For some time now I haven’t been very happy with the response to some of my writing, in particular the last two novels Duality and Get A Life!
With Duality, I have a feeling that some people do not appear to like historical novels but I wanted to have a stab at a Jane Austen style of writing and regretfully, it didn’t seem to have too much of a positive response that I was hoping for. Indeed, I was pulled up by a few people about the “reality” of the history and that can be vey disheartening.
Get A Life! was my attempt to put someone in a position where they needed to have a drastic change of direction in their life. I love the idea of just escaping to somewhere idyllic and living a life completely different to that which they had experienced before. My novel Changes did that and I was pleased that many people liked that. I thought that G.A.L (get it?) was different enough to be interesting but I’m still not sure whether it has the legs to continue, as I had few comments and a considerable drop in the kudos on chapter 9.
I write because I enjoy it, but I get easily discouraged if I feel that my stories are not worthy of note. I know all the arguments about chasing kudos, comments and reader counts, and that I should write because of the love of it, but I’m human and the fact that I am not getting the sort of reaction I used to have makes me feel a little insecure in my writing.
Then there is the fact that I have had big changes in my life. As some of you know, I am now, with my wife, looking after my mother-in-law who has early onset Alzheimer’s and peripheral neuropathy and that means that I have less time to write than I used to have. This means that there is a gap between chapters. This probably has a bearing on the number of people reading my stories and the reduction in the response.
What this all boils down to is that I am considering having a break from writing novels and maybe just writing the occasional short story, but would like the opinion of those of you who have been kind enough to support me in the past.
Anyway, thanks for reading my tale of woe.
Hugs
Sue
Comments
Sue.
I for one was really enjoying 'Duality' and will be sorry to it discontinued. I've also enjoyed a lot of your other stories, but we all know that real life comes first. I am sorry to hear about your problems and doubts and hope that things get a bit less stressful for you at some time in the near future.
Maggie
I am really sorry to hear this...
as I truly love your writing.
I have enjoyed, thus far, Get A Life and Duality.
Perhaps, Duality just a tad more.
I believe that I can truly say that you have never had an offering that I have not sincerely enjoyed.
Personally, I much prefer novels as opposed to short stories.
Obviously, you must do what makes you happy and provides the most satisfaction to you.
All the best to you, no matter what you decide.
My very best wishes,
Allison
enjoyed your stuff
I have had a difficult year so far, I read and enjoyed 'Duality'. For some reason I did't star 'Get a Life', I should have but life has been weird. If life gets in the way, then I cannot complain, but don't stop for any other reason.
I very much enjoyed Duality
and just about everything else you've written. I'm sad you're discouraged, but I do understand. Getting bounced about by real life is never fun, but writing should be just that, fun. Whatever you decide I wish you the very best and look forward to seeing any of your stuff.
hugs
Grover
Can't Hang on This Cliff For Ever
I was enjoying Get a Life very much. Your ability to set scenes always gets to me. We are going to be in that area this summer, and I wanted to see if it looked as you described it. Hang in there. I know I'll miss you.
Portia
Having Staggered
Through my own self doubts I understand your emotions. I will say that your stories are on my must read list of those on the board. Having two preteen kids RL has a way of asserting it's self at the worst of times, but I find your writing to be a very enjoyable break from the day to day stress.
I hope to see more of Duality when the time is right. Please stay sweet and keep the faith.
Huggles
Misha Nova
With those with open eyes the world reads like a book
Get A Life!
i always look for this one, it lightens the day. please continue
I do not get enough time to read much, but when I do....
.. I read whatever you write. I like your writing style and your characterisation. I find you write in a similar manner to me... you write to make yourself feel better about stuff... thanks. It works for me too.
Don't stop.
Tanya
There's no such thing as bad weather, just the wrong clothes!
I have loved your writing
I would normally have read those two tales, but for some reason did not. I am sorry. My health has not been top drawer and we have just had a season in which the system has been down. After this comment, I shall bend myself to the task of reading your stories.
