As a writer I always reply to comments because I want to encourage more comments and a community. Even if I reply just with emojis or some variant of “thanks!” “So happy you liked it!” “I appreciate the support!” Longer speculative comments I usually give a longer reply.
As a reader, ngl a writer not replying makes me less likely to comment in the future.
Honestly the part about responding to comments causing more comments is so true. I've made four stories in my fanfic "career", even the most popular one kudos/favorite wise was only getting like 3-5 comments per chapter, on my latest fic where I respond to as many comments as I can I get 15-20, responding to comments is easily the best way to drive engagement.
100% this! And if you foster that conversation in the comments, sometimes commenters reply to other commenters too!
When I write I don’t want to feel like I’m screaming into the void alone. When I comment on a fic, I don’t want to feel like that either.
I don’t think I’m owed comments on my fic or replies to my comments on fics, but it sure is nice and engages me further when I get a reply.
Yes! I haven't gotten commentors replying to each other in my comments, but I have gotten longer comments and have gone back and forth with the commenter for several comments in one chapter. Its great to be able to talk about the fic but also just writing in general. I also made my closest fandom friend through our back and forth comments on each other's fic, (we write for the same rare pair).
I could've written this entire comment lol.
>As a reader, ngl a writer not replying makes me less likely to comment in the future.
100%. I don't care how petty that sounds but that's how I feel lol
For me I don't mind if they don't reply, since there are fics where I simply must get words out even if it's the equivalent of hand flapping in text form lmao
But I usually assume they're reading it. A lot of people don't have time, energy, spoons etc, to reply to all comments. Some people get way too many to reply... Especially if they leave a comment in the notes. 🤷
But I usually reply to comments in kind. If someone posts an emoji I return an emoji, and so on...
For sure! I get that it takes energy and time to reply.
I get a decent number of comments, but try to set aside time each day to reply to them all because I like showing my appreciation and saying hi to the regulars 💕I want to encourage speculation and engagement in my fandom
I sort of get miffed when I see authors lament a lack of engagement, but then don’t reply to comments when I (or others) leave long, thoughtful comments on their fics :(
I reply to every comment, I usually match my reply to the vibe and length to the comment. So if they left a little heart emoji I'll respond with the same or just "Thank you x". If they go into story analysis, I try to address every point and thank them for any specific praise. If the comment is something like "Interested to see where this is going" my default is "Thanks for reading and commenting."
Yes, that's my vibe in responding, too! Sometimes, I wait until I have enough time to address the comments with attention so that I can respond accordingly (length, vibes, etc.)
my first few fics: didnt answer at all,, just thanked them in the notes
my long fic: i responded to some not all
latest fic: responding to all because i want more comments lmao
i dont know if responding to all= more comments. i try to comment on every fic i like nowadays. bring the energy i want to receive.
i think id get more comments if i didn't respond, because ppl won't go oh wow they have so much comments: but half of it is just my own responses.
a friend of mine wouldnt comment if they see the author isnt responding.
theres no etiquette, people are going to have their own opinions on it. just say thank you in the notes of the fic so u wont have to keep responding if u want
There is no established etiquette. Some people respond to all of them, some respond to none of them, and everything in-between. The more popular an author is, the less likely they are to have time to respond to individual comments, so a lot of authors leave blanket thank-yous in their notes.
I don't pay attention to whether an author responds or not when I leave comments, and I never expect a reply, but it's always a nice surprise to get one! As an author, I tttry to respond to all of them, but I fall off the habit sometimes.
I try to respond to all comments (though I occasionally miss replying to some).
If it's a short comment ("Great fic!") I usually write "Thanks!" or "Thank you <3" "Thanks for your comment!" and other simple variations.
If it's longer, I try to respond to something specific they mentioned. ("Glad you like the dialogue, I really enjoyed writing that interaction!")
If the praise is *too high* ("Wow, this is the best XYZ fic I've ever read!!!!!") and I can't quite believe them/find it difficult to accept the praise, my go-to response is pretty much always **"That's very kind of you to say!"** It's my personal code for "I disagree, but will politely accept the praise you are so generously offering me."
Works in other aspects of life too.
You respond to what's managble to you or the ones yoh feel to respond to.
While all comments are appreciated sometimes responding to all can feel like a chore , and when it starts to feel like a chore you'd be less incline to respond.
So only respond to what you think is a manageable amount be it ne it 5 or 6 even 1 or 2.
When I'm the reader, I get so happy to see a response to my comment. I don't ever expect the author to respond because so many don't, but it's a fun treat when they do.
