Comments

One of the great things about BigCloset is the large group of motivated and thoughtful commenters, mostly authors helping authors by being encouraging and occasionally gently correcting each others faults.

However, another story has been removed at the author's request after some negative comments. I don't think anyone involved really wanted that to happen.

Here's the way to write a negative comment:

Begin by complimenting something you liked about the story. If there was nothing you liked well enough to do this part, don't comment. Why should you spend the effort if you disliked the story that much?

Make your negative criticism. Don't make a list. One or two negative items is about right, three may be too many. Be polite. Phrase things as possible improvements or suggestions you'd like to see. Consider the personality of the author involved, you don't want to hurt feelings and you don't want fights to start. Try to ooze respect. :) Once again, if you can't do this, why bother?

End by complimenting the story or the author again. It can be a repeat of the earlier compliment if you're feeling lazy or can't think of something else but try to be sincere. Again, anything really worth doing is worth doing right.

Reread your comment. Write a respectful subject line that is not negative. Consider whether this particular comment might be better sent privately rather than publicly posted attached to the story before sending it.

If you've done a good job of writing constructive criticism, you'll feel good about it. If you don't feel good about it, don't post it. What would be the point?

Here's things not to do, in particular:

DON'T write a laundry list. Multiple negative items multiply negative impact.

DON'T agree with somebody's earlier negative comment for the same reason. This is a classic better sent privately sort of comment, if it needs doing at all.

DON'T ride your own hobby horse. If you've made the same sort of negative comment to more than two other authors, shut up on that subject. One reason for being quiet is that likely, no one's listening to you anymore because you are probably trying to get people to write to your tastes rather than actually making helpful comments. Matters of taste are indisputable but just because you don't like something doesn't mean that other people don't. The other reason, more applicable in cases of grammar or spelling police, is that seeing the same complaints over and over is just tiresome. Proofreading problems should really be sent privately if extensive, anyway, because they would be laundry lists.

DON'T expect things to change or any sort of appreciation. You've just offered free advice and all the old saws apply. If authors should develop thicker skins for dealing with the public, well, so should reviewers.

Things to do:

DO be respectful. You'd like it if others did for you, so show some effort.

DO be honest. All this is worth it only if the negative comments actually mean something.

DO write reviews. My instructions here are meant to be reflexive, the only one of my own above rules I'm violating is not make lists. So none of this is meant to discourage reviewers.

All that said, in the largest sense BigCloset is successful BECAUSE of the quality of stories AND REVIEWS that appear here. We're not a composition class nor a factory, we're a group of friendly writers and readers who get together to enjoy reading and writing stories.

Hugs to all,
Erin