I have not written in three years, owing to being very busy with other tasks, and had recently understood that one of those tasks has been a bloody waste of time.
I have been writing full time for a week or so and when I do publish, I will try to set it up without comments or kudos. One other writer recently did that and I want to do so also. Those who actually do like my work can PM me.
Mostly my stories have been ignored by the masses, but there are a very few loyal fans who seem to love my work.
I do hope that you keep writing as I like your work very much.
Much Peace
Gwen
I Love Your Stories!
I probably haven't said this often enough, but I love your stories. I look forward to them. I anxiously await each new episode.
Your writing is brilliant. You're hilarious when you intend to be, and poignant when you wish to do that. I've never seen anything you've written fall flat. Your range of story ideas and characterizations is ambitious beyond what most authors, either here or elsewhere, ever attempt.
I would have hoped you felt a sense of accomplishment at least as large as the sense of awe I experience being jealous of your abilities and productivity.
Please reconsider. Duality and Get a Life are marvelous stories. I don't care what any wanna-be critics have to say about them, and you shouldn't either. They're good in their own right and shouldn't need reader validation for you to be proud of your work.
stories
don't give up, there are a lot of us who enjoy your stories. while I don't write many comments, I do leave kudos. keep up the good work.
robert
cant please everyone
Judging from the response here it's safe to say there are quite a few who enjoy your stories. We all know you cant please everyone, nor should you try.. you'd go insane trying to do so. I've seen your writing and your very good at what you do. Sadly i admit to being one of those to whom your stories do not appeal to... mostly because i read to escape reality (imo this one sucks bad) the further away from reality the better for me.. so magical transformations... sci-fi ect. appeal to me. Not the cold hard reality of transitioning (no matter the timeframe)so generally i look at a stories tags to get an idea of what kind of tale it's gonna be... if it's too realistic i tend to skip it and move to the next story. But this is *MY* preferance, and im not easy to please lol
Just because there's a few out that who just cant get into your stories doesnt mean that you should stop, because there are those who *DO* enjoy them, and those are the people you write for... your fans.
GAL
AWW, I was really enjoying GAL :(
Get a Life
I started reading this and thoroughly enjoyed it. As always in your writing, it is filled with warm humor and realistic conflict.
I decided to wait until you finished it to read it all at once.
All that aside. You're such a wonderful writer. You'll know when and if it is ever the right time for you to finish these stories.
Much love to you. You've given many people many happy hours.
Jill
Angela Rasch (Jill M I)
Do what works best for you.
I was awful scared at first upon seeing this because you're definitely one writer I don't want to see go away!
I might not always read your stories, but I DO always know on seeing something posted under your name that it's going to be a great addition to the site's content, and a beautiful story.
If you have to slow down, then that's just what has to happen, and is more than understandable. We'll always be here when you want to share with us -- whether the story be big, small, or anything in between.
Melanie E.
I'm Enjoying Both Stories
I hope you don't stop contributing here, but you should do what is right fro you.
I like you work!
Get A Life is one that I've been reading Duality not so much. Not because that is anything wrong with it, it's just RL has been busy and I'm reading a bunch of serials, and I figured I would read it when it's complete.
If you write it, I'll read it! And even try to bang out comments on my tablet!
Janice
Maybe I'm One Of Those To Blame
I have been a fan of yours since I found the site over six years ago. I used to always try to comment on each chapter of your stories.
Unfortunately Real Life has severely restricted my available time over the last eighteen months and I am reduced to just giving you kudos. This does not mean that I enjoy your work any less and I would be devastated if you didn't continue to write, even if your episodes are less frequent.
Both Duality and Get A Life are extremely enjoyable, as have been your earlier postings,
Joanne
Sue, take all the time you need but do write when you are ready
I have had a small taste of caring for ailing elderly relatives and it is very depressing and physically exhausting as the slow declines gather "strength."
Then one day they no longer remember you or worse they have died.
