Authors, how do you reply to comments by readers?

[Aceinthehole]

Replying to comments is one of the biggest challenges about posting my writing. I prefer to let discussion happen on its own, but know there are a lot of people who like hearing from the writer. Plus, I want them to know I appreciate  their comments!  How do you approach this aspect of writing? 

[Mikiesboy]

I read each comment and answer each individually.  I figure each person wrote something, so i should reply to what was said. I do not like one size fits all, or quoting each one and then just saying thanks at the bottom. If a discussion breaks out, then that's good, i would interject as i see fit. But otherwise each person who writes get an individual reply.

[Valkyrie]

I reply to each comment individually.  I love it when a story inspires discussion.  Sometimes I'll engage in the discussion, but other times will simply read it and 'react' accordingly, especially if I'm worried I'll reveal spoilers by participating.  As a writer, I appreciate all comments and feel they deserve to be acknowledged.  As a reader, I appreciate when an author responds to any comments I make, even if it's a simple 'thank you for reading'. 

[Daddydavek]

As a reader and a writer, I think comments deserve a response, at least a short one.  Some authors are really clever in their responses and some readers are too.  While I have my moments, mine are usually fairly ordinary, but I hope writers and readers appreciate that I took the time to comment or respond to one.  

[Dodger]

This is not always easy to do and sometimes I spend ages trying to think of the right reply. At first, I didn't quite get what the comments were all about and despite eagerly reading each one, I rarely replied because I didn't think I needed to. Then someone explained it to me and it clicked, duh! Since then I have made a point of replying to every comment even if it sometimes takes a couple days to work through them a bit at a time.

 

I've learned a lot from reader's comments and found them a useful indicator, especially if I'm writing a story on the fly, which I've been doing for most of the Cockney Canuck. This story would have finished a year ago if it wasn't for the comments. I love the fact that readers want to spend some of their free time discussing the plot and the characters as if they were real people, and I feel embarrassed if I'm not able to reply with the same level of enthusiasm.

 

I also enjoy commenting on the stories I'm reading so I can see how it works from both sides. It's probably the best thing about posting stories online.

[Headstall]

As an author, I love interacting with readers, and as a reader, I love interacting with authors. Delving into a story I've written is rewarding for me, and I make sure never to shortchange any reader's interest. I relish hearing the thoughts and reactions to both the characters and the story. Yes, it can be hard work to respond sometimes, because I tend to get carried away and write a 'book' response, but it gives me great enjoyment. I consider comments my pay for countless hours trying to produce something better than readable, and the comments I give to other authors are my offerings of respect for the same effort they put in. As @Dodger says, it is the best part of posting stories and poetry online.

[Thorn Wilde]

I try to always respond to comments. I love hearing what readers have to say about my stories, and I feel like by engaging them in return, they'll share their thoughts with me even more. Art should be a dialogue between artist and audience. Depending on the comment, it can be more or less in depth. Sometimes I practically write a dissertation in response to a long and well thought out comment, and other times I just thank the reader for reading my story and commenting. But I always engage.

 

(Except for during my two year hiatus, I guess. When I got back I felt embarrassed at the idea of responding to comments that were months old, so I didn't. Don't know if that was the correct choice or not...)

Edited January 2, 2019 by Thorn Wilde

[Headstall]

2 minutes ago, Thorn Wilde said:

(Except for during my two year hiatus, I guess. When I got back I felt embarrassed at the idea of responding to comments that were months old, so I didn't. Don't know if that was the correct choice or not...)

I've replied to old comments I didn't notice at the time. I don't think you should feel embarrassed about responding late, Thorn. There were a lot during the changeover when we couldn't access any beyond page one.... 

[Mikiesboy]

34 minutes ago, Thorn Wilde said:

(Except for during my two year hiatus, I guess. When I got back I felt embarrassed at the idea of responding to comments that were months old, so I didn't. Don't know if that was the correct choice or not...)

Yeah i agree with Gary. I just say, i'm so sorry this is so late... thanks very much etc...  I'd be happy if someone did that for my comment.

[Parker Owens]

I reply to comments individually. It’s really great when someone brings up an interesting angle or thought I never considered. I agree with others in that if someone took the time to comment on a chapter or poem, they ought to hear from me in the same way. Like @Mikiesboy and @Headstall, I reply to comments that are old because I missed them one way or another. I offer an apology, and then reply. 

[jkwsquirrel]

I usually waited a day or two before I began responding.  I wanted the readers to have the opportunity to discuss the story without my interference.  It also gave me a chance to relax and enjoy the experience without having to respond to everything.  After a day or so, I'd reply to each of the comments.  Sometimes, comments of multiple readers could be grouped together and addressed with one reply if they touched on the same theme, or a group of comments from the same reader could be responded to with one reply.  It wasn't so much "I have to reply to every single comment" as much as it was "I want to make sure every reader knows how much I appreciate their response."

