Issues with ABC

Hi Grover, If you want to see if a fave writer has anything new, go to search bar and type in the username and it'll take you to stuff of theirs. Just tap on the name and it'll take you to writer's latest work. The other websites I've tried I haven't had any comments, just points for heck knows what. I can't fault abc as a community site. It's the best thing since sliced Rebekka.

I must say I like the look of Figment, think I'll join. The more the merrier, eh? I also like the 'follow me' thing. We have similar at UKA ('Favourite Author') but Figment have a lot of interesting features...might pinch some :) http://www.ukauthors.com(link is external)

Just had a look at Figment and UKA. Impressive, but there is probably room for a number of these sites and their strength is that they are all different. Hope TC won't mind if I say there is a feel of being in someone's cosy living room at ABC with trusted friends to share and air your wares. I'm sure there is room for improvement technically, but when isn't there? How much do you spend and where / how do you raise the money? A heck of a lot of stuff gets posted on here - most of it bloody good - and not everyone has time to read. I know that - I struggle myself. Is there a magic answer to that on another site? ABC has a sense of safety about it that I like. It's also a great community when you get into it. Vive le choice!

Hi Folks, haven't tried the sites described, but I do know there does not seem to be a way to take double-spaced work and not have it arrive all bunched together in one mammoth paragraph. Editors of numerous journals have advised me (re submissions) to always send material without left indentations and in block format. I enjoy our ABC family and of all the searching I have done so far these past years, it is the best of the best, with consistent excellent writing. I will stick my neck out and state there is much trash, not erotic, but plain junk writing on some sites, as if someone took a few moments between burping, to write a poem. Ha. Compared to those sites, ABC is far superior, in my estimation. All the best, from Richard LP

Hi Grover, I have never seen any comment you have made on another author's work on this site. I assure you, that is the way to get comments on your work. For example if you take the time to comment on my work you will find that I will go through your work, comment on it and go back to it and comment on new work. That is how this site works and how you make really useful connections from the huge array of really talented authors. Oh and remember - it is no quantity but quality which counts

Well said all and especially Lavadis. I don't need up-to-the-minute technology or snazzy links. If I find a new author I like, I remember the name. That's why we have a memory in our brains; to enjoy our consciousness and hold onto the good bits. My memory's shot but I'm pooped if I'm going to forget a great piece of work and not consciously search for more. It's horses for courses but if I don't like something or feel I'm not being appreciated, I just stop going there. This site is as socially pleasing as it is an incomparable hive of buzzing talent, but the main criteria for enjoyment of the site is that by giving, you receive. It doesn't surprise me that the author of this topic hasn't left a single comment for the work of others, yet cries out for people to read his work in such a roundabout way, blaming the site for his/her problem. There are plenty of critiquing services out there that will be only too happy to read work but, unsurprisingly, they take money in the process. All us lot hope is that writers read and readers write.

Morning everyone. Hope you're all having a wonderful day. To be fair to Grover, if you go to his profile and press the Track button you can see he has commented on a few pieces of work. However, to criticise the site by comparing the number of comments received on other sites is a bit of a red herring. I have researched a number of sites across the internet. Each has their merits. But the common denominator (first time I've used that phrase since school) is reciprocal reviewing. Unless one is an absolute genius then finding an audience in what is an overcrowded market can be challenging. Due to time constraints it is impossible to read every piece of work posted on this site, so readers must pick and choose accordingly. If it is detailed critiques one is looking for then I suggest offering someone else the level of critique you would like for yourself. This would show how serious and committed you are about giving and receiving constructive feedback as opposed to back slapping. If one feels unable to offer a detailed constructive critique then there are many websites available offering great advice. Check out these links. http://www.crayne.com/howcrit.html(link is external) http://curvynovels.tripod.com/Writing/SampleStory.htm(link is external) http://prowritingaid.com/Free-Editing-Software.aspx(link is external) As always, I wish everyone all the best with your writing, and urge you to try and offer more comments than you receive. It won't go unnoticed.

Let's be honest, you don't comment much at all, which may be one of the reasons you haven't received any comments on your last two pieces. Another reason may well be the length of your stories. I had one glance and decided it would take far too long. I can assure you many others will do likewise especially when you don't appear to spend a similar amount of time reading and commenting on the work of others. Have a look at the work of those who get many comments. You'll find they are the ones who spend more of their time commenting on the work of others. Shorter pieces would also make the manual formatting less of a chore. As for a friend list? You could always bookmark your favourite authors and group them in a folder using the Favourites facility on Internet Explorer. It's an easy workaround to your problem. As always, best of luck in what you choose to do and all your writing.

Hi grover and otehrs. First of all I am always very happy to hear what you feel would make the site better - and we do manage improvements from time to time. However I must stress that improvements require techie time and that is not always available to me. This site does not make any money - it relies on donations to even pay the server costs - and it takes a lot of time and energy from a large number of people to make it function. There are numerous changes I would like to make in its functionality but until someone comes up with a magic formula for making it pay substantially more than it does then those changes are going to await the available time and resources of our volunteer technical assistance. I'd love to do more - but I think we should all be very grateful that so many people put so much into this site for nothing.

Hi Grover, nothing wrong with wanting to write 5,000 word short stories. One way of getting them read is to break it up into three chapters for easier consumption by a potential audience. Next step, post them on separate days. there are many writers here who post three chapters every day. Not many of them get read. The problem is competition. The ABCtales short story section is a crowded marketplace. I don't know about you, but it takes me around 30-40 minutes to read a 5,000 word story. And seeing as my online time is somewhat limited these days I look for quick reads so I can read as many different authors and styles as possible. Check out the work of stan and jolono longer pieces posted in easily manageable chunks.