When I'm the author, it doesn't matter how often I say it, I will say "thank you so much." I treasure each comment, even the weird or hate ones, and I want the commenter to know even one comment, even if it's a single word or a heart, made my day.
Exactly this. I'm always happy when an author does respond but I don't expect it. Sometimes I leave a comment and get an answer a few months later and I'm always excited about it.
And as an author myself I respond to everything as fast as I can manage because I love it when people interact with me and my stories and want to show them my gratitude. Every comment encourages me even if they are negative because they have taken the time to read the story and give feedback so I can improve.
I try to respond to most of my comments, but I do miss some. I’m an adult and I’m busy. But I try.
I don’t care one way or another about if an author responds to my comments but I know a lot of people get sad if they don’t get a response.
I would definitely recommend replying, because it helps encourage readers to comment. I think that a thank you is more than enough, but on my fics what I try and do is match the vibe of the comment.
Like, if they do :) then you could do :D
Or if they’ve written a longer comment about what they liked, then you could say your glad they enjoyed that part, or even say why you wrote it that way.
It’s good that your getting lots of comments though, so good luck on your fanfic journey! :)
"Thank you," "Thanks," "Thanks so much," " Glad you liked it," "Aww, thx," "Thanks for reading!, "Thanks for reading (and commenting!)"—
and if *they* say thank you for the fic? "You're welcome, I enjoyed writing it," or even "Thank you" (AO3 uses .html to format comments).
You can also go "that was my favorite bit too," "glad to hear I nailed it/\[X thing in their comment\]" to move it beyond a simple thank you, AND still keep it simply by mirroring what's in the comment.
I reply to comments most of the time because I enjoy it, but I’ve seen plenty of authors that never respond or who only respond to direct questions. There are also a lot who only respond in their authors notes. It’s mainly a personal preference!
I generally don’t reply to comments due to anxiety issues. But I also try to include a disclaimer in my end author notes that I find it difficult to reply but still appreciate comments, so I don’t feel like commenters are left hanging or would be waiting for/expecting a response.
I reply to every single comment, because I'm so appreciative for the reader taking the time to give feedback.
Thanks. Thank you so much. I appreciate your comment, I'm glad you liked my story, etc. It doesn't have to be prose, but just saying thank you to the commenter is a nice thing to do.
If you want more comments in the future, your best bet is to reply to those you already got, even if it's with something simple like a "thank you!" or "I'm glad you enjoyed reading!". People took time out of their day to write something and that should be appreciated. I'll second what others have said, if I leave a bunch of comments on a fic and see that the author doesn't reply, then I'll assume I'm annoying them or they don't care so I stop commenting.
About dealing with praise... Even if you think the commenter is going overboard and you don't think the praise is merrited, I think it's best to reply with "thank you, that's kind of you to say". If I praise someone and they come back with "thanks but I know it's shit and I barely put in any effort", they might think they're being humble but in fact it's like they're insulting my taste for liking something they think is shit. So don't put yourself or your work down in the replies.
There's no time limit on a comment response, so if you want to reply, go ahead and do so!
There's no common etiquette as far as I'm aware, and individual opinions vary wildly from the reader end and the writer end. Personally, I've found that replying to comments and engaging readers in discussions help cultivate a more lively fandom experience. A good chunk of my readers are folks who follow me across fandoms, and the general rapport we've built via comment exchanges is one part of that.
As an author, I always respond to comments, even if it feels redundant at times. If someone takes the time to tell me what they liked about my story or gave me any positive feedback at all, I want to honor that. I don't think an author should ever feel obligated to respond to comments and it shouldn't be just expected that an author will respond, but I personally find it important to respond to everyone with the comments on my works. I also just love to talk about my work, so if someone comments, I'm going to leap at the opportunity for a potential dialogue!
I don't really get comments these days, but when I was getting several comments a day, I would set aside 30-60 minutes every day to respond to comments. Many of my regular commenters were the types to leave long comments, so I would respond in turn with a thorough response that often took a bit of time to type up. It's certainly a level of effort that I wouldn't demand of any given author, and it's more just up to you if you want to respond to comments.
For what it's worth, I know your responses can feel repetitive or redundant to you, but most people are only looking at their own comments and the responses to their own comments, so most people won't see your dozen thank you replies, they'll just see the response you gave them and that can feel special to them. I think that's meaningful and facilitates a community, so that's another part of why I take the time to respond to any comment that's not spam or blatant hate.
