RE: Practice Makes Perfect

Scratch my back & I'll scratch your's Edmund. I have plenty of stories with more than 54 'reads' & no comments; what makes you an exceptional case?

www.lorrainemace.com I can join this club, too, but then I've also read stacks of work and not felt like commenting. Swings and roundabouts ...

I don't often comment on other people's work. Not that I'm not interested in reading their stories, I do read most of them. No, I simply recognise that the non-member readers on this on this site have no way to offer their comments and that writers are so wrapped up in their own work that they simply can't be bothered to comment on anything they didn't write and most, though they would say to the contrary, do not welcome critical comment. This piece though intrigued me. To sum it up I would describe it as one woman's descent into madness. I felt as though I should admire the use and range of language, but I didn't, why? I'm not sure, perhaps I felt there were too many words describing too little action and that they were used for effect rather than to tell the story? The ending too was somehow unsatisfactory. If practice makes perfect there should surely have been a clearer, sharper perfect ending in the form of retribution or the perfect course of justice rendered? proof that practice does make perfect. Somehow the relationship of her and her husband never came into sharp focus. Though their victims did! Edmund, I read it through twice and enjoyed both readings. I will probably read it again because I'm sure I missed a number of cardinal points that would broaden my assessment of the piece.

Now, that is constructive crit. I don't comment that much either, and but rarely offer criticism or suggestions. I do however, try to offer encouragement, especially if something resonates in some way.

If work is interesting, it usually will get commented on. I commented on this story, although I was unaware that Edmund had posted here. It is better, I think, to offer criticism before you ask for it. If you've been around and been offering feedback to others then people are usually happier to respond to a request for help with a specific piece.

"If work is interesting, it usually will get commented on." Well f*ck! I'm just off to shoot myself; I'll take my uninteresting work with me. Cheers Margharita.

'Well f*ck! I'm just off to shoot myself; I'll take my uninteresting work with me. Cheers Margharita' Well, I hope this is an example of your usual mordant wit. I have never commented on your work, but one thing I have noticed is that it's never UNinteresting. Count the view numbers, they indicate visits to your posts don't they. No doubt (someone) on here will come up with some 'read' equation R = (V–V/2)- x where R is the number of times your work has been read to the end V is the number of visits and x is the number of times you've visited yourself to see if someone has commented. I reckon your work is just fine by the way. Ewan

Cheers Ewan, yes I was trying to be funny..... sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. Happy New Year to you.

Nooo, Kropotkin...it would ruin my Christmas... I see that my post probably seemed fatuous...shot myself in the foot as well, because I get very few comments. I'll just shut up now, stop digging the hole, and stuff another mince pie in my large gob.