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How do you — as an author, reader, or both — feel about authors responding to comments? It’s something I’m struggling with quite a bit. And I don’t mean just saying, “Thanks for the nice comment!” when someone says something kind, I mean when they’re theorising about what the secrets behind motivations are, what someone’s (or even the story’s) real purpose is, ‘whodunnit?” etc.
With traditional novels usually someone has some idea of the book before they go into it. Someone will have recommended it to them, or they’ll have read a review on goodreads or in a newspaper. With web fiction there’s nothing like that. People don’t have any reassurance about things and they don’t have someone who’s already read it to say, “You’re barking up the wrong tree, look at bit closer at X, Y, and Z!” with a knowing smile.
As reader I can do that for someone else’s work, once the work is complete. I know what I was thinking reading a story, and I’ve probably read what others think. I know as a reader what would have spoiled a story for me as a first time reader. As an author it’s quite difficult to navigate. On the one hand speculation about your story is fantastic to have. It’s extremely encouraging to see people engage with your mysteries. On the other hand you don’t want someone to get wild expectations about where something is going. You don’t want someone going entirely the wrong way just because the next chapter isn’t available yet.
With something I’d publish on Amazon or the likes I wouldn’t worry about this, the entire story is there and someone can read it as fast as they want. With web fiction there’s often time between parts. And even more I think authors responding, if done well, is a huge upside to this type of publishing. It’s a participation around the kind of story unique, really, to online spaces like this.
If anyone has any theories on this, how they handle it, or how they like it done I’ve love to know. How do you hint enough, tease enough and direct enough an engaged reader and so use the unique platform this kind of publishing has?
Comments
Spoilers
I love comments and, even more, the kind of community that can build up around a story, where readers engage with each other as well as the author. I’ve enjoyed being part of those story-specific communities as both an author (here, exclusively) and a reader (here and elsewhere).
As an author, I find that comments can show me where I’m missing the boat, or sometimes missing an opportunity to advance the story. I have introduced new characters in response to intriguing ideas readers have thrown out, and I’ve completely changed my idea for endings. It’s fun.
But, while I respond to everyone who leaves a comment on any story post, I generally don’t give spoilers. Teasing, of course, is completely fair game!
Emma
Very low risk in my case
So far I have never intentionally written anything else than stand-alone stories. Answering comments thus does not include providing any advance information about installments to come.
My "series" have been inspired by subsequent input. Sometimes that has been triggered by a specific point raised in a comment. So if anything the "spoiling" goes the other way.
On a more general level I love comments, even weird and/or negative ones (which have occured). I have something in mind when writing a story. I find it fascinating how readers interpret them in various ways. Not always in the way I had in mind when writing. Sometimes because of having different backgrounds when interpreting, sometimes because I leave much to the readers' imagination, sometimes because the reader has misread what's actually there. All absolutely fascinating.
And yes, I respond to comments.
"Misread"
"...the reader has misread what's actually there." Presumably, this refers to something beyond the intended misreading. Remember, this is Bru commenting.
-- Daphne Xu (a page of contents)
I Love Comments
You could call me a 'comment whore'. First, it is great that somebody actually read my story! But, yes, many times the comments actually give me avenues and new directions into which I can venture.
When I write, I focus on what and where I want my characters to go, and that leads me to the completion and posting of that particular story, but readers and commentors often see different outcomes. I'm always happy to consider those alternatives. Sometimes I say "No, not going there." but sometimes I say "Now, why didn't I see that?" and a new story is born.
Please keep on commenting on whatever I write.
Responding to Comments
'IF' I get a comment, If I know what they mean, I usually respond. I have a new story up now called "The Curse" and the reception is very low. I tend to write serious, real life stories that are often dark. It would be nice if someone responded. And it is often unclear to me why I keep on publishing stories. Maybe the answer is I'm a masochist.
I love comments
But lately, I'm not receiving as many as I once did. I'm guessing with the burnout I was dealing with, my writing was effected as well. But if that's the case, I probably shouldn't complain.
Hugs!
Rosemary
I'm ambivolent
Both as a reader and an author. As a reader, I tend to hold my comments until the tale is complete. For me speculating on possible story arcs is something I might hold in my mind as I see the story unfold, but to express it in a comment in the middle, I feel, would only show my ignorance in interpreting the story line.
