Virtual Home for the Fictional

[LostSole]

And maybe, in the end,
they were all just a little make-believe,
shifting shapes in search of something
to become a home they’d never leave.
And so, they stayed, never asking
until the silence grew too loud.

Edited April 24, 2025 by LostSole

[Jason Rimbaud]

1 hour ago, LostSole said:

Apparently, quite a few fellow authors here have unlocked the secret to reading 3,000-word stories in under five minutes.

And three stories in ten minutes? That’s not reading. That’s time travel.

It’s wild how many people seem to forget that profile activity is public. It’s not hard to tell who actually read a piece and who just skimmed. I keep seeing these drive-by comments and, honestly, I’m just confused.

What’s the goal here? Karma? Visibility? Some kind of forum-based cardio?

There's a rich irony in posting your own work in hopes of real engagement, only to turn around and speed-comment on others. I’m not about to make myself look foolish by replying to comments from people whose activity clearly shows they didn’t even read the story. That’s not connection.

That’s just noise.

If this site becomes a place where everyone pretends to read while hoping to be read, what’s the point?

Maybe the system is encouraging this kind of hollow engagement. If so, maybe it’s the system that needs fixing.

And just to be clear, this isn’t aimed at anyone in particular.

But if your first reaction is to feel called out, maybe take a moment to reflect on that.

I've gone back and forth in how I wanted to respond. On one hand I understand the frustration you are feeling, especially in regards to what you are calling "noise" feedback. But I also know there are many readers here who love interacting with their favorite authors. And in that regard, you are already a leg up on many people. The two stories I've read of yours were wonderful.

Truthfully I have and at times do feel the same way. But I think it comes down to what you are looking for by posting your stories here. If you are looking for feedback, criticism, constructive or not, that's a bit more rare. Most people on this site trends towards the positive. If you are looking for just engagement as a reader/writer relationship, then you can't just post your work and wait for people to show up. 

I'm not saying it's a popularity contest, but its very much a popularity contest. If people see you in the forums, on other author's stories, engaging with the community, you run a higher chance at attracting readers. If they see you and like you when you post a story there is a higher chance that they will give your work a look over. 

If you are standoffish, aloof, then they will shy away from you. It's just the nature of humans. Trust me, I tried that for the first twenty years I was a member here. I got out of it exactly what I put into it, nothing. 

And I'm not sure how you could ever look foolish thanking someone for comments on your stories. Their motivations really don't matter in the end. I will say I believe that if a new reader enjoys your story, then goes to the comments and twenty people have commented and the author hasn't responded, not even with a like/love, then they are less likely to comment. They figure the author isn't reading them anyway.

So what if not every comment speaks to you. What's the harm in throwing a thank you, give the comment a like, give the other readers who haven't commented yet the okay to engage, that you're here, and pleasant to communicate with. Engagement goes both ways, unlike myself but that's a different topic all together. 

I like your work, I like how thoughtful you are in the few comments I've read of yours. So you can take this response for what it is, just a different perspective. 

 

[ReaderPaul]

6 hours ago, LostSole said:

     Apparently, quite a few fellow authors here have unlocked the secret to reading 3,000-word stories in under five minutes.
     And three stories in ten minutes?  That’s not reading.  That’s time travel.
     It’s wild how many people seem to forget that profile activity is public.  It’s not hard to tell who actually read a piece and who just skimmed.  I keep seeing these drive-by comments and, honestly, I’m just confused.

Some persons read faster than others.  I used to be able to read close to 2,000 words a minute.  But age, failing eyesight, a stroke, and lifelong dyslexia have drastically reduced that to about 500 words a minute.

Some persons do skim.  I have had to do that at times when continually interrupted by IRL (In Real Life) events.  If the story is worth reading, I will come back and read it again, and probably look for more of the work of the same author.

3 hours ago, Jason Rimbaud said:

