebi Seeking it appears to be heading toward my kind of dark. Your other stories have likewise sucked me right in to their worlds. I hope you keep expanding them over time. Good luck with your writing which I truly hope you are able to move to another level(as in making some money). Also the bes to you with the other parts of your life I know that you have a lot on your plate. Pax Steve S/V Gandalf Sevilla Es (currently)

[Luc]

I hope you bother to write because it is imortant to you. What would you do with all that stuff in your head if you didn't write it?

 

I am clueless as to why you don't get more feedback. Your writing is wonderful and honestly, you are my favorite net author. I THINK I comment when I read things.. Pretty sure that I have. Though I know I don't post in your forums as much as I should. Which is stupid because there really are a LOT of things I want to ask and discuss about your stories.

 

But I know what you mean. I go through the same series of thoughts from time to time. I don't getg a lot of feedback on my stories, really. Though I'm not comparing MY writing to YOURS because it is just not on the same level. But I get like that a lot. And then someone will post a comment or I will get an email or someone will personally tell me they liked something I wrote and it makes me feel like maybe it is all worthwhile.

 

i really hope that you never seriously consisder not writing. I am addicted to your words and I'm really not fond of withdrawal. Tends to make me bitchy.

 

[Menzoberranzen]

One would assume that you write because you enjoy writing and have something to write. If you are fishing for compliments and/or admiration, perhaps writing is not your 'thing.' Sorry if that sounds harsh, but you should write for yourself, not for others.

[Luc]

One would assume that you write because you enjoy writing and have something to write. If you are fishing for compliments and/or admiration, perhaps writing is not your 'thing.' Sorry if that sounds harsh, but you should write for yourself, not for others.

 

I don't think he is fishingfor compliments and/or admiration at all. I think he is asking for what anyone who writes really wants--to know that someone out there is reading what they wrote. Every writer wants and needs to know this, regardless of how they may "say" they write for themselves. While most writers probably do write for themselves to some degree (whether to purge their heads of things or to exercise their minds and their creativity), let's be honest here--anyone who writes, paints, scultps, acts or in any way creates something wants to know if it is good, bad or indifferent. Sure, compliments are great. Admiration is great. But just honest feedback would be nice. Can you imagine being an actoron stage and finishing your performance to dead silence? Would you be encouraged to keep acting? Doubt it.

[Centaur]

One would assume that you write because you enjoy writing and have something to write. If you are fishing for compliments and/or admiration, perhaps writing is not your 'thing.' Sorry if that sounds harsh, but you should write for yourself, not for others.

 

I agree with Luc - honest and constructive feedback is indeed the lifeblood of an author. Lugh is simply asking a question that many authors ask themselves, so I don't see it as fishing for admiration.

 

Creativity expressed - especially writing - comes from the inner core of the person. A great writer (which Lugh clearly is) digs deeply for emotion - a connection with the reader that can transform the entire story experience. An author wants to know that their story resonates and reaches, and I don't think that's too much to ask of us - the readers.

 

I comment on stories that I read here - and other places - because I feel that it is a way of thanking the author for their hard work and energy. I have found that even a simple "I enjoyed your story" can go a long way. However, taking the time to give specific comments and suggestions can make an author's day - week - or month.

 

Yes - authors write for themselves. But authors really enjoy making us happy. Published authors maintain entire sites for fan comments - so they are no different.

 

Your words seem to imply that it is unreasonable to expect feedback. I disagree. I look at the foundation of Gay Authors to provide the link between the author and the reader, and to provide conversation around the stories. I have even seen authors change their stories based on reader comments (improvements) that have truly made the stories better. What a concept!

 

Now that I've addressed that post, I would like to answer the "Why Bother" question that Lugh raises. Lugh - we want you to bother because your stories are well written, interesting, and unique.

 

When I come back to a write time and time again, there is always one key element behind that behavior - core talent. I find myself getting lost in the worlds that you create and empathizing for the characters that you breathe life into.

 

Also, for those of us who don't have the gift you have, you captivate us. I know others will comment as well, and validate what many of us already know - we want you to bother because your voice and talent is needed and wanted!

 

So thank you Lugh - for your stories and the heart that you pour into them. They truly make a difference.

 

Centaur

 

[Menzoberranzen]

Sorry, rereading my post it didn't come across correctly. I wasn't meaning to suggest that he was fishing for compliments, only that if he was, then writing wasn't a good choice. I totally agree that feedback is the lifeblood of an author and that is the only reason I myself ever post. But the writing, the volumes of work that sit in 'dusty' corners of my hard drive, never to be read by anyone else, are written only for me.

 

I think that any author writing in any capacity can only write for themselves. Publishing, posting, whatever all come second to that.

[x Trevor x]

I've read all of your comments and it is very true. I myself am going through that stage right now I've finished the last chapter on a story that I've been getting great responses from and now everythings just...well dead would be a good word for it. I mean it's the ending and I kinda expected more feedback then what I've gotten. I write for myself but I really look forward to the feedback as I want to know if I did a good job or if theres something I did wrong so I'll look out for it in the future and mostly...I just want to know if my ideas are good to other people besides myself so yeah to some people I know I myself can get very dissappointed when I get no feed back because in a way it can make the author feel as if they didnt do a good job or if there story is not worth commenting on or that their story isnt being read at all and its a pretty depressing feeling

[Lugh]

HUGS!!!!

 

I'm sorry you feel this way too, but keep writing, it only gets better honest.

 

Lugh

[Graeme]

I've read all of your comments and it is very true. I myself am going through that stage right now I've finished the last chapter on a story that I've been getting great responses from and now everythings just...well dead would be a good word for it. I mean it's the ending and I kinda expected more feedback then what I've gotten. I write for myself but I really look forward to the feedback as I want to know if I did a good job or if theres something I did wrong so I'll look out for it in the future and mostly...I just want to know if my ideas are good to other people besides myself so yeah to some people I know I myself can get very dissappointed when I get no feed back because in a way it can make the author feel as if they didnt do a good job or if there story is not worth commenting on or that their story isnt being read at all and its a pretty depressing feeling

Something else to consider -- how do people know it is the last chapter? There is a significant number of people who wait until a story is finished before they read it, but they need to be told that it's the last chapter.

 

But, I'll reinforce what Lugh has said. Keep writing because it will get better. It takes time for people to find and get to know new authors. One very good trick, here at GA, is to put something into one of the anthologies. Most people will read the entire anthology, and it's a good way for them to find new authors.

 

Good luck!

 

Graeme

[x Trevor x]

My feedback has picked up on both of my stories and even though it was only a few comments to each one it cheered me up very much! Thanks guys also for the encouragement and I'm thinking of doing a fall anthology just dont know how I'll juggle it with the story I'm already working on but I hope I'll figure it out anyway thanks! ((Hugs))