Tuesday, November 19, 2013

A Question on Blog Comments

I've been blogging for over a year now, and am really happy to have this space to call my own.  I enjoy writing the posts, meeting fellow bloggers and most of all I enjoy the interaction through the comments!
 
With respect to comments, I've been wondering how most of you deal with comments published to your posts.  Often I'll leave a comment on a fellow blogger's post, but the blogger doesn't reply to mine or any other comments left on the post.  At first I was a bit miffed and thought all the comments were being ignored on that blog.  But as I became more familiar with blogging, I came to realize that perhaps bloggers were replying to comments directly through their emails.
 
So my question to you all is do you normally reply to all comments?  And do you reply right on your blog post, or do you reply through your email?  Do you like to read other peoples' comments and the replies to them? 
 
I'm a "no reply" blogger.  Since I share my email address with my husband, I don't want to clog up our joint email with my September Violets emails. 
 
I'm just curious because what I receive back in response to my questions may change how I answer comments in the future.  I'm planning on setting up a separate "September Violets" email to attach to my blog, and hope to get that arranged very shortly.  At the moment I reply to all comments directly in the comments section of each post. 

Thanks for your input everyone, and I hope you're all having a great week :)
 
I have a surprise coming up very soon, and also a finished scarf to show you!
 
Thanks for stopping by!
 
Wendy

57 comments:

  1. I reply to comments on my blog. One blog friend replies by e mail. It is too time consuming for me to reply by e mail...and I think that other bloggers like to read the comments and replies in the comments box.
    Jane x

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    1. Thanks Jane, this is how I've been answering my comments, but they're starting to add up.

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  2. Hi Wendy,
    I appreciate each and every comment on my blog, but I don't often answer them unless there is a directed question about something. Any comments made on my blog go directly to my gmail account, so if I get a question, I answer it that way. I rarely go back through my blog posts and read the commehts on them - I just don't have the time to do that very often. So if a questions comes from a no-reply blogger, and there is not an email contact on their info, I can't get an answer to them.
    Hope that helps.
    Hope that helps.

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    1. Thanks Sandra, it does get time consuming revisiting the actual post.

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  3. I reply to all comments "in the comments" (except for the entry comments on my recent giveaway, and the post announcing the giveaway that were congratulating the winner, as it seemed inappropriate), I like my readers to know that I have read their comment, even if I just say "thank you for the comment".

    If someone e-mails me back after I leave a comment on their blog (I'm not a no reply blogger) and I want to respond again, I e-mail back as I assume that is what they prefer.

    Some people that I have become more friendly with have e-mailed me or I have e-mailed them, so I tend to leave a friendly comment on their post and then e-mail about anything more in depth or personal.

    I always subscribe to the comments on posts where I have left a comment so that I can see if the blogger leaves me a reply.

    I like it when the blogger replies to my comment as that is how friendships start, which for me is one of the things about blogging that I am loving, and had not expected when I started. It is not always possible for people to reply, and sometimes it is not apppropriate, but in general I think it is nice.

    My personal preference is for replies to comments "in the comments", then more in depth replies/conversations by e-mail and not being a no reply blogger allows this (or just putting an e-mail address on your blog as I have).

    Setting up an e-mail should be fairly easy for you and would allow you to reply as you do now - much appreciated by me! - and then e-mail for other things.

    I hope that this makes some sense and that it is of some help! E-mail me if you want to chat more. xx

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    1. Thanks for all your input Amy. I enjoy reading all the comments I receive and try to reply to them to let people know I read them. I usually visit people back as well when I get a moment.

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  4. Sorry, just saw how long my comment was - eek!!!!

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  5. I tend to reply on the person's blog rather than on my own since I don't assume they check back. I do think not replying to a person's comment is rather off-putting but maybe people are really busy? For me, the purpose of blogging is to connect with like-minded people so comments are actually really important...

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    1. I like to leave a comment, and will usually check back the next time that person writes a new post. I enjoy the connection between bloggers too, so try to reply to comments ... makes it feel a bit more like a conversation ;)

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  6. I always thought the courteous thing to do was to reciprocate ~ visit their blog and comment as well. In my experience, it is very rare for the people who comment to come back and read my replies and if they do, I don't know it! I think I might be permanently parked at my computer if I replied to every comment in the comments section in addition to visiting and commenting on blogs ~ that would make blogging impossible for me to do. I do reply by email if possible and answers questions in the comments section if asked because others may have the same questions as well. I never thought to subscribe to comments. There are a lot of ways to show the love. No matter how you show it, just do it.

