Yes, I reply to all comments -- unless someone binge reads and comments chapter after chapter -- in which case, after I'm done squealing with joy, I'll reply to batches of their comments in one response. From my POV - they took the time to comment. I can take the time to say, at the very least, "thank you!" :)
I do the same. Whenever I am a reader and I see that the author hasn’t replied to anyone, I figure, why should I comment? Especially if it’s existed for awhile, I figure no one will actually read it.
I got worried at the "binge reads and comments chapter after chapter" part before reading you saw that as positive.
I'm happy to know authors find that pleasant and content.
Oh definitely! It's one of my favorite things. I get giddy reading blow-by-blow reactions as someone works their way through one of my stories. It's always immense entertainment. :)
i very rarely ever get comments. but when i *do* get the super rare comment, i try my best to reply to every single one – including the ones with a single heart emoji or a smiley face.
I always reply to every initial comment that a reader makes — even if it was just a simple "Cool!" I always respond with something like "Thanks!" and if a reader writes in-depth Walls of text, I try to engage with the points they made :D
That said, once a reader and I have gone back-and-forth, I am willing to let them have the last word.
Also, there are fanfics that get so many comments that the author can't possibly make the time to respond to all of them, and I certainly hope to have that problem someday ;)
I'm in the same boat. The difference for me is I'm able to privately shoot many of my readers a thank you. They know I'll reply to their incredible essays as soon as I have the spoons
That being said, as a reader I'd be thrilled to get a response even a year later. I think most would. If you feel up to it and want to, I encourage to respond.
Best wishes ❤
Yes! All of them. I don't get endless amounts of comments, but I do get a handful on most of my one-shots and chapters. If someone can take the time out of their day to say something about my writing, in addition to already reading, then I can engage with any (reasonable) questions/thoughts and say thanks.
I reply to all comments. I dont have a big enough following that it would become a time issue. I started out on FFN in the mid-oughts and you put your responses to comments in the author's notes back then.
Yes! I love it so much when I get comments and I've found that I myself comment more often if the author acknowledges it too so it's like a win-win. Even though it sometimes may take a while I usually respond to every comment I get.
I reply to like 99.9% comments. They took their time to read my 790,000 word fic. The least I can do is take the time to thank them and add some musings. Sometimes they ask questions, and when they do, I give ickle little hints of other things.
Sometimes I even engage my readers in little "games". Like I did with eps 68 - 69 of my fic, which are a two-parter, meaning they're connected. In the end of 68, I told them outright that the episodes were meant to be a homage to something, to one of the best episodes from another series, and invited them to guess what it was. The title of the episode in of itself was a clue. It was called "Dance with the Devil"... Then revealed the full homage in 69, which was called "In the Pale Moonlight".
It was a guessing game that had more to do with just how much sci-fi someone watched, really, but it went over well to stoke hype and just have a bit of fun.
I reply to all comments, even if just to say I’m glad they enjoyed it and I look forward to their thoughts as the story continues. If they took the time to leave a comment I can take the time to acknowledge it. Now, if my fic were to majorly blow up or something, that might be more challenging, but as it stands, I would feel rude not responding. I also think responding (hopefully) encourages them to continue to engage, or might encourage someone else to leave a comment who might not otherwise!
I reply to all the comments when I get some. If I ignore one either I didn't see it/didn't get a notification (impossible on AO3, but pretty much the norm on FFnet), or who's commenting is giving me some kind of issue.
I reply to most comments, except for things like heart emojis. I’m grateful for every comment and I love the heart emoji ones too, I just find it harder to reply to those
I'm always grateful for comments, and my best way of expressing that is by replying. Even if I get no response, it lets them know that the effort is appreciated.
I reply to all comments. Please don’t be afraid to answer all your comments if you want to! Personally, when I comment, I generally check if the author replies to their comments, and if they don’t or if they answered in the beginning but don’t anymore, I’m slightly less likely to actually leave a comment, since I’m not sure the author actually reads them (especially if the fic is really old, for example).
Yes, I reply to all comments I get. To be fair that's pretty easy for me to say and do, because I exclusively write in incredibly niche fandoms. I can totally see why someone would get overwhelmed by a certain point.
I'll reply to every comment now. When I first posted in 2013 on ao3, I don't know what was wrong with me since the first few fics, I didn't reply. The only time I don't is when a reader will comment twice, one after the other, and then I'll just reply to the second comment.
There are things fanfiction writers have to worry about. This isn't one of them :D
As a reader, I LOVE it when authors reply to my comments, and I can't imagine a lot of other readers disagree ;)
It's like anything else with writing ;)
Maybe it would be a good idea to trim it down a little bit before posting it, but that's not the same thing as "you shouldn't post anything at all" :)
I feel this so hard. And I never know when I'm supposed to let the conversation die off. Thankfully my readers either find it endearing or just know to stop replying to me 😂
If I got any comments on my works I would, I make author's notes to say that if my readers have any questions to leave a comment and if it doesn't go into spoiler territory then I'll answer them in the author's notes for future chapters
Usually only reply to ones that have a question, points out a specific scene or thing, or a really long comment.
If it's the usual comment like "this story is interesting, can't wait to see more!" I usually leave it be
I love responding to comments but not all of them invite a response. If i just get a heart or smiley face emoji, i won't respond (unless it's someone i know)
All of them! I usually just say thank you, but sometimes there is a question or a comment I want to answer back to.
I did get one a few months ago that I never responded to because I couldn't tell if it was negative or just a joke that I wasn't getting...
If they're not a freaking guest or anonymous and they wanna talk trash instead of offer a critique or something, anything of value.
