What would you like to see?

[Myr]

What would you like to see to make Gay Authors better?

Please post your comments. I'd like sort of an open forum brainstorming session here.

 

Please post some thoughts.

[Myr]

nothing?

[movieguy47]

I Can't think of a thing, other than that i would like to see the regular go to the welcome to ga part 2 and help welcome the new members beside me

 

to me it seem with the many new members and visitor we have coming each day it like the old saying, if it ain't broke don't fix it!

[Myr]

ah... but the vast majority don't actually post...

and many don't come back.

[movieguy47]

ah... but the vast majority don't actually post...

and many don't come back.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

i think you will find that everywhere there is a forum

many just sign up to read threads or story and never post

 

i see that at all of the main author forum

 

at Crvboy you have maybe 10 that post and he got 359 so far

at The Glass Onion eggy got 391 at this time, and me and him and

at least 6 other post there

Dewey has 316 at this time and maybe 16 post there regular

 

my forum, i still need more that just 11 to join so far

 

and so do joseph mens

 

we can type til our finger turn black and blue and some will not post

at all

 

i would like to see them post, it would be a lot of fun to have them do it

 

i mean we ain't gonna bite, so i don't see why they would not

but only they can tell us why?

and i can't speak for them unless they say what would be fun for them

if they don't speak up

 

maybe if they see this and post they would? like you i would like

to know what would help make them feel good to post here and

everywhere else

 

so new member tell us, this is your home too. we can't move the

couch and chair unless you help us know where to put them

[Aleric]

Hi, I am very new to this site. I mean, I was a reader - but never posted

anything on the forum before. I didn't even read the forum.

 

The reason for that is clear: one finds gayauthors.com because

some author refers to it somewhere. You go to the home page,

search for the STORIES - and then start reading. That is, you

end up here: https://www.gayauthors.org/archive/archive.php?s=2

Which is perfect

 

I came back every once in a while, looking for new stories and that is that.

I don't like forums because they are new to me: I never used them before

and iI think that web based forums are unclear; there is no overview.

 

However - yesterday i decided that I wanted to write a story myself..

but only when people would read it. And I couldn't think of a better way

than to put it on this site. So, I had the question: what to do when I want

to publish my story on this site (and then I mean the archive, the page of the

url that I gave above, of course - not the forum, that I never had looked at

myself before and therefore assumed that by far most people never look at).

 

I could not find this information - not until after looking very, very hard (in some post

on some forum).

 

I had a very hard time registering too. At one moment I wanted to vote for

a story, so I clicked on 'vote'. I got a page that said that I had to login and

that I could register by clicking 'here'. That 'here' brought me back to the

home page (www.gayauthors.com) and there is no way to register there!

After trying many things, and being WAY more persistent then I think 99%

of other people might ever be, I went to the 'forums' section and registered

there (to ask there). Only later I found out that I could use the same email

address and password as that I had used for the forum to 'login' for the

whole site - and now I could vote. That is certainly unclear.

 

Even now, it is still unclear to me which forum exists and which I should read

and especially which NOT, cause I don't have that much time !

 

So - if you ask what could be improved, then from my point of view that

is information about how to 'register' from the homepage. And a clear

overview for clueless newbies about exists in the forums and where to go/look

for what. That overview should be very small of course - as with everything,

you can always find everything if you have the time to simply read 1000 pages:

then you just read everything and find it. But, since nobody has time to read

1000 pages and it is never clear if a page with 1000 words on it will contain

the information needed - I, at least, never read pages that contain 1000 words.

Unless I know what it is about - or when it iis addressed to me personally of course :king: .

But when I am looking for information, then I want a page with ONE word that proves

to me that it is worth to read the next 10 words, which make it crystal clear that this

page will contain the data that I am looking for and that all I have to do is read the

next 100 words to find out where exactly that information is.

 

Hope this helps

 

Aleric

[Myr]

I put a more clear registration link on the main archive page.

I've changed the code for the control panel registration link, but I'm not sure if that is working quite right yet. no time to debug before work.

[ethan thorn]

What about a new authors area i know i have been posting in the cafe but my story gets over shadowed by the rest of the post in the cafe.

[Myr]

I have added two temporary How to Guides:

How to get a story added to the archive:

https://www.gayauthors.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=1544

 

How to post stories in The Library:

https://www.gayauthors.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=1544

 

I'll be addressing some of the other things as well. In addition, I'll be setting up an easier to find and use set of guides as time permits.