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    1. And yes, you need to have a separate email account for your blog. I hope I am not one of those bloggers you are miffed at :)

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    2. This is why I was asking about this Stacy. I'm finding I spend more time on the computer trying to keep up with comments and visiting, and also checking out new blogs. I subscribed to comments once, but didn't realize you also receive notice of every single comment the other person received (too much info), so didn't do it again. I was just speaking generally about blogs when I said I was miffed .... that was before I knew how time consuming it all becomes!

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  7. Hi Wendy, I love getting comments but unfortunately I don't always have the time to answer them all either on my blog or by email. If there is a specific question I will always answer it one way or the other. Sometimes it can become very repetitive when replying on your blog so I will leave a thank you to everyone in the comment section. I'm equally sure not everyone has the time to check back either. I do try to make a point of visiting everyone who has left a comment on my blog and will leave one for them in reciprocation. :)

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    1. This seems to be the more common way to approach comments Linda. I know I appreciate other bloggers visiting me and leaving comments after I've visited their site. But replying is getting a bit time consuming (although I DO enjoy replying too!)

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  8. I used to reply to every comment but I (very fortunately!) get too many to do that anymore. If someone asks a direct question, I try to answer it in the comments in case others want the same information but I also email back sometimes, like if it's a new commenter and I want to welcome them and say hi. I wish I could reply to every comment but I just don't have time in my day. I also know that when someone is a no-reply blogger, they aren't going to see my comment back to them, and I won't get notification of their replying to my comment on their blog either. I think it's a great idea to set up a new email for your blog. I did the same thing, and then merged it with my regular email account so I always see anything that comes in that way. Hope that helps. :)

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    1. Thanks Jennifer, I think this may be the way I start to deal with my own comments. I'm looking forward to setting up my own email as this will save me some time (I hope!)

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  9. Hi Wendy! I do both actually. I return messages right onto my blog but I've always wondered if the person I am replying actually sees what I am saying back so sometimes I send a direct email to them. Then sometimes if life gets just too busy.....I don't reply at all but will play catch up later during the week or I will just pop over to the other persons blog and leave a comment there letting them know....hey....I am still following!
    Hugs, Shari

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    1. This is my dilemma too Shari ... even as I reply to these comments this morning, I'm wondering if anyone is going to read them ;) It seems more people just visit the other person's blog and comment there in return. Thanks for your input!

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  10. I try to reply right on my blog and then visit back (if the other person is a blogger) and comment on their blog. But there are some days when I just can't do it and I feel really bad! :)

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    1. I try to do the same, but cannot always get back to that person the same day. I think everyone understands and no one is keeping tabs on it. Thanks Jo!

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  11. It depends on the type of blog post I have written as to how many of the comments I reply to. But I always try to reply to at least most of them :-) And if I don't reply to a commenter on one post, I'll usually reply to their next comment on my next post. I reply directly to the comments on my blog, and I say on my blog to check back as I will have answered your questions there :-)
    Hope all of this makes sense lol!

    I've been meaning to change over from "no reply" to have my email address, I just keep forgetting!
    Can't wait to see your scarf and surprise!
    Sarah x

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    1. Thanks Sarah, I've been doing it the same way (so far!).

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  12. I reply by email as much as I can, when I can't do that, I reply to the comment on my blog. I never go back to a blog to see if the blogger commented on my comment, so I guess that's what made me decide to use email!

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    1. Thanks Anne, I only check back once I'm on that blog again to see if they replied to my comment.

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  13. Wendy, I try to respond back to the bloggers site. Sometimes I just can't respond right away. But, I think they understand life can be complicated. Thanks for stopping by and leaving your wonderful comment.
    Loved hearing from you.
    Hugs,
    Jody

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    1. Thanks Jody, I think this is a nice way to keep the contact going and make new friendships.