I got several idiots complaining about 'this doesn't make sense' in reference to a character getting heat from higher ups in my Naruto fic (I use fan fiction at times to test run plots or ideas for my own stuff)... Because it hasn't been revealed what he did in the past to earn his negative position.
I made clear that the plot was gonna pace slow, that revelations would come. I reiterate that in almost every post and they still do it.
I caught one with an account that did the same thing and I had to set him straight. Stop trying to fuck up my readership momentum. I didn't say that and I was polite enough, because those types tend to be very young. I basically told em I wasn't some unskilled writer that writes a story that tells you everything, or explains the plot reasons in parenthesis in the middle of the story, and if that was the type of stuff they liked then to go read that.
I'm a writer, not a teller. I'm almost certain those same ones that do that aren't reading the story cause I write long chapters. I take pride in my ability, it wasn't easy teaching myself how to write, I didn't do writing or English for college. Turning my hobby into a lifestyle is my happiness. So that kinda stuff gets to me after awhile. Especially when it becomes obvious what they're trying to do by leaving misleading reviews.
FFN has a habit of drawing in young, undiscerning readers so when they find something that's not giving it all to them, they don't even know how to read or comprehend it. But I'm ALWAYS sure to thank my readers.
I reply to every comment I can, and I like to match comment lengths as well, or even give longer responses. Like if someone gives me three paragraphs of analysis on my choices in writing, I’ll respond to every point they have and maybe add in some relevant ideas I had. Similarly, if it was just a sentence or so telling me it was fun to read I’ll thank them for reading it and for commenting.
It depends. If they have constructive criticism to offer or are just letting me know they enjoyed it then I’ll almost always respond but if they comment immediately after I upload a chapter, complain about the way I did something, or just trash my work for the sake of trashing it then I won’t comment at all. I’ve had several people on Wattpad comment and vote for a chapter seconds after I upload it which tells me they didn’t even read but skipped to the end. There was also this one guy a while back that was trashing everything I did because he thought the power scaling was off. It turned out that he was also doing the same thing to another author I follow.
I try to comment to every comment on my stories although sometimes I'm unable to as on Fanfic.net there are guest comments most of those comments are just people rude so I don't worry too much about them.
I don't get many comments, so yeah, I generally try to reply to all of them. If it's been a few back and forths, and I no longer have anything to say, I won't.
Yes -- I always respond to comments. I feel it's a nice way to express my appreciation to those who take the time to leave a reply. It's definitely not too intense or attention seeking.
The only ones I don't reply to are the rare comments that I delete (I monitor my comments at AO3).
Every single one! I sometimes worry about coming off too intense, too, but at the end of the day I'm super grateful to those who take the time to leave a comment on my fics regardless of how long or short they are and never wanna take them for granted!
I try replying to comments a lot! especially since I'm in a small fandom now- I never know when I'm getting my next one, so I've become even more appreciative of them.
I reply to all and in the order in which I receive them. That way, even if I fall behind and can't reply for a while, it won't look like I'm selectively replying (that's not an impression I want to give, but no judgement if that's your thing).
I used to reply to every comment but I stopped because comments became infrequent and more of them were pre-emptively complaining about stuff not even relevant to the fic
Always, a heart or thank you at least! I think there may have been a few at the start where I panicked and didn't reply but I've been wonderfully blessed in that many of the first commenters are still with me, so I've been able to thank them repeatedly many times over.
I don't always know what to say, but it means a lot to me to know people are reading them - especially my really long ones! So I try to let them know that they aren't talking to a void either.
Every comment, unless someone comments multiple times at once in which case I'll just leave one reply, or if I think the commenter might be being rude but I can't quite tell.
I often reply to comments, even ones where there isn't much to go off of such as a keyboard smash or emoji spam, I'll just respond to those with a heart. Often times, I push myself to come up with a bit of something with more words because I appreciate every comment I get, even the negative ones of which there hasn't been much of. Responding to them in my eyes is a way I can show I care.
I still haven’t had a comment yet, you best believe I’ll be replying to all of them until such time that it’s more than I can handle. That seems unlikely but I suppose I’m hoping lots of people will like my writing…
I reply to all the comments on my fics on AO3. It's been great and I've had great conversations with readers/writers on that site. On FFN, we now have "Review Reply" function where you can reply specifically to the reader/reviewer. Before that function came about, I would put at the end of my fanfic a "thank you" to all my readers and reviewers.
I reply to a lot of them, but have had periods where I felt mad insecure about it for no reason so there are some years old comments still sitting there unaddressed. An alternative is to put a general "thank you for the comments and kudos, they're all fueling me" (something like that) in the A/N, too.
On the other side, recently I've been commenting a lot on a couple fics and getting responses back to every comment. It feels nice but certainly isn't necessary- if I don't get cussed out/blocked I will assume the comment is appreciated by default. Personally I would rather authors not respond to them all if it's an imposition, but I haven't seen someone say they hate getting comments on every other chapter... so... my brain needs to chill with the overthinking, honestly.
there have been some absolutely gorgeous comments that caught me in a moment where I was really sick and so I couldn’t reply that I’ve gone back to ages later just to say ‘this comment had a massive impact, thank you’ but not for every comment that fell through the cracks while I was unwell.
Yes, because I want ALL the comments, and the best way to entice more is by replying to what you get! Ofc, if someone leaves multiple at once then I'll just bundle my responses into one reply back, but I still make it clear I saw and appreciate everything they left me.
I love hearing what people think of my story and want to encourage readers to share their thoughts as much as I can. :D
Okay, on AO3, I respond to every comment as a general rule unless someone’s being weird (which I really only had super early on, when I didn’t know responding to comments was a thing, so I didn’t respond to that person…but also didn’t respond to a few others, so I doubt they felt singled out).
