Final Thoughts
May. 24th, 2007 04:43 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
tygatiFirst, an apology. I don't normally let things get to me... heck, I don't normally notice that there are lurkers, much less mind them. So I am sorry I let one incident upset me so much. :( You all are wonderful and I love you all dearly for sticking with me and enjoying my stories, as silly and pointless as they are. ^^;
Secondly, my thoughts on comments, from both a writer and a reader's point of view.
There is no such thing as a useless comment. I get a kick out of 'incoherent' comments, because they mean I did something right to reduce my readers to mindless squeeing. One of my favorite short comments is one Nikery left, that went something along the lines of: "GUH! Wait, I can write more... no, no I really can't. GUH." ^____^ Still makes me smile.
Just because someone already said what you were going to say does not make your opinion any less important. If more than one person liked a particular thing about a story, it lets me know that I'm on the right track there and a similar situation would probably be equally well-liked in future stories. :)
Have a favorite line or scene? Quote it! It gives me lots of warm fuzzies when a reader particularly likes a scene that I'm fond of. Plus, it lets me squee with you. ^___^ I'm very dorky that way.
Really, even a totally pointless, inane comment lets me know that the time I spent writing it was worth it to someone. And it's great encouragement. More on this later.
As for you lurkers... *waves madly* I don't bite! Really! And trust me when I say that whatever stupid comment you think you'd make, I've done worse, and will do worse. Being an idiot seems to be part of my life. ^__^ So really, nothing you say will ever be dumber than what I have or will do. I walk into doors (open and closed) and fall over from a standing position. >.>; Yeah. ^^; Remember![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
nikerymksherea's Nikkai? She based him off of me. *sheepish grin*
Also, Lurkers = new opinions. After a while a writer learns what her 'regular' readers like and sometimes tailors things to suit. New opinions mean an opportunity for a writer to grow and challenge herself with more diverse stories. All opinions are valuable. They may not always be acted upon, but they're still valuable information.
Confidence. We have none. Zero. This comic I was linked to summarizes pretty well. We are our own worst enemies. The first hour or three from when a story is first posted until the first comment arrives are always the worst, because you sit there biting your nails going "It sucks, it sucks, it sucks, they're going to hate it, I should never have posted it..." There's this terrible insecurity involved with putting your heart on paper, so you fret horribly over whether people think that this thing you love dearly is crap or not.
People are very fragile, and we of the creative persuasion always seem to think the worst of ourselves. Though a person may not comment on a wonderful story because they think they have nothing worth saying, to an author, the thought process goes something like this: Nobody commented = nobody read it (OR) nobody liked it = ZOMG I SUCK I WILL NEVER WRITE AGAIN!!! *SOB*
No, really. We're rather pathetic that way. And amazingly insecure. I'd post snippits of conversation between myself andmaderr in which we're trying to convince each other we don't suck, but she'd probably kill me. ^^; Suffice to say it happens with every single story we write. In M's case, every single chapter. >.>;
Finally, my thoughts as a Reader. Always, always, when I read something I try to leave a comment. Not just because it's polite, but because of a certain way of thinking I have that's always served me rather well in the past. It goes like this:
Comment Thought Process: Author writes pretty story. I read pretty story. Want more pretty story. Gush and squee and profuse undying love to Author. Author will write more story! Yay! Victory! ^^;
And nine times out of ten, it works. I don't really care if I make an idiot out of myself in the process. If it nets me more story, all's good. ;)
*hugs and cookies to you all*
Secondly, my thoughts on comments, from both a writer and a reader's point of view.
There is no such thing as a useless comment. I get a kick out of 'incoherent' comments, because they mean I did something right to reduce my readers to mindless squeeing. One of my favorite short comments is one Nikery left, that went something along the lines of: "GUH! Wait, I can write more... no, no I really can't. GUH." ^____^ Still makes me smile.
Just because someone already said what you were going to say does not make your opinion any less important. If more than one person liked a particular thing about a story, it lets me know that I'm on the right track there and a similar situation would probably be equally well-liked in future stories. :)
Have a favorite line or scene? Quote it! It gives me lots of warm fuzzies when a reader particularly likes a scene that I'm fond of. Plus, it lets me squee with you. ^___^ I'm very dorky that way.
Really, even a totally pointless, inane comment lets me know that the time I spent writing it was worth it to someone. And it's great encouragement. More on this later.
As for you lurkers... *waves madly* I don't bite! Really! And trust me when I say that whatever stupid comment you think you'd make, I've done worse, and will do worse. Being an idiot seems to be part of my life. ^__^ So really, nothing you say will ever be dumber than what I have or will do. I walk into doors (open and closed) and fall over from a standing position. >.>; Yeah. ^^; Remember
nikerymksherea's Nikkai? She based him off of me. *sheepish grin*Also, Lurkers = new opinions. After a while a writer learns what her 'regular' readers like and sometimes tailors things to suit. New opinions mean an opportunity for a writer to grow and challenge herself with more diverse stories. All opinions are valuable. They may not always be acted upon, but they're still valuable information.
Confidence. We have none. Zero. This comic I was linked to summarizes pretty well. We are our own worst enemies. The first hour or three from when a story is first posted until the first comment arrives are always the worst, because you sit there biting your nails going "It sucks, it sucks, it sucks, they're going to hate it, I should never have posted it..." There's this terrible insecurity involved with putting your heart on paper, so you fret horribly over whether people think that this thing you love dearly is crap or not.
