Post History

Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/q/30581
License name: CC BY-SA 3.0
License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

I am writing an adventure story, adding one chapter weekly. This is the third story posted on that specific site, and I have followers, some of which post comments after each update.

I was very proud of my recent chapter which I posted after I'd researched an investment banking procedure which had relevance to the plot - I myself am not knowledgeable and bored to death by finances, so I wasn't at all surprised when a reader in the comments mentioned (very politely) that the visit to the bank part of the chapter was a bit longish and not that interesting.

Problem is, all the other comments were complementary, emphasising the funny parts. I know this specific chapter was weak, but except that user no one mentioned it, not even my beta (she mercilessly roots out all my horrifying grammar mistakes and pretentious wording, but otherwise never suggests to shorten or omit parts of the text).

So I started thinking how could I get my readers to provide constructive criticism (besides asking for it directly in the introduction, which I already did.)

I am considering to add after each chapter a poll for the readers, in which they could chose between details, chatacters, certain outcomes etc.

Example:

> _Who should accompany the hero on the mission?_
> 
> 1) Dracula
> 
> 2) Iron Man
> 
> 3) Xenomorph-xx121
> 
> 4) a gremlin

...and so on. The reader would get to choose between options presented in the poll.

I can see the advantages of this method - I would get feedback on my characters and help in plotting.

**But what are the drawbacks, besides being committed to a certain detail chosen by the readers? Had any of you tried this method, and if not, why?**

Original score: 3