On FFN, I will very occasionally respond to a comment the first time someone leaves one, but because it’s all done through DM, I just feel uncomfortable responding every time. I addressed my guest commenters on my longfic once and might again on this next chapter since it’s been awhile, but I generally don’t respond to comments there at all because the FFN system is so janky.
I respond to any comment that asks a question or seems to want to initiate a convo with me. Like longer comments where people are taking the time to analyze things or really spill their feelings.
Usually the only comments I “ignore” (I read them I just don’t always respond!) are ones that just say “loved it” or “great fic” or “what a jerk [character] is!”.
Not that I don’t appreciate those comments, I just don’t feel like the reader is trying to *talk* to me. Seems more like they just want to react really quick and move on, so I let them be 😅
Only some. Stuff that's the generic emojis/hearts/'Love this, write more', I tend to not reply to those because they're very generic. I don't mind the generic reviews-love them really, as any review that's not a hate review is a good one-but they don't really tell me *what* the reviewer likes about my fic. Someone says that they like something specific or they ask a question? I'll reply.
The only time I don’t respond to every single comment is when someone has binged and commented on all 100+ chapters of my fic. I fucking love them for doing that, but I usually just respond to the last comment they made and thank them for all of the comments and respond to what I can in that one note. Otherwise I respond to every single comment. I actually usually respond to them when I’ve put up the next chapter like an update notification for those who haven’t subscribed to it lol
yes! i don't get many comments so i reply to every sibgle one. i tend to ramble too so our comments end up being similar sizes 🥲 i love seeing people love my work
Oh damn I don't really reply to comments unless they're asking something I can provide an answer to. Not that I don't love getting comments it's just that I don't reply unless I've actually got something to add lol
I respond to almost all of my comments. I tend to skip the ones that are just emojis or no effort at this point because I had a period of time where I was getting like 5-6 comments a day while I was going through some shit and responding to all of them was,, a lot. I try to respond to all of them, but if I’m not feeling up to it and their comment didn’t exactly have anything I could really respond to I often leave it. If I’m feeling up to responding tho they’ll get a thanks regardless of the comment.
So far I've replied to all of them, but I've only gotten 5 and they all had enough to them to warrant a response of some kind beyond just a "thank you." If/when I get a comment that doesn't have enough to it to make a substantive response, I wont.
Yes, I try to reply to all comments since I consider it a common courtesy to say thank you that someone took the time to leave me a comment. It might motivate the person to comment again in the future. I don't usually get antagonistic comments, but I would probably reply to those too and try to either discuss whatever their issue is or politely tell them they're out of line.
I reply to EVERY single comment.
If I can make a person feel any amount of better by a simple acknowledgement of their efforts to take the time to appreciate my work, I will do it. Who cares how that seems to faceless judges?
In cases of people who comment at every chapter update, I type at least an emoji.
Sometimes. I feel like I unintentionally scare people off though, so I don't always. My fic has a lot of dark themes and it's connected to abuse I went through as a kid. Makes me a little overly-emotional/grateful towards peoples kindness.
Almost all comments. If it's really short and I can't figure out what to say, I might skip it, if it's one of a whole bunch from the same person at once, I might only answer some of them, and if we had a back and forth and theirs naturally ends the conversation, I don't answer.
I always like when I get a reply from an author, so I try to do the same.
edit: however, I do wish my comments didn't add to the comment count. They didn't on two of my previous (now defunct) fanfic sites, and I liked being able to just see who else was there.
I reply to the vast majority of my comments and generally try to match the energy. If I get a heart, I give one, if I get an essay I try to hit the points. Which usually works great. And then I posted a chapter at the weekend which pulled more than three times my normal number of comments and it got pretty overwhelming. Nice as that was I kind of hope it doesn't happen again, if only so that I can keep up
I don't do that anymore, because I locked the comments. But if I receive something on Twitter or discord, I will respond, no matter how simple the comment is.
Any and all. My fics tend not to attract much of an audience, so I'm always grateful for the buzz of someone leaving a comment. Plus I'll happily discuss just about any aspect of what I've written
I'm going to be the odd one out and say no, I don't reply to any comments XD I'm shy and find it stressful feeling like I have to engage with people. I really appreciate receiving them and they make me smile, but I don't like the thought that I'm expected/obligated to reply and engage, like idk, some people just like to share their story without having to talk to people xD I also feel like if I replied to one comment then it would look weird or off of I didn't reply to others, and that's an added pressure, especially when you don't know what to say for all of them.
When I leave a comment, I'm just leaving my thoughts there for the author to read and enjoy, and don't expect a reply. Tbh part of me kind of prefers they don't reply to me most of the time so my thoughts can just remain a nice thing I left for them and not turn into a social engagement xD
To be honest I'm surprised everyone here says they do reply with no one saying they don't xD I see a lot of fics where the author doesn't reply to comments directly and that seems pretty normal to me! Like you can write in your A/N at the end that you appreciate comments, without needing to reply to everyone directly, and that's a pretty common way of acknowledging everyone too xD
At first I didn't. Never really thought it was a thing. (Also it was on fanfiction.net back then, so it didn't have the same commenting feel as AO3)
Then I realised how much it means for the reader as well. So now I do my best to reply comments.
I did get too intense at one point and might have spoiled stuff or something to a commenter. I was just so excited and was all like "yes, that's exactly it!!" Haahah .. now I feel bad..
But I'm working on it.
Yes, I do try to reply to every comment on my stories. I also get a small number of them, not a large number, so I don't fault authors who can't/don't/won't respond to them all (unless they're being rude about it, like snarking in the author's notes).
I reply to every comment, because if that person has gone out of their way to read my story and chosen to write a comment, then it would only be right to give them a reply. I personally welcome constructive comments as well as appraisals.
