Commenting and Upvoting Thoughts

This is a post of my observations and feelings. 

 

Today I noticed something. I won't say HOW I got to this particular thought but here's the outcome of some observations. These are all generalizations because face it, sometimes stories have more or less than these. These observations are based on the average I have noticed in my own stories. 

About one out of every 15 readers comments. Those other 14, if asked why they don't comment,  generally say they don't know what to say so say nothing.

But I can say (from conversing with other authors as well as my own thoughts) that it hurts when you see that your story has been read 14 times and no one has said anything. Like talking to a room of 14 people and they all walk out as you finish and don't say a word to you. 

Saying "I don't know what to say" seems... not right,  to me.  While I love the deeper comments, I'm of the mind that "I liked your story" is better than saying nothing. At least it's feedback.

But so fine, they don't want to say even that. Okay. How about an upvote then? After all, that's what the button is there for. To say "hey I liked this story! Thumbs up!" If they're unwilling to say anything, they can click a button and that, at the least, is feedback of its own. So you'd think that there are more upvotes than comments, right? Since it's so much easier to click a button than leave a comment? 

Well, wrong. About one in every 35 readers upvotes. That's less than half of the people who comment. 

I don't understand. If a story made me enjoy it, if I smiled or cried or gave a gasp of surprise or even just enjoyed the read, I leave a comment AND an upvote. I really can't understand why is so hard for people to do so! If you were listening to someone tell a story, and you stayed all the way through, would you really just walk away without a word? or clapping? or something? It just flabbergasts me. 

Okay, I'm done. 

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rumourhasit12 #1
I agree. That is why I try so hard to give feedback because every author deserves it. If i liked the story i tell the author that or upvote because it might help the author boost their confidence or something idk i just i try to tell them my thoughts to let them know that they made someone else's day or something. I don't think that that's hard to do.
biasedonaron1 #2
i think for some authors, they realize how easy it is to write a comment or upvote a story. ive always been vocal myself, just because i'm one to tell someone "hey wow you did a great job" bc i know how cool it is to see someone say something about your story
as you said, those people who feel they have nothing to say probably didn't think to say they liked the story, which is unfavourable. i think they also don't realize how much it means for story authors to get feedback.
and i agree. it . like "oh gosh i must be doing something wrong if no one seems to be saying anything" even though ive looked at the bookmarks per chapter and there are clearly people reading. so why dont they say anything?
i dont know how fix it either, and its frustrating and tbh i have nothing to present other than a different point of view
xiu_mine #3
Oh and kudos to the AFF admins, for putting that Kudos reminder at the foreword and every end of each chapter, a brief and friendly reminder to be appreciative of someone else's hard work. I hope people won't ignore that (or at least try to comment instead of upvote if that just won't do)
xiu_mine #4
What a sad thing it is to be a writer who writes freely and not getting anything at all, not even a breath of gratitude. Not saying everyone is obliged to comment, most especially those who didn't know what to say, because trying to comment in every fic makes the words come out a lot easier the next time around. And besides, this world could use a little more kindness and appreciation. I hope everyone tries it, even once in a while (eventually it will become a habit and everyone's gonna be a bit more happy)
DeadRose #5
i agree here. some of my stories have between 100-300 is my average subbers (few got up to 400-2000), on an average, i get maybe 2-10 comments per chapter if that, yet i see my the chapter being read 100-200+ times and im like...no one?
when i do get a comment i get the irritating 'please update soon' and im like...asking me to update soon isn't going to make me update soon,
how about telling my why you want me to update soon? did you like the chapter? what did you like about it? what do you think is going to happen next? tell me your feels! but i get 'pls update' and im at the point of like, if thats all you gotta say, but dont bother!
fefedove #6
usually when i don't know what to say (and that's often), i just say that haha. i mean, if a fic is so good it makes me speechless, i have to let the author know, right?
maybe if all readers are also writers, they'd understand that we need feedback (and support and attention) heh
sleepingprince #7
In my opinion it's the thoughts and effort that counts :) Just as much as we have received from the author , we should also try our best to give back by expressing gratitude , leave some honest feedback and etc
DGNA_Forever #8
I agree! It's really not that hard to leave a comment, or at least an upvote. Upvoting is like applause and if your crowd didn't clap at all, it wouldn't feel good. A simple comment and upvote aren't big things to do, especially when you just sat and read the story.
HeadToToesLove #9
Same. Its so much more... energizing and fulfilling and motivating to have some type of feedback as opposed to nothing.
Blu3Wind #10
I agreee so muchhh!!!
You know how people keep saying "write for yourself and not for others" and that "depending on other's feedback makes you a lousy writer" but I come to find that's not true. What is the point of writing for others if no one is there to read it? How can you improve if no one is there to point out what they liked about the story and what could be improved on? I like fanfic sites because of reader and writer interaction per chapter, which wouldnt be possible when publishing an actual novel.

Also, one in 15 readers will comment? I wished that were true. For one story I have 90 subs and only 2 people who comment.. It makes me feel I'm doing something wrong with the story >.<
takingchences #11
I agree
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