Forum: Story Discussion and Feedback

Strange feedback

robberhands 🚫

Two days ago I received an E-Mail from a reader, pointing out to me that newborns are physically unable to smile. He conceded I might get away with it because my story features divine beings. I sent a response, expressing my hope he'd let me escape claiming that excuse. Since then I received about two dozen E-Mails from him with further corrections regarding the following chapters. I offered sending him a word document of the story, easing his and my workload implementing the corrections. He's really good, and I greatly appreciate his obvious expertise. Sadly he doesn't respond to any mail I sent after the first one, but continues sending E-Mails, each one pointing out a single error and offering his correction.

I think it's a bit weird, but still I appreciate his efforts and continue implementing his corrections.

Maybe some of you have stories to tell about strange feedback as well? Then I'd like to hear about them.

Replies: Ernest Bywater REP

Ernest Bywater 🚫

@robberhands

Maybe some of you have stories to tell about strange feedback as well? Then I'd like to hear about them.

In the past I had similar type emails from readers, but in both cases they responded to me replies and they now edit my stories for me.

One thing to keep in mind is if the messages you're getting are coming from the new SoL message system they may not be aware you're responding, due to how they have the messaging alerts set or don't know how to read the messages. If you open the messaging system and look at your sent messages, they'll show bold until the recipient opens them and reads them. I've got a few message responses I sent that are still unread by the person I replied to, and they're a few weeks old.

Replies: robberhands

robberhands 🚫

@Ernest Bywater

If you open the messaging system and look at your sent messages, they'll show bold until the recipient opens them and reads them.

Thank you, I didn't know about that feature! How very useful.

Replies: Ernest Bywater

Ernest Bywater 🚫

@robberhands

I sent you a message about this subject, and I just checked my sent box and saw you haven't yet read my message to you. Handy little device, I think.

Replies: robberhands

robberhands 🚫

@Ernest Bywater

Indeed! I just replied.

REP 🚫

@robberhands

You are not alone. I have a reader like that and it may be the same person. He not only pointed out errors, but made a suggestion or two. I thanked him for his input. I tried to engage him in a conversation about becoming an editor, but he hasn't responded.

Ernest Bywater 🚫

Yep, it shows the first as read, but not the latest response by me, now.

Ernest Bywater 🚫

Via Private Messages, I now know we're all getting messages from the same person, he's good at picking up things. I know I've had an email exchange with him, but been through over 1,500 emails and haven;t found it yet. I know he does read the reply messages in the SoL system, but not immediately.

I simply accept what he sends and act on it the same as with any other editor.

LonelyDad 🚫

Before you gentlemen brought up the internal message system, I was going to suggest checking your Spam folders. I know that Yahoo has the lovely habit of placing a few of my emails that by no stretch of the imagination would I consider spam there.

Vincent Berg 🚫

It's common for most people to simply never check the story comments for updates to their original post. When they do, it's often weeks later. Authors are concerned enough with responses that we've learned to turn on the email message notifications, but casual readers are unlikely to.

Whoever contacts him first, suggest he send out a private email to everyone, so we can suck him into editing for all of us! 'D

Replies: robberhands REP

robberhands 🚫

@Vincent Berg

It's common for most people to simply never check the story comments for updates to their original post.

We were talking about EMails, not comments left at the end of a story using that new feature. I adore your vivid imagination enabling you to ignore everything posted before you.

Replies: Vincent Berg

Vincent Berg 🚫

@robberhands

We were talking about EMails, not comments left at the end of a story using that new feature. I adore your vivid imagination enabling you to ignore everything posted before you.

That's what happens when you dive into a long unfolding discussion. The 'regulars' are likely to pop in, periodically, and respond to the new posts, without rereading the entire thread to figure out where the newest posts originate.

It's part of the nature of the beast. Those who are new to a discussion often don't understand the context, while those who've been here for a while (visiting the discussion) don't always address the specific point.

However, my point still stands. It was simply a note stating that the issue extends beyond this one post (since everyone was discussing it as if it was a general phenomenon). I often try to add context to existing discussions, showing how things can sometimes be viewed differently.

But somehow, I don't think you're ever likely to be one of my fans. (Don't worry, there are many here who share your opinion of me.)

My point in the other thread wasn't that I didn't value your opinion, it was merely that the point everyone was arguing was taken completely out of context, and that the point we were all fighting over really didn't apply to the vast majority of stories (it was an 'exception to the rule' rather than a general comment about sex scenes).

REP 🚫

@Vincent Berg

, so we can suck him into editing for all of us!

I made him such an offer, but no reply.

Replies: Vincent Berg

Vincent Berg 🚫

@REP

I made him such an offer, but no reply.

I gathered. I was teasing. Sometimes humor is lost without a smiley to flag it, but then we sometimes get tired of adding smileys to every single post we make. :(

robberhands 🚫

I just noticed, again, the feedback which most annoys me are suggestions how I should continue my story; particularly in regards to further sexual developments.

Replies: AmigaClone Safe_Bet

AmigaClone 🚫

@robberhands

I just noticed, again, the feedback which most annoys me are suggestions how I should continue my story; particularly in regards to further sexual developments.

I've been known to give that type of feedback under three types of situations.

The first case is when an author has asked for that type of feedback.

The second one is when an author has written something to the effect that he has a writter's block. I consider that a success if the author produces more chapters shortly afterwards - even if nothing I suggested appears in the story .

The third and final case is I will on occasion ask that a question I have about the story be answered within the story itself, especially when it seems that the most of the characters know the answer.

Note that none of those apply to stories where the author has said that the story is complete.

Replies: robberhands

robberhands 🚫

@AmigaClone

I've been known to give that type of feedback under three types of situations.

None of your examples would cause me to even raise an eyebrow, especially if I would have asked for suggestions beforehand.

I guess I wasn't clear enough. I was talking about suggestions in form of a wishlist, regarding future sexual encounters I should write to accommodate the reader's preferences.

Safe_Bet 🚫

@robberhands

LOLOLOL GUILTY!

I dropped a comment to Les Lumens and when he replied I welcomed him back and then gave him hell about now finishing a story he started under a different pen name. (...and yeah, knowing Les/Dark kind of dates me, don't it? LOL)

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Forum: Story Discussion and Feedback

Strange feedback

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