Every time I post a story, I try to remember to permit comments.
Why is the default setting to forbid them?
I got comments I _loved_ from one story.
Every time I post a story, I try to remember to permit comments.
Why is the default setting to forbid them?
I got comments I _loved_ from one story.
Why is the default setting to forbid them?
I'd hazard a guess that because it was a new feature, the default behavior was to not enable the new feature. That makes sense, or perhaps it's better to say, made sense when it was introduced. I'd say now, the default probably ought to be reversed as you say.
Maybe Laz can add the option to turn on or off new features as a default setting for all of a writers stories, but leave the option to change the settings on an individual story basis. Of course I have no idea as to whether that is a workable idea or not. Some writers are more prolific than others who only have one or two stories.
He added the feature when it was first introduced: Click on "Story Stats" (from the Authors Page" and click "Hide Public Comments". Since it shows both for new stories, it's confusing.
I added a batch change button to the story list. Now at the top, where you change all copyright and all voting, you can turn comments on or off for all stories.
That should hopefully help the writers control which stories they receive comments on.
I'd appreciate the story stats page having a comments total.
Like Ernest, I regard the comments section as being for readers, but I like to read new comments even when they're less than complimentary. A change in the comments total would provide an alert that there are new comments. (I've set up alerts for comments but I rarely log in to my mailbox.)
Would anyone else find a comments total useful?
(NB - in a sense, all comments are complimentary because they're FREE!)
AJ
(I've set up alerts for comments but I rarely log in to my mailbox.)
Doh!
Would anyone else find a comments total useful?
Less useful than logging on my mail account and receiving a link to any newly posted comment.
Less useful than logging on my mail account and receiving a link to any newly posted comment.
For most people that's obviously true, hence my asking for other opinions.
AJ
Like Ernest, I regard the comments section as being for readers, but I like to read new comments even when they're less than complimentary. A change in the comments total would provide an alert that there are new comments. (I've set up alerts for comments but I rarely log in to my mailbox.)
One problem with the automated 'new comment' alerts, if you get more than one in any given day, it won't report it, so if you get an alert in the morning and check it, but then get another that evening, you'll never know, at least until you get another comment alert, often months later.
It's a nice feature, but it's hardly foolproof.
One problem with the automated 'new comment' alerts, if you get more than one in any given day, it won't report it, so if you get an alert in the morning and check it, but then get another that evening, you'll never know, at least until you get another comment alert, often months later.
But It does, or at least it does for me. I've often got several comment alerts a day.
But It does, or at least it does for me. I've often got several comment alerts a day.
I sometimes do, and sometimes don't, but I have missed several, often for long periods--but maybe that's 'comments to the author', instead of 'story comments'?
but maybe that's 'comments to the author', instead of 'story comments'?
Nope. I get a message from SoL every time a new comment is posted to one of my stories, with a link to the new comment, even when I was the author of the new entry.
This is unlike messages regarding E-Mails. I only get one message from SoL a day alerting me I received a new E-Mail.
I've set up alerts for comments but I rarely log in to my mailbox.
I just checked my mailbox and found an alert for a new, week-old comment, not complimentary and relating to an older story. I was sorely tempted to break my rule and reply, agreeing with the poster ;)
AJ
I was sorely tempted to break my rule and reply
I don't have comments turned on so I obviously don't have comments.
But what's the proper etiquette? I always reply to emails. Are you supposed to reply to comments or not?
But what's the proper etiquette? I always reply to emails. Are you supposed to reply to comments or not?
The jury's out on that one, the etiquette is still evolving.
I don't respond to comments, but readers get warned in the story end note that if they want a reply, they should use e-mail. I think Ernest has a similar approach.
On the other hand, Crumbly Writer, Michael Loucks and robberhands do respond to comments.
AJ
I don't respond to ALL comments nor ALL email, but I do respond to certain amounts of both.
In comments, I see conversations develop as readers respond to each other's comments. Sometimes it makes a happy little community.
The jury's out on that one, the etiquette is still evolving.
I don't respond to comments, but readers get warned in the story end note that if they want a reply, they should use e-mail. I think Ernest has a similar approach.
On the other hand, Crumbly Writer, Michael Loucks and robberhands do respond to comments.
That's more of a time management decision (i.e. do I waste time checking for questions which aren't directed at me). But maybe it's time we got together and compared notes on which approach works best, and whether either approach makes ANY difference at all.
I've heard countless times about how destructive it is to argue with a critical review (including an unfortunate personal experience), but little has been said about how to build engaging reader forums.
I got comments I _loved_ from one story.
I include a statement in my end note that the comments section is for the readers to discuss things and not to talk with me, so I don't view the comments as a general rule. I only check them if a reader sends me a message saying I should read a specific comment. I think if I tried to respond to every comment I'd never get time to write another story.
I do turn the comments on for my stories with 1 exception as that's a long scene which will be replaced with a full story it's now a part of.
I like the comments section. I find it interesting to see conversations develop between readers over my stories.
I read every comment, reply to many, and sometimes a few positive comments are encouragment when my muse is being elusive.
I read every comment, reply to many, and sometimes a few positive comments are encouragment when my muse is being elusive.
On a side note, has anyone observed any trends in story notes? Do you get more if you respond, of if you utterly ignore them and leave it entirely to the readers? Does encouraging help (i.e. "I appreciate all feedback and criticism)? Is most of it event driven (i.e. exciting chapters generates lots of comments, but you hardly hear anything otherwise)?
