Do you thank your readers for private feedback?

[CarolinaPeach]

I was wondering what others do. Sometimes I do and sometimes I don't. I am of two minds and would like to hear what others do.

 

[StrangeLife]

I was wondering what others do. Sometimes I do and sometimes I don't. I am of two minds and would like to hear what others do.

Normally I don't, unless I'm entering into a dialogue with the person in question. The reason being, that replying involves using my actual e-mail which I prefer to not be spreading needlessly around. So "Thanks" is always implied.

 

[loquere]

I always do. If someone favorites my stories I used to send out a thank you as well.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

I usually do, unless its assclowns like loquere who have 10 alts and flame like a manic midget till you gotta iggy all his alts to stop the abuse. Loquere only likes ass kissing.

 

[johneb87]

Yes, I usually do. I have an email specifically created for Lit that I don't mind giving out.

 

[tiggerlilly]

I always do. Don't get enough feedback to be choosy. Like many I have a special email address for literotica.

 

[littlecordelera]

Every single one.

 

[CarolinaPeach]

Normally I don't, unless I'm entering into a dialogue with the person in question. The reason being, that replying involves using my actual e-mail which I prefer to not be spreading needlessly around. So "Thanks" is always implied.

This is my hesitation..., I have a Lit address, so that is no problem, but do I really want to get into a discussion with every person who sends feedback? Some, I have to say, are real creeps, and some are only interested in starting cyber sex.

On the other hand, I really am grateful for all the feedback I get.

Hence my ambivalence.

 

[damppanties]

I reply to all, yes. Most get the stock 'Glad you liked the story; thank you for writing' email. Few get more, depending on what the feedback was like. Beyond that, if it moves into someplace I don't want to go, I reply once saying no, thanks and that's it. And yes, I have a Lit specific email.

 

[lovecraft68]

I always do, providing of course they provide an e-mail. Many times I get frustrated because someone will leave a great comment or make a suggestion and I would like to respond, but they send as anon.

But I make it a point to, even if its a quick, "Thank you for taking the time to tell me what you think"

I also respond to the negative remarks as long as the criticism is given in a decent manner. I don't respond to "Fuck you, you sick bastard."

I know we authors in general are not obligated to do it, but I feel I am. At the end of each story I ask for feedback whether it is good or bad so when someone sends it, it is simply the right thing to respond.

 

[JuliaHandel]

I always do. Don't get enough feedback to be choosy. Like many I have a special email address for literotica.

Each comment gets a reply as soon as it reaches me. Mail that come in through the PM system gets a response, too. It is a very good idea to keep separate email addresses for Lit as well as for replying to readers.

 

[soflabbwlvr]

I was wondering what others do. Sometimes I do and sometimes I don't. I am of two minds and would like to hear what others do.

I always thank readers for private feedback, even when it is negative. I feel that if they are going open up that channel, they are expecting some kind of response.

 

[RoyceConnors]

I always do, providing of course they provide an e-mail. Many times I get frustrated because someone will leave a great comment or make a suggestion and I would like to respond, but they send as anon.

But I make it a point to, even if its a quick, "Thank you for taking the time to tell me what you think"

I also respond to the negative remarks as long as the criticism is given in a decent manner. I don't respond to "Fuck you, you sick bastard."

I know we authors in general are not obligated to do it, but I feel I am. At the end of each story I ask for feedback whether it is good or bad so when someone sends it, it is simply the right thing to respond.

I get those messages too and it's frustrating, but I solved it by mentioning them in a comment, letting others know what was said as well.

 

[sr71plt]

I respond to almost all of them, yes--that weren't sent without a responding address.

I say "almost," because there are reasons sometimes not to respond. I haven't had many of those, though. If the response is going to be something like, "So's your mother," I won't bother.

 

[Darkniciad]

I'm actually better about responding to the private emails than I am to the comments. The comments require a multi-step process to respond. An email takes only a click of the reply button.

Like most others, it's a general thank you unless a question or observation prompts me to say more.

 

[Lovetolisten]

I'm actually better about responding to the private emails than I am to the comments. The comments require a multi-step process to respond. An email takes only a click of the reply button.

Like most others, it's a general thank you unless a question or observation prompts me to say more.

I agree. I always respond to private feedback, even if it is only simple thank you.

 

[sr71plt]

I very rarely respond to comments on the stories. When I feel I really have to/want to I usually do it as a comment of my own on the story. (Can probably count instances of that even on one hand, though.) I believe that if the commenter wants to hear from me directly, they will e-mail me directly and I think that begging for continued favorable response is rather pathetic and cheapens having gotten it in the first place.

 

[lovecraft68]

I don't like to respond to the public comments because I feel if you do it often and reply to many of them(and I have seen some people do this) it kind of "pads" the comment total.

I read a story and at the end saw it had a pretty impressive number of comments so I started to read them to see what other people thought and saw the author him/herself was responsible for half of them.

I'm not saying its cheating, but just not for me, but I have done it if someone made a remark that really struck me and I have no other way to respond.

 

[Darkniciad]

When I do respond to public comments ( I try to get to most of them when the story is new, at least ) it's pretty much the same deal as private feedback, and usually via the contact tab of the user. That's why I consider it a multi-step process.

A lot of times I'll drop a general thank-you comment on the story for all the anonymous people, and sometimes respond directly there if something strikes me and there's no way to contact. Some of those anonymous people actually do check back, are interested, and it's the only way they're willing to communicate since it allows them complete anonymity.

 

[soflabbwlvr]

I don't like to respond to the public comments because I feel if you do it often and reply to many of them(and I have seen some people do this) it kind of "pads" the comment total.

I read a story and at the end saw it had a pretty impressive number of comments so I started to read them to see what other people thought and saw the author him/herself was responsible for half of them.

I'm not saying its cheating, but just not for me, but I have done it if someone made a remark that really struck me and I have no other way to respond.

I don't respond to story comments either, unless the reader asks a specific question about the story and an answer may be helpful to other readers.

 

[lovecraft68]

I used to try to respond to readers directly when I first started here. I never got a response in return(I always left my e-mail)

I started thinking maybe it was poor etiquette, but a person who has been here forever told me that many people use an email just to sign up for lit and never return to it.

Not sure if that is the case, but it makes sense.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

I used to try to respond to readers directly when I first started here. I never got a response in return(I always left my e-mail)

I started thinking maybe it was poor etiquette, but a person who has been here forever told me that many people use an email just to sign up for lit and never return to it.

Not sure if that is the case, but it makes sense.

True.

 

[lovecraft68]

I don't respond to story comments either, unless the reader asks a specific question about the story and an answer may be helpful to other readers.

Right. I had to post on one to clarify something that it seemed I left a little too vague going by several comments.

 

[MatthewVett]

If there's anything to reply to, I try to reply. I don't get many responses, but sometimes I end up with a new virtual penpal. I like communicating with my readers, though.

 

[sr71plt]

If there's anything to reply to, I try to reply. I don't get many responses, but sometimes I end up with a new virtual penpal. I like communicating with my readers, though.

Good point. I wound up with an editor, a couple of publishers, and a coauthor by responding to e-mail comments.