Young Writers Society

I have a question for reviewers regarding a point of etiquette that I've been wondering about. Under what circumstances is it okay for someone to reply to a review that has been made on one of their pieces? Is it okay to:

1) Send a detailed message to the reviewer, responding to every comment that they made on your work
2) Defend some of the things the reviewer didn't agree with, and explain why you chose them
3) Explain one or two major points that the reviewer misinterpreted
4) Ask for clarification on one or more suggestions that were made by the reviewer
5) Suck it up and don't try to explain anything

Also, as a REVIEWER, under what circumstances are you obligated to respond to a reply from a reviewee?

So long as the reply is considerate and polite, there's no reason you can't respond to a review, even if it is to disagree. A number of reviewers, like myself, enjoy getting replies to our reviews, especially considerate and well-thought-out ones. It shows us that the writer has taken the time to actually read our review and consider what we suggested.

Reviewers, however, are under no obligations whatsoever to respond to replies. Most will, but some won't.

So long as you aren't saying "You got this completely wrong and I'm not going to listen to you because of it" then you can reply to reviews as much as you want. Explaining why you did something can be one of the best ways to get to the heart of an issue— I've had such long PM chains start with people who took the time to reply to my reviews in-depth and give more logic to what I pointed out.

Probably the biggest thing to remember, also, is that the reviewer took the time to read your work and to try and help you. Even if they seem harsh, it's not to attack or belittle you. And with that in mind, it can be helpful to both the writer and reviewer for the writer to respond to a review, depending on the context. Also, reviewers tend to feel appreciated if while responding (or any time, really) you thank them and/or tell them how their review helped you.

I agree with ultraviolet. As long as you aren't being super defensive you can defend yourself. Usually if you just want to say 'thank-you' a post on your wall or the thread is good, but if you have questions, comments, or concerns then yes, it is a good thing to P.M. them. Actually in all the cases I have seen and myself personally I really enjoy it when someone P.M.s about my review. Even if they totally disagree with me and they are rude until the ending 'Thanks for the review' I still feel happy. The real thing I hate is when people don't care at all and they don't realize you could have spent an hour on your work. When I P.M. people about there reviews sometimes I get reviews on every chapter or part of my story in return. I also will do the same for other people because if you know you helped someone you want to help the more, right? That is the way I feel anyway.

A. S.