People are very fragile, and we of the creative persuasion always seem to think the worst of ourselves. Though a person may not comment on a wonderful story because they think they have nothing worth saying, to an author, the thought process goes something like this: Nobody commented = nobody read it (OR) nobody liked it = ZOMG I SUCK I WILL NEVER WRITE AGAIN!!! *SOB*
No, really. We're rather pathetic that way. And amazingly insecure. I'd post snippits of conversation between myself and
maderr in which we're trying to convince each other we don't suck, but she'd probably kill me. ^^; Suffice to say it happens with every single story we write. In M's case, every single chapter. >.>;Finally, my thoughts as a Reader. Always, always, when I read something I try to leave a comment. Not just because it's polite, but because of a certain way of thinking I have that's always served me rather well in the past. It goes like this:
Comment Thought Process: Author writes pretty story. I read pretty story. Want more pretty story. Gush and squee and profuse undying love to Author. Author will write more story! Yay! Victory! ^^;
And nine times out of ten, it works. I don't really care if I make an idiot out of myself in the process. If it nets me more story, all's good. ;)
*hugs and cookies to you all*
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
(no subject)
Date: 2007-05-26 10:37 am (UTC)Believe me when I say I've read every single thing you've posted here (drabbles, random plot bunnies, *everything*) and that goes for
So possibly if you take the total average of people who comment and times it by 5, you would get the proper number of readers.
♥
(no subject)
Date: 2007-05-26 05:41 pm (UTC)*snicker* Barbie is wonderful inspiration. *mad cackling* I swear I could slash every one of those movies if I tried. ^_____^
sorry?
Date: 2007-05-29 05:27 am (UTC)but i really do enjoy your, nikki's, maderr's, and the other's works so much that i'd rather quote the whole fic and squee all over the place! ^^"
i should be more industrious with my comments so that the writer would really know that s/he is aprreciated. *^^*
*hugs you*
(no subject)
Date: 2007-05-29 08:14 pm (UTC)As a good example, I'm currently a couple weeks behind on your and maderr's stuff. For you I haven't read anything from Cowboys onwards, I'm just now looking through and commenting on this and doing the polls, but I probably wont get to the reading until tonight.
I also tend to be less likely to read in progress stuff for fear of cliff hangers, so my comments are less frequent with such things.
That said, I'm pretty sure I've said I love your stuff. I'm not sure I actually qualify as a lurker, since I've commented pretty frequently for me.
(no subject)
Date: 2007-05-30 10:22 pm (UTC)Haha, I'm usually good about avoiding cliffhangers because my stories are so short, but M kills me just about daily. >.> I swear she has this deep-rooted sadistic streak...
<3 Luv and Hugs <3
(no subject)
Date: 2007-06-02 03:31 pm (UTC)You have no idea of who I am but I secretly worship you. I'm sure I'm not the only one, so if you don't get comments or something like that think of all your secret admirers!! We all have a shrine with your name on it in our minds. Really!! ♥
(no subject)
Date: 2007-06-02 04:50 pm (UTC)... wait, what was I saying? >.> Oh, yes. ^^; Hee. *glomps the sekkrit lurker* I'm okay now. I had one of those moments of extreme insecurity and... ^^; Yeah. *blushie* But thanks for the note. ^____^ Profusions of worshipful love are always good. ^.~
*stares at your icon a bit more* Chaaaarlie....
(no subject)
Date: 2007-06-02 04:57 pm (UTC)Glad to know you're better now! :D I'll try to comment from now on (I'm always feeling shy for just coming out of nowhere ^^;;;; )
More Charlie!
(no subject)
Date: 2007-06-02 05:08 pm (UTC)*lol* I don't mind. ^^ I'm very easygoing. ;)
Ah, Charlie, Charlie, you are such a DORK, but a cute dork. *happysigh* I feel the need to go watch random bits again. *purr*
(no subject)
Date: 2007-06-02 08:45 pm (UTC)I've been collecting Ange merchandise for about 10 years. ^^;; I have the artbook, CDs, magazines, stamps, fasteners, cell phone charms..... and I won't mention all the jpg, movies and mp3s. XD;;;
It's a shame nothing was never officially translated T___T
(no subject)
Date: 2007-06-02 09:26 pm (UTC)Woah. You have me beat. ^^; I do have a cute clear pencilbox! And a few CDs. ^^ Forgot about those... Oh, and random volumes of Asuka magazine purchased just for the Ange freebies... *stupid grin* Postcard love... *.*
Ah, but that is what we have Rahenna and Marfisa for! ^^
(no subject)
Date: 2007-06-02 11:24 pm (UTC)Are they still working on translating Ange stuff? I thought they had given up!! They revamped their new site a while back... but I thought they didn't update it. Where did I put the URL....?
(no subject)
Date: 2007-06-09 10:39 pm (UTC)>.> They did? ó.ò Sadness! Guess Rahenna got all into Castlevania and forgot all about the pretty shoujo datingsim. :(
(no subject)
Date: 2007-06-02 04:18 pm (UTC)YES! EXACTLY! so coherent! so organized and well-thought-out! ^___________________^ ::loves::