Do you answer all your feedback?

[_Lynn_]

I don't answer all of them, for various reasons.
If someone just simply said one sentance...
I don't normally answer it.
If the person said a lot, and obviously really liked my story, I answer them with a thank you, and if they asked me a not-too-personal question, I may answer that.

I've gotten some REALLY creepy emails so...I don't normally answer those. Also, beware of someone asking you to read their stories. If they're not posted on Lit, there's probably a good reason for it :[

So if I sent you feedback and said . . .

"That was a great story."

You wouldn't reply?

 

[Guest]

So if I sent you feedback and said . . .

"That was a great story."

You wouldn't reply?

A piece of feedback like that is at least worthy of a "Thank you very much!"

 

[driphoney]

But by doing this you are, in fact, irritating your readers and disrupting the flow of something they've taken an interest in--and are in danger of losing their interest. So, I don't think you should be the one to be annoyed for disappointing someone who has invested time/effort/interest in your stories. But that's just me.

I think this is one of the better arguments for not starting to post until you can reach the end in a smooth fashion that doesn't jerk the reader around.

As a reader, I've been hung out on a limb for ages waiting for the next chapter. Matter of fact, I am currently, and been waiting for months! But I always read with the understanding that the writer here is doing it as a hobby and is not being compensated, if life interferes, writing is probably going to be the first to be neglected.

That's part of the reason I waited to post my story. HOWEVER, for my few readers who might be waiting for the next installment, I've done just what I hoped to avoid; I'm keeping them waiting! When I wrote it, I was so clueless, near the end I was worn out by it and stumped on how to flesh it out, so I just ended it. I mean, it works, but it's a shorter story without much drama (hey! I did say I was clueless!) Well, time and my wonderful feedback has made me realize that I don't really do what I need to do with the story, so I've put posting the ending on hold to see if I can't give my characters the development (and punishment!) they deserve.

I see it from both sides now. But it's still a free read web-site -- and we even let the drop-in, free readers vote and comment on our freely given hard work!

And thanks for this thread. I always respond to private feedback, but now I will make sure to reply to any public comments with addresses attached. (Well, until such a time as I must hire a publicist to handle all my fan mail.)

 

[caprine]

Anonymous Feedback-problems...

Feedback is both astonishly exciting and immensely frustrating.

I make a point of always replying to anyone who's taken the time to send me feedback, and thankfully its all been pretty good so far.
The frustrating part for me is the anonymous feedback you get with questions that you can't respond to!
I had a guy asking me all these questions about the sexuality of the main character (who was heterosexual) or if I was homosexual, because I used a phrase in the story, calling a guy a bitch.
Grrrr... I REALLY wanted to reply and explore the questions the guy was asking me, but couldn't!

However, feedback = big thumbs up for me. LUV IT!

The problem with answering anonymous feedback, which can be done on the story PC, is that usually brings down a real knock-down-drag-out verbal fight with them. Then they really unleash threir vitriolic comments. That does bring on publicity for the author’s stories, but you have to have pretty broad shoulders. It also brings on other trolls to feed off of any of your existing stories and they lay in wait for any new stories from that author and pounce like a mountain lion with newly sharpened claws. I know--I had it happen to me.

 

[arvelamaya]

I answer all the feedback that is sent to me through email. I don't answer the comments on the public comment board, because I wasn't sure if it would effect the voting and I don't want to vote on my own story.

No matter the feedback I get in my email, I always respond. It means a lot to me that someone would take the time to say the story was great or to ask questions. One of my readers even bought one of my books. It is incredibly important to acknowledge the people who are willing to leave feedback and who took the time to read my story.

If there was a better way to do it on the public comment board I would respond to everyone on there as well.

 

[_Lynn_]

I answer all the feedback that is sent to me through email. I don't answer the comments on the public comment board, because I wasn't sure if it would effect the voting and I don't want to vote on my own story.

No matter the feedback I get in my email, I always respond. It means a lot to me that someone would take the time to say the story was great or to ask questions. One of my readers even bought one of my books. It is incredibly important to acknowledge the people who are willing to leave feedback and who took the time to read my story.

If there was a better way to do it on the public comment board I would respond to everyone on there as well.

You can send a PM to thank them. I've done that before.

 

[arvelamaya]

*nods* I'll try doing that in the future. Thank you. Is there anyway you discovered is best for answering anonymous feedback?

 

[_Lynn_]

*nods* I'll try doing that in the future. Thank you. Is there anyway you discovered is best for answering anonymous feedback?

Write another piece, and hope they keep leaving positive comments.

 

[arvelamaya]

*laughs* I'll do that.

 

[Dragonlipz]

I answer all feedback that is possible to respond to

and rarely do I delete a comment, positive or negative. I don't get that much feedback to begin with and none of the negative comments indicate that the writer can grasp the essentials of grammar or punctuation which leaves me to wonder if they ever read my stories at all....
The negative stuff I've decided to leave in place, sort of a badge of honor.....

 

[arvelamaya]

Yeah, I never delete the negative comments either. Everyone deserves to have their opinion and most of the comments I get are actually pretty constructive.

 

[Domwoolf]

feedback

I let my readers know I will answer any questions they may have and I try to reply to any that post a return address even negative feedback. I have gotten some very helpful suggestions and criticism from my readers. As for comments I always allow comments on my stories and leave it up good or bad. In 44 stories and tons of comments I have only deleted one that was rude, vulgar and had no constructive value what so ever.

However challenge me in comments and I have been known to fire back with a comment of my own.

Dom Woolf

 

[blushingjen]

You know what's killing me, though? The reply button! feedback@literotica.com has probably 20 accidental emails from me now because I keep hitting reply and sending it. It's such a pain having to remember to paste the real address in first!

