TopShelf TG Fiction in the BigCloset!
Another Writer that I have enjoyed so much was Amethyst. She was working on "Twice Removed" and stopped. Another professional work suddenly abandoned. I hope that whatever she moved on to is satisfying and pays well.
Blessings to you Amethyst, wherever you are.
Gwen
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Comments
Excellent writers who stopped writing stories
Gwen, you stopped writing too.
OK, so no bitching from me...
I published "Balmoral" a while back, um last June. So perhaps I should get busy? I have a long Novel that I've been working on for a long time. Maybe I should finish that?
There is my "Magnum Opus" that I stared back in the late 70's. Perhaps my writing has improved enough now that I can finish it?
OK, no more whining.
Gwen
A couple of reasons I've heard expressed
Lack of feedback from readers and driven off by a lot of negative criticism.
I can't blame some of the authors from giving up writing (or at least giving up posting stories online) after some of the comments I've seen. And a lack of response really kills enthusiasm even for someone who just writes for their own entertainment.
I've had...
Anxiety issues for many years, and after several months of posting here... Well, I haven't written anything besides comments like this since.
~And so it goes...
Cheers.
Often I find that my anxiety is less if I am writing to remove stress.
:)
Gwen
Hi Erica
Hugs, Talia
Hugs!
Hugs!
~And so it goes...
Thinly veiled hostility.
I understand and have felt that some writers were hostile toward me. I tend to use Middle Eastern characters in my writing because I have been heavily exposed to Middle Eastern culture. I try to avoid adolescent fantasy writing where some character is trying to prove how much of a warrior they are. Frankly, I've seen far too much violence and don't need any more. There is usually some transgender content in my stories but I keep it minimal, realistic, and not repetitive. I try not to make my stories material for masturbation.
There are two very long stories that I just haven't had the heart to work on.
I can remember getting one nasty comment in all these years. I still remember who made it and then they would not talk to me. Mostly people just ignore me. I've learned to always kudo, and try to comment. Maybe I should always comment.
Gwen
Responses
I give a kudo to everything I read to the end, even if I wind up just skimming it. I frequently comment, especially on new stories. If I'm rereading something I usually leave a comment telling them so. And I avoid negative criticism - this isn't a writing critique site, it's a thank-you-for-freely-sharing-your-stories site.
Responses
I'm with you. I give a kudo for the effort and sharing the story. If I comment is mostly a private message and always thanking the author for sharing their stories, and trying to offer encouragement when possible. In the end while I may not like a story, message or the writing style I do understand there are other people that might like or need the type of story or message.
In any event I think the authors are very brave for posting their stories and deserve our thanks as their stories in some cases allow us to dream of what we can attain, or escape and for a moment find respite.
Gabi
On Feedback
Biggest Feedback is number of "Reads", not comments. Only a very small number of readers ever post comments online (anywhere).
Even more so for multi-part stories, where reader retention can be seen, for each chapter.
Compare the number of written comments to the pages "Reads", and those reads are quietly satisfied readers.
The best "response" you can expect, is quietly satisfied readers, that keep coming back to read every post.
I'm by nature one of those quietly satisfied readers that rarely post any comments.
I generally read the "Printer-friendly version", of completed Novels, usually offline in Libre Office.
Neither, has comment facilities, not that I'd probably use them, as the Author's most likely moved on to another novel.
There is no negative criticism, only criticism, which can often be written poorly (ironic when critiquing writing), but is intended as constructive.
It's just an opinion, which we all have, and every one of us thinks ours is right.
All opinions must be taken with a huge pinch of salt as long as it sticks to critique of the writing.
If "negativity" is aimed at the author, it's not criticism, it's trolling at best, and abuse at it's worst.
If from a regular reader, that's deplorable, as they should know better, critique the content, don't insult the writer.
It sucks if an author gives up writing due to such abuse, but I won't read their work, as I only start reading a novel, once it's completed.
Though I understand why the site relies on bite sized posts, I can't read episodically, I must wait until the novels finished.
Dark Elven Sissy – Uhuru N’Uru
Reads are a funny number.
The problem is, that it is page hits not reads.