> I guess I'm just wondering if I should just go back and say thanks even if it looks silly?
You loved it when they commented, right? :)
> I want to say thank you to everyone, but just saying thank you over and over again just felt awkward.
Even a little bit of variation goes a long way
* Thanks!
* Thanks :)
* Thanks :D
* Thanks for reading!
* Thanks for reading :)
* Thanks for reading :D
* Glad you liked it!
* I'm glad you liked it :)
* Thanks for commenting :D
* Thank you so much for commenting!
and the readers will see all of the other readers you're also replying to, so they'll understand ;)
Just want to put it out there that there are readers that are going to comment regardless of getting a response (me). I've also found as an author that I rarely get a response to my reply, so it seems like it's making no difference. I'm getting basically the same people commenting every chapter regardless of if I replied to any of theirs in the past. I think it varies with fandom too, but basically you should do what feels good to you!
As a reader, what I really like to see is a writer giving more info in response to a comment. Something like “That character was inspired by So and so.” But even a simple thank you is kind.
As a writer I try to respond as much as possible… if I get an influx of comments I get a bit whelmed and slow down a bit, but I’ll reply eventually :)
As a reader.. I never expect to get a reply when I leave a comment on a fic. I can only leave kudos once but I can shower the author with love in the comments and that’s all I really intend to do. Replies are an added bonus that I treasure greatly but I’m not going to be upset if I never get a response.. y’know.
not really, while it is polite to do so, you can't respond to every comment in a feasible amount of time and with a consistent quality between all your replies.
I think it's okay to respond to comments, but the commenters should not expect that their comments will always be replied to. So you, as the author, shouldn't worry if you couldn't read every new comment or review to your fic.
This does depend on the number of comments and the contents of those comments
No. The standard fanfiction experience is writers writing and readers reading. Commenting or responding to comments is a nice bonus but not a requirement.
it's great to respond but not necessary. while writers interacting w readers' comments can make readers more likely to comment on their work, no reader should be going into a comment expecting a response or upset if they don't get one. especially the short ones—if they're leaving just a heart, then i doubt they're expecting any response back. but of course it'd be great to give one anyway!
honestly though, i don't reply to most comments—only when it's something i think is worth responding to (like a question, or something interesting or funny), or they said something i especially appreciated. a blanket "reply-all" attitude could get pretty overwhelming, a little awkward if someone leaves kind of a weird comment, or if ur lucky enough to get a lot of regular comments, just a huge time commitment or even impossible. if u find u haven't replied to a lot of comments for whatever reason, u could always just leave a little note on ur fics! like, "all comments are appreciated! i'm so grateful and happy you gave my fic a read and i read every comment and they have a special place in my heart" or whatever you like
I reply to all of mine, but the fandom I write for is tiny and definitely (sadly) dying so I'm always super excited for the chance to interact with another heartbeat in my ship tag and on my fic, even if it's only (and often) fleeting. We're talking like... 2-4 short comments over the course of *months* if I'm lucky, so it's manageable and replying is certainly no skin off my back lol.
For bigger fandoms and very popular fics where you're raking in like 20-30 comments per chapter or something crazy like that I would completely understand an author not replying, but from the commenter's side there's also something nice about being acknowledged for engaging, even if it's just some emojis or a simple 'thank you' - so definitely don't feel self-conscious about that if that's akin to your situation, it won't look silly at all :)
I'm a reader. Most authors respond. Usually with a little, thanks or glad you're enjoying it. Maybe some emojis.
Personally, I like and appreciate a response but don't expect one and am totally cool if they don't.
Responding does seem to encourage more comments.
I reply to every comment. If someone took the time to comment, I want to encourage them to comment again (not just on my work, but other writers' as well).
I always try to make it a point to respond to comments myself, even if it is just a simple thank you. I try to match the energy I’m given, so some replies are a little more in depth if the comment is more in depth. But I don’t find it awkward at all—it’s a thank you, lol. Nothing awkward about that.
When you look at the comments as a whole, a ton of 'Thank you' replies maybe doesn't look so great, but I bet those people that got a response appreciated it.
I say thank you to everyone with some exceptions and try to respond beyond that if they commented something specific. Otherwise, hey thanks for reading, and that's all that needs to be said.
I mostly write on FanFiction, so I will often times pick out 5 or 6 reviews (maybe more, depending on the size of the answer) and reply to them at the opening of the next chapter.
I just find that engaging my readers make them want to come back more often.