[Brayon]

I was horrible about this when I first started posting. Now, I answer each one individually. If the person responds to my response I'll answer that one too, until the back and forth looks like who gets the last word and stop. I try to go back and answer old comments. If I spot them. 

 

I try to answer each one positively, but there are almost always one or two that makes me want to respond, "go write your own darn story, if you don't like what I'm doing and where I'm going."

 

EDIT: Hence the reason why I have the two quotes in my signature.

Edited January 3, 2019 by BHopper2
Completed the thought.

[Timothy M.]

19 hours ago, Thorn Wilde said:

(Except for during my two year hiatus, I guess. When I got back I felt embarrassed at the idea of responding to comments that were months old, so I didn't. Don't know if that was the correct choice or not...)

 

The good part about going back and replying to old comments is that people who follow your story may get a notification, which may make them read the story again and perhaps leave a (new) comment. It's never too late to leave a comment or write a reply.

[Carlos Hazday]

I write and people read. We're even.

 

A comment by a reader means they took an extra step; I like balance (I'm a CPA) so I feel the need to reply. While working as an accountant for a large firm, we were asked to reply to all messages within 24 hours. I try to do the same with comments. If I didn't want the interaction with readers; I would post elsewhere. My replies vary from a simple acknowledgment, to teasing, to proper explanations. It all depends on the comment, my mood, and the moon phase.

 

[Mikiesboy]

1 hour ago, Carlos Hazday said:

My replies vary from a simple acknowledgment, to teasing, to proper explanations. It all depends on the comment, my mood, and the moon phase.

Your relies are usually fun ... but then so are you, C!  

[Former Member]

As a reader, I feel ignored if the author has not either Reacted or Replied to Comments on their story. While I appreciate getting a Reply on every Comment I make, I can understand why an author might choose to ignore one or more Comments. I believe a minimum effort should be Reacting to Comments to show that they’ve been noticed and read.

 

I’m sure I offended one author because I recently had trouble believing early- to mid-teenagers (acting like middle aged men) with access to tens of thousands of dollars in disposable income buying expensive, exotic, esoteric audio equipment, but said author has not even Reacted to anyone’s Comments to the story!

[Aceinthehole]

 

On 1/2/2019 at 3:28 PM, Mikiesboy said:

I read each comment and answer each individually.  I figure each person wrote something, so i should reply to what was said. I do not like one size fits all, or quoting each one and then just saying thanks at the bottom. If a discussion breaks out, then that's good, i would interject as i see fit. But otherwise each person who writes get an individual reply.

 

That's a great philosophy to have. I struggle with joining in on discussions, perhaps I'll start looking at stories from authors like yourself to see how it's done. Thanks!

 

On 1/2/2019 at 4:15 PM, Valkyrie said:

I reply to each comment individually.  I love it when a story inspires discussion.  Sometimes I'll engage in the discussion, but other times will simply read it and 'react' accordingly, especially if I'm worried I'll reveal spoilers by participating.  As a writer, I appreciate all comments and feel they deserve to be acknowledged.  As a reader, I appreciate when an author responds to any comments I make, even if it's a simple 'thank you for reading'. 

 

Revealing spoilers is always my biggest concern in participating. I'd hate to say something that gets taken the wrong way, and has readers start coming to the wrong conclusions. I certainly love seeing discussions though, so reacting accordingly is a great idea. 

On 1/2/2019 at 5:18 PM, Daddydavek said:

As a reader and a writer, I think comments deserve a response, at least a short one.  Some authors are really clever in their responses and some readers are too.  While I have my moments, mine are usually fairly ordinary, but I hope writers and readers appreciate that I took the time to comment or respond to one.  

 

It's nice to see someone say they feel their replies are ordinary, because I certainly feel mine are! But if readers appreciate it either way, thats certainly good to see.

[Aceinthehole]

On 1/2/2019 at 5:43 PM, Dodger said:

This is not always easy to do and sometimes I spend ages trying to think of the right reply. At first, I didn't quite get what the comments were all about and despite eagerly reading each one, I rarely replied because I didn't think I needed to. Then someone explained it to me and it clicked, duh! Since then I have made a point of replying to every comment even if it sometimes takes a couple days to work through them a bit at a time.

 

I've learned a lot from reader's comments and found them a useful indicator, especially if I'm writing a story on the fly, which I've been doing for most of the Cockney Canuck. This story would have finished a year ago if it wasn't for the comments. I love the fact that readers want to spend some of their free time discussing the plot and the characters as if they were real people, and I feel embarrassed if I'm not able to reply with the same level of enthusiasm.

 

I also enjoy commenting on the stories I'm reading so I can see how it works from both sides. It's probably the best thing about posting stories online.

 

This is really helpful to read, especially since I'm in a similar spot to where you were. I really enjoy reading their comments but can't always come up with something to say and just leave things be. Using them as an indicator is very clever.

