Why oh why?

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Sat, 2012-03-31 17:05

oldpesky

Why oh why?

To moan or not to moan, that was the question hanging over me since I saw this post.

http://www.abctales.com/forum/2012/03/30/re-cloudmind-chapter-eighteen

I was going through one of my darker periods so decided to keep my mouth shut and, hopefully, my blood pressure low.

However, it got me thinking. Why do people post their work on sites like abctales and others? Is it for feedback? A wider audience? To be part of a community? What do those who post lots of work but never comment on anyone else's work look for from this site?

Now, I may be getting old and grumpy, but what helps brighten the days is having someone comment on my work. Bearing this in mind, I know that by commenting on someone's else's work I can brighten their day. Some may not like their work being commented on, but my experience tells me they are in the minority. Some may not like being criticised in any form, even if it is constructive and designed to help. They too are in the minority.

So, for all members, old and new, consider brightening up the days of others by leaving comments on as many pieces of work as possible. It's all about the karma. Be good and have a great day.

Sat, 2012-03-31 17:43

Denzella

Hello oldpesky and hear hear or is it here here? Now you know why I'm on the site. I need help. Joking aside I do agree with you and what I try to do is look first at the work of anyone who comments on my work and then if I'm organized enough and have the time I try to remember to look at most recently posted stories and poems but that depends on what time I have and what time of the day or night it is. However, I would not have thought you had a problem with people commenting on your work as I usually have to join a very long queue. Moya

Sat, 2012-03-31 18:21

oldpesky

Alibob, I did notice you didn't comment much at first, but to be fair to you, you didn't post much either. Someone posting a story every couple of months is different to someone posting three a day every day. I think it's great you now have the confidence to comment on the work of others. I think everyone should free themselves from the fear of commenting. I'm not very confident myself but put that aside as best I can. Denzella, you have been a great recent addition to the ABCtales family. It has come up before that some people don't feel they have anything to give with their comments. To them I say, nonsense. If you like something, start off by saying, I liked that. If there was a sentence or an image you liked, then tell the writer. One of the best things about leaving comments, and thinking about what to write, has been how it has helped my own writing. Right, must dash, Mass starts at 6.30pm. I don't want smited for being a heathen.

Sat, 2012-03-31 23:46

(Reply to #3) #4

Denzella

Aaaw thanks OP, If I may call you that? I don't think I'm such a great addition to the site though as I have, unwittingly, given wrong comments. I won't say advice because I wouldn't presume. But in trying to encourage I have somehow got it wrong. Since then I have been reluctant to comment on anyone's work unless I know their work well. Hopefully I'll get better as I feel I learn so much from reading other peoples' work. Splash a bit of Holy water round for me will you, as I am quite sure I'm down as a sinner!

Sat, 2012-03-31 19:35

David Short

I am realy embarassed about that posting Pesky. I've just apologised and am conforming to the majority view and filling my chapters with spaces. Thanks for the karma.

DjS

Sat, 2012-03-31 20:09

oldpesky

Stan, I haven't been around much recently either. I've been too busy learning about the magical world of tax. djsdude, the advice given was to benefit you in getting read more. What's the point of writers without readers? I wish you the very best, like I do everyone, even though I might come across as a bit grumpy sometimes. If someone posts three chapters a day, I am highly unlikely to read any of them, because I know I'll probably not have the time to read them all. There are too many stories, not to mention poems, posted every day for anyone to manage reading them all. It's a sign of how popular the site is. So, make your work as accessible as possible. Have a good night everyone. I'm retiring for the evening.

Sat, 2012-03-31 21:03

scratch

Djsdude, welcome. I for one have learned stuff beyond measure in my short time on here. I haven't read your stuff yet, but I will and what's more I look forward to it.

Sun, 2012-04-01 10:42

blighters rock

We make mistakes by learning. Oops. Other way round. Djsdude has made his and learnt. When I posted an unfinished, untitled novella of about 25,000 words a few months back (since deleted, as it was back-end shitebox in the loo of life), I posted three chapters a day until it was done, and that was when I'd been at Abc for a year and a half. Some learn slowly (me) and some quickly (Djsdude).

Sun, 2012-04-01 11:29

Richard L. Prov...

Hello everyone -- I get a lot out of the writing of others, and have expressed my admiration for so many great writers on these sites. Somehow they should get into books and win contests. Me, I don't enter any contest that costs moola, don't have it -- my prescriptions eat up my cash. Enough of the sad rant. Writing is something that spills from me like a waterfall, and if I don't let it out, I'll implode. I try to read at least one poem or short story for every one I post. To share one's work is a great privilege and I thank the ABC team for allowing me to do so. Richard LP

Richard L. Provencher

Mon, 2012-04-02 20:35

#10

Raventongue

On constructive criticism- it takes me a while to get comfortable doing anything except pointing out the positives in another person's writing. Then, I can only do nit-picks about word choice or punctuation and such until, after enough instances of them not being offended by that, I get to a point where I can actually give an in-depth comment on what worked and what didn't in each piece. And I go through those three phases for each individual writer as I get to know them better, never in regards to the community as a whole over time. So the act of giving comments is always an emotional stretch, and sometimes also a technical/mental one for me. There's always that process of building up a rapport with another writer over a series of comments given and recieved. If I comment on another writer's stuff several times and they don't seem to have taken notice of my writing, I tend to be put off, so I make sure to click the name of any commenter on mine whom I haven't seen around before and check out their work. But if 1) I don't like a piece, 2) I find one I like but can't explain why, or 3) I like it and know why, but everything I was going to say has already been said (in which case I'm afraid I'll sound insincere), I'll usually chicken out and end up saying nothing at all. Frequently I just make a list of people I ought to give some readership to when I come out of my shell more. I am sure there are at least a couple of fellow Talers who come across as ungrateful, but are just shy.

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