This community is fueled by comments, but commenting is something I struggle with. What kind of comments do I need to make? What kind of feedback do slicers want to see? Do I comment on the subject of the slice? Do I comment on the connection I make to my own experiences? Do I comment on the craft move?
I don't believe there is a right or wrong way to comment, but my comments always feel inadequate.
When I write a slice, or anything for that matter, I want the reader to connect with it, to elicit an emotion, or to make the reader think about something in a new way. This is also a writing challenge with a place to try out craft moves with no risk. A place to play and experiment.
As I read one of my recent slices, I noticed a comment by Fran McCrackin: "I like how your structure is good for describing a journey: you begin and end with today, and in between you chart out the time and events. It works." Yes, I intentionally did that, and she not only noticed but also commented on it.
I decided to go back and look at Fran's comments on others' posts, and I began to notice the craft moves of the comments she writes. Fran will comment on her favorite line or paragraph, or the perfect word choice and how that word(s) made her feel. She comments on the mood of the piece and what lines or words create that mood. She sees structure and identifies it in ways I would never think of. She always comes back to the writing itself.
And isn't that what this challenge is really about? Improving my writing?
Moving forward through these next 12 days, I want to be a more intentional commenter, to really look at the writing along with the chosen topic and the connections to it. This will take more time, and I will not get to read as many posts, but maybe I won't feel quite so inadequate!
Thank you, Fran, for being a commenting mentor!
a space for me and other teacher-writers to share our stories.
Ah, Leigh Anne, that is so nice you are working on growing as a commenter. I can say an AMEN to Fran's thoughtful comments. I have experienced them too. Your list of questions in the first paragraph are very effective at keeping the reader going to see if you are going to answer them. (I'm practicing noticing craft already, thanks to your post.)
ReplyDeleteComment writing is a genre to be learned too. Mentor texts are useful here.
ReplyDeleteWriting comments is an art form. What a great subject for a slice. I like the way you study others' comments (like Fran's) as mentor texts. Golden strategies: "She comments on the mood of the piece and what lines or words create that mood. She sees structure and identifies it in ways I would never think of. She always comes back to the writing itself." I like the way you end this writing with what you aspire to do in the next 12 days. This post is inspiring.
ReplyDeleteI find commenting difficult, too. Thank you for sharing this and giving us some specific ideas for commenting. Your questions brought me write in and allowed me to connect to the piece because I struggle with the same thoughts. I always leave your slices inspired to write.
ReplyDeleteI too experience this comment imposter syndrome! And I’ve noticed Fran’s awesome comments as well. Your idea of viewing her comments are mentor texts in themselves is genius — I will try to do the same and see if I can also improve in my comments!
ReplyDeleteYour slice is a great conversation starter. I'm also torn about how I would like to comment: as a fellow writer or as a community reader? I think we create room for both and many more possibilities. Yes, and the commenting does quite a bit for exercising our writing muscles.
ReplyDeleteI always fear that my comments are inadequate especially after reading some of the comments that preceded mine. Over the last days of the challenge, I will think of the other comments as mentor texts from which to learn rather being intimidated by them. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteYou inspire me to think of my own trends in commenting. In a recent presentation with a group when we got to the feedback part, we offered sentence stems that use a heart (personal/style connection), hope (inspiration connection), and humanity (world connection) theme similar to NCTE last fall. I really love the way you open the discussion for commenting and raise the truth about how sometimes it can be challenging to figure out how to offer a response. I think this could be an invitation for other blog posts on this exact topic of processes we use to comment. Fran is a master, for sure!
ReplyDeleteI agree that commenting and receiving comments is important in a writing community. It takes time and thought to effectively comment, and I feel I often struggle to say the correct thing. I do appreciate Fran's ability to notice structure and identify the details she notices. This is something I will also try to emulate. Usually I just focus on the connections and what I enjoy about the writer's post. (Barb Edler)
ReplyDeleteWell, Leigh Anne, you made my day- my year! Thank you so much for these generous words. I DO consider commenting sort of like its own genre, and I do work hard at it. Selfishly, because what I put out in the world is what I am hoping to receive! Comments have meant so much to me during these Marches. Did you read Terje’s post, maybe the 18th, I’m not sure, about being deeply disappointed with the responses she got back from her workshop participants? We are all busy, but digging in a little deeper and saying something meaningful is so worth it, even - as you say- we won’t have time to get to as many. I have a writing buddy who is now doing art with a group challenge, and she says the comments are all so boring- beautiful! Colorful! Pretty! Having done the TWT challenge for a couple of years, she finds herself trying to say something more helpful!
ReplyDeleteHere’s to both connecting, and helping each other improve our writing. We can do both, right?
Again, you had me in tears. Thanks so much.