Using Review Area As Mini-Forum

[Guest Flesh_Seraph]

Obviously it's really limited, but I find myself often posting reviews to my own work, to respond to other reviews. Sometimes it's just thanking another author for a review, sometimes it's discussing an issue a reader had. This happens because, unfortunately, a vast majority of reviewers don't have forum accounts or make use of the "Discuss this story" link, and it's not possible to leave private messages for authors in the archive (unless they also have a forum account and so do you).

Does anyone else do this? I'm finding it's a good way to achieve the communication for which I'm starving. People who comment on my stories naturally have at least some overlapping interest with me.

Anyway, I guess I should ask- does this count as subverting the intent of the review system? I'm really hoping not.

- FS

[Guest MortiferLascivio]

Actually I don't do that because I like to keep count of the real reviews I have and if I did that it would kinda mess that up and make more work of it than necessary. Also, I can't be sure that the reader actually comes back and reads the reviews to see if I've replied to them or something. I like to save review replies for the next chapter, where I'll do it at the top or bottom of the chapter. I find it works better and gives a higher chance of the reviewer actually getting their answer (if they come back and read more). I later go back and delete the replies just so the chapters don't look like a huge mess. Of course, I also used to have my own email list of reviewers who wanted me to alert them when updates happen and/or reply to their reviews.

[JayDee]

I've not replied in reviews mostly because I have assumed someone has posted and unlikely to come back again, but on occasion where somebody has had an email address in profile I have emailed a reply. (As opposed to the always hidden email section of the profile, some have emails in stories/the text area of profile)

It does seem to be quiet common for users with a firm oft-returning readerbase to do it though, so I don't see problems if it works for folks!

[Keith Inc.]

I dislike putting author notes in a chapter, unless it's the very last chapter. it seems to me to break the flow of the story. I mean, even more than posting individual pages in the board format....[/cent][/cent]

I post reviews of my own. Even if the reader never returns and sees if i answered a question, someone else may have the same question.

And since i allow anonymous reviews, i don't always have a contact point.