I put on another chapter of Football Girl 23 hours ago. Having just looked at the home page, I note that there have been no less than 25 new stories put on since then.
Is this some sort of record? I wonder if that 'other place' with the initials FM get that sort of new story count.
It's a great testament to Erin and her hard working co-workers that this site is so successful.
Of course, every upside normally has a downside. How many people have the time or energy to read that many stories? I have noticed that the comment count seems to have gone down on many good stories. I am lucky and have no complaints on that score, but other authors may be put off by a lack of response to their stories where two or three years ago they might have had more of a reaction.
I know it's a oft-used request, but please, if you have time, comment or at least give the author's a kudo, it isn't much to ask, is it?
Hugs
Sue
Comments
26 stories on Sunday, 19 February 2012
Not a record. We've had days where we had 31 stories posted. :)
Right now, we're running 85 to 100 stories a week. Back in October-November 2011 and last spring, we ran 95-110 a week. The biggest day of the week for posting is Sunday, on average, the lowest average day is Wednesday.
Hugs,
Erin
= Give everyone the benefit of the doubt because certainty is a fragile thing that can be shattered by one overlooked fact.
Kudos Erin
I think the popularity of this site for both authors and readers is due to the quality of the writing. I don't think I have read anything on this site I would not want my grandchildren to read. It has good, well written family content that I haven't found on other sites.
I just finished editing a full length novel that appeared on this site first and I believe the author has incredible talent and has a great future. It had a wonderful story line with many plots and sub-plots and well developed characters. Each scene was fully described so the reader could place themselves in the scene.
I appreciate the efforts of all the authors and wish I had time to read all the stories.
Thank you Erin for all you do.
As for me
I am afraid I dance to my muse's pipes. I have slowed down; only one series on the go at the moment. That and the, er, second book about Jill that I've started but haven't put up yet. Sorreeeee...
Seriously, I agree with Sue about both the comments and the quantity. There are some things I will simply not read, for example if they are in a genre that doesn't attract me. That is no reflection on those writers, just a statement that we all have different tastes. That means I skim across the previews and select what I read. I used to read nearly all of it, but quantity and real life, as well as my own writing, intervene.
Comments...oh, yes please. It isn't just ego-scratching and gratification, though those are important. Anyone who denies that is less than honest. It is also, though, about tuning one's craft, and a good comment is invaluable in that. It is also about communication. I have tried over the last couple of years to address some very specific issues in what, for want of better terms, can be called mental issues, from GID to PTSD and survivor guilt. I want to talk about things, in other words, and it helps me if someone talks back.
So a public thank you to my select band of loyal commentators. I write for 'us' now, and no longer just for 'me'.
[Goes away to have necessary ego-shrinking session]
No Sue, it is not too much to ask.
Some people read and figure as long as they have read it, they don't have to comment. But I am curious. Part 10 of The Girl Most Likely To ... was posted earlier this morning, and is already on page 4, page 5 by now, maybe. I just posted Part 11, but I noticed Magic 26 was posted twice.
Love & hugs,
Barbara
P.S. I will get around to finishing Fooball Girl, sometime. Right now my writing my stories for here and my second volume of my autobiography are taking up a lot of my time.
"With confidence and forbearance, we will have the strength to move forward."
Love & hugs,
Barbara
"If I have to be this girl in me, Then I have the right to be."
Expectations are higher
What I've noticed is that writers' expectations are higher now. I remember back in 2008/2009 I was thrilled to get 7-9 comments TOTAL on a story or story chapter. Nowdays writers act disappointed if they don't get that many the first DAY of a posting.
And my first posting took a fair amount of heat for the way it was posted. No seperation of the speakers was just one of the complaints. I took enough flack that I went back and reedited it (probably not as much as it really needed) and reposted it. But I left the critical comments alone. They serve as markers to me and reminders of what not to do. But again these days, if a writer gets those types of comments, they get all pissy and storm off.
Now I'm not pointing a finger at anybody here, especially not you, Sue. But I do wonder if some of us "older folk" don't have this in the back of our minds when deciding whether or not to comment. I sent a PM to an author earlier just to avoid a public dispute.
Something for all to consider.
“When a clown moves into a palace, he doesn’t become a king. The palace becomes a circus.” - Turkish Proverb
Story popularity is fickle
Hey Sue,
Speaking as one of the less popular writers on this site, I have found there is NO correlation between; my estimation of my work and any of: "hits", number of 'kudos' or number of comments made. My latest story has garnered FAR more 'kudos' than ANY of my previous work. I think it is good, but it's not my favourite. My favourites are 2 older stories of mine (MAU-PB&J and VHV) that slipped off the 'front page' here years ago so they are not seen by the general public any more. I believe that is the main reason why they have a lesser popularity. (But then I'm biased.)
with love,
Hope
with love,
Hope
Once in a while I bare my soul, more often my soles bear me.
Our 'babies'
Just a side comment. I think, as a general rule, our earlier stories are the ones we need to write, the ones that come from deep inside. They're the ones that come out with a bit of our heart attached, they're our 'babies' as it were. So we care more about how they are received, like doting mothers we expect everyone to fawn over them like we do. The sad part is, and I use myself as an example, we are at our least proficient when writing them. So our babies don't get the praise "we" know they deserve.
But that's just one person's view.
“When a clown moves into a palace, he doesn’t become a king. The palace becomes a circus.” - Turkish Proverb
At least for me, my ability
At least for me, my ability to comment comes and goes with the day. For example, I'm writing this while sitting in the parking lot of a customer site.
One shouldn't depend on the comments of others just to encourage them to do the work - instead, let the comments help you lead to _how_ you do the work. (However, do not let them discourage you _from_ the work. The main point is to write what you want, not what they want - unless you're being paid for it)
Anyone that writes really terrible comments? Well, unless they're giving constructive criticism, they're not worth listening to. They didn't _have_ to keep reading. I've seen a lot of stories (especially on FM) that I started, read two paragraphs, and closed out. Even more I refused to even start. When I see something that I know I could help with, I might send a PM (here, not FM. I refuse to sign up for yet another account. I have too many), with an example of what I'm seeing wrong, and how to correct it. I don't just say "This is horrible, I hate it. I can't believe you posted this because I don't like this type of story." That's just stupid :)
I'll get a life when it's proven and substantiated to be better than what I'm currently experiencing.
I'm surprised ....
... at the number of hits my trivial bit of fluff has generated. It's very nearly a 1000 with 14 comments that aren't mine (16 total). However, I guess a lot of those hits are from disappointed readers because the Kudos count has remained stubbornly static for the last few hundred, LOL.
I'm not complaining at all, I hasten to add. I really am genuinely surprised and very satisfied; I put it down to welcoming a new contributor in the hope of encouraging more and, hopefully, more substantial posts.
Thanks Erin, for this wonderful facility.
Reading the stories is hard enough
the time i spend reading keeps me from writing too *wails*
Diana
I have to agree with Cyclist
I am sitting on over a dozen stories at the moment; Some are creeping inexorably towards an ending but I'm waiting for my muse to come in out of the cold.
In addition, there is so much that I want to read. So yes, I agree that the story count appears to have definitely increased.
I have a limited taste for literature and often will not even open stories that don't appeal to me.
I used to try to read, and comment on, some stories by new authors (partly to encourage them) but now find that I have less time to do so.