Help Digressions: The Art of Commenting

I admit that I am addicted to reading the "commented " column. Like the movie reviews column, they are both useful and entertaining.

I guess I now need to find a support group to help me over this as flopsy and Alef have pointed out the errors of my ways.

To my knowledge, I have never pointed out the errors of your ways, and definitely not this way — I am an avid reader of the comment column myself, and find many suggestions for stories to read there.

Alef......this.

Rick, you made me laugh.This is like a parent responding to her two children fighting over who is the favorite child.

I'm with gail. Looking at the "commented" column gives me insight as to what people like or don't like. But I have to confess it doesn't affect my writing because I don't attempt to cater to what most seem to like. I just get ideas and run with them even if I know the resulting story is not going to be very popular (witness my recent WW2 spy drama). Still, looking at the comments is addictive.

Oh, I am sorry! I was under the delusion that it was only your stories you insisted on turning into pieces of art. But your comments, as well then.....

Read a set of comments from IC...they most certainly are mini-works of art.

I know! There are some very good commenters here. We should appreciate them, but not let them intimidate us. And one day I am going to write an absolutely fabulous comment

I so agree, Rollin.
Sometimes I study the comments and occasionally agree with another comment and might mention that. Others times there are parts of the story that were not clear to me and someone's comment informs me. And the best board has lots of comments and discussion on the motivations of characters or their intrinsic goodness or wickedness or fairness. I'm never comfortable seeing an older story that has a virgin comment board, especially when I notice there have been a great many views.
Do any of you find you can predict a comment another reader might make? After awhile I begin to know certain commenter's taste. I know those align with mine because I find us reading and commenting the same stories again and again. Commenting is critical to building community.

I couldn't agree more. I feel that I know some of the members here through their many thoughtful comments. It is one thing that sets this site apart in addition to the quality of the stories.