Because everyone's talking about feedback. Well, they were, anyway. I'm kinda slow on these things.

[amanuensis1]

On feedback:

Of course I love positive feedback. I can't imagine who doesn't. Positive feedback makes my freaking month. I love everything from "that wuz cute lol" to ten-page analyses. In the past I've expressed bewilderment over feedback that is nothing but "you cannot leave it there; SEQUEL!!!" But you know what? I understand that for some it's their version of high praise, and that's very sweet.

But I don't feedback everything I read, and I don't expect everyone else to either. First, I don't send con-crit unless I've been invited to be a beta. "PLZ R &R!!1!!!" is not a request for a beta. Many think it is, when they see it on stories, and writers sometimes think too when they put it on their stories, but often those writers are unhappy when actual con-crit shows up. Not going there. Uh-uh. Unless I can be uniformly positive in my feedback, I don't want to leave feedback; I'd rather let silence speak for me. I won't damn with faint praise. And so I anticipate a sort of "do unto others" philosophy from readers, and assume that those who aren't commenting may not be entirely giddy over what they've read. Maybe my "this one isn't all that good" fears are right. Maybe the story's the best thing since sliced bread, but it's a subject a lot of people don't like.

(An aside: Do I appreciate negative feedback? God, yes--if it's useful. I won't be making changes to a finished story based on unsolicited con-crit, but if I think the con-crit makes valid points, I'll keep that in mind for future writing. I always want to improve my writing. And con-crit keeps one from turning into a "Gee, I guess I must be the greatest thing since sliced bread" monster. Very important. ^_^ "This kind of story isn't my cup of tea" criticism is understandably not useful, however, and this is why I advocate silence on those sorts of stories unless directly asked.)

And maybe they didn't see the story. Maybe they don't leave feedback for anyone. Maybe they're too busy right now, or ever. Maybe they're in a mood where everything they read just seems to suck. Me too, sometimes.

Most importantly, I know what I'm writing. I'm writing fanfic. I'm writing erotic fanfic. I'm writing explicit (often non-consensual) erotic fanfic based on a family-audience book. I was all blushy about posting this stuff to begin with, and I've got a pseudonym and separate email addy 'n' stuff. The people reading it might not have that kind of luxury. The people reading it might be embarrassed as hell to be reading it, let alone writing email to tell me they're reading it. Bless your embarrassed little hearts, don't worry about it for a minute. Read and enjoy. I consider it a public service to be a pornographer, bringing smut to the delightfully smut-minded. And I'll keep doing it as long as it's fun.

Love you all.

Comments

[laylah.livejournal.com]

I consider it a public service to be a pornographer, bringing smut to the delightfully smut-minded.

Yes, absolutely!
It's good to be a sex missionary :)

Even better when people tell you that they appreciate what you've done, but good even without what.

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

*avoids any "missionary" puns* "Even without what" is going to be my new catchphrase. I like that.

[electricandroid.livejournal.com]

I so agree with everything you have said.

That is worrying

may I change my name to "Public Service Pornographer"

PLEASE....

its making me giggle

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

Go for it!!! We should spread the word and spread the love.

[ptyx.livejournal.com]

I consider it a public service to be a pornographer, bringing smut to the delightfully smut-minded.
Hee, that line is priceless! And what a sweet message. <3

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

Heh, I should make icons and distribute them to all erotic fanfic authors! 'Cuz we all deserve that title.

[isiscolo.livejournal.com]

"This kind of story isn't my cup of tea" criticism is understandably not useful, however, and this is why I advocate silence on those sorts of stories unless directly asked.

Heh. I was thinking about posting a long screed on this, on why I am largely a silent reader because I can't say "I loved it" when I didn't, yet I can't blame the writer for not writing the story I wanted to read, but I'm sick and cranky and knew it would come out all bitchy and nasty and it's too much trouble to sit here and type that much anyway. But, yeah, bingo.

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

OMG!!1! U no I luvved ur story about Snape n Draco but i think u shuld rewrite it so its about Draco n GINNY!!11!!! And they should kiss alot more.

Heh. Yeah, it's not all as obvious as that, but the "not my cup of tea" opinion deserves to go unspoken so as not to result in hurt feelings when there is no good reason to create such.

[loony-moony.livejournal.com]

HEY DON'T LOOK AT ME I'VE ALREADY LEFT YOU MORE THAN ENOUGH FEEDBACK YOU SPOILED CHILD.

