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What i really love about this site is the way in which it encourages poets to critique each other and improve their work. However, it seems that more recently (especially with the very generous gold membership give away on offer for the most comments) that the standards of comments has dropped (in some places I've seen anyway).
I don't know if I'll be heckled for this, but I was wondering what actually counts as a comment? Cause I saw one poem which had a comment of 20 words rewarded 4 points. With such a low threshold it seems to not be encouraging critiques in the right way.
Especially as the ability to add rewards and post more poems relies upon commenting, I felt that comments should be required to be at least fifty/hundred words or something. Otherwise how can they actually tell the author anything useful? -
Exactly!
I agree. I've felt the same way about the "most comment today" system. It seems as if encourages quantity over quality.And from what I've seen of the top commenters, many times the comments are complimentary fluff along the lines of
"[insert adjective]! This is so open so [adjective]. I [loved/adored/enjoyed/related to] the [poetic structure] in this; it was so [adjective] and fit the poem really well. I really [loved/adored/enjoyed/related to] this [piece/poem/write]!"
(By the way, this is an actual comment (altered so I won't get my head bitten off) that was rewarded four points.)
It's nice that people like a poem but empty compliments are really annoying and should be reserved for AP.
And "I don't know much about poetry!" is no excuse. A person can write a thoughtful review, useful to the writer, without any knowledge whatsoever, by simply describing how it all affected them, their thoughts, associations, how it read to them, what sounded nice, what didn't etc, etc.
The system does encourage comments, but I don't see how it's fair that my 360 word comment is equivalent to a 32 word compliment. (And yes, I know that length is not the same as quality..but still!)
I'm really glad you brought this up for discussion.
~nocturne
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Bravo!
These are statements that should be read by all!
Not only twice but again! This is not a place for fluff.I do not downgrade a short critique if it is packed tight with observations that are useful, or which make points I had not considered. Honest reactions, added information, appreciation of certain parts (even those I like too) are valid, as are questions the poem has inspired. Those are far from empty. Particularly choice are those that teach me something. An essay that digs through to the inner workings is a joy to get, and as rare.
Many do not have time to pull out all the stops.
In my own case, I do not have time just now to do justice to a truly fine poem as often as I would like. Too many commitments, too little sleep, health problems that sap energy—even surgery last week, have pretty well removed my participation in the past while, and the few I do are not up to what I wish I could have done.
This is a very valuable topic.
Terry -
I definitely agree
I just received a comment that included two lines of praise and then they COPIED almost my entire piece into the comment box. I thought that was what the numbers beside the lines were for, so you didn't end up copying over someones poem into your comment. The person received four points for the comment and I am NOT happy about that. I rated the comment a 1 and I wish I could rate less because that kind of comment is not what I came to sharepoetry to get.To quote nocturne: I don't see how it's fair that my 360 word comment is equivalent to a 32 word compliment.
I think the requirements for receiving points should definitely be re-evaluated.
~Laura
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On the other hand...a metaphor
For those who live where people walk on water in winter, it is rather like venturing out with skates on a beautiful sheet of clean ice over a lake in December.
No matter how well we can skate, or love to do triple jumps and scratch-spins, it is a good idea to consider the hazards of being on thin ice. If it is not ready yet to bear burdens, we can suddenly find ourselves submerged, and very cold.There is a wrong time to tell too much too soon.
In fact, is the time really ever right?Terry
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Comment rating dropped.
I write complete comments, mostly, and if I know it will be short, I click "comment only"even when it may have six to eight lines, so that points won't be wasted on mine. Yesterday I saw where two-lined comments repeatedly were rewarded with 4 points, and the owner's rating on comments was five ( 5 )
In my own case I have been content for a long time to be rated ar 4.6, allowing I guess for the rare unrewarded ones. Yesterday and still today, it sits at 4.0
It seems unfair when two lines get 5.0
I have to wonder about the purpose for these ratings when they are not consistent with quality.
Terry -
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Dumb question?
There is a way to rate comments that people leave on us here? Point me in the right direction?
I have had some very good thorough comments done here on my stuff so I would like to give the commenters good ratings. I didn't know there was a way to do that though?
I know, I am a goober. But I didn't know to look for it. -
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Oh Yay!!!!
I found it. I had never moused over those little star icons on the comment posts. Now I can go through and give 1's to all those people who only do a copy and paste of my entire work and then only say
This wuz reel gud.
I don't so much mind a short comment, but it really annoys me when someone uses my typing efforts to earn their points.
That does leave me with another dumb question though. What does our rating as a commenter mean to us?
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Adding your reply:
Iorek
Nov 18 10:01 AM 2005
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