Regarding Comments on Member Works

Hey Folks,

This is just meant as a friendly reminder of what we're trying to do here, not a chastisement over any specific problem or person. In fact, if anything there haven't been any problems -- mostly because there just haven't been that many of you.  (Yes, that's a bad thing!)

I want to offer this tiny scrap of advice regarding comments: Before you say, "Loved it!" or "Great job!" ask yourself this question: "WHY?"

Two word ass-pats, backslaps, and attaboys are worse than patronizing and unhelpful, they're actually leading writers down bad paths. They think that because people 'liked it' that means it's 'good' -- which isn't necessarily true.

I understand that some things are objective. Leanne, for example, is a hardass. 100 people might tell me that a poem I wrote was amazing and they loved it, and she might say, "Total dreck. the meter's off, the rhymes are awful, and the theme is cliche -- you really need to think about what you're doing before you waste my time like this."

That doesn't mean she's wrong. It doesn't mean the other 100 are. BUt I'll say this. If I get 100 "great jobs" and then Leanne's comment, i'm going to listen to her. She was specific. She told me WHY it was dreck. She told me the problem areas. She offered support for her assertion.

If you're going to say "Good job" or "Loved it" -- give at least 3 reasons why.

Please.

"It made me feel good" tells me WHY you were reading it. Yes, it will diminish your credibility as a critic, but at least i can respect that as a valid reason, as much as I might dismiss it in my evaluation of the effectiveness of my work.

"It has great flow" .. honestly, means nothing to me. Some people might mean the ideas are coherent and flow together, others might mean it's easy to read. Still others might be talking about the meter. Again, I will dismiss it, but I'll understand where you're coming from and I will appreciate that a hell of a lot more than 'good job'

"I like this 'insert quoted line' line here" -- unsupported with a reason WHY you liked it, it's not very helpful, but it's nice to know. If you like it because the metaphor, the internal rhyme and meter complimenting the theme or symbolizing a greater deeper message.. that's different than.."It's wicked cool!"

"it really took me back to when ...xxx .. happened to me" -- actually, this one i really like. First of all, it gives me specific ideas on how i can focus my words, possibly give me ideas for new poetry, and finally, it shows that there's an element of universeality in the experience.

To sum this all up... Ask and answer the question "WHY" before you say "Good job!"