Email Private Feedback?

[Trionyx]

Rarely.

 

[crookedletter]

I've received exactly one. But it was a very nice message.

 

[AStrangeDesire]

I've had exactly one email exchange (as it happens with someone who posted in this thread) but it was because of a comment I left.

Which made me wonder, how often do you reach out to people who comment on your stories, or do you?

 

[dirk2024]

I've had exactly one email exchange (as it happens with someone who posted in this thread) but it was because of a comment I left.

Which made me wonder, how often do you reach out to people who comment on your stories, or do you?

I have. It's only been a couple of times though. I figure it gives them an opportunity to connect with me and it may help me when crafting future stories.

 

[WittyUserName]

I'm posting this thread because I'm curious about the number of private feedback messages you get through email. I see some of you posting about them, but not necessarily about the frequency.

I'm not sure if the number I receive is similar to yours or not. In 2025, I published 15 works, though three of those were 750 stories and I think I have less expectation of receiving private feedback on them. Also, 5 of my works were actually one longer story that I broke up into 5 chapters instead of one long read.

Of the emails I got via the private feedback function last year, only 3 of them were to comment on a story I'd written. Is this about what you receive? Do you notice receiving a higher percentage of feedback emails for particular categories?

Thanks in advance for your responses!

I used to get a couple a month. I haven't gotten one since January. And yeah, I've gotten a few creepy ones. Probably nowhere near as many as the female authors. And of course, the scam attempts.

 

[PapaRomantic]

...hrumph.

*deletes draft email titled "PAPA FEET PICS??"*

Oh, my friend...

There is the "inappropriate and undesirable" category, and then there's the "oh fuck no" category.

My feet would be in the later.

 

[Erozetta]

I've gotten about 55. All but two resulted in long and continued conversations with the initial message sender. Of those that continued, about 5 ended when they became inappropriate and/or sent dick pics.

 

[RejectReality]

I have 453 in my Literotica feedback folder for my Darkniciad pen name. 202 as Les. 216 as RR. So 871 in 20 years.

That includes some exchanges. Trying to filter it out to only initial incoming messages was proving to be more effort than I want to put in tonight. LOL

 

[Erozetta]

I've had exactly one email exchange (as it happens with someone who posted in this thread) but it was because of a comment I left.

Which made me wonder, how often do you reach out to people who comment on your stories, or do you?

I've done that probably 20-30 times.

 

[WaxPhilosophic]

I've had exactly one email exchange (as it happens with someone who posted in this thread) but it was because of a comment I left.

Which made me wonder, how often do you reach out to people who comment on your stories, or do you?

It wasn't about a story about a certain cyborg, was it?

 

[PapaRomantic]

I've gotten about 55. All but two resulted in long and continued conversations with the initial message sender. Of those that continued, about 5 ended when they became inappropriate and/or sent dick pics.

One thing about the few messages I've had is that they don't all leave an email for a return message. I do message back the ones that do, but they usually don't reply again.

 

[AStrangeDesire]

It wasn't about a story about a certain cyborg, was it?

Most definitely was. Now, get working on the next part already, would you please?

 

[Erozetta]

One thing about the few messages I've had is that they don't all leave an email for a return message. I do message back the ones that do, but they usually don't reply again.

The two I mentioned were because one didn't leave a working email address and the other didn't respond to my reply message.

Of the five that ended due to inappropriate content, three were the very next message I received from them after sending my reply, and two continued on for another couple of messages before they tried to take it to inappropriate places.

Forum messages have been about the same. Mostly good long conversations that are engaging and fun. One who has been blocked by me because... Yeah... One that resulted in fairly long voice messages back and forth, one that resulted in an ongoing friendship that has evolved into fairly regular phone calls, about a dozen inappropriate ones that I didn't continue. And probably 40-50 others that are ongoing sporadically. A few of those transitioned to email or Discord instead.