Several things throw this off especially on long multipart stories, more so if they are slow in coming. Comments can also throw off hits by causing multiple repeat visits by the same people.
-
I do not know for certain what other do, but would guess that some of the things I do that throw it off, are also done by others. Such as:
If a story is a long time between parts, I may go back and reread the last chapter, or possibly even reread it from the beginning, depending on complexity of the story.
On the other hand I may simply wait for the final chapter if a story is very slow in coming, and then read the whole thing at once. I may do this after starting to read something, getting part way through, or not even start, until the whole thing is up and then read it all at once. (Among other things this may also mean that just finished stories may accumulate more hits on early chapters within couple day of finish.)
When going back to reread, depending on the over all length and what device I am on. I may go to the the title page, and the use printer friendly, loading the whole thing at once. I then may save it to read offline. I believe doing this generates only 1 hit on the lead page, but none on the followups. Once downloaded rereading again generates none.
When reading live on line, I do other things like switch device mid-read for various RL reasons. Use reader-mode to see better, reboot my computer and "resume" my browser, these actions will generate an extra hit or 2 when I do them.
I will also also sometimes peek at chapters via my bookmarks to see if stories have been continued and I missed it. This will ad extras to chapters where a story has stalled for a long time.
So for my self at times I will:
- Not generate any hits until a story is done.
- Generate extra ones, more heavily the closer toward the beginning of a story.
- Generate random ones due to various reading conditions due to life.
- Cause extra ones due to, checking comments.
- Only generate one for the title page only, when downloading to read offline.
- Not generate any more if repeat re-reading offline.
So who else, how many others, do any, some, or all of these things?
>i<
Page hits
I have lost count of the number of stories I've clicked on and saw specs and hit the back button without reading a word.
In many cases, this is because the target audience (part of the story hook) seems to be a teenager. As that was 50 years ago, I don't want to revisit my those horrible days in any shape or form these days.
But that's me but it goes to show the importance of the 'story hook'.
Get that right and you will keep your readers engaged right through from page 1 to the very end.
You can't get away fron the fact that as soon as you put a piece of work on this or any other site, you become part of the entertainment industry. You are up against every established author out there, Hollywood, Bollywood and every other film studio in the world, every Theatre in the world, every place that play live music, etc ,etc, etc.
If you as the author is writing because you like writing and don't care about reads, sales or monetary income then you are very much in the minority.
For the rest of us we care about how our work is received by those who read it. The gratification we receive from our audience spurs us on to greater things (we hope).
Page hits are the crudest measure of popularity that we have here. Then there is Kudos and finally, there are Comments.
We have to live with what we have got.
Samantha
Hits
I often do the same: open a story, look at the synopsis, and go "No. Not for me". If I see femdom, "diapers", "extremely explicit" or other triggers, I move on.
I get very few comments and low numbers of 'reads', but I accept that. Things go in fashions, and I don't write for fashion but for myself. I am not a great reader of comics, superheroes leaving me cold, and while I have always been a Fan (of SF) decent science fiction or fantasy stories are very rare. I have dabbled in them, but I don't have that particular talent.
I will continue to write. Some people seem to appreciate my stuff. Some obviously don't. I will write what I feel I need to, in the end, rather than follow fashion or marketing trends. It wouldn't be my writing if I did.
I also read off-line
Most of my time "at keyboard" is either at work or through my company's network (via VPN), and my company's firewall blocks BigCloset.
So I tend to download stories that look interesting to my laptop and read them later. The ones I really like I edit up to put on my Kindle, where I may read a story hundreds of times without generating a single page hit. If a story really touches me, I may remember to send the author a PM, but that is also limited to times when I can be at the computer and go directly to the Internet (i.e., not through my company's firewall.)
tl;dr: there is no way to tell which stories I read a lot from how often I access them on the BigCloset web server.
But, honestly, even if I could get to BigCloset whenever I wanted, I would probably still mostly read off-line. I can edit downloaded copies to fix up obnoxiously bad grammar and punctuation and remove links and other clutter, and if I decide it's worth the effort of copy-editing and HTML-hacking, I may put it on my Kindle so I can read it anywhere, anytime.