[zero78245d]

Hi there. I am a new member of the forum but have been coming to the library for several months now as I am a voracious reader, especially of the caliber of writing as represented here. I do have one small suggestion. I think there should be some method of determining the last update date for stories in progress without actually linking to the story. In other words, on the library listing. That way I can quickly determine if a new chapter has been posted since my last visit. I know, most authors, if you link to their web site, will send e-mail notifications of new postings, but I get so much now that that notes may get lost in the debris. Just a thought from a newby.

[Myr]

I'm confused.

Are you referring to stories posted in the forum "The Library"? If you are, then the forums already display when a new post has been made.

 

I think you are probably referring to the story archive. If that's the case, while I like your suggestion, there is nothing I can do there. There is no practical way to do what you ask. The only real option is to have someone manually make updates, which is totally impractical, as it would take someone hours to check all the stories listed in the archive.

Sorry about that... but there are still some limitations with what you can reasonably do with computers.

[zero78245d]

Sorry. Yes, I meant the Story Archive. And now thinking about how the Archive works, I agree the job would be too time consuming. Oh well, guess I will just have to continue linking. Sigh.

 

 

[Crackerwriter]

I'd like to make something absolutely crystal clear to readers, so that they are left in no doubt.

 

I firmly believe that you will lose more authors, and will continue to do so, unless you start writing back to them and giving some encouragement, no matter whether they are the best writers or just beginners.

 

I know, because I've been personally told by some authors, that they are sick of writing stories, just to see them posted, but without any comment or feedback.

 

That's the biggest change we need around here.

 

I'm done with muttering.

 

I'M NOW SHOUTING IN THE HOPE THAT THERE ARE SOME READERS WITH A MODICUM OF INTELLIGENCE WHO WILL DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.

 

You've already lost me. I'm going. How many more will it take before you change your attitudes?

[DomLuka]

Okay, there

[The Story Lover]

I'd like to make something absolutely crystal clear to readers, so that they are left in no doubt.

 

I firmly believe that you will lose more authors, and will continue to do so, unless you start writing back to them and giving some encouragement, no matter whether they are the best writers or just beginners.

 

I know, because I've been personally told by some authors, that they are sick of writing stories, just to see them posted, but without any comment or feedback.

 

That's the biggest change we need around here.

 

I'm done with muttering.

 

I'M NOW SHOUTING IN THE HOPE THAT THERE ARE SOME READERS WITH A MODICUM OF INTELLIGENCE WHO WILL DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.

 

You've already lost me.  I'm going.  How many more will it take before you change your attitudes?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Cracker,

 

Are you directing your frustration towards the readers who don't respond to you stories or the functioning of this board? I am beginning torealize the old saying "you can bring a horse to water but you can't make him drink" is true.

 

I also belong to several boards and moderate one and I do see the same thing: lots of members and only a few posters. As a fellow author, newbie that I am I am experiencing the same thing. However as a site owner I do have a sligh advantage I can see daily how many people are reading my story from my site as well as the GA Links Page.

 

I am going to ask everyone here the question I ask an author whose stories I also edited. Who do you write for? Do you write for the joy of writing? Do you write for yourself? or do you write for the feedback from the readers? I believe that you have to write for the first two and that if you write solely for the third you will spend many frustrating days and nights. Does that mean I don't write for responses? NO I beg for them also and when I do get them I am ecstactic whether positive or negative. I have been lucky so far the few I have received have been positive and the negative ones were of a positive nature.

 

AS I have stated before I read for years before I started responding. I think a lot of readers just want to read a story and go on to the next one. I wish it wasn't true but I am believing it more and more. I realize that as an author of only 2 chapters so far and only a few humble poems I haven't experienced as much frustration as the rest of you may have, but for me II am going to continue to write until the muse leaves me.

 

Of corse my mind may change when I have written as many stories and chapters as the rest of you have. As for me I am just going to read and enjoy the comments I do receive and go on from there.

 

Thanks for letting me get my 25 cents out.

 

TSL

[Drewbie]

I totally agree with TSL. I think it sucks when people don't give them feed back I always give them feedback.

 

 

I'd like to make something absolutely crystal clear to readers, so that they are left in no doubt.

 

I firmly believe that you will lose more authors, and will continue to do so, unless you start writing back to them and giving some encouragement, no matter whether they are the best writers or just beginners.

