Respond to Fan Email?

[Tx Tall Tales]

Just wondering how others handle this.

Do you answer the emails? (at least the half that half that aren't anonymous) What about the requests, like to write them a story, or write them into a story, or where your story should go next?

Do you email the fans of particular chapter stories to let them know that a new chapter is out?

Do you get into extended email conversations?

I used to answer all of them, but I've gotten really lax lately. Now I'm feeling a little guilty. How about y'all?

 

[scheherazade_79]

Depends.

The best ones (and the easiest to respond to) are the ones that say "Hey, I loved your story - you rock!"

But then there are ones from Indian guys, convinced that you write lesbian because you've never experienced the joys of a proper man, and want to turn you into an email penpal with the end goal of marrying you.

And there are also the ones from lesbian bunnyboilers who seem pleasant on the surface - until you realise that they too are looking for an email penpal to stalk, harrass and share their neverending dramas with.

In the past I used to answer all feedback, even when the red warning lights were flashing. These days I'm busy enough with real life not to feel guilty about ignoring potential pains in the arse.

Saying that, my output has dwindled to almost nothing these days, so it's not a decision I'm confronted with regularly.

 

[TheeGoatPig]

I have been replying more now than I did in the past. Though most of it has been to tell people I am not working on the stories they want me to be (or any for that matter ).

 

[oggbashan]

I have a problem with fan email.

Most of the few emails I get are not anonymous, so I reply to them, thanking them for their interest, but...

They want me to write more femdom stories about their particular fetish. I started writing those sort of stories for Yahoo Adult Groups but now I want to move away from fetish to more mainstream erotic and non-erotic stories.

Do I write to please those who email me? Or write what I want to write?

Og

 

[Dragonlipz]

It does depend.......on whether you feel that the inquiry or conversation is valid - no one wants to be stalked or harassed.....
I generally answer mine except the anonymous 'haters' who want to spew their uptight, racist, sexually inhibited bile.....
When those same folks spew on my stories, I leave the posting there - as a badge of honor....

 

[Liar]

Do I write to please those who email me? Or write what I want to write?

I do hope that's a rhethorical question.

 

[matriarch]

It depends entirely on the content of the mail. If it's a complimentary one, or even a complaining one that is written politely and with constructive criticism, as they have taken the time to write to me, I will always do my best to respond.

If they are insulting and just someone getting their rocks off by throwing as many insults into an e-mail as they can, it gets deleted and ignored.

I get quite a few from guys, some of whom ask legitimate questions (e.g., if you don't like guys, why do you still like to get fucked with dildos.....), I'll take the time to answer as honestly as I can.

I also get emails from 'baby dykes' who want to be tutored by an older dyke. I respond politely, but decline. I'm a happily married dyke.

Generally, my advice is to go with your gut reaction and deal with the letters in the way that seems most appropriate to you.

 

[sr71plt]

I respond to all e-mails with addresses with at least a thank you. A bit more if they are asking questions that aren't argumentative--and, happily, I've only received a handful of argumentative e-mails in years of stories.

I don't welcome suggestions on what else to write. The decision of what to write is part of my own creative process for my own writing.

I only once wrote a story on request, which I didn't particularly enjoy doing, although it is doing nicely here at Literotica. I informed the requestor I wrote it and never heard from the requestor again. So, no more of that. Let them write their own stories.

I frequently get asked to continue a story. I take that more as a compliment that they were really into the story than a real want/need to have the story completed. I do sometimes decide to continue it (or prequell it)--and I'm sure that sometimes I'm set to thinking about doing that by a request to do it. Usually when I continue, though, I take the story from here, expand it (usually both in front and back) and release it at eXcessica as an e-book. I don't usually post the expansion here.

I do have whole series posted here, however, that I decided I wanted to expand on my own--although each part is a standalone story.

One mystery here (Death on the Rhine) was expanded on a lark three times in response to posters saying they knew that was how it would end with the original ending--and then again when I put a new ending on it.

I do not let particular fans know when another part of a story is up. I post stories on a regular schedule and post a lot of them, so I leave it to fans to keep up with me if they want to (if I actually have fans).

I have only on a rare occasion gotten into extended e-mail conversations. Most are ones wanting to cyber sex one on one--and I politely deflect those. I've had extended conversations with maybe four posters who wanted to go deeper. Two of those are very sporadic, one has disappeared. I haven't initiated e-mailings in any of these. The fourth, though, has been going on for a couple of years, is who brought me to Literotica, is a long-distance cyber lover, and is now my editor and writing partner.

 

[FallingToFly]

If they give me an email, I respond politely, and periodically send out emails to my mailing list regarding new stories up and such. (my email on here is strictly for Lit and other porn story sites)

If they're rude fucks I respond with "Thanks for the feedback" and put their email in the file marked "Nastygrams"

 

[amber03]

Wow, people actually send fan mail???
How naieve am I?!

 

[Tx Tall Tales]

Easily about 2/3 of all my email is anonymous. When I'm actively writing that's good for one every couple of days. The contest generated a lot of email - about 60 in the last month

I think about 1/3 of mine just say something like 'great job' or 'wow' or something nice but useless.

Another 1/3 are asking me to continue a story, either one I just posted, one that's been sitting idle for a while, or just to give me grief for posting a new story when I haven't finished my older series (guilty!) These often have requests for me to add certain things to an upcoming story.

I'm been asked to write custom stories, to do collaborations (with people who've never written anything - at least not on lit.) and at least a couple of times a month I get asked for a copy of the 'Perfect Game'. I may actually have to post that one of these days.

