Why The Writing On Steemit Usually Sucks
Why The Writing On Steemit Usually Sucks
I'm going to put my neck out there. Most (not all) of the writing on this website is bad. This isn't a statement about the character of the authors, but the writing itself.
Now, that's okay. People should still feel free to write stories even if they suck. But they should know when they suck. Awareness of your skill, or utter lack of it, is a necessary first step towards improving it. But here's the thing: nobody criticizes on this site.
When I'm feeling particularly insane and masochistic, I like to go to the trending #story or #writing or #fiction to check out what's considered 'valuable to the blockchain'. I just attempted to read a 'love story'.
how to get your writing on trending
The first line was dull, near incomprehensible and a run on sentence. And god, dear god, it then changed format from prose to screenplay and back.
There was another story, titled "Hello, Mom. I need help". Holy shit, what a bad title. It's the title my Korean students would give to something, as EFL learners. Do I want to read something that mundane? Hell no! But I did. Was it good? Of course not.
Now, I could go to each of these posts and give them an actual critique, both on sentence mechanics, on story pacing, characterization, imagery, prose, plot choices and more. You know, things that could help them improve as a writer. Why don't I? Because I'd be flagged.
This website, despite being full of so many angry right-wing libertarians who masturbate to their own indictments of 'snowflakes' and 'pc culture', can't take functional critique. I can't go and point out a boring ass story, or piss-poor writing, when it's objectively there, out of fear of being flagged by butthurt asshats.
I don't know. Is it rude to offer critique when it isn't asked for? I guess. But fuck, some of these people really need it. The blockchain needs it. Hell, the readers need it, apparently.
I'm thankful there's a handful of you who are pretty cool and we can chat a bit. But in the general sense, people are indistinguishable from bots in their level of servility.
"Wow without words, I need more, I have been fascinated with this story, you caught me enormously, it was like reading a great book, what an excellent gift you have. Please a second part"
"I am speechless. Your writing has so much truth & feeling"
Whew. I wish my girlfriend was as enthusiastic about sex as these people are with these 'stories'.
Should critique be considered acceptable in comments? I think so.
I think mine is good. lol Sorry I'm too late to be allowed to uptove this.
I'd never reach out and criticize someone without them asking for it. That's just not my style.
But I definitely agree with you.
I'm astounded by what trends on here. It deeply perplexes me.
You're talking about writing, but there are posts with no writing, and tenuous talent that is upvoted to the heavens. Or stuff about blockchain that was copied off another site and then linked at the bottom of the post that gets boffo attention.
I want everyone to find success, but some of the best stuff is not getting recognized, and some of the worst stuff is getting lionized.
With all of that said, you should post your fiction. I'm looking forward to reading it!
I regularly post fiction on here. Short stories.
I feel like, once a post has reached >$50, it should be open-game for criticism. Especially if it reaches trending.
it should be open game no matter what...
I think we could use more people willing to give real critique how else is one supposed to evolve as an artist. The poetry class and group I belong to on discord we do that a lot, for me it's imperative. I personally am sick of the generic you have such nice hair comments :P
I noticed the example story you mentioned "Hello, Mom. I need help" was published by a witness. If you go to the bottom you will see it was written by someone else. I'm not sure their relationship or what their arrangements are but a suggestion for you would be to find a witness or whale that likes your style and genre of writing and propose a relationship. Again I don't know the particulars of those kinds of arrangements but I do know this: publishers want content. There are businesses designed around selling content to hungry publishers. Rather than risk alienating a potential publisher figure out a way to woo them to help you. To be honest it doesn't matter if the content is excellent in these kinds of scenarios - it matters that it is original and acceptable.
yeah it was by Adsactly. I've no idea who they are and don't really get what they are. But anyway, I've noticed that a few of their fiction stuff posted have been off the mark. I guess they post lots of things but I've only read the fiction pieces. I think I've read like 4 of them. 1 was close to being descent. The other ones were just bad.
Anyway, I don't know how to get involved with these publishers you speak of, or who they are on this site. Steemit is difficult to navigate. I also have no desire to butter up to a whale.
I understand I really do. I have been on the other end as a small publisher and being in the position of finding content so I just have that insight to the process. I have no idea how to navigate that path on steemit either and it's not my focus right now anyway. Just wanted to share some food for thought :)
I love this post :) And i have to agree, most of the writing is bad. It's taking a lot of time and effort to find good writers on here. But I've kind of fallen in love with the concept of Steemit, at least, and there is a thriving arts community on here, and I did manage to get a short story to Trending with no paid upvotes, just on Sndbox's writing quest hashtag alone. But I can't see that as anything other than a fluke. I feel lucky that it happened but I'm also not going to quit my job to live on Steemit.