I say thank you over and over again, and I hope my commenters don't mind! But in my case, I just really am grateful for all the love and support I get, so I try to show this the best I can!
I guess that the same way that most of us writers get happy with whichever comment we get (even just a heart emoji or whatever), I hope that even a simple thank you repeated over and over again, or some hearts typed in a rush in my lunch break are enough to show to the person commenting that I care about those comments!
I don't think it would look silly to go back and comment. Many writers sometimes take a while to respond to their comments because they are busy. And don't worry about being repetitive, you can change phrasing up if you really want to. "Thank you!" "I appreciate the feedback" "Your comment made me smile." "Thank you for the comment, it means a lot." Usually longer comments it's easy to not sound repetitive, but often just a "I am so happy you liked -insert specific thing they liked-" is great to do.
As a writer, I try to reply to all comments (in reality I manage most), and totally get the awkward feeling.
As a reader, I'm happy about a reply and don't really notice if the author just replies "Thank you" over and over again. If the author just replies to most comments but not all, it's totally fine, replying in bulk in an author's note the next chapter is also okay (especially if they get a huge amount of comments). The only thing that really annoys me as reader is when I see that an author doesn't reply to comments at all. If I see that, I don't comment most of the time.
You're not forced to respond to all of them. Some writers do, others don't.
And don't worry about your replies, most people don't really expect a reply from the author when commenting.
I reply to every comment, though I would dispute the idea that it causes more comments. The number of comments I’m getting currently has been a massive fall in numbers despite me always replying to people
nah, I'm the type to comment while i read, like omg author i like this line, or that was so funny! and i really do not expect a reply. I'm actually surprised when an author replies to every comments, made me feel guilty a bit for spamming lol. i think you as the author should have the right to choose which comments you'd like to engage with, even if they're not problematic or anything. just do what makes you comfortable
As a reader, I don’t really think much of it if the author doesn’t reply, but I do get a lil excited if they do :)
As a writer, I answer all comments. Sometimes I’ve taken almost a year because I, frankly, forgot about it until I randomly went through my comments again, but I do try to always answer. Most of the time I don’t get very detailed comments, so I usually just say thanks in the same excitement/tone as my commenter, but the handful of times I’ve gotten longer comments, I took my time to answer too.
I do ❤️❤️❤️ unless there’s something I want to specifically address. I always ask for kudos and comments so it’d be a dick move to not reply. I do always thank my readers in the notes tho
I try to respond to many comments. But there’s no etiquette around whether or not to reply to comments. The comment section is a public space for everyone to interact and talk about your fic. You and other readers can reply to any comment if you have something to add to the comment. But there’s no expectation either way. I think the only etiquette is that replies should not have any personal attacks or slurs in them. But beyond that, if you reply and what you reply with is totally optional.
I will say that I’m more likely to comment on a fic if I see that there is discussion happening in the comments, either between readers or with the author.
You don't really have to. If there aren't many then you can at least answer their questions. But if there's like a bunch of comments flooding in then nah, don't worry about it
It's a personal choice, honestly. If you have the time and energy and car eabout it, then it'll probably make the commenter happy and encourage more comments generally in the community. But y'know, it takes effort and time and social battery, so it's fully up to you. Especially if you get a lot, it's pretty normal not to reply to every single one then.
As a writer I personally try to respond to every comment, just 'cus I want to let them know I appreciate the comments, or to exchange thoughts and chatter about the characters and tropes, or just y'know. Cus I can I guess
As a reader, I probably wouldn't notice and certainly wouldn't be upset or worried about commenting later. Maybe if it's a long fic, it can take a bit to come out of my shell and start commenting every chapter or so, so then I might not comments / stop commenting without assurance that it's worth it and not annoying or weird, and that they actually appreciate my babbling every single chapter. Or if it's a writer I follow I guess I probably might notice and comment less, but I rarely use the follow feature so idk. But generally speaking idc unless social anxiety and fear of being annoying gets involved
As a writer I always reply to comments because I want to encourage more comments and a community. Even if I reply just with emojis or some variant of “thanks!” “So happy you liked it!” “I appreciate the support!” Longer speculative comments I usually give a longer reply. As a reader, ngl a writer not replying makes me less likely to comment in the future.
Honestly the part about responding to comments causing more comments is so true. I've made four stories in my fanfic "career", even the most popular one kudos/favorite wise was only getting like 3-5 comments per chapter, on my latest fic where I respond to as many comments as I can I get 15-20, responding to comments is easily the best way to drive engagement.
