Comments? Seriously? Why?

I'm generally an easy going person. It takes a lot to annoy me, especially when it comes to writing. Lately, I've been coming across a lot of stories that have been begging for comments. It really irks me when I read a great story and then scroll down to see that the writer has insisted that people leave comments. I'm appalled by writers who demand X amount of comments before continuing on or threatening to delete their story because no one is commenting. There are a lot of things wrong here.

First off, chances are if you're not getting comments on your story it's for one of two reasons. One could be that your story has nothing to comment on. People can find almost anything to speak their mind to, so if your story's not getting comments then maybe it's got a confusing plot or dry characters. I'm trying to avoid saying that it is poorly written, because there's no such thing as a bad story, but maybe you need to rethink the pattern you weave your words into.

The other reason could be that you just have lazy readers. Some people just like reading or are fearful to give feedback because they don't know what to say or they don't want to hurt the writer’s feelings. Also, it might be a story with questionable content that they don't want others to know they're subscribed to. There's nothing wrong with that. So stop bugging them.

Secondly, in the real writing world there is no comment box attached to your novels. If you are hoping to go pro with your writing, don't expect people to say something after reading every chapter. You may one day receive fan mail, but in this day and age, reading is rare in itself. Also, you won't get noticed on the streets. Writing is a humbling experience. You may get comments from your family and friends, but don't expect much from people you don't know.

Thirdly, begging for comments is kind of a desperate action, don't you think? I mean, yes, they're nice to receive and makes you feel good about yourself and your writing, but writers shouldn't write for other people. They should write what they feel and stay true to their words. Threatening to take down a story and stop writing it because no one is telling you how good it is just shows that you yourself don't love your own story.

Every time I see someone beg for comments after a chapter, I refuse to comment. Even if it was one of the best stories I’ve read, I believe the writer is just fishing for compliments. There is so much more people can say to receive feedback like, "comments are appreciated," or "thanks for commenting." It's a nice way to let your readers know that you appreciate them taking time to check out your story.

I don't mean to go after any of you. We all have our own writing styles here. That's one thing that makes Mibba so great. Still, I don't think we should pride ourselves on how "popular" our stories are. Some of the best things written in this world will never be noticed.