That attitude may stem from my bent as and author. I've read countless dead tree books where the entire story was bound and in my hand and I tend to want that when I read. I will not post any portion of a story that is not already complete. So reader's ideas or suggestion of where the story is or might be going will fall on deaf ears should I read them.
Almost all of my stories have been published a whole and complete in one post. Early on, I would post stories and then refuse to look at the comments for three to six months. I suppose it was due to my lack of confidence in myself as an author. That resulted in a fragile ego that was easily bruised should someone leave a negative comment. Posting a story is like letting your child go out into the world on their own. You don't want to hear that they've failed.
The one story that I posted as a serial did receive some negative comments. Some of them were quite disturbing. Not because they were just negative, but because the commenter revealed the effect that the story to that point had on them. I feel that if they had the whole story laid before them and could see where and how it ended it wouldn't have had the negative effect. That did prompt me to write an epilogue that more succinctly explained the back story of the main character. I don't know if that particular commenter continued to read and saw that or not. It still troubles me that they were negatively affected by that chapter.
The experience has soured me on posting serials.
Hugs
Patricia
Happiness is being all dressed up and HAVING some place to go.
Semper in femineo gerunt
Ich bin eine Mann
Comments!
As an author I love comments, whether as part of the initial burst when posting or years later, seeing any story have a written response makes that given day so much better.
I've been extremely fortunate in having some wonderful interactions with readers on this site, including many direct messages fielding questions about the story / saga. Considering the complexity of concepts I've endeavored to weave in, it's thrilling to see someone engage with the threads and want to know more. Often the conversation will be either more explanations for the more metaphysical aspects (as best I can), or can be more specific along the lines of 'Take another look at Chapter XX and pay attention to [yyy]...'. That being said, I am constantly having to sit on fingers to prevent gushing spoilers - especially when things spotted early in the books are or will be resolved / delved into further on. Maybe several books later even! And I cannot even describe the giddiness of seeing a reader catch on to that sort of thing early, and having to bounce in the chair without writing back with 'omg yes!! because [wall of text]'. Prime example of this was when Emma noted offhand in the second book (I think!) about being curious about one of the characters and looking forward to seeing their future because they were 'a deep one'. So hard not to give it all away early!!! But worth it, I hope!
Sometimes folks don't get things right either in the moment, and that's fine too - especially when details are more revealed in later installments. Or even disagree with things in the story - given the subject matter, it'd be surprising if that -didn't- happen. Especially starting with book 2 or 3 I've tried to respond to every comment, and I'll note directly if I'm deliberately not responding with specifics to prevent spoilers on things. This way the reader will know that they're onto something one way or the other!
However whenever I start posting a new book, even though it may go up in 'parts' (and likely chapter by chapter for the next one), the entire work is already drafted before that happens and is locked into the last stages of proofreading for typos or awkward phrasings. I think there's only been one part so far that got an inserted clarifying edit due to reader commentary from the previous posting, the rest have gone up 'as is'.
Maybe I'm weird (okay, scratch that, I -am- weird), but comments feel to me much stronger than a kudos. Don't get me wrong, I love seeing those increment as well, however my hope in writing is to convey something heartfelt - and feedback from readers that they felt it too or that something got them to ponder and wonder makes the long effort ever so worthwhile. Every comment is therefore treasured, and I've been blessed with veritable essays at times which is marvelous.
So thank you again to all who have graced my stories with their attention and response! :)
- Erisian <3
Reader Comments and Online Publishing
This kind of thing is exactly what I was going for. And in a way I'm not sure if readers know authors, generally, love this type of stuff. Although it's not every author, everyone has their own way of doing things, web fiction is a lot closer to readers than traditional publishing. Even compared to publishing on platforms like Kindle.
I think this way of publishing is a mini-revolution in writing. Web fiction and fan fiction has been around a long time (this site an example, fan fiction longer again) and posting books chapter by chapter in magazines goes back almost two hundred years, maybe longer. Access to the internet, though, and the platforms available means this way of writing can be a common thing. It reduces barriers between authors and readers. And it can become symbiotic where author and reader are feeding off each other.