 

[_Lynn_]

You know what's killing me, though? The reply button! feedback@literotica.com has probably 20 accidental emails from me now because I keep hitting reply and sending it. It's such a pain having to remember to paste the real address in first!

I've done the same thing.

 

[SNAGuy]

Respect opinions, yes, but what if they just didn't get it?

Everyone is entitled to their likes and dislikes of course, and to express them.

The comments I have trouble deciding about are from readers who just didn't get what I was trying to achieve. This is the dilemma of the teacher: if the student didn't learn whose fault was it?

For example, I recently wrote a story that relied heavily on stream of conciousness and a wildly unstructured voice in order to establish both characterization and setting. The one and only reader comment I got was critical of my sentence structure and wondered if the story had ended, I think because neither of my characters orgasmed. Sigh.

Most would say I should just ignore it, but by mentioning it here it's already too late for that I suppose.

 

[_Lynn_]

Everyone is entitled to their likes and dislikes of course, and to express them.

The comments I have trouble deciding about are from readers who just didn't get what I was trying to achieve. This is the dilemma of the teacher: if the student didn't learn whose fault was it?

For example, I recently wrote a story that relied heavily on stream of conciousness and a wildly unstructured voice in order to establish both characterization and setting. The one and only reader comment I got was critical of my sentence structure and wondered if the story had ended, I think because neither of my characters orgasmed. Sigh.

Most would say I should just ignore it, but by mentioning it here it's already too late for that I suppose.

You can ignore it and go on. Or you can look at the sentence structure again and see if they had a point. If they took the time to leave that comment, they might have noticed something you didn't. If you didn't use an editor, one may be able to help. Don't be discouraged from it. Instead, use it to make your next piece better.

 

[michchick98]

You know what's killing me, though? The reply button! feedback@literotica.com has probably 20 accidental emails from me now because I keep hitting reply and sending it. It's such a pain having to remember to paste the real address in first!

I think we've all done that a time or two and I'd bet Laurel or whoever handles that particular area has quite a lot of email to empty out every so often.

 

[Darkniciad]

I think we've all done that a time or two and I'd bet Laurel or whoever handles that particular area has quite a lot of email to empty out every so often.

Doubtful. It probably doesn't save anything, since it's not meant to receive any mail. It just launches the autoresponse and sits happily empty.

 

[AverageBear]

I answer all non-anonymous feedback and PC's, whether positive or negative. Of course, the negative PC's are almost always anonymous! (Not that I've received many; it's just one of my 7 stories that has generated some controversy). The one non-anonymous negative PC that I received gave me the opportunity to thank the commenter for being willing to share his thoughts, which I took much more to heart than those with no ID. If I ever received CREEPY feedback I'd probably ignore it , but I appreciate even inane comments enough to thank the reader for bothering to write.

 

[SNAGuy]

You can ignore it and go on. Or you can look at the sentence structure again and see if they had a point. If they took the time to leave that comment, they might have noticed something you didn't. If you didn't use an editor, one may be able to help. Don't be discouraged from it. Instead, use it to make your next piece better.

Thank you, MistressLynn, but in a voice similar to my story's:

"That noun verb object shit it don't matter but that MistressLynn you know with the honest cool titty pic. That girl, she got a head on her shoulders and not just a hat rack and she telling me I gotta suck it up and say my thanks no matter. Thinking about it some more I guess she's right. That story mine the way that man talks nobody gonna understand him. So thanks to you MissyLynn you so right."

That wasn't an earthquake. It was all my grade school teachers simultaneously rolling in their graves!

 

[xPoisonx]

I keep all my feedback in a seperate folder on my e-mail and answer them when I've got some time.

I generally just thank them for reading and for taking the time to give me some feedback, I really do appreciate it. Answer any questions if they have them and if I've posted a new story I'll give them the link so they can check it out.

I've got a lot of really wonderful annonymous feedback which is a shame because I'd love to say thanks, I like when people enjoy my stories

So the message of the day is: if you're taking the time to send feedback to an author, also let them take the time to thank you for the feedback

 

[YoursSINSerely]

I respond to all of my feedback. There hasn't been too much, so I haven't been overwhelmed with it.

All you have to say is "thanks for your feedback", or "I appreciate your comments." It lets the reader know the writers are real and the stories are not just cut out of book and pasted up on the internet.

I think it's funny that most of the readers think you are writing a true story. Yah, like we all have this much sex going on in our lives, hah!

 

[CWatson]

Since this thread, I've started replying to all feedback. But occasionally it's very brief correspondence (for reasons I have covered already), and a lot of times I don't get responses from those people. I wonder if that was my point in not doing it in the first place. Oh well, my habits have changed by now.

(The funny thing is that, for my most-recent story, the feedback has generally taken about 24 hours to filter in. But today I posted the second-to-last chapter, with things finally beginning to wrap up, and suddenly the e-mails are prompt!)

 

[Elianna]

I feel like a rude twit.

Thanks for busting my ass, guys. I don't respond to most of my feedback and I probably should.

Yeah. No excuse. My readers are just nice people for sticking by a rude person like me. Thanks to everyone I haven't responded to. I'll work on getting better at it... promise.

 

[driphoney]

I respond to all of my feedback. There hasn't been too much, so I haven't been overwhelmed with it.

All you have to say is "thanks for your feedback", or "I appreciate your comments." It lets the reader know the writers are real and the stories are not just cut out of book and pasted up on the internet.

I think it's funny that most of the readers think you are writing a true story. Yah, like we all have this much sex going on in our lives, hah!

When would we find the time for story writing?