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  14. Oh Wendy, I really hope you weren't referring to me because my methods are very inconsistent and after 2 years I still haven't worked out my preferred method of responding to comments. This is my current most frustrating issue with blogging. I don't know what to do so I do a bit of everything, depending on time and the type of Post i've written. Sometimes I will respond in the comments section and reply to everyone (like my last Post), but I do worry that no one will come back and see my response. Sometimes I reply by e-mail but again this is tricky because a lot of bloggers are no-reply. And sometimes, I just prefer to visit their blogs. Some bloggers have a very clear system,for example I know that you reply to comments within the blog and so when I next visit you I always check back. The main thing is that you respond at all, whether replying to comments or visiting other's blogs. Some bloggers don't even do that which makes the relationship a bit one-sided and so I no longer leave comments on these blogs. Blogs that have Disqus installed seem to be onto a great thing as at the end of each day all the comments and replies are e-mailed to you which is really nice as otherwise I wouldn't know that a blogger had replied to my comment until I next visited them..........when I get a spare second I plan on looking into it :-) Have a great week! Mel x

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    1. Thank you for all of this Mel! I feel the same way now, that as long as there's some sort of connection either by replying to the comments or visiting back to that person's blog, it makes the whole blogging experience more enjoyable. I check back on comments I left when I revisit that blog, and I try to leave comments on the blogs I visit to let them know I've read their post. I doubt it was you I was referring to about being miffed as you're always "somewhere" commenting & replying. (I just meant "generally" that I felt I wasn't understanding how people dealt with comments when I first started blogging. Now I realize how time consuming it all is and know that some bloggers receive far too many comments to be able to reply to all of them.)

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  15. Hi friend!!! My goodness this is a good topic!!! I used to try very hard to reply right on my blog but then it got to be too much with the beans. I don't ever blog in front of them because I do not want them to see me on the computer all day so the best I can do is visit you all and leave comments. Sorry if there was a time when I did not get back to a comment. I figure I will have some more time when they are in school. Hope that helps!!!! Xoxo

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    1. It's been interesting to see how varied we all deal with comments. I think it's great that you spend your days directly with your kids rather than on the computer. I think everyone would agree that in the time it takes to reply to comments, you could've written a new post yourself! Thanks for your thoughts Nicole ;)

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  16. Hi Wendy - I always reply to each individual comment on my blog and really enjoy the little bit of banter and wonderful friendships struck up through this communication - it's a big part of the reason why I blog and I feel that when blogger friends have taken the time to leave me comments then I really want to chat with them and the very least I can do is acknowledge and appreciate them and their messages - which I most certainly do.
    Each person has their own way and I guess we just have to do what feels right for us. I do spend a long time on the computer with this method and sometimes wonder if I'll be able to continue in this way and whether people even come back to see my replies but, it's a bit like old fashioned letter writing to me - I was taught to always reply as best I could.
    I also visit my followers and leave them messages on their posts but have noticed that whereas some of them used to always reply, gradually this habit seems to stop as folks get busier. I may change my methods as time marches on and the messages increase but I do like things the way they are!
    I also enjoy reading others' comments and the replies - it's like a happy little chat room to me and I thoroughly enjoy all the interaction!
    Looking forward to seeing your finished scarf; I bet it's gorgeous - AND your surprise! Happy week to you Wendy! Hugs, Joy x

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    1. This IS the part of blogging that I enjoy ... the interaction. Since I work from home, I don't have a lot of interaction with other people during the day, and blogging has made that possible. I do appreciate that a lot of people are much busier than I am what with young children and hectic jobs ... I know, because I was once one of those people, but that was well before facebook & blogs, and I loved to be busy. Now I'm more relaxed about things and can take time to "smell the roses". Thanks for your input Joy, and I just love the way you write, you make a person feel like you're sitting right in the same room ;)

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  17. I have to confess to being a bit of a numpty when it comes to comments. It's only very recently that I realised I could reply directly to an email account, and that was asking another blogger how she replied to me via email. DUH! It's also taken me a long time to realise that some bloggers reply to a comment on their blog, once I've left a comment I don't go back to see if there is a reply (although I will now!) so I didn't realise that happened until very recently. Think I've been a bit of a dunce really, but now I know the etiquette I'll change my ways as I think I've been a pretty poor blogger. Thanks for bringing this up...XX

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    1. I only rarely reply to someone via email only because I share my account with my husband. When I first started leaving comments, I got a little thrill when someone actually replied to my comments. That's why I like to reply to comments left on my site. I think there is a sort of etiquette that we all bumble along trying to figure out, but a lot of it is guess work. Thanks for your thoughts Suzanne, and I'm glad it brought some light on the subject for you too! ;)

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    2. I came back to see as promised and thanks for your reply!! This is the start of the new bloggy me!!! XXX

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  18. Hi Sweet Wendy,
    Well, this is a great question and it seems as though everyone has their own approach! My goal is to respond to the comment directly -which would be through an e-mail. With you and other non-reply bloggers, this is not possible:(boo...Then, I always visit them and post a comment on their blog. It is a lot of visiting isn't it?! I have met so many lovely gals-like you and I want to keep up or create a friendship, so I just keep visiting and writing!

