Over the last few days, there has been some discussion about Hits, Comments, and Kudos.

Years ago, a few authors did an extensive study on Fictionmania about what s seemed to make a story more popular.

They concluded that the single most important factor was story length.

It was suggested in a recent BS blog that there’s a formula of x% of hits for comments and x% of hits for kudos.

I am repeating the afterword to my story "How I Became Crossgender" because I feel this is a better location for discussing questions, I hope it raises. Is Charli(e) crossgender? What is the danger/advantage of a cis-gender person pretending to be crossgender? What should the role of mental health professionals be?

Afterword

“Butterfly,” a British production premiering Friday on Hulu, is a thought-provoking, emotionally realistic issue drama on the subject of gender identity in young people — well, really, just one particular young person, 12-year-old Max Duffy (Callum Booth-Ford) from Manchester, who would like to be known as Maxine.

I wish I was dead! I just read Shalim IV by Casey Brooke. I loved the story though I did have a problem with it. The Earth gets new planetary members by intelligence work first. By swapping bodies with a member of that society to learn the easiest method of getting them to join. If that doesn't work then it's a force of arms.
The issue I have is more the body swapping in other stories where someone switches bodies with someone to take over their life, I have issue with. Oh, in Shalim IV story, I was not rooting for Earth. Though I love the main character.

Thank you all for the comments. Let me assure you that if I continue to get comments like this, there will be more.

I see many of the authors here begging for comments. I know it is very demoralizing not receiving comments. Many of us fledgling authors need encouragement, not demoralization, so please readers comment more, not just on mine, but on all the stories you like or feel you could help make better. And PM if you don't want it in public or it might embarrass the author. You might make a friend, and you can never have too many friends.

Hugs, Cheryl

Almost two years ago I published a little book called Prom Changed Everything. It was, honestly, a passion project that initially I hadn't even thought about publishing. Back during those days and long before them, while I loved to write I never considered myself good enough to actually publish. Whether that was due to self-esteem issues, not feeling what I wrote was anywhere good enough quality to consider publishing (which in all honesty most of it probably wasn't), or I simply didn't see a means to accomplish it in the first place, I held off on even attempting such a feat.

Every time I post a new book on Kindle, I have a lot people asking me on site what happened to this story or that. I thought I'd get in front of this time and tell everyone that I unpublished Burning Bright from the site because I just put it up on Kindle. I'll try to have a link for it up as soon as its officially published.

Not sure if the problem is on my end or not, but I've notice that the cute picture that used to accompany my comments and replies seems to have gone. help, anybody?

Not completely sure about this. I lifted it off a spanish page. It appears that Facebook is closing, and it is dated 2019.

Bobbi transitioned at age 72 - RIP

Bobbi Swan, whose secret lives explored the frontiers of drone technology and sexual identity, died Dec. 26. She was 88.
Born Robert Rowland Schwanhausser in Buffalo, N.Y., he was publicly recognized as an expert on military surveillance drones, which he helped develop at San Diego’s Ryan Aeronautical and its successor, Teledyne Ryan.

Just posted the Chapter 53 of Time on My Hands, this is the 1 year anniversary of it's start. I hope you've been enjoying it.

Second item is I started a part time job driving school buses this week. It's been rough getting up early for the morning run after 2 1/2 years of retirement & sleeping in.

As I've promised to Erin, I'm going to double my Patron donation using part of the pay. I'm doing my best to support BC and urge others to do the same.

As I said in my last blog entry, I've been asked on occasion to post a story here on Big Closet that I'd posted elsewhere.

I recently was looking at a story that I wrote some years ago that was set in a neighborhood bar called "Magee's Irish Pub." The story included some fancy layout that gave the folks at FictionMania a bit of a problem.

I’m working on NeverWorld, a sci-fi future story and I’m trying to design an Artificial Intelligence that would narrate part of my story and be the one who runs NeverWorld, an alternative interactive world.

I've written down some questions and hoping to start a discussion here, if anyone has the time. Here are my thoughts.

I have received several suggestions lately to create an index or a list showing the proper order for the stories in “The Cynthia Chronicles.” Quite frankly, I don’t have the skill to put the stories in the proper order that might show in a side bar. I also create a problem by not necessarily writing the stories in chronological order. I did, however, create a time line in order to keep track of events in the series. Sometimes I catch temporal errors, sometimes I don’t.

Hi Everyone,

I'm sorry to report that the news on Karen Lockhart (Kevin) is not good. He is still in Intensive Care in hospital. After a brief time out in a general ward he had to go back to ICU. As before, your prayers and thoughts are appreciated. He knows that his friends in BC are thinking of him, and appreciates the good wishes you are sending.

Bronwen

I've been busy (slowly) writing a story and with real life but I promise that I will indeed write the next chapter in Neko Necro and the follow up sequel to Soap. But in the meantime I was wondering if I should separate the stories in my double short story collection. Since it would affect you readers, I thought the decision to should be left up to you. Would it be easier separating them into their own posts so you can read the story you want without having to scroll past the one you don't? Or is it fine as is and continue this with other short stories in the future.

They have such a weak hold on their own sex, someone else changes and they become fanatical. Most of us have read the lies and disinformation spewed forth as research, medical and scientific studies. Which is basically no research and a repeat of flawed data gleaned from newspapers or other sources. All from those who have never researched or met anyone transgendered but are a self proclaimed authority on all things mental and physical pertaining to those who are trans.

