I'll kick off - I go to a writing group where we actively encourage comments and I've even brought some of the less "hard core" spanko stories for their perusal. It does refine your writing especially if you know that if your story has serious flaws people will (kindly) point it out. I sometimes think I've run out of ideas, or that nobody really likes what I've written, but then two or three comments come along and I'm revived!

Well written Februs. You state the way it is with clear reasoning and state things in a positive but neutral way.

As an author I love comments, as a reader I love giving comments, so for me things balance out rather nicely. That said, would I like more comments on my stories, you bet your boots I do.

Do I appreciate any effort made by any reader to say anything on a story, whether it is my story or not, that answer is a clear yes I do.

As a submitting author I guess I am not subject to the "1 in 500" rule for commenting, so I would suggest anyone else who does not want comment, that they start submitting stories acceptable to the KLSF....LMAO.

Commenting is like buying a new pair of shoes. (I sell them so I know.) The first day or two we wear new shoes our feet hurt and we curse the day we threw out our old dirty ragged old shoes. After a week we barely notice that the shoes are new and so they can become our favourite pair, much better then the old ones. Commenting is the same way, the first time it may hurt, but after a while it becomes a faourite thing to do.

Given a choice of losing a part of the access to the site I gladly submit a comment per day and will continue to do so. I am sure any new reader having difficulty submitting a comment can contact any author via pop-up and ask if their comment is acceptable. I know all the authors on here will willingly help anyone start commenting.

Thanks for the great article Februs and may the KLSF continue on for a hundred thousand days.

CS

The 500 rule isn't the least bit nasty to any reader. If anything, it's a gimme. I'm glad this was said here at the WRW, perhaps some of the readers will take not here far more than they would in the forum.

I myself have gotten comments from new readers in the past and it was great. Very nice comments. Suggestions on other stories as well. This I like.

Thanks for bringing it to light here at the WRW, Febs.

B

Well said, Februs (not that you haven't said it equally well in your forum posts, and in our various one-on-one discussions). I think you've articulated all the GOOD reasons for posting comments, and all the BAD reasons that people give as excuses for not commenting. What you've said about LSF being a community is so true, and it's what makes this place special.

Bottom line: the restrictions are not onerous in the least, and their original imposition two years ago sparked the "comments exposing" we have enjoyed as a relatively small but significant share of the membership has far exceeded the minimum standard.

Great article, and great job on the Library in general.

Thanks for a very clear article which really puts the subject in perspective. I do find receiving comments is enormously rewarding, and I'm particularly grateful to the non-authors who comment, as with them it's clearly not a case of 'you scratch my back and I'll scratch yours'. It does seem, perhaps surprisingly, that some readers feel genuinely uncomfortable about commenting, and it isn't simply a case of being too lazy to make the effort.

Maybe the KLSF readership is a little too kind-hearted when it comes to making constructive crticisms? Personally, I don't mind a few negative comments. If nothing else, they make the positive ones more believable! On the other hand, the KLSF has a wonderfully positive and supportive culture which we should be careful not to jeopardise. Some on-line communities end up resembling battlefields!

Thank you for this article. I shall try to do better in reviewing.

Although lazy, I would comment that I always aim to be positive and praise. A story which does not allow me to do that will attract cricisism from me which I wish to avoid. Hence no comment. Series often annoy me too. A spanking is often a one off event which is not, by itself, a good basis for a series of stories.
Ipswichian

I think it is a duty to respond after reading, I found that many writers want the feedback, a quick note is really just a comment that you liked the story, I failed to comment early but try to do it on all if not most stories now. Turk

Well said, Februs, and thank you for yet another of your well written and measured articles. Sometimes I lose the 'drift' in the Forum debates, and to have your clear assessment laid out in such a format is very valuable. And I agree with what you have to say, too! Thank you.

I'd like to echo the overall sentiment of this article. I have become a "comment-driven author" in some respects. If people weren't commenting on my work, I probably wouldn't be creating it and I definitely wouldn't bother to post it.

That said, I can't help but feel that the 'convenient excuses' you've listed here, Februs, are just that: excuses. It seems inconceivable to me that anyone could download (and presumably read) 500 stories and not leave a single comment out of shyness or feelings of inadequacy. There has to be something a good deal stronger motivating such behavior.

