On feedback - preemptive apologies and notes

[syredronning]

Things that I've got on my mind today regarding feedback I give or wouldn't give to other writers. Might get expanded in the future.

1. I only feedback stories I like.
When I think your story sucks, or your characterization is so far out of the field that it loses me, I won't write feedback.

2. I only write meta in the comments when the story manages to makes me think.
I usually don't do meta a lot but there are stories that have themes or pairings that are especially relevant to my interests (like, PIKE or BONES) and then I might indulge in lengthy discussion of character traits. I never want to impose my opinion about certain character aspects on you (and don't like it at all in the reverse either). If your story loses me or when I have a completely different take on a character, then see point 1.

3. I only rec stories that meet my taste to an exceptional degree or impress me with something.
So if I ever recced your story, be sure that I liked it as is.

4. I'm sorry if a comment like *combusted* or *on my bunk* feels strange to you.
I love a good story mix of plot, characterization and sex but I may end with feedbacking on the hotness of the sex the most and I apologize if that annoys you.
(It doesn't annoy me as a writer because I love to see which scenes hit the buttons of which readers, but I know that not all writers see it like that.)

5. I don't do constructive criticism unless asked.
If you want constructive criticism from me for a draft, you're more than welcome to ask me in a message. But I quite abstain from such a level of feedback in public, when the story is done and posted.

6. When in doubt about how to interpret my comments, please ask.
There's a noticeable cultural difference in the level of DIRECTNESS between the US and Germany. German is a very direct language and I've had US folks misunderstand statements of mine as an attack or as very impolite although I didn't intend that at all. So when in doubt, please ask because I might a) have used the wrong words or b) have written too "harsh" for you. It's a problem that's easily solved in rl discussion but can have nasty side effects in writing.

100. If I don't feedback your story, this still might not mean a thing
I try to read and feedback a lot but sometimes stories escape me, or are too long to read right away and then get lost in my backlog. Or sometimes stories just don't work for me, have sub-pairings I don't like, or have themes I don't deal well at the moment/that night/that time of the month/whatever. So just because I usually give fb to your stories doesn't mean that if I don't write fb for one, I thought it would suck or anything.

Comments

[merkuria.livejournal.com]

Yes, yes, and yes.

I almost feel like stealing your post ;)

[syredronning.livejournal.com]

If you do, do you correct my English errors in it? *G*

:)

[merkuria.livejournal.com]

LOL. Yes, and correct any fallacies too XD

[sangueuk.livejournal.com]

I've always found you to be a very generous and supportive commentator!

[syredronning.livejournal.com]

Thank you! But it's really easy in your case, as your stories are usually just wonderful :)

[saruwatari.livejournal.com]

German is a very direct language

And that's why I love it so. <3

[syredronning.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I don't mind that it's very direct, but I had clashes with US folks over the difference. Uh.

[saruwatari.livejournal.com]

Yeah. ._. There's this tendency in certain parts of North America to do a lot of beating-around-the-bush and to inject a lot of extra phrases into sentences in the name of politeness. It's mostly rubbish. =D

[illariy.livejournal.com]

Very handy to have a neat guide to your "soul" like that, thanks for sharing these thoughts. :D

(I agree with most of them and have to second #6 heavily. Probably most Germans in English-speaking waters have put their foot in it at least once. *g*)

[syredronning.livejournal.com]

Glad I delivered a guide *G* Hope it helps *twinkle*

Thanks re #6. It's been a while since it happened but it did, online and in real life on a US con. I felt really bad about not noticing how I came across.

[riordan10.livejournal.com]

Applause and applause, especially #100. I stare at a (non-internet) computer screen all day at work. When I get home, my eyes are tired. I may not go on-line for days. While I'd like to read every story that perks my interest, it's not possible.

#6 made me blink. I've never found you anything but very supportive. As for being direct, isn't that a good thing? I don't put stories out because I want to be 'admired'. I put stories out because I want to become a better writer.

[syredronning.livejournal.com]

Hey Kim :)

Yeah, so many stories around now (not that I'm complaining, of course!) that it's impossible to read them all.

Re #6, it happened less in comments than in discussion but it did happen several times both online and rl at US cons, that statements or actions that would be okay in Germany came across as very rude or impolite in the US. I felt really bad about it and I guess that makes me extra nice in my writing (though I'm rather nice anyway).

[riordan10.livejournal.com]

It's true; it's impossible to read all the stories I want to.

I'm not complaining either. Maybe just whining a little. ;-)

[diane-kepler.livejournal.com]

So very well said. I want to steal it too.

[syredronning.livejournal.com]

Hehe, thanks! As I said above - if you steal it, could I get a corrected version minus my English errors back :)?

[ayalesca.livejournal.com]

#100 = absolutely <3 but mostly because I'm just way, way too tired/lazy to comment most days. Sometimes my level of responding has more to do with my free time/mood that day, than quality of story ... which is so bad but true. :/

... also I thought I would take a minute to thank you for all the fb you have given the K/Mc fandom over the (few) years that I have been in it! If it were not for your encouragement I don't know if I would have continued to write Trek at all. So, thank you for all your wonderful wonderful comments, from the bottom of my heart. And I will try to be better!