What do you do with negative feedback posts

[laptopwriter]

LW has a host of subcategories...

I got a comment that criticized my disclaimer

your statement at the beginning is as ridiculous as the story.
"This is a work of fiction. If you don't like it, don't read it."

How, pray tell, can you know "If you don't like it,"
before you read it?

I guess this particular commenter didn't understand they were in the LW category

At least he had the balls to sign his name and wasn't anonymous.

***

Actually, it depends on what other info you included with you disclaimer. We all know LW is broken up into two main factions, the cuckolds and the BTB's. Within them are more sub-categories--willing and unwilling cuckolds, swingers...etc.

Most of the time a clear message as to the stories content is encompassed in the description but other times it is not. So, I think it depends on how much information you actually offered.

As to whether or not to delete negative comments--I do, sometimes. As in you case, I get derogatory comments on other commentators as well, and like you, delete them. I also delete personal attacks that have nothing to do with the story.

 

[Hypoxia]

I have deleted exactly one comment and I quickly wished I had not. I wear even atrocious comments as badges of honor because they show that I have prodded/provoked someone, gained their attention enough to make them hit the keyboard. I feel worst about my stories that gain no comments at all, no matter their vote score. I want to grab eyeballs and singe brains with my words. Any comment is a gold sticker.

 

[FantasyXY]

But, as Huck noted, you worded this as if it was a response to comments on the story. You can't comment on comments until the comments have been made (although some authors here lead with the chin by anticipating comments in defensive notes in the text of the story), so this would have to be an author responding to a story comment after the fact of publishing.

Yes Pilot,

This a like marketing after the fact... in a way. My notes from the author of goes in the comments because that is where I find the best use for it.

If I were a big time professional writer I would have editors and proof readers and test markets so that I could get the best possible "read" typed in between the covers. My team would be writing stories with a large market appeal. I would also have well constructed notes from the author in the jacket and in the marketing of the book.

But Lit doesn't have marketing tools, proof readers, large markets, or cover jackets, so I do the best I can with what is there. Writing these notes helps me grow as a writer because makes me take the time to look at what readers are collectively getting out of my stories. That is pretty much what I base my notes on.

Oddly, I've gotten mostly positive comments about my notes from the author comments. It seems like people just want to be heard and count in some way. When an author answers the basic level of comments on on a story, it seems to give the readers some that recognition.