Just pondering ways to enforce more interaction on the site. One possibility that came to mind was somehow enforcing a feedback given to feedback received ratio. Something that only allows, for example, two pieces of feedback to be given on your work for every one piece of feedback you give to someone else.

The tracking is already in place in people's profiles...

Just a thought.

Sorry, IB, can’t go along with that. I see what you’re trying to do but feedback should be freely given without conditions or restraints, not to score points.

You do have a valid point that there seem to be a lot of members who don’t give feedback. But maybe we should ask why… maybe they don’t feel confident enough… maybe they’re worried about an unfavourable response… I don’t know… I have wondered about the option to give feedback anonymously but I fear that could be open to abuse… good discussion point though… let’s see what others have to say…

Dee.

I' d worry that would mean people commenting on work for the sake of it, rather than because they have something to add, advice to offer etc.
I kind of like the fact that people are free to go at their own pace on this site - read the things that really interest them, meet new people as little or as often as they want to... Is that just me?

I think you're right, Ralph. You can't force people to comment or the comments become meaningless. IB is right though. There does need to be a bit more feedback given. How we do that, I don't know. People need to be encouraged to comment. Maybe some sort of mentoring system whereby the more seasoned members look at the new work in their designated field? I think if someone has their work commented on, they are more likely to look at the work of those that comment and perhaps reciprocate. Needs some thought.....
Sue

Sorry, this suggestion points to somewhat megalomaniac tendencies of mine.

Must... control... everyone...

I’d hate to think of people commenting on my work just out of necessity.

Encouraging members to give their opinions would be better than forcing it. I know that when I first joined I didn’t like to comment on others work because I had only just begun writing and felt that there was little advice for me to give. I still feel like I can’t give good criticism on others work, but I do like to show my appreciation of writing that I have particularly enjoyed.

Perhaps new members need to realise that their views are valued just as much as the regulars.

Your last point is a very good one, Sue, but I think that is what leads to the clumping we seem to have developed. I wonder if it's a lack of confidence. When I first joined WW I was a bit free with my comments - because I wanted honest feedback about my own work and was braced to take the knocks. I was a mite shaken when another member was removed from the site because his feedback/comments were offending some people. It freaked me out and for quite a while I was very nervous of what I said. (yes, OK, I can see a few eyebrows going up )

I keep thinking maybe we should have a star-rating system for feedback.

* please be gentle
** please be subtle
*** go on - I can take it! ... and give it!

That might free up people who just don't know how to politely say 'Don't give up the day job.'

Dee.

This exact system is what we've been contemplating putting in place for a while- we just want to get it exactly right. We certainly won't be insisting that people comment on work- but it might refine things even more if the writer him/herself can request a level of feedback.

Louise, good point about the views of new members. Why do we write? I write to communicate with people. So I’m not only looking for feedback from other writers. I want to know what readers think of my writing. And what are new WW members, what are new writers, if not readers? You don’t need to be a cordon bleu chef to enjoy a good meal... You don't need to understand how electricity works to switch on a light...

Dee

I agree with Dee, feedback is a freedom thing, but you can't post and expect returns if you don't oblige yourself - fair enough I'd say.

steve

I agree, but when does it become churlish not to respond to a piece of work just because the author hasn't commented on yours? I freely admit to being a bit hit and miss at commenting. I have spurts of looking through work and commenting and then I'll lose myself in the forums for a while. Must try harder (as all my teachers wrote in my school reports!).
Sue

I certainly try and give feedback where I can. However, pitching feedback can be hard and I like the idea of being able to say what level of feedback you're looking for. I know I sometimes don't give feedback either because I can't think of anything positive to say, or because I would just be repeating the OMG Wow! fantastic! comments of everyone else.

But I wouldn't ever want to feel that I was obligated to give feedback, that would reduce what it means.

Cas

What an interesting subject... well mentioned IB.

I removed most of my work some time ago for it seemed that 'the comments' had fizzled out. However I have not commented on people's work for some time for, after reading comments by others it seemed that all I may have wanted to say had already been said by others.

There have been occasions when the posted comments have been high in their praises of the work, but I have not agreed and rather than saying this I have taken the coward's way out and not commented.

Some have asked for comments on their work through the email and I have responded, also by email. I do agree that feedback is essential and the idea mentioned by Anna sounds most interesting but it does need a lot of thought. Len

Seems to me one of the problems now is that with so many new members new pieces of work drop out of the public eye very quickly ( on the new work posted board) and I susupect it is a minority of posters who look at the groups to see what new work has been posted, also of course the group work tends to be more group only.

Equally if you dont visit every day you stand no chance of catching up with what you have missed

Would it help to enable people to sort work by having different colour icons based on if the piece is prose, poetry etc this would save clicking on a new piece in order to ascertain what genre it is.

I wonder if it would be possible to increase the size of the new work feature perhaps to allow all of that days new work to be shown on one display, it may even be worth removing the most recent comments display to accomodate this. That way it would reuqire you to read the work to comment and read others comments rather than perhaps sorting the work you wish to review by clicking on comments that appeal to you.

I equally appreciate what ever is decided will only suit those people who agree with it

just random thoughts really

david

I wonder if some people pull back from giving feedback because they don't feel confident in saying what they want to say - or saying what they want to mean!

I do take Dee's point that You don’t need to be a cordon bleu chef to enjoy a good meal but I think you need to be more than the the average devourer of burger and chips to describe why you enjoyed the meal and how, if at all, it could be improved. And - perhaps more importantly - what was wrong with it if it fell below standard.

The delivery of positive and constructive feedback is a skill in itself, especially if we are to rise above the 'this is great' and ' I really enjoyed this' one liners. This is especially true if our positive and constructive feedback is trying to tell the person that what they have produced is below par - for whatever reasons! (Dangerous ground here, I know!!)

No doubt most of us have receieved feedback that wasn't worth the paper it was written on, and said more about the authour's prejudices and likes and dislikes than our own performances.

I don't think that making rules about a requirement to give feedback and comments is the answer. Helping people achieve the confidence to give positive and constructive feedback may be.

John