Using Polls for Feedback on Fic

[cruiscin_lan]

EDITED TO ADD: I went back and found the link to the post that made me decide to try this in the first place: I wish that writers left polls at the end of their work by gaudinightBefore I start rambling, allow me to state that nothing I have to say is at all definitive or even remotely scientific. While I pretty much fail at research methods forever, at

Comments

[perdiccas]

I have a question... is it possible to do a truely anonymous poll? That is, can people answer as anon or do you have to be signed in to answer a poll as I think that might affect the number of "I didn't like it's" a fic might get?

Okay, apparently I actually have two questions. Do you always set up your polls with the answers viewable to all? I think that could influence how many people answer/answer honestly. I remember once there was a poll on some comm about whether we should have some community event (awards or a comment fic meme or something) and I remember feeling terrible being a) one of only a handful of people who said it was a bad idea and b) that everyone would know I was one of the killjoy stick in the muds. It's one thing for the author to know I ticked didn't like it, but I'm not sure I'd want that broadcast to the whole world, it makes me look like a bitch, y'know

[perdiccas]

# For authors: Would you try using polls to help encourage reader response? Why or why not

[perdiccas]

I thought of something else! I totally would be more comfortable answering a poll about a fic rather than leaving a comment if the fic is way old. Answering a poll feels less intrusive and I think the idea that I'm disturbing the author by commenting on a fic they haven't thought about in a while is the main reason I don't do it. I can think of a whole bunch of fics right now that I wish had had feedback polls because I wanted to squee but I felt too shy doing it 6 months after everyone else had.

And now I'm shutting up, I swear.

[cruiscin_lan]

I totally would be more comfortable answering a poll about a fic rather than leaving a comment if the fic is way old.

Not gonna lie, it was awesome going back to that first fic and seeing how the numbers have jumped up, so you're definitely not the only one. I know I only posted it like three months ago, but I wonder if more people will respond to the poll in six months' or a year's time.

[cadesama]

Oh, very interesting and informative! I've been thinking over the idea of using polls to supplement feedback for a while, but I always got hung up in the details. I did think it might present me as pretentious, given that it's not fandom wide, or somehow obsessive and neurotic. I also worried about the anonymity aspect, since fandom seems so obsessed with the idea that no one ever think we think badly of them -- while I can set the poll results to only be for me, I still know who thinks my writing is crap. It also has the problem of only working for people who have log ins, which do constitute the majority of hits, but not necessarily the entirety.

And, well, the other problem I keep hitting up against is knowledge of other fandoms. If I get ten reviews on LJ, I think I came out pretty well. If my roommate does, she gets pretty annoyed. But I'm in Heroes and she's in HP, and even though I can rationalize that size of a fandom matters, I think there's also just a lack of commenting culture in certain fandoms. Polls would probably help

[cruiscin_lan]

I did think it might present me as pretentious, given that it's not fandom wide, or somehow obsessive and neurotic.

This is really what gets me. I'm really surprised that any comments about the polls themselves have been overwhelmingly positive, and I've never heard from anyone that they think they're a bad idea. I'm suspicious that nearly everyone really hates them, and they're simply a silent majority...

I also worried about the anonymity aspect... It also has the problem of only working for people who have log ins...

I know when I read something, I tend to check out the comments first to see what sort of response the fic has already gotten as a way of gauging whether or not I might like it; that's why I haven't set the polls so that only I can see them. I still have anon commenting turned on, though, so if someone ever felt they really needed to tell me how much my fic sucked, they can (this is not something I typically advertise, though. Maybe I should).

the other problem I keep hitting up against is knowledge of other fandoms

[cadesama]

I'm suspicious that nearly everyone really hates them, and they're simply a silent majority...

