Discussion: story feedback

[Franconicus]

... It's the old problem of the Mead Hall. Everybody wants to get feedback for their own story, but few are willing to give it to others; and almost nobody writes more than a couple of lines ...

Ludens is right. The mead hall is just as good as the people's willingness to read the stories. What are stories good for is nobody reads them?

Any suggestions how to solve this issue?

[The Stranger]

well nobody but the readers themselves can solve that. I dont believe nobody reads them, i do think however that most people including me are just to lazy, hurried, to post a feedback, not talking even about a detailed feedback of the story. Most people usually stick with their opinion of the story which usually says VERY GOOD, I LIKED IT... sometimes with a few pointers.

Maybe appointing an active Assistent Moderator would help. I would be interested in doing that though i think ill then mainly focus on poetry, so i dont know what the meadhall audiance would like and maybe there are other members more capable and/or more willing to do it.

I will leave for Greece today, so if you are willing to consider this and maybe make a poll... please wait till im back, that'll be on the 17th

[Ludens]

Ludens is right. The mead hall is just as good as the people's willingness to read the stories. What are stories good for is nobody reads them?

Any suggestions how to solve this issue?

I think The Stranger is right when he says that people are reading the stories. The Mead Hall usually is a quiet forum, and we have got few dedicated Mead Hall patrons. Most people only come her occasionally, or for a specific story. Those that do read all stories usually don't want to give extensive comments. Giving usefull feedback is hard. I guess I just have to find someone both able and willing to comment often.

The Stranger, I appreciate your offer of help, but I don't need an AM right now.

[Franconicus]

Stranger, a generous offer. However, Ludens is right. It is not the business of the mods to comment the stories, it is the business of the members (us!).

May I make a proposal? I volunteer for being the first Volunteer Mead Hall Annotater. If you want me to comment your story, pm me and I will try to do my best.too.


However, keep in mind, that

• I do not speak or read or write English very well. So maybe I do not understand the story.
• I only have little time, but I will do my best.
• I tend to be honest. Consider the negetive effect before you call me.
• I have no clue about writing. I am only telling you my point of view. There is no correlation with the quality of your story.

If you like the idea, please join. There must be more qualified persons here.If you make use of it, please comment at least one other story,

[matteus the inbred]

Great idea Franc...
Banquo's Ghost is a pro, his feedback would be very useful indeed. Maybe volunteering people by theme (poetry/historical fiction/fantasy/odd stuff)? Surely on an informal basis though, otherwise you'd have a dozen people wandering around calling themselves 'Assistant Assistant Moderators i/c Meadhall Pre-Classical Poetic Themes' and suchlike...

[Franconicus]

Maybe we can just have a list of a couple of volunteers, and everybody can decided which one he wants.

I did not start this new thread

[Ludens]

I did not start this new thread

I splitted it from the organisational thread as it wasn't related to the story contest and I thought it important enough to warrant its own topic.

May I make a proposal? I volunteer for being the first Volunteer Mead Hall Annotater. If you want me to comment your story, pm me and I will try to do my best.too.

Thanks for the offer, Franconicus. I hope others will take it up. The Mead Hall is a bit quiet right now, so don't expect a storm of applications. Incidentally, I used to be the unofficial Mead Hall critic, but I admit I have been rather lax in discharging that duty lately . Perhaps I should make a bit more effort.

[Marshal Murat]

I admit that I've done alot of writing, and little replying.

[Banquo's Ghost]

It's a difficult one, largely because it is hard to tell whether a writer actually wants constructive criticism as feedback, or an ego stroke. Sometimes we want both and neither!

I drew back from offering my views, because I have a personal horror of inadvertantly discouraging someone. Whilst pig-headed persistence is a hallmark of writers, there is often a fragile ego lurking within - I know there is in me.

Franconicus' idea of a volunteer list is a good one - not to exclude people from commenting - after all, by posting in the Mead Hall, one is inviting such commentary - but to allow writers to choose the style of feedback they might appreciate.

If people would like, I will be happy to contribute (time permitting) on this basis:

I will always try to take a postive view of people's style, but note that styles vary and if one doesn't like a style, no matter how well written the piece is, it may be hard to appreciate it.

I am a pedant when it comes to construction, grammar and spelling so I will try not to exhibit this dark side except as constructively as I can. Please feel free to tell me to shut up, and to point out my own shortcomings.

Just because I earn a living by persuading idiot editors that something I have written will earn them money, doesn't give my views any more weight than anyone else's.

So, if a writer asks, I will do my best to give some feedback from now on. If you don't like it, just remember that critics are the worst kind of people:

The only thing that sustains one through life is the consciousness of the immense inferiority of everybody else, and this is a feeling that I have always cultivated.

[The Stranger]

I would like to feedback any poetry that is posted... i guess the PM method is a good one... i also volunteer :D

[Csargo]

I'll volunteer to do that.

[Franconicus]

So now we have four volunteers? Excellent! However, we may have overrated the wish for comments.

[Prince Cobra]

Well, I can act as an unofficial volunteer... I have started reading the stories around so it should not be a problem( however I am experiencing problems with ' The Machiavellian Adventures of Princess Eleanor' now - it is good but sooo long ( which does not make it worse) ). In addition I am writing my story . I am too busy to be an official one

By the way I agree the literature is very subjective. But it is for the writers' good to tell them what do you think about their work . Because otherwise there is no way for the writer to improve his style. And the more opinion there are the more objective the comment is. I myself prefer the bitter truth because I realise I have really much things to improve ( probably I suffer from masochism).

P.S. In addition I am not a critic at all. Just a simple amateur.

[Ludens]

So now we have four volunteers? Excellent! However, we may have overrated the wish for comments.

Oh dear. We've finally got enough critics, but now there is a shortage of stories .

Two of the three authors that have posted in the meantime explicitely asked for comments, so I don't think there is a lack of demand. Perhaps they didn't notice this thread, or they prefer to be critized in their stories.