3 Min Read to Have a View on Building Relationships with Readers and Dealing with Comments
The article How to Do Self-promotion as a Writer? All You Need to Know is Here has mentioned that maintaining a healthy relationship with readers is essential for writers. But what exactly is the relationship between writers and readers, and how should writers deal with readers’ comments?
Writers have been asked how they feel about the comments of readers and their relationship with readers. “I used to read the comments religiously. However, I stopped. I’m a people pleaser, and I want to make my readers happy, but that is impossible because they all want different things. It can also turn a book into somewhat like fan-fiction, and that’s not what I try to write. Now I write what I feel works best for the character and the storyline,” when Ambernique Leggett was asked about this kind of question. She gave her answer.
Talking about developing or maintaining a healthy relationship with readers, different writers might have various opinions and means. In this article, we will discuss this topic in three aspects.
1. Make the content as valuable as you can
As we all know, content is king. Readers spend valuable time reading, and they also want something they desire, like emotional values, back. If a story is tedious, they might think reading it wastes time and not reading the story even from this writer anymore. So, making the content is valuable for them is the first step to connecting with them. A genuine relationship between readers and writers always starts with writers. Considering readers and their emotional needs and ensuring high-quality content are the first steps to bond with readers.
2. Encourage discussion among readers
Communicating with readers is essential. But how can a writer communicate with readers in a more effective and meaningful way? Rising discussion among readers might be the first choice. It is not just about knowing readers’ feelings about the stories, but understanding what they love most and what they want to read in the stories. To raise discussions, writers can ask the readers like posting a question and asking for answers in the comments. These materials, whatever positive or critical, would help and inspire writers to improve their works.
3. Remember, every comment is just one person’s opinion
When 100 people read the same story, there might be 100 different opinions about this story. Because writing is subjective, every reader would have a uniquely personal experience during reading. It is normal for someone to show their love for your story while others respond critically. With this in mind, it is essential to remember that although readers’ comments are valuable, these are only a few people’s evaluations of your work. As a writer, the creator of your fictional world, you can decide what is right for your story. As Ambernique Leggett mentioned above, she wrote what she felt best for the characters and storylines, although she said readers’ comments were important.
When you become a writer, you will find that writing a story is an art as well as communicating with readers. Such as determining what comments are useful, responding to comments, coping with criticism, etc. All these needs experience and skills. And, of course, different writers have different views. If you are confused about building a relationship with readers, talking with other writers might help. In the Stary Writing Facebook group, more than 80,000 writers are waiting to connect with you!
