EXPLANATIONS PLEASE - (only non commentors need reply)(ha ha as if!)

Please don't stress folks - I'm aiming this at all those people who are willing to read but refuse to comment. I know this has been hashed out many times before, so all you tireless commenters please ignore this!
I am genuinely interested as to why so few people comment on the stories they read? Personally, I comment on every story, unless I don't like it, then rather than leave a negative comment, I don't comment at all (very rare by the way). I know feedback is essential, and negative comments are often welcomed as well as positive. It is a mystery to me, I was not confident enough when I first joined, but soon gained the confidence by reading other comments, it's not rocket science. Please indulge my inquisitive nature in this, I am genuinely curious!
(I'm NOT expecting many replies - but please surprise me?)

I don't think there's a dark, complicated reason for the paucity of comments. I just think most of the visitors here who don't comment just aren't comfortable typing with one hand.

A while back, intrigued by this same question, I chose at random ten or so members who had viewed 500 or more items but had never once commented and messaged them, asking - politely - why they hadn't. I didn't hear back from most of them - no surprise there - but one sent back a lucid and rational explanation, in which he/she said:

"To be honest I've never been one for attention and I strive to keep my internet presence to a minimum. I have on one or two occasions posted on a forum but most of the time I make it a habit of not sharing my thoughts online, be it commenting on youtube videos or blogs or articles or stories in this instance. I should not have to change my personality or be forced to defend my actions when I have done nothing to offend anyone or broke any rules, except for keeping to myself.

While I understand the 'need for validation' that comes with offering a piece of one's self in the form of creative musings, I feel that I should not be obligated to comment on something to as you say 'boost their egos'. Yes, I read lots of different stories, and sometimes I enjoy them or sometimes I don't. I'm sure that every one of the members of this community experience the same things at one point or another, in my mind there is no need for me to let the 'world' know how I feel about something. It really is of no importance to anyone except myself and if I choose to share my opinion then I should be able to do so freely instead of being forced to do so."

Not sure I agree, of course - but I see where he/she is coming from.

As a former lurker and now an 80-90% lurker perhaps i should comment on this. I expect that there are numerous reasons. Here's a short list:
1. Not totally comfortable with this aspect of their personality/sexuality.
2. Nothing gets deleted from the internet. So they could be outed at some future time.
3. Perhaps their job/career would take a downturn if this aspect of them got out. Also with family.
4. They don't feel the need to jump into a conversation, especially if somebody else has already made the point that they were going to say. Much more common with introverts as extroverts rarely feel that way. (Full disclosure, i'm primarily an introvert).
5. And what kdpierre said.
6. Oh, and lets not forget what the UK recently did on outlawing extreme porn which included spanking. Or did they just attempt to do this?
Also look at the thread "Embarrassing moment..." . Even a much more active person here gets very embarrassed if she outs herself!

The way i see it, if a reader is willing to join LSF and read the stories posted, then it is basic manners and etiquette to offer comments, if only to say thank you.

If we are willing to read a story which we like, then there can be no legitimate reason for not commenting.

Non commenting readers, come on folks you joined LSF, so please support the site and its authors by commenting.

This is what I asked for, some kind of feedback for not leaving feedback. I appreciate the answers so far, thank you, and obviously I respect everyone's point of view, so if you're not comfortable with commenting, I understand. I am simply trying to understand too.
I am really sad that we are often made to think that our "interests" are often construed as unfavourable, and hence the need for secrecy sometimes. We are, at least to a degree, anonymous here, but there is always a risk.
Thank you.

1. Not totally comfortable with this aspect of their personality/sexuality.

But since you're using an anonymous user name this is entirely irrelevant. Not to mention that you're clearly comfortable enough with it to indulge it by reading stories about it on a regular basis.


2. Nothing gets deleted from the internet. So they could be outed at some future time.

The comments aren't on "the internet", they're on a closed private site. In addition, the comments are associated with an anonymous nick name. And who exactly is going to "out you"?


3. Perhaps their job/career would take a downturn if this aspect of them got out. Also with family.

See previous responses re anonymity. I assume your real name which you use at work isn't jon7789? This really is a ridiculous observation.

4. They don't feel the need to jump into a conversation, especially if somebody else has already made the point that they were going to say. Much more common with introverts as extroverts rarely feel that way. (Full disclosure, i'm primarily an introvert).

There's no "conversation". The library aspect of this site is such that comments are the responses made by individuals on the actual item, there's no interactive dialogue, that instead can be continued between author and commenter using popup messages.

5. And what kdpierre said.

No comment.

6. Oh, and lets not forget what the UK recently did on outlawing extreme porn which included spanking. Or did they just attempt to do this?

You've completely misunderstood the recent UK legislation nonsense. This related to the actual production and sale of video material in the UK and has nothing whatsoever to do with spanking fiction.

From a personal point of view, I'm not an author here, and I'm restricting my comments here to be purely based on administering the site. Having said that, all the reasons you provided for not commenting were either inaccurate, incorrect or rationalisations. The way I see it people are happy for us to pay for the site, spend a very significant amount of time maintaining it, and happy for authors to invest time writing material and sharing it but can't be arsed to make the slightest effort to contribute, whether it be to type a few words or buy the occasional ebook. And these will be the very people who moan the most when the site isn't available any more.

[end of rant]

What if the story does not appeal to you or you find to extreme or unbelievable. I feel it is best to let it alone.

If the story doesn't appeal to me (M/M spankings, for example) then yes, I generally don't comment. But there's a wide enough range here to make it unlikely that anyone who's at all into spanking (and if they're not, then what would they be doing here?) will find nothing that appeals. And if you like it, it seems only courteous to say so.

I too take that approach on basis that firstly i do not see myself as competent to be critical of a authors work, and we each like different genres, scenes etc, what appeals to me might not appeal to others and vice versa.

However like any library i generally do not just blindly grab a 'story' in hope i will like it, i look at the synopsis, genre, etc beforehand.

So basically if i enjoy a story i have chosen (which is majority of the time) i comment, or if i think i can make an appropriate comment, on a story that may not be exactly my 'cup of tea' i do so.

Basic manners means one should not 'take, take, take' (read others stories), but not give something back (offer comments). Commenting allows the reader to show gratitude, highlight parts of story that appealed or was well written, and hopefully as consequence, the author will write other stories.