Newbie Question RE: Comments Versus Private Feedback

M

MLClifton

Guest
Hi all,

I've been a member for a short time and have a few stories published. I was wondering why a reader chooses to send private feedback as opposed to leaving a public comment on the story. If you do receive private feedback, do you respond via the e-mail address provided in the e-mail sent to you?

Thanks in advance. And I'd appreciate any other advice for a beginner here.
 
Of all the feedback I've received, only one person chose to stay anonymous. My guess is that readers want you to know who they are--possibly with the hope that you'll respond to them--but they don't want to post something publicly.

Not sure if this is how everyone else does it, but I'll reply to the feedback email, replacing the Lit address with the reader's.

Welcome to Lit and the AH :D

I'd also recommend turning on private messaging, if you'd like.
Go to your member page, then click Forum, Edit Options, Enable Private Messaging.
 
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If I had unsolicited negative comment to give, I'd probably send it in a private message. I wouldn't append it to the story. I believe that a story should get negative comment only if the author asked for critique--either in a note appended to the story or by asking for it on the Story Feedback forum. I haven't sent any unsolicited negative feedback yet, though.

I have no idea what motivates readers to send me private feedback rather than putting it on the story. Possibly the private feedback is more in the nature of wanting to start up a connection. What I do find interesting is how often the story is favorited or a nice comment is put on it, but the reader didn't vote.

I find that about the third of the time a private e-mail has been sent to me by a reader through the Literotica system that they've used a fake address and my response bounces.
 
Hi all,

I've been a member for a short time and have a few stories published. I was wondering why a reader chooses to send private feedback as opposed to leaving a public comment on the story. If you do receive private feedback, do you respond via the e-mail address provided in the e-mail sent to you?

Thanks in advance. And I'd appreciate any other advice for a beginner here.

I imagine it depends a bit on the genre. Some people might prefer not to leave public comments on incest or noncon. Romance is less of an issue.

Also, comments tend to be a little less personal. Most commentators aren't looking for a response (though some do). A private message with an email address attached is an invitation to correspond.

I generally respond. I've gotten to know some wonderful and interesting people that way.
 
I find that about the third of the time a private e-mail has been sent to me by a reader through the Literotica system that they've used a fake address and my response bounces.

Wow. I've never had that once. They can always leave it blank (and some do.) What's the point of giving an address that doesn't work? Were they nasty comments and an attempt to jerk you around?
 
Of all the feedback I've received, only one person chose to stay anonymous. My guess is that readers want you to know who they are--possibly with the hope that you'll respond to them--but they don't want to post something publicly.

Not sure if this is how everyone else does it, but I'll reply to the feedback email, replacing the Lit address with the reader's.

Welcome to Lit and the AH :D

I'd also recommend turning on private messaging, if you'd like.
Go to your member page, then click Forum, Edit Options, Enable Private Messaging.

Thanks for the warm welcome. To say I'm technologically challenged is putting it kindly, so I appreciate your tip regarding PM. I had no idea that existed.
 
I imagine it depends a bit on the genre. Some people might prefer not to leave public comments on incest or noncon. Romance is less of an issue.

Also, comments tend to be a little less personal. Most commentators aren't looking for a response (though some do). A private message with an email address attached is an invitation to correspond.

I generally respond. I've gotten to know some wonderful and interesting people that way.
I responded to the feedback I received (once I figured out how to do it). It was really nice to get a response from someone who enjoyed my story.
 
Of all the feedback I've received, only one person chose to stay anonymous. My guess is that readers want you to know who they are--possibly with the hope that you'll respond to them--but they don't want to post something publicly.

Not sure if this is how everyone else does it, but I'll reply to the feedback email, replacing the Lit address with the reader's.

Welcome to Lit and the AH :D

I'd also recommend turning on private messaging, if you'd like.
Go to your member page, then click Forum, Edit Options, Enable Private Messaging.
I'm brimming with stupid questions, so I have to ask, Once I turn on PM, where does it show up here? Can anyone on the site send me a message?
 
