Answering Feedback

[carsonshepherd]

Yeah, we've had this discussion before, but let's bring it around again, shall we?

I used to answer my feedback so diligently. If people took the time to write to me, I should take the time to write them back, answer their questions, and be friendly.

I actually entered into email friendships with some of these readers.

But things got weird. I had a scary experience - nothing dangerous, just unnerving.

So when I answered feedback, I sent a form-type "thanks for reading and taking time to write" thing and I no longer answered questions or talked about anything personal.

Lately, I barely answer it at all. I'm not in the comment-tending, vote-watching head space anymore.

I got a strange one this evening that caused me to think about all this again. The reader just asked me to let them know whether I was still "out there." Hmmm.

Anyway, for all the new people and anyone else who wants to answer, how do you handle your feedback?

 

[tickledkitty]

I answer all of them except the really pervy ones that have nothing to do with my story.

 

[Lee Chambers]

I don't get a huge amount of feedback, but I answer the ones that I can. A lot of times people sent me anonymous feedback and so I can't even tell them thank you (haven't gotten the bad kind of anonymous yet).

 

[DerelictionOfSanity]

I don't get all that much of it, so it's not a major time issue. I generally try to respond, though I don't really give out personal info of any kind. So far, I haven't had any heavy breathers, but my pic wouldn't exactly stimulate that (unless someone REALLY likes gardening).

 

[TE999]

I always answer with a pleasant 'thank you for reading' note.

And I reply to criticisim as well.

The rude or inarticulate ones--delete.

 

[flavortang]

I always answer with a pleasant 'thank you for reading' note.

And I reply to criticisim as well.

The rude or inarticulate ones--delete.

Same here. I had an odd one today where the person noted how my story and the characters were indicative of the problem of young people not living abstinent lifestyles. I like like "WTF?". It's an erotic fiction site. Go to some religious site if you're looking for people promoting abstinence.

 

[Stella_Omega]

I opened a gmail account for this handle so that i could answer feedback with a modicum of privacy-- now my "real self" hardly gets mail at all, it all comes to Stella Omega!

I answer the mail that seems reasonable, and delete the scary ones.

 

[Darkniciad]

I respond to all email within a day or so. I answer any questions, address any criticism, and thank people when they catch me in a boo-boo.

When I'm on the ball, I respond to comments as soon as I see them. I'm a day or two behind right now because I'm trying to read as quickly as possible for the contest, finishing out a chain story chapter, working on another, editing an ongoing series, posting another ongoing series elsewhere...

You get the picture *laugh*

I've had my stories guided by reader feedback onto slightly different tangents that reach the same conclusion I'd planned - for the better. My fantasy stories actually benefit from that sort of reader interaction, because the world is based on my old PnP role-playing world, and that's how that world developed in the first place.

Reader feedback is far more important to me than anything else, and I'm always sure to respond to all of them in a personal fashion. Only general "Wow great!" or "Ugh, sucks!" comments get a form letter type response of thanks or sorry you didn't like it. If the email isn't anonymous, I stay polite no matter how vitriolic the comment is.

Anonymous I take care of in the thread here, or on my website in the troll mail and dear anonymous sections if I feel they deserve a reply or a proper smack down.

 

[_Lynn_]

I always answer them. If they ask a question or comment on a specific area of a story, I'll cover that, of course. Otherwise I thank them and add a line or two that matches up to their feedback in general.

Some have sent it on more than one story.

A feedback on the How-To was from a soldier wounded in Iraq, that he sent from his hospital bed in Germany. That was the end of May, and after a few e-mails, we've talked daily on Messenger since.

So far I haven't received anything bad or scary.

Any reader that takes the time to send a feedback, no matter how short, deserves to be thanked for it, I think.

 

[elsol]

I don't get scary emails... but my protagonists tend not to have issues with killing people who piss them off. Might have something to do with why I don't get scary emails

I used to answer every piece of feedback.

Then I wrote a 'site' popular multi-chapter story on SOL and posted it in 'book' format on Literotica. That part wouldn't have been so bad except for where I hit a story dead-end and I couldn't write my way out of it. Been unable to for going on over a year+.

