Feedback Or The Lack Thereof

This is a place for discussing feedback, criticism [constructive or otherwise], and response to art. I think it's a very meaningful topic- motives, desires. .art is something personal, and the display of such is the same. What's important to you? -AdamB

Feedback isn't very important to me. It used to be, way back when I first started writting. I was insecure about my work. Feedback of any kind was good because it meant I was doing something, good or bad. I was obnoxious in my need for approval or criticism. I think that's something a lot of artists have to outgrow- dependancy upon an audience. Now, what's important to me isn't the attention or the response- it's the work, pure and simple. It's pure self expression. If it touches others, I'm delighted. If they have something to say, that's wonderful, and of course I would love to hear. But what I need and desire comes from within the writting itself. More on giving feedback later. Thoughts? -AdamB

Like Adam, I used to have a lot more need for feedback on my writings then I do now. Of course, I like to know if there's anything I should change around or fix, but I'm usually good about detecting that myself. I don't need lots of positive response on my writing, though it would be nice... I write for myself, and to commmunicate my thoughts and feelings to the world. I write because I want to keep a record of my life. I write because I want to be remembered.

~Eire

okay like, wow, i haven't been able to use wiki in forever cuz my computer is being strange, so i don't know where to start... but this page is really interesting for me. recently i did something very organized,hehe, i played every single one of my songs and wrote down exactly what i thought about every little detail - what was strong, what was weak, what needed polishing, etc. and it occured to me if anyone else was like, "dude, your chorus SUCKS!" it would prolly hurt my feelings. but the thing is, sometimes my choruses do suck...but i think in a way i'm my own best critic, that the standard i hold myself to is the one that's the most important to me. when someone says something nice about my work it feels all warm and fuzzy but it's nothing compared to the sheer glow i get from creating it in the first place. i create because i have this need to, and i hope that in doing what i want that i entertain, enlighten, or help other people. and now i have to go. sigh. jenny

If I draw something I really like, I'll show it to others..I usually don't look for much feedback for some reason. I guess maybe I'm not all that keen on improving my drawing abilities, at least through others' comments... most of my writing is in my journal, which I keep private. If I especially like something I'll post/read it sometimes...but it's really just an outlet for all my emotions and thoughts, sort of a way to order them and vent. Inexpensive self-therapy. When I dance, I like to get just a few criticisms at a time...not too many, enough for me to concentrate on. Compliments make me happy they're hard to come by. - Emma

"Constructive criticism" has never really helped me. First of all, I find that most people usually don't give it in a very helpful way. Also, I often end up focusing on the more negative things they said, and begin to doubt my work, and worry about pleasing others instead of myself. Praise is always nice and uplifting, but can sometimes have the same effect as negative comments for me, because I'll start to think "What do other people want? What do they like? Will they like this?" etc. and that sometimes inhibits me...at least until I can work around it. I was thinking today about my writing, and how I really love it when people comment on things they like about it. But then I thought "If no one ever said anything about my writing again, would I continue doing it?" and I realized that I would, because it's something I feel I HAVE to do to be whole and contented...it's just a part of me, a really important form of self expression. And when I think of it that way, comments become nice, but not something I feel I can't do without. ~Becky~

Strangely enough, I find it a lot easier to accept 'constructive critisism' than compliments. You can do something about critism... look at it, change it or not either way you look at your piece in a different way and think about it and hopefully understand it more. Which can't be bad. I don't like "Oh that sucks" coments though. I like "I don't like the rhythm at this part, it's too predictable" much much much better.

Come to think of it, I kind of don't like feedback at all most of the time. If I want it, I'll ask for it. Not that I don't like it when people tell me they like my stuff... it's just not part of... the writing process, I suppose. I like it when people keep my things, read them several times, get something from them. I write because I care. If other people care too, that... not 'valitates' it, but that kind of thing... Caring is the reason the things I write are written. My caring, and other people's caring.

bad habit: no feedback/comments = negative criticism. now that just don't slide. i always feel funny asking for feedback on writing er whatever.. on wiki or otherwise. i dunno, i like the idea of unspoken opinion more, somehow... for whatever reasons. but then, if they don't say anything, i assume that they hate it. i love to have writings citisized. i really do. i like receiving people's honest opinions, even if i don't necessarily like them. so either i gotta get up the nerve to ask people what they think, or... i'm doomed to unsatisfaction as a writer? uhh. peace out.

