Asking an author about his other web-sites

[Dalmania]

The RCWP site usually published stories that have already been published elsewhere.

 

I wrote to the author of one story that I found quite creative and asked him if he had already published this particular story elsewhere, as I was keen to find out what happens.

 

A couple of weeks later, he wrote back saying he could not decide whether to "ignore your ass" or "flame you".

 

His reply was 1. Why should he tell me about other sites? Why should he be forced to tell me any info?

and 2. How dare I think myself so special that he should allow me to read his story (which on several chapters of his story so far on the RCWP site is ended with the remark "Revised December 2006") before the rest of the readers had access?

 

I may be thin skinned, but I don't like being flamed. It hurts my feelings. God, am I glad I am not an author!

 

From my POV, if I was going to interpret my message, it would be that I am praising his writing and I suppose it could be construed a compliment that I am so impatient to read more.

 

So My Questions: Do you authors out there agree that I was way off base asking if he had published elsewhere?

Do you feel forced to answer if you don't want to share info that is asked of you?

Was my question inappropriate to send to this author?

 

Thanks for reading and hopefully replying.

[Luc]

Wow. What an ass that author is! I hope he is a very good writer

[colinian]

So My Questions:

Do you authors out there agree that I was way off base asking if he had published elsewhere?

No! If you ask me where else I've published I'll tell you! I WANT you to read my stories! Why wouldn't I? Jeez, I don't write and post for my own enjoyment, if that's all I wanted I'd never post my stories!

Do you feel forced to answer if you don't want to share info that is asked of you?

The only time I don't answer is if the email is a flame or is undecipherable. I LOVE getting feedback. Especially positive feedback [gotta have my ego stroked] but I also like constructive criticism. Even if I don't agree with the criticism, I can have an email conversation with the reader and that will help me with my writing.

Was my question inappropriate to send to this author?

Assuming your email was worded in a friendly manner, what was inappropriate was this author's response. What a dick! He could have:

> Ignored you by not replying

> Said thanks but this is his story site

> Told you where else he posts

 

I'd be tempted to send him an email saying something like: "Thanks for replying. It's obvious from your response that you don't really want people to read your stories, so I'll honor your request and find other writers' stories to read." But I probably wouldn't send it, he doesn't deserve the effort of a reply.

 

Colin

[DomLuka]

Hmm... This pretty much tips the ridiculous scale.

His whole response kind of goes against logical thinking when it comes to any net author because 1. We want you to read our stories. Otherwise, they wouldn

[Graeme]

I'll just add my support as Colin and Luc have given the details. You did nothing wrong.

 

I've been asked a couple of times where my stories are hosted, and I never even considered the possibility that it might be a rude question....

[C James]

If the Author, for some reason, did not want to disclose his other posting locactions, I feel that is his or her perogative. BUT, the response should have been a polite reply, not what they sent! There was nothing wrong in your request that I can see. That Author was WAY out of line.

[Dark Star]

Well I will add my shock that an author would reply in that manner. It doesn't make a lot of sense to me.

I don't care who knows where my stories are posted frankly and while I wouldn't really understand the point of the question I certainly would not respond in a negative manner about it.

Oh well there are some strange ducks out there so I'd just chock it up to the bizarre category and go on with your life.

Sad it had to happen though

[NickolasJames8]

What you ought to do is report the author, who ever it is, to the web mistress at RCWP. I'm positive that Mary would have something to say about anyone treating a reader that way. If nothing else, she'd most likely find out what made the author so mad and try to resolve the issue. Personally, as an author, I love all feedback, good or bad, so I don't know why anyone wouldn't want their work displayed. Hell, I shamelessly promote the fact that I'm hosted on a gazziliion other sites because I want as many people as I can get to read my ish

[Dio]

I wrote to the author of one story that I found quite creative and asked him if he had already published this particular story elsewhere, as I was keen to find out what happens.

HOW DARE YOU!

 

A couple of weeks later, he wrote back saying he could not decide whether to "ignore your ass" or "flame you".

This author is obviously in the middle of an identity crisis. Today he's god! Tommorrow he could be a carrot peeler.

