Authors who don't interact with the community

[Timothy M.]

As most of you know, I try to leave comments on the stories I read. I certainly enjoy getting replies, and I will often stop leaving comments if there is no response.

 

But I rarely stop reading if the story is good. And I just thought of a benefit of non-responsive authors. It can be quite relaxing to read stories where you don't feel obliged to leave a comment.

[Brayon]

I think Myr's philosophical mood yesterday rubbed off on me. After some introspection last night about this topic, I think I can clarify what I was thinking when I posted this topic.

 

It comes down to a level of respect. I personally feel that an author, who doesn't interact with their readers, or the community at large, is abusing the site. I completely agree that publicity of one's work is needed if someone is publishing for money. However, there should be a minimum of interaction on the part of the author. Otherwise, it feels to me, that they really don't respect the community we have, and just using the place to advertise and generate revenue. If that is the case, be honest with us. Put a disclaimer on the story, that is what you are doing, and send GA some love in the form of Advertisement fees.

[craftingmom]

😬 I'm sorry!  I know I'm guilty of this lately!  Ever since my mom was diagnosed with cancer at the end of 2016, my activity on the computer in general has declined significantly, and I'm sorry (I used to spend at least an hour or so on it daily, now I may go days without getting on it).  I know I need to be better about responding to comments.  I do read them all (usually from my phone, and typing/responding on that tiny thing is not easy).  I do try to make sure I "like" each comment, even if it's not right away--often, it's as I'm coming back on to post another chapter (which I know have been few and far between lately).  Again, I'm sorry!  I'm trying to get back to spending more time checking out the forums and stuff.  I do miss it, finding the time to spend enjoying reading everything is another thing.

[Brayon]

1 hour ago, craftingmom said:

😬 I'm sorry!  I know I'm guilty of this lately!

You got nothing to be sorry for. Real life always takes the first spot, and you do interact with people.

[Krista]

My time on GA has been slaughtered to almost nothing the past couple of years. Kids, husband, work, are huge demands on my time and drains on my energy. Not having any energy or time to decompress, means I just don't want to write.  Not writing really doesn't make me want to engage as much with the community, as I'm no longer contributing to the community either. So I can see why some people would look at an Author like myself and say, "well they're not worth engaging with because they're not that engaging at all..." Which is fine, but do realize that people do have demands on their time and reading/replying/recognizing/or even logging on to notice notifications... takes time. If they don't have the time, they just don't have it.

 

So what I'm saying is, try not to take it too personally and if the story is one you like and you feel like you want to comment... go ahead and do so. You may not get a response right away.. or at all, but to the author it may just be the thing that keeps them from saying, "well my life is just too full to be part of this right now..." and leave entirely. 

Edited May 22, 2018 by Krista

[Myr]

I'm okay with authors that just want to post their works.  Especially when they are good at writing.  Do I want more?  Sure.  That's why we ask for more from our promoted authors.  But at the end of the day... GA stays alive by new content and new people.  We need both.

[Sam Wyer]

I accept that it’s personal choice, and authors can behave however they choose (within the usual boundaries of GA of course), but it does change my view of an author if they appear to be active (as in currently posting work) but none of the comments have been acknowledged by them.  Personally I’m always way too excited that someone has felt moved enough to click a like (they made it to the bottom of the page!), a full blown comment always deserves attention.

[quokka]

On 5/20/2018 at 6:54 AM, BHopper2 said:

@Dodger I am not justifying that person's actions. I have four GA members on my ignore list, two of which are authors. They've never commented on any of my stories, but I will say if they did, I would still ignore them.

Am i one of them?