    xx-
    Jemma

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    1. Thanks Jemma ... now I feel a bit self-conscious replying to all these comments. I like the approach that you and many others take with visiting back to the commenter's blog. Enjoy the rest of the week :)

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  19. Wheeee.... 36 comments before mine! I love it, when a blogger's topic brings forth many answers. :-)

    OK, my views. All blogging should be fun. To make blogging rules, is taking away the fun. I do not feel I have to "reply" in some way, to each and every comment in my blog. If a comment asks a specific question, I sometimes go to the person's blog and comment my answer there. Using something like.... Re: Your comment in my blog....

    Or I might send the answer, by e-mail.

    But oh nooooo, please do not think you have to do some sort of a Return Message, anywhere, for every comment in your blog. My views, of course.

    Also, I do not like the reply-to-a-comment-right-on-the-blogger's-blog-comments. Gracious, we are all too busy to have to return to a blog, to re-read comments, to find a reply there. I did not agree with Blogger, when they made this possible. How many people, have time, to read any blogs twice????????????

    My 2 cents. Will be fun, to see, what others said!

    I repeat though, please don't let anyone make you do anything, in your blogging, which is not fun for you!

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  20. Addition to my comment above.....

    I go to the blog of all new commenters, and leave them a thank you comment.

    And if I resonate with that blog/blogger, I continue to read/comment there.

    But after that first one, I do not feel I have to somehow "reply" to every comment, which comes into my blog.

    I feel that reading and commenting in other blogs, is enough of a show, that I enjoy said blog.

    Unless it's a direct question, and those, I reply to....

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    1. Thanks for all your thoughts on this Tessa ... all these comments are making me rethink my own comments.

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  21. Hi Wendy, I much prefer to come straight to someone's blog. I might sometimes forget to answer a question that might have been posed in a comment left on my blog, but I do try to visit anyone who comes my way. My blogging has been hit or miss for months now but I am finally getting back on track. I personally don't really like it when someone only responds by email and never actually visits my blog. That's kinda rude. It's like always inviting someone to your house but never wanting to go visit them. Know what I mean? Also, those who respond on their own blogs doesn't make much sense because I don't usually go back there to see what they had to say -- though some have it set up where their response posts to their blog and is sent by email. I don't understand all that. And much prefer to keep it simple. You visit me, I visit you. It's like talking over the backyard fence. :) Have a great day. Tammy

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    1. Your system makes sense, and it does seem a bit like visiting back and forth between homes. Thanks Tammy, and enjoy the rest of the week! (and now why(?) am I replying to your comment when you just said you don't look back!! Old habits!)

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  22. Hi Wendy, initially I tried to reply to all comments via email.....very time consuming! Now I try to reply to some within my comment as this takes less time. If I replied to everyone's comment then I'd never have time to visit anyone else's blog! I don't expect an acknowledgment or reply to any comment I make although it's lovely if I do get them! Oh and I always try and answer any questions. Hope that helps, oh and don't stress about it, we do this because its fun! :) x

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    1. Thanks Ada, I think I may work it this way in the future!

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  23. I have always preferred to reply to comments right on the blog post-that way everyone can read and intereact. However, here on blogger it is very difficult for me to remember where I have commented on others blog posts and then go back there to see if there was a comment or not. so I do miss out on that now when I comment on someone else's blog post
    I was blogging on yahoo 360 and when that went away I went to multiply and there platform was set up with an inbox so I could look and see right in my blog's inbox when my comment was responded too-much more interactive and easier this way. then when multiply went under I made blogger my main blog-and if this goes under-that's it for me LOL
    So here on blogger what I do is have comments to my blog posts go into my personal email and then I check those comments and if they are set to no reply then I comment on my blog, otherwise I comment through the email-which is much easier for the person that commented to know that I replied.
    I know that some of my friends instead of responding to a comment directly on their own blog posts, they will visit the commenter's blog and comment there instead in order to keep in touch

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    1. Thanks Kathy, all of these comments have been most helpful!

