sholio | Fannish question and things

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Fannish question and things

Um ... fannish etiquette question for the room. I just received a (really lovely) comment on one of my older stories, and looking back on it, I realized that I never answered a lot of the feedback on that story, going back to spring 2007.

What is a conscientious fan to do? I certainly don't want to leave the new comment unanswered, but I'm trying to figure out if it's less polite to answer one comment without answering them all, or to send feedback for comments that people left *two years ago*, some of whom have probably moved on to other fandoms by now ...

In other news,

purimgifts is open for sign-ups! I thought this looked terribly fun last year, but had too many other fannish commitments to manage it. This year, I'm eyeing it with interest; it's a multi-fandom, ficfest gift-a-thon. Explanation and rules post here; signups are here.

The podfic of my story "Even Bonnie and Clyde Had Off Days" is now available as a podbook made by

cybel from

winkingstar's recording. People are so kind. :)

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I love responses to any mail or comments I've sent. So if you can, do answer them...it might even get you into a nice conversation :)

Thanks! It's good to know that people do appreciate it; I am never sure if a "thank you for reviewing" comment actually means something to the reader, but it's always nice to brighten someone's day. :)

That's exactly it. I mean, if it's an older comment of mine, I may be surprised, head back to the story, sometimes reread it, sometimes check out what the author has written since.

It certainly never annoys me and usually makes my day :)

Latecomers to the story do see the arbitrary responses!

I actually am less likely to comment on a story when I see the author not answer or (in a way almost worse) answering some but not others...I know that's my own issues, but I thought I'd put it out there...

This is true for me, too - if I see an author responded to the first wave of comments but not later ones, I tend to assume they're not reading comments anymore. Which is sort of a silly assumption, really, considering I sometimes am remiss in responding but always love to receive comments...

See, i'm even more complicated. I have like an internal order with answering comments randomly at the bottom of the list, yes, even below those never responding to comments. And then the answering all and then none and then answering all.

Though sometimes I just need to share my love and I don't care how many or how many responded to comments there are :)

I tend to assume the same if it's a large number of comments at the end, but if it's just one or even two or three, it might be LJ/email error. (I had that happen to me with my McShep Match fic this year. Tracking is still on, but I didn't receive any emails or even notifications in my LJ inbox for several comments, and I only saw them when finally a notification (but no email!) for another came through. Speaking of which, I should go back and check it again just in case.)

That's an excellent point. I really wouldn't say that I resent authors not answering my comments (usually I don't even notice) but I *do* notice if I look at a page of feedback and none of it is answered. It makes me considerably less likely to review the story, unless I'm either particularly moved by the story's awesomeness, or they only have a couple of comments and I feel bad for them.

And you are also right about belated responses making me go and check to see what the author is up to now!

I agree with everything you've said in this thread.

It makes me less likely to leave feedback if an author hasn't answered because I assume s/he's not interested.

And I sometimes get replies to fb WAAAAAY after I left it and I always appreciate it.

Unless the volume of comments is such that it really would take you forty forevers to answer the unanswered comments, I would vote for responding to them all.

>>I am never sure if a "thank you for reviewing" comment actually means something to the reader,

My personal opinion as a reader? It does. It means your review/note/comment actually reached the recipient - the author - and was read. :-) It gives kind of "closure" to the process. Read - comment - get the confirmation that you were "heard". Satisfying for both parties. So, yes, if there are comments where it's visible that the reader took time to compose them, thought about the story etc, put some effort into the comment, then a short answer would be nice, even now. Even people who have wandered off from that fandom like to see their input, their comments, their efforts acknowledged. :-) It's human nature, I guess.

I try to always respond to the new comment, and I reply to the older comments I discover I never responded to on a hit and miss basis. Sometimes I do - usually with a 'I apologize for how tardy this reply is!' - and sometimes I don't. I have no rhyme or reason :D

Heh, yeah ... and on some of them, I end up feeling so guilty that I feel like I ought to write them a long reply, and then that makes the procrastinating even worse ...!

I would love to tell you to go back and answer them, maybe with a "so sorry to be so late!" sort of apology. When I first started out in fandom, I remember being beyond pleased when writers responded to feedback I'd left even with just a quick thank you...

Thank you for the input! This does help; it's easier to get myself motivated to go answer comments if I expect that people will appreciate it.

I triage it. If it's just a 'great story, I loved it' from that far back, I wouldn't reply. If there's more of a review, pointing out lines they loved, asking questions, those should still get a reply.

