Week 8 Comments and Feedback

Overall, I've enjoyed and learned from most of the comments on my blog. The best comments are ones that point out very specific things they like, dislike, or have questions about. Readers that really engage with the story and give their honest opinion on my writing help me reflect the most on my stories and learn about how others saw them. Comments that are general or just offer positive praise aren't as helpful, but they make up a minority of the comments I receive.

I've tried to leave thoughtful comments on each post I read, but some are definitely better than others. When I follow the WWW or TAG guidelines, it's easier to write longer, more thorough feedback. I also find that I write the best feedback when I already find the story I'm reading to be well-written. Then I can really focus on one or two specific points that I think could improve. If I find a lot of grammatical errors or think the plot is confusing in a story, I sometimes don't know where to start in my comment and end up making it vague and fake-sounding; going forward I want to be more focused in these comments. I like how the random commenting assignments help me discover new stories and new blogs that often inspire my writing in the future.

I do feel like I'm getting to know some people and connecting with them through their blogs. When I read a story I really like or think someone sounds interesting from their introduction, I try to read their posts and see how their ideas are developing. I also notice some of the same people comment on my stories from week to week.

I just made a change to my comment wall asking for tips on what I should do differently to encourage people to give honest criticism. When I make comments going forward, I've found that taking quick notes as I read helps me be more focused in my feedback comment. I will definitely keep using the WWW strategy.

I chose this image from the "Feedback Infographics" page because Daring Greatly by Brene Brown is one of my favorite books, and I liked what this infographic said. I think the core of this infographic is honesty, empathy, and vulnerability, three essential parts for both people involved in the feedback process.