Perhaps its fear. The internet breeds a peculiar kind of paranoia and maybe these people who go to such extreme lengths to avoid commenting have fallen victim to it. They could be afraid that if they actually participate (as opposed to merely browsing) that this will somehow come back to haunt them. Of course, this way of thinking is as ridiculous as saying "It's not a sin if we do it with the lights off," but if you looked hard enough, you'd probably find some individuals who believe that as well.

There is, however, another possibility. I think it is just possible that the reluctant commenters - the ones who go to such great lengths to get around commenting - do so not out of shyness or fear, but SIMPLY BECAUSE THEY CAN.

I'll give you an example. My father was a particularly stubborn man. When local car dealers are trying to drum up business, they often offer incentives to get people to come to their lots and look at cars. These "free gifts" are always cheap things like $10 radios or really poorly made toasters. My father would always go to these sales events, though he never intended to buy a car. He even dragged me along a couple of times. The salespeople would make their pitches and he'd listen politely enough, but in the end the only thing he ever came home with was one of those cheap radios or toasters that they were giving away.

Now my father never actually wanted any of that crap that they gave out. Most of it he'd throw in the back of a closet and forget about. When he passed away a few years ago, I found some of those same items, most of which had never even been taken out of their packages.

What I eventually came to realize was that my father was never interested in the material items themselves. For him, it was all about the satisfaction of beating the salespeople at their own game. And even if it meant standing in a used car lot for half an hour listening to sales pitch after sales pitch, to him it was worth it because he got one over on them.

Now, I can just imagine these reluctant commenters sitting at their computers, downloading their 500th story. The message pops up saying that they will now be limited to how many files they can view in a 24 hour period. At this point, I bet they get the same look in their eyes that my father did when he stepped onto those car lots. I bet they say, "Oh yeah? Well, I'll show you!" and they take a certain perverse pleasure in trying to find a way to beat the system.

Whatever the case may be, I would like to thank you and the other librarians for all your efforts. The LSF would not be the great environment to read, share and comment in that it is without your tireless efforts.

And as for the reluctant commenters, don't let them get you down. For every one of them, I'm sure there are a hundred members of the site who ARE willing to put for the effort.

I make comments to this Spanking Library, whenever a story or article interests me. My comments have been both positive and negative. Also authors must realize that the subject matter 'spanking is still taboo, in many household's and to the general public. So although some of us are enlightent 'spanko's, and have 'come out of the closet', to make comments. There are other's who are still reluctent, to do so,

I would like to address the "Fawning" issue that Februs brought up. Although people often say that they don't mind critical comments on their efforts that usually is not really the case.

Most stories on this site are fair to excellent. However there is a video site that I frequent where 90% of the videos are awful. I have to sift through them to find the few good ones. They also encourage commenting but when I give my honest opinion, which is often negative, I get all kinds of hate responses even when the criticism is constructive.

So I wonder if most authors would really want anything negative said about their work.

I comment only on stories I like. If I do not like a story I just go to the next story.

And I have had nice and friendly feed back from the authers by personal messages on some of my comments.

One reason (I have not seen mentioned) to not comment on stories could be that non-english readers can read in English far better than they can write - or the spelling in English could be difficult without a dictionary at hand.

@mefromdenmark:
I must admit I overlooked the potential language issue as a possible reason for not commenting although the LSF admins will correct any spelling or grammar for non-English commenters.

I comment on stories that I find particularly enjoyable. If I'm not enjoying a story I stop reading it. I wouldn't be rude enough to tell the author I don't like it - after all we all have our own preferences.

I really enjoy making comments on stories that have entertained and thrilled me so much so that I think other members probably see me as a bit " gushy " at times but it`s just my enthusiasm for the subject matter that is driving it.
Many writers claim that they write for themselves first and foremost and are not that fussed about comments but if that is so why do they bother to post their stories in a library for others to enjoy?

I am sure most writers being the creative souls they are enjoy the oxygen of recognition and get a buzz out of people saying how much they enjoyed a story they had penned and are thus encouraged to write more.

I have my own favourite writers at the KLSF and whenever I read and enjoy a story by them I try to give some feedback on why I did enjoy it so much and mostly I get a message back giving thanks and this contact between writer and reader is something which I value very much.