I don't mean taking your ideas, but just considering what the reader themself is considering. And clearing things up that aren't directly in the story but do exist in the background. Imagine if the evil wizard school woman was posting some of her lunatic ravings to fans on a platform like this while publishing. We'd have been spared so much trouble. And that means all the authors who've put a huge amount of work into things do get to share their joy and effort; the details they know, that you want to know, but aren't key to the story and would otherwise never appear; so readers, please, do post your comments. I'll always be writing, I am a writer, but the reason I'm doing it this, online, is because I thrive on it. Even if writing is always involving a lot of effort this is the way I've found that works best for me. And you're a part of it.
Sometime, maybe, I'll go into my writing process in more detail. I've definitely talked about it before. But readers should really appreciate their role in this. This is new(-ish,) and exciting, and whether it's with authors making careers on patreon or simply enjoying their hobby the connection between an author and a reader has expanded from just the words in a book to an entire way of interaction. And it's mostly not a hostile or tense one, it's a shared experience of happiness and pleasure in writing and stories, and reading.
That being said, I am constantly having to sit on fingers to prevent gushing spoilers - especially when things spotted early in the books are or will be resolved / delved into further on. Maybe several books later even! And I cannot even describe the giddiness of seeing a reader catch on to that sort of thing early, and having to bounce in the chair without writing back with 'omg yes!! because [wall of text]'.
This, however, is the bit I want advice on. Do I need to bulk up and eat more food so when I sit on my fingers they're weighed down more?! What's the best diet to ensure hands can't be put to keyboard? I do the same with the "Look at X Chapter's mention of Y." And I think in almost every comment I've gotten I've had to resist (because doing it for every statement would be annoying) saying "WAIT! IT'S COMING!! There's a plan. I know what's happening and it is part of the story!" Which is particularly amazing about many readers, they're asking the same questions I'm asking as I'm writing. They're following the same routes as me! It's the connection I'm talking about. It's not just writing a book and throwing it to the wind. It what language is. It's communication. It's thrilling!
Diets
Other than for your future self to show up and shove pizza into fingers to keep them from typing, not sure...
Okay, more seriously? It can be hard. I caught myself just last week about to refer to something in the draft of the book that hasn't even started posting yet. And stuff that got written just today? Aah! Can't wait to share it!!!
But it's worth not giving spoilers, it's worth that wait so that the discovery happens while reading the story instead of talking about it. It's worth the reader's moment of 'AHA! I KNEW IT!' when they've caught on to the foreshadowing or the intricately laid out pieces that later form the completed puzzle. And if the story is good enough, folks will indeed wait the possible years that it takes...even while bouncing up and down eagerly themselves. Many readers have been very kind and patient with telling me to take my time to get it right...even while simultaneously asking, "Is it soon yet?!?"... Though maybe that's mostly the older readers and not the young crowd? Hmm.
I used to do table-top rpgs, and once ran a campaign over twelve years which only in that last year revealed the whys/whatfors of events they experienced back near the beginning, to fantastic and dramatic eye-boggling effect. My hope with my books here is to get similar as best as possible, and even moreso for anyone re-reading after finishing the latest installments to be able to see that much more which had been hidden behind the curtain yet hinted at while having an effect on repeated trip through. You know, like ogres and onions, many layers! :)
I do have one friend that graciously allows me to babble about it all should I need to. Not that they remember everything mind you, but I think it helps at times. lol
- Erisian <3
were waiting
were waiting on the light saga to continue .fall cant get here soon enough .feel to give any spoilers cant wait lol
Oopsies
I don't get many comments, but I appreciate those I do receive. I tend to forget the courtesy of replying to them, for which I apologise. The ones I really appreciate are those that show that someone has understood exactly what I am trying to convey.
I almost always write extended wide-screen stuff, most notably in 'Broken Wings', which ended up at 248K words. I write from character rather than detailed plot, so I get to know 'my people' very well. That said, I make frequent errors, and if they are picked up by readers, I am grateful. I am not just talking about typos (many of you have sent me a message about those--thank you so much!) but of things such as the moment near the start of 'Cold Feet' where I wrote out the central character.
I am reminded of the first edition of Larry Niven's 'Ringworld', where he had the Earth rotating in the wrong direction. That is something this new way of writing fiction can manage to avoid.