I'm just wondering whether, after this much time, we've actually learned anything about how to manage the story comments?
I'm just wondering whether, after this much time, we've actually learned anything about how to manage the story comments?
What's there to manage? If a reader asks me a question, I answer. If it's an interesting comment, I engage in a conversation. So far, only one time someone was abusive in his comments. I asked Lazeez to remove his posts. That was all I ever managed.
I'm just wondering whether, after this much time, we've actually learned anything about how to manage the story comments?
What's there to manage? If a reader asks me a question, I answer. If it's an interesting comment, I engage in a conversation. So far, only one time someone was abusive in his comments. I asked Lazeez to remove his posts. That was all I ever managed.
It's not actually about "managing" the conversation, but about what's the best approach. Should authors avoid the story comments, giving the readers a free forum, or is it better to engage the readers and answer questions.
The post didn't have a particular agenda, I'm just curious whether anyone has noticed any trends (i.e. do the comments 'explode' if you respond every time, or when you don't engage, or does involvement with readers really not matter at all? I was looking for some real-world perspectives (seriously, there's no way I can call personal observations 'data).
I also always respond to private messages and emails, but some authors seem to be treating the story messaging as a separate beast, so I was just wondering whether there's any reason for doing so, other than just not wanting to engage.
Also, can someone provide a link to a story with comments? I'd like to see what they look like.
Also, can someone provide a link to a story with comments? I'd like to see what they look like.
https://storiesonline.net/s/69640:189092/epilogue-winds-of-change
Most are set to show the latest comment first.
"The site has a reader service where they can add a comment at the end of the story for other readers. Authors can turn this on or off for each story. It's been turned on. This is for readers to make comments for other readers. They are not tracked or read by the author, so don't say anything there you expect him to respond to. The Scot is no longer writing and has requested Ernest Bywater maintain his stories. If you have any errors to report, please email Ernest via his author feedback mail on the site or:
ernest.bywater@gmail.com
Please do not send any emails about liking or hating the story.
Thank you."
There are over 20 pages of comments at the end of the story, and many of them violate the instructions by liking the story.
"The site has a reader service where they can add a comment at the end of the story for other readers. ....
Please do not send any emails about liking or hating the story.
The comments on the site for the readers are not emails to me about the story. Thus they can say anything they want in the comments, the restriction is simply on emails to me about another author's writing.
20 pages of comments at the end of the story, and many of them violate the instructions by liking the story.
What instructions are you referring to?
I haven't found any commentary in the Help files or other things that I searched.
What instructions are you referring to?
He was referring to my instructions in the story End Note. However, he wasn't applying my instructions correctly.
Ahh, I though Lazeez had something on the site defining how to use Reader's Comments.
There are over 20 pages of comments at the end of the story, and many of them violate the instructions by liking the story.
That's not a problem if they're merely telling other readers how much they like the story. It's only a problem if they're specifically trying to tell the author how much they appreciate the story.
Again, the story comments feature seems to be a way of create specific forums for each story's readers.
Setting reader comments On and Off confused me, so I asked. You may already know this, but there are two places where you can set reader comments to ON or OFF and they do different things.
As a reader, you can Edit your Story Display Preferences in My Account to show or hide the comments made to all Authors stories including yours. When the checkbox is not checked, comments made in your stories and in other authors' stories are not visible. When checked, they are visible.
As an Author, you can enable or disable reader comments to your stories on the Author's Manage Stories page. You can turn reader comment for All Stories to ON or OFF. You can also click on a single story and then change the settings for just that story.
The instructions say that they shouldn't email about liking or hating the story. Leaving comments to that effect seems like a great alternative.
Or am I missing something?
No you're not missing anything, you nailed it.
And on SOL, like most DIY shows, 'nailing it' is the entire point of the site. 'D
I actually like the comments/emails. Good or bad.
The good ones pump my ego, the bad ones I write off as someone else's opinion. Not everyone likes the same things I do.
And sometimes I actually learn something. Imagine that!
I actually like the comments/emails. Good or bad.
The good ones pump my ego, the bad ones I write off as someone else's opinion. Not everyone likes the same things I do.
And sometimes I actually learn something. Imagine that!
Maybe it's just my readers, but I don't get many 'bad' comments. Sure, I've had a few unreasonable ones, like the insistence that I include a specific political rant in my story which didn't fit the context at all (and which led to my loyal 1-bombers voting down each story they read for years), but those are few and far between, and even then, I learned a lot from that discussion, and I was trying to amend the story until they started dictating how I told my story.
But it's rare for readers to make bad suggestions. I suspect that happens more often in stroke stories, where the suggestions are more often 'How about having him do it with a pregnant nun on roller skates?', but are more of an appeal to a specific kink, rather than an effort to enhance or clarify the story.
'How about having him do it with a pregnant nun on roller skates?
This could be interesting. It would depend on which one was on roller skates.
I sounded to me that the nun was on roller skates. But maybe they both were. Maybe they were in Alabama. Roll Crimson Tide.
Re: How about having him do it with a pregnant nun on roller skates?
I sounded to me that the nun was on roller skates. But maybe they both were.
It sounds that way to me too. The general principle when in doubt is to assume the most recently mentioned object is being referred to.
A careful writer would use a different order if they meant one of the other possibilities. Showing that both was meant requires something like:
How about having him and a pregnant nun do it on roller skates?
Showing that he was on roller skates requires something like:
How about having him on roller skates do it with a pregnant nun?