Responding to Comments

Hi!

Do you respond to comments?

I've been doing so sporadically for the first chapter of the story I'm writing and was wondering about the utility of doing so.

There's no function for the commentor to find out that you responded to their post, so is it just pissing in the wind?

Does it serve a function to let other people know that you read the comments and thereby encourage them to comment?

Thanks!

Bebop3 said:

Hi!

Do you respond to comments?

I've been doing so sporadically for the first chapter of the story I'm writing and was wondering about the utility of doing so.

There's no function for the commentor to find out that you responded to their post, so is it just pissing in the wind?

Does it serve a function to let other people know that you read the comments and thereby encourage them to comment?

Thanks!

Click to expand...

It's unlikely (not impossible) that the original commenter will ever come back and see your comment - I had an argument with one guy very early on (which I subsequently deleted), but that was extremely rare, that he returned to engage.

I'll reply to a comment if someone has asked a direct question, but does it encourage more comments? I suspect not. Comments seem to run 1:1000-2000 views for me typically, any higher comment/view ratio is a sign to me that I hit a chord with that story. Folk comment if the story is very good or very bad, but I don't think the writer's commentary presence makes much difference.

If I get very thoughtful comments, I usually send private feedback to the commenter (can't do that for anons, obviously, which is sometimes a shame), if they allow it. Writers generally have their f/b switched on, but many readers probably don't even know the facility exists.

Bebop3 said:

Hi!

Do you respond to comments?

I've been doing so sporadically for the first chapter of the story I'm writing and was wondering about the utility of doing so.

There's no function for the commentor to find out that you responded to their post, so is it just pissing in the wind?

Does it serve a function to let other people know that you read the comments and thereby encourage them to comment?

Thanks!

Click to expand...

I think it can be useful. Some commentors do return to see other comments and you can start a conversation., but that isn't always true. It might give you a better idea of where they're coming from, and it might help build a group of followers.

It hasn't been very useful for me, other than to find out that some of the active commentors are pretty creepy folk.

I rarely reply to a comment on a story; I reply to e-mailed comments if they aren't belligerent. When I reply on a story, it's usually because I want the other readers for the story to see my take on what has been commented on. If the comment is attacking me personally or if I've researched the point they are contradicting and am comfortable I'm at least as right as they are, I just delete the comment. I have no sympathy for an anonymous comment that nitpicks on a trivial issue in the story and ignores the work I've put into the greater story.

As a general rule, I let comments stand on their own. I figure it's every readers right to voice their opinion. I will sometimes send a private reply if the commenter gives their name.

In my first iteration, I would reply to every comment. After awhile I realized (as electricblue66 pointed out) more often than not people who bothered to leave a comment pretty much moved on and never came back. So, in effect, what I was doing was commenting on comments for future readers to find.

After that, for a long time, I would respond to people who commented while logged in by clicking on their name rather than through appending my own comment. That way, I ensured I would reach the person who actually made the comment. (Anonymous, of course, despite leaving 75% of the comments got no response.)

I have only responded to one person who reached out to me this time, but that was because the comment was not only about the story, but about my life situation as well. THAT, I felt, called for a response.

But, the ones about the story? I don't know. Maybe I'm having issues other than writing, voting, commenting, etc. But, I tend to view it as the story was what it was, the comment was aimed at what it was. And we move on to the next. And if the comment was helpful, I try to keep it in mind as I concoct the next set of ramblings.

But, like I say. I may have other issues irrelevant to how it helps build a following or not. And, too, I only write standalones at this point. None related to the others beyond being a figment of my imagination. Maybe if I were building a serial, I might feel differently.

Either way, though, I think you should do you, Bebop3. If you are the person who would feel guilty if you didn't respond to comments, then you should. If you aren't then don't. But, I wouldn't obsess about responding to trigger a response to your response so you could respond to that response triggering another...

The first story I submitted under the "group sex" category, but it was released as "incest/taboo" and the very first comments said it was mis-categorized. I responded to every comment explaining that it wasn't my choice. It also had comments asking for a sequel, and I replied to those saying I hadn't planned one.

I don't know if the original commenters ever came back to read my replies, but I did notice that many SUBSEQUENT commenters read my replies, and built on previous comments. Eventually they convinced me to write a prequel which has been more successful than the original (and is just a better story, IMO).

I have no proof, but I suspect that I got more comments because I interacted with the commenters, as new commenters responded to previous comments or to my responses.

Anyway, it became my habit to respond to every comment, if it's it just to say "thanks for the comment". I don't know if it is worth the effort, but I enjoy the interaction.

Rarely

And only if someone has left a particularly helpful comment, like an opportunity to improve my story. I post these so future readers might see that I value criticism. Otherwise, it's the reader's forum, I think.

I occasionally reply, if someone has given a response which suggests they have massively misunderstood the story or it’s author, but usually I don’t bother as there is no real guarantee they will ever read your reply and anyway, all they are really doing is sharing their experience of your story- they might be “wrong” but it’s still their interpretation.

I try to acknowledge comments by sending feedback through the contact for the person who commented. I can't always do that if I'm not on line e.g. away on holiday when the comment was made. If they have anon feedback turned off I enter my email address too. I can't and don't respond to anon.

The only comments I have had from people who have returned to the story to see what response their comment has received are abusive. Once I had a second comment complaining I had deleted their first comment - when it had been 'deleted by admin' before I saw it.

The only time I respond to comments is in the "Comments" section itself, to clarify something that somebody has commented on. No value judgments on the comment, just corrections on something the reader misread.

First comment on my latest story posted today.

In the last short paragraph of 4 Lit pages I got the villain's name wrong!

Sigh. I checked, re-checked, checked again and I KNOW getting names wrong is my most common error.

And I did it again!

oggbashan said:

First comment on my latest story posted today.

In the last short paragraph of 4 Lit pages I got the villain's name wrong!

Sigh. I checked, re-checked, checked again and I KNOW getting names wrong is my most common error.

And I did it again!

Click to expand...

I actually used my real ex-boyfriend's name at one point instead of the name I had given the character that I had based on him. Fortunately, I took one last reread after I had submitted and got it edited before it was published.