So you think you have a great story, but for whatever reason no one is critiquing. This is something I’ve noticed a lot around here- then the author might post again and ask why no one is critiquing only to get no response. You have 60 views, but not a single critique…Why is this? I can’t tell you for sure, but what I can do is give you some thoughts about it. As a reader, I typically won’t even read a story when an author makes the following mistakes:
1. Have you critiqued anyone else? When I see someone’s first post on the site is their own story…I’m less inclined to critique. Don’t expect something you’re not willing to give.
2. Is your story spaced properly? No one wants to read a giant blob of a story- just by simply spacing your story, you’re more apt to get readers. And if people are taking the time to read your work, you are likely to get that critique you’ve been wanting.
3. Do you beg for critiques? I personally find it annoying. It’s one thing to say in the subtitle line “please read and critique”, or even say it at the beginning or end of your post. But don’t post 3 times after your initial post demanding critiques. Give it time. Don’t expect a lot, don’t expect them quickly, and don’t expect those same people to critique every time you post. And don’t be a jerk about it- there’s no need to throw a fit. Be patient and polite.
4. Did you post 3 chapters in a row? That’s a giant mistake. Give people time to review 1 chapter at a time. What makes you think everyone has time to sit and read 3 long chapters and then critique them all? Give it a day or so before posting another chapter…or at least more than a minute.
5. Did you title your story? I know I personally don’t want to read something titled “read this”. It’s not imperative to have a title- but don’t write something ridiculous in the title line. Just say it’s untitled. Or sometimes people will put "chapter 2" in the title line- chapter 2 of what though? Put the actual title, not just the chapter number!
-Also, when the subtitle line is ridiculous (example: I wanted 2 post this 4 u to read plz!), I'm not even going to look at your story. You could have the best grammar in the world, but that title and subtitle are the first things I see.
6. Have you read your own story before posting? If you find it sloppy, we probably do too- always check your own work first. Spell check and proof read. Think about the kind of stories you like to read- is yours something you would read if it weren’t your own?
7. Is your story ALL dialogue? Stories should have more levels than that. If you have nothing to write except for dialogue, your story is in serious trouble. I know it’s easy to just have your characters go on a rant, but it’s so important to try to describe what they’re doing or how they’re reacting- if it’s all dialogue, it gets to the point where it’s annoying to read. I want to know what’s happening to the characters too, not just what they have to say! And when you are using dialogue, remember- you don’t have to use “said” EVERY time. Mix it up when you can.
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I haven’t been on the site for too long now, but those are some things that seem to be common mistakes. Also, I don’t mind reading stories that aren’t grammatically perfect- I’m not grammatically perfect either (which you can probably tell from this post alone). But when there are too many blatant errors, it gets to the point where I start to think “has this person ever read a story in his life?” The more you read, the more you pick up on the proper way to punctuate or the proper use of certain words.
Also- this is completely off topic- “anyways” is not a word. It’s just anyway. It’s a pet peeve of mine.
Does anyone have anything else to add? Those were just the first things that came to mind when I started writing this.
Gender:
Points: 1490
Reviews: 9