Public Comments Etiquette

[Just_John1]

What is the etiquette for public comments. Is it appropriate to carry a dialog with those that comment? Is it appropriate to remove comments that you don't agree with, or that are inflammatory but not obscene? I don't get many public comments on my stories but I wanted to know how to handle the ones I get. Any opinions?

JJ1

 

[carsonshepherd]

I don't know the proper "etikette and protocol" but I just leave 'em. People have a right to their opinion.... and I've had one negative comment bring a rush of positive ones defending me. If they're signed, I respond; if not, I don't bother posting one of my own as a "dialogue". I just let my work speak for itself (and what filthy things it says...)

 

[Just_John1]

That's kind of the way I've handled it

I kind of left things be, I feel bad about not responding sometimes but want people to feel like they can say whatever they want about my work. I appreciate the response Carson.

JJ1

 

[Weird Harold]

Is it appropriate to remove comments that you don't agree with, or that are inflammatory but not obscene?

How you handle public comments is entirely up to you. However, you might give some serious consideration to what image the way you handle them projects.

I would NOT carry on a "dialogue" in your public comments, although I would answer direct questions that relate to the story.

I would remove any comments that do NOT relate to the the story -- good or bad.

I would NOT remove a comment that related to the story just because I disagreed with it, nor would I engage in a protracted defense of the story -- although I might make a single response to a post I disagreed with to give my side of the point.

For the most part, people aren't going to come back to your story just to read the coments and see if there's a response -- the only ones who would look for a response are probably trolls checking to see if/how you reacted to a comment.

 

[English Lady]

If someone leaves an email address or a name I try and contact them to say thank you. If it is an anonymous one I accept it but I don't write any comment back of my own. I treat it just like getting an anonymous feedback via email and I am guessing they won't be back to look at the PC's again after making the comment anyway.

I've got one negative comment which is about the content of a story and it is a good point...death does not make a sexy end to erotica *L* so I've left it be. If I got something that was just an attack on myself I'd remove it.


Actually I think I just said what weird harold said but not quite so succinctly *L*

 

[steve w]

I generally leave them, even if they're negative, as people have a right to express their view and I don't feel I have the right to edit that.

I make an exception where the comment doesn't seem to make ANY sense at all, as that doesn't really help anyone else reading it to get an idea of whether they'd like the story or not.

 

[oggbashan]

I tried a dialogue.

Then I thought 'Why?'. The commentor is unlikely to return to the story.

I have answered questions about the context of the story if that might help future readers.

I have responded to those who ask questions and leave an address.

I have deleted a few public comments that criticised the historical setting when it became obvious that the comment was about the US at that time and I was writing about the UK. We were arguing about chalk and cheese.

I appreciate public comments particularly if they are more than just a couple of words. Comments that suggest I should rewrite the whole story in a different genre - I ignore.

Og

 

[cantdog]

I've never deleted one, and it didn't occur to me to comment my own story. Now that I have heard the idea, I still reject it.

I might delete one, now that we've had this discussion, if it didn't have a thing to do with the story. That seems like a good idea.

Non anonymous ones deserve a reply.

Twice, this has resulted in an exchange of views about story structure, but usually I thank them and give them some data about the story-- how it came to be, or what I thought was the sticky bit-- if I were a fan of somebody, enough to write them, I know I would like to be the privileged one to know that kind of detail, stuff that no one else knew. Even so, I seldom get a message back on the replies.

It's pretty easy to do all that, at my level of volume, for both PC's and feedbacks.

If, when I am reading a story by some else, what I mostly want to say is a criticism, I always choose to feedback privately or else say nothing. I try to make PC's positive, like the selected blurbs on book covers.

 

[Colleen Thomas]

I delete comments I don't like when they are by annonnamous and have nothing to do with the story but are just your general run of the mill troll. My view is, I put in the time, I wrote the story, if Annon wants to show off his wit he can write his own story rather than using mine.

If the comment pertains to the story, to some aspect of the writing style or to something specific within it that is pertinent, I leave it, even if I disagree.

I don't carry on conversations n PC, but might post to clarify something, eg. I add finis to the end of most stories and did so inadvertatly on one that was a serial. I meant end of chapter, people thoght I meant end of story so I clarified in the pc.

I don't thik there is a real set of hard and fast rules, you treat PC's in the way you feel most comfortable with.

-Colly

 

[Boxlicker101]

I always respond to PC when there is a name. Most of them just say something like "Good story, very hot" or words to that effect and I thank the writer for the compliment. If there is something more specific, I respond to that also.

I don't delete a PC unless it is just a personal attack. I also don't respond to Anon, whatever the PC says because I don't consider it to be a forum for me to discuss a story.

 

[Just_John1]

Sounds like...

Everyone basically follows the same general idea, respond if there's an Email, delete only if the comments aren't really related to the story, and the general impression is that no one goes back to check anyway. I appreciate the responses. I feel wiser now. Thank you.

JJ1