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Do you reply to email from fans?

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LoquiSordidaAdMe

LoquiSordidaAdMe

Literotica Guru
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Do you reply to email from fans?

I was chatting with another author I met here in the Author's Hangout, and she mentioned in passing that she always replies to email from her fans. She also suggested that not all authors do.

I always reply to email too. It seems rude not to. But then I only have the two stories. I could see how it could be a chore for a more established author with a more extensive fan base.

Now I'm curious. How many of you reply to every email? How many reply to some but not all? How many strictly never reply? And most importantly, why or why not?

Thanks for sharing with a "Virgin".

Edit: Oh wait! I'm "Experienced" now. When did that happen?
 
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Always. I was raised in an era when it was important to be polite, and I still feel that counts for something. If someone took the time to PM, I will thank them. On the occasions when somebody goes out of their way to say something rude, I will try to answer in a way that is outwardly friendly, but designed to ridicule their rudeness.
 
LoquiSordidaAdMe said:
Edit: Oh wait! I'm "Experienced" now. When did that happen?
Click to expand...

Don't you remember? It was just the other night when you... Oh, never mind.

Some readers don't provide an email address to reply to. Otherwise I think I've replied to both of the readers who emailed me and gave a return address.
 
NotWise said:
Don't you remember? It was just the other night when you... Oh, never mind.

Some readers don't provide an email address to reply to. Otherwise I think I've replied to both of the readers who emailed me and gave a return address.
Click to expand...

:rolleyes:

Excellent point NotWise. I guess the question only applies when you have an email address to reply to.
 
I reply to everyone although I think one or two have slipped between the cracks. I love those emails from readers. And some of them are really thoughtful.
 
I always reply; to my way of thinking, if the reader in question felt sufficiently moved or whatever by my story to sit down and tell me how much they liked it, or how much they didn't, and why not, then the least I can do is return the courtesy.

I do get the occasional one who doesn't include a return email address, then snarls at me for not replying, then snarls at me again for not responding to their first snarl, because, guess what? They forgot to include their email address again. I've even put footnotes in my stories to the effect I'm neither telepathic, clairvoyant, nor omniscient, so if they want a reply, please leave me something to reply to.

The death threats, religious lunacy, and racist rants I forward to my wife, she likes a good chuckle...
 
Originally I replied to everyone. But a very few turned out ... odd to say the least, or set off my insincere or underage detector. So now I respond only if they seem insightful.
 
Almost always. We don't reply to any that seem like a solicitation scam, underage reader, or requests for contact.
-MM
 
Yes, anybody who makes the effort to write feedback and leaves their email address is owed the courtesy of a response, I think. Particularly since that someone will most likely have something worthwhile to say. At least so far :)
 
I always reply if they leave an email. Usually something quick like a thanks and a heads up for a similar story coming soon.

Most dont reply back after that, not that i expected a return message.
 
If I ever published anything, I would respond to every single one.

It's hurtful to be ignored and rejected. I stopped contacting Lit authors because of that. I wish I just enjoyed the stories and stopped at that, because now I can't read a particular author's stories anymore.
 
I try to respond, not usually by email because very few leave an email address, but by clicking on their name and using 'contact'.

But I don't always notice if I'm away, or if someone leaves a comment on jeanne_d_artois stories. Unless I have written a recent story as jeanne I don't often look at her account.

Edited for: Just checked jeanne's account. Two favorites and one unfavorite in last 30 days.
 
I always do but never expect a response. Today, however, I did get another message asking me to recommend another story to read. Since I only have five works here at present, I also recommended him to check out my favorites since I tend to like similar or better stories than mine. We all profit if the reader easily finds the stories he might enjoy.
 
I can offer this as a reader, I wrote maybe a dozen or so authors emails telling them I liked their stuff, kept it short and simple , nothing creepy or out of line, told them which stories i liked and such. Two authors ever replied.. I stopped doing it, i just figured they get so much mail and probably from weirdos and such that they dont even bother looking.
 
I get lots of emails but none about my stories!
I know they're not literary masterpieces, but hey it took a lot for me to write them n I'd love some proper feedback sometimes.
 
lickitandstickit said:
I can offer this as a reader, I wrote maybe a dozen or so authors emails telling them I liked their stuff, kept it short and simple , nothing creepy or out of line, told them which stories i liked and such. Two authors ever replied.. I stopped doing it, i just figured they get so much mail and probably from weirdos and such that they dont even bother looking.
Click to expand...

That's really upsetting... I always answer fanmail/feedback but I usually never reply to comments (unless there is something that has to be addressed). I like to see readers interact with one another and me acting actively defensive there might discourage that... I think I will add a small note to my profile concerning my habits.
 
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Do you reply to email from fans?
Click to expand...

I used to, but I can't anymore unless I can obtain their email address.

Let me explain. I'd posted a story which brought in a fairly large number of comments and feedback. I created a boilerplate response thanking the reader for their comment, then pasted it into the feedback window and added a paragraph to them regarding their particular comment.

After sending about ten responses in fifteen minutes, I received a message from LIT indicating that I was sending spam and my ability to send feedback was terminated. It also said that if I thought the LIT message was in error, to contact the webmaster.

So I did--a number of times, but never received a response. I also contacted Laurel, but got no response from her, either. As a result, I'm left with PM's only. :mad:

I think it's only polite to respond to readers who've taken their time to write a comment or send feedback. Since only a small fraction of readers even bother to vote, I'd like to send an email to those who've left comments or feedback. Sorry readers, but LIT has prevented me from doing that.
 
Fan mail is often nonsense sent by your AH friends to jerk your chain.
 
oggbashan said:
Edited for: Just checked jeanne's account. Two favorites and one unfavorite in last 30 days.
Click to expand...

How can you tell when a story is unfavorited? I know there are notices when one is adds your story to Favorites, but I've never seen a "removed form Favorites" message. I did once notice when my favorites count went down from one day to the next, but I don't think I would have noticed it over 30 days.

I've also noticed my vote count go down. Not the average, the count. I didn't think it was possible to un-vote.
 
LoquiSordidaAdMe said:
How can you tell when a story is unfavorited? I know there are notices when one is adds your story to Favorites, but I've never seen a "removed form Favorites" message. I did once notice when my favorites count went down from one day to the next, but I don't think I would have noticed it over 30 days.

I've also noticed my vote count go down. Not the average, the count. I didn't think it was possible to un-vote.
Click to expand...

You don't get an "unfavorite" notification from the new user control panel, but they may change that. You do get a notice with the old control panel.

Laurel can remove votes that she considers to be invalid. Those are called "sweeps," and aside from knowing that they happen we don't know much about them. Often your rating will go up as the result of a sweep.
 
NotWise said:
You don't get an "unfavorite" notification from the new user control panel, but they may change that. You do get a notice with the old control panel.

Laurel can remove votes that she considers to be invalid. Those are called "sweeps," and aside from knowing that they happen we don't know much about them. Often your rating will go up as the result of a sweep.
Click to expand...

Good to know, thanks NotWise.

Also, nice boots!
 
Privates1stClass said:
After sending about ten responses in fifteen minutes, I received a message from LIT indicating that I was sending spam and my ability to send feedback was terminated.
Click to expand...

So sorry to hear that, Privates1stClass. Thanks for the warning about replying too quickly with a template though.
 
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