Hi, I fear that...
Amethyst may no longer be with us. I've tried several times to contact her here and through her other social media accounts with no replies. I've even tried messages to people on her "friends" list with no replies. Basically all of her accounts went dormant about five years ago. I to wish she'd come back, but fear that's not possible, Hugs Talia
Sorry To Hear That.
I thought I had found her in Toronto but ...
Thanks
Gwen
Sometimes it is a lack of inspiration and/or ideas
that stops you writing.
Like when a new artist would appear on the Music Scene with a blockbuster first album. Would they be a one hit wonder or would they turn out to be someone that you could rely on to produce great music?
Like the second novel. Would it be as good as the first? Is there a 3rd one?
Then there is real life. This immovable object just has a habit of getting in the way when you least want it.
I've hardly done any writing so far this year. Lots of editing but very little new writing. Thankfully, my back catalogue still has some things in it but eventually, it will run dry. I'm not unduly worried. Life goes on and who knows when I'll get some real inspiration. I have one story that is on my mind but at the moment it will stay there. It is on a topic that many have real problems talking about (nothing illegal btw) and there have not been that many stories covering it but I may well be wrong.
Then... I'm wondering about venturing into a different genre.
Who knows what the future will bring to any of us eh?
Samantha
Facing Who We Are
There are some subjects that I have been asked to write about but every effort so far has dumped me into a Dissociative Fugue. It is embarrassing and sometimes people think I don't care.
I want to finish the "Hala Saga" that lasts several hundred years.
The other tale I want to finish should be Novel length, and deals with a young woman living during the time when all the ice has melted and large parts of Earth are now like Mars; completely uninhabitable. Both are Sci Fi with TG content kept minimal.
Will I live that long? Who knows. Aspects of my health are precarious.
Gwen
A natural progression, inspiration to burn out
A writer runs dry, the 'moment' of creativity passes, stuff happens... the reasons for stopping are varied... and personal. Another good question, like yours, is why do people start writing? Personal, therapeutic, etc.
In a couple months a dormant writer could 'erupt' & come back to life. Like Harper Lee?
Donna
I can tell you why I stop.
I can tell you why I stop. for me at least it was lack of support
Not that I'd count myself among the "excellent", but ...
I won't claim to be one of the "excellent" writers that Gwen is talking about, but in my case, the reason I've stopped writing is that I'm overwhelmed and exhausted from life right now, and it's been that way since I transitioned 2+ years ago. I'm dealing with:
I think most of us write in our spare time, and there are times when Life soaks up all our spare time and energy, leaving nothing for writing (or sleep!) I understand the wish to get our daily fix of our favorite authors, but I also recognize that our authors probably give priority to their own needs and the needs of those they are responsible for. I recall Bailey Summers writing a blog post more or less to that effect a while back.
Actually, though, I've started looking at some of my half-finished stories to see if I feel inspired to continue them yet. Most of them are far too personal for me to ever post them, but some of them I intend(ed) to post if and when they're done.
haven't stopped writing
Just stopped writing anything worth sharing, or worse, anything I wanted to read myself.
I can't seem to get from inspiration and story setup to my tiggishly requires Happy Ending in a way that satisfies me from a plot development and consistency perspective.
So I'm writing but not publishing. Filling up uncle bill gate's recycle bin with really unreadable junk or stuff that is just too sad with no way that I can see to fix it.
Hugs,
Tiggs
My problem is social awkwardness
I'm socially crippled and as such while I make comments they're usually what I hope is support to the writer. As I writer I devour every comment. I'm old enough to have learned you can't please everyone. I've found the following to be true at work, at church, at facebook and here: Those who leave nasty comments or troll are very unhappy, have low self esteem and are jealous people. They are unable to raise their level of happiness and can't stand to see others happy when they are not. As a result they try to pull others down to their level which is easier than trying to raise themselves. Instead of letting those people upset me, I feel sorry for them since they don't know how to be happy. Feeling sorry for them , at least for me, erases their negativity.
Boys will be girls... if they're lucky!
