Hi everyone...

I'm registered on this site since about a year and I commented quite a few stories. The problem I encountered was that people really prefer the comments on their stories differently.
I actually avoided registering on this site since I was used a rougher climate from another fiction site and didn't want to melt people in the rain. In the end I did it anyway because someone started to complain she got too few comments.

Well I try to be on the save side and avoid to write real reviews (the bad, the good, the upshot) because I fear people might be hurt. I seldom to never saw a real review here (except maybe on really old stories)... I guess it's just not wanted.

I guess you can write praise. "I liked the story because of x,y,z." Which is quite secure since every author likes to hear praise, but might also leave a hollow feeling. I mean it's ok when you get like 20 comments that tell you your story is awesome, but when there are three that say "well done" and maybe 20 kudos, you start wondering - well I do. I guess sometimes people just don't like the story, or the genre, which is ok, but it would be nice to know the reason. It could just be bad writing.
On the other hand I don't dare to write a mostly negative comment either. I don't really want to discourage the author, the site requires you to be nice and s/he might be better next time.

Questions and speculations: I guess most commenters do this. Ask questions about stuff they didn't really understand or speculate about the/a sequel or the next episode. I personally tend to do that pretty often, but as I was probably subtly told some people don't appreciate it and understand it as underhanded malicious critic. I don't mean it that way, but what can I or everyone else do? Stop commenting at all, or add a signature (PS: Sorry if I put my footh in my mouth or somehow hurt you, I didn't mean it.)?

I wonder... is it possible to integrate some new choices into the fiction posting system that display what kind of comments the author wants? I certainly don't want to end up being called a socially imbecile fool again because I didn't realize an author didn't want anything that could be interpreted as critic in the comments on her story. I don't want to discourage authors, because the story sort of gave me flashbacks and sent the eyes to keyboard interface into overdrive ^^.

A system like this might help:
- no comments at all
- no critic
- no questions
- no speculation
- no emotions/hate

or is it just over the top and I worry for nothing? I don't know about everyone else, but I'd like to know if I screwed up something, or what I could do better. On the other hand I don't want to piss off people with my comments, but encourage the authors to write more.

Do you have some ideas what to do?
Beyogi