     I've gone back and forth in how I wanted to respond.  On one hand I understand the frustration you are feeling, especially in regards to what you are calling "noise" feedback.  But I also know there are many readers here who love interacting with their favorite authors.  And in that regard, you are already a leg up on many people.  The two stories I've read of yours were wonderful.
     Truthfully I have and at times do feel the same way.  But I think it comes down to what you are looking for by posting your stories here.  f you are looking for feedback, criticism, constructive or not, that's a bit more rare.  Most people on this site trends towards the positive.  If you are looking for just engagement as a reader/writer relationship, then you can't just post your work and wait for people to show up.
     I'm not saying it's a popularity contest, but its very much a popularity contest.  If people see you in the forums, on other author's stories, engaging with the community, you run a higher chance at attracting readers. If they see you and like you when you post a story there is a higher chance that they will give your work a look over. 
     If you are standoffish, aloof, then they will shy away from you.  It's just the nature of humans.  Trust me, I tried that for the first twenty years I was a member here.  I got out of it exactly what I put into it, nothing. 
     And I'm not sure how you could ever look foolish thanking someone for comments on your stories.  Their motivations really don't matter in the end. I will say I believe that if a new reader enjoys your story, then goes to the comments and twenty people have commented and the author hasn't responded, not even with a like/love, then they are less likely to comment.  They figure the author isn't reading them anyway.
     So what if not every comment speaks to you.  What's the harm in throwing a thank you, give the comment a like, give the other readers who haven't commented yet the okay to engage, that you're here, and pleasant to communicate with.  Engagement goes both ways, unlike myself but that's a different topic all together. 
     I like your work, I like how thoughtful you are in the few comments I've read of yours.  So you can take this response for what it is, just a different perspective.

 @Jason Rimbaud has said much of what I was thinking.  I am aware of one GA author who is legally blind, and has to use a voice program to write his stories.  When that program reads back reader responses it does not always get them right, so he rarely responds to comments  But some authors are able and do respond.  If an author continually snaps at me for comments, eventually I abandon that author.  Authors and readers can both have bad days.  We as readers and authors as writers and content distributors both need respect.
     Civility and respect go far on both sides.  Sometimes I am very rushed in my responses and don't always express myself well.  Each of us must try to be our best.

[Mike Carss]

13 hours ago, LostSole said:

If this site becomes a place where everyone pretends to read while hoping to be read, what’s the point?

This is only an assumption, but I think it's safe to say the majority of views for your stories are from actual readers. Why concern yourself about a few people trying (I suspect) to boost their stats? I appreciate the tactic bugs you, but perhaps look at it another way. The more views and comments that appear in your stories could attract other readers (real readers) to explore your work, providing you real engagement between reader and author.

[Thirdly]

Now hold on just a darn minute...you are complaining because you are receiving short, quick comments on your work? Everyone under 30 doesn't even leave comments anymore. You'd be lucky to have just some likes tossed your chapter's way. That's just younger generations truly appreciating your work if they took the moment to comment something!  I'm a millennial, I've seen it all...the move from chatrooms to messengers to discord...websites to forums to apps. If you are receiving any comments at all, it's kuddos, encouragement, a nod of appreciation of your writing skill. 

The times of in-depth review-like prose you used to read on the back of paperbacks is long gone. Have you seen the minimal reviews on some of those paperbacks these days? Most are less than 3 words, my friend. Instead of feeling frustrated over your readership's minimal responses, ask them some questions or toss them random trivia about the story or characters that were featured in that chapter.

You think the writers before us didn't reply to fan letters? Think of every reaction and comment you receive as someone having gone through the effort to slap a stamp on an envelope and send it to the mailbox because it is basically the digital version of that! Don't believe me? Check your views. Each one is a live person that read that chapter. Now, how many of those left a like or comment on that chapter? 

Take pride in the activity you receive every time you post and remember that there are stories out there that receive less than 10 views per upload. 

A little gratitude goes a long way.

[LostSole]

Every gesture they rehearsed,
Every smile a weapon to wield,
No substance was the currency,
Of this fragile fiction guild.

Edited April 24, 2025 by LostSole

[Thirdly]

1 hour ago, LostSole said:

I think your reading glasses slipped off because you seriously misunderstood my OP.

If I misunderstood something, I apologize. I just wanted to point out that speed readers are everywhere, and those rushed responses sometimes aren't as rushed as you think they are. I can bring the chocolate and graham crackers for that bonfire any time. 😉

[Krista]

Keep in mind, there is some fruit to what @LostSole has said as well. There are people here who do try to fill a quota, and they do so by skimming, finding something to comment on, and move on. Is it good engagement? No, but it is engagement. I think that pool of people is rather small, but it is here. It used to be worse when leaderboards were more interactive and visible, but now most of the leaderboards are geared towards writer output and reviews, and not simply posting a comment. But there are most definitely people out there and the psychology driving them is that they want to be "on top" or in "first place..." 

Although I don't think it is happening a lot, it is still an issue if you find an issue with it. Hopefully you can remain an author here, reward the engagement you wish to have. You're the author of your stories, so if you see something you don't like you have every right to defend them, albeit respectfully.

I am also far more outspoken than most people though, if I see something I don't like I typically make it known that I don't like it.

