Why Comments Are Important

Imagine you’re going out somewhere like a bar or nice restaurant with your friends, and you’re wearing an outfit you weren’t quite sure about when you tried it on in the dressing room. Maybe you’re not used to wearing pastels, or it hugs your body a way in which you’re not accustomed.

Still, you bought it. You’re going out on a limb and taking a chance to wear it in public. You want to experiment. What you’re probably hoping for is that at least someone will look at your new threads and say, “Hey, I like this.” But one of the worst things that could happen is that they say nothing and just kind of … stare.

Writers, especially new writers, have to try on a lot of different outfits when publishing their work. In the age of experimentation, desperate to hook the reader’s attention, it can be difficult to know what’s actually working and what isn’t.

Given, there are undetermined factors, fluke incidents that can bring engagement to life overnight. For the most part, writers have to stay in tune to what their readers are actually consuming and why. This is, you guessed it, the part where we’re hoping for someone to say, “Hey, I like this,” or at least something to show us we’re heading on the right path.

Vocal just recently gave the option, platform wide, to allow comments on published stories. This has been, from my experience, one of the most enlightening tools. Of course, a writer can try to determine engagement based on a story’s statistics, but that doesn’t always illustrate why people are or aren’t reading a story.

So, if you’re ever browsing on Vocal (or any other platform for that matter) and you stop on a story long enough to feel engaged, it can benefit the writer and the reader, a.k.a you, by leaving a comment about what’s working well in the story, what you really liked. Why? The writer will get some constructive feedback so that they won’t have to keep poking around in the dark, and you will most likely get to see more of what you liked in their future writing. Win-win.

Notice I said, “constructive feedback”? Let’s think back to the analogy of the new outfit. What do you think is worse than people saying nothing and staring? That’s right, someone saying something like, “Eww, that’s so ugly.” Mostly, what that’s doing is tearing down instead of building up. One of the best ways to support a writer is to build them up, express what you enjoy about their work, and give them motivation to keep writing.

“Wait,” you may think. “It’s not always so cut and dry.” And you would be right. I grew, sometimes uncomfortably, familiar with the dicey, cut-throat literary critique in my college writing workshops and beta reading groups. You may have the best intentions but don’t want to lie if you didn’t enjoy a piece of writing, or it may seem like honesty can be the best way to encourage a creative’s growth, but how can you be honest without completely ruining someone’s passion?

Firstly, it’s helpful to understand that when you’re engaging with stories on a platform like this, you are not being invited to brutally critique the writer’s work. This is not a workshop. The writer is not volunteering Katniss Everdeen style to be metaphorically torn apart.

Most likely, they are sharing their work so readers can find entertainment or inspiration. Some readers may not like their story based on a personal preference, and that comes with the territory. It’s just like when you wear that new outfit in public, although a stranger may pass by and decide they wouldn’t wear it themselves, you’re not asking them to debate your style.

Keeping that in mind, what is the best way to express in the comments whether you did or didn’t like someone’s work? Let’s start with the latter. So, you took the time to read a story, and unfortunately by the end, you weren’t satisfied for some reason or another, maybe it didn’t quite click with you. What should you say in the comments to express your distaste? Nothing. If you honestly didn’t find anything you liked in the story, the best thing to do is leave the comments and move on, find a story that you enjoy.

I’m not saying there isn’t a time or place to discuss what can be improved within a piece, but the comments of a writer’s story, almost always, isn’t the best place for that. Trust me when I say that the majority of writers who are publishing, even on platforms like Vocal, are probably working actively with some sort of editor, beta reader, or group of fellow writers to receive critique … in private. There’s a metaphorical Wizard of Oz curtain separating their effort of improving their writing in the backend and what they actually release to the public.

“Wait,” you may say. “My opinion matters, and I should be able to discuss why I didn’t like something.” My friend, you would be right. Everyone is entitled to their opinion and should be able to express it. The best way to critique someone’s work could be in a private group of other readers who like to discuss literature, or perhaps you could write a thoughtful analysis of their writing and publish it independent from the original piece. The importance is that it’s separate and not literally attached to the critiqued story.

Why? Think about a time when you were learning a new skill, maybe while playing a sport or doing something creative. Now, think back to all those little mistakes you made when you were just starting out. What if you had to wear a badge describing each mistake, and every badge was written by different people with varied opinions and tastes? Wouldn’t that be humiliating? In addition, it would be even more difficult to prove that you have talent, that you’re worth the time.

The best way to use this platform and the ability to connect with readers and writers alike is to build each other up, express why their work was worth the time, and accept that you may come across stories you don’t like.

So, let’s say you discovered a buried gem of a story that changed your life, or maybe it was just interesting enough to keep you hooked. What’s the best way to express that you enjoyed the story in the comments? Of course, writers will always appreciate a quick, “Hey, I like this.”

However, the most helpful feedback is specific. What did you like about the story? What moved you? Even if you quote a single line that resonated within you, that gives the writer some sort of idea of what’s working well.

Alternatively, if you had mixed feelings, maybe there were things you found fascinating but also parts that could be boring, it’s still helpful to explain what you admired. When given some sort of direction, a writer will almost always gravitate to writing more about what the readers seemed to enjoy.

Since comments have been active on Vocal, I have been scrolling through and reading the responses from readers on my own stories, and honestly, that was the motivation I needed to keep writing some days. Not all writers are the same. Some may choose not to accept comments, and some may never read them for whatever reason. But for many of us, it makes a huge difference.

Now, what if you’re a writer and you’ve started to get comments from readers on your stories, but you’re not sure how to respond? Try to match their effort. If a lovely reader has taken the time to follow you and write a detailed response about what intrigued them in your story, give them a follow back. Perhaps step from behind the curtain for a bit and discuss more about your story with them. Have they published any of their own work? Maybe take the time to read some of their writing and leave a comment.

The best way for growth in our community is to build each other up, express what we love, and, you guessed it, be vocal.