 

[TheLobster]

39 since I started publishing in March 2024, mostly positive, including a massive list of ideas for one of my ongoing series; three solicitations for commissions, which I ignored since I don't do these (one was clearly GPT'd, too); and (un)fortunately no requests of personal nature. (I had a few of those in forum messages though).

 

[KittyOfSteele]

Comments feel like comets in my work. Emails are more like magnetars. I've only got like four, all of them praising my stories.

 

[MaudeBlack]

This is a really interesting thread to read.

Since starting publishing in Dec 2025, I've received quite a few feedback comments to my email. More, than perhaps I would have expected, having read all of the above.
I've not replied to any, as that's not me (It's nothing personal but being ND, I struggle with direct messages).

Most have been utterly lovely and really encouraging about my work. A few have been to share personal stories related to my work, which I've really enjoyed reading.

I've had a couple of 'Listen to daddy' comments, suggesting ways I could improve or telling me that my woman brain isn't capable of imagination.

Only one has gotten personal and nasty.

Generally though I'd say these messages have been incredibly encouraging and positive.

Xx

 

[millamomud]

According to my Google inbox I've got about 23 private messages in the last year, which I tagged as Feedback

 

[THBGato]

Weirdly, in almost precisely two years of publishing here, I've received exactly 100 private Feedback emails. (Just did a quick search of my emails.) I'm quite amazed by that number.

However, a brief examination revealed that:
1) Many (half?) of those are writers thanking me for commenting on their stories, rather than them giving me feedback on mine.
2) At least 10 are from @WaxPhilosophic who seems to have forgotten she has my email address or simply prefers contacting me via the feedback function!

I always reply, and have enjoyed corresponding with many of them - especially the fellow authors who have often become friends.

 

[WaxPhilosophic]

2) At least 10 are from @WaxPhilosophic who seems to have forgotten she has my email address or simply prefers contacting me via the feedback function!

I have enough trouble remembering my own email address at times.

 

[BobbyBrandt]

I have a dedicated folder in my e-mail for them. Over the decade+ since my first story was published here, I have received close to 200 e-mails from readers. These typically are lengthy comments about specific details in one of my stories that resonated with the reader, such as the locations being someplace that they were familiar with, some character that they could relate to in real life, or a plot element that they would like to have seen done differently somehow.

The e-mail feedback is swayed heavily towards my stories in Novels/Novellas. I can count on one hand the number of e-mails I have received on stories in other categories.

 

[ChuckWolf]

Not as many as I'd like; the few I've received have been always polite and positive.

 

[redgarters]

Dear @dirk2024,

My name is Anthy, and I have a very personal request — if I may be so bold as to request from such a prestigious author such as yourself.

You wouldn't, by chance, be willing to send me a pair of your used tighty-whiteys? It would take a place of great import on my Great Board of Underpants, upon which I nail all the greatest Lit authors' undergarments. While I have yet to acquire said garments from these greats, I would be deeply honored if you would be the first, for I truly believe your works contain some of the greatest words to ever grace these humble and unworthy eyes.

Sincerely,
Anthrodisiac

A Great (smorgås)board of tighty-writeys and pantsers-panties? Oh what a world!

I've had email feedback from maybe 40 people or so, some of which have turned into very nice and very friendly back and forths. I love that. Some have been from authors who reached out to talk about writing, which is awesome
Others are one off comments on stories. I've replied to all of them, but then I've never had anyone ask for my underwear...

 

[redgarters]

I've had exactly one email exchange (as it happens with someone who posted in this thread) but it was because of a comment I left.

Which made me wonder, how often do you reach out to people who comment on your stories, or do you?

I have reached out to a commenter a few times, like when I've gotten lovely comments on multiple stories by the same person.

 

[WCSGarland]

I've received exactly none... which is not that surprising since I write niche stories that are either one bombed to shit ratings or receive lots of votes but few comments. I think that makes me a fringe writer with a fringe audience.