So, I am very much in favour of making comments and some of the commenters on the KLSF are of such a high standard they help make this site the success it is.

Februs has written an excellent article and as is his way with these things it is measured and full of common sense and truth.

Thank you for this Februs.

An afterthought, what an extraordinary amount of comments made about an article on the importance of commenting.

If it had been a story in the library the writer would have been well pleased.

Not a lot wrong with the interaction here I reckon.

Being a writer I always appreciate any comments I receive, so I do my best to make comments on the stories of others.

As a new author and someone who has written practically nothing since long forgotten school essays, I welcome comment of any kind provided only that it is constructive. I write primarily because I enjoy constructing and recording my own fictional scenarios but of course I hope that my efforts also bring imaginative stimulation and pleasure to others. Comments provide that reassurance. The more the better!

Nice article, Februs. I would like to second the language issue. It's not only the grammar or orthograph but often how to formulate our thoughts. Also, for those not so creative (like me), we often have nothing to say which wasn't already said and we do not want to end up with "me too... I agree..."

Perhaps the thing that really amazes me is how much some people read on this site! OK it's an excellent site, but do they have lives?

I agree absolutely with Februs. One comment per 500 items read is tiny. As mefromdenmark says, it may well be that people whose mother-tongue is not English hesitate to comment for fear of making mistakes and appearing silly, but if so it's a pity as the odd mistake won't make them look silly at all. Maybe some people whose mother tongue is English also have an inhibition about commenting because of their poor spelling or whatever, but again, if that's so, I wish they'd comment and say "what the hell" to themselves. If people enjoy spanking stories but are too nervous about this to express it in such a confidential set-up, I am bewildered.

As an author, I appreciate comments. I will not pretend that I don't enjoy the favourable ones more than the unfavourable, but measured criticisms often lead to an interesting dialogue and getting to know someone new.

This is an excellent article Februs and my conscience is clear because I do comment and fairly often. I make a free confession here which is a big issue for me (and make no apology for doing so) there are some stories I find so awful there is no single comment I can make. I feel I should express my outrage but at the same time feel it is not my place and that to do so might well be seen as a form of attempted censorship.

For someone who claims not to be a writer, you write to the point, without a bludgeon and are quite persuasive. Of course, since I agree with you some may call me biased.I care not!
Well presented,
Islandcarol

I don't think that the language-issue is a good excuse for not-commenting. The moment somebody is online he has access to dictionaries in every language and hundreds of translation tools. Even if this site would insist that the occasional comment should be in latin, it wouldn't be a serious problem to get it translated somewhere.( At least 3 persons proved this already.)
But seeing the many threads about commenting, all the efforts to encourage commenting and now again the many comments on this article, no reader can ignore the fact that comments are really very much appreciated. And as we are getting so many excellent stories presented at a comfortable, reliable, steady and safe site all for free it can of course be expected from every regular reader to find one way or another to make some comments. If somebody is able to read 500 stories, but not able to put one or two sentences together, he/she should try to overcome this attitude instead of finding hundred excuses.

The majority of authors tend to respond to comments they receive so the act of commenting encourages dialogue between authors and readers.

I've highlighted above one tiny point, from a fantastic article written by Februs. Dialogue between myself and fellow kinksters is so important in what can be an isolated world.

I'm one of those who is getting more confortable with making comments. If you wouldn't have given the gentle nudge I probably would not have had the nerve to write. So thanks for encourageing us to say 'Hey, I liked that!' or 'Sorry, thats not my favorite.'

Great article. Great articl. Great artic. Great arti. Great art. Great.

I'm partly responsible for this topic being done to death recently, but you've rehearsed every aspect so clearly here I think I'll shut up from now on! Apart from ...

I have a comments ratio of 1.10 to 1. For at least 18 months I've commented on every text I've read - it's the easy part! Knowing how good it feels to get feedback, I give it when I can. I suspect the stock of my comments may be perceived to have fallen a bit as a result, but although I mostly avoid any criticism, I do always pretty much mean what I say.

I also do feel an obligation to return the favour (Alan B's 'you scratch my back and I'll scratch yours') when, as it so often is, it's a fellow author who's commented. But I try to make a point of commenting on at least one text by every new author, and I have, so far, managed to comment on all Challenge entries since Sept 2010. Texts I validate always get one too.