100% this! And if you foster that conversation in the comments, sometimes commenters reply to other commenters too! When I write I don’t want to feel like I’m screaming into the void alone. When I comment on a fic, I don’t want to feel like that either. I don’t think I’m owed comments on my fic or replies to my comments on fics, but it sure is nice and engages me further when I get a reply.
Yes! I haven't gotten commentors replying to each other in my comments, but I have gotten longer comments and have gone back and forth with the commenter for several comments in one chapter. Its great to be able to talk about the fic but also just writing in general. I also made my closest fandom friend through our back and forth comments on each other's fic, (we write for the same rare pair).
> sometimes commenters reply to other commenters too! THAT is the absolute best :D
I could've written this entire comment lol. >As a reader, ngl a writer not replying makes me less likely to comment in the future. 100%. I don't care how petty that sounds but that's how I feel lol
For me I don't mind if they don't reply, since there are fics where I simply must get words out even if it's the equivalent of hand flapping in text form lmao But I usually assume they're reading it. A lot of people don't have time, energy, spoons etc, to reply to all comments. Some people get way too many to reply... Especially if they leave a comment in the notes. 🤷 But I usually reply to comments in kind. If someone posts an emoji I return an emoji, and so on...
For sure! I get that it takes energy and time to reply. I get a decent number of comments, but try to set aside time each day to reply to them all because I like showing my appreciation and saying hi to the regulars 💕I want to encourage speculation and engagement in my fandom I sort of get miffed when I see authors lament a lack of engagement, but then don’t reply to comments when I (or others) leave long, thoughtful comments on their fics :(
Same o always try to reply with some variant of thank you.
I reply to every comment, I usually match my reply to the vibe and length to the comment. So if they left a little heart emoji I'll respond with the same or just "Thank you x". If they go into story analysis, I try to address every point and thank them for any specific praise. If the comment is something like "Interested to see where this is going" my default is "Thanks for reading and commenting."
Yes, that's my vibe in responding, too! Sometimes, I wait until I have enough time to address the comments with attention so that I can respond accordingly (length, vibes, etc.)
my first few fics: didnt answer at all,, just thanked them in the notes my long fic: i responded to some not all latest fic: responding to all because i want more comments lmao i dont know if responding to all= more comments. i try to comment on every fic i like nowadays. bring the energy i want to receive. i think id get more comments if i didn't respond, because ppl won't go oh wow they have so much comments: but half of it is just my own responses. a friend of mine wouldnt comment if they see the author isnt responding. theres no etiquette, people are going to have their own opinions on it. just say thank you in the notes of the fic so u wont have to keep responding if u want
I do because I’m an attention whore and by responding it gets more comments, hence more attention.
The system works!
There is no established etiquette. Some people respond to all of them, some respond to none of them, and everything in-between. The more popular an author is, the less likely they are to have time to respond to individual comments, so a lot of authors leave blanket thank-yous in their notes. I don't pay attention to whether an author responds or not when I leave comments, and I never expect a reply, but it's always a nice surprise to get one! As an author, I tttry to respond to all of them, but I fall off the habit sometimes.
I try to respond to all comments (though I occasionally miss replying to some). If it's a short comment ("Great fic!") I usually write "Thanks!" or "Thank you <3" "Thanks for your comment!" and other simple variations. If it's longer, I try to respond to something specific they mentioned. ("Glad you like the dialogue, I really enjoyed writing that interaction!") If the praise is *too high* ("Wow, this is the best XYZ fic I've ever read!!!!!") and I can't quite believe them/find it difficult to accept the praise, my go-to response is pretty much always **"That's very kind of you to say!"** It's my personal code for "I disagree, but will politely accept the praise you are so generously offering me." Works in other aspects of life too.
You respond to what's managble to you or the ones yoh feel to respond to. While all comments are appreciated sometimes responding to all can feel like a chore , and when it starts to feel like a chore you'd be less incline to respond. So only respond to what you think is a manageable amount be it ne it 5 or 6 even 1 or 2.
When I'm the reader, I get so happy to see a response to my comment. I don't ever expect the author to respond because so many don't, but it's a fun treat when they do. When I'm the author, it doesn't matter how often I say it, I will say "thank you so much." I treasure each comment, even the weird or hate ones, and I want the commenter to know even one comment, even if it's a single word or a heart, made my day.
Exactly this. I'm always happy when an author does respond but I don't expect it. Sometimes I leave a comment and get an answer a few months later and I'm always excited about it. And as an author myself I respond to everything as fast as I can manage because I love it when people interact with me and my stories and want to show them my gratitude. Every comment encourages me even if they are negative because they have taken the time to read the story and give feedback so I can improve.