And also, how much does it mean to have a story do well here when the competition isn't so strong? But anyway, I'll take it - no other lit mags bought that story so am I happy to make a little bit of money off it here where 7 people actually probably read it.
I think part of the problem here is that there aren't enough good writers aware of Steemit (I wasn't until Caitlin Johnstone started sharing posts on FB from here). And then, when they come, they're put off by the amount of crud on here and the piles of cryptospeak.
There needs to be a pathway for good writers who aren't cryptoheads to be able to come on here and just be able to do what they do well. The more the better, surely? But then how many would stay? I'm desperate and broke and sick and housebound enough that I can but other people gotta get the hustle on.
I dunno, I'm rambling, sorry, with my ill-informed opinions. Need to go and eat breakfast.
I have to disagree about critiqueing without asking first, though. It's disappointing that people respond with a flag in return though not surprising when you consider writer hubris. I guess if I didn't know you, and you just jumped in and commented on my story, I don't think I would be able to keep the defences down either. It's just maybe a bit human nature that if some random-to-you jumps in and starts critting then you react ... and if you're petty and nasty you flag in return. Don't like that at all though.
I guess I'm just saying that I wouldn't give feedback if it wasn't asked for first because I can't see it ending well.
Yeah. I mean, I understand that this is basic civility. I was expressing my frusterations with the limitations of this platform, reward vs quality, etc.
Happy to hear that you've managed to get a post or two trending.
I'm hoping that with future updates to the platform, we can create proper fiction communities where quality will finally reflect reward. I think proper competition will keep low quality stuff near the bottom, and vice versa.
I think if I didn't like the story (which I often don't - after paragraph one, i can tell if someone can write, and you are a case in point, Sue - I just won't keep reading and I dont want to break their hearts by being too critical, and at the same time, i dont have time to nurture/give comments to work I dont care about. Which sounds horrible! But it's the truth. If someone directly said though 'please read and critique', then sure, I would.
You are more than welcome to be as critical as you feel is justified about anything of mine you read, I can tell it isn't that good but it is hard to see what you need to improve myself :)
Stories trending or doing well seems to have more to do with the people posting them than the actual content of the story...
I wouldn't critique something of people I like, unless explicitly asked for. But when a post gets boosted by sycophants or $100 bidbots and they're garbage, it should be fair game.
What I wanted to say was, its a contradiction that posts get high values when they can't be criticized without facing flagging.
Really they all should be fair game. In some ways actual critical feedback means more than the vague gushing comments you quoted, where they could apply to anything. At least you know the person has actually read it. It also takes a lot more time and effort to give actual critical feedback than a basic gushing wall of meaningless adoration. I completely agree with you, that isn't what flagging should be for.
Consider this an invitation, I genuinely want to improve, so if you ever think anything, don't hold back :)
You seem like my kinda dude. Glad there's people here that give a shit. I was so apprehensive about sharing fiction here because I didn't know the caliber of authors - after a week I was like "fuck me they make money with this shit" - let me be clear - not saying I'm fucking Cormac McCarthy but hell if I can't proudly whip my cock out in front of 97% of the writers here. I'll be following you and resteeming your post. In the next week I'll be releasing some fiction - even going to be announcing a contest.
right on. there are some cool authors on this site. But I don't think I've ever seen them in trending. At least, not compared to some usual names there.
I'll keep an eye out for your stuff.
If you're interested, I have a horror contest running for the next two weeks. The prizes are negligible in size, but it's an effort to promote something I enjoy.
Also, I hope alot of this will change with the Hivemind update.
Love me some good horror - just got finished reading the rules for the contest ! Think I might take a crack at it.
Check out one of my shorts if you have time
Talk about a bad day at work!
I loved it. It had all the proper elements, from pacing to camera angles to spooky background to all-consuming darkness.
Yes, it absolutely should. I offered a story to the blockchain, recieved 2.50, and got virtually no comments or feedback. Did my story suck, or did no one read it? please tell me if it sucked, because if it did, I'm not going to torture you with another one. It's still under the 7 day thang, so you'll find it easily - if you fancy. You aren't obligated - and to be honest, I'm terribly shy - but I was trying to be brave by sharing something and was kinda excited too by it as it was fun - I hadn't written in some time and I forgot how much I used to enjoy it.