LOL, while I may be personally paranoid, I don't actually think that's the case. I mean, we consistently go through a round of rants and wanks on the subject of feedback in fandom, with readers getting berated and guilt tripped. That is, if fandom isn't on a tear about how everyone needs to be more honest and how the cult of nice destroys the artistic integrity of our porn. Something as simple as a poll, eliminating the majority of that baggage... I think it's nice, and I think a lot of other people probably genuinely do as well.

I tend to check out the comments first to see what sort of response the fic has already gotten as a way of gauging whether or not I might like itI'm sort of the opposite, since I tend to find that others' opinions make me unpleasantly reactionary, but just having the poll up for people to see if they aren't logged in is a pretty good idea. It also feels more honest than awards which... yeah, I used to use (back in

[cruiscin_lan]

BTW, I'm sort of curious on how you are doing polls for multi-part fics.

This is another limitation of being the only person doing this, because I've only done it for oneshot fics and one chapter of a WIP that I haven't worked on since my hard drive crashed. If and when I write something longer, I'll definitely keep this in mind, but that might never happen...

[etoiledunord]

Disclaimer: I'm rather braindead at the moment. Also, none of this is intended to be argumentative or antagonistic, just my perspective. <3

[cruiscin_lan]

I'm somewhat confused by the section about the types of responses to writing, though. Did you include that to explain which types of responses you wanted to get from polls, or to describe which types of responses you wound up getting from polls, or for some other reason entirely? I think I kind of missed your point.

It was late when I wrote this, and it is early now, so forgive me for not making sense. I think by including that bit I was just trying to show that I was actively thinking about what I wanted to put into polls, and not totally half-assing the idea.

Re: specific types of nonevaluative feedback: The book does offer examples but it's all the way upstairs and I'm all the way downstairs, so I'm paraphrasing here and offering some of my own. While evaluative feedback can offer criticism and ways to improve, there are several kinds of nonevaluative feedback that can appear in comments, which might be remarks on:

the subject matter that doesn't necessarily discuss its treatment in the story (for example, In a fic about

[cruiscin_lan]

I'd be paranoid about being perceived as exploiting the "poll culture" that exists in my corner of LJ. Polls cause excitement and people rush to fill them out, because, dude, TICKY BOX, and I don't like the notion that I might be riding on the coattails of the ticky box's popularity to get more feedback.

This gets me every time I go to post a fic now. Every time I forget a poll, though, someone mentions it to me, so I'm damned if I do and damned if I don't. I think the only way I reconcile this is by making sure the polls go beneath cuts at the end of the story, so at least they aren't susceptible to drive-by clicky madness.

Plus, filling out a poll and then also leaving a comment feels like saying that your opinion counts twice or something.

This just reminded me of how perdiccas once responded both to the poll and with a comment saying "I think I picked the wrong option." I think she cancelled herself out.

I would suggest putting in a couple options with reactions you were expecting and/or hoping for, to see if the overall impression of

[cruiscin_lan]

Yep, you caught me. That's exactly where my username comes from. I grew up on a steady listening diet of the Tommy Makem and the Clancy Brothers (my grandfather used to sneak me into concerts - I think I have a picture with them from when I was a baby).

Also I like to hit the sauce, so yeah the meaning's literal, too. ;)

[mizubyte]

ha, I almost just clicked the poll and backbuttoned, but then I started reading the comments... interesting. Not sure what that says, but interesting

[cruiscin_lan]

I almost just clicked the poll and backbuttoned, but then I started reading the comments... interesting. Not sure what that says, but interesting.

Comments beget comments! They're like bunnies that way.

if I don't know the author I tend not to comment, because I feel like they have no idea who I am, so it's kind of intrusive. Which is absolutely backwards thinking, because as an author I love hearing from people I don't know.

I think this is a mindset a lot of us have.

The ability for the results to remain anon. I suppose.

Completely anon, or with results viewable only to the author?

Dilophosaurus killed Wayne Newton in Jurassic Park, right? It had some slammin' headgear.

I just like knowing people are out there reading.

I feel the same way, but I don't think anything could replace a sincere review. :)