A reader e-mail that irks me...

Yeah. I would write back and say you appreciate the letter, normally would go through the coach but with so many competitors, you were swamped and noticed the jerseys, etc. blah, blah, blah.

The parent just doesn't like the kid who is better than everyone else and is mad that his name got in the story when he didn't even do anything.

 

I'd answer it, though I do emphasize with you and your feelings about it being CCed up the chain. For that reason, I'd cc the response to those who were on the reader's cc list. Since he didn't call you names, I feel you owe him a response as a representative of the company. In his mind, he's asking a fair question, so if it were me, I'd give him what I feel is a fair response.

Over the last two weeks, I've gotten two critical emails that fit this mold. One sounded like this one, and the other basically called me a racist, though I can't for the life of me figure out where race played in what he was originally emailing me for. One of them got answered very politely and respectfully, and the other is just sitting in the inbox, waiting for me to go back through and delete it. There is a difference between a reader being critical and irrational. Critical emails deserve a rational response. Irrational ones deserve nothing.

 

Good advice Ace....I always like a short, simple "Thanks for reading," in reply. Often, that's all I send back, because seriously, you want them to read.

 

Or, ask the guy, "If Tom Brady doesn't play for the Patriots, should we not ask the other players what happened to him, and if they will miss him?"

[/quote]

No, because they'll just bitch about how dirty the play was that got him hurt.

 

When I get letters like these, I usually just issue a one-word response — Noted — and send it back. Any more than that and it starts to sound defensive or smart-ass.

 

That's funny because "Noted" by itself sounds pretty defensive and smart ass.

 

What about working as hard as the football team? Is that news?

 

My form letter:
Dear (Moron):
Thank you for taking the time to write, berate and demean me. I especially appreciate your willingness to share your opinions with those who control my wages.
I have a bit of advice for you. If you wish to question my intellect in the future, you should probably make sure your diatribe is free of errors in style, grammar, punctuation and spelling. Allegations of another's stupidity tend to lose their rhetorical value when accompanied by assault and battery upon the English language.
Sincerely,
David St. Hubbins

 

That kind of comment from a reader always cracks me up. Every so often I'll get an e-mail from a reader stating something to that effect, like "I know you haven't been here long, but I hope you learn from this as you progress in your career."
I've been at this paper for 10 years. On the one hand, it's insulting. On the other, it kind of humbles me that these people have no fucking clue who I am even though my name has been in the paper nearly every day for the past decade.
Not much you can do but laugh it off.

 

At least your guy signed the damn letter. The football team I cover has lost its first two games of the season, so now the same public that loved my stories when the team was winning is starting to turn on me - and they're doing it with anonymous letters and phone calls.

 

Dear reader,

Eat shit and die.

Sincerely, Jay

 

Mr. Podunk,

I'm sorry your child is not good enough for his own feature story. Nice try putting a few extra names in your letter, too; like you really give two shits about them.

Sincerely,
Jay