I would also say that 'most' engagement you will receive will be small engagements. Maybe even as minimal as a reaction here and there. I've not posted anything new aside from I think one poetry anthology for over a year. I am about finished with my next project, I'll be starting the editing and posting portion of that project in the coming months. So, I may be a bit out of the loop if there has been a significant shift, but admittedly, I'm not an avid reader here, I don't have the free time to be. 

I will tell you this though, I know I have lost readers due to my lack of engagement with them. Most, if not all of them I really cherished, but they couldn't stick it out with me because I was so erratic and slow at posting, and with that, my engagement with them also waned to the point where they gave up.

The most I wish for GA is to be more symbiotic, but that's not human nature. Unfortunately, most people will just view your work and not say or do much of anything. So, if you're getting 'something,' at least it is 'more' than what the majority does. I would say, generally, if you're an author who wishes to have valued engagement, then you need to be giving valuable engagement as well. The worst thing anyone here can do is find a story they really like, an author who they value, and give them nothing whilst soaking up their words like a sponge. You never know if/when the author is going to throw in the towel, or the reasons why they did. We've lost a lot of great and long-standing authors here over the years for various reasons, if you're a big fan of anyone here - make sure they know it and do so often. 

[LostSole]

And you'd ask, where are the young,
who seemed nowhere about?
But like the echo chambers of old,
they ate the youth who dared to doubt.

Edited April 24, 2025 by LostSole

[LostSole]

They watched themselves through the screen,
pixel-thin and safely blurred,
afraid the truth might cut too deep,
or worse, be overheard.

So they split themselves to fit the room,
and trimmed the parts that didn’t please.
Until the mask grew skin, and then...
they couldn’t find the seams.

Edited April 24, 2025 by LostSole

[Thirdly]

48 minutes ago, LostSole said:

I’m a storyteller. What I want is a genuine response, something that shows the story resonated, stirred a feeling, or left an impression. I’m not asking for essays. I’m just saying that if someone writes “Great story” or “Loved it,” I want to believe those words are real. Because when writers drop generic, insincere comments on other people’s work they didn't even read, just to game a point system, it’s not just a personal slight.

It’s a disservice to the craft.

You want honest opinions and reactions, I get that. It's why my friend Bennie and I always try to record our reactions as we read whenever we comment on anything, but that's because we're writers ourselves and know how much effort it takes to write even the shortest, most haphazard story. But there are all kinds of readers... some resonate so well with your work that they try to express it the best they can. Others don't know how to express it because they are not writers and their gifts lie elsewhere. Even if it feels like fluff, some of it is genuine. 

If you want more in-depth and honest critiques, ask other writers. I have six people I can name off the top of my head on this site alone that I befriended when we were part of an event together, and we've been swapping segments of stories, opinions, and critiques on stories that aren't even posted yet. Even bestselling authors have several people to whom they show their rough work before they even get to a beta reader or editor. They admit it on interviews and name-drop all the time. 

[LostSole]

When drag becomes permanent, the person beneath the performance is forgotten.
Even to themselves.
They're left to wonder:
"Am I even real anymore?"
The silence fills the space where the echo chamber once roared.
It is deafening.

Edited April 24, 2025 by LostSole

[Thirdly]

3 minutes ago, LostSole said:

But here, when I see someone comment “Great job” on three different stories in under five minutes, it doesn’t feel genuine. It feels like they're just doing it for points. That’s all I’m trying to say. I just want to feel like the person actually read what I wrote before commenting. That’s not about critique. It’s about sincerity.

See, that's the part that I find hard to believe. I doubt less than 1% of readers on here would copy-paste the same thing on every post everywhere just for points. I say that only because I'm in the top 2% of the point system myself, and as you can clearly see, I ramble just about anywhere with sincerity (albeit misguided sincerity at times).

[chris191070]

With 550 reviews, you will always find me lurking around. Yes, I have my favourite authors. But I always try out new authors, to support them and I always try and react to chapters and comment, if I like the story, I review and I'll come back for more because I have enjoyed your work.

[ReaderPaul]

14 minutes ago, LostSole said:

     No, I'm not asking for critiques or longer responses. I'm not looking for detailed feedback or edits.  I already use critique-focused sites like Scribophile and Critique Circle, and the stories I post here have already been through that process.
     What I'm asking for is authenticity.
     For example, on AO3, when someone comments “Great job,” I can trust that they meant it.  There’s no incentive system, so if they said it, it’s because they actually read the story and wanted to comment.  It came from a real place.
     But here, when I see someone comment “Great job” on three different stories in under five minutes, it doesn’t feel genuine.  It feels like they're just doing it for points.  That’s all I’m trying to say.  I just want to feel like the person actually read what I wrote before commenting.  That’s not about critique. It’s about sincerity.

