Acknowledgment of feedback

[Green_Gem]

There have been a number of threads on how authors reply to feedback, and of course the need and desire for feedback What I am curious about is how do you feel when you send feedback on a story, and by this I mean honest, sincere feedback with a legitimate email address and you don’t receive any acknowledgment from the writer that he/she even got the feedback.

I obviously have my favorite authors, but I do scan the New Lists and sometimes the Top Lists. If a story really grabs me, or moves me in some way because of its content or the way it is written, I will always vote and send complimentary or encouraging feedback. Because I know how important feedback is, I will take the time to send a paragraph explaining why and what I enjoyed (idea originality, use of language, style, characterizations and yeah even the “heat” factor). Occasionally I may mention that I have also submitted stories, but more often than not I don’t, so I come across as just another reader on the site. The email address I provide is my personal one and not the one with my Lit. Pen name. It astounds me how often there is no reply or acknowledgement of the feedback whatsoever.

I’m wondering how people feel about writers asking for feedback and then not having the common courtesy to reply with a mere thank you.

Hopefully readers and writers will respond to this thread because I am really interested to get their views. I can say that when that happens to me, I don’t bother to read anything else by that writer, let alone ever vote for them again.

Am I just strange about this or what?

G_G

 

[raphy]

I try to respond to the feedback I get, (or at least, the feed back of the kind which you describe) - And if I do respond, it's normally just a few lines saying something like 'Thanks, I'm glad you enjoyed the story', and then if they make a comment about which part of the story they liked, I'll try and respond to that comment.

Unfortunately, I'm guilty of not responding to all the feedback I get, sometimes. Sometimes, I'm too busy. It all gets filed in an email folder I have, and I'll do my best to get to it all, but with _Well, Goddamn_ for example, I was overwhelmed with feedback, and it was just a nightmare trying to respond to all of it.

 

[jessy19]

Gem,
You brought up an excellent point. I have to admit I've been guilty of not responding to my reader's letters and I feel awful. I think I stopped since I had a bad expierence once where I did respond to a few letters and automatcially got back something like "Hey you think we can hook up? Tell me what you look like. Your measurments."

After that, I stopped but I still do write back to some comments that are left for me. If it's a long and sweet e-mail I will definetly write back. Sometimes I just get letters saying "Well done" Or "What a hot story" and those I don't respond to.

 

[Alex De Kok]

I try to respond to all feedback with a return address, even if it's just a quick 'thanks for writing'. It's possible that I may have missed one or two, but I don't get so much feedback that it's particularly likely, and it certainly isn't deliberate if I did. If a reader takes the time to send me feedback, I feel that I owe them the consideration of something in reply. I would love to respond to some of my anonymous feedback, because it's often good, but without a return address . . .

Alex

And now, back to NaNo. . .

 

[raphy]

And now, back to NaNo. . .

Amen to that....

 

[MathGirl]

I’m wondering how people feel about writers asking for feedback and then not having the common courtesy to reply with a mere thank you.

Dear GG,
On the rare occasions I read anything on Lit, it's by one of my friends here, and I try to at least send a compliment. I would never presume to make any kind of criticism, because I'm not much good at writing myself.

If a writer requests feedback, I think he owes the feedbacker at least an acknowledgement that it was received. I always do that, at a minimum, unless it's a "wanna sit on my face" sort of thing. It's frustrating that so many feedsback are anonymous and no reply can be sent.
MG

 

[English Lady]

I can't rememer not replying to a feedback. Sometimes it takes a day or two to do so,I don't often get feedback but it tends to come in bulk when I do get it*L* I always respond with soemthing if the feedback is genuine and not just a "wanna fuck?" response. I don't write alot but i do write from the heart. i really do appreiciate every piece of feedback I get.

 

[dr_mabeuse]

Is there anything a writer likes better than an opportunity to discuss his or her own work?

I always reply, unless I somehow manage to lose or delete the address. I also keep the best feedback and use it when I'm feeling especially discouraged and really need a boost.

---dr.M.

 

[sanchopanza]

Oh shit. I've never replied to feedback, didn't realise thats what people did - I will do so in future.

 

[sailorm72003]

I make a point of replying to any feedback that has an address, I feel that if the reader was moved enough to write it, the very least I can do is acknowledge that.

I haven't had any really negative ones that included an email, and only one was of the "you suck" variety so far, so it's mostly been no chore to respond.

Overall I haven't received much, so keeping up with it hasn't been a burden either.

Sailor

 

[Octavian]

I always thank any senders of feedback. It is an automatic courtesy.

But not everyone is as courteous. An author who posts on this site requested feedback. It was a good story and I sent him appropriate feedback. There was no acknowledgement. I sent him a polite pm, pointing out that I had replied to his request and hoped he had received it. The author in question couldn’t even be bothered to reply to that. Needless to say I will never send feedback to this ignorant individual again.

Octavian

My stories

 

[cookiejar]

I reply to my feedback, If they took the time to read my story and reply I'm honored.

I've only had a few who didn't reply to my feedback on their stories ... I never went back.

 

[Green_Gem]

Thanks so much for the replies and the interest in this thread. I guess I need to clarify and say that I don’t have gripes with the majority of authors who participate in the Hangout. None of your names spring to mind as not having acknowledged my feedbacks, but what I wanted to know was how do YOU feel if you’ve sent feedback and don’t get a response and would you bother reading/voting or commenting on that individual’s work again?

Octavian’s reaction was exactly like mine:

“ An author who posts on this site requested feedback. It was a good story and I sent him appropriate feedback. There was no acknowledgement. I sent him a polite pm, pointing out that I had replied to his request and hoped he had received it. The author in question couldn’t even be bothered to reply to that. Needless to say I will never send feedback to this ignorant individual again.”