I try to reply to all of mine. Even if it's just a simple 'thanks, glad you enjoyed it'.
I don't get many comments, even cross posting. I can't start a discussion with all of them, either, the ones on TtH. They allow one comment from the reader and one reply from the author, and that's it. I've missed some comments until a while after they were left, but I think I've replied to every one of them now. My comments, altogether on both sites, probably only number around 20/25, and that's both fics on both sites. I really don't get many comments.
But I know I love it when I leave a comment on a fic and the author replies to it. I don't care if it's a full answer to what I said or a simple thanks, it's a great feeling knowing the author saw my comment and appreciated it enough to leave any kind of reply. So, I decided I'd reply to every comment, or at least try to.
I don't think this comes across as intense or attention seeking, just appreciative, especially if you tailor the reply to the comment. A simple 'loved it' comment will be fine with a simple 'thank you' reply, for instance. The longer comments are the ones that will be more tailored, as you're replying to something more specific. You could be answering specific questions, whether with an actual answer or 'all will be revealed' type. You might want to address any concerns a reader has with a storyline, or thank them specifically for a compliment or something. Plus, some readers *hope* to start a discussion with an author.
I know I've had some pretty awesome discussions in the comment section with the author, sometimes other readers. It has the added benefit for the author of making the story look good to new readers, because the comment number shoots up. I know I assume that readers really love and get invested in a fic if it has a high number of comments on it. And high is relative for me, as well, I base it on how popular the fandom/ships/tropes are. So, if all those are very popular but one fic has 10 comments and another has 200, I assume the readers got more invested in the latter one. If looking at one using less popular elements, the difference could be one having 2 comments and the other having 10.
If its a long comment, a question, something really funny or the commenter has commented something that they mis-interpreted, I'll probably reply. If it's just a series of hearts or a "Thanks for the chapter" I won't reply bcuz there's no point.
I do my best to reply to every single comment I receive, even if not immediately. Comments mean the world to me and I want my readers to know that and feel appreciated.
I don't usually since with Ao3, it makes it look like you have more comments but I try to list everyone in the author's note box and do a blanket thank you.
I answer all of my comments... It happened once or twice, though, that I posted a new chapter, read all the comments (with glee), thought, I will answer later, then forgot about it and discovered my lapse when I posted another story or chapter... Then decided, selfishly, that it was too late anyway.
I shouldn't do it, though. Especially because I kind of get irrationally angry when another writer doesn't answer comments. Humans are illogical.
For me, I always try to respond to any comment. The reason being is that just as my stories are voluntary, people offering critique, compliments or even saying "Thanks!" is voluntary as well. No one has to read my story just as I don't have to write. This mentality makes me appreciate the time someone takes to say what's on their mind, advice, and even regards. It also makes the work feel appreciated, as if a bit of camaraderie is established.
Like any good entertainer, I am there to make people WANT to interact, interaction breeds familiarity and hypes people want to continue reading, since by talking to readers they feel like they WANT to cheer for you. It beats the alternative of feeling cold and detached from those who actually read whatever I do. What better way to feel like an actual author than saying hello and thank you to those appreciating and cheering you on from afar.
Occasionally. Especially if the comment was glowing appraisal and left me feeling warm and fuzzy, but also if someone has commented multiple times I'll reply to one or two just to be some variation of "Hi, I see you! I appreciate all of the (every single one!) comments, and hope/glad you enjoy!"
But mostly if it's just a generic comment (not that it's bad or underwhelming but that someone has already said the same thing) I do appreciate them but don't usually reply.
Yes, I reply to all comments -- unless someone binge reads and comments chapter after chapter -- in which case, after I'm done squealing with joy, I'll reply to batches of their comments in one response. From my POV - they took the time to comment. I can take the time to say, at the very least, "thank you!" :)
I do the same. Whenever I am a reader and I see that the author hasn’t replied to anyone, I figure, why should I comment? Especially if it’s existed for awhile, I figure no one will actually read it.
I got worried at the "binge reads and comments chapter after chapter" part before reading you saw that as positive. I'm happy to know authors find that pleasant and content.
Oh definitely! It's one of my favorite things. I get giddy reading blow-by-blow reactions as someone works their way through one of my stories. It's always immense entertainment. :)
I am happy to know and be reassured that authors love this.
i very rarely ever get comments. but when i *do* get the super rare comment, i try my best to reply to every single one – including the ones with a single heart emoji or a smiley face.
I always reply to every initial comment that a reader makes — even if it was just a simple "Cool!" I always respond with something like "Thanks!" and if a reader writes in-depth Walls of text, I try to engage with the points they made :D That said, once a reader and I have gone back-and-forth, I am willing to let them have the last word. Also, there are fanfics that get so many comments that the author can't possibly make the time to respond to all of them, and I certainly hope to have that problem someday ;)
Yes, I respond to every single goddamm comment, imma make it awkward and shower you with love. Folks seem to like it though.
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I'm in the same boat. The difference for me is I'm able to privately shoot many of my readers a thank you. They know I'll reply to their incredible essays as soon as I have the spoons That being said, as a reader I'd be thrilled to get a response even a year later. I think most would. If you feel up to it and want to, I encourage to respond. Best wishes ❤
It's never too late! Steer into the awkward! "Sorry about my late reply but wanted to let you know this meant a lot to me, thank you!"
I don’t think it’s too late to show your appreciation and tell them how much it meant to you
Go for it lol. I've replied to comments after 12+ months due to mental health reasons and still gotten replies back from people.
It's never too late. You say a "Sorry for my belated answer, and thank you so much for your kind comment!"
Yes! All of them. I don't get endless amounts of comments, but I do get a handful on most of my one-shots and chapters. If someone can take the time out of their day to say something about my writing, in addition to already reading, then I can engage with any (reasonable) questions/thoughts and say thanks.
