I'm new to the site and I asked the same question. This seems like more of a community than most places, and I do mean that is the highest sort of praise. But when I worked for a newspaper, it was hard, hammered into us that writers and editors do not comment on stories. The thinking was that it discourages the audience from commenting on your article because they are never going to be as good at writing ss you are. I know that sounds tremendously vain, but think about an author who is spent a week or so researching and writing, then some commentor spouts off an opinion, and God bless them, a lot of times, those responses are barely thought out, and there's the writer, waiting to ambush them with the blowtorch. Again, it's apples and oranges, you probably don't get the same back and forth between commentaries here that you would get on say YouTube or after a political article, but I'll admit it's sort of hard wired into me. That and on Literotica, a lot of the comments are profoundly negative you don't dignify them with the response. Haters gotta hate hate hate hate hate
I'll try to respond to my commenters (I always respond to emails) since it does often validate the writing. But I'm also using a talk to text program right now is to post because of the nerve condition, so can be hard on me to write things that aren't longer.
Knowing there are people out there that require a response to their comments on my stories actually puts me off writing.
I want to thank all of you for the feedback you've given on this subject. After reading all of them and putting aside the fact that maybe 1% comment I've decided to only comment if I want to take the time to respond. I assumed that being in the 1% entitled me to a response and I was wrong in that assumption. I should want to do it.
"There is a principle which is a bar against all information, which is proof against all arguments and which cannot fail to keep a man in everlasting ignorance that principle is contempt prior to investigation."
Herbert Spencer
I have actually been experimenting with responding to every comment on my latest but, dang, some of them don't really merit much effort and you start to run out of things to say unless there's something in the actual comment that's noteworthy. I will probably go back to just giving Likes for ones that don't really have anything to respond to.
As an author I enjoy reading feedback on my stories and I'll always try to respond, even if it's just to click 'Like' on a comment.
I don't vote or comment anymore on their writing. They do get a (+1) in the read. By commenting (with a positive one) I am endorsing it and some people may read it as a result. Voting, especially 5* could cause some people to read it with a high enough rating if most people rate it high enough. Ideally getting a perfect 5* rating without any comments would be the perfect situation. The rating system is a waste of time. Anything other than 5* is a waste of time. 4* is below average not good.
"There is a principle which is a bar against all information, which is proof against all arguments and which cannot fail to keep a man in everlasting ignorance that principle is contempt prior to investigation."
Herbert Spencer
I would hope that anyone who posts a comment on a story is doing so because he/she enjoyed it and is hoping that the author will write more. I haven't responded to any comments on any of my stories, not out of rudeness, but simply because I don't want anyone to feel obligated to do so. Comments are welcome, of course (good or bad), but I don't want anyone to think they should. This will continue, so anyone who comments with the expectation of a response, should save their comments for other authors.
Anyone that reads my stuff... will always get a comment. I learnt this like a lot of stuff here, I did not with my early work, now I do. Very happy to exchange longer mails too if people so wish, I would say give me a bit of time but I would respond.
Comments are awesome, it makes a HUGE difference when you write.
> Am I being too critical?
Yes I think so. There is no point in an author writing 'Thank you for your kind comment' in response to every short comment under a story. I will respond if the comment asks a question, or says something particularly helpful or interesting, but not if it's just something like 'Nice story, really hot!'.
I not only respond to comments, which are few, but I make an effort to read one of the commentator's stories, if the commentator is a writer. This has led me to read interesting work and make friends that are worth making. If a writer is too busy to acknowledge comments she/he shouldn't publish. There ims a process involved and the writer should conform to the process.
It's always nice when an author responds to a comments but at the end of the day we should be... well 'looking after ourselves' while reading, maybe? lol
Some authors might be extremely shy and this could be their way of expressing themselves, but too shy to interact with people outside their friendship group or they might not even be on lush anymore. Hopefully you enjoyed the story, anything on top of that is awesome. But everyones different i guess
I don’t leave a comment expecting anything in response from the author. If someone didn’t reply to my comment, I’d very quickly forget all about it.
You don’t know what’s going on with that person. They might not be online often, or something might be going on with them. Or they might not know what to say. Or they might not want to say anything. All fine.
As an author, I try to respond to comments made on recent stories, to show appreciation. If you comment on something I wrote years ago, I probably won’t respond, but I might “like” it. I don’t feel obligated to do any of that though, and I don’t feel bad if I don’t.
) That said, sometimes I post a story, or have multiple chapters going up and might be unable to be on Lush for awhile to reply, and then I drop the ball and miss some, or get too far behind to spend the time necessary to catch up. Always feel bad when that happens because I really do prefer to leave a worthy reply!
