Story Comments

I don't think that asking for one comment per five hundred views for the privilege of being in a different class of membership is too much to ask.

I do, however, take issue with an author who declares that he or she shall only write more if they get good feedback. It implies an arrogance and sense of entitlement that irritates me. Further, it's impractical. This is Internet publishing; writing to get famous, to draw in hordes of adoring comments, is a long shot at best. The author who is going to persevere on the 'Net is the one who writes whether or not he or she gets good feedback, not the one who threatens to stop.

-LK

Don't always have time to comment, but always love when an older adult gets her/his comeuppance from a younger sibling

Whilst I do appreciate that authors do like feedback, I comment very rarely because the "Note to commenters" says "Repeatedly saying only 'good story' or 'nice story' and nothing else every time you comment, isn't really helpful, and such comments are likely to be rejected."
Since in most cases all I want to say is 'good story' or 'nice story' or other words to the same effect, I appear to be banned from commenting in most cases!
On the other hand it is irritating on some other sites to read long strings of comments that simply say 'good story' or 'nice story' or other words to the same effect!
One device that some sites employ is a button to click to say thanks for the posting, and then builds up a list of those who have have said thank you for each posting. Would this be an acceptable compromise?

It is not that you are banned from commenting at all. It really shouldn't take very long at all to write - That was a really great story and I enjoyed it immensely - or another short sentence that reflects your feelings about what you have read.


Also, I can't help but note that, a lot of the people who do not have time to comment are quite often the same ones who have read 1,000 plus stories, often in a very short time. Anyway, one comment in 500 to get unlimited viewing, does give a fair amount of leeway on time constraints.

Just to add to what PinkAngel has already said, the idea behind story commenting is three-fold, Firstly, almost all the authors, who generously provide their works for free, like to receive some qualitative feedback. It shows that people are actually reading and engaging with what they have written. Secondly, it's interesting to read the comments that are made by users of the site in their own right in addition to the stories themselves and lastly, they provide extra information to would-be readers in addition to our own story classification info.

I would suggest that if someone feels inclined to only write "good story" all the time they simply ask themselves why did they consider it a good story, perhaps it appealed to their specific kink or they thought the scenario described was well articulated, or the author's imagination appealed to them. I could understand the difficulty if people were being asked to comment on most of the stories but with a requirement to comment once every 500 stories read in order to maintain unlimited access I really don't understand the problem.

As a new writer (roll on Saturday!) getting feedback (preferably praise!) is definitely a motive. Like pe1er, I was at first inhibited from commenting by the "Note to Commenters" feeling I had to come up with some kind of deeper analysis! But Februs' suggestions in this last post are easy and sensible - maybe add those to the "Notes to Commenters"?
Meanwhile, how many of the Speed-Reading-Story-Gluttons are reading, or will read, these posts? Exhorting them, here, to comment may be futile.

Don't worry, we're not looking for a critical essay on every story!

What I like as an author, is a comment which shows that the person commenting actually read the story. Even two words can do that, like, 'Nice twist,' or 'Wonderfully spooky'. To me, that suggests they read it, and didn't just clock up 500 views and decide to write, 'Nice story' in order to continue their unlimited access.

tondi

As a new writer (roll on Saturday!) getting feedback (preferably praise!) is definitely a motive. Like pe1er, I was at first inhibited from commenting by the "Note to Commenters" feeling I had to come up with some kind of deeper analysis! But Februs' suggestions in this last post are easy and sensible - maybe add those to the "Notes to Commenters"?
Meanwhile, how many of the Speed-Reading-Story-Gluttons are reading, or will read, these posts? Exhorting them, here, to comment may be futile.


Which is why there's the 500-story rule, I'm figuring.

While both quality and quantity of comments is important in encouraging writers (and indirectly Library staffers too) AFAIC, I think that a sentence or two that shows that a reader is remarking on that particular story is especially appreciated.

And as I've stated before, a writer may eventually take some commenters' literary suggestions to heart--although he/she obviously has his/her own story ideas to pursue as well... --C.K.

Maybe people just feel shy about commenting? I'm one of the guilty- I've read over 500 and didn't comment until today. Not because I wasn't reading, but because I wasn't thinking about how the authors felt about it. Instead, I felt shy commenting and worried about what others would think of my comments. Having the pop-up explaining the comment thing and then finding this thread really explained matters to me, and I will be commenting in the future. Good idea.

Have really enjoyed recent reads of







rollin and DJ Black. Good work!