Comments

I'm quite prepared to have a hurricane of abuse hurled at me here, but this needs saying.
More people have to start leaving some comments on peoples' poetry - especially new members. Just look down the list of new members; they create an account and then, slowly but surely, stop coming back. My guess is because they get no feedback at all except from the same few members.
Look down the list of poems posted in the last few days; hardly any have a vote or comment to them.

I've heard all the arguments about people being busy and not having the time to give and I'm sure that applies to many. However, many of those people spend a lot of time on here seemingly browsing but never giving any encouragement or feedback for new poetry. Reading a poem and leaving a comment takes a few minutes, and if everyone tried to leave at least one whenever they logged on, the site would soar. Instead, people whinge about it being quiet; what do they expect?

There are enough core members and people joining to make this place buzz again, but only if we try. Fire away at me, but everyone reading this knows I'm right. No time? Too busy with life? Fine - entirely understandable. But don't log on everyday, then log off giving nothing back and say you're too busy to leave one comment. As above, if everyone did that -just one comment - whenever they're on, this site would be so much brighter. We do have the people, just not the will at the moment.

I have no will at the moment.

I feel empty. I read a few and then... blank. I guess I can just pop and say welcome to the site.

Ben, don't feel like that! You're right in a lot that you say, but I think it's just how people feel perhaps these last few years for all sorts of reasons. Facebook for one thing took a big slice of our membership, albeit I do see a gradual return back to websites again, especially one as good as ours, so don't despair!
You have been a leading light in this darkness that has surrounded us all, but don't give up ok? I see better days ahead for our site. I read the other day, that poetry is making a comeback at least here in the UK, as people rediscover the beauty that can be found in words again, so the future for our craft does looks bright!
You are right, we must all make much more of an effort to contribute, whether it's with fresh, exciting new poems, or simply reviewing other writes from our talented writers that we have on board. All of us must make a contribution if this site is not to die a death of a thousand cuts, you do more than enough already, so it's mainly up to the rest of us me thinks!
Janis is revising our site which I hope he completes as soon as possible, and clears some of the bugs that we have already encountered with the new software.
Fingers crossed, he is able to fix these in the near future.
For my part, I have been meaning to finish writing a special poem that I have wanted to write for someone for a few years now, but never seemed to of got the time.
I am resolved now to complete it, and also, show some older ones that I have that I don't believe have been seen.
We must all put our backs to the wall to make this site what it once was, me included, then members will return.

Ben,
When you're right you're right.
No excuses - I'm as guilty as anyone.
Thank you for the literary kick in the arse.

Ben this site is many things to many people. I don't think getting frustrated will achieve much or change people's habits. A few might leave comments for a while but if they aren't already doing that they will drop off again

Ive never really tried to define this site but if I was, I was I would say it's a library, a library for poets. Some visit once a month or less some every week some every day. Some write, some read, some comment, some come to chat to friends, some just visit the forums. To me that's how it's always been.

It's a personal individual thing. Me, I only write when I have something emotional happening or I'm inspired by something.

Sometimes I will comment on others work, most times I don't, but I won't feel guilty if I don't. I help out and judge when I can. Maybe not often enough but many put a lot of work in here, namely the mods and other judges and the site wouldn't function without them, so do feel I have to give something back

Yes the site was more active about 4 - 5 years ago. But I don't think that has anything to do with clubs, Facebook or other media. It was more about a group of individuals and the dynamics of the site at that time.

Maybe it will happen again who knows

But what I do know is that this site will always be important to me. I will be a judge when I can. I will post when inspired and comment if I read something that touches me.

Protests against and frustration with Trump won't remove him from office either, Nicko, but that doesn't stop people speaking out and nor should it.
To be fair, I am frustrated and, ultimately, you may be right. Also, I wouldn't want to make anyone feel 'guilty' for not commenting more. My point was that there are a fair few people on this site who bemoan its lack of activity but do nothing to help. If you like the way it is then that's absolutely fine - who am I to say what the site should be to anyone? But for those who aren't happy, do something about it.

Ben I hear what you are saying and as they say a squeaky wheel gets the oil, if this generates more activity I'm all for that, certainly not against it. I've seen stacks of activity here, as a judge had to sift through 40 plus poems a week, seen some rip snorting debates. Would love to see that again, if this thread helps all good. But that wasn't my point really. But don't want to create any negativity really ... all good

I agree with your closing statement and that applies for me as well. I hate any sort of negativity/arguments and that wasn't the intention with this thread; only to get more people commenting.

All the best

Please don't think I'm trying to sound like a jerk... I know we all started somewhere.

I have a hard time reading a lot of poetry. If I don't like it, if there are heaps of errors, if it's just..not great (to me, it could move someone else), I have a hard time finishing it, let alone commenting.

People used to post poetry for critique and growth, but after many years of trying to help with grammatical errors (too/to, they're/there/their type stuff, not literary license sort of things) and getting bashed/yelled at/mad at... I quit doing that unless specifically asked. Now, though, it's hard for me to comment on a piece that I see riddled with errors when I know most of the time, I get in "trouble" for trying to help. Tone through text is difficult, I know, and it may come across as a know-it-all or thinking I'm better than someone (as these are things often commented to me years ago when attempting to help).

When I started posting my poems, I had sunshine blown up my butt and I thought I was a great writer -- until someone gently put me in my place and humbled me, and tried to help me. Now I don't think I'm the best or even great, but I've grown a lot from my beginning days... and isn't that a part of the point? I understand it's also a release, but I write a lot of things I don't post as it's a personal release.

See, I sound like a jerk, but I feel like it's a real damned if you do, damned if you don't sort of deal.

I understand that entirely, Britt, and no, you don't 'sound like a jerk', lol.

