Responding to email

[KillerMuffin]

I admit it. I am pretty much terrified of email. I let it collect up and then I do a run of responses, usually with wishy-washiness, platitudes, and a frevent wish that they still like me afterwards.

*sighs*

I'm so pathetic.

 

[wildsweetone]

in my humble opinion i don't see you as 'pathetic' dear.

take a breather.

hints to keep on top of email:

1. set yourself a specific daily time to send your responses.
2. be brief - but polite - in replies when you have a backlog.
3. turn off all other programs until your email is dealt with.
4. make full use of your copy and paste functions to lessen the time spent dealing with feedback.
5. limit your own addition after the copy and paste part in your feedback replies, to one sentence. perhaps say 'sorry this is brief, i am snowed under at the moment'.

nb: it's easier to stay caught up with email than it is to let it build up.

time for some KillerMuffin personal time, i reckon.

 

[Couture]

I do the same thing. I check it every day. Did I say everyday? I meant three times a day. I wait for three or four days until it builds up, then I reply to them all and knock the list back down.

The worst emails to reply to are the best. I have a pretty pat answer to give most emails . . . even though I type them up individually. But the long thoughtful ones . . .

Sometimes it takes a week before I can summon up the courage for a reply that is nowhere near as good as the feedback. I feel bad, even guilty that I couldn't reply better, but I figure that I spend enough time on the stories to make up for it.

 

[TheWriter]

I wish that I got that many emails. I never get emails. I don't think I've built up a following like you guys have, so people just don't now about me.

If I do get emails, they're usually anonymous, or they're a response to feedback that I sent to another writer.

But I do get votes, and a fair number of reads, plus the vote ratings are usually pretty decent.

Just no emails.

 

[The_old_man]

.I have recieved a grand total of five(5) e-mail responces. Those that are autonimous(sp) feedback are filed for review, the three actualy addressed to me were answered.

I do a quick scan of the 20-25 items in the mail box, tag those I wisw to read and do a cntlA-del of the rest.

PMs are checked every two or three days and answered as apropriat.

 

[Couture]

Well, I've posted around 53 stories, so that may have something to do with it. I usually get around 10-15 feedbacks on new short stories depending on the genre. Some stories get much more than that, others like "Oh My Goddess." a sci-fi story get zippo.

Series typically get less. They get responses, but people will only usually feedback you once and maybe again at the end. A big difference between that and a short story.

 

[Couture]

Yes, I get lots of feedback. Here is one of my latest:

This message contains feedback for: Couture
About the submission: Beaches
This feedback was sent by: Anonymous

Comments:

The problem is that you're totally ignorant, so your "writing" is horrible and
uninteresting.

*DO NOT hit the REPLY button to respond to this email.*

No, the problem, Anonymous, is that you are a pussy motherfucker who is too chickenshit to leave a return address. Write me again when and *if* you grow a backbone.

Sincerely yours,

Couture

 

[Guest]

I wish I could have answered this anonymous feedbacker too:

two of the most boring stories I have ever had the misfortune to read , why did you bother???


with this reply:

I am sincerely sorry about your misfortune. You seem to repeat the same mistakes over and over, like your question marks. You read the whole of my first story, and like a pigeon in a skinner box, trapped by your masochistic instincts, read my second story, knowing that it would drive you further into the black pit of alienation and despair.

Well I have TWELVE more stories right here for you to read. Here... the underlined link. Click it. Go on... that's right....

 

[entitled]

*LOL* i bow down to You, o great one! Josh, You're my hero of the moment. i want to grow up to be.... somewhat like You.

When i start posting stories will You be my fedback coach? Pretty please? *big puppy dog eyes*

 

[Guest]

entitled,

Would you consider a personality swap? I always wanted puppy-dog eyes.
Are you housetrained, I am, almost.

If you would like a personaility swap, please enter the teleport booth on the count of three... One, two, NO NO! LOOK OUT FOR THAT FROG! HE'S GETTING IN THE BOOTH!

<ribbit>

 

[entitled]

A personality swap? Um.... *looks around* sure? You go in first....

Hey, wait! If You get stuck in the teleport booth with a frog before i get in, does that mean You'll be a.... *waits until the teleportation is done* oooooo..... a somewhat housetrained hero with a reeeeaaally long tongue...

 

[green_rook]

As a reader, I'd rather recieve no answer to my feedback than a trite or obviously stock reply. I can't count how many times I've recieved emails that have had nothing to do with my feedback; the ones that thank me for writing, say something along the lines that feedback is the author's only payment, and then don't respond to any questions or comments. Granted, some of my comments might not require further comment and the author might not feel inclined to answer a question (Rick's motivation for seducing his father was very interesting to me, were you going for a reverse-Oedipul scenario or did it just come out that way?), but then why bother to respond?

On the other hand, I suppose I'm kinda guilty in that I'm less inclined to write to an author if I don't really have anything to say. If the sum of my message would be "Great story; keep writing," I don't see the point. Perhaps that's an error on my part.

I wonder if my feelings will change if I ever get around to posting something of my own. Probably.

 

[Guest]

Great post, green_rook. Keep posting.

I came to this site because I can get at least 500 readers in one day!! That's totally amazing. And I guess that about 1% are really into the kind of stuff I write, so I may get five people a day writing to me saying they liked my story (or that they like the kind of story I try to write).

And that's a big reason why I keep submitting stories to this site.

