Dig? Or Compliment?
When comments straddle the fence.
Have you ever received a comment on a story that you couldn’t make heads or tails out of?
You read it several times and still, you ask yourself? Is this an FU, or what? Does this person hate what I wrote or think it’s a masterpiece…the next, “For Whom the Bell Tolls?”
Oddly, I’ve received several comments of this nature, of late. Perhaps it has something to do with the “pandemic crazies,” or maybe the commenter in question can’t string a cohesive sentence together. Regardless of the scenario, it’s perplexing.
And it presents a quandary: How, do we as writers, respond to these fuzzy bits of ineptitude? Do we give thanks? Tell the addled commenter to kiss our patoots? Or, just say nothing?
How do we discern a dig, from a compliment?
It’s difficult to know what to do as I don’t like to deliberately ignore people. Nor do I want to appear rude, or ignorant, or just plain full of myself. Engagement is what it’s all about here, but how does one engage with gobbledygook?
One such comment that I received on a recent story had nothing to do with what I wrote. NADA. Instead, the individual took off on a road only he could see. He referenced his own stories, specifically those that received the most reads….mentioned Trump (as I had in my own piece)…touched on story titles…and that was about it. Oh, and there was a vague stench of negativity about it.
“So what are you telling me, kind sir?”
Maybe he only imagined he read my story. I mean, that’s possible, right?
Yet…I feel there was a veiled dig in his comment because, deep in my gut, I was turned off by it. And normally, my instincts are dead on. So I decided to respond with a simple:
“Your point eludes me.”
Thus far, I haven’t received a response. Maybe he confused himself.
And here’s what is most concerning: If these people, assumedly writers on this platform, can’t craft a cohesive comment, can you imagine what their stories must be like?
This got me thinking: Although Medium does offer up guidelines for how to interact with other writers and readers here…no harassment, rudeness, bullying or privacy violations, etc, perhaps there’s a simpler way to break down these guidelines so that the perpetually confused can understand them. So here goes:
- If you enjoy a story, consider giving it a few claps. If you choose to comment, try to go the extra mile and let the writer know what you liked about the piece and why it resonated with you. I especially appreciate knowing when I’ve made a connection, and why.
- If a story doesn’t resonate with you, no worries. Don’t clap or comment. If you feel you must comment…try to do so respectfully. There’s no mandate saying you must agree with an op-ed piece, especially, but if you’re going to be an asshole about it, you’re not going to win any fans here. Remember the Golden Rule? It’s still valid, even during these pandemically-challenged times when a “bad mood” is the order of the day.
- Finally, make your comment clear and coherent. Don’t go off on a rambling tangent that will only make you look, well…nuts. If you’re not feeling the clarity, if you’ve had a couple of pops, for instance, let it go and revisit the story another day. There’s no shame or blame in that. We’ve all been there. Think of it like “drunk texting.” Just don’t.
I hope I’ve been of some service here. If I have, feel free to comment. And if you think I’m full of shit, if you’re in a crappy frame of mind and really need to let me know, just say it, okay? It’s really not that hard once you get the hang of it.
Sure, I’ll think you’re a douche, but at least I’ll know what side of the fence you’re on.
Sherry McGuinn is a slightly-twisted, longtime Chicago-area writer and award-winning screenwriter. Her work has appeared in The Chicago Tribune, Chicago Sun-Times, and numerous other publications. Sherry’s manager is currently pitching her newest screenplay, a drama with dark, comedic overtones and inspired by a true story.
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