Summary

The author, after initially intending to write a positive piece, grapples with the impact of negative comments on their enthusiasm for reading and responding to reader feedback on their Medium stories.

Abstract

The article begins with the author's intention to write a lighthearted follow-up to a previous piece that celebrated reader comments. However, the tone shifts as the author encounters a mix of positive and negative feedback. The negative comments, in particular, lead to a reflection on why some writers choose not to engage with comments at all. Despite the initial positive reception and acknowledgment of constructive feedback, the author expresses a growing understanding of the aversion to negative interactions. This culminates in a personal struggle between maintaining a positive writing experience on Medium and the potential for demoralizing exchanges in the comments section. The author remains committed to writing but is uncertain about their future engagement with comments, balancing the joy of reader interaction with the desire to avoid negative confrontations.

Opinions

The author appreciates the positive impact of supportive comments and acknowledges the community's foundation.
Some comments, while not outright toxic, are seen as close enough to be disheartening, especially when the author perceives no negative intent in their writing.
The author values constructive criticism and seeks to improve their writing based on reader feedback.
There is a concern that engaging with negative comments could lead to an unproductive and regrettable exchange.
The author emphasizes their preference for maintaining a positive and constructive presence in the writing community, despite the provocation of negative comments.
The experience has led the author to empathize with writers who choose to disengage from reading or leaving comments altogether.
Despite the negative experiences, the author remains dedicated to writing and sharing their work on Medium.

Now I Understand Why Some Writers Stop Reading Comments

Can a few negative comments manage to sour all the grapes?

This story was supposed to be a fun and enjoyable one to write, just like the other one I shared last week, with the title: This Story is a Shot Out to Readers Who Left Me Comments.

But as I was reading some of the remarks, things took a different turn. As I read, I began to understand why some writers admit that they don’t even read the comments readers leave.

It shouldn’t be the case that a few negative comments manage to sour you on reading comments altogether. Maybe for someone with thicker skin, it wouldn’t be a problem. But my skin is more sensitive than that.

Before I share why I feel this way, let me first show just a little appreciation, the way I intended to do for the entire story.

I want to acknowledge those readers who let me know how much they enjoyed and appreciated the previous story shot out to my commenters.

I appreciate you all, those of you who simply wanted to thank me for the mention, and those who wanted to weigh in on the idea.

Anyway, without further ado, let me get to a few of my latest RESPONSES.

Thanks you guys:

Let me start by telling Pamela Richards how you made my day when I read the following:

“As it now stands, this is my highest earning story, having gained me $24. 61 since I published it November 1st (2021).”

Unless I miss my guess, the recent shot out turned into a Red Bull moment and gave you some lift. I’m truly thrilled to hear it!

Jennifer N. Adams, Heather Martin —I appreciate you. I love that this community has a great foundation, that’s why I know it can withstand the temporary setbacks, and even the negative murmurs.

Thanks Yume Suki for your offer to help others gain followers, in response to the previous story I wrote about the Medium quota.

Responses to the Toxic Environment story

Hermes Solenzol — I thank you for taking the survey and your honest evaluation. That’s why I put it there. I wish you would have shared a little more as to your views, since I am seeking to improve on being more concise, but I appreciate you even bothering to answer at all. 😄

One of the more entertaining responses was from Brett Millan

Marcus — Thanks for the tip on the story about giving one another the “space to agree not to agree”. There were so many relatable points, even though the main thrust of the story had a political angle. This was definitely a quote worth mentioning:

“”Moderation is not an ideology, it is a way of being”

Janice Eastman made a great point about our ability to regulate the degree of negative stories that show up on our pages.

“I found that since I slowed down on clicking on those kind of stories, they are appearing less on my Recommended for You page.”

This is where I stopped reading comments because I can’t deal with the jabs

Like so many best made plans of mice and men, I started writing this story with the best of intentions, but wouldn’t you know it. The negativity managed to creep in and rear it’s ugly head.

I had intentions on addressing comments left on all my various stories, and attempting to handle my answers like I did the previous week. But to my surprise, trouble broke out in paradise.

It began with the story about the toxic environment. As I alternated between reading the comments from readers in my email, and noting the people to respond to, I began to notice something.

Not only were some of the responses not particularly glowing, but some were so close enough to being toxic, that they actually proved my point.

But here’s the thing. By reading and hearing people say negative things, when they clearly see you have no negative agenda, it makes me wonder. Is that the price you pay for daring to open your mouth and say: “Can’t we all just get along?”

The last thing I want to do is start engaging in a lot of negative back and forth with writers, simply to feed into whatever their agenda really is.

Now, I can begin to understand all those writers who confess to have stopped reading comments on their stories. I totally get it, even though some writers say they also don’t read or leave comments either.

Personally, I would never stop responding and leaving comments on any of the stories I enjoy reading; but on the other hand, I don’t make it a policy to leave negative comments, or responses meant to sting or put someone down.

Up until now, reading comments on my stories has been nothing but a joy. But that clearly is no longer the case. I’m starting to feel like firing back with a few barbs of my own. But that’s not the writer I want to be.

I enjoy writing on Medium too much, to let a few misguided readers cause me to say something ugly and that I’ll surely regret.

So what will this mean for me and responding to comments going forward? I truly don’t know right now. I feel like Marty McFly in Back to the Future:

“I don’t know if I can take that kind of rejection.”

The only thing I know for certain, is that I’ll ALWAYS KEEP WRITING! Will I stop reading comments for good? I’m not really sure, but:

“In case I don’t see ya, good afternoon, good evening and goodnight.” 😄

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