Comments

[Ann]

Do you allow them on your blogs? Or are they just too much hassle?

[Nicole]

I don't allow them because I'm a scaredy cat :< Because there's always like that one person that wants to be negative and--and that makes me a sad panda :{
But lately I've been thinking about allowing them, because there are definite advantages. Idk, what do you think Bisky?

[G.G.]

Isn't there a way to filter comments?
Something that lets you see and approve them before they show?
Without removing every negative comments, you can at least remove the trolls...

[[deleted user]]

I can't have comments on my website and it annoys me (as I said in the article "No Comment?" on my blog). Of course, I'm anxious about the trolls as well, but (if I'm not mistaken) there's always a way to filter comments, as G.G. said.
I'm always eager to know what people think of my writing, and the (alas, very few) comments I get on my facebook page are always welcome.

[Ann]

My friend has a small blog with reviews and he's been getting drive by promotion on it already. I haven't really had any problems, mostly because my brother has put on filters that remove spam.

With negative comments on blogs, considering we're on the internet, I think the writing community is pretty docile, If you compare it with Fandoms for example. even the trolls I have had have only been on Twitter and that's mostly because I follow everyone back, so they aren't nessecarily writers. Might be something to think about :]

[Brian]

I allow comments on my blog, but all of the replies to my blog posts come via twitter, facebook, or IM. All the replies I get are direct messages.

[Nicole]

Hmm you all raise good points. Thanks! I think I'll give it a try ^^ I mean, how bad can it be? (<= famous last words) lol
But yeah, I think it'll be more beneficial than anything to allow comments :)

[Edit] It is done :o

[Wayne]

I allow comments on my website www.wayneelsner.com which I use for my books and my blog. Of course I don't have any problems with it as almost no one knows about it and no one has ever left a comment. The comment page is under my contacts and it looks if I ever get one that I will have the ability to publish it or not.

My biggest problem is getting people to take a look. I use Facebook and Twitter but it's slow.

[J. David]

I allow them but they must be approved by me, so I can weed out the spam and trolls. I'm okay with a negative comment as long as it's expressing the person's honest opinion and not just trolling. You can usually spot the difference pretty quick.

[Mark]

I encourage comments and fan participation, but recently, I've been having a lot of issues with fake new members that place spam ads. Assistant page administration has taken some of the load of policing it, though.

[Elaine]

I have an 'approve' comment set up, so that no comment gets published without my approval first. x

[Ann]

@Mark I think it's harder on places like facebook where you have limited ways of filtering people :]

[Mark]

Bisky, definitely so. I'm anxious for my author page to get put up and running, it will simplify things a lot.

[John]

I'm always excited to get a comment and while the negative ones hurt a bit, I take them with a grain of salt. If I didn't have some negative comments I couldn't improve, and so far nothing has been personal attacks. Yeay for that! :)

[T.C.]

I've not really got too far with the whole blogging thing, to be honest. I prefer the format of discussion, rather than me giving a whole load of opinion in one go and seeing if someone comments, if you see what I mean. I guess it's partly just what I'm used to, having spent so much time on (and running) internet forums - give a bit of opinion and ask a question or two, get replies, respond to them, and so on, and let the whole thing develop organically. I write some lengthy posts in such things, but I'm not so good at starting with a big monologue!