Jennifer Sue
I wouldn't count myself...
I wouldn't count myself as an excellent writer myself.
But maybe something I say resonates with someone.
I haven't really been active with writing lately. Most of it was for personal reasons. Stress at work. A lot of it. And when you are home and have spare time you lack the energy. There is just this lethargy.
Publishing stories helped to alleviate it. Seeing readers enjoy my stories gave me joy. Energy.
But lately a new corrupted way of thinking wormed itself into my brain.
What does read count measure besides trapping readers by baiting them with keywords in the description.
The measure of kudos seems to be flawed. It is pretty much around 10% for all my stories. Are those from readers who really liked the story or is it just their habit? A payment they feel we authors are entitled to.
The only measure that really can tell anything is a comment. Even a short "I liked this story".
If an author took hours or even days to write a story it can be demotivating if just a few people bother to write a comment.
And if the readers don't bother to do anything, a writer might come to the conclusion that maybe they too shouldn't bother.
Under those circumstances and from this point of view I can understand why other authors might call it quits.
I know. This is a very dark view of things.
That's just how I feel at the moment.
And maybe I am not alone feeling like this.
To question why a writer quit afterwards is like crying over spilled milk. Won't help anyone.
But if you still like some of those writers active right now, then let them know you care.
Encourage them. Nourish them. Sometimes it only takes a few words. Sometimes a comment is enough.
Getting Away from Problems
I fully understand your comments and of course the site loses regular readers as well as new ones joining all the time so tastes change. I'm not sure the site has the same level of reader base that we had when I joined and posted the first chapter of a story that I was writing for fun.
My busiest period of writing was when I was under the most pressure in my career and it was a great pressure relief. But I used to jump about and post new stories because my mind was so active whilst under pressure. I was like a butterfly.
I have noticed the hits now are far lower than a few years ago and the kudos does tend to be around 10% of the hits. But because some other writers have thousands of hits and very high kudos scores I begin to doubt myself. Perhaps that just reflects the changing age profile of the readers. Maybe I'm completely wrong.
I do appreciate comments more than hits or kudos but maybe lots of members prefer to read than comment.
I have no regrets at all about joining this site and I doubt that you have. I try to be a contributor rather than a reader and maybe I spot 1 or 2 stories each day that I read.
It might be the writer or the title that attracts me or even a picture. It depends on the day of the week as well.
So if we all adopt that approach then lots of great stories are bound to be missed.
Declining views
Take my stories as an example, for Allison's Pledge I had a huge following but the moment I started developing character flaws and making them more than just cardboard cutouts and stereotypes, I started to lose views. I went from having 900+ reads to 300-400, and very few comments. I've actually considered stopping because honestly, what's the point?
I'm part of the problem
Based upon this thread I can see that I'm part of the problem. Kudo's and page reads don't really give y'all enough information. I'll make it a point to fix that. I've been enjoying many different stories concurrently, and I can see how some would like to have a finished story to savor. I find myself disappointed when serials trail off, but I'm going to let all of my new favorite authors know that I'm out here and reading.
(I found the Saga of Tuck just a little while after Ellen went off the map, and I fear the reason is a dark one.)
Anyway, this thread has opened Pandora's box, and I'll be offering support when I can. You'll just have to deal with it :-)
Thanks to all the writers; I don't seem to be able to do that!
Steve
Financial incentives
There are some stories that don’t get continued because there are other priorities.
I think commissioning a work might be the way to go sometimes.
I am a fan of Bek’s Exalted universe story Anathema but Bek has never written a follow on, which supposedly was planned. I would consider commissioning the following work if it is not unreasonably expensive.
Money might help the inspiration process imho.
I noticed that this week we
I noticed that this week we may have lost another GREAT author
because
someone forgot the first rule
if you cannot post 'nice' then just shut-up and read in silence....we authors are not being paid by you....
post criticisms that help the author grow, not inflict harm, or make suggestions in private maybe and proofread over a long maybe 'hot' post before you click 'done' and see if you are venturing into a bad area!
ohh and personal pet peeve...if you are going to tear something apart...you better be an author too! and not an arm chair quarterback
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