If I understand the point system correctly, a person who comments "Great Job" or whatever does not get points -- The only points they get is if someone responds to that "Great Job" or whatever post.

I once saw a comment from someone who said -- "I did not finish this chapter" and explained why they did not finish.

Everyone is different.  Sometimes, we have to live and make do with what we get.

[Jason Rimbaud]

34 minutes ago, LostSole said:

But here, when I see someone comment “Great job” on three different stories in under five minutes, it doesn’t feel genuine. It feels like they're just doing it for points.

This whole thread has just pissed me off and I'm going to go against my natural urge and just say one thing. (I lied again, a few things)

Thirdly might have been a bit harsh but she said what everyone was thinking. But she didn't say it clear enough because she's a really nice person. I am not.

How do you know that this person who said good job on three stories in five minutes, hadn't read your stories earlier and when they got time they went back and gave you their thumbs up because they liked what you read? I've read stories and didn't comment until weeks later. Usually because I read stories on my phone, and comment when I'm at my laptop.

I don't really need a response, I'm over this thread and won't revisit it again. 

So I lied, and I'll add an addendum, this thread makes me not want to comment on any of your stories. Why should I if you are going to dissect every commenter's motivations in a public way? You don't reply anyway, so it's all pointless.

If you go to your stories, you can surmise quickly who you are speaking about because every comment is the same few people. I am one of those handful of people, but due to this thread, I won't be again. 

You are a talented writer, and more than likely a nice person in your real life, so consider this my only comment on everything you post moving forward. 

J 

[chris191070]

31 minutes ago, Jason Rimbaud said:

This whole thread has just pissed me off and I'm going to go against my natural urge and just say one thing. (I lied again, a few things)

Thirdly might have been a bit harsh but she said what everyone was thinking. But she didn't say it clear enough because she's a really nice person. I am not.

How do you know that this person who said good job on three stories in five minutes, hadn't read your stories earlier and when they got time they went back and gave you their thumbs up because they liked what you read? I've read stories and didn't comment until weeks later. Usually because I read stories on my phone, and comment when I'm at my laptop.

I don't really need a response, I'm over this thread and won't revisit it again. 

So I lied, and I'll add an addendum, this thread makes me not want to comment on any of your stories. Why should I if you are going to dissect every commenter's motivations in a public way? You don't reply anyway, so it's all pointless.

If you go to your stories, you can surmise quickly who you are speaking about because every comment is the same few people. I am one of those handful of people, but due to this thread, I won't be again. 

You are a talented writer, and more than likely a nice person in your real life, so consider this my only comment on everything you post moving forward. 

J 

I totally agree with everything you have said @Jason Rimbaud

[Mike Carss]

@LostSole I received an email that you'd tagged a number of respondents (myself included), thanking us for sharing our thoughts, but you've since wiped all that. Why did you derail this conversation by editing all your posts to cryptic prose? If I was to guess, you were hoping for some echo chamber agreements, and when those didn't come, you got angry.

Also, @Jason Rimbaud has made a very valid point:

7 hours ago, Jason Rimbaud said:

How do you know that this person who said good job on three stories in five minutes, hadn't read your stories earlier and when they got time they went back and gave you their thumbs up because they liked what you read? I've read stories and didn't comment until weeks later. Usually because I read stories on my phone, and comment when I'm at my laptop.

This is a perfect example of Occam's razor. Is a person trying to garner points by not reading and just leaving comments (very strange), or are they coming back to leave a comment after the fact? I'd say the latter makes much more sense, and if true, says that your story made enough of an impact that they returned to comment.

If you're going to continue commenting on your own thread, why not share your thoughts rather than hiding them behind prose.

[Ron]

The conversation had me go look at LostSol’s work — looks like they packed up and cleared the place out.

[Ticklishboy30]

Wow! I'm late to this party. Hmm, after reading this thread, it seems like being fashionably late was the way to go. 

First, I want to say thank you to anyone who's read anything I've posted. I know my stories aren't exactly mainstream content. I'm very grateful. 

@Jason Rimbaud, @mcarss, @Thirdly, @chris191070, @ReaderPaul, and @Krista, I thoroughly enjoyed, and agreed with your passionate and well thought out responses. You guys rock.

Guys, I know that I don't have to make any statements, but after reading the op's revised comments, vs the original versions that got quoted, I'd like to apologize for the manner LS' comments were expressed. If I knew this was how they operated, I'd never have suggested they post here. 

