I've noticed that almost every comment that readers give me is just 100% positive. I have one story with 27 comments, and two, maybe three of those, have any information beyond the fact that the reader enjoyed the story. I don't mind getting good comments, but why is there so little constructive criticism or analysis? When you leave a comment, do you feel bad mentioning flaws? Or do you really think the story is just completely perfect with nothing that can be improved upon? I really want to grow and challenge myself as a writer, and it's hard to do that without readers telling me where to grow and what to challenge, so I'd really appreciate more mature comments.
Is this just me? Or is it a sitewide phenomenon?
Some authors can get very touchy and defensive when constructive criticism is given. The majority of readers here though, are just looking for something entertaining to read, if they don't enjoy the story, chances are they won't stick around long enough to comment on it. So you're likely to only get comments from people who enjoyed it, or analytic people who can't stop reading something once they've started.
I'm new here and have yet to critique a story, however I would tend to score stories in this fashion: if I enjoyed it and it makes me want to read more from that author, they get a 5! Lesser stories and those that I click off before getting very far obviously get lower scores. In my view, you should be proud that people enjoy what you have written and enjoy the high scores! Write on, man!
Because a lot of people think that authors will take negative feedback the wrong way and so they either say something positive or nothing at all.
Because a lot of readers don't know how to critique a story, for one. "It's nice to be nice," they say...
Most likely it's so they won't come off as offensive. When I read a story that I particularly don't like, I just refrain from commenting and/or scoring. This may be counterproductive, but it's just my preference. Also, the comments are there for all to see. No one wants to come across someone picking a story apart: 1. It's embarrassing. 2. It subtly invites others to do the same. And soon your entire comments section will just be people picking apart your stories. That can be discouraging to authors, current and future.
Also, in my opinion, it's a bit tacky. On the rare occasions that I do decide to critique (so rare that I've only done it once since I've been here, and that's only because I noticed an inconsistency with the color of a character's hair) I send a private message. The author probably won't be as miffed about it because you've done it in private, and HOPEFULLY in a respectful and unpretentious manner.
░P░U░S░S░Y░ ░I░N░ ░B░I░O░
I think a site like Lush exists primarily for the entertainment and enjoyment of both readers and writers. From my observation, most of us come to this site to read sexy stories, post sexy stories, and feel good doing it. One of the side effects of that environment is that scores and comments aren't necessarily an accurate reflection of what most people thought of your work, and skew positive. Try to find a story that scores lower than a four on average -- I just clicked through about 10 random pages and found none. Then you've got the pros on the site, with hundreds of 5 ratings and effusively positive comments. Clearly, they're doing something special to knock it out of the park, and it's reflected in the ratings/comments. I'd say that you're squarely in the area of "doing something right" with your high scores and number of comments.
That said, we can all stand to improve, and I totally agree that constructive criticism is one of the best ways to get better as a writer. I think it would be cool if Lush offered some kind of "workshop" component for those interested in improving their stories, a la overmyknee's informal thread (which is a great idea, I'll definitely be taking a look at that). I don't know if Lush's comment system will ever quite provide the kind of critical feedback you're looking for, though.
i think it takes great courage to put yourself out there and write a story
and honestly all have something good about them
like most people
i enjoy the fact that people write here
i am not a critic nor a publishing house
therefore why would i break down someone??
my job is to lift others..up...
then get an editor..for dag dum sakes!!!
honey you are a good writer do you want to go public is this what it is about???
if so..get an agent...
go for it...if you want a teacher go to school....writing school you can even do that from home
but to expect all us us to do IT for you..well that is just baloney...
however i bet a lot will do it now
so post a new story and let's see how you will handle it..ok
for me it is because i got all the way through the story, i enjoyed it, and it held my attention. i do not score or comment on the bad ones because i never finished reading it.
If I dont like a story, I just wont comment at all. But I wont say that a story was really bad and be critical of it when I couldnt do any better.
I have read stories here that I thought were very well written but as far as them being sexy and hot, they just werent. And I have also read stories that I thought were very poorly written that I was amazed they made it onto the site, but they really turned me on!!
Maybe there should be 2 comment sections. One where the readers can make their comments and another where only other authors can constructively critique the story. I would think that the other authors would be better at this and the writer would get more out of it than someone like me who hasnt written anything critiquing it.
If I don't think a story has merit, I don't even finish it, much less rate it and post a comment!
Additionally, since I've been spending so much time on Lush enjoying the talent of others, I haven't established my own bona fides - assuming I have any - as a writer. I think it's called LAAAZYYY!
Thus, I'm reluctant to critique the writing of those whom I may feel are in need of it, since they have no opportunity to evaluate mine.
As above. If a story doesn't really grab me, I go on to something else, and if I haven't read something properly, I'm not really in a position to critique it.
