Authors' responses.

[Alex Bragi]

I’ve only been at this site a short time, but one of the first things I've noticed is when a review is given very few authors respond.

Particularly if the author disagrees, or is unclear, with what I’ve said, I want to know about it. I may or may not change my opinion, but I think its still helpful to get feedback on feedback, isn’t it?

[S_Couture]

Well, you got to look at it from the author's side.

First off, how do you respond to a bad review? There's not going to be much of a connection. What is the author to say? Thank you, I'm so glad you hated my story.

Unless the reviewer is unclear about something and asks the author a question in the review, there's just not much to say about it. And likewise, for the 'Please write more!' reviews. Again, not much to say to that.

Maybe that's one of the shortcomings of reviews. From the author's point of view, they are difficult to respond to. It's rare that I do. And then I don't even know if the reviewer is going back to look at their reviews.

Come to think of it, I've never had a reviewer respond to a review that I've responded to. Why's that?

[Curtis]

Actually, I did, but I responded in an e-mail. I take it that doesn't count? (I even revised my rating!)

[Alex Bragi]

Hi Couture,

- First off, how do you respond to a bad review? There's not going to be much of a connection. What is the author to say? Thank you, I'm so glad you hated my story.

Well you don’t. You don’t give a ‘bad’ review in the first place. There are many different ways of saying the same thing. ‘Your story stinks!” or ‘Your story could be improved by trying xyz.” ?

- Unless the reviewer is unclear about something and asks the author a question in the review, there's just not much to say about it. And likewise, for the 'Please write more!' reviews. Again, not much to say to that.

How about, ‘thanks’?

- Maybe that's one of the shortcomings of reviews. From the author's point of view, they are difficult to respond to. It's rare that I do. And then I don't even know if the reviewer is going back to look at their reviews.

Yes, I wonder about that myself.

- Come to think of it, I've never had a reviewer respond to a review that I've responded to. Why's that?

I've seen a couple, they were both from people who disagreed with the reviewer's comments.

Curtis,

I hope so, I do that myself.

[Lord Douche]

I'd just like to point out Julie, which has just been updated on the main page. I have responded to nearly every review I received

I agree though, you can't be sure whether or not the reviewer is even going to read your reply, although I think that it sends an e-mail to the reviewer if they enabled it.

[Curtis]

All right, this is probably something I should be asking Jinn, but since the subject has come up:

I have e-mail notification of posts to threads I have posted and of PMs sent to my box. I don't remember signing up for either of these, though I may have and forgotten about it. How do I sign up for notification that my reviews have been responded to?

Right now the only way I know is if I think to check, in which case I have to remember the name of an author whose work I've reviewed, then hit 'Review It' for each of her/his stories until I find one I've reviewed, then hit 'Curtis' and scroll over the most recent reviews I've done. This is a major pain in the butt and I don't do it often.

I have suggested to Jinn that we should be able to search for reviewers the way we can search for authors, but it's not a bleep on his radar (he really doesn't see the need for it).

[S_Couture]

Lord Douche, how many replies did you get for your responses?

I've tried this myself and ended up feeling a little foolish. It felt like I was pissing in the wind.

[Fox]

I reply to every review, either on site, or through a private message in which I leave my e-mail. I am fortunate in that the reviewers of my stories have all been articulate in their comments. I encourage the exchange of ideas, and as several members of this site will attest, I listen to comments and have revised my stories accordingly.

As I have said elsewhere too, I do not post any stories on this site until they have been critiqued by a small group of people whose opinions I trust to be honest and forthright - if he/she doesn't like it, I hear about it, and why.

As a writer, I have a responsibility to thank the reviewer. I do not have to agree, but this person has taken the time to comment on my work, and I shouold acknowledge their interest in my writing, even if it is just being polite. We as a society have lost much of our good manners, but that's a whole different thread.

[Faibhar]

Like Fox many writers here respond to Reviews, both pro and con, with at least polite acknowledgments, and like Fox agree on his overview of our current society with regards to issues that include "good manners".

But unlike Fox's group of screeners who presumably offer ideas for revision before his work is posted I plunge forth head-long and let the readers read for themselves the best that I can offer. This tact leads to many articlulate and not so articulate comments. All, however, are appreciated and are instructive in their own way. The posted comments of others do tend to help one grow as a writer and often send preceptions not understood before.

[Dari]

I don't know how others manage that, but with my 3 or so reviews (the reasers seem to be as lazy as myself ) I can only talk from little experience - and so far there was only one review I really knew something to say to it, although I once tried thanking the reviewer per PM. At least with feedback emails I try to send a "thank you" back, but often there is nothing more to add (someone already said it, what can you say to "please write on" or "I liked it"?)

[Neopadinski]

If there is something to reply to, I do reply. The way I look at it, if something is said within the review that is unclear/implies a question on the part of the reviewer, I figure 'hey, what could hurt? Even if s/he wasn't asking a question in a review, another potential reader could look at it and not understand it'. I like to give my potential readers something to look at so they know they aren't wasting their time with my stories.