[R. Eric]

Okay, I read what the question was.  I read comments given.  One thing is...I can't seem to get it.  How can they not interact with the community?  I read about authors that only post but don't comment on other works by other writers.  The only thing I see would have to be a hermit!  I can't live that way!  How can they have anything to write to interest anyone to read if they don't?  I admit, I don't do it as much as I might should, but certainly have found a few authors here that have written some things I consider to be very relevant and I can related to and get something valuable from what they have to say.  A hermit has nothing to add to the world because they aren't in the community.  I saw a much needed key element missing in the lives of many in the gay community.  Gay men and women needed something to aim for.  Love.  Sex is great, (I know you understand that) ,but I stress commitment in everything I write.  I know because I've been in the community now and, guys, this is my community.   I'm not a great writer.  I make errors all the time, but I have something to say and...people are reading what I have to say.  (I was shocked by that at first.)  GA was here when I lost Daniel.   (Testifying!  What GA has done for me!)  I was so devastated.  Some members of this community were there with me.  I would have quite literally died if I didn't have this means to be a part of this community and the community in the real world.  There are times I've wanted to really touch those out in this community, but distance is a problem.  I now have friends in many parts of the world because of GA.  This is a community I choose to interact with.   Authors that don't interact this or any other community will not make it as a writer or a human being.  They will have nothing to say and they will die. 

 

I got what you meant, you mean this community.  I still say, they are hermits if they don't interact.  I don't as often as I should, but I also said they'd have nothing to say.  Many of my stories have inputs given by others.  Hell, the later third of Cinderfella 2 was by input from another member of the community.  He thought of a whole new direction to go.  The same with Blueblood.  All five books!!  I say they wouldn't have anything much to say!

Edited May 27, 2018 by R. Eric

[Mikiesboy]

7 hours ago, R. Eric said:

 I'm not a great writer.  I make errors all the time, but I have something to say and...people are reading what I have to say.  (I was shocked by that at first.) 

You are also not a bad writer. You have ideas and I've liked what of yours i've read. Frankly, the only way to get better is to do what you're doing and write.

 

As well.. the only other way to improve is to read, share, talk. Try and learn where commas should go. This goes for all of us, not just you.

Edited May 27, 2018 by Mikiesboy

[Brayon]

9 hours ago, quokka said:

Am i one of them?

No. You are not one of them.

[CassieQ]

8 minutes ago, Mikiesboy said:

You are also not a bad writer. You have ideas and I've liked what of yours i've read. Frankly, the only way to get better is to do what you're doing and write.

 

As well.. the only other way to improve is to read, share, talk. Try and learn where commas should go. This goes for all of us, not just you.

Screw commas man.      

[Mikiesboy]

5 minutes ago, CassieQ said:

Screw commas man.      

No thanks..they are the wrong shape...prefer a nice exclamation mark myself!😜

[Ivric]

On 5/19/2018 at 2:18 AM, BHopper2 said:

I've noticed that GA has a number of Authors who post Stories to the Stories Archive, and that's the limit of their participation here on Gay Authors. There is no talking in clubs, as they are not members of them, no talking on forums, but they may or may not respond to chapter comments. How can an author do that? How can they not interact with the community, and still have their stories read?

 

It's mind-boggling.

I am guilty of being one of THOSE members, no matter my own personal reasons, I have failed as an active member of this great group of authors. However now that I am back I will be reviewing my own works and be more participative in clubs as well. Again I am sorry for my absence. 

[Brayon]

Just so people know, I wasn't trying to shame anyone for not interacting with the community. It was a personal observation of some recent postings.

[Ivric]

1 hour ago, BHopper2 said:

Just so people know, I wasn't trying to shame anyone for not interacting with the community. It was a personal observation of some recent postings.

I understand where you are coming from and I am not taking any offense. I know that life gets in the way of writing, with that being said I just wanted to let others know what I have been up to. 

[Pmsingtiger]

Hmm well, I know for me since I'm very quiet outside of just posting my stories is that I don't socialize well. I always feel like I don't know what to say so I just read what people say in the comments and on the forum. I also work a lot so I don't have much time to do more than write my story chapters before falling asleep and waking up in five hours to go to work. It would be amazing to have more of a presence among like-minded people who I can talk about stories with though. No one else in my life knows I write M/M romance, the only way I ever get to talk about it is on here.  

[mastershakeme]

On 6/3/2018 at 2:23 AM, Pmsingtiger said:

Hmm well, I know for me since I'm very quiet outside of just posting my stories is that I don't socialize well. I always feel like I don't know what to say so I just read what people say in the comments and on the forum. I also work a lot so I don't have much time to do more than write my story chapters before falling asleep and waking up in five hours to go to work. It would be amazing to have more of a presence among like-minded people who I can talk about stories with though. No one else in my life knows I write M/M romance, the only way I ever get to talk about it is on here.  