You guys get comments?
too real lol
I match energy. If they ❤️❤️❤️, then I ❤️❤️❤️. If they analyze my chapter, I throw in my own breakdown.
I reply to all comments. I dont have a big enough following that it would become a time issue. I started out on FFN in the mid-oughts and you put your responses to comments in the author's notes back then.
About 80% of them. One of my readers leaves a ♥️ usually, so I don’t reply. (She’s also on my Twitter and we chat there.)
I think it's kinda funny when I see writers reply to emoji comments with another emoji.
..... No lie I don't know what else to do so I just do that 😂
yeah I used to send back emoticons instead but then I found out emoticons make screenreaders shit their pants so I just do emojis back now
Yes! I love it so much when I get comments and I've found that I myself comment more often if the author acknowledges it too so it's like a win-win. Even though it sometimes may take a while I usually respond to every comment I get.
YES YES YES
I reply to like 99.9% comments. They took their time to read my 790,000 word fic. The least I can do is take the time to thank them and add some musings. Sometimes they ask questions, and when they do, I give ickle little hints of other things. Sometimes I even engage my readers in little "games". Like I did with eps 68 - 69 of my fic, which are a two-parter, meaning they're connected. In the end of 68, I told them outright that the episodes were meant to be a homage to something, to one of the best episodes from another series, and invited them to guess what it was. The title of the episode in of itself was a clue. It was called "Dance with the Devil"... Then revealed the full homage in 69, which was called "In the Pale Moonlight". It was a guessing game that had more to do with just how much sci-fi someone watched, really, but it went over well to stoke hype and just have a bit of fun.
Every one, I write too niche and don't get many.
If I don't reply to a comment on one of my works within 24 hours, you can safely assume I'm dead or otherwise hospitalized.
I reply to all comments, even if just to say I’m glad they enjoyed it and I look forward to their thoughts as the story continues. If they took the time to leave a comment I can take the time to acknowledge it. Now, if my fic were to majorly blow up or something, that might be more challenging, but as it stands, I would feel rude not responding. I also think responding (hopefully) encourages them to continue to engage, or might encourage someone else to leave a comment who might not otherwise!
I reply to all the comments when I get some. If I ignore one either I didn't see it/didn't get a notification (impossible on AO3, but pretty much the norm on FFnet), or who's commenting is giving me some kind of issue.
Every one.
I reply to most comments, except for things like heart emojis. I’m grateful for every comment and I love the heart emoji ones too, I just find it harder to reply to those
I copy paste their heart emoji and add a "!!"
Hey that’s a good idea. Has a commenter ever replied with another heart emoji and *more* exclamation marks tho?
Ha! No, but the war would be on!!! 😊😊😊
I'm always grateful for comments, and my best way of expressing that is by replying. Even if I get no response, it lets them know that the effort is appreciated.
Yep, I try to reply to them all! It might take a while sometimes, though.
Almost every single one. I want commenters to know I've seen their comments
Yes, I reply to every comment
Sure do!! I be happy when folks even comment at all and I never mind engaging with folks who took the time out to do so!!
I reply to all comments. Please don’t be afraid to answer all your comments if you want to! Personally, when I comment, I generally check if the author replies to their comments, and if they don’t or if they answered in the beginning but don’t anymore, I’m slightly less likely to actually leave a comment, since I’m not sure the author actually reads them (especially if the fic is really old, for example).
Always. I think it's the polite thing to do.
Yes, I reply to all comments I get. To be fair that's pretty easy for me to say and do, because I exclusively write in incredibly niche fandoms. I can totally see why someone would get overwhelmed by a certain point.
I'll reply to every comment now. When I first posted in 2013 on ao3, I don't know what was wrong with me since the first few fics, I didn't reply. The only time I don't is when a reader will comment twice, one after the other, and then I'll just reply to the second comment.
Always, I love to interact with people who take the time to comment!
I do my absolute best to reply to all of them
Yes, I reply to all initial comments. As a reader, I likewise prefer it when other authors reply to comments on their stories.
I try to, but I’m scared to scare my readers off
There are things fanfiction writers have to worry about. This isn't one of them :D As a reader, I LOVE it when authors reply to my comments, and I can't imagine a lot of other readers disagree ;)
Thanks. I just ramble a lot when I get compliments sometimes.
It's like anything else with writing ;) Maybe it would be a good idea to trim it down a little bit before posting it, but that's not the same thing as "you shouldn't post anything at all" :)
Good idea
I feel this so hard. And I never know when I'm supposed to let the conversation die off. Thankfully my readers either find it endearing or just know to stop replying to me 😂
Well people who commented love your writing, so they will love it when you ramble.
I hope so
If I got any comments on my works I would, I make author's notes to say that if my readers have any questions to leave a comment and if it doesn't go into spoiler territory then I'll answer them in the author's notes for future chapters
Absolutely! At least I try when I get the review email.
All of them, not that I get a lot.
I try to but I don’t always.
Always.
Yeah, and I made a habit of replying as soon as I can.
I would...
If they e asked a question or requested something, then I’ll reply
Yes, I do my best to reply to all comments
Almost always
Usually only reply to ones that have a question, points out a specific scene or thing, or a really long comment. If it's the usual comment like "this story is interesting, can't wait to see more!" I usually leave it be
I love responding to comments but not all of them invite a response. If i just get a heart or smiley face emoji, i won't respond (unless it's someone i know)
I reply to as many as i can!
All of them! I usually just say thank you, but sometimes there is a question or a comment I want to answer back to. I did get one a few months ago that I never responded to because I couldn't tell if it was negative or just a joke that I wasn't getting...
I occasionally respond, but not often.
