Replying etiquette: Opinions please

Published on November 22, 2005 By BlueDev In Blogging

What do the masses consider appropriate etiquette for replying to your own article?

I have, in the past, used one post to reply to all posts my articles had received during the time I was away. I did so to avoid appearing to be a points whore. However, I often found that my replies became long, full of all sorts of quotes and just plain difficult to follow, at least in my opinion.

So lately I have replied to each reply separately, in an effort to make it easier to navigate and see to whom I am responding. The downside is I end up bumping my own article multiple times (not multiple articles, just one article suddenly getting 3-4 or more new responses). And I end up feeling like a points whore.

So what do most folks consider to be appropriate etiquette? I appreciate hearing what folks think.

Comments (Page 2)

dynamaso

on Nov 24, 2005

It doesn't make a great deal of difference and I think anyone who gets annoyed about those who choose to respond in single posts are really making a mountain out of a molehill. Like Nadeon said:

I thought the whole point (pun intended) was to communicate, not keep score

latour999

on Nov 24, 2005

for me it depends. I don't usually reply to all if they are saying the same thing, or are just plain dumb. But I tend to reply to a couple at a time, and break them down into paragraphs. But I'm also too lazy to reply a lot of the time.

terpfan1980

on Nov 24, 2005

I think what ever YOU decide to do is RIGHT. blast anyone elses opinions.

I think Moderate Man's opinions are worthless, and he is never RIGHT. He's always just moderate. Blast his opinion.

Just kidding.

I think his answer is dead on.

Do what you think is right, and what you think will make the most sense for your readers. If you think you can communicate your point and continue the discussion best using one reply, then go for that. If it seems you need to reply to a few points separately to make more sense of the discussion, then use a few separate replies. Whatever works for you.

Don't worry about being called a points whore. Unless you're so completely blatant about putting in many multiples of one-line replies that pick apart one original reply one line/paragraph at a time, most people will not consider you PW'ing (Points Whoring).

Again, do what works best for you and your audience. That is what matters. Not what others here want to think. Consider how many times people bump their own articles and yet no one really says a word about it. If you haven't been doing that, then you really have nothing to be complained about.

Dr Guy

on Nov 24, 2005

Don't worry about being called a points whore.

Some have done that, and were overt about it. And most played along with them. Most dont do it. I have a religious article that got almost 200 responses (yes, many mine, less than half). Some avoid religion. I was impressed and surprised by the fact it fared so well.

Some never post to the lesser known forums. Of all the forums, I would estimate I have posted to over half. I wonder how many have done so to that many of them?

is that point whoring? I dont beleive so. I post to the forum of most significance. Others just hang out in Politics or Blogging. Are they? I guess that is for them to decide. I dont judge.

dynamaso

on Nov 27, 2005

Simply stating that it annoys me is hardly making a mountain out of a molehill! It would have to be a molehill's worth of annoyance in the first place, which it is not, it resembles a hill of beans more than the hill of a mole

Sorry, Whip, if I offended you (I'm sure I didn't). I wasn't pointing my comment at you particularly. You're right too, it does really only add up to a hill of beans.

Trudygolightly

on Nov 27, 2005

I do a little of both.......depends on the situation.

btw, I know people "bump" their article to get it on the Forum iniatially...how on earth are they bumping
it to get it to come back up???

The way it's been going lately, I really don't have to worry about writing replies either way.....wahhhhhh

, it's YOUR call BluDev !

BlueDev

on Nov 27, 2005

btw, I know people "bump" their article to get it on the Forum iniatially

I don't get that. I have no problem seeing my posts show up in the forums, sans annoying *bump*. Odd.

Shovelheat

on Nov 27, 2005

I do the best I can is all. And that's far from perfect. I like how Tex does it myself.

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