*spanks*

THERE SHALL BE NO FUCKABLE TILL I GET MY PUNISHMENT FIC.

*runs away, cackling*

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

Ow! Ow! Ow! Ow! Yes! You're right! Plenty of feedback! Let me UP, wouldja! You need me to be able to sit on this tush so that I can WRITE!

...waitaminute, is the punishment fic the cagefic or am I hopelessly confused now?

[dphearson.livejournal.com]

I consider it a public service to be a pornographer, bringing smut to the delightfully smut-minded. And I'll keep doing it as long as it's fun.

And there we are! And we love you for your sense of public service!

*hugs*

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

*hugs you hard, offers you porn*

[sliverluc.livejournal.com]

I leave feedback on lj lot. I feel brushed off when people can't even just say TY. When I get feedback I thank them too for taking their time to say something to what I have done. I think it has to be a fair exchange.

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

I'm very much in your camp; for me, I just would not feel right about not saying thank you to someone who took the time to leave positive feedback. I do not require others to do so, or say that they "should," but I am more likely to continue to leave feedback for those who reply to me. There are a few people who 1) get so much feedback that I DO understand that they can either write more fic OR respond to all the feedback, they can't do both; 2) have stated that they're sorry they can't make the time to respond to all feedback, but that they appreciate it nevertheless; 3) are such amazing authors that I couldn't care less if they ever acknowlege my feedback, I'll send it to 'em anyway. And to those categories of people I'll still send feedback.

[rane-ab.livejournal.com]

We love you, too. :D I think that's the sweetest take on feedback I've read yet, proving again you really are a little darling. :-)

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

Aww! Am all blushy and cannot come up with witty quip. *hugs you hard*

[marinarusalka.livejournal.com]

I consider it a public service to be a pornographer, bringing smut to the delightfully smut-minded

And the delightfully smut-minded appreciate it. :-)

I pretty much share your philosophy on feedback (though I'm more of a purveyor of gen to the delightfully gen-minded, myself). The problem with the "if you liked it enough to read it, you must feedback it" philosophy is that if I really felt that way, I'd read a lot fewer stories. I suspect quite a few people feel the same way. And as a writer, I'd rather have people read my stories and not comment than have them not read at all.

[angiepen.livejournal.com]

The problem with the "if you liked it enough to read it, you must feedback it" philosophy is that if I really felt that way, I'd read a lot fewer stories.

That's exactly right. [nod] I mean, unless you're working off of a rec from someone whose opinion you absolutely always agree with one hundred percent of the time, you don't know you're going to like the story until you've read it. Or maybe you liked the early part but the end fell flat. Or whatever. It's like Socrates' comment on how you can't say if a man had a good life until after he's dead. You don't know if a story will really be a good story until after you're done, and at that point it's too late to say, Oh, didn't like this one, I won't read it. :/

And then there are auto-accident stories. You know, the ones that are just so terribly written that they leave you incredulously horrified at the mangled mess piling up in front of your eyes, such that you have a hard time looking away because it's just so gruesome. [rueful smile] But very few writers would want to hear about that in comments....

But anyway, the basic idea of a story being "good enough to read" is based on a fallacy. As a reader I get both frustrated and annoyed when I see those kinds of shame-them-into-commenting notes.

Angie

[absynthia.livejournal.com]

Bless your embarrassed little hearts, don't worry about it for a minute.

Hehehehe... What a great attitude you have. I usually do the same -- refrain from leaving feedback unless it's something I really loved on many levels... although if it's a new writer I will sometimes break that rule and just point out the parts I *did* like.

You missed another possibility -- that sometimes some of us try and refrain from feedbacking you on every single drabble you write, because we don't want to be exposed for the hopeless fangirls that we are. Well... not so often, anyway. ;)

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

Oh! That's right! When you're afraid your next piece of feedback will start to look like Stalker Syndrome! Gawd, I've been there too. ^_^

[fabularasa.livejournal.com]

Yes, yes, absolutely, to everything you said. Feedback is like thank you notes, but better; if you really didn't like the gift, you don't have to write one. Taking refuge in judicious silence is always the best course of action. I admit I am puzzled by unsolicited con-crit, a.k.a."Ohmigod I LOVED your story you are a goddess but what the hell was up with the paragraph where...", and nine paragrpahs later I'm thinking, this is why people enlist betas, respected readers whose opinions we actually value. It does seem to me that offering unsolicited con-crit is the rankest arrogance, since it assumes that you (oh writer) naturally value the opinion of me (the wise reader.) Just because I want you as my reader doesn't mean I actually value your opinion about writing; heck, nine times out of ten I don't even know you, so why should I? And I can't imagine posting a "read and review" at the top of any story. Drop a card if you liked it; hit "next" and move on if you didn't.

