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Some funny stuff.
A reader wrote to my Hotmail to say he liked Star Crossed. He went on to say that he had only gotten into it because he clicked the wrong link!
… Sure! Fine by me.
I like to scribble a little, in those exceedingly rare instances that I have any time at all, and I’m convinced that like most people who’ve been afflicted with this same psychological shortcoming, I don’t care if he tripped over or fell down the link — Just as long as once the actual reading is begun, he feels like reading to the end.
In the next line, he confided that he looks at an authors profile, to see how many Kudos’s they have as a way to decide if the writer is worth his time. My stories didn’t have enough, you see, and he only began reading after accidentally clicking on my name.
What could I say?
Of course, I thanked him, with the promise that I was working on several stories, and trying very hard to improve my writing so that people might like them more, and I too would someday have Kooties. Then, as I’m want, I listed several of very entertaining authors to be found on this site, before congratulating him on his astute use of the resources available to him; but, in doing so, I could not help but think about how much I enjoy the occasional very funny things that happen as the result of my association with this site.
I thought that some of you might also get a chuckle out of this. I know I sure did.
Happy Thanksgiving, guys. I hope the season finds you all more thankful for what you do have, than concerned for what you do not.
Sarah Lynn Morgan.
Comments
If it's any consolation to you?
...when I was a kid, all the boys were convinced that only GIRLS had Kooties.
Dio vi benedica tutti
Con grande amore e di affetto
Andrea Lena
Love, Andrea Lena
You mean...
You mean catching cooties from a girl isn't what made me TS?
Anne
So I guess the obvious question is,
do you subscribe to the Kootie Kontinuum theories?
I know I have them because the boys never wanted to play with me. But evidently I don't have enough, because the girls didn't want to play with me either. Maybe they were afraid I'd steal some of theirs.
I think that's rich, someone avoiding stories because of the apparent lack of kudos. Many of the best stories here have none or almost none because of their age.
Like others, I'm hoping maybe you'll bless us with a Christmas present of a new story or two!!
Hugs
Carla Ann
Slight flaw
While kudos is a good measure of how well liked a chapter or story is it does have limitations if looked at as a total.
The total kudos of an author isn't necessarily meaningful. What you actually need to look at is the average kudos per fiction entry. You could have an author who has posted 50 stories each getting 5 kudos, and another author with only 5 stories but 50 kudos for each. Both authors will have exactly the same total kudos, but you could argue that the second author is producing better quality work.
The other problem is that kudos has only been around a few months. Therefore older stories aren't going to have much kudos. There will be a strong bias towards newer posts if you look at kudos level for authors.
Looking at the kudos total as a measure is fine, as long as you know and take into account its limitations.
Kudo's not working is my fault.
Sarah, I do hope that you'll soon begin to publish one of these "several" stories you are working on. :) I wait with bated breath.
:)
Khadijah
My dear Khadijah...
Dio vi benedica tutti
Con grande amore e di affetto
Andrea Lena
Love, Andrea Lena
Sarah ...
... you have only one person to blame for having too few kudos - you haven't posted anything new since the kudo system was introduced. I'm sure your delightful 'Unicorn's Gift' will gain kudos as it's recently been reposted by Sephrena. I just hope 'Boys' School' will receive a similar boost in the near future (hint!!!). I like it much better despite its not having quite the richness and breadth of 'Unicorn'. I seem to recall its gathering a fair few votes under the old system.
I'm eagerly awaiting any further drips of enjoyment that fall from your metaphorical quill pen onto these pages ;)
Robi
Organiser Pages
For some of the older authors, the organiser pages can make a huge difference in visibility. We see new readers here almost every day, and two things help draw these readers to older stories. First, is the Random Solos feature, which tosses stand-alone stories to the front page at random. Second, is Sephrena's repostings.
One your name has been presented as the author of any story, a reader can click on your name in the field above the story box and see a sequential list of all your stories, which is good, but still a little awkward,
If you gave an author page, however, the reader will see a handy list of all your stories in the column at the far right, which is like walking into your special reference section, a whole shelf dedicated to you.
If you don't have an author page, you can either make one (it's a lot like posting a story) or ask one of the site volunteers to help you. If you have long serials, a title page can be handy for those, because it makes your "five foot shelf" easier to read.
Cheers,
Puddin'
A tender heart is an asset to an editor: it helps us be ruthless in a tactful way.
--- The Chicago Manual of Style
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Cheers,
Puddin'
A tender heart is an asset to an editor: it helps us be ruthless in a tactful way.
--- The Chicago Manual of Style
Kudos vs. Votes vs. Reads
As others have said, the kudos are only a good determinate for recent stories. It's too bad the votes thing died, but it was only really good after Erin relocated the button and wasn't really around very long either. Comments and total number of reads are likely the best things to look at, but the reader just really has to plunge in and find out for themselves (for the most part). There is a real treasury of of great stories on this site.
Sarah, it's good to see a post from you. I hope you and your family are doing well. I look forward to new stories from you.
I hope you guys realize...
So many debates over the years about what they are and what they really mean. The only real mathematical certainties are,
as Robin so blithely suggested, are that the probability of having more is greater if you posted new stories since their
advent. The second is that they only prove that somewhere, somehow, someone clicked over a link... by accident or on purpose.
I find them equal in value, which is only that they allow the reader to be more involved. They are simple counters. That's
their innate beauty. They can have whatever meaning the reader, or the writer, needs them to have - which is why I treasure
every one.
I hope you guys realize the spirit this was posted in. I thought it was quite funny, given that this reader and others will
soon realize that whoever we are, we stand on the shoulders of those who've come before, and all debates on relative values
aside, that these stories are only visible at all because they lay topmost on a mountain of good works. I envy that reader
the discoveries he will make, and the gems he will inevitably mine. Though I have not the stamina to join in any longer, I do
get a kick out of the perceptions, and even the wonder, of the newer readers.
I am writing, Geoff. I am doing so because I have a little time, and because there is little else that I enjoy more, but
gods help me, I don't think I have it in me to worry about anything but doing a little better than I did the time before.
And...
As a post script, the reader found my story page, and the comments attached, and I explained about the conversion to Kudzu
in order to keep both the site, And Erin's Sanity, alive. I also explained how he should be scanning authors pages for counts,
comments, and content as well, for additional indications of popular works. I sort of enjoyed doing that too.
Night everyone, good humor and love, to you all. Geoff, as always, my genuine affection, and unqualified respects, sir.
Amusedly yours,
Sarah Lynn
The only "prerequisite" I have is that I can read it.
I am trying to read everything I can, and in some cases I may be missing out, as I notice the newer stuff first. The Retro-classics are a great way to present the older stuff so that I see it, as well as the random solos. I just like to read (and write). I'll get to all of them, eventually (except Angharad's-she writes faster than I can read, I think!). I love this site!
Wren
Afflicted?
I'd say you are blessed.
Ole
We are each exactly as God made us. God does not make mistakes!
Gender rights are the new civil rights!