Etiquette question

[Charmadillo]

I just realized that I'm not all that familiar with customs around here. Is it considered good or bad manners to reach out directly to thank to readers who comment, fave, or follow using the Contact function (if they have it enabled)?

I know of other sites that have built-in systems for this sort of thing, but that's mostly via things like user walls, which don't exist here. I'm especially thinking of comments, since the comment sections on stories are entirely without interactivity. You can leave a comment responding directly to someone, but unless they happen to check back in on your story, there's really no way to know if they'll ever see it.

Anyway, I'm just wondering if there's a customary etiquette established or if everyone just does their own thing.

 

[NotWise]

I just realized that I'm not all that familiar with customs around here. Is it considered good or bad manners to reach out directly to thank to readers who comment, fave, or follow using the Contact function (if they have it enabled)?

I know of other sites that have built-in systems for this sort of thing, but that's mostly via things like user walls, which don't exist here. I'm especially thinking of comments, since the comment sections on stories are entirely without interactivity. You can leave a comment responding directly to someone, but unless they happen to check back in on your story, there's really no way to know if they'll ever see it.

Anyway, I'm just wondering if there's a customary etiquette established or if everyone just does their own thing.

Everyone does their own thing. It isn't my experience that readers expect the author to respond to their comments.

I've replied to comments. The person I'm replying to doesn't usually respond, but other readers sometimes do. It can set up an exchange of ideas, though its somewhat linear.

I've also replied via email to feedback via email. That did once generate a conversation that lasted longer than I wanted it to. More commonly, either the email is some kind of dummy, an account that the reader doesn't check, or the reader doesn't follow up.

 

[Charmadillo]

Thank you, NotWise, that's very helpful. I guess it makes sense that an erotica website would tend to be a mostly one-way affair, being a mostly private pastime. I just feel guilty if I don't try to give something back to those who've taken the time to show their appreciation. Then again, faves and follows are really for the readers' own benefit and not necessarily an attempt to contact a writer. I guess that I just feel like some interactivity might be helpful in the comment sections, although there are certainly pitfalls involved there, too.

 

[windar]

Thank you, NotWise, that's very helpful. I guess it makes sense that an erotica website would tend to be a mostly one-way affair, being a mostly private pastime. I just feel guilty if I don't try to give something back to those who've taken the time to show their appreciation. Then again, faves and follows are really for the readers' own benefit and not necessarily an attempt to contact a writer. I guess that I just feel like some interactivity might be helpful in the comment sections, although there are certainly pitfalls involved there, too.

It's not because it's an erotica site. A great many other erotica sites have many back and forth exchanges. It's because comments don't appear for hours (I've had lags up to 24 hrs). So if I comment on your story now, it may not be up until tomorrow. Then whenever you see it and reply, it may take another 12 hours. Also, comments are anonymous. Again that's fairly unique to here. On most sites you can read without signing in, but if you want to comment you do so under your screen name.

These features are unique to here and not in a good way.

 

[NotWise]

Thank you, NotWise, that's very helpful. I guess it makes sense that an erotica website would tend to be a mostly one-way affair, being a mostly private pastime. I just feel guilty if I don't try to give something back to those who've taken the time to show their appreciation. Then again, faves and follows are really for the readers' own benefit and not necessarily an attempt to contact a writer. I guess that I just feel like some interactivity might be helpful in the comment sections, although there are certainly pitfalls involved there, too.

FWIW, the site has plans to introduce threaded discussions to the comments section. Unfortunately, I don't think that's a priority.

 

[SimonDoom]

I don't believe there is any expectation or etiquette concerning the reply to comments. I sometimes do and sometimes don't. If the comment is especially complimentary or intelligent I am more likely to reply because I want to express my thanks as well as encouragement.

Commenting is a weakness of this Site. The Site may well have good reasons to monitor comments, creating a delay in their being posted, but the delay is a strong disincentive against commenting and replying. It just takes too long, and the delay dulls the interest in an exchange. I'm not familiar enough either with the technical issues or with how other sites do it to know if there is a solution.

 

[beth_]

Thank you, NotWise, that's very helpful. I guess it makes sense that an erotica website would tend to be a mostly one-way affair, being a mostly private pastime. I just feel guilty if I don't try to give something back to those who've taken the time to show their appreciation. Then again, faves and follows are really for the readers' own benefit and not necessarily an attempt to contact a writer. I guess that I just feel like some interactivity might be helpful in the comment sections, although there are certainly pitfalls involved there, too.

I can only speak as an individual reader/commenter, but I'd be thrilled to hear back from the writer of a story I'd read and loved and commented on. Please don't misunderstand, I don't expect it, after all the author has done far more than 'enough' by just sharing their story, I'm certainly not owed a response just for saying thank you. I've reached out to several authors whose stories I've liked, and while I haven't gotten much in the way of a response that's perhaps just a case of me having the poor luck to fall in love with stories that seem to be discontinued.

 

[Charmadillo]

Thank you @windar, @SimonDoom, and @beth_.

It seems that the limited functionality of the comment system is deemed a necessary evil, so I guess I'll just do the best I can at responding on a case-by-case basis.

And also, @beth_, I do make a point of responding individually when readers use the Contact function, at least so far. I'm kind of hoping I don't start getting spammy or creepy comments or I might need to disable it. I get so few responses that way, though, that I doubt it will be an issue.