I hope your experience is bearable.
Remember to care for yourself. Don't let yourself get dragged down by the stress.
I must admit to not commenting much on these two stories.
My excuses are a wonky, slowly dying old laptop and a rapid series of changes at work.
Your worst stories I find decent reads.
Your best have me enthralled.
I need to give these two stories a second chance.
Frankly I fell behind on them and did nit take the time to catch up.
So my fault not yours.
John in Wauwatosa
John in Wauwatosa
Sue, Susan, Susanne, Suzanne or Dan Brown
Whichever name is on your work (except Dan) it has earned a place in my favourite reads since I bought Changes
I do wonder if the variations in your name are creating a added lack of feedback from your work. I know I must have bought Changes somewhere but looking just now I can't find it on Amazon or Lulu. Googling in general doesn't seem to produce the BigCloset results from your works I would have expected (although maybe that is connected to recent server problems). Just a thought.....
Regardless, please take heart in that you are read and enjoyed and you can't please everyone
Rhona
Rhona McCloud
Losing You as an Author Will Be a Terrible Loss !
Dear Sue,
Please, please reconsider this. I am checking for a next chapter of Get A Life every morning.
I think that you will find that the problems with the BCTS Site we have been experiencing accounts for the fewer kudos clicks recently, not a cooling off from your fans. I have tried to send kudos clicks to several regular authors including you recently and they have not always worked.
Please, could you at least finish what you have started, before taking a well earned break ? Especially GAL.
Finally somebody starts a story about the part of the world where I have come to hide myself, and now we Island Folks are to be left and forgotten about, just like what happens to us in Real Life. Snot Fair ! Boo hoo !
Briar
Sue Life goes on so do what
Sue
Life goes on so do what you need to do
if you need to stop writing then do so for you
I believe like most of the writers on this site you need to write and whatever you do write we will read
I don't think I have not enjoyed one of your stories however I don't necessarily get back to them once they are posted as I tend to like reading completed stories in one sitting. I have however been reading gal as you've been posting it and enjoying it immensely
life changes so we can only go with the flow
best of luck
I don't even have the time to
I don't even have the time to read anymore, but a couple of thoughts, Sue.
If you find any significant fault in your writing, you should be reassured by the
fact that you are one of the very few - very few - who do.
Second, no matter how good a writer you may be, the first criterion for selection
that most readers use is genera. Each different type of story you write will have a
different subset of readers, and a different subset of readers/non-readers/critics
who would be better pleased if you'd written something different. The price of trying
something new is that it will garner a different response; but, with the solid achievements
of expanding your own repertoire, reaching new and different readers, and keeping your own
entertainments fresh enough to continue to satisfy you.
Lastly, life is stressful, and there is always more to do, much of which you actually cannot
control. A motivational speaker might say, that it is the people who accept this, and persevere
in their tasks and talents, whose names we all remember - just as it is true that those who gave
it all up, even for the best of reasons, number greatly in the lists of those of whom we never
knew. I myself prefer to believe that although their observation is meaningful and true, it
glosses too easily over the simpler fact, that when things seem hardest, that is precisely when
just such an all encompassing pursuit as writing can mean the most - to you.
Your happiness and peace of mind (or piece of mind for our schizophrenic brethren) is of
supreme importance here, Sue, but whatever you do one of the very last writers whom I
would ever nominate to take a break from writing, is you.
Good luck with your wife's Mum.
Sarah Lynn
Get A Life
I've eagerly read each chapter as it's been released. However, just because comments / kudos are down on recent chapters, don't be discouraged. It may be nothing to do with you. Don't forget that until about 24 hours ago, BCTS experienced several periods of instability. Now it's sitting on a new server with plenty of room to cope with site growth, people may start returning... both to the site in general and your stories. Oh, and fewer kudos / comments is surely better than, say, receiving dozens of negative comments or a read count that struggles to get above a dozen :D
Give it another month or two, then re-evaluate what's happening with your tales...
