- How To
- A Guide to Constructive Criticism
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I know how very few people comment, much less provide criticism on stories online. Giving criticism, however, easy for the reader and helpful to the author.
This guide isn't just for stories, I've found it useful in almost anything I've ever read, watched or played. In fact, I've even used it on food. That's just how versatile criticism can be. However, for the purpose of this guide, I'll focus on stories.
Many people reading this might say "I gave you criticism. I said it was good!" The problem is, that this is bad criticism. I know, you said it was good, so that's positive, right? Wrong. No matter whether you're giving good or bad criticism, a simple "good" or "bad" is bad criticism.
Sure, a nice "This was good" is a positive comment, but as criticism, it's bad. The point of criticism is to express your opinions in detail. If a story is good or bad, it benefits the author and the readers if you explain how it's good or bad.
For instance, on my most recent story, I received this comment: "The chapters have gotten too short and sloppy." Let's break that comment down.
The chapters being too short is the best part of that comment. It explains exactly what's wrong to the author: now I know that for the enjoyment of my readers, it would be a good idea to try and lengthen my story chapters. Maybe not all of them, since the occasional short chapter isn't a bad thing in most people's eyes. Now I know what to do about this aspect of the comment.
The chapters have gotten sloppy. How? I need to know how my writing has gotten sloppy. Give me examples with reasons and explain how it effects the story in your eyes. With that information, I can work on this portion of the comment. I can't do anything unless I know where I've gone wrong.
Now that we've gotten a fairly negative comment broken down, with information on how I can deal with the problem, let's look at positive comments.
Some positive comments, as it stands, aren't meant as criticism. I have had a fair few with simple praise (some of which involve sexual acts the writer of said comment wants to do to me). These comments are fine how they are. What we're looking at is comments like "This story was great."
As with the "sloppy" part of the negative comment, I need to know how it was good. When writing that kind of comment, it's a good idea to explain how the story made you feel, what it made you think and any other reactions you had that turned it into a positive read.
A better comment would be: "This was a great story. The description was good and gave me a really clear mental image of what I was reading. The premise was interesting and once it was introduced, it paced the story well. Your story has turned me on and I'd love to read more."
This is a good comment. Not how it not only explains that it was a good read, but it allows the author to know how they have effected the reader. It allows the reader to know that it made the reader think in an entertaining way about the story's content. Even the part about being turned on is useful to an author: it allows them to know what sort of things are popular in the erotic literature we all love here.
There are also comments that are somewhat ignorant. I have gotten comments, a lot of them, saying that I've spelled a lot wrong. Now, I understand that most readers on this site are used to reading in American English. However, I'm sure that they know that British English (which I write in, being British) exists and would register to them as spelling errors.
Now, this kind of comment isn't so bad. In fact, it's understandable. I know that may people read in a slightly different form of the English language. However, I can easily read novels and short stories that have been written in American English.
I guess that might be easier from me since all mainstream novels and short stories are published in American English, But it'd be nice to not get comments saying "spelling errors" when my profile states I'm British and it's widely known that we Brits write in a different format.
I guarantee that if you use constructive criticism right, those authors with potential will only get better and better. It will, as Stated several times, allow them to write much better.
I hope that this has been helpful in writing constructive criticism to authors. I hope you consider using it when you comment on stories around the site, as it'll be a big help to us writers when it comes to writing good, engaging material for all of you.
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Thanks for reading this guide and happy commenting.
- COMMENTS
Jestuaover 8 years agoIt does seem like few people know how/bother to give actual feedback in their comments. I rarely comment, but I try to make mine detailed when I take the time. I appreciate you taking the time to write this.
Just for fun, hehe:
"Not how it not only explains that it was a good read, but it allows the author to know how they have <i>/effected/</i> the reader."
Things <i>/affect/</i> an <i>/effect/.</i> It's one of the few remaining weak points in my grammar so I'm currently working on it myself.
(Also of course you forgot the 'e' on the end of note)
My favorite part of this article was how you addressed the difference between a comment having quality and being positive. Good comments can be negative and positive comments can be bad. I've always enjoyed dichotomies. As this was a post about leaving comments, I decided to leave a long one. If you enjoyed this, then please <b>leave me a comment about my comment regarding your guide to comments!</b>
Anonymousalmost 11 years agoI'll have to start back at the begining of Your Horse Cock girl series and take the spelling issue in mind; Just out of curiosity. Haveing experience in Agricultural & Natural Science's; & Some Genetic's, I've enjoyed that stories concept.
Though Some plot turns or scenes have seemed to end abrupty or incompletely at times.
But you got better as it progressed. Maybe better to take more time and let the Ravens or Crows squawk for more. till it flows better or submit a revised chapter.
Because I'm a avid reader with high comprehension scores as a kid and now in my low to mid 50's because;
I'm not a OCD Disorder perfectionist with a degree in creative writing or something.
I see errors but they may or may not spoil a story for me, as I'm not that great at spelling,till I see it on paper if incorrect it looks wrong to me but then have to look it up to be sure. Same with Gramour,Sentence structure,Punctuation; I check myself in American or Webster's dictionary College edition English; which is primarily American & Canadian new modern Colonial English;
But does include what we term Olde English or UK forms of words and word derivations (IE French ,German,Latin Laguages,Nordic, ETC) and alternate meanings we just don't use them UK spellings much unless its to be a 1600 's to 1800's +/- Colonial era story;
Without spell check I'm a mess; I have some mild spelling dyslexia when writing or typing and spell as a word sounds not following pronuciation rules;also I struggle Adult Attention Defficit Hyperactivity causeing thoughts and visualisations to run ahead of my fingers so simple spelling or punctuation mistakes don't bother me much.! ! if it doesn't break my train of thought or Visual; So what !!!!;
It's useing the right root-word (Haveing studied some Latin) but a wrong or a incorrect word form or tense of it; or omitted words or a missing a plurality or singularity,
past tense, present or future tense that can leave the meaning of a authors sentence open for interpretation.
That bugs me !! about any writing not necessarily yours.
PS; I read some time back Portugal; lost its ultimate international power over its language to its former colony and Napolionic era, Temporary capital,"Brazil" which now has more People & speakers and writers of their language than its Mother Country.
Perhaps its time for A Universal English, with room for local slang word forms for future writers.
Anonymousabout 11 years agoJust don't leave us hanging! How far along with Chapter 7 are you? Have you put more dialogue in?
Erotonautabout 11 years agoYou seem to consider any review which contains even the slightest indication of criticism as per se negative and unwarranted. I believe in honesty and clarity.
ReiDeBastosabout 11 years ago:D
Not really, but SOMEONE had to use the obvious joke!
(Reminds me of the old National Lampoon article "How to Write Good"). :D
I would hope that most - if not all - of your points would be obvious to all, but obviously, they aren't obvious to everyone.
I would disagree with a few things you said (although you may have phrased them the way you did to be economical with words).
For instance, when you say that comments which include details show you what you did right or wrong, they of course only show you what **that particular reader** believes you to have done right or wrong.
As for the purported "spelling errors", if a reader does not realize that something is merely the UK spelling of a word rather than an error, I would think that they would be unlikely to think to check an author's profile to see where the author is from. So grousing about them not checking your profile seems a tad misplaced.
Bottom line:
While I think your essay has many good points, I'm afraid that those who would most benefit from it are probably the least likely to read it, or to even realize that they should do so.
Perhaps written as an erotic story, from the perspective of a Literotica author who receives unhelpful comments to something they have posted, it would get more of your intended audience to read it?
-Rei