If I had unsolicited negative comment to give, I'd probably send it in a private message. I wouldn't append it to the story. I believe that a story should get negative comment only if the author asked for critique--either in a note appended to the story or by asking for it on the Story Feedback forum. I haven't sent any unsolicited negative feedback yet, though.

I have no idea what motivates readers to send me private feedback rather than putting it on the story. Possibly the private feedback is more in the nature of wanting to start up a connection. What I do find interesting is how often the story is favorited or a nice comment is put on it, but the reader didn't vote.

I find that about the third of the time a private e-mail has been sent to me by a reader through the Literotica system that they've used a fake address and my response bounces.

What you brought up about negative feedback makes sense. I've made a couple of comments with a bit of constructive criticism, but I always try to focus on the positive aspects of the story as well. (Wait-you can tell who has voted on your story? How?)
 
Hi all,

I've been a member for a short time and have a few stories published. I was wondering why a reader chooses to send private feedback as opposed to leaving a public comment on the story. If you do receive private feedback, do you respond via the e-mail address provided in the e-mail sent to you?

Thanks in advance. And I'd appreciate any other advice for a beginner here.

People are a lot more open, detailed and expansive in the private feedback e-mails that I've received. I've come to quite like that feature, and you do have the option of responding to them if you like.

The only outright abusive and non-productive comments I've ever gotten were all on the public comments feature, which is a little bit odd since I'd assume people would feel freer to do that sort of thing privately... unless their purpose was to try to draw me into a public exchange. Meh. I have no issue with just nuking comments like that.
 
I'm brimming with stupid questions, so I have to ask, Once I turn on PM, where does it show up here? Can anyone on the site send me a message?

Doesn't look like you're PMable yet.

You'll get a pop up when you receive a new PM. Also, check the box on the top right corner of the screen here. Once your messages are enabled, it will let you know if you have any.

And you're new -- there are no stupid questions.
You can consult the Forum FAQ here: https://www.literotica.com/faq/06025613.shtml
 
People are a lot more open, detailed and expansive in the private feedback e-mails that I've received. I've come to quite like that feature, and you do have the option of responding to them if you like.

The only outright abusive and non-productive comments I've ever gotten were all on the public comments feature, which is a little bit odd since I'd assume people would feel freer to do that sort of thing privately... unless their purpose was to try to draw me into a public exchange. Meh. I have no issue with just nuking comments like that.

Oh, that's another question I have, probably for another thread. I'm interested in fellow authors' policies regarding comments. Being new, I'm happy for the few comments I have, but I can understand how unpleasant it would be to have an unnecessarily nasty comment appear. I've noticed people leaving negative comments on other stories because they think it's in the wrong category, or they'll leave a positive comment but then venture off into a wildly inappropriate fantasy or supposed experience they've had. So do a lot of writers just let those comments stand?
 
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Doesn't look like you're PMable yet.

You'll get a pop up when you receive a new PM. Also, check the box on the top right corner of the screen here. Once your messages are enabled, it will let you know if you have any.

And you're new -- there are no stupid questions.
You can consult the Forum FAQ here: https://www.literotica.com/faq/06025613.shtml

I see the box in the corner now. :) And thanks again for your help.
 
Oh, that's another question I have, probably for another thread. I'm interested in fellow authors' policy regarding comments. Being new, I'm happy for the few comments I have, but I can understand how unpleasant it would be to have an unnecessarily nasty comment appear. I've noticed people leaving negative comments on other stories because they think it's in the wrong category, or they'll leave a positive comment but then venture off into a wildly inappropriate fantasy or supposed experience they've had. So do a lot of writers just let those comments stand?

It's all down to personal philosophy. Some people will keep everything up and respond to it out of a commitment to free speech and dialogue. Some won't. I personally will keep anything that seems to me to be constructive, be it praise or critical, but for my mileage I delete anything that doesn't engage with any detail at all, and/or anyone who shows up to trying to shame the author's kinks, complain about the fact that the story category exists or generally leave nothing but vitriol. Life is too short. YMMV.
 
