Let's talk about Feedback!

[Jesse Michener]

Is is more helpful to you:

a) to have feedback contained within one thread, where you must post the work you would like feedback on and thus be very purposeful about requesting feedback, or

b) within any thread, thereby opening up all work as potential "fair game" for feedback?

Think about it and let me know your thoughts on the above question as well as any thoughts you have on the feedback process.

Thanks!

Jesse

[BelovedK]

I'd have to go with 'b' Just posting is the request for feedback IMO. I think if someone does *not* want feedback, then by all means, say so, but when i post (for example) i really really want comments on what i've written, esp the constructive kind. This is not to say that someone could only desire positive feedback, i then think it would be up to that person to say something.

I don't mean to scare off any potential posters, we're all really nice here and diplomatic as well, so post away (wheres that darned 'writing' smilie??)

[quaz]

Anything I post, I'd want feedback on.... although in some cases, i would want more specific feedback.

I'll need to think some more about my answer, though, b/c while I lean to b... the one problem is that it can clutter up a topic thread, and make it hard to find the posts... at the same time... that isn't really any different than how the 'feedback' thread became. And consider we haven't had too many posters....

MMM, guess I didn't have to think long. B. :-)

I'd say if we start getting tons of people, or things started getting 'unpleasant', then I think it would be appropriate to move back to A.

Tammy

[lavender]

I like the second choice--containing within same thread. I think it could work nicely if, at the beginning or end of each piece, the poster would specify what type of feedback they are looking for, or request not to have any. The point would be to specify every time. If someone doesn't, the default could be either none at all, or just the pat-on-the-back type which, although not that useful, feels wonderful.

[violafemme]

Ah the feedback issue...........this is where things went kind of sour in the last workshop. We lost alot of people over this last time.

I think the answer is in how you view or structure the workshop............are the assignments intended to spark disscussion or "just writing"? Do we write for the feedback or for the exercise of writing; do we post for the feedback or just to demonstrate we've done the "assignment"?

We we had lots of people posting and we were posting feedback in the same thread as the work in the past it got awkward trying to keep track of what we were responding to, the feedback sometimes came three posts later or even pages later and if you weren't right on top of every post it could get confusing.

Also I know that I personally began to write for the feedback instead of for the sake of writing which isn't perhaps always the most useful motivation. When I post now, it's less for the feedback and more just to keep writing when the topics inspire and then look at how others interpreted the same topic or where their muse led them. If we include feedback in the same thread it can break this flow.

The other thing is that inevitably someone ended up with no feedback and then I'd try to come up with something just so they didn't feel left out.........then you end up with the less then useful "pats" lavender mentioned.

I think with feedback it could be useful if Jesse offered feedback too. Maybe picking a piece a week, rotating authors and giving somefeed back on it from her perspective. Maybe she could even start a new thread with it nad let others chime in as well. One of the sticky things about feedback is that not eveyone knows how to really give it as a critique instead of just those "pats" which are yummy but don't help to challenge us to the next level.



So those are my takes on feedback, I guess I'm somewhat ambivilent, not very helpful am I?.............I'll be here either way.

[quaz]

MMmm.... violafemme has some good points. Maybe I will think on this some more. :-)

Tammy

[BellinghamCrunchie]

I like "B." Any place feedback feels like coming up sounds good to me.

[Jesse Michener]

Violafemme pretty much nailed it on the head. What feedback should be and what it most often turns into are two different beasts, I'm afraid. Ideally, feedback should be geared toward a work-based outcome. This means feedback serves a distinct purpose: to better a peice of work.

Often feedback serves more for a pat-on-the-back or validation (both of which are sometimes needed, too!), or worse: writing with future feedback in mind. Writing to get feedback. The feedback beast is hungry and once he starts getting praise it becomes his primary mission.

I think it's important to get all kinds of feedback, but I think as a writer it's also important to be honest with your intentions and purposeful in the asking for feedback. Giving thoughtful feedback takes time. Hearing thoughtful feedback is not easy either, but the effects of less-than-glowing or really constructive feedback are much more powerful if the writer has deliberately asked for direction.

I would love to strike some sort of balance between having the freedom to post honest and complimentary feedback within a thread and a place for directed, thoughtful feedback to occur. I worry if we do not set up and stick to guidelines, the feedback monster will consume us.

I've posted a sticky at the top of the fourm regarding feedback. Please review and share any thoughts you have here.

Thanks for your thoughtful input.

Jesse