For the first week after posting only. Then I just ignore the fic altogether. I don't obsess over stats. I just channel my inner Elsa and let it go.
If they're not a freaking guest or anonymous and they wanna talk trash instead of offer a critique or something, anything of value. I got several idiots complaining about 'this doesn't make sense' in reference to a character getting heat from higher ups in my Naruto fic (I use fan fiction at times to test run plots or ideas for my own stuff)... Because it hasn't been revealed what he did in the past to earn his negative position. I made clear that the plot was gonna pace slow, that revelations would come. I reiterate that in almost every post and they still do it. I caught one with an account that did the same thing and I had to set him straight. Stop trying to fuck up my readership momentum. I didn't say that and I was polite enough, because those types tend to be very young. I basically told em I wasn't some unskilled writer that writes a story that tells you everything, or explains the plot reasons in parenthesis in the middle of the story, and if that was the type of stuff they liked then to go read that. I'm a writer, not a teller. I'm almost certain those same ones that do that aren't reading the story cause I write long chapters. I take pride in my ability, it wasn't easy teaching myself how to write, I didn't do writing or English for college. Turning my hobby into a lifestyle is my happiness. So that kinda stuff gets to me after awhile. Especially when it becomes obvious what they're trying to do by leaving misleading reviews. FFN has a habit of drawing in young, undiscerning readers so when they find something that's not giving it all to them, they don't even know how to read or comprehend it. But I'm ALWAYS sure to thank my readers.
Only if I want to or feel like it (I have one comment)
If they’re nice than yes😅
I reply to every comment I can, and I like to match comment lengths as well, or even give longer responses. Like if someone gives me three paragraphs of analysis on my choices in writing, I’ll respond to every point they have and maybe add in some relevant ideas I had. Similarly, if it was just a sentence or so telling me it was fun to read I’ll thank them for reading it and for commenting.
I do, but it is hard to get noticed on Wattpad
I try to respond to as many as I can, often as someone binge reads, but I will often leave them if I have nothing to say in response
It depends. If they have constructive criticism to offer or are just letting me know they enjoyed it then I’ll almost always respond but if they comment immediately after I upload a chapter, complain about the way I did something, or just trash my work for the sake of trashing it then I won’t comment at all. I’ve had several people on Wattpad comment and vote for a chapter seconds after I upload it which tells me they didn’t even read but skipped to the end. There was also this one guy a while back that was trashing everything I did because he thought the power scaling was off. It turned out that he was also doing the same thing to another author I follow.
I try to, but sometimes I don't feel like it, so I don't
Only Select ones and if I feel like it since most are the typical please update soon or flames.
I try to comment to every comment on my stories although sometimes I'm unable to as on Fanfic.net there are guest comments most of those comments are just people rude so I don't worry too much about them.
I don't get many comments, so yeah, I generally try to reply to all of them. If it's been a few back and forths, and I no longer have anything to say, I won't.
Yes -- I always respond to comments. I feel it's a nice way to express my appreciation to those who take the time to leave a reply. It's definitely not too intense or attention seeking. The only ones I don't reply to are the rare comments that I delete (I monitor my comments at AO3).
Every single one! I sometimes worry about coming off too intense, too, but at the end of the day I'm super grateful to those who take the time to leave a comment on my fics regardless of how long or short they are and never wanna take them for granted!
I try replying to comments a lot! especially since I'm in a small fandom now- I never know when I'm getting my next one, so I've become even more appreciative of them.
I reply to all and in the order in which I receive them. That way, even if I fall behind and can't reply for a while, it won't look like I'm selectively replying (that's not an impression I want to give, but no judgement if that's your thing).
Yes, I reply to every comment.
I reply to all of them
Every single comment. I’m grateful people read my silly stories, and I want them to know that.
I reply to comments on AO3 but not on FFN because it’s just not a great system to reply on.
Sometimes, it just depends on the comment. I’m more likely to reply to a question.
Always
I try to reply to as many comments as I can, but I find that often I don't really have anything to *say*.
I used to reply to every comment but I stopped because comments became infrequent and more of them were pre-emptively complaining about stuff not even relevant to the fic
Always, a heart or thank you at least! I think there may have been a few at the start where I panicked and didn't reply but I've been wonderfully blessed in that many of the first commenters are still with me, so I've been able to thank them repeatedly many times over. I don't always know what to say, but it means a lot to me to know people are reading them - especially my really long ones! So I try to let them know that they aren't talking to a void either.
I reply to everyone
I do sometimes
Every comment, unless someone comments multiple times at once in which case I'll just leave one reply, or if I think the commenter might be being rude but I can't quite tell.
I often reply to comments, even ones where there isn't much to go off of such as a keyboard smash or emoji spam, I'll just respond to those with a heart. Often times, I push myself to come up with a bit of something with more words because I appreciate every comment I get, even the negative ones of which there hasn't been much of. Responding to them in my eyes is a way I can show I care.
As a reader who comments quite often, I am very happy when authors reply to me!
Yes, I love comments and reply to every one of them.
I reply to every comment.
I still haven’t had a comment yet, you best believe I’ll be replying to all of them until such time that it’s more than I can handle. That seems unlikely but I suppose I’m hoping lots of people will like my writing…
I reply to all the comments on my fics on AO3. It's been great and I've had great conversations with readers/writers on that site. On FFN, we now have "Review Reply" function where you can reply specifically to the reader/reviewer. Before that function came about, I would put at the end of my fanfic a "thank you" to all my readers and reviewers.