What you brought up about negative feedback makes sense. I've made a couple of comments with a bit of constructive criticism, but I always try to focus on the positive aspects of the story as well. (Wait-you can tell who has voted on your story? How?)

After all these years, I still check my dashboard several times a day (I do it as a clearing head break from writing or editing). I get notifications of comments and favoriting and I often see those quick enough that I can check the rating on the story and see whether the vote total goes up. Registering of votes is pretty much instantaneous on the dashboard. Thus, I have frequently noted a comment/favoriting that wasn't accompanied by a vote.
 
For me, personally, I use feedback if I want to be absolutely sure it gets to the author, or I wanted to go more in-depth about the story or something. When I leave comments, it's usually along the lines of "Great job!". If I don't like something, and by some miracle I read to the end anyway, I don't vote or leave a comment at all.
 
After all these years, I still check my dashboard several times a day (I do it as a clearing head break from writing or editing). I get notifications of comments and favoriting and I often see those quick enough that I can check the rating on the story and see whether the vote total goes up. Registering of votes is pretty much instantaneous on the dashboard. Thus, I have frequently noted a comment/favoriting that wasn't accompanied by a vote.

I thought checking my dashboard numerous times a day was a newbie thing; it's nice to know that the prolific writers here still do it too.
 
I thought checking my dashboard numerous times a day was a newbie thing; it's nice to know that the prolific writers here still do it too.

He does it because he's a full time writer, he goes to his desk in the morning and is 'at work' then until he finishes. There is no full time writer writing while lying in a hammock on a deserted island.

If you plan on making writing a living, you have to have a set number of words you write per day. When you're done with your total word count, you go back and polish it. When you're happy with that, the writing is done for the day.

Then you have to put in an hour or two of research, this can include watching porn, reading other erotic stories, or more regular research like facts you want to include, names, dates, places, events.

When you're done with that you can go play golf.

An amateur author, has none of these constraints. I write when I want, at what level of sobriety I choose. I only wish I had the talent to make money writing, enough money, because I'm not going to live like a pauper just to say I'm a full time author.

Here's to you and your ilk Pilot, setting unattainable standards for the rest of us. *raises vodka glass in salute.
 
I always respond to private feedback, always. If they took the time to make it private why wouldn't I, even if they are still calling you a sick son-of-a-bitch (loving wives, a long time ago).

Of course, Lit doesn't check the email address that they give to see if it's valid, so you might get a could not deliver message from you email server.
 
I get little feedback. I discourage it. Its never useful, and I don't write to impress readers. I write to explore writing issues.

Like: Showing versus telling. Over time I wanna see what works best. I wanna see what endings work best. What openings work best?

In my latest effort the principle sex scene is short but several characters talk about sexual encounters they had. The sex scene feels right, but readers want stimulation more than enlightenment, mine isn't a philosophical treatise.

Keep your comments and scores. You aint gonna say shit that matters.
 
He does it because he's a full time writer, he goes to his desk in the morning and is 'at work' then until he finishes. There is no full time writer writing while lying in a hammock on a deserted island.

If you plan on making writing a living, you have to have a set number of words you write per day. When you're done with your total word count, you go back and polish it. When you're happy with that, the writing is done for the day.

Then you have to put in an hour or two of research, this can include watching porn, reading other erotic stories, or more regular research like facts you want to include, names, dates, places, events.

When you're done with that you can go play golf.

An amateur author, has none of these constraints. I write when I want, at what level of sobriety I choose. I only wish I had the talent to make money writing, enough money, because I'm not going to live like a pauper just to say I'm a full time author.

Here's to you and your ilk Pilot, setting unattainable standards for the rest of us. *raises vodka glass in salute.

Put me firmly in the amateur category, then, because I know there's no way in hell I'll ever make a living from my writing. It sure is a fun way to pass the time, though.
 
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