 

Yep. Some of the earlier posts had me worried because I felt like SUCH an ass for missing a few comments on my stories and not thumbing them up or responding. 

 

I don't spend much time on the fourms... I never know what to say either. I don't have a job anymore, per say, but I do have a lot going on in my everyday life. 

 

Some people seem to live on this site... And that's awesome! It doesn't mean us infrequent commentors are bad guys or that we're only here for the glory of posting online... 

 

Yea, I guess I *don't* know how my stories get read. I'm basically a ghost.... 

 

[Pmsingtiger]

4 minutes ago, mastershakeme said:

 

Yep. Some of the earlier posts had me worried because I felt like SUCH an ass for missing a few comments on my stories and not thumbing them up or responding. 

 

I don't spend much time on the fourms... I never know what to say either. I don't have a job anymore, per say, but I do have a lot going on in my everyday life. 

 

Some people seem to live on this site... And that's awesome! It doesn't mean us infrequent commentors are bad guys or that we're only here for the glory of posting online... 

 

Yea, I guess I *don't* know how my stories get read. I'm basically a ghost.... 

 

Ghost in the gay 👻

That's mostly me, but I'm trying. ❤️ 

[mastershakeme]

On 6/2/2018 at 8:33 PM, BHopper2 said:

Just so people know, I wasn't trying to shame anyone for not interacting with the community. It was a personal observation of some recent postings.

Haha! I was feeling super ashamed... 

 

It's funny how you posted that question and I immediately thought "I'm so unworthy!!!" 

 

Idk, I have to admit that as a small time author on this site, you @BHopper2 are super intimidating because you're so epically popular and you're always posting and replying and I don't even know how you keep up the level of activity that you do! I can't do all that posting. 

 

 

[mastershakeme]

6 minutes ago, Pmsingtiger said:

Ghost in the gay 👻

That's mostly me, but I'm trying. ❤️ 

Ghost in the gay???????? 

 

Heheee!!!! 👻🤣

[Pmsingtiger]

1 minute ago, mastershakeme said:

Ghost in the gay???????? 

 

Heheee!!!! 👻🤣

Yeah like Ghost in the shell but Ghost in the gay 😙

[Brayon]

22 minutes ago, mastershakeme said:

Some people seem to live on this site

Guilty as charged. I'm disabled, and keep odd hours. So, I'm usually on one of four different places online most times. When I'm not writing, or reading. One of my issues is I have hand tremmors, and it affacts my typing. So when it gets bad, I go into lurk mode, and trawl the site for stuff to read. If I'm not reading a novel, or use a voice recorder to make notes.

 

12 minutes ago, mastershakeme said:

Idk, I have to admit that as a small time author on this site, you @BHopper2 are super intimidating because you're so epically popular and you're always posting and replying and I don't even know how you keep up the level of activity that you do! I can't do all that posting. 

I'm just the same as you, just with more time on my hands to interact with. I don't mean to be intimidating, and I'm sorry that I come across that way.

[mastershakeme]

8 hours ago, BHopper2 said:

Guilty as charged. I'm disabled, and keep odd hours. So, I'm usually on one of four different places online most times. When I'm not writing, or reading. One of my issues is I have hand tremmors, and it affacts my typing. So when it gets bad, I go into lurk mode, and trawl the site for stuff to read. If I'm not reading a novel, or use a voice recorder to make notes.

 

I'm just the same as you, just with more time on my hands to interact with. I don't mean to be intimidating, and I'm sorry that I come across that way.

 

Now I'm sorry that you're apologizing... No hard feelings... You are an excellent author and deserve your place. I just wish I could be one of the kewl kids! Just for once! 

[AusGlitterati]

😮 I can't imagine not wanting to reply or at least thank someone for taking the time to leave a comment on something you've shared. It always makes my day better, so I gotta voice my appreciation, y'know?

I understand not everyone's the same way, and that's okay.