[EDIT]
Looking at the Read count (which illustrates how many people have actually clicked into the chapter, rather than those who have engaged with it in some way), pretty much everything you've written has secured 1,600 reads or more.
Duality 3 has 1,400, but as that's the latest chapter, the count's likely to go up over time. Get A Life 9 is more puzzling, as it's only secured 226 reads. But that's very much the exception rather than the rule:
GAL 2 = 3,817
GAL 3 = 3,490
GAL 4 = 3,056
GAL 5 = 2,317
GAL 6 = 2,231
GAL 7 = 1,935
GAL 8 = 1,926
GAL 9 = 226
WAI 2 = 2,688
WAI 3 = 2,205
WAI 4 = 2,094
WAI 5 = 1,924
WAI 6 = 1,696
WAI 7 = 2,405
WAI 8 = 2,357
WAI 9 = 2,323
WAI 10 = 2,372
CC 2 = 2,074
CC 3 = 1,971
CC 4 = 2,048
CC 5 = 1,878
CC 6 = 1,894
CC 7 = 1,942
Duality 2 = 2,511
Duality 3 = 1,414
Letter to Santa = 1,641
The Uniform = 5,168
Birthday Blues = 3,484
Dreams are like Angels = 2,074
Be My Valentine = 1,799
Charity Shop = 3,559
As the right side of the brain controls the left side of the body, then only left-handers are in their right mind!
If I remember correctly GAL 9
If I remember correctly GAL 9 was posted in the mist of the server crash
I'm so sorry to hear this
Alzheimer's is a terrible thing for both the person experiencing it and for their family/caregivers. I am so sorry for you, your wife, and your mother-in-law. It is a wonderful thing that you do taking care of her but please don't forget to take care of yourself and your wife too. It's so easy to lose sight of that when you are someone's caregiver.
As far as your writing goes, I'll miss you. You are one of the authors on this site where just your name in the author's column guarentees a read. Duality is a case where I initially didn't think I would be interested due to the genre but read it because you had written it and got hooked on it. I believe I've read all of the stories you've posted on this site and I've enjoyed them all.
If you have to stop writing because RL is taking up too much time I certainly understand that. It happens to all of us. Just don't ever think you need to give up writing because you lack ability or audience. Should life change for you and you find yourself with time and motivation to write again you can count on me to read everything you post.
I wish you and yours the very best
I am really looking forward to the next chapter
of Get a Life. I love your stories. Please do not stop, but do take time for yourself.
SuZie
Don't be a silly billy
I have written just a few stories and was ecstatic when they hit 1,000 readers within a month - I think this sort of return is quite good.
YOU have written a wide variety of stories, both short and serial. You MIGHT need a break while you recharge your batteries but to stop writing when you give so much pleasure is not fair on you (or your usually pleased readers).
If you feel your read and kudos scores are not hitting the expected results then you can ask why - and several readers will give you quality feedback. (One of my stories has a series of linked comments almost as long as the story!!)
Personally, I did find Duality less fun to read than some of your others - so instead I re-read a few of your others - so thanks for that.
As a note - 3 of my stories got their scores 'glitched' and lost all their first 3 weeks (ie about 1,000 hits) - perhaps GAL9 got hit that way. I would also note that unlike many stories GAL9 does actually come to an adequate closure at the end - unlike far too many other stories by others which promise much and never get a (promised) continuation.
Please take a break if you need to - but don't stop writing. I suspect that like many genuine writers who have a daily need to put brain to paper it will be hard to stop completely.
Thanks for the stories you have written - and those you will write.
I offer 3 Story Titles for which I cannot yet find a story 'Girl Guide', 'Lass Vegas' 'What's Best on Your TV Tonite'
Love Alys P
Stopping writing
Many thanks for all the support here and in PM's.
I will try to continue with my writing as much as possible. I'm so pleased that so many have supported me up to now and will continue to do so in the future.
Hugs
Sue