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  24. Hi Wendy, I've never used the function of replying right in my blog's comment section to those who comment on my posts. Mostly I have always replied through my email unless of course I can't find the respondent's email, which is about 1/3 of the time. I did set up the function on my blog to be able to comment directly back to people but if they haven't clicked on the notify me part when they leave their comment they will never know I responded. I kind of feel that email responses are just a little more personal. Sometimes I read what other commenters have said, sometimes not, really depends upon how much time I have, which often is not enough, lol! Hope this helped?!
    Hugs and stay warm my sweet blogging sister,
    Beth P

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  25. Sweet Wendy,
    I came back and as I read through all of this, I became confused-first and foremost enjoy this blogging experience! There is no wrong or right, it is what we make it and you have a created a beautiful and charming blog. We love you as you are and as you choose to respond to us! Just be delightful you and we will be here:)
    Warmest of Hugs,
    Jemma

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  26. I never know what to do for the best...I usually leave a reply on their blog as I never think that they will come back to see it on my blog but then I don't like my comments to look unanswered... we need a blogging instruction book! Eco Ethel xx

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  27. Hey Wendy for me, I like to reply on my blog! Although I have been rubbish of that lately but I think that if a person has asked you a question then replying on the blog is the best place as others might enjoy the answer. If it was of a more specific or personal nature, i would pop over a quick email reply...

    Like some of your other posters have said, I don't think it's a right or wrong thing, I thinks it's whatever you choose!

    Have a great day my friend, Hazel x

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  28. Interesting to read all the comments. For me it comes down to time. I would like to reply to every comment, but I just can't manage that and returning all the visits. I already spend too much time blogging as it is! I do read every comment though and answer any questions.

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  29. I reply to comments via email...if they have an email address and not a "no-reply". I always feel bad when I can't reply to someone because of a "no-reply"...especially when they ask questions. I'm not sure how to reply on the blog itself. And, I don't know if any of the bloggers who commented would come back and see my reply there. I follow a so many blogs that I have a hard time keeping up. So, I definitely don't have time to go back to each and every post I may have commented on to see if there was a reply. Plus, I'd have to take notes to know which ones to go back and visit to see if there was a reply. My comments have an email and I love hearing back from people I leave comments for. But, I've come to realize that not everyone responds back. It can be frustrating sometimes. Especially if I love that blog a lot. For the ones that I've commented on a lot and never gotten a response...especially the super popular ones that get oodles of comments...I sometimes stop leaving comments or as many.

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  30. I used to reply on my blog but then set up a new email account and now reply through emailing. This way I can be a bit more personal with those who regularly comment but at the same time I can click on their blog and return the visit. If a no reply blogger asks a question then I will reply on the comments on my blog or I will again return to their blog and answer them there and also let them know that they are a no reply just in case they didn't realise. Sometimes I don't have enough time to comment straight away but I do work down my email box and make sure I thank people as soon as I can. I think for me personally the email replies work best as not everyone has time to re-visit my blog as there are so many fantastic ones to keep reading. xx

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  31. I have realised recently that my blog reading patterns fall into a few types - some I dip into when I have time, some I read but seldom comment, others I read and comment, and then there are those that I read as soon as they pop up in my reading list, and pop back to comment on when I have chance to think about a suitable reply. Of this latter group, I revisit a small number to read replies to the comments I have left, yours being one of those I love to read!
    At the beginning of the year I thought I should reply to each comment on my blog - then I changed my mind - I try and answer questions as they pop up, and I read and enjoy every comment I have, trying to engage with the commenters on their own blogs.
    As I said, I love our little conversations and pop back to read your fab replies - though I know how time consuming it can be for you to chat to eveyone.
    I think its up to you to choose what's right for you - its your great creative and inspirational space Wendy! One which I enjoy visiting - whether you have chance to reply or not!
    Ali x

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  32. What an interesting conversation you've started here. Lots of food for thought. I have no consistent strategy beyond trying to get questions answered (as a reply in the comments) and visiting the commenter's blogs (which I LOVE doing), should they happen to have one, and leaving comment's on it. Oftentimes I'll start responding to comments in the comment section, and then I fizz out. It's easy to become bogged (blogged?) down in it, which can interfere with the wonders of it all. What is unwaveringly consistent though is my deep appreciation for the comments. I wonder if I express that enough though. You've now really got me thinking about this, which is good. Maybe I need to update the little note about comments. Hmmm...

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  33. Just to say that I usually reply to comments through email - that way it is personal and specific to that person. As I rarely go back and revisit a post where I've left a comment (just not enough hours in the day) I never get to see replies left in the comment box so assume the same to be true for those commenting on my posts. It does seem to be an accepted way of replying though... just not for me I guess!

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