I get asked to chat (no thanks), and about 1 in 8 of the emails I respond to get another response back. Maybe a dozen or so in the last several years have gone beyond 3 or 4 emails.

I think it's the commonness of the continued responses that holds me back from replying more often. There are a few weird people out there... That and the fact that I don't check the feedback often enough, and I feel weird responding to an email that's already two weeks old.

It's rare that I get a really nasty one. - I pretty much just ignore those - they're just looking for attention, and I'll be be damned if I'm going to deliver.

 

[SweetWitch]

Depends.

The best ones (and the easiest to respond to) are the ones that say "Hey, I loved your story - you rock!"

But then there are ones from Indian guys, convinced that you write lesbian because you've never experienced the joys of a proper man, and want to turn you into an email penpal with the end goal of marrying you.

And there are also the ones from lesbian bunnyboilers who seem pleasant on the surface - until you realise that they too are looking for an email penpal to stalk, harrass and share their neverending dramas with.

In the past I used to answer all feedback, even when the red warning lights were flashing. These days I'm busy enough with real life not to feel guilty about ignoring potential pains in the arse.

Saying that, my output has dwindled to almost nothing these days, so it's not a decision I'm confronted with regularly.

You forgot the person who just loves the story, but gives you just a few polite suggestions on how to make it better, then finishes by saying that the heroine should end up pregnant.

I have always responded to all emails (except anonymous, of course) whether complimentary or not. If the text is rude or harsh, I politely explain to the writer that it's inappropriate and not welcome. Generally, the responses I get are very nice and the next time they comment on a story, they are much more polite.

 

[rgraham666]

If it's nice and/or friendly and has an address I send a thank you note.

Otherwise I ignore it.

 

[TE999]

I respond to all comments if there's an e-mail addy. If they're polite, I'm polite. If they're not, I'm not. So far I have received mostly the former. What am I doing wrong?

 

[driphoney]

I have a problem with fan email.

Most of the few emails I get are not anonymous, so I reply to them, thanking them for their interest, but...

They want me to write more femdom stories about their particular fetish. I started writing those sort of stories for Yahoo Adult Groups but now I want to move away from fetish to more mainstream erotic and non-erotic stories.

Do I write to please those who email me? Or write what I want to write?

Og

Write what you want. When they start paying you, then you can reconsider. As a matter of fact, you can always tell them you do requests for pay and see what they do then!

As for the original question of the thread. I haven't posted much, and I only get feedback within a month of posting, after that, nothing. So, I respond to everything if it has a return email. I never consider anyone's message, whether brief or eloquent, to be a waste of time or not worthy of my attention. That someone took time out of their day to read my stuff, and more time to jot a comment is amazing to me. That's just too cool in my book.

 

[sr71plt]

I respond to all comments if there's an e-mail addy. If they're polite, I'm polite. If they're not, I'm not. So far I have received mostly the former. What am I doing wrong?

You might try being impolite to the polite e-mails and see if that livens up your correspondence.

 

[Darkniciad]

I reply to everything that has a return address. Occasionally, I also answer the questions that anonymous poses to me - without giving me the benefit of any way to answer them directly - by posting it on a section of my website devoted to such, or my blog at the other main site I post to.

I've had several long term email/messenger conversations with fans, some of which have spawned new directions and richer imagery ( Blackhawk Hall ) or even full stories ( Ebon Genesis )

Those conversations have also led to invaluable assistance with chapter first reads from fans well read on huge ( 500k+ words ) stories, catching continuity/name/hair color/etc. errors that I had let slip through. Nobody but a person who has been there from the beginning could possibly have caught some of those bugaboos.

My LST3K series is entirely dependent upon fan feedback and contributions. Without the fans, there would be no new stories to spoof, since I only do stories donated by the original author, with his or her full approval.

Even when I don't check my mail or comments for a while, I still respond to old comments. I apologize for the delay, then go on with the appropriate response.

If someone just says "good story", I just say thanks! If someone asks questions, I answer. If someone makes suggestions, I take them under advisement and thank them. If someone sends "OMG u sux0rzz soo much lol!!!!1111", I roll my eyes and ignore it.

More or less, I meter my replies by the original email. The more thought they put into the comment, the more thought I put into the reply.

 

[Selena_Kitt]

Do you answer the emails?

Yep, if they leave an email, just a polite "thanks so much for reading!" sort of thing.

Do you email the fans of particular chapter stories to let them know that a new chapter is out?

Yep, on my Yahoo group. Nice vehicle, that.

Do you get into extended email conversations?

Very very very rarely. I found being too friendly or in-depth simply encourages folks to think they know you and makes them think you're more intimate with them than you actually are... don't wanna encourage stalkers or anything!

 

[Recidiva]

Just wondering how others handle this.

Do you answer the emails? (at least the half that half that aren't anonymous) What about the requests, like to write them a story, or write them into a story, or where your story should go next?

Do you email the fans of particular chapter stories to let them know that a new chapter is out?

Do you get into extended email conversations?

I used to answer all of them, but I've gotten really lax lately. Now I'm feeling a little guilty. How about y'all?

I do answer emails. I'm making the assumption that if they're not anonymous they're choosing to make some connection, which I appreciate. I have formed friendships and had extended email conversations. I'll answer critical and complimentary emails it they're genuinely showing an interest.

I don't answer them if they're clearly cranks or looking for a fight.

I don't let them know that something new is out unless they've asked me specifically to do so.

 

[SlickTony]

I try to send nice answers to the feedbacks I get, at least the ones that aren't anonymous.

 

[Joe Wordsworth]

If they take the time to write, I take the time to respond.