Commenting on fiction and poems

As a writer under another name I am always pleased that readers take the trouble to comment on my work. I've had a few who commented that they did not like what I had written but 98% seem to encourage me to write more.

A number however have made comments which seem to suggest that they what they have read is some excerpt from a real-life situation. I enjoy reading and writing spanking fiction because it is just that - FICTION. I make scenarios up and write about them in a way that embellishes the basic story thread.

Writing allows me freedoms I would not normally have and it genuinely gives me a buzz. It conjures, I hope, visions but lets the reader create their own images and take it further perhaps in their own mind.

I'd be interested in what others have to say on commenting, from both a writer and reader perspective.

For me, myself and I, any comment on a story from a reader is better then nothing. Some comments I have got stung a little, however as someone told me once, toughen up, there is nothing personal or mean in the comments. If you have over 95% of comments being received that you like, I would suggest there is nothing to worry about no matter how any reader takes the stories.

CS

I've had comments that confused fact and fiction, but the ones that stand out are the ones that assumed that I must be like one or more of the characters in the story. That is, to write a description of a man doing X, I must be something like a person who wants to do X.

Which makes as much sense as a horror writer wanting to be a serial killer.

From my personal experiences, writing the actions of someone who isn't "like me" can be the hardest thing to write. If I finish a story and one of its characters is an asshole then I've stretched myself to write it. If I finish a story and the guy who started off as an asshole is now, well, still not that nice but mainly misunderstood, then that's a sign that I wasn't able to stretch my writing to the point where the asshole stays an asshole.

But if the character is such a believable asshole that somethings that I must be like that to have written the character - that's high praise indeed. Even if it isn't meant as such.

Goodgulf

I think as a writer you should always respect your critics, and believe me people on here are very nice compared to the kind of crit you'd get in a writing group or on a creative writing course. In fact, they're often too nice as I hardly ever get stylistic flaws pointed out! You tend to write your first stories from what you know, but as you progress you tend to be more confident in adopting different personas - can you write as the opposite gender, a different orientation, a gay/lesbian or a vanilla whose partner is involved in kink, can you write OTT or sparingly as befits the situation.

Comments are always welcome, even those that are critical. Nice to have mistakes or inconsistencies that one made pointed out. I make it a point to comment on almost every story I read, and always try to send a pop up of thanks to those who comment on my stories. Think I may have gottem more comments had I started doing that sooner.
And might add that peoples comments on here are much nicer and more constructive than on some other sites I have visited.

I think the key point raised here by potterstoke is that some comments are made by people who react to the story concerned as though it is some real life account, instead of a work of fiction. They then get all worked up, perhaps going on to state that the characters in the story are guilty of breaching various legislation etc I think this is true, having seen plenty of evidence of it in some of the comments made.

As a writer, it's extremely satisfying to write something imaginative and fantastical and even non consensual, using language and writing skills to such effect that you carry your readers along in a heady euphoria, having them believe in your characters and their actions. But at the end of the day, it's just a story, a fictional piece of escapism that we can enjoy on so many different levels depending on our own preferences.

I like to write stories that have a bit of realism to them. From what we read and see in the news, many of these stories at the LSF could definitely have a ring of truth to them. I try not to point out mistakes in a story in the comments I make. I would rather send a pop-up if it's that critical an error and I believe it would strengthen the story more if it were corrected. I've made my share.

Many comments are about how a story isn't very plausible, but a great read. I get those, too. I get how severe a punishment is, or how to easy going one was. There are those who dissect a story from the beginning to the end. I would say that 98.9% of the comments I receive are truly well received. In the years I've been here I have only received one comment that was truly uncalled for. However, I'm not in the second grade and I refuse to get into a p*ssing match with anyone.

Perhaps the comments that are not received in our stories are the ones that remind me of an old saying by parents and teachers.

"If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all." Makes one think doesn't it?

I appreciate comments too. Most of my stories do not attempt to be very realistic (though it's important to be realistic in SOME things in the wildest fantasy) and I do occasionally get comments to which I mentally reply, "Yes, but this is a FANTASY!"

I don't, however, mind mistakes being pointed out. I may even approach the Librarians to be allowed to correct them. I didn't mind at all someone who had read my story "A Papal Malediction" pointing out that the spankee had changed into football shorts and then mysteriously apparently changed back out of them. I commented enthusiastically about one fellow-writer's story but pointed out she'd managed to get the girl's jeans off before taking her shoes off, to which she replied, "Woops - I never noticed that!".

Someone who spots things like that has read the story carefully.

This is so true. However, it's comments like these that show the mark of a good writer. If an author can make a reader mad at what is happening to a particular character, by a particular character in the story, that's a plus by all means. Isn't it the same with actors in a movie? The last challenge is a true witness to this. How many lawyers would really put their career on the line? Februs said the same thing, Flopsy. That some people take these stories too seriously.

I believe part of the seriousness is due to the orientation. Some do not like to see women spanked and, or abused in any way. Others feel the same about a man being humbled to the max by a female character. Is it pride or ego? I don't know. Any thoughts on this, ladies and gents?

In my thank you pop-up, I simply say thanks for the read and comment, and maybe point out something to their attention that might have giving them a bum steer.

Hmm methinks those people might be on the wrong site then, given that this is a spanking story site

Yes, I agree with you that a good writer can carry his/her readers along to the extent where they begin to protest at certain actions implemented by the characters in the story. But the fact still remains (IMO) that some people have a hard time distinguishing fantasy from reality.