Also, negative criticism, in my view, demands a constructive suggestion as to what is not so good could be better. That, for me at least, demands a few hours to let the thoughts percolate, and since I've got plenty of other things to think about... Well, you get the picture. I'm also one of those who would rather send a personal message than leave a negative comment.
Perhaps Lush could have special volunteer "critics" in the same way it has special verifiers?
If I'm going to give "negative feedback" I'd rather send a private message than write something on a public forum. Well, aside from the forum that is. A comment on the story is public. So if I write one, I try to be positive. I'd rather not trash someone's story publicly, but that's just me. If someone puts negative feedback (comments) on my stories, it hurts but I leave it. Besides, we were taught if you can't say something nice, then say nothing at all.
Commenting critically means my knuckles are currently in plaster with a Lush logo on it, so I shall try to tread carefully and as meaninglessly as usual.
An aside - comments and indeed scoring on Lush are getting to an interesting stage at the moment for a sad anorak like me. It may be my imagination but I am sure that more stories are raking up average scores of 5s; that even fours are becoming a rarer mark for people to give. Okay the Lush membership seems to have doubled in the last year so maybe that has something to do with it. (And why is this strand running at the same time someone else has a strand running grumbling about Lush being full of bleeding writers now!)
Oh right, did i have anything relevant to say? Criticism is not necessarily an easy thing to give, and going by some reactions to me, not an easy thing to receive either. The reality is that most of us will avoid the stories that have an off-putting title, is in a category we don't like or is so jarringly written that we give up after a few paras. Reading and enjoyment of stories is also surely a mood thing. I am probably naturally pompous (and intensely hypocritical) about most things on Lush, and I have been conscious of making comments when I am probably gone into a grumpy mood.
But I ultimately want to read authors who are challenging the boundaries of the cliches that populate most Lush stories - and that is not necessarily a criticism of those who are producing crowd pleasers but more an admission that I am just an awkward bastard. That can mean that if I am reading well regarded, top ranking Lush authors then I have expectations of them and I have voiced my grumbles when they are not meeting them. Ah, i was about to say never nastily, but I realise that is a word that is open to debate (smile!!) but seriously any comments I have made were made to make the author think a little bit and question what I have taken (almost certainly wrongly) as just lazy sloppiness or simple clit/cock pleasing fodder.
Sadly LM you have now opened yourself up to me casting my eyes over at least one of your stories, and i welcome the fact that you are seeking real comments rather than ego stroking. Just hope that is still the case after I have commented as I have bad experience of finding out that is not always the case!!!
So actually, Lush does tend to encourage us all towards bottling up our slightly critical comments and just go with the flow - it does feel odd or rather challenging to make a contrary comment about a work which has a flood of lovely comments, more often than not from the elite of Lush-land. To then be feeling in a emporers new clothes situation (and that does happen a bit at the moment) can be difficult and it so much easier to just accept that you don't understand this new pop music that the kids love and walk away from it shaking your head sadly. There is also that element that someone else has aluded to - the guilt thing of if you do offer a critical comment it can cause others to voice similar thoughts; and that is aside from the fear of being slagged off for having dared criticise a great talent!!
So, for a variety of reasons, the best solution probably is to PM the writer with your thoughts. Unless you are one of those sad people who actually don't like sending unsolicited PMs to people you don't know. Then you are really in a bind - still that is not as bad as having read all of these meanderings is it?
I leave the positive in my comments and scores when I read a story, if there is something negative about it, I'll in-box them.
I say this because I learned my lesson about not doing that. It's not nice to get angry messages by people in your own in-box telling you off.
I'm a new writer and would want people to leave the nicer things about my poems and stories in public, and in-box me things that aren't the positives. I want to hear about them because I want to fix what might need fixing. It shows class to do it in private. Don't you think?
†Jinxy Approved†
That's what the comment section is for. Give the author some tips that you think are good for his/her future endeavors. Others say that one shouldn't give bad or even constructive comments. If that's the case, they'll never improve.
The inability to deal with constructive criticism is a sign of immaturity. Nasty comments? Yeah, those have no place here.
I think there is a big difference in nasty comments and constructive comments. And most people know the difference. Yes there is the odd duck out there who is always overly sensitive. You learn the hard way to leave them alone.
I am still new to writing here. I am pretty new to writing erotic stories too where they are scrutinized in any way before publication. The few sites I have submitted to in the past accepted anything you sent in and published it....mistakes and all.
So I am still new to experiencing the full Lush treatment here. Most of my first stories have been in what I consider a niche category so they built views slowly but commenting and scoring were kind of equal.
My latest story has been in a different category and has built up views much quicker. But scoring has been slow compared to the amount of views and there have been no comments at all. It is a new experience for me. I have no idea what readers think of the story at all.
Comments are definitely a mixed bag.
I try to comment and score every story I read. The only ones I do not are the ones I can't make it through at all. So far those have been few since I generally stick to categories that I know are really going to interest me. The writing has to be really bad in those categories for me not to at least get something out of it.
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