The one thing I gushed about was the welcoming community spirit, civility and moral support the authors and readers share with one another, and how even on my crappiest posted chapter, no one made any harsh or disrespectful comments and the criticism was constructive, not destructive. (There are many chapters I've posted that make me cringe. )

Personally, I've enjoyed everyone I've interacted with on here and am grateful for the site's authors and readers especially since both parties need each other to make GA work. 

Love y'all.

Edited April 24, 2025 by Ticklishboy30

[ReaderPaul]

4 hours ago, Ron said:

The conversation had me go look at LostSol’s work — looks like they packed up and cleared the place out.

The replacement of the original complaints with prose tends to prove the point, @Ron -- @mcarss -- @Jason Rimbaud -- @Thirdly -- @chris191070 -- @Krista -- that the OP has not taken the hints or the direct criticisms well.  This could be taken as "whiney-self-absorbed-unable-to-take-suggestions-or-criticism-well syndrome."

 

[Krista]

Unfortunate. It is highly unlikely that there are many "bad faith" readers here, and there really isn't any way to tell, unless it becomes rather obvious and even then. There are a lot of factors and a lot of them have been mentioned above, that we don't know. So we have to take engagement at face value.

The reasoning being that there is a counter in profiles of how many reactions one gets, how many reviews, and comments have been left, etc. being visible. This is a writing 'community' with forums, stories, discussions, and a lot more to do than just read and leave a quick comment. What I find annoying is that one site's similar engagement is okay, and GA's engagement isn't. Very much a swiss cheese sort of an argument to make to be fair.

I also hope what I said in the beginning of my original post didn't lead to any confusion: There are people who comment only for their benefit. That number is so miniscule that it doesn't affect anything of any value. Stories are still getting engaged with, likely even read, and even if they skimmed it... they took the time and effort to do so - and they commented at the end of all of that. 

Patience and a willingness to try being key.  Audiences are built, they're not owed to you outright and if you do not feed that audience, it will leave. People will not engage with you. This is a site with a lot of authors, authors in direct competition for eyeballs. Everyone likes comments, reviews, constructive criticism (or they should like it), and praise. But, you also have to write for yourself. Comments shouldn't be towards the top of the list. Enjoyment, learning/growing your craft, achieving/meeting your writing goals, are all more important. 

Also, I am glad I missed 95% of this conversation.  

 

 

Edited April 24, 2025 by Krista

[Jason Rimbaud]

12 minutes ago, Krista said:

The reasoning being that there is a counter in profiles of how many reactions one gets, how many reviews, and comments have been left, etc. being visible.

Not to threw my fire on someone who isn't here, but one of the reasons I was in reputation jail for twenty years, comments and likes do count towards your rep but it was so small a number that it wasn't until I posted six chapters to a story before I was able to post on my own. I went from like 75 rep points to seven hundred in six weeks, and it wasn't because I was doing drive by comments. GA is a writer driven site, more than it is a reader driven one. 

When I didn't understand how the rep system worked, I asked for clarification. That is a good lesson for people to learn, assuming is really not constructive to the truth. I find the whole situation sad, I really did like the two stories I read by this author. 

 

[Krista]

14 minutes ago, Jason Rimbaud said:

Not to threw my fire on someone who isn't here, but one of the reasons I was in reputation jail for twenty years, comments and likes do count towards your rep but it was so small a number that it wasn't until I posted six chapters to a story before I was able to post on my own. I went from like 75 rep points to seven hundred in six weeks, and it wasn't because I was doing drive by comments. GA is a writer driven site, more than it is a reader driven one. 

When I didn't understand how the rep system worked, I asked for clarification. That is a good lesson for people to learn, assuming is really not constructive to the truth. I find the whole situation sad, I really did like the two stories I read by this author. 

 

I honestly keep forgetting there is a function to that starting out as a new posting author. But still, I was more or less annoyed that Ao3 and GA were being compared. They are totally different. For 'similar' comments to be okay there, and not here 'only' because everything is visible: Reviews, Comments, Reputation, it doesn't hold weight to me. If the words within the comments were the issue, then they should be the issue anywhere. 

All the more reason for patience, a grace period, and overall acclimation process. I'm also saying all of this 'generally' for anyone who sees this topic. As despite the derailment, there is still value in what was said here.

Edited April 24, 2025 by Krista

[Ron]

19 hours ago, Jason Rimbaud said:

I don't really need a response, I'm over this thread and won't revisit it again.

I see what you did there. 🙄 Ha, never say never … Am-I-right?!