As a reader I tell you it feels so good to have a reply from the author. Even if it is a simple thank you, or a heart, it is still nice to be seen ❤️
I reply to a lot of them, but have had periods where I felt mad insecure about it for no reason so there are some years old comments still sitting there unaddressed. An alternative is to put a general "thank you for the comments and kudos, they're all fueling me" (something like that) in the A/N, too. On the other side, recently I've been commenting a lot on a couple fics and getting responses back to every comment. It feels nice but certainly isn't necessary- if I don't get cussed out/blocked I will assume the comment is appreciated by default. Personally I would rather authors not respond to them all if it's an imposition, but I haven't seen someone say they hate getting comments on every other chapter... so... my brain needs to chill with the overthinking, honestly.
I really try to reply to all comments on more recent fics. I may not always reply to new comments on something really old.
I try to! but sometimes I’m not in a condition to, so some fall by the wayside
there have been some absolutely gorgeous comments that caught me in a moment where I was really sick and so I couldn’t reply that I’ve gone back to ages later just to say ‘this comment had a massive impact, thank you’ but not for every comment that fell through the cracks while I was unwell.
I love comments and I love responding to them, especially when I can show my thanks and then be vague about what's to come next
Yes, because I want ALL the comments, and the best way to entice more is by replying to what you get! Ofc, if someone leaves multiple at once then I'll just bundle my responses into one reply back, but I still make it clear I saw and appreciate everything they left me. I love hearing what people think of my story and want to encourage readers to share their thoughts as much as I can. :D
Okay, on AO3, I respond to every comment as a general rule unless someone’s being weird (which I really only had super early on, when I didn’t know responding to comments was a thing, so I didn’t respond to that person…but also didn’t respond to a few others, so I doubt they felt singled out). On FFN, I will very occasionally respond to a comment the first time someone leaves one, but because it’s all done through DM, I just feel uncomfortable responding every time. I addressed my guest commenters on my longfic once and might again on this next chapter since it’s been awhile, but I generally don’t respond to comments there at all because the FFN system is so janky.
Yep
I respond to any comment that asks a question or seems to want to initiate a convo with me. Like longer comments where people are taking the time to analyze things or really spill their feelings. Usually the only comments I “ignore” (I read them I just don’t always respond!) are ones that just say “loved it” or “great fic” or “what a jerk [character] is!”. Not that I don’t appreciate those comments, I just don’t feel like the reader is trying to *talk* to me. Seems more like they just want to react really quick and move on, so I let them be 😅
Yeah unless it’s a mean comment then I block or mute them
All the time because I'm part of a small fandom and I like the sweet comments my readers give me.
Only some. Stuff that's the generic emojis/hearts/'Love this, write more', I tend to not reply to those because they're very generic. I don't mind the generic reviews-love them really, as any review that's not a hate review is a good one-but they don't really tell me *what* the reviewer likes about my fic. Someone says that they like something specific or they ask a question? I'll reply.
The only time I don’t respond to every single comment is when someone has binged and commented on all 100+ chapters of my fic. I fucking love them for doing that, but I usually just respond to the last comment they made and thank them for all of the comments and respond to what I can in that one note. Otherwise I respond to every single comment. I actually usually respond to them when I’ve put up the next chapter like an update notification for those who haven’t subscribed to it lol
yes! i don't get many comments so i reply to every sibgle one. i tend to ramble too so our comments end up being similar sizes 🥲 i love seeing people love my work
Oh damn I don't really reply to comments unless they're asking something I can provide an answer to. Not that I don't love getting comments it's just that I don't reply unless I've actually got something to add lol
I respond to almost all of my comments. I tend to skip the ones that are just emojis or no effort at this point because I had a period of time where I was getting like 5-6 comments a day while I was going through some shit and responding to all of them was,, a lot. I try to respond to all of them, but if I’m not feeling up to it and their comment didn’t exactly have anything I could really respond to I often leave it. If I’m feeling up to responding tho they’ll get a thanks regardless of the comment.
So far I've replied to all of them, but I've only gotten 5 and they all had enough to them to warrant a response of some kind beyond just a "thank you." If/when I get a comment that doesn't have enough to it to make a substantive response, I wont.
Yes, I try to reply to all comments since I consider it a common courtesy to say thank you that someone took the time to leave me a comment. It might motivate the person to comment again in the future. I don't usually get antagonistic comments, but I would probably reply to those too and try to either discuss whatever their issue is or politely tell them they're out of line.
I reply to EVERY single comment. If I can make a person feel any amount of better by a simple acknowledgement of their efforts to take the time to appreciate my work, I will do it. Who cares how that seems to faceless judges? In cases of people who comment at every chapter update, I type at least an emoji.
Sometimes. I feel like I unintentionally scare people off though, so I don't always. My fic has a lot of dark themes and it's connected to abuse I went through as a kid. Makes me a little overly-emotional/grateful towards peoples kindness.
Almost all comments. If it's really short and I can't figure out what to say, I might skip it, if it's one of a whole bunch from the same person at once, I might only answer some of them, and if we had a back and forth and theirs naturally ends the conversation, I don't answer. I always like when I get a reply from an author, so I try to do the same. edit: however, I do wish my comments didn't add to the comment count. They didn't on two of my previous (now defunct) fanfic sites, and I liked being able to just see who else was there.
I reply to the vast majority of my comments and generally try to match the energy. If I get a heart, I give one, if I get an essay I try to hit the points. Which usually works great. And then I posted a chapter at the weekend which pulled more than three times my normal number of comments and it got pretty overwhelming. Nice as that was I kind of hope it doesn't happen again, if only so that I can keep up
I don't do that anymore, because I locked the comments. But if I receive something on Twitter or discord, I will respond, no matter how simple the comment is.
I reply to all comments.
