Do you feel that if someone has given your work a few likes you need to give some back?

Do you always like work from another poet regardless of the quality of the work?

Do you tend to home in on the same few people to comment on their work?

Do you permanently block certain people, either because of their work or for other reasons?

good question this and it does tend to crop up every now and then. i'll answer as honestly as i can.

in terms of likes and comments, i do tend to stick to a select few. i used to comment a lot on various peoples work but i like the back and forth relationships i have garnered on WOL over the last four years and nowadays, where I have less time to spend on the site, I do tend to skim past a few. Not ideal of course, and oh to have the time to consume everyones words, but sadly not to be.

As for blocking people, i have removed many profiles from my viewlist, simply because their work does not appeal to me and I prefer to have a streamlined view of the blogs. Again, this isnt a personal thing, I'd quite expect others to remove my work if it didnt appeal to them, Its a useful tool i think and of course it doesnt remove the person completely, you can still read the comments etc. Whenever I remove someones work it isnt my intention to remove their entire persona from the site. Of course the argument there could be you may miss something vital that they gave written after trying something new, and this is of course correct.

I will LIKE work only if I like it and not in return for likes, some writers I enjoy a lot, some not at all. For instance, Brian and I have liked some of each others work but not all of it, I trust that like me he is not offended when he doesn't get a flower from me.
I do not see any value in liking something for the sake of it, as it does not give the writer, true "feedback" - similarly whilst I am pleased to get likes, I hope that they are genuine and would rather not get them if folk are just returning a favour.
I leave fewer comments then likes, often I can't think of anything worthwhile to say, no comment does not equal no likey.
I try to read as much as possible - often just the first few lines - and will try to catch up every morning while drinking my first coffee (or two). About 50% of poems will not be clicked to read further, I normally know in the first few lines
However not every read further will be liked.
I haven't blocked anyone yet, but there are some poets that I know that I don't like their poems (I am afraid that I don't read the depressing poems, I get it and the need for it - but
I have been there, done that and am LUCKY to have moved on, selfishly I don't need reminding).
There are also a few poets on WOL that are very talented and seem to be able to always please...
In short - there are many, many poems that I like and click like, this site is both enriching and inspiring. And you can't like everything - Simon Armitage is my favourite poet - I have all his books, but I don't like all his poems. Eastfield are my fav band - have seen them more times then I care to remember, but they do have a few crap songs.

cheers

DJB

Of course getting any comment on one's work is gratifying. There have been over the years several cliques that patted each other on the back regardless of quality. they come and go. Kindred spirits after all etc!

I suppose the biggest issue for me is how a poem's content is often heavily commented on instead of the skill in the writing. This often quickly moves away from the poem itself into a discussion on the politics/current affairs/situation described in the work as opposed to constructive criticism of the wordplay.

Comments should never attack a writer's personal viewpoint. Challenges may quickly become fistfights. There should be room for all here.

I do try to read everybody's poems. My attitude is that if somebody has written and taken the time to post their work, it is common courtesy to read it. Of course it would be nice to think others feel the same way. I would not block anybody unless it was overtly offensive. I do give likes without comments but do comment most of the time. I always thank others for their likes and comments as I do appreciate them taking the time to do so. I would never write somebody off if I did not like some of their work. That would be pretentious, we are all still developing and deserve an audience.

I go back to the original questions:

Do you feel that if someone has given your work a few likes you need to give some back?

NO, I ONLY LIKE OR COMMENT ON WORK WHICH APPEALS TO ME

Do you always like work from another poet regardless of the quality of the work?

NO. I COMMENT ON THEIR WORK, NOT THE POET

Do you tend to home in on the same few people to comment on their work?

YES. YOU TEND TO SET UP A TWO-WAY 'RELATIONSHOPS' WHEN YOU HOME IN ON THE SAME GROUP. THIS HAS MUCH APPEAL TO ME. I DON'T LIKE WORKING IN A VACUUM

Do you permanently block certain people, either because of their work or for other reasons?

YES. I BLOCK THOSE CONSISTENTLY BLACK AND NEGATIVE . IT JUST PULLS ME DOWN READING THEM.

MOST TIMES POET GROUPS BECOME TWO-WAY. COMPLIMENTS FLOW BACK AND FORTH BUT FOR ME IT SHOULD BE ON THE QUALITY OF THE WORK NOT JUST TO PLEASE THE PERSON.

IN CONCLUSION, ALL 'RELATIONSHIPS' INVOLVE TWO WAY GIVING OF 'WHATEVER' IF THEY ARE TO LAST. RELATIONSHIPS BASED ON ONE-WAY GIVING ARE DESTINED FOR FAILURE