About dealing with feedback (or the lack thereof)

What would you say is better: getting only bad feedback (not necessarily mean, but also useless comments) or getting no feedback at all?
I’ve been struggling with the last one, even though I’ve gotten some useful (and nice) feedback on my writing, it was not nearly as much as I hoped. So, which one do you think is “better”? And how would you deal (or do you deal) with lack of feedback? Because, even though I love writing, I do end up feeling slighltly discouraged.

Feedback could be terrible negative and being great and save project. Imagine you made a game that is bad designed or you are mocking about a genocide you didn’t know about like for example Armenian genocide or several slaughters in colonial period. You are making people for those culture feel bad . If you get feedback saying Please quit that choice because my ancestors were rape and burning in that place and you are putting a choice that trivialize that like never happened. It is great feedback. Same if you are mistaken identity of trans or nb people. Or being Machist.

#The fact of a valoration of a game is negative. DON’T MEAN FEEDBACK IS BAD, FEEDBACK ONLY IS BAD IF NOT OFFERS POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS FOR THE SITUATION.

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If you want feedback on your work, I think it’s also important to offer feedback to others on their projects.

Find the other WIPs that might not be getting a large amount of comments, and offer insightful feedback of the variety you’d like to see on your own WIP.

Make friends on the forum, post in the other topics, and your friends will come and post on your thread.

You do have to keep posting on your thread, at least once a week I’d say, since if the author hasn’t posted on their thread for 2 weeks the thread gets closed.

Also different people will offer different sorts of feedback. Some will just say short things like “I liked it” whereas others will write longer posts.

Sometimes a lack of feedback is just because there’s nothing really to give feedback on, be that because the game’s too short, or just got no obvious flaws.

Don’t be discouraged though.

Also, hit the like button on every single reply to the posts on your thread. The people have taken the time to respond, a like’s a tiny little reward to say that you appreciate it.

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PM some ppl.
Get snarked at.
There you go, the feedback. :ok_hand:

But that’ll works if you have something to ask about, not a generic “can you look at my project and comment something at it?”, I think.

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It also tends to help when you have specific issues you need help with. Folks usually only pipe up when there’s something horribly wrong or to drop a good job in your lap.

From what I’ve seen of your thread with 30favs is that you’re around average in terms of early fan base. Do some more work and settle in for the long haul. Very few WIP get massive amounts of feedback early on. Most readers aren’t sure if the story is going to last like a lot of WIP

So think of those 30 favs as your fans. Keep writing post updates and let them know your progress. So look alive for those thirty people ( the site is notoriously full of silent fans)

And when you need help simply ask you’ll find no shortage of helping hands.

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I have asking several times to making betas public threads and whatever NO ONE WANTED GIVE ME FEEDBACK until few weeks ago. And because I was very aggressive asking. If people believe you are bad person. You will never get help. For instance I know if my game where presented by other user would be far better treated So if you want make a demo and have feedback be all fake and political correctness you can. That or be really good. I am not anyone of those. I just get feedback because people started jell about my ideas.

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I actually found this to be a common cause, especially since I’m guilty of this as well. If I don’t see anything wrong . . . at all, I won’t provide feedback. I feel like saying ‘great job, keeping going’ is useless.

But in order to answer your question, I guess I’d rather have no feedback if the only feedback I get is useless. Now if that feedback was actually helpful, then sure, hit me with it. Feedback is always kind of a bumpy road. There’s so many reasons why someone might not provide it: they don’t see anything wrong, the writing was good but not their cup of tea, they are a silent reader.

The most important thing I’ve learned as a writer that you’re not writing for everyone. Not everyone is going to like your stuff and that is quite fine. Also, not everyone’s feedback needs to be acted on. At the end of the day, you’re the author. So if you feel like someone’s feedback is something you don’t like, then don’t do it. It’s your choice.

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You’re right about that; I’m just a naturally reserved person (even online) so making friends isn’t that easy for me.[quote=“ToxicDreams, post:7, topic:24380”]
. If I don’t see anything wrong . . . at all, I won’t provide feedback. I feel like saying ‘great job, keeping going’ is useless.
[/quote]

Before I made an account here about a month ago, I was also guilty of this! I know it’s not fair, but if a thread has a bunch of comments already praising the author’s work I just feel like I don’t have to praise them either.

Yeah, that’s exactly what I’ll do - keep writing and updating the thread. I’m not sure what I was expecting when starting my WIP, a hundred thousand views right away? lol

Anyways, thank you all for the advice. I appreciate it. :slight_smile:

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Even feedback from a misunderstanding can be a little helpful.
Sifting through it can be a bit of a pain though.

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I’d rather really have feedback regardless if it’s just a simple “Good work.” “I liked your game.” “Keep it up.” Or the longer kind that criticize the game as long as it’s in a positive constructive way than simply saying “Hate your game.” “You should stop writing.” “Are you even qualified to write?” (Yup, had some people message that crap to me, especially from people making fun of my grammar. Bad part about is it that I have a blog and it allows anyone to leave comments. So, yeah, I get them a lot especially from my blog. Guess if they did that using the forum’s system it can be tracked back to them, so they rather comment the bad stuff there. I just make sure to delete them. On a bright side, I think to myself at least when they read my game and complain about my grammar I’d be evil and be happy thinking they wasted their time reading my game. Mwahahaha, basically think positive when they give you the negatives.)

I agree that it helps to update your thread, be it an update or just you inquiring for an opinion from your fans is rather fun. I also find it engaging when I get a case of doubt in regards to a certain scene, I ask via the thread in a vague way. It keeps the thread alive, the audience still gets interested, and as the author you sort of build rapport with everyone.

I do make it a point to check on my threads twice a week, since RL is a pain. All in all, I’d really rather have feedback even if it’s a plain old generic praise. Sometimes, I feel like giving up writing since no cares about my WIP and then I read a simple comment saying they liked my game and then I get my groove back to work hard because I know someone is truly investing their time to read my games and they really enjoy it.

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There’re those dark side cookies again :wink:

Edit: Also your post reminded me I’ve not seen much activity on your wips - am I being blind or is progress just slow?

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The darker cookies usually have more chocolates in them… or just plainly over oven-ed 'till got burnt

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