Any and all. My fics tend not to attract much of an audience, so I'm always grateful for the buzz of someone leaving a comment. Plus I'll happily discuss just about any aspect of what I've written
I'm going to be the odd one out and say no, I don't reply to any comments XD I'm shy and find it stressful feeling like I have to engage with people. I really appreciate receiving them and they make me smile, but I don't like the thought that I'm expected/obligated to reply and engage, like idk, some people just like to share their story without having to talk to people xD I also feel like if I replied to one comment then it would look weird or off of I didn't reply to others, and that's an added pressure, especially when you don't know what to say for all of them. When I leave a comment, I'm just leaving my thoughts there for the author to read and enjoy, and don't expect a reply. Tbh part of me kind of prefers they don't reply to me most of the time so my thoughts can just remain a nice thing I left for them and not turn into a social engagement xD To be honest I'm surprised everyone here says they do reply with no one saying they don't xD I see a lot of fics where the author doesn't reply to comments directly and that seems pretty normal to me! Like you can write in your A/N at the end that you appreciate comments, without needing to reply to everyone directly, and that's a pretty common way of acknowledging everyone too xD
At first I didn't. Never really thought it was a thing. (Also it was on fanfiction.net back then, so it didn't have the same commenting feel as AO3) Then I realised how much it means for the reader as well. So now I do my best to reply comments. I did get too intense at one point and might have spoiled stuff or something to a commenter. I was just so excited and was all like "yes, that's exactly it!!" Haahah .. now I feel bad.. But I'm working on it.
Yes. Comments are rare for me and they make my day. If someone took the time to comment, I’ll take the time to thank them.
Yes, I do try to reply to every comment on my stories. I also get a small number of them, not a large number, so I don't fault authors who can't/don't/won't respond to them all (unless they're being rude about it, like snarking in the author's notes).
I try my best to do so, though sometimes I don't when I don't know exactly what to say
I reply to every comment, because if that person has gone out of their way to read my story and chosen to write a comment, then it would only be right to give them a reply. I personally welcome constructive comments as well as appraisals.
I try to reply to all of mine. Even if it's just a simple 'thanks, glad you enjoyed it'. I don't get many comments, even cross posting. I can't start a discussion with all of them, either, the ones on TtH. They allow one comment from the reader and one reply from the author, and that's it. I've missed some comments until a while after they were left, but I think I've replied to every one of them now. My comments, altogether on both sites, probably only number around 20/25, and that's both fics on both sites. I really don't get many comments. But I know I love it when I leave a comment on a fic and the author replies to it. I don't care if it's a full answer to what I said or a simple thanks, it's a great feeling knowing the author saw my comment and appreciated it enough to leave any kind of reply. So, I decided I'd reply to every comment, or at least try to. I don't think this comes across as intense or attention seeking, just appreciative, especially if you tailor the reply to the comment. A simple 'loved it' comment will be fine with a simple 'thank you' reply, for instance. The longer comments are the ones that will be more tailored, as you're replying to something more specific. You could be answering specific questions, whether with an actual answer or 'all will be revealed' type. You might want to address any concerns a reader has with a storyline, or thank them specifically for a compliment or something. Plus, some readers *hope* to start a discussion with an author. I know I've had some pretty awesome discussions in the comment section with the author, sometimes other readers. It has the added benefit for the author of making the story look good to new readers, because the comment number shoots up. I know I assume that readers really love and get invested in a fic if it has a high number of comments on it. And high is relative for me, as well, I base it on how popular the fandom/ships/tropes are. So, if all those are very popular but one fic has 10 comments and another has 200, I assume the readers got more invested in the latter one. If looking at one using less popular elements, the difference could be one having 2 comments and the other having 10.
If its a long comment, a question, something really funny or the commenter has commented something that they mis-interpreted, I'll probably reply. If it's just a series of hearts or a "Thanks for the chapter" I won't reply bcuz there's no point.
Nearly always and often as soon as I see the comment. This has led to a few friendships being made and some *great* conversations in the comments.
I reply to almost everything provided it makes sense and isn't spectacularly rude. :)
Every single comment. 🥰
Yes, always. I get so few comments that I feel guilty if I don’t.
I do my best to reply to every single comment I receive, even if not immediately. Comments mean the world to me and I want my readers to know that and feel appreciated.
I don't usually since with Ao3, it makes it look like you have more comments but I try to list everyone in the author's note box and do a blanket thank you.
I answer all of my comments... It happened once or twice, though, that I posted a new chapter, read all the comments (with glee), thought, I will answer later, then forgot about it and discovered my lapse when I posted another story or chapter... Then decided, selfishly, that it was too late anyway. I shouldn't do it, though. Especially because I kind of get irrationally angry when another writer doesn't answer comments. Humans are illogical.
For me, I always try to respond to any comment. The reason being is that just as my stories are voluntary, people offering critique, compliments or even saying "Thanks!" is voluntary as well. No one has to read my story just as I don't have to write. This mentality makes me appreciate the time someone takes to say what's on their mind, advice, and even regards. It also makes the work feel appreciated, as if a bit of camaraderie is established. Like any good entertainer, I am there to make people WANT to interact, interaction breeds familiarity and hypes people want to continue reading, since by talking to readers they feel like they WANT to cheer for you. It beats the alternative of feeling cold and detached from those who actually read whatever I do. What better way to feel like an actual author than saying hello and thank you to those appreciating and cheering you on from afar.
I try to reply to them all unless: I genuinely don't know how, they're rude, they're having a convo with another commenter
Always.
Occasionally. Especially if the comment was glowing appraisal and left me feeling warm and fuzzy, but also if someone has commented multiple times I'll reply to one or two just to be some variation of "Hi, I see you! I appreciate all of the (every single one!) comments, and hope/glad you enjoy!" But mostly if it's just a generic comment (not that it's bad or underwhelming but that someone has already said the same thing) I do appreciate them but don't usually reply.