I don't think I've ever read anything, fanfic or straight fic or anything in between, that I thought was completely flawless. It's just not possible in nature. So I think it goes without saying that every story has its flaws, but commenting on them is pointless, rude, and presumptuous, unless one is in the position of beta reader to that writer. I think unpublished stories (and their writers) ought to be accorded the same respect as published ones. I don't ring up Rowling to lecture her on her love affair with the adverb, and I don't expect fanfic readers to lecture me on inconsistencies or flaws in my stories.

Sometimes, I suppose, fanfic can be like the extraordinarily ugly baby. "That's SOME story you wrote there," never hurt anyone.

[isiscolo.livejournal.com]

It does seem to me that offering unsolicited con-crit is the rankest arrogance, since it assumes that you (oh writer) naturally value the opinion of me (the wise reader.)

Yeah, but that's how I got you to take me on as beta! HAHAHA!

[notuilion.livejournal.com]

I consider it a public service to be a pornographer, bringing smut to the delightfully smut-minded.

Abso-fucking-lutely a public service!

And I must say, I envy your eminently quotable precision with the English language, no matter what use it's put to. You remind me -- with the connotations, the clever wording, and the brilliance within time limits -- of my prospective business partner, who's the most brilliant writer I know personally. And who's always deeply uncomfortable when reminded how much I worship his talent. Because it is...there's Art there. Logic and craftsmanship are my world, getting it right through evolution my modus operandi, and you guys just do it somehow. Perfect, rather than perfected.

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

Now I am all embarrassed because I honestly wasn't trying to solicit this kinda thing. ^_^ Am I gonna be hypocritical and say it doesn't feel good? HELL, no. Your participation in these lj pages, whether it's praise or analyses or shared experiences, has made my lj experience that much richer, I swear. *smooooooch*

[rikibeth.livejournal.com]

I'm So glad to hear you say that about the public service, because I've been recc'ing "Blood for a Parched Tongue" to, I swear, nearly everyone I *know* who's expressed ANY interest in smut, even people who've never considered the fandom before.

I swear, it was to make a point about the Vocabulary Challenge, at least some of the time...

I wonder if any of those readers left you feedback? They told ME they were impressed.

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

Oh! Have you been? That's so--wow! Thank you so much! Now, see, that REALLY did make my month, having you tell me that! And since you have, they're off the hook. ^_^ Eee, thank you, thank you! From the bottom of my naughty heart.

[dont-callmebabe.livejournal.com]

We love you too...
Please, go on!
(I personally don't review just because that's easier for me to understand English than to write it, i should be ashamed!b)

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

There we go--language non-fluency! More reasons y'can't hold it against people for not reviewing. Though I have to say, YOU are not having any trouble making yourself understood, so, no excuse for you. ^_^ (Kidding! 'S okay!)

[stellahobbit.livejournal.com]

I've never thought of it like that before but yes, I write pornography.

Wow.

That's sort of blown my mind :-)

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

*pats your brain back in your head* If it makes you uncomfortable, you can call it erotica! I like being all confrontational about it and pro-porn, though, so, there y'go.

[angiepen.livejournal.com]

Do I appreciate negative feedback? God, yes--if it's useful. I won't be making changes to a finished story based on unsolicited con-crit, but if I think the con-crit makes valid points, I'll keep that in mind for future writing. I always want to improve my writing.

Absolutely. I remember in a writers' board where I used to hang out, one person actually said that she thought it was rude to make negative comments, no matter how constructively or politely, about a story that's already been published, because the writer can't go back and make any changes once the work's in print. :P Yeah, she was serious. She never did catch on to the concept of improvement in general skills, to be applied to future works.

Angie

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

There are ways of doing it and ways of DOING it, y'know! Sigh. And I think all I could have said to that writer that you describe is, "So, you never intend to write again, then? Then I agree."