Heh, yeah, "triage", good way to put it! I definitely expend more care and attention on answering long comments ...

I just had to do the same thing over at my deviantART account. I just let things get away from me and the next thing I knew, I had pages of comments & faves that I never got around to responding to. So I did what madripoor_rose does and triage'd it! Then, when I have time, I just post a little thank you for the 'great photo' type comments and for the "drive-by" faves (which I'm guilty of doing all the time!).

And speaking of unresponsive journal owners: I went back & checked my long-abandoned journal and found you had made a comment on my My Little Wraith Pony! I never even knew it was there and I'm so sorry I never responded. *headdesk* As soon as I finish this post I'm going to rectify that situation. ^_^

Hee! I just was reading your reply -- thank you for the long one, btw! Excellent case in point, I guess. XD

The old ones are probably not going to know if you skip them. Of course, etiquette would be to reply to all, but then etiquette also says you should send a written card of thanks for every gift you recieve in RL, and, huh. You know how it is. :-)

Mmm, true. I imagine most people don't even remember reviewing it!

I always reply, with a short apology for lateness, when I find old ones, and am glad when someone else does it to me.

Thanks! :D This is good to know.

Thought of added incentives apart from doing the right thing, feeling better and them potentially being pleased: it might entice more people to generally comment and reply to comments themselves (not just remember you in particular, which would be incentive four *g*).

On occasions when I have realised I have been remiss in replying to comments, I do usually try and reply, usually with a "Apols for being so late in replying" codicil! :lol:

Hee, yes, I think there will have to be some apologies. :D

I usually don't care if an author answers my comments, unless it's one I put a lot of thought into, or one containing a question. A lot of the time, I've forgotten about my comment by the time I receive a reply. I have a feeling I'm somewhat scatterbrained though, so I can't say how universal that is.

I tend to answer comments in batches when I have time, and leave whole batches unanswered when I'm short on time... in that case I just pick the ones that particularly prompt me to reply, or the ones with questions. When time allows again I answer new ones coming in but leave the really old ones unanswered because I figure it'll just confuse the recipient to get a reply on a months old comment.

I think triaging sounds like a good idea. The one thing I don't like is when authors reply only to their friends, despite the shortness/length of other comments. That's the only thing that seems overtly rude to me. Otherwise just do whatever you're comfortable with.

Situations like this are why I made this icon. It apologizes and sets a friendly tone (I hope) so I can just get to the comment.

I'd say reply to the recent feedback, and then go back and reply to earlier ones if the amount isn't too intimidating. While I often forget which authors never replied to my feedback on which stories, I do always like hearing from them, whenever they get around to it.

I know I've not answered all feedback cuz I forgot! I did find some and answered them, months after, and on LJ, I get so many comments I sometimes miss answering some.

I know I'm always happy to get a response, no matter how long it has been, so I'd say just answer them. But at this point, I don't think you need to be scrupulous about answering them all in order, so don't worry about having to answer the two-year-old comments before the new one!

I also never expect a response, so I at least wouldn't think you're rude never to answer. Some people get a lot of feedback, so they may be busy. Also, the author has given me the gift of a story she shared; my feedback is giving back. I'm happy if the author then wants to respond, but I don't feel any authors ever owe me!

I would just answer the new comment. Might mention in the comment that you feel sorry you couldn't answer the feedback of anyone else. That way if someone new stumbles across it they will likely see what's the last word from you on the subject is.

.
Things happen, stuff gets in the way of an immediate response, and then it slips your mind. I've discovered 'lost' feedback several months after the story myself, and it is embarrassing. But it's human. *g*

I'm always thrilled when an author acknowledges my feedback; if she's gone to the effort of 'backtracking' to answer 'lost' comments, it feels even more meaningful.

If nothing else, it reminds them of a story they once enjoyed, which they may re-read, and then go on to others that they maybe haven't kept up with.
.

You've gotten so much advice already that I will let this one be, simply saying I've been there too :-)

Also, thank you for the pimp, and I really really hope you join! I was thinking about you this year, when I realized you probably weren't going to run the SGA Genficathon again. Sending persuasion vibes your way :-)

As a commentee, I'm always pleased when i get an answer to my feedback. I'm always so selfconcious that my comments aren't as good or as long as other people's (yes, am trying to deal with this in therapy) that when you or someone else responds to my comment, I'm so appreciative.

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