Feeling frustrated

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HistoryPrincess

Senior Member
#1
Feb 20, 2016
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No, this is not another rant. I'm just discouraged.

I'm now writing what could be my debut novel. I would like to get some feedback so I can make the book worthy of publication, so I'm posting my rough drafts of the chapters. Problem is I've written and posted 5 chapters, and posted them on Quotev, Deviantart, and Fanfiction.net, and only one person has commented on any of them in the 2 weeks since I’ve posted them.

People don’t realize how authors (fanfiction or otherwise) appreciate feedback. Posting something anywhere now is so disheartening because you spend hours writing and editing (sometimes whole days) and get maybe forty views and two favorites. No comments, of course.

And whenever you complain about not getting any feedback, people take it as you whining about no one liking your stuff. People, you don’t have to comment on everything you read, but do it every once in awhile. It could really make someone’s day.

But what I’m writing is not fanfiction. And if I can’t get any feedback, I can’t improve on my book.
 
Magenta

Magenta

Senior Member
#2
Jul 3, 2015
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Carrie by Stephen King was rejected 30 times before it was published. One rejection letter read: "We are not interested in science fiction which deals with negative utopias. They do not sell."

No comments may be better than negative comments :)

On the other hand, lack of positive feed back does not sound good...

My daughter spends (or used to spend) an inordinate amount of time reading fan fiction, and other various writings, online. I will try to remember to ask her what her comment rate on such things was, the next time I talk with her :)
 
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HistoryPrincess

Senior Member
#3
Feb 20, 2016
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Magenta said:
Carrie by Stephen King was rejected 30 times before it was published. One rejection letter read: "We are not interested in science fiction which deals with negative utopias. They do not sell."

No comments may be better than negative comments :)
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I suppose. Still, sometimes any word is better than no word at all. At least the person bothered to make his opinion known.

And yes, I've heard of stories like that. J.K. Rowling went from publisher to publisher when she wrote the first Harry Potter book. The only reason she got her break was because this one publishing employee's 8-year-old niece was allowed to read the first chapter, and she wanted the rest.
 
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HistoryPrincess

Senior Member
#4
Feb 20, 2016
1,154
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#4
Magenta said:
Carrie by Stephen King was rejected 30 times before it was published. One rejection letter read: "We are not interested in science fiction which deals with negative utopias. They do not sell."

No comments may be better than negative comments :)

On the other hand, lack of positive feed back does not sound good...

My daughter spends (or used to spend) an inordinate amount of time reading fan fiction, and other various writings, online. I will try to remember to ask her what her comment rate on such things was, the next time I talk with her :)
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It was was also really King's wife Tabitha who convinced him to even finish the manuscript after fishing out the rough draft from the trash.
 
Magenta

Magenta

Senior Member
#5
Jul 3, 2015
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HistoryPrincess said:
I suppose. Still, sometimes any word is better than no word at all. At least the person bothered to make his opinion known.

And yes, I've heard of stories like that. J.K. Rowling went from publisher to publisher when she wrote the first Harry Potter book. The only reason she got her break was because this one publishing employee's 8-year-old niece was allowed to read the first chapter, and she wanted the rest.
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Do you have some kind of a view counter on your writing endeavors? I am not sure how such things work, as I am not a fan of fan fiction or other online fiction, and only know of these things mostly from my daughter, who was such a huge fan of manga and anime that she taught herself the Japanese language as a result :) I am wondering because it is possible that the view count does not accurately reflect the number of people who read to the end, and those people who do not read to the end would probably not be any where near as inclined to comment as someone who read the whole story, or installment :)
 
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HistoryPrincess

Senior Member
#6
Feb 20, 2016
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#6
Magenta said:
Do you have some kind of a view counter on your writing endeavors? I am not sure how such things work, as I am not a fan of fan fiction or other online fiction, and only know of these things mostly from my daughter, who was such a huge fan of manga and anime that she taught herself the Japanese language as a result :) I am wondering because it is possible that the view count does not accurately reflect the number of people who read to the end, and those people who do not read to the end would probably not be any where near as inclined to comment as someone who read the whole story, or installment :)
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Well I'm not actually done with the book yet.

And the view counts from these sites are mostly the same thing. And about fanfiction, that was how I decided to be a writer. I've been writing and honing my craft since I was thirteen (25 now) and fanfiction is a good way to practice.
 
Magenta

Magenta

Senior Member
#7
Jul 3, 2015
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HistoryPrincess said:
Well I'm not actually done with the book yet.

And the view counts from these sites are mostly the same thing. And about fanfiction, that was how I decided to be a writer. I've been writing and honing my craft since I was thirteen (25 now) and fanfiction is a good way to practice.
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There seems to be a staggering amount of fan fiction online o_O
 
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LittleMermaid

Guest
#9
#9
Hey HP! What is your book about? What if you post it here for us to read and critique? Maybe you will get a better audience to help you.
 
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HistoryPrincess

Senior Member
#10
Feb 20, 2016
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#10
LittleMermaid said:
Hey HP! What is your book about? What if you post it here for us to read and critique? Maybe you will get a better audience to help you.
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I was actually just gonna ask.

The only problem though is...I've posted things here that I'm not proud of...and I don't want really want other people to see them and think wrong things about me...
 
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LittleMermaid

Guest
#11
#11
HistoryPrincess said:
I was actually just gonna ask.

The only problem though is...I've posted things here that I'm not proud of...and I don't want really want other people to see them and think wrong things about me...
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Sis, you do whatever you feel comfortable with. Just know that we all make mistakes and post stuff that we regret later. I know I've done it myself! lol
 
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HistoryPrincess

Senior Member
#12
Feb 20, 2016
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#12
LittleMermaid said:
Sis, you do whatever you feel comfortable with. Just know that we all make mistakes and post stuff that we regret later. I know I've done it myself! lol
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Yes, but such things can also cost you a job or a publishing gig, not to mention reputation points.
 
Nehemiah6

Nehemiah6

Senior Member
#13
Jul 18, 2017
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#13
HistoryPrincess said:
I would like to get some feedback so I can make the book worthy of publication...
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Rather than look for this kind of feedback study the writings of those who you feel write well and learn some lessons. Then complete your manuscript and send it to the publishers who appreciate and publish the kind of book you have put together.
 
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HistoryPrincess

Senior Member
#14
Feb 20, 2016
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#14
Nehemiah6 said:
Rather than look for this kind of feedback study the writings of those who you feel write well and learn some lessons. Then complete your manuscript and send it to the publishers who appreciate and publish the kind of book you have put together.
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I've studied several different writers. I've been writing and learning about writing for 12 years. Besides, I'm not the only author who posts their rough drafts online for feedback.
 
zeroturbulence

zeroturbulence

Senior Member
#15
Aug 2, 2009
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Since you've been honing your writing skills since you were young, you are probably the best critic of your own writing. In fact, I wouldn't trust random people's opinions. I would try to find someone who works for a publisher or maybe a writer whose work you respect to look at it. Just make sure you are able to somehow copyright it first so no one can steal it.
 
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HistoryPrincess

Senior Member
#16
Feb 20, 2016
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In any event, I'm gonna ask for early opinions/critiques anyway. One author that I like a lot did the same thing and she ended up gaining a big following.

Besides, my book's not even done yet.
 
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