                                                -moth

I love getting comments on my writing, though I'm always nervous over it, in amounts directly proportionate to how much work I've put into the piece, and how much respect I have for the person who's reviewing it. Someone said that constructive critisism made her look at her writing in a different way, drawing attention to the way it could have been. (Or something like that. I'm too tired to look.) That's true in a way, but thoughtful comments always get me to look at a story again, and often to rewrite parts of it. The most helpful thing to me is when someone goes, "Such and such part was good, for such and such reasons. Try to make the rest of it more like that." Now there's something I can really use.

Oh dear. Am I rambling here? Once again, I must cite lack of sleep...

- Naela

sometimes i think the only reason i write is to hear people comment on it. granted, i would keep writing even if i was stranded on a deserted planet 89 million light years from here, with no one to read my writing. i can't help it. writing is like breathing. but, i do get those flashes of "it's not worth it" if no one acknowledges my writing. it's so frustrating for me. i'm on three different lists where i share my writing, and very few people comment on it. compliments are nice, yes, but there's only so many "wow"s you can get. i love it when people tell me that there was a particular line that spoke to them, or they take my poem and comment on a specific phrasing, or what have you. i like critism, becuase you can DO something with that. you don't have to change your piece because of it, but at least it gives you an idea of how your writing is being interpreted. that's all for now.. comments? <grin> RoyaBoya

• I think I just fell in love you. ~Jasmine

I just remembered something i wanted to add to this... in the past year, a friend of mine posted a poem on one of my lists. I love comments, and I liked her poem, thought it was great, and still had a lot of potential to tap into. so what did i do? i did what i'd love for people to do to MY stuff, of course. i commented on it, line by line. i got totally chewed out for it. i was shocked. i had no idea she'd feel attacked like that. and i didn't even put all negative things either (nothing negative, actually, now that i think about it.) just things like "oh i like this line, maybe expand on it?" kind of stuff. so anyways, that was an eye opener to me that not everyone likes the same ammount of critism i do. (is ammount spelled with one or two m's? argh) another thing that about comments/critism is that, it's associated with attention for me. and attention is something i like. so maybe that's why i like feedback so much. RoyaBoya

Second Roya on thatI love attention. As much as possible! Seriously, I was surprised at all of the "I don't really care if people say anything about my work" comments here. I'm a major feedback junkie (uh... hint, hint ;) ). I started writing poetry as a means of communication. Self-expression, yes, but I know myself pretty well. When I fell in love for the first time (which began a very formative four-year relationship) it was on a computer BBS, a small local one with several discussion boards and a poetry board. My sweetie and I posted poetry that was mostly for each other. I was initially attracted to him because of his writing. I know some of my poetry was directly, though subtly, in response to his, and I think his was the same. This produced a lot of unbareable sap, some really beautiful work, but most of all, a fantastic and really personal, memorable dynamic. I still have the log of that poetry board, or at least, the last two years of it before the BBS was shut down.

I like more specific feedback too though. Constructive criticism is great, although I almost never retroactively implement it, I do tend to keep it in mind for future work. I guess I have a sort of range though. I don't care if I get that much feedback on textile projectsa "Wow, you made that yourself?" every now and then is fine, 'cause I'm still a beginner, and I don't know what I'd do with more extensive commentary. A little more feedback is good for my sculpture and drawing/painting, but it's not that big a deal. Poetry and short stories, I especially love getting responses to... personal, technical, analytical, critical... in as much detail as possible. Text adventure games / MU* descriptions, I also want lots of feedback, although being able to watch someone play/explore conveniently counts as feedback there. - Julie(lipse

(BTW: the satisfaction of my creative urges preserved can be found at http://www.nbtsc.org/~julieclipse/entrance.html )