 

I may be thin skinned, but I don't like being flamed. It hurts my feelings. God, am I glad I am not an author! From my POV, if I was going to interpret my message, it would be that I am praising his writing and I suppose it could be construed a compliment that I am so impatient to read more.

No one likes being flamed. It happens though. I once had a man yell at me for fifteen minutes because I ran across a corner of his lawn on my morning jog. Apparently I'm a trouble-making hooligan.

 

I run across that corner every day now.

 

So My Questions: Do you authors out there agree that I was way off base asking if he had published elsewhere?

Do you feel forced to answer if you don't want to share info that is asked of you?

Was my question inappropriate to send to this author?

 

Thanks for reading and hopefully replying.

 

Okay, I'm not sure how he's working...but...

 

Sometimes authors finish their stories on one website...and then submit them to another on the condition that the 'new' website releases chapters once every week, even though it has been released in its entirety somewhere else. It's a fairly common practice.

 

Still, regarding your e-mail and how you approached him...its tough to judge when we're only getting one side of the story and no e-mails. He may have misunderstood your wording. Then again, he might be a self-serving pig headed goon. Takes all kinds. He might be getting harried by many e-mails on the subject, and you just got the short end of the stick (and perhaps the other end is up his...ahem). The way you've described it he simply overreacted.

 

Hey, authors don't need to have social skills to write good fiction. My advice: shrug you shoulders, mutter 'ass****' and don't let it get to you. I'm sure he was that 1 out of 100 exception you thought you'd never have to talk to! I'm sure the 99 other authors would have been tickled by any interest in their story.

 

hugz

db

[Bondwriter]

That's a surprising reaction, especially if he writes back a couple weeks later. There's all this begging for feedback on story sites, so if he leaves an email address, he might expect to get some messages. Sometimes feedback might be a bit worrying, if people start asking for advice or telling about personal problems that do not seem directly connected with the fiction one writes. But most often the mere fact that people take time to write to me they enjoyed what I did is enough to make my day, and I make a point of writing a thank you note, and if their comment goes beyond "Nice work, thanks", to develop a bit on their reaction. Obviously if you start getting lots of feedback, you might have to refrain from engaging into lengthy dialogues. As for giving info on other sites where fiction is available, it's a simple copy and paste, and if you get too many of these questions, you should somehow provide it in your story if the site you post on is OK with it, and why shouldn't they be?

 

The puzzling thing is that he even got back to you. I've been a bit pissed as a reader when I wrote twenty lines of comment (praise) about a story and that they were not even acknowledged, but then silence is fine with me; it will just save ten minutes the next time this guy posts a story. As Dio points out, there might be some misunderstanding with your message. I think the guy must have had "one of these days" and you should not bother too much.

[Bill W]

Personally, I am both shocked and repulsed by his reply. First of all, many of us authors want feedback and a request asking where else your story is posted, so you can read more is very positive. I find it incomprehensible to understand why this guy puts stories out there, if he doesn't want to tell people where they can find them to read.

 

If arrogance was a virture, he's be the most virtuous man on earth.

 

You did nothing wrong and I'm sorry you got such a response, but I hope it doesn't prevent you from contacting other authors in the future.

[Razor]

That author's a dick. If you asked me the same, I'd gladly help you out. I get all kinds of random e-mail questions, and I never get upset at someone asking for info about my stories.

 

My opinion...

 

An author is a performer. Like ALL performers, the author must keep his audience happy. If you were a tapdancer and someone asked you if you danced in other places than where you were performing, would you throw your tappy shoes at them?

 

If I were you I'd say something very mean and ugly and full of curse words back to him. But you know, I'm just into retribution like that. Maybe he misunderstood what you meant or something, or you just caught him at a bad time. Everybody's human and takes things the wrong way sometimes. Write back nicely once more, wait for an apology, and if he doesn't apologize, smash him with a hammer.

[Dusk]

It sounds to me as though this gentleman Has Issues. I'll be kind and assume that he's some closeted writer who's scared to death you'll find the children's stories he wrote under his real name and report him to his boss. Regardless, he's not making things any easier for himself by being rude to his fans.