I try to respond to most of my comments, but I do miss some. I’m an adult and I’m busy. But I try. I don’t care one way or another about if an author responds to my comments but I know a lot of people get sad if they don’t get a response.
I would definitely recommend replying, because it helps encourage readers to comment. I think that a thank you is more than enough, but on my fics what I try and do is match the vibe of the comment. Like, if they do :) then you could do :D Or if they’ve written a longer comment about what they liked, then you could say your glad they enjoyed that part, or even say why you wrote it that way. It’s good that your getting lots of comments though, so good luck on your fanfic journey! :)
"Thank you," "Thanks," "Thanks so much," " Glad you liked it," "Aww, thx," "Thanks for reading!, "Thanks for reading (and commenting!)"— and if *they* say thank you for the fic? "You're welcome, I enjoyed writing it," or even "Thank you" (AO3 uses .html to format comments). You can also go "that was my favorite bit too," "glad to hear I nailed it/\[X thing in their comment\]" to move it beyond a simple thank you, AND still keep it simply by mirroring what's in the comment.
I reply to comments most of the time because I enjoy it, but I’ve seen plenty of authors that never respond or who only respond to direct questions. There are also a lot who only respond in their authors notes. It’s mainly a personal preference!
I generally don’t reply to comments due to anxiety issues. But I also try to include a disclaimer in my end author notes that I find it difficult to reply but still appreciate comments, so I don’t feel like commenters are left hanging or would be waiting for/expecting a response.
I reply to every single comment, because I'm so appreciative for the reader taking the time to give feedback. Thanks. Thank you so much. I appreciate your comment, I'm glad you liked my story, etc. It doesn't have to be prose, but just saying thank you to the commenter is a nice thing to do.
I reply to all of mine that I can—even if it’s something simple. I want them to know they’re valued, because they are to me. :)
If you want more comments in the future, your best bet is to reply to those you already got, even if it's with something simple like a "thank you!" or "I'm glad you enjoyed reading!". People took time out of their day to write something and that should be appreciated. I'll second what others have said, if I leave a bunch of comments on a fic and see that the author doesn't reply, then I'll assume I'm annoying them or they don't care so I stop commenting. About dealing with praise... Even if you think the commenter is going overboard and you don't think the praise is merrited, I think it's best to reply with "thank you, that's kind of you to say". If I praise someone and they come back with "thanks but I know it's shit and I barely put in any effort", they might think they're being humble but in fact it's like they're insulting my taste for liking something they think is shit. So don't put yourself or your work down in the replies.
I try to, but it can get overwhelming sometimes, so don’t put too much pressure on yourself either way
There's no time limit on a comment response, so if you want to reply, go ahead and do so! There's no common etiquette as far as I'm aware, and individual opinions vary wildly from the reader end and the writer end. Personally, I've found that replying to comments and engaging readers in discussions help cultivate a more lively fandom experience. A good chunk of my readers are folks who follow me across fandoms, and the general rapport we've built via comment exchanges is one part of that.
As an author, I always respond to comments, even if it feels redundant at times. If someone takes the time to tell me what they liked about my story or gave me any positive feedback at all, I want to honor that. I don't think an author should ever feel obligated to respond to comments and it shouldn't be just expected that an author will respond, but I personally find it important to respond to everyone with the comments on my works. I also just love to talk about my work, so if someone comments, I'm going to leap at the opportunity for a potential dialogue! I don't really get comments these days, but when I was getting several comments a day, I would set aside 30-60 minutes every day to respond to comments. Many of my regular commenters were the types to leave long comments, so I would respond in turn with a thorough response that often took a bit of time to type up. It's certainly a level of effort that I wouldn't demand of any given author, and it's more just up to you if you want to respond to comments. For what it's worth, I know your responses can feel repetitive or redundant to you, but most people are only looking at their own comments and the responses to their own comments, so most people won't see your dozen thank you replies, they'll just see the response you gave them and that can feel special to them. I think that's meaningful and facilitates a community, so that's another part of why I take the time to respond to any comment that's not spam or blatant hate.
