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Hi AC/FICTALKers. If you see this (11/12/2024) please see new post in General Discussions about Open Doors OTW Organization for Transformative Works) offering to help preserve the AC archive and let me know your thoughts:

https://absolutechaos.net/fictalk/index.php/topic,3415.msg125627.html#new

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Author Topic: When reading...  (Read 12511 times)

kevmylove

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When reading...
« on: September 16, 2011, 10:59:03 AM »

I know these questions have probably been answered before, but the thread seems so dead to me lately. Plus, I miss talking to you guys :(

A story looks interesting to you...

1. You click on it and notice the word count. (In example: every chapter is more than 3000 or less than 1000 words.) Does that stop you from even starting to read?

If you are already reading a story...

2. You leave a review for each chapter that you read, but never get a response from the author. (I don't mean when the author takes a bit to answer; I'm guilty of that.) Does that make you stop reading?
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Alexsgirl_ritz

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Re: When reading...
« Reply #1 on: September 16, 2011, 11:53:57 AM »


A story looks interesting to you...

1. You click on it and notice the word count. (In example: every chapter is more than 3000 or less than 1000 words.) Does that stop you from even starting to read?

If you are already reading a story...

2. You leave a review for each chapter that you read, but never get a response from the author. (I don't mean when the author takes a bit to answer; I'm guilty of that.) Does that make you stop reading?



1. Word count is not important to me as long as I am really interested in the story. I even read stories that are in bad format because of the plot. lol


2. that doesn't make me stop reading the story but makes me think twice if I should leave a review 'cause I'm not sure if the author appreciates it or not. But If I really have a reaction I wanted to post, I'd still leave a review anyway.
« Last Edit: September 16, 2011, 11:56:23 AM by Alexsgirl_ritz »
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Carter-Orange

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Re: When reading...
« Reply #2 on: September 16, 2011, 02:20:43 PM »

Word count doesn't matter much to me.  If I'm enjoying what I'm reading then I'll read it no matter what.

As for authors not responding to reviews.  That annoys me.  But what annoys me more is authors who only respond to certain people's reviews.  It makes me not want to review.
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Alexsgirl_ritz

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Re: When reading...
« Reply #3 on: September 16, 2011, 02:31:05 PM »

But what annoys me more is authors who only respond to certain people's reviews.  It makes me not want to review.

I feel the same way. It's not the authors are obligated to respond to our reviews, since we are the one who decided to read the story and leave a review, but our efforts should be appreciated at one point or another.

I hope I am making sense here. lol
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Carter-Orange

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Re: When reading...
« Reply #4 on: September 16, 2011, 02:45:29 PM »

Yeah, you are making sense.  If an author doesn't respond to any reviews at all, then that's up to them.  But to only respond to a select few people makes me feel like they don't care about their other readers.
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Purpura Lipstick

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Re: When reading...
« Reply #5 on: September 16, 2011, 04:38:11 PM »

I do have an issue with word count.  I'll admit that if a story has long chapters I tend to be turned off because my attention span to read on the computer is small.  If the plot looks interesting enough or if I have liked something by the author in the past, I am more opt to give it a go but if I can't make it through without my eyes glazing over, I might stop.

If I liked the story I don't think I'd stop reading if my reviews weren't answered.  I leave reviews for the author sure, but I do tend to leave reviews as a placeholder for myself so I know where I left off too. ;)  Especially if the story is complete.
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RokofAges75

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Re: When reading...
« Reply #6 on: September 16, 2011, 06:12:00 PM »

I pretty much agree with what everyone else has said.  Word count doesn't matter to me, unless the whole story is only a few hundred words long... if that's the case, I'm like, what's the point?  I prefer stories with substance.  I'm certainly not afraid of long stories or long chapters, though they do need to move at a pace that holds my attention.

Lack of an author response doesn't make me stop reading a story, but it might make me stop reviewing or at least not review every chapter because, as most everyone else said, it makes me wonder if the author appreciates or even bothers to read their reviews.
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mare

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Re: When reading...
« Reply #7 on: September 16, 2011, 06:35:48 PM »

You know over the years, I have noticed that word count is important to me. I tend to not want to read stories where the word count is pretty high (to me that's 3,000 words and up) if only a few go that high it's different but if it's a story that already has a ton of chapters and each one of those is over 3,000 I kind of know I am not ready to invest myself into a fanfic like that. It's weird because for me, I don't care at all about that in novels. It's more of a sitting at the computer and having to scroll down and read issue and probably because it's fanfic too. LOL I guess back in the day when I was more into fanfic it didn't matter.

If i'm reading it as it's being written I usually give it a go but if it's not holding my attention because of length I usually stop reading.

It's funny because I just asked my readers at the end of my last chapter which they preferred. Shorter chapters with more frequent updates or longer chapters. Because of my own personal preference I found myself wondering if I would read my own story. LOL

As far as not responding to reviews. Honestly, it will detract me from reading the story. I think it's douchey. I've said it before and i'll say it again lol And what Steph said, bugs me too. People who only respond to certain reviews as if one person is more worthy than another. The thing that bothers me most though is the people who don't respond to reviews and whine about not getting reviews! I want to smack them over the head with a dirty diaper.

Another good question  is, how do you feel about AUTHORS who don't leave reviews for stories they read but then complain when they don't get reviews? I find that a HUGE turn off.

I need to stock up on dirty diapers to throw at people. LOL
« Last Edit: September 16, 2011, 06:38:17 PM by mare »
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RokofAges75

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Re: When reading...
« Reply #8 on: September 16, 2011, 07:51:00 PM »

^ That's a huge turn-off to me, too, authors who beg for reviews or complain about not getting enough that don't review themselves.
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FrickingKaos

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Re: When reading...
« Reply #9 on: September 17, 2011, 03:14:56 AM »

I hope none of these were directed at me lol ;) I usually respond to reviews right away but sometimes I forget and I got to stop doing that, it is purely unintentional I promise :)
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Carter-Orange

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Re: When reading...
« Reply #10 on: September 17, 2011, 08:27:28 AM »

That's also a huge turn off for me too, especially when they beg for reviews/are constantly reminding readers that's they've updated.  You'd think they'd have the decency to review what they read too.

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RokofAges75

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Re: When reading...
« Reply #11 on: September 17, 2011, 09:47:26 AM »

I don't think we're talking about any one writer in particular; it's just a general pet peeve.
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~Julie

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Carter-Orange

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Re: When reading...
« Reply #12 on: September 17, 2011, 10:08:28 AM »

No Tracy, no one is talking about you, it's just like Julie says.
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kevmylove

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Re: When reading...
« Reply #13 on: September 17, 2011, 03:21:47 PM »

I asked the first question cause I just can't get into reading a story that has 600-900 in each chapter. It leaves me hanging more than a cliffie. Then the 3000+ is just too much for me, no matter how good the story is. I have the attention span of a gnat!  :shrug:

I kinda missworded the second question, didn't really mean stop reading. It was more like stop reviewing. I have read stories where I review and the author totally skips responding to my review or doesn't answer any at ALL! (Although, I do tend to answer reviews late or back in the day not at all...would say cause I always have internet issues, but that might just be an excuse. I'm much better at it now  ;))

I actuallly get embarassed to plug my stories...haha ...but it's exciting when readers talk about it, so I do join in. lol. 
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FrickingKaos

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Re: When reading...
« Reply #14 on: September 17, 2011, 03:29:21 PM »

Its ok :) personally I don't like when someone says "if I don't get this many reviews I won't update...." that to me is a huge turnoff. I stopped reading a story completely because of that!
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