The other reason is that there are a few readers and writers (I won't guess the percentages) who really read or write a lot and can also articulate what makes a story good for them -- they're experienced. And I get advice from them, either directly from feedback (e.g. "too slow to build") , or indirectly (e.g. "I didn't really care much what happened to this person").

And that's the other main reason I keep submitting stories here.

 

[Guest]

I am new to all of this though I admit I find it all exciting. I have had feedback to the stories I have posted but as yet not replied to any of them. Why? Simply because I don't how to answer. Do I answer as an author or do I answer personally or a mixture of both? Would love some help on this or my readers are going to think I am an ignorant slut. hee hee

 

[Guest]

Well, I think that "authors" and "readers" are basically the same type -- horny people who like stories!

So I think you should just assume that the person giving feedback is somewhat like you. Why not find a story you like or have strong feelings about and write the author some feedback. That could give you an idea of how you should reply to feedback yourself.

 

[Guest]

Hi Josh. Thanks for the advice and I will try this ...

 

[Guest]

Me again .... must have forgotten to log on or something ... what it is to be a "baby".LoL. well just wanted to say thanks again. Happy writing ... and reading.

 

[Alex De Kok]

Green Rook makes some very valid points, to which I must hold up my hand and plead 'Guilty'. I make it a point to respond to all feedback which has a return address. Sometimes it can only be a 'thank you', but if a reader has raised a question I do try to answer. Sometimes, of course, there just isn't any feedback! My latest opus, Tell me I can hope, posted on Friday in Romance, has only resulted in three feedback notes. (It unfortunately also attracted that well-known troll, the one-bandit!)

Alex

 

[takingchances42]

I guess that I don't see what the dilemma is.

As a reader, you have no obligation to provide feedback, but you are free to provide any feedback that you wish.

As a writer, you are under no obligation to reply to feedback.

If the feedback has something interesting you want to discuss, then do so.

If you want to just thank your reader for writing, then do so.

If something in the letter caught your personal interest, then write back personally.

If you don't feel like writing back or have time for it, then don't.

But with no obligations on either side, except those that are self-imposed -- why worry about it?

 

[Guest]

TakingChances, it's a British thing. It isn't very polite to ignore feedback.

 

[tenyari]

I check daily right now (while I wait for my DSL to get reconnected after my move...) and multiple times when I have DSL.


Most of the time is spent deleting copies of the klez virus and those emails that tell me somebody posted in a thread I posted to...

Then I respond to the one or two out of 3476 emails I get every day that are actually real messages...

I try to always respond to anything real, but sometimes things get lost in all the spam and viruses.

 

[KillerMuffin]

Hey, tenyari, to get rid of those pesky emails (if you wanna)

Go to UserCP, edit options, and make sure the radio box marked "Email Notification: Send you an email when someone replies to a thread" is checked NO!

This is the fun part. Go back through all the posts on the threads that crank in the email and edit them. Below the field where you type your post is four radio buttons, make sure the one that says "Email Notification" is unchecked.

This'll stop those durned emails.

 

[Whispersecret]

KM, open your email. You can always talk to me if you get something that bothers you.

I always reply to email. I always answer each letter individually. If there are questions, I do my best to answer them. If there are ANY specific comments, I respond to them. The only time my replies are generic is when the feedback was vague.

"I loved your story! It was terrific! Thanks for writing it!"

That kind of feedback doesn't give me anything to sink my teeth into. Don't get me wrong, I do love getting that. It helps me know that my stuff, almost all of it more than a year old, is still getting read.

My theory is that a story must be extraordinary in order to move someone to the point of writing the author. That's the way it is with me. I rarely write feedback, because I have lots of other things to do. A story has to knock my socks off in order for me to send feedback. So, if I'm on the receiving end, I make sure to let the person know I appreciate it. Plus, it's just polite.

 

[the_bragis]

Mmm... I really wish I did have a problem responding to feedback. I (B and me) get so little.

It's a pity really because, I like to know what people think about what we write, and I really enjoy corresponding with people. Especially ones from outside Australia. I'm the same in 3D life. I love meeting new and interesting people.

I guess I should be grateful we haven't received any nasty feedback. I don't think my delicate little ego could deal with that.

As for feeling an obligation to reply, I agree with Josh. Maybe it's an Aussie thing too. I'm sorry takingchances42, I'm not trying to knock you. I think I understand what you are trying to say here, but if someone takes the trouble to email you, maybe you should reply. It doesn't have to be deep and meaning full on dialog, and with me, believe me, it usually isn't. I think perhaps it's really just a simple politeness. I mean how much effort does it really take?

I often write long and involved feedbacks. Now, if they are of any use to the author is often very questionable, but having made the effort I do get a little miffed if I don't get a reply. "Thank you" is all it takes to pacify me; more it a nice bonus.

Talking to people, or communicating hasn't ever a problem for me. I guess I do tend to ramble abit though... just like I have now.

Well have a great day,

Alex(fem)

 

[takingchances42]

I think my last post may have been misunderstood.

Personally, I have replied to every feedback that I have received. Because I wanted to, and I felt it was the right thing to do.

I don't write feedbacks all that often to other stories, there has to be something exceptional for me to do so. I only hear back from the author about half of the time -- and that is just fine. I wanted to share something, to say "job well done", but I don't want to impose an obligation.

My point was simply that there is nothing to worry about here. There are no obligations. If you want to respond to a particular feedback, or all feedbacks, that is great. If you don't -- no problem. I don't think a reasonable reader thinks you are obligated to reply -- or would want you to reply if you were just going through the motions, because of a feeling of obligation.