But... I have not read nearly as much as most regulars here, as time is limited (and my own writing is quite time-consuming). Roll on retirement!

I'm sorry that I haven't commented more often. When I'm surfing, mostly for F/m stories, I tend to regress into a selfish 11 year old. I agree with you that everyone should contribute and will try in the future.
I hope this is enough to get the restrictions lifted. If not I will remain standing in the corner until tomorrow.

This is a wonderful article Februs and I agree with everything you said. I also agree with comments above saying that Language for some may be an issue, but hey if they can make sense of what they are reading they should be able to string a couple of sentences together to make up a comment.

I greatly appreciate all comments I receive on my stories and knowing how pleasing it is to receive feedback I extend the courtesy to other authors. It is a wonderful way to say thanks for the writers' efforts as well as for establishing communication with other writers.

Perhaps many here shy away from communicating with others on the site. This may be another reason why some readers are very reluctant to post comments. They may feel that if an author replies to the comment left then he/she will be obliged to reply, and feel guilty that he/she doesn't wish to enter into dialogue. If that is their reason for not commenting then surely they are in dire need of a spanking to rid them of such guilt! hehe

Februs, this is an awesome site, and the forum and commenting facility makes the LSF a friendly and supportive place for both authors and readers to be. I believe the restrictions of 1 comment per 500 views to be very fair indeed and not much to ask of readers in turn for their enjoyment of reading the vast amount and range of wonderful free stories on offer here.

Like several others here I tend to respond to the stories I enjoy but ignore the ones that don't interest me. Therefore an m/m story could well be fabulously well-written but I would probably avoid it as a personal preference.
Similarly I would be loathe to criticize the work of anybody else. Even a terribly written story deserves a bit of respect simply for having the nerve to post something which is after all quite personal!

What did surprise me at first was that my early stuff tended to get lots of feedback but the later stuff, which I thought was better, didn't. This might be down to me being sadly mistaken in my own self-appraisal or that the all my stuff has been in serial form rather than stand alone. Perhaps people are loathe to read part 3 of story for example if they haven't alraedy read parts 1 and 2?

What is clear though is that it appears to be a general pattern that many suffer from. My advice is just to carry on writing, somebody out there will like your stuff. I've discovered lots of good new (to me at least) writers and had several interesting email conversations as a result.

I try to post a positive comment on the stories that I like.As for the stories that I start and find I do not like for what ever reason I just stop reading.

Excellent article Februs on comments. I try to make comments on stories that I like, artists that sexually and erotically turn me on with their spanking drawings. Other 'spanko's views, be they positive or negative And I will continue same. But I reserve the most important comment that I can make to this Spanking Library. I give it FIVE STARS. And I believe I am speaking for all my 'spanko' friends, in saying so. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you.

Good article. When I joined LSF I was a poor commentator and received a reprimand for my fault and altered my habits! Now that I have submitted stories I realise how important the comments are. I just love reading them, specifically on my own stories. I like to know what people liked about a story and why, it's great finding that some people's 'take' on a story is different to others. More comments please!

I feel compelled to comment on the requirement to comment.

I am new to the site...just a few days shy of a month here. I have submitted a number of poems and am currently working on trying my hand at some stories. I don't consider my poems to be works of art or anything but I have fun writing them. A friend suggested that I post them on the site. I just love getting feedback on them and I have heard nothing but positive feedback. I would not mind negative feedback, if people feel that way. I am just elated to hear what people think. One place that I frequently head to is the "Activity" page. Often I check there and see that someone is reading one of my poems. This makes me pleased as punch.

I have read so many great stories on the site (and am SO happy I have found the site!) and ,knowing how much I like to hear that people like my poems, I want the authors of those stories to know how much I enjoy their work.

To me commenting is not an obligation but a pleasure and a thing I am happy to do as often as I can.

The stories I like, I try mostly to comment. Mostly because sometimes i don't find the words to express my feelings about a story. It's not so easy in a language that isn't yours.
To stories I think they are well told, but the genre is not my pair of shoes, I say that I think they are well told. And some stories I really love, and then I have to write that.