[http://users.livejournal.com/_hannelore/]

Heck, not only do your stories inspire, but so do your comments! *grins*

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

You know, that's a good feeling. ^_^ I'm such a "me, too" -er ! Glad to know that every so often there's meat there.

[lolaraincoat.livejournal.com]

Hi, dropping by on Idlerat's advice here ...

I once got some feedback that began, "I'm pants at reviewing, but --" and I thought, ah-ha! that's me! pants at reviewing! So, thank you so much for speaking up for the shy reader and the person who can't figure out how to say much more than "wow, cool!"

On the other hand, con-crit feedback can be a great thing. Maybe it depends on where and when the con-crit shows up? For instance the feedback on the one long story I posted in my lj included people noting spelling errors and canon issues and typos, and that was actually useful and nice of them to do (the person who caught the biggest howler went on to become a great lj friend, too.) But if I got that kind of feedback unsolicited once I'd posted something to an archive, I think I'd hate it.

Finally. I've read all of your fic that I could find, and I would like to say for the record that you are the greatest thing since sliced bread.

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

Where and when is huge. And I'd say that if the canon errors are the sort that would negate your story's existence, then I'd advocate the reader staying mum, though if they're minor, that's kinda a relief to have someone point that out so you can correct it. (I kept saying Sirius had spent ten years in Azkaban. It was twelve. Someone told me and that was good.)

*slices some bread* Oh, come on! Look at this bread! It's all sliced and delicious! Much better than fic, mmm. *giggles, keeps blushing, and whispers, "You sweetie!"*

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

Oh! Don't delete it, don't! What you say is valid, and should be given its due, and should be addressed.

the author doesn't know if silence means that someone simply didn't read their fic or if they hated it.

This is true. Now, me, I'd rather believe--deceive myself, I suppose--that others didn't read it. Rather than have everyone who reads it tell me EXACTLY what they think, from "Loved it" to "non-con SUCKS" to "I HATE your writing, I don't know who tells you you're good" to "write Ginny/Draco next time, bitch"...I'd just rather think that people didn't read it because they don't care for that sort of thing, or didn't see it, or whatever. Rather than have them get in my face and remove all doubt in a way that's gonna make me sad. When it comes to being told nothing versus "Yes, the story DOES suck donkey balls," I'll take the nothing. That way I get to imagine that there are appreciative readers out there who just aren't talking.

No, it's neither bitchiness nor entitlement that makes people say, "Won't more people feeback? Please?" But I honestly don't know what's to be done about it. Asking doesn't help. Or it might make a small initial surge, and then it falls right off again. I've just decided that working on ways to improve feedback are not that useful, and fall under the category of "things I cannot change and must ask for patience to endure them." Otherwise you become someone who tries to tailor her writing to her audience so that its sole purpose is to get feedback, and that's a shame for one's writing skills. I'm not saying I'm any less a Feedback Junkie than anyone else--hell, no--just that I try not to let it affect what I choose to write. Because what else can you do?

[glockgal.livejournal.com]

I think what I love most about you is your sensibilities. You are just so...sensible. Like, you just know, um. You're just always right, there we go, that's what I want to say, but I don't know any prettier way to say it.

Sensible, smart, clever and sexalicious, you can do no wrong in my book! Your take on feedback is so like, it just makes sense and it's exactly everything I believe in, right down to 'they might not have the time to fb' and the 'I won't fb anything that I don't have anything good to say about'. Because it's soooo trueeeee.

Aaaahhh. *snuggles*

[amanuensis1.livejournal.com]

You know, everytime I reply to you, I think it would be appropriate for me to put up warnings for the unwary. "Look out, fellow lj-ers, Amanuensis is about to get sooooo incredibly 'get-a-room'-y over Glockgal you guys are going to be ill. Look the other way or DEAL!" Ah ha ha ha.

You're labeling me with all the things I believe about YOU. I seriously can't think of any nicer, more saint of a person I've encountered on lj than you--never has a less-than-enthusiastic word for everyone, wouldn't dream of saying negative things because, heck, there's enough reasons for people to be unhappy, and remembers who everyone is and CARES and...oh, and everything. Like I said before, I'd wrap you up and keep you jealously but I know that you are like a force of nature that must be free to bring happiness to all! *steals some of your pixie dust and thinks lovely, lovely thoughts*