More thoughts about feedback

[jelazakazone]

Someone posted this week about kudos and comments on AO3.  It lead to some very interesting conversations.  That post is locked, unfortunately.  I would love to talk to you all about kudos and comments on AO3

Comments

[k_nightfox]

See, this is the problem with the kudos system. On the one hand, it gives a voice to people who are uncomfortable leaving detailed feedback. But on the other hand, I suspect it also deters others from leaving a comment through sheer laziness.

I will tell you how I do AO3 as a reader. If I like something, I leave kudos. If I love something, I leave kudos and a comment. That said, I have also been known to just leave kudos when I love something but I am too tired or foggy that day (basically too braindead) to list the reasons I love something. So...yeah, I do sometimes take the lazy route.

As an author, I'd rather have kudos than nothing but a comment is much more highly prized.

[jelazakazone]

I don't think it really does deter people from leaving comments. I feel that the culture on AO3 is just less interactive. Also, apparently it's harder for a guest to leave comments than kudos.

Personally, I'm happy to get any kind of feedback. Oh, someone else listed bookmarks. Damn. I should edit the entry.

[k_nightfox]

I guess I suspect the deterrence because I myself am sometimes guilty of using kudos instead of a comment.

Bookmarks are like, an even bigger thrill to me than a comment. And again, as a reader, I tend to bookmark sparingly.

[jelazakazone]

I think kudos are fine if you liked a story and have nothing in particular to say. If I have nothing substantive to say, I'll just leave a kudo. Otherwise, I kudo and comment.

I bookmark rarely as well. Very rarely.

[jelazakazone]

I love your thoughts! Thanks for spewing:D

[jelazakazone]

*nods* I get that. All of it. I feel like it's older posts where you see people not replying to comments.

I'm not going to copy your third paragraph, but just WORD. Yeah. I don't really care who sees what I comment on, like, kudo, etc. I just do what I like. I'm kind of on the outskirts of fandom, I feel. Maybe. Fandom is my happy place and I don't look for ways to make it more exciting.

*smishes you* You are adorable on a caffeine high. ♥

[junkshop_disco]

I loathe click-to-like culture. I never do it on FB (I'm barely on FB to be fair) and I only ever leave kudos instead of a comment if the fic is solely hosted on AO3. I don't have an AO3 account and I'd rather leave a comment on LJ and team it with an icon that expresses my feelings so we can maybe get into a convo, but if that's not there I'll hit the kudos button. I just feel like kudos and like buttons are personality-less and dull :/.

[jelazakazone]

I spend very very very limited time on FB.

You are full of personality! I can see how it would feel rather lackluster to hit a kudo or like button.

gealach_ros once commented that she liked to read on AO3, but wanted to comment on LJ. Since then, I link back every fic I post on AO3 to LJ.

I find the whole thing fascinating.

[rocknvaughn]

I am very new to the AO3 community but I do like, in principle, the idea of the kudos. That way, people who would not have commented, but did like what you wrote can leave some sort of positive feedback.

I am also not a big fan of the "click to like" society we live it because it tends to lead to laziness...but let's face it: ANY sort of positive feedback is better than none.

I did not know how to comment before when I was not a member, so I would leave kudos when I read something I liked. I may now go back and leave comments for some of those kudos-ed stories.

[jelazakazone]

Cute icon!

Heh. I really find kudos very acceptable. They make me happy. Comments make me happy too. I don't often comment on fics on AO3. I think in part it's because it seems like there isn't a good culture of conversation there.

Hah. Do you remember all the fics you've given kudos to that you could actually go back and do it?

[rocknvaughn]

Not all of them, but some, certainly. :D

[jelazakazone]

Heh. I think if you can remember which ones you've kudo'd and feel moved to comment, you should do it!

[jelazakazone]

It is true that what an individual responds to isn't necessarily what I will respond to. I am actually pretty mystified about the kudo count on some of my fics, to be honest.

Just out of curiousity, do you leave both a comment and kudo on AO3, or just one or the other?

[jelazakazone]

*nods* Ok, thanks:D