 

I know, because I've been personally told by some authors, that they are sick of writing stories, just to see them posted, but without any comment or feedback.

 

That's the biggest change we need around here.

 

I'm done with muttering.

 

I'M NOW SHOUTING IN THE HOPE THAT THERE ARE SOME READERS WITH A MODICUM OF INTELLIGENCE WHO WILL DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT.

 

You've already lost me.  I'm going.  How many more will it take before you change your attitudes?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Cracker,

 

Are you directing your frustration towards the readers who don't respond to you stories or the functioning of this board? I am beginning torealize the old saying "you can bring a horse to water but you can't make him drink" is true.

 

I also belong to several boards and moderate one and I do see the same thing: lots of members and only a few posters. As a fellow author, newbie that I am I am experiencing the same thing. However as a site owner I do have a sligh advantage I can see daily how many people are reading my story from my site as well as the GA Links Page.

 

I am going to ask everyone here the question I ask an author whose stories I also edited. Who do you write for? Do you write for the joy of writing? Do you write for yourself? or do you write for the feedback from the readers? I believe that you have to write for the first two and that if you write solely for the third you will spend many frustrating days and nights. Does that mean I don't write for responses? NO I beg for them also and when I do get them I am ecstactic whether positive or negative. I have been lucky so far the few I have received have been positive and the negative ones were of a positive nature.

 

AS I have stated before I read for years before I started responding. I think a lot of readers just want to read a story and go on to the next one. I wish it wasn't true but I am believing it more and more. I realize that as an author of only 2 chapters so far and only a few humble poems I haven't experienced as much frustration as the rest of you may have, but for me II am going to continue to write until the muse leaves me.

 

Of corse my mind may change when I have written as many stories and chapters as the rest of you have. As for me I am just going to read and enjoy the comments I do receive and go on from there.

 

Thanks for letting me get my 25 cents out.

 

TSL

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[Myr]

I've had a very long day and I return to find a temper tantrum going on.

 

I can only provide services here. It's not this site's fault that the VAST MAJORITY of readers prefer to read and never say anything. Taking it out on Gay Authors is not only unfair, it is completely childish.

 

I have done everything I can to address ALL issues that have come up. I have implemented suggestions as much as possible, but you'll please note, that suggestions haven't been forthcoming here any more than emails to authors or story comments.

 

Further, for a Hosted Author to throw such a temper tantrum is radically unfair. I do not charge people for this site. I do not charge authors to be hosted. This all comes straight out of my pocket except for a few generous donations from some good friends of GA.

 

I'll look into some of Dom's suggestions as soon as time permits. (this weekend)

 

Feel free to post more suggestions. I'll do everything I can to improve the experience here, but I can't improve something if I'm not aware of the problem

[miguelsanchez55]

I've posted both places, Nifty (with some of my stories in the archive linked to Nifty) and here.

 

I'm not sure how many read what I've put here but many read what is in the archive. Try here first then you can always post it to a place like Nifty later on. I do agree with Cracker that if you read a story here, the least you can do is put some feedback in about it if not but "Loved the story" or "It totally sucked" At least we know it is being looked at.

 

Just a thought.

 

Mike Sanchez :sword:

[boy on a string]

I would like to be able to log in from the home page.

 

A hit counter so an author could see how many hits each story it getting.

 

A way (I know that it would be extreamly difficult ... maybe the new place it would be easier) for readers to 'click' a button that would allow them to respond to the story/chapter at the end of each chapter. We do have this in each thread. Of course it would have to route people to a different forum (either the cafe, or a new one, and it would be better if they could respond without having to be a member).

 

That of course leaves the problem of how an author would add to his story. I would not want to see several responces by readers between chapters of a story.

 

Would it be possible to have a 'date of last post' for the stories? That way I can visit a story, and know when a chapter has been added because the date has changed. (I hope this makes sense.)

 

Boy on a String

[Aleric]

This is EXACTLY what I am working on Right Now.

In fact, I am learning SQL and PHP for the sole purpose of assuring myself

feedback once I post my story!

 

Once I post my story you will see for yourself. If the system that I will

design appeals to the other authors here, then of course I will give them

(or Myr - for this site) the needed info and support.

 

But bear with me - I am still learning php! heheh

 

Maybe in a month or two I'll be ready to go 'online' with my story.

 

Aleric