[Curtis]

So, being the anal type, I just checked and, out of 103 reviews, I've gotten 17 author replies. Out of 17 replies, I've responded to eight -- three with replies to the replies and five with e-mails. Three of these replies have resulted in ratings increases.

I think most of S_Coutures plaints regarding how hard it is to reply to a review also apply to responding to replies. When an author says "Thank you for reviewing", what is left to be said? The replies I've responded to have MOSTLY been those in which authors gently disagree with me, sometimes providing me with additional information (though it could be argued that information not in evidence in the story has no business influencing the review, I tend to be lenient in this regard).

[Alex Bragi]

When an author says "Thank you for reviewing", what is left to be said?

I agree 100%. Thank you for your 'thank you' would be just too ridiculous. Although, can you believe this, I had a "thank you for your thank you card' sent to me from a Japanese friend once. I was just so damned tempted to send a 'thank you for your thank, thank you card' back, just to see if he had to have the last 'thank you', but I never did.

Oh, and Curtis, I thought you were a female. Well that's ok because you thought I was a male, didn't you? So I guess we're even now.

[Lord Douche]

Originally posted by S_Couture
Lord Douche, how many replies did you get for your responses?
I've tried this myself and ended up feeling a little foolish. It felt like I was pissing in the wind.

Well, I got one reply so far. *Salute to Lex Ludite*

If there's some news I feel my readers need to know, such as the status of the next chapter, I'll put it in my reply.

[Faibhar]

A simple "thank You" in response to posted Reviews can hardly hurt. It is, after all, a form of etiquette not to be discounted and should be extended to any reader taking the time and effort to Review.

More often than not, valuable messages are left by the reviewing readers and should the writer choose to respond or not is his or her perogative. Certainly, Reviews are not meant to signal some start of discourse.

Or are they?

[Polybios]

Well, I'm a debutant here, at the story board as well as on the forum.

This is no complaint, but out of roughly 7,000 readers only 3 took the time to post a review on my story -- well, you're probably familiar with the general quota... And while I appreciate any kind of feedback, it was – so far – pretty much a plain 'good job, keep up the nice work' (which is, mind you, lucky and encouraging enough, I think).

So for me, it's a dictate of politeness to reply with a plain thank you, if only to show the reviewer that his/her remarks have been noticed and are appreciated. Given the 'manageable' number of reviews, even on the most popular stories, this doesn't cost the author any considerable time, and it might encourage others to post a brief review, too, at least. However, any further exchange of opinions should be made via e-mail, IMO, not via reviews and replies.

Still, let me use this occasion to state that I'd have no aversion to say 'thank you' a little more often;-) And I'm always interested in any details which led to an (un)favourable verdict on the story.

[Faibhar]

Polybios is to be commended for candor, and for simply replying to any and all Reviews. At least, commended in this corner.

Several other posting writers do respond as well, and where is it written that Reviews are lessons from more superior writers? Sure, it is prudent to read what criticisms are given, but it does not necessarily follow that those critiques are to be heeded as lessons to be learned.

Reading what reception is posted and then posting a thank you to the reviewer is only basic. Adobting the Reviewer's advice/criticism to improve future work is at the writer's discretion.

BTW, is there a way of "editing" Reviews? Polybio's story, for example, was updated. An original Review was written for the first installment, but when time came to write a second Review for the update a prompt cautioned that since a review had already been written, etc...

Your help with this question is appreciated.

[Polybios]

Thanks for the commendation.

I think the longer and the more substantial the review, the more the author may feel compelled to reply. Like in my reply to your (very kind) review of my story, I thought it would have looked a little strange if I had dwelled on the historical aspect, only because you briefly mentioned it as one thing you liked...

Anyway, to answer your question, I think you know that you can always edit/extend your (one) review, even though you can't post a second on the same story.

But that's another reason why an author should reply to reviews, IMO -- once he has done so, he has acknowledged the comments, and the reviewer can edit his first review to react on new aspects which might occur once the story's updated -- if he wants to. Just as well, the author can adjust his reply...

[Curtis]

Faibhar, there's a button right next to your review that says 'edit' or 'edit your review'. I insert a "(break)" to show what parts of the review are of a different vintage.

[Faibhar]

Thank you Curtis for the word (I assume by "break" you mean html?). I shall give it a go.

[woodsman'sgame]

I have replied to my reviews, but I don't see my replies posted. Are they hidden?
I have replied to every review, I believe, or at least I tried to.

[Curtis]

Go to the 'review it' page for your story and look at each review. Directly below each review is any reply made to it. (If you replied by e-mail, this wouldn't apply.)

[woodsman'sgame]

I did, Curtis, and still nada. Can you check and see if you see my responses on one of my stories?
I replied on the site and not by email.
It indicated it had accepted my reply.
I replied a day or so ago on my last story.

[Curtis]

You're right, there are no replies listed. I suggest you contact Jinn and ask him what he thinks is going on.

(Two tens!)

[woodsman'sgame]

YAY! Jinn fixed my problem. <hugs Jinn>

I can now review and reply to my reviews. I have already responded to most of my reviews.