The final part of "Solomon's Test" is up:

https://bigclosetr.us/topshelf/fiction/77420/solomons-test-p...

Some of you authors might be interested in The Writing Excuses Conference 2019 to happen from 13 to 22 September 2019 on a caribean cruise departing from Houston, Texas.

Greetings,

Jessica Nicole

I just looked at my account and I am nearly at 2 years of being a member on this site and it shocked me for a second.
I love this site and the people that support it.

Anyone been to the doc lately? It was only a checkup, how complicated can that be? I knew I had gained a few pounds. I mean 135 to 140 is my fighting weight. Already tried that dress a few days ago that looked so damn hot. Okay, maybe a few years..., more than a few. Hey, it's a woman's right to lie about her age and her weight. A 151 lbs means I'm carrying 11 more than my top. Figure the percentages and it gets scary. That's 12 percent of my "normal" weight. Now we are getting there on what those extra pounds really mean.

Just had to say...Easter eggs

and little hidden jests, jokes and play on names from movies or TV are hidden in most of my stories...but no one has said a peep on any of them in 2 years...???

Read and discuss:
[Caution: the article discusses self-harm in the context of the movie]
Is a Film About a Transgender Dancer Too ‘Dangerous’ to Watch?

First off, thank you to whoever read the story, I appreciate it.

Now, I need to ask...

Part 2 of my contest entry is up. I know I said I was gonna post every 2 days, but the large number of stories posted made me change my mind.

Here it is: https://bigclosetr.us/topshelf/fiction/77349/solomons-test-p...

Please click here to read.

Jim Rumsfield always believed he was regular teenage boy, but when he undergoes a twist he discovers he is anything but ordinary.

Those of you who follow my stories and blogs know I've been talking bout a rewrite for Virtually Twisted for years. I began writing it a number of years ago, but I set it aside in favor of other projects. Now I've picked it back up and today I have begun serializing it on my website.

New story up and we might do something different with this one over the next year or so?

as the lights fade!MUUAHAHHAHAHAHAH!the crazed Drow laughs out while steepling her fingers and then starts stroking her hairless lap cat while siting in her neo-age chair!...

Have fun....the shadowy darkness says

Ok, so not too long ago I made a post on here talking about my struggles i’ve been going through. Since then I’ve built my confidence back up and am doing a lot better. I have some very weird children, they HATE meat. But will eat more fruits and vegetables than I can. I’ve actually given up trying to get them to eat meat and have started giving them other foods to compensate for the lack of vitamins from them not eating meat. They also take vitamins twice a day to supplement their diet.

From facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/thesourcelgbt/photos/a.491020054428...

Got a brand new story up!

https://bigclosetr.us/topshelf/fiction/77292/pink-boys

I fight a lot of nasties.

Today's nasty is called "Dorothy, you're a burden - when you aren't an outright hazard - to those who care about you. Best thing you could do for them would be go away or lock yourself up"

So if you got anything nice to say to me, today might be a good day to say it.

I'm looking for a story how about I believe John Carter and Mars. It starts off for the relative (I believe a nephew) coming to read the journals of relative (I believe a uncle), about his fantastic life on another planet, there is something about running into aliens and is put into an arena to fight, heard about one of these aliens helping him but she keeps getting branded for making mistakes. There is also a princess handsome bad people chasing them around.

If anybody has any ideas please let me know and thank you so much.

Willow

Great News, Diane Darling has just published the seventh Lee Corcoran book on Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07M66NP2Q?ref=silk_at_search

This blog was originally posted on my website.
You may view the original poll post here.

First, I'd just like to thank everyone who participated in the previous poll. It's been a couple weeks, okay well, more like four, but who's counting? Before I discuss my plans, why don't we take a look at the poll results?

Well, I finished my contest entry. I wasnt sure about doing an entry, as this contest doesnt play into my strength which is flash fiction, but I got it done, and before the contest even starts, to boot. I can hardly wait to see what people think of it ...

Yes, it might be Boxing Day and I did post yesterday but The End is Nigh, the Gaby chapter is now up!

I am looking for the original story arc in The Protector series by JulieO I found the later ones under Julieo but not the early ones introducing the characters.

Sunbeam Safety part 3 is posted - its not perfect but this machine and wp programme are both less than perfect.

Have a nice day ya here
Mads

Ever since I played the first home version of the game on the PlayStation I wanted to, somehow, write the script of a book based on Namco’s Ridge Racer. In my version the racing team had a blind driver who uses sound and vibrations within the car to successfully drive it. The car is also equipped with mag-lev wheels which allows the wheels to disconnect from the car for extremely tight turns.

It took a few years until I saw the opening for the PSP version of the game and thought, I have found my character model for both the team car and driver.

Hello anyone who reads this.

I hope this is okay to post.

Last year on this site, I entered a contest. Doing so made me realise that by no means was my work up to the calibre of the content of this site. My work is a joke compared to what others on this site post.

That being said, I am still bitten by the bug to write and still have a pride in my work.

That is why I wanted to mention that I have a transgender or more a transsexual's fiction site of my own.

I just finished reading "Homesick" by Trismegistus Shandy. I'm surprised at the few reads this story attracted. While it's a bit different from other stories here, it's a well written tale in a "Twilight Zone" kind of way. I almost expected Rod Serling type epilogue.

All three parts are posted, so if you like to wait for stories to be complete, this one is. If you haven't read it, I'd highly recommend it.