Comments to Stories.

[grahamsealby]

As an author I love and enjoy answering readers comments. The path set out in the ACTIVITY lead does not set out all comments related to my stories. Does anyone know of a simple process where ALL comments are readily available in one spot? I tried to ask this Q with Cia and got into a bit of trouble. Maybe I'm stupid; as such can anyone help this stupid author?

[Cia]

That's because what you want doesn't exist, and I'm having a hard time getting that across clearly. Previously, the comments weren't integrated with chapters. You had to click on a link below the chapter to get the comments area to leave one for the author. The system would allow you to use a drop menu to jump to specific chapters to view the reviews, or you could view all comments in order sequence of newest to oldest. However, that isn't possible with comments because of the way the system is integrated now allowing for a conversation that is more than just a single post written by a reader and a reply by the author. Now anyone can comment and discuss with each other and post more than once, directly below the chapter, so the comments area really acts as a story/chapter thread like a topic. This integration allowing for greater interaction between fans and the author and fans is more valuable than a list of all the comments in sequential order (especially since they might not make sense if you have people replying to someone else out of order). 

 

The only way to see the comments on your story is to go to the area below the list of chapters to access story reviews on completed works or the comments that appear directly below chapter text. There's no other place they can be accessed and viewed where authors can reply to readers. And, while the Activity Stream for 'Newest Comments on My Stories/Chapters' only shows the newest comment per story or chapter, on the far right side of the story or chapter title that appears in that list there's a speech bubble with the number of total comments on the story or chapter. Clicking on that icon and number will actually take you right to the comments on that story or chapter. Or you can click on the chapter title and it takes you to the top of that chapter, you scroll down to the comments area at the end of the text.