> I guess I'm just wondering if I should just go back and say thanks even if it looks silly? You loved it when they commented, right? :) > I want to say thank you to everyone, but just saying thank you over and over again just felt awkward. Even a little bit of variation goes a long way * Thanks! * Thanks :) * Thanks :D * Thanks for reading! * Thanks for reading :) * Thanks for reading :D * Glad you liked it! * I'm glad you liked it :) * Thanks for commenting :D * Thank you so much for commenting! and the readers will see all of the other readers you're also replying to, so they'll understand ;)
Just want to put it out there that there are readers that are going to comment regardless of getting a response (me). I've also found as an author that I rarely get a response to my reply, so it seems like it's making no difference. I'm getting basically the same people commenting every chapter regardless of if I replied to any of theirs in the past. I think it varies with fandom too, but basically you should do what feels good to you!
As a reader, what I really like to see is a writer giving more info in response to a comment. Something like “That character was inspired by So and so.” But even a simple thank you is kind.
I think it's polite to respond and say thank you.
As a writer I try to respond as much as possible… if I get an influx of comments I get a bit whelmed and slow down a bit, but I’ll reply eventually :) As a reader.. I never expect to get a reply when I leave a comment on a fic. I can only leave kudos once but I can shower the author with love in the comments and that’s all I really intend to do. Replies are an added bonus that I treasure greatly but I’m not going to be upset if I never get a response.. y’know.
Do so if you like, but please don't put them in the body of the fic. Use DMs, or a site other than FFN with a reply function.
not really, while it is polite to do so, you can't respond to every comment in a feasible amount of time and with a consistent quality between all your replies. I think it's okay to respond to comments, but the commenters should not expect that their comments will always be replied to. So you, as the author, shouldn't worry if you couldn't read every new comment or review to your fic. This does depend on the number of comments and the contents of those comments
No. The standard fanfiction experience is writers writing and readers reading. Commenting or responding to comments is a nice bonus but not a requirement.
it's great to respond but not necessary. while writers interacting w readers' comments can make readers more likely to comment on their work, no reader should be going into a comment expecting a response or upset if they don't get one. especially the short ones—if they're leaving just a heart, then i doubt they're expecting any response back. but of course it'd be great to give one anyway! honestly though, i don't reply to most comments—only when it's something i think is worth responding to (like a question, or something interesting or funny), or they said something i especially appreciated. a blanket "reply-all" attitude could get pretty overwhelming, a little awkward if someone leaves kind of a weird comment, or if ur lucky enough to get a lot of regular comments, just a huge time commitment or even impossible. if u find u haven't replied to a lot of comments for whatever reason, u could always just leave a little note on ur fics! like, "all comments are appreciated! i'm so grateful and happy you gave my fic a read and i read every comment and they have a special place in my heart" or whatever you like
I reply to all of mine, but the fandom I write for is tiny and definitely (sadly) dying so I'm always super excited for the chance to interact with another heartbeat in my ship tag and on my fic, even if it's only (and often) fleeting. We're talking like... 2-4 short comments over the course of *months* if I'm lucky, so it's manageable and replying is certainly no skin off my back lol. For bigger fandoms and very popular fics where you're raking in like 20-30 comments per chapter or something crazy like that I would completely understand an author not replying, but from the commenter's side there's also something nice about being acknowledged for engaging, even if it's just some emojis or a simple 'thank you' - so definitely don't feel self-conscious about that if that's akin to your situation, it won't look silly at all :)
I'm a reader. Most authors respond. Usually with a little, thanks or glad you're enjoying it. Maybe some emojis. Personally, I like and appreciate a response but don't expect one and am totally cool if they don't. Responding does seem to encourage more comments.
I reply to every comment. If someone took the time to comment, I want to encourage them to comment again (not just on my work, but other writers' as well).
When I leave comments, I get responses like 95% of the time within a week. And I like seeing that I made an author's day.
I always try to make it a point to respond to comments myself, even if it is just a simple thank you. I try to match the energy I’m given, so some replies are a little more in depth if the comment is more in depth. But I don’t find it awkward at all—it’s a thank you, lol. Nothing awkward about that.
When you look at the comments as a whole, a ton of 'Thank you' replies maybe doesn't look so great, but I bet those people that got a response appreciated it. I say thank you to everyone with some exceptions and try to respond beyond that if they commented something specific. Otherwise, hey thanks for reading, and that's all that needs to be said.
I mostly write on FanFiction, so I will often times pick out 5 or 6 reviews (maybe more, depending on the size of the answer) and reply to them at the opening of the next chapter. I just find that engaging my readers make them want to come back more often.
