I think that I have been a member at BCTS for 20 years, perhaps longer. Until the last several years, I felt like what happened here literally saved my life, and I thanked the site in kind. My stories never garnered much attention in readership, votes or comments. It hurt like hell to have that happen. I put my heart and soul into those stories. I will say that my writing provided a way to vent that I needed.
In the last few years, readers have become mean spirited to the point that it just doesn't seem like a good idea to keep throwing my slop to the pigs. Any who have ever been around swine, should know that if you fall into the pen they might kill you and eat you.
I still write, but I doubt that I will post my stories here anymore, not because of the Admin folk but because many of the readers are so mean. There are other sites, or perhaps what I write will just stay on my Hard Drive until it crashes
To the Admin, I'm sorry. To some readers, fuck off, pound sand, buzz off, bugger off and all that.
Gwen
Comments
Keep writing it is a great stress reducer. Since the naysayers
are problematic, turn off the comments.
I do enjoy your stories and will miss them if you stop posting.
Boys will be girls... if they're lucky!
Jennifer Sue
How to turn off comments
I'm not sure how to do that.
Gwen
Posting stories that won't allow comments
In the "Navigation" box on the right side of the homepage, click on "Create content".
link.
On that page click on the "Story w/o Comments" link.
That will take you to the "Create Story w/o Comments" page. It's just like the "Add a Story" page.
Hugs
Patricia
Happiness is being all dressed up and HAVING some place to go.
Semper in femineo gerunt
Ich bin eine Mann
Write for Yourself
Said the same thing time and time again, write for yourself. If others like it then that's the icing on the cake. If one receives few comments, even nasty comments accept what one likes and ignore the rest. I believe most of the readers and writers who have been here for some time have understood there is a difference between attacking the author or story and making a comment. Still a few who don't understand the difference between general criticism and making it personal. It shouldn't be up to a girl who failed every English class she ever took in her life to explain but.
Gwen there are new readers and new writers dropping in all the time. I'm not finger pointing but give everyone a chance to mellow out. If you write for your own entertainment then the slings and arrows are annoying and nothing more. Also stop to think how many more writers are posting on BCTS than there were, say only five years ago? I double dog dare anyone to tell me they are reading every new story posted. I don't get a whole lot of comments about my stories either and I'm the best writer on this site...., besides, Jill, Emma, Gillian, Bru, Avia, Joanne, Penny, Daphne, Samantha, Francisca...., well basically everyone who writes.
Do what you need to heal your emotions and your mind but you know we all love you.
Hugs Gwen
Barb
When it got to hard to take the next step I looked back and there dozens of footprints besides my own. Friends, family, acquaintances who were offering support.I was too focused on myself to realize they were there.
Oklahoma born and raised cowgirl
BarbieLee raises an interesting point
If it's correct that there are many more writers posting here than there were five years ago... that might go a long way to explain the decline in readership. A dilution of reads between more stories! (Keep in mind, there's also an ever-growing archive of old stories. Anything new must compete with all of those. Will I ever again see a story like 'Summer with Aunt Ashley' with its twenty thousand views? Who cares!) If you only look at the declining numbers, you'll second-guess yourself into paralysis.
Perhaps fewer people are readers (I see fewer views here, for sure) but if more folks have taken the plunge and become writers that says positive things about the nature of the community. Also, I'd rather have a discussion with a fellow author than a message from a "lurker" - and it's great that so many people feel safe to write.
Also, sites change. People change... and a look at the sidebar shows how many of us have died. We're ageing out and younger people don't consume the same material in the same way. It doesn't somehow mean that your writing sucks all of a sudden. Watching the numbers is ludicrous: write for you - because your imagined reader (a) might not be who you think they are, (b) might already be dead, and (c) might really need to learn that sacred cows make the best hamburger.
Have fun with it - until it starts to feel like a chore. Then do something else!
Sugar and Spiiice – TG Fiction by Bryony Marsh
I Just Checked
On a couple of your stories, and you've done OK with respect to reads, comments and kudos. Not superstar country but then neither am I. There are many authors who don't generate as much attention as you do.
All I can say is 'keep on writing'. As long as you are giving some people pleasure you should be happy, and writing for yourself is the main thing. There are other writers who hate comments that are negative so they turn off the button. Nobody will castigate you for doing that.
You are loved on BCTS, don't worry.