I so didn't want to come across as pretentious, you know? There has to be a way we can comment without the smoke and mirrors -- we all have room for growth, so that's my thought process.

Also, it's Monday morning after my small vacation and I have only had a cup of coffee. I shouldn't be allowed on the forums today hahaha

Britt, to answer to your first post, I have the same mindset. When I do read poems, I hardly ever comment for one of two main reasons:
-the poem's subject or just the poem itself doesn't resonate with me, or the poem is littered with errors
or -I feel as though any critical commentary may be taken the wrong way, and I'd rather not be the reason for someone abandoning writing, or feeling discouraged

To your point, Ben, I am all for commenting more often. I can accept that I've certainly been someone who does not take on my share of commenting - whether that be critical or simply being welcoming and accessible to newer members/less frequent visitors. As someone who has been on P&Q for quite awhile, I can certainly agree with your statement that it doesn't take much time to comment, and it may do me some personal good to read more poetry, as well as help others by commenting.

I get caught up in doing lists.
Part of that issue is because I'm ADD & lists have been an important coping mechanism for me.
The problem is that lists tend to be about actions that are required while other things, call them discretionary, get bounced in the process.
In the back of my mind I have minnows of concern nibbling at the need to read more new poets and do more comments. Sometimes it takes a hard strike like Ben's tirade to bring the need to read & comment to the forefront.

I'm just wondering if adding the number of comments made by each member to their profile would encourage more of us to comment...you know, something similar to the amount of posts we've made which shows up? Just an idea I thought I'd throw in.

When Janis re-establishes the awards the comments will be referenced again, although indirectly.
The top commenters are already carried over from the old site under the top tab "poets" & then the link "critics".

Yes, but are they not just comments that have been praised???

Correct
You think that the total # of comments might encourage more of the same.

How would you weed out comments like "wow, you really nailed this one!"
Or
"I'm so sry that you're going through this. [men/women] can be so terrible!"

I think that's already implemented since the change happened. This is what now shows up in your profile.

Age : 1
Gender : Female
Country : Australia
Joined : Dec 8, 2012
Last Visit : 9 hours ago
Poems : 103
Comments : 411
Quotes : 2
Posts : 2930
Awards : P C F

I like that the number of poems a poet has is now showing as well as the awards. Oh! and also the Win's and Hm's awards. Cool.

Edit: Or did you mean to say that you also wanted the number of comments showing up in the profile to show up in the forum's profile?

I'm a bit confused about the last two replies to me. Larry, this post from Mark in the More Questions thread..

There's a minimum character count when it comes to posting comments/poems, it must be 50 characters long. It's an issue with posting shorter works haiku/senyrus/syntuits.

I thought this meant that you could no longer leave a one word comment on a poem, I even tested in on one of Mark's poems and found that it did accept a one word comment, I also thought it was something that may be fixed further down the track so that a decent comment must be left.

Luce

I always assumed that the comments shown on my profile eg (411) was the number of comments my poems had received, not the amount I'd made?

Anyway, it was just a suggestion and, not a very good one I now see.

"I always assumed that the comments shown on my profile eg (411) was the number of comments my poems had received, not the amount I'd made?"

hmm... ah, your assumption actually makes sense. My bad. Sorry for speaking without truly knowing. I have to say that mine is also an assumption. I went and assumed that those were the comments that I made to other poets because I feel like I have received way more comments than what I have commented...

Can any Mod clarify what the comments shown on the profile stand for?

Edit: I just commented on Darcy's latest sintuit, and my counter went up by 1. It was in 1003, and now it's 1004.
So the comments seem to increase by the comments we make on other poets.

Yep, it's the total number of comments made by a poet.

Edit: I misspoke regarding the character-limit minimum on comments, there is a maximum though, I can't recall off hand what it was. Janis dropped the minimum characters on posting a poem to be 30 characters, haiku's/syntuits/senryus shouldn't have a problem being posted now.

"a a a a a
a a a a a a a
a a a a a"

the above has 33 character and fits the 5/7/5 structure of a haiku/senyru/syntuit. The problem regarding editing poems should be resolved now as well.

Yep, it's the total number of comments made by a poet.

^^^

Is this a new feature that's been implemented since the new site appeared or has it always been there and I've wrongly thought, for the past 10 years or so, that it represented the amount of comments made on a member's poems?

Edit: I misspoke regarding the character-limit minimum on comments, there is a maximum though, I can't recall off hand what it was. Janis dropped the minimum characters on posting a poem to be 30 characters, haiku's/syntuits/senryus shouldn't have a problem being posted now.

Sorry...I'm still confused about this...what does 'character-limit minimum on comments' mean exactly?

It's a new feature. The previous site only showed the total number of discussion posts made by a user.

There's no minimum length on comments (I misspoke earlier). Poems must have a minimum length of 30 characters.

It's a new feature. The previous site only showed the total number of discussion posts made by a user.

^^^

So my earlier suggestion wasn't totally stupid just one that had already been implemented and I hadn't noticed it as a new feature. The previous site showed your total votes so I just assumed this was a new way of phrasing that.

Thanks for clearing up the comment question too...all good now.

I just posted a reply on one of my own poems to see if it would register as me giving a comment and it has. This gives an unrealistic number of comments that show up on a member's account,especially for members who reply to each and every comment left on their poems. Kind of makes me look like a miser who rarely comments when, in fact, it's just that I very seldom reply to a comment with a comment of my own, on my own poem. Normally I just use the pm system to reply if I think a reply is necessary.

Oh wow. I am an abysmal commenter.

Loving these additions. I didn't know I had HMs on some of my poems.

Go Janis go. Now to fix the clubs, reinstate the search tools, and condense the forums.

Plus more free speech, dude.