Feedback etiquette

[superbadgirl]

Out of curiosity, to any writers, vidders, icon makers, etc - do you respond to all feedback comments you get?

[Poll #1221629]

I'm curious, because I really strive to give a quick thanks...but have often in the past not received the same courtesy from others. I know, really, there's no obligation (especially on those stupid ff.net stories which garner a ridiculous amount of "reviews"), but I also find it kind of rude when an author/vidder/icon maker doesn't respond at all. It rankles, too, when the author begs for feedback, and then doesn't thank people for stroking her ego, often without merit doing so.

Comments

[el1ie.livejournal.com]

The thing is, with you I know you want the feedback but I also know you want to know if you've missed out a word or got something back to front (I've never had a problem with anything of yours except maybe a missed word once) and I know if anything is pointed out to you, you'll go in, take a look at what you've done and if the criticism is fair you make the effort to improve. That's what impresses me and why you'll always get feedback off me if it's something I've read.

That's the part I didn't really answer, yes, I've left feedback many a time and been totally ignored and yeah, it miffs me. There are times I can see that some things fall through the cracks, you can usually judge that, then there are those who really only reply to "friends" - that's rude if you ask me and very plain to see if you're reading on l/j. Most authors have something to say about their work or just leave the standard "thanks for reading" which is all I really expect, but even that in pages of interactive feedback can seem very dismissive as though you've intruded in a private conversation.

I think the main problem with the SPN fandom is twofold, one it exists mainly in l/j which is friend based and pretty personal unlike something like SG1 where the boards were the main talking place and far more neutral with most fic archived in large open sites. Two, it's very, very young, well actually more than that, it's very immature in a lot of it's ways and that's where the wank usually starts, someone usually makes a remark that they have the inside scoop or the best community and off it goes.

I admit I dabble a bit more than you do, it's shark infested waters....but amusing to outsiders like me sometimes... :))

I still find the personal nature of l/j more off putting in being free to make, not critical feedback but suggestive feedback, there is the personal message system, but not everyone checks that or do they just ignore it? I don't know, but finding something readable for me (that means not too many mistakes) is getting harder and NO ONE is making any corrections at all, only praising and lauding and digging deeper and deeper grammatical spelling shit holes if you ask me.

I guess I was spoilt with SG1 - most story archives I read from were an incredibly high standard all around, I'm hunting out just a few authors around here I can read without gouging my eyes out.

I'm a rude fussy bitch in other words...

[superbadgirl]

That's another thing that boggles me. I suppose I should accept that there are people out there who think it's fun to produce anything, but to me half of the enjoyment I get out of writing is refining and learning how to do it better. It sucks to be told I write clunky sentences or too often use four words where one would work. But I do, and I recognize it's not always the best way to write.

That's the part I didn't really answer, yes, I've left feedback many a time and been totally ignored and yeah, it miffs me. There are times I can see that some things fall through the cracks, you can usually judge that, then there are those who really only reply to "friends" - that's rude if you ask me and very plain to see if you're reading on l/j. Most authors have something to say about their work or just leave the standard "thanks for reading" which is all I really expect, but even that in pages of interactive feedback can seem very dismissive as though you've intruded in a private conversation.

Oh, I've been there. I like to read comments sometimes, to see what others thought and things they picked up on. I don't begrudge people their friends, but it is rather like I've dropped in uninvited.

I think the main problem with the SPN fandom is twofold, one it exists mainly in l/j which is friend based and pretty personal unlike something like SG1 where the boards were the main talking place and far more neutral with most fic archived in large open sites. Two, it's very, very young, well actually more than that, it's very immature in a lot of it's ways and that's where the wank usually starts, someone usually makes a remark that they have the inside scoop or the best community and off it goes.

I don't play well with the very young, now that I'm a cantankerous old lady. LOL.

Even though I felt like something of an outsider on SG1HC, I do miss the Yahoo group environment. I tried to join and SPN one, but while the gen-ness of it appealed to me, their "rules" were downright offensive and bigoted. (Gen is great, but that does not mean slash is evilyuckybad.) And even though toward the end OS was not the place for me, the times I had at that forum in the beginning were quite nice. I liked the discussion and the familiarity of it.

I don't know, but finding something readable for me (that means not too many mistakes) is getting harder and NO ONE is making any corrections at all, only praising and lauding and digging deeper and deeper grammatical spelling shit holes if you ask me.

Yeah, see, this is what I don't get. Sadly, though, I think this carries forward outside of fandom and into the real world. I've mentioned before how much I cringe every time a certain highly-placed person at work sends out communication. It's important to get it right, and to know you're not able to get it right yourself and enlist help.

[el1ie.livejournal.com]

Hehe, I've been a cantankerous old lady for DECADES! Welcome to the club. :))

Sadly it's amazing how much bad spelling slips through on stuff that has two or three betas listed, so I think you're right it seems to be insidious in everything that striving to do something correctly is not as important as getting the praise for simply outputting something.

::shrug::