Eventually, you start gagging on the 'when are you going to post more' emails.

It ended the 'answer every email' thing.

Now, it's a procrastinating tool.

 

[Foxee Browne]

I respond to honest feedback, but not anything that asks personal details or tell me they have ideas for me to write about

Sadly about 90% of my feedback is of the type I do not respond to. I must be a perv magnet or something.

 

[rgraham666]

I say 'Thanks' and little more.

Except for the trolls, and sometimes then.

 

[buxxxom]

I've gotten more feedback in the last week than in the past 6 months combined. I'm always grateful to receive it, and say so. If there's a question about a certain character, I'll attempt to answer. If it's a "what happens next" type of thing, I'll tell them to be on the look out for my next installment. If it's a marriage proposal, I'll ignore. All feedback and PM notices are directed to an anonymous email account, so my identity is safer.

 

[RedHairedandFriendly]

I answer mine if they aren't perverted "Can I fuck you" emails. Though I am thinking I will set up a new email account because all mine have a form of my name in it. . . This wasn't probably the wisest thing in the world. lol... But I never claimed to be wise.

 

[Recidiva]

I answer them when appropriate, if it's in a tone that's appropriate for handing out my email address.

I've had really good experiences, lots of helpful comments and started some nice friendships that way.

 

[Recidiva]

Okay, one caveat and my wierdest experience.

I started conversing with one man, who said his wife liked to have him read one of my stories to him while they were having sex. Seemed like a compliment, so, okay.

We were talking about how I write. Somehow the concept is that an erotica writer must be naked and hot while writing, and masturbating at the time?

I pointed out that my computer's in the middle of the most high traffic area of the house, everyone can hear me, see me, look over my shoulder. Besides, I have to concentrate on typing. Masturbation's for LATER.

He continued on in this theme until I mentioned something about telling my daughter something about what he'd just said.

He stopped and said "Whoah. My wife's giving me a BJ right now, that's a little jarring for you to bring your daughter into this."

Jarring to YOU? So apparently they're trying to include me in some fantasy here that doesn't really mesh with my actual life.

I did not continue that conversation any further other than pointing out if I knew his wife was giving him a BJ at the time, I certainly wouldn't have mentioned my daughter.

 

[OhMissScarlett]

I always try to reply to all my comments and feedback. It really gets on my nerves if I send someone feedback and they don't reply. If the feedback compliments the story, but is kinda pervy, I'll still reply with just a "Thanks!"

People usually get the message that I don't want to help them live out their fantasies via email. Some people don't, though, like the guy who's been emailing me for three years, asking me to write a story about the two of us.

 

[CeriseNoire]

I try to reply to all the ones that aren't anonymous. The only time I can't seem to keep up is during contests, so I'll usually apologize and thank everyone in the contest thread.

As for weird emails, I get them once in a while. It's not much of an issue though, since Cerise has her own email account, so it's not so helpful in finding out who I really am.

 

[BlackShanglan]

I opened a gmail account for this handle so that i could answer feedback with a modicum of privacy-- now my "real self" hardly gets mail at all, it all comes to Stella Omega!

I answer the mail that seems reasonable, and delete the scary ones.

*writes Stella mash notes*

 

[jomar]

I don't get that many so try to reply to them all. Most have been encouraging. The trolls are anonymous so can't really respond unless it's as a PC.

 

[rgraham666]

I got a death threat today.

 

[scriptordelecto]

I got a death threat today.

Damn, I'm jealous. I guess I'm WAY too vanilla.

 

[buxxxom]

I got a death threat today.

It's the simple things, ain't it?

 

[MagicaPractica]

I set up a yahoo account with my screenname here so I can recieve and respond to comments. I don't think I've ever recieved any particularly pervy ones. I feel left out.

 

[carsonshepherd]

I set up a yahoo account with my screenname here so I can recieve and respond to comments. I don't think I've ever recieved any particularly pervy ones. I feel left out.

Until someone turns creepy on you...