Dipping back into this site after a break, I've come across quite a few entries under 'shared works' that are only a couple of lines long, a summary of a story, or an proclamation of a self-published work. When I used to use the site regularly I posted excerpts of work in progress to get feedback so that I knew how it was coming across to the reader and how I could make improvements, and most other users did the same. So my question is, what are contributors hoping for when they share, especially those who share the very short pieces?
I share work to obtain feedback too, Susan. I enjoy reading others work too, although I don't always comment on what I read. Sometimes because I don't feel like I can provide any constructive feedback.
Clare
Feedback is [almost] always appreciated. Tweaks or even TWONGS that can improve my writing. I did make a change to one piece because of 2 comments from fellow users. Mind you, I'd considered the change myself and asked: "Should I do this instead?" Two people said yes (giving reasons) and I think that the piece is better now.
Some feedback, however, is useless. I may disagree with the "improvement" that is suggested... AFTER giving it careful consideration.
It's no good, for example, taking advice on a piece of comic writing from somebody who obviously doesn't possess a sense of humour. (See, for example, The Fellowship Or Some Thing - THE saga, Part I - https://www.writersandartists.co.uk/profile/emilie-van-damm/work/57ccc0f4387140b07f8b4569 - a collaborative piece that Emilie edited. It should be obvious that the whole thing is a piss-take, a bunch of us letting our hair down and being very silly, indeed. [Incidentally, new collaborators are still welcome to join in!] And then you get comments like [I'm paraphrasing here] 'the verb ejaculate has changed its meaning since Jane Austen's day' and hinting that it would be an improvement to the text if a substitute were found!!!)
W&As is a community. I have made friends on this site that I've never met face-to-face... or on any other social network. So sometimes I share my work simply... to share.
One reason for sharing work here is to awaken interest in my writing, hoping that (some) other users will look for my work elsewhere.
I - and others - have used 'shared work' to draw attention to 2 charitable anthologies, in the vain hope that
a) other writers will contribute work of their own to those anthologies;
b) some users might be persuaded to actually buy them, thus benefiting the worthy causes that they support. (I must admit that this is a rather far-fetched aspiration. Try selling a table to a cabinetmaker!)
And then, there's always the mad hope that some literary agent or publisher will discover my immense talent (blushes modestly) here and offer me a juicy contract. (Are you paying attention, Admin?)