I didn’t think to PM them, being a virgin and all and still learning the ropes.

 

[Colleen Thomas]

I always respond to feedback provided the sender gives me a working e.mail addy. I had one the other day who was interested in offering me a PT writing position, but the email he typed in was wrong. Such is my luck.

I feel it would be rude not to respond, if someone takes their time to tell me what they thought of my story. That said my response is usually dictated by what they say. A simple, "Wow I liked it" warrants a "Thank you so much". A more in depth response to the story will get a more in depth response.

I have sent feedback to two or three writers who never responded, it dosen't bother me, there is no rule they have to write back, but I think not replying lessens the chance I will send another feedback, even if I like thier stories and read another one.

-Colly

 

[fictionwriter]

I agree with you Green Gem. I get very aggravated when I take the time to give a writer feedback and they do not acknowledge it. I have always responded to all feedback I've received on my stories and appreciate it when I get it (usually).

I did a quick calculation and it shows that less than 1/2 of 1 percent of story views even result in a vote, and feedback is much less than that. This is why it is important to respond, if you have the opportunity.



http://www.literotica.com/stories/memberpage.php?uid=177200


F.W.

 

[Sabledrake]

I respond to every feedback that comes with an address, and always try to remember to put my address on the feedbacks I send.

Sabledrake

 

[Svenskaflicka]

Just what am I to respond to someone saying "Hey I liked your story it gave me a hard-on" - something like "good for you"..?

I normally try to respond to longer feedback, but every now and then, the mail bounces back, and then I don't bother.

Those of you who have sent me kind words and not received an answer - I apologize. Your kindness always makes me feel good. Thank you.

 

[Dirty Slut]

After my death threat...

I stopped replying to feedback. If that offends people, then so be it. I do not ask for feedback, but I still get a lot of it. As for giving feedback I do that annonymously, and I do not expect a reply so I'm not insulted when I don't get one, obviously. Expecting an author to write back about the feedback that you gave them, is to me, a self depricating state of affairs. And it's almost as bad as those begging for feedback in the first place.

I know that others do not feel the same way that I do about feedback, but remember this: If I reply to feedback then the reply is from my own e-mail address, and that just is not an option for me after the death threat I received from that one feedback e-mail. I'd much rather that they voted honestly than worry about someone trying to kill me.

DS

 

[English Lady]

I think I usually get a reply to any feedback I send, and when I don't it doesn't aggreive me too much. I don't tend to send feedback longer than a paragraph or so,so i don't feel it's too much of a drain on my time.


If I read a story and leave feedback on a thread in the story feedback forum then I do feel a little disgruntled if I don't at least get an acknowledgement of that. If someone is asking for feedback I at least expect a "thanks" in return.

 

[KillerMuffin]

I'm a writer who rarely responds to feedback. I get three to ten feedback emails a day. I find this volume of email to be overwhelming and highly stressful rather than helpful, comforting, or full of good feelings. Why? Because having this much conversation stresses me out. I'm not a social person and I lack a lot of social skills. There's just too much. I'm not good at writing to one person, I'm good at writing to hundreds. I've tried the half-tailor form letter route and it just doesn't work either.

Why don't I shut it off? You use to can't. You can shut down the anonymous part, but then you just get the same volume of email with addresses attached to it (half of them faked) and commentary about a story, but not which story. That changed in the last couple of days, though.

Why don't I put in a notice that I don't need feedback? I've done that. I got more feedback.

How do you respond or reply to around 50 people a week without opening yourself to further conversation with those people and without being obnoxiously rude? If you solve that puzzle for me, I'll be glad to do it.

 

[whispering_surrender]

I have dutifully responded to ever feedback I've ever received. And been quite peeved when half the replies I have drafted have bounced back due to incorrect addresses. I don't know if people put in a fakes, or just don't check to make sure it is right before sending. Oh! Maybe they were so affected by my writing their hands were shaking....that might not be too bad. But, improbable....

I keep trying though, and if I missed anyone.....I'm truly sorry.

Whisper

 

[oggbashan]

I try to reply to feedback with an email address but I missed some by hitting the reply button instead of sending a new message to the email address.

I know better now but apologise to those who had replies sent to the black hole of "feedback from Literotica".

Og

 

[thebullet]

When I first posted some stories to Literotica, I was so inexperienced about such things that I didn't notice the email address of the people that sent me feedback.

So for a while, I guess I was one of those authors that ignored feedback. I plead ignorance.

Once I realized that there was an embedded email address in many of the emails I was receiving, I have made a point of responding to all feedback that isn't anonymous.

Like some of the other authors, I have received one or two rather frightening responses, threatening me with legal action or violence. Now the stuff I write is so innocuous that no one could possibly want to hurt me over it, I think.

I've been writing a series with a light sci-fi background plot (even though it's in the Romance section) and I've received numerous thoughtful and insightful emails from people who take my little plot seriously. I guess my sex scenes aren't good enough to wank over, but the plot keeps 'em coming back.

It's been fun for me (who lives in the Eastern US) to converse electronically with correspondents from Poland, Switzerland, Australia, Britain, mostly about such things as human evolution and the finer points of Robert A. Heinlein.

Feedback is a great way to make friends and influence people.
My advice: ignore the weirdos and cultivate the rest. They can enrich your life.




Stories by thebullet

 

[Dirty Slut]

My advice: ignore the weirdos and cultivate the rest. They can enrich your life.




Yeah, well, life's a bitch, and then you die.

DS

 

[whispering_surrender]

Yeah, well, life's a bitch, and then you die.

DS [/B]

Did someone call me?

Whisper