[Aceinthehole]

On 1/2/2019 at 6:27 PM, Headstall said:

As an author, I love interacting with readers, and as a reader, I love interacting with authors. Delving into a story I've written is rewarding for me, and I make sure never to shortchange any reader's interest. I relish hearing the thoughts and reactions to both the characters and the story. Yes, it can be hard work to respond sometimes, because I tend to get carried away and write a 'book' response, but it gives me great enjoyment. I consider comments my pay for countless hours trying to produce something better than readable, and the comments I give to other authors are my offerings of respect for the same effort they put in. As @Dodger says, it is the best part of posting stories and poetry online.

 

That's a really nice sentiment. It's really nice to think of comments as an exchange of respect for the work that goes into writing or reading a story. 

[Aceinthehole]

On 1/2/2019 at 6:46 PM, Thorn Wilde said:

I try to always respond to comments. I love hearing what readers have to say about my stories, and I feel like by engaging them in return, they'll share their thoughts with me even more. Art should be a dialogue between artist and audience. Depending on the comment, it can be more or less in depth. Sometimes I practically write a dissertation in response to a long and well thought out comment, and other times I just thank the reader for reading my story and commenting. But I always engage.

 

(Except for during my two year hiatus, I guess. When I got back I felt embarrassed at the idea of responding to comments that were months old, so I didn't. Don't know if that was the correct choice or not...)

Creating a discussion is a great way to get readers to share more thoughts. I'm sure thats very helpful to growing the story more as well. Thanks!

[Aceinthehole]

On 1/2/2019 at 8:32 PM, Parker Owens said:

I reply to comments individually. It’s really great when someone brings up an interesting angle or thought I never considered. I agree with others in that if someone took the time to comment on a chapter or poem, they ought to hear from me in the same way. Like @Mikiesboy and @Headstall, I reply to comments that are old because I missed them one way or another. I offer an apology, and then reply. 

 

Going back and responding to old comments is a good idea. I'll have to look through some of my stories and a few I haven't replied to yet.

[Aceinthehole]

On 1/3/2019 at 7:35 AM, jkwsquirrel said:

I usually waited a day or two before I began responding.  I wanted the readers to have the opportunity to discuss the story without my interference.  It also gave me a chance to relax and enjoy the experience without having to respond to everything.  After a day or so, I'd reply to each of the comments.  Sometimes, comments of multiple readers could be grouped together and addressed with one reply if they touched on the same theme, or a group of comments from the same reader could be responded to with one reply.  It wasn't so much "I have to reply to every single comment" as much as it was "I want to make sure every reader knows how much I appreciate their response."

Waiting a day or two is a good idea. In addition to help readers have their discussion without interference, I'm sure it's helpful as an author to gather your own thoughts as well! 

[Mikiesboy]

7 minutes ago, Aceinthehole said:

That's a great philosophy to have. I struggle with joining in on discussions, perhaps I'll start looking at stories from authors like yourself to see how it's done. Thanks!

Most readers know you are not going to answer many of their questions about who, what, when and why ... i just sort of deflect them gently...or say they'll know all very soon. They like to hear from us mainly, i think. I know i do when i am reading, I hate being ignored ... and have been and it's one way to ensure i think twice about reading again in the future. I think the story with most interaction for me was Changes ... it was posted after the changes to the website so you could reply more easily.  I like answering there in the comments, where the thoughts are fresh, so to speak, rather than moving to the forums. Most people don't seem too interested in forums now.

[Aceinthehole]

On 1/3/2019 at 8:34 AM, BHopper2 said:

I was horrible about this when I first started posting. Now, I answer each one individually. If the person responds to my response I'll answer that one too, until the back and forth looks like who gets the last word and stop. I try to go back and answer old comments. If I spot them. 

 

I try to answer each one positively, but there are almost always one or two that makes me want to respond, "go write your own darn story, if you don't like what I'm doing and where I'm going."

 

EDIT: Hence the reason why I have the two quotes in my signature.

 

It's nice you stand up for yourself when you need to in your comments. It's an unfortunate thing that needs to be done from time to time. But I do agree with trying to be positive as much as possible.  

 

P.S. I have money on the duo of Kucherov and Stamkos leading the NHL in points by the end of the year. So far I have a decent lead in front of my other friends in on the betting!

[Aceinthehole]

On 1/3/2019 at 1:56 PM, Carlos Hazday said:

I write and people read. We're even.

 

A comment by a reader means they took an extra step; I like balance (I'm a CPA) so I feel the need to reply. While working as an accountant for a large firm, we were asked to reply to all messages within 24 hours. I try to do the same with comments. If I didn't want the interaction with readers; I would post elsewhere. My replies vary from a simple acknowledgment, to teasing, to proper explanations. It all depends on the comment, my mood, and the moon phase.

 

 

Creating that balance does sound important, especially when helping readers feel appreciated.