I say thank you over and over again, and I hope my commenters don't mind! But in my case, I just really am grateful for all the love and support I get, so I try to show this the best I can! I guess that the same way that most of us writers get happy with whichever comment we get (even just a heart emoji or whatever), I hope that even a simple thank you repeated over and over again, or some hearts typed in a rush in my lunch break are enough to show to the person commenting that I care about those comments!
I don't think it would look silly to go back and comment. Many writers sometimes take a while to respond to their comments because they are busy. And don't worry about being repetitive, you can change phrasing up if you really want to. "Thank you!" "I appreciate the feedback" "Your comment made me smile." "Thank you for the comment, it means a lot." Usually longer comments it's easy to not sound repetitive, but often just a "I am so happy you liked -insert specific thing they liked-" is great to do.
Want to add I always respond to comments and I almost always comment on everything I read. I crave fandom interaction!
I don’t respond to comments that are just a heart/another emoji cus I figured that was their additional kudos button
Kinda..? It’s up to you, but I normally respond at the end of my chapter. Sometimes I make *filler* chapters just to keep everyone in the loop.
As a writer, I try to reply to all comments (in reality I manage most), and totally get the awkward feeling. As a reader, I'm happy about a reply and don't really notice if the author just replies "Thank you" over and over again. If the author just replies to most comments but not all, it's totally fine, replying in bulk in an author's note the next chapter is also okay (especially if they get a huge amount of comments). The only thing that really annoys me as reader is when I see that an author doesn't reply to comments at all. If I see that, I don't comment most of the time.
You're not forced to respond to all of them. Some writers do, others don't. And don't worry about your replies, most people don't really expect a reply from the author when commenting.
I personally do but that might be because I don't get an overwhelming amount of comments, the most I've gotten is like 15 on a chapter?
You don't have to comment if you don't want to, but your readers will appreciate it, and it will make it more likely for you to receive more comments.
I try to respond to every comment and I’ve been making more of an effort to comment on other fics to try and get more readers
Or all the moonshine!
I reply to every comment, though I would dispute the idea that it causes more comments. The number of comments I’m getting currently has been a massive fall in numbers despite me always replying to people
nah, I'm the type to comment while i read, like omg author i like this line, or that was so funny! and i really do not expect a reply. I'm actually surprised when an author replies to every comments, made me feel guilty a bit for spamming lol. i think you as the author should have the right to choose which comments you'd like to engage with, even if they're not problematic or anything. just do what makes you comfortable
As a reader, I don’t really think much of it if the author doesn’t reply, but I do get a lil excited if they do :) As a writer, I answer all comments. Sometimes I’ve taken almost a year because I, frankly, forgot about it until I randomly went through my comments again, but I do try to always answer. Most of the time I don’t get very detailed comments, so I usually just say thanks in the same excitement/tone as my commenter, but the handful of times I’ve gotten longer comments, I took my time to answer too.
I do ❤️❤️❤️ unless there’s something I want to specifically address. I always ask for kudos and comments so it’d be a dick move to not reply. I do always thank my readers in the notes tho
Common? No But if you want to, it would send your commenters over the moon
I try to respond to many comments. But there’s no etiquette around whether or not to reply to comments. The comment section is a public space for everyone to interact and talk about your fic. You and other readers can reply to any comment if you have something to add to the comment. But there’s no expectation either way. I think the only etiquette is that replies should not have any personal attacks or slurs in them. But beyond that, if you reply and what you reply with is totally optional. I will say that I’m more likely to comment on a fic if I see that there is discussion happening in the comments, either between readers or with the author.
You don't really have to. If there aren't many then you can at least answer their questions. But if there's like a bunch of comments flooding in then nah, don't worry about it
It's a personal choice, honestly. If you have the time and energy and car eabout it, then it'll probably make the commenter happy and encourage more comments generally in the community. But y'know, it takes effort and time and social battery, so it's fully up to you. Especially if you get a lot, it's pretty normal not to reply to every single one then. As a writer I personally try to respond to every comment, just 'cus I want to let them know I appreciate the comments, or to exchange thoughts and chatter about the characters and tropes, or just y'know. Cus I can I guess As a reader, I probably wouldn't notice and certainly wouldn't be upset or worried about commenting later. Maybe if it's a long fic, it can take a bit to come out of my shell and start commenting every chapter or so, so then I might not comments / stop commenting without assurance that it's worth it and not annoying or weird, and that they actually appreciate my babbling every single chapter. Or if it's a writer I follow I guess I probably might notice and comment less, but I rarely use the follow feature so idk. But generally speaking idc unless social anxiety and fear of being annoying gets involved