A Simple Suggestion

Hello. I have a suggestion for the consideration of the management of this fine site. That is not to suggest that this site is any less than very very good. I am continually impressed with not only the navigation at its simplest form. But I am also awed with the content itself. My fellow writers are of a very fine caliber indeed! One day I hope I can even compete!

Perhaps it has been suggested before? I have looked, though that isn't to say it hasn't been suggested. That is just to suggest that Christian is perhaps blind (is there a Braille version of LSF?).. Anyway.... The thought strikes me that my own absences out of pure necessity tend to drive away my readers. They just forget about the writer called "Christian0539" in favor of those that update often. What if.... You could subscribe to an author? And you would get email updates when said author updates something to their page?

Now keep in mind I have no idea at all what sort of work that would mean for the kind folks that run such an already glorious page. I can't even imagine, though I have offered my own assistance should it become necessary. If I must learn to speak HTML (the ancient language from the WWW clan) I shall do so.

Anyway, it is only a suggestion. Take it how you will.

Regards,
Christian

It's actually 'kind folk singular' that writes all the code for the site which by the way is mainly in php rather than HTML although of course it's HTML that is generated by the php scripts.

It's certainly possible to do what you're requesting but would involve a substantial amount of work. My other concern is just how many emails we'd end up sending out as with over 500 authors and almost 10,000 members we could end up with some potentially big numbers. Having said that, I'll put it on the 'nice to have' list and if a substantial number of people think it would be worth having I can give it some further thought later in the year.

When an author updates something on KLSF, it will show up in the author search. The right hand side where it says Enter Author. It will have a date off to the left hand side. Also, at the end of the title of the story will will have a red block with the white letters NEW. When I type your name, Christian, I see the first five stories have the NEW and the DATE. Also, quite a few reads and comments. I don't think anyone has forgotten you. You have I believe 28 stories to some of the other authors' HUNDREDS. If makes a difference. Just keep writing as I do. The more your name is seen, the more they will read your work.

It will also show in the LATEST section.

You may probably know all this, so it's just my two cents. Two pence. Two Kroners, Two yen. LOL

B

I don't see how the proposed "solution" (emails to an author's 'subscribers' when he has updates) addresses the cited "problem" (readers who forget about an author when he hasn't updated). Any reader who's half-way active here will see new material on the "Latest" list - probably there's TOO much attention to this one way finding reading material. As a reader, I know I'll periodically go to the APs of my few favorite authors to make sure I haven't missed anything, And I'm not going to get myself besieged with emails telling me about everyone else's new stuff. I think that most of us authors would be rather disappointed to find out how few people would actually subscribe to be notified when our new stories come out.

My vote is that this is not worth Februs' time, which would be better spent generating more and more statistics.

I have a counter-suggestion (but feel guilty about mentioning it as Februs has given us so much already). What about an "author of the day" button which cycles through every author in turn. This would mean that those authors who for whatever reason (including being dead!) don't appear on the "latest" list wouldn't be totally neglected. I know "lucky dip" already provides this to some extent, but it obviously favours the more prolific authors.

I like Alan's suggestion as it will help fix the problem of older goodies being forgotten... In fact I feel less and less motivated to write new material because it becomes forgotten as soon as the latest loaded list is updated which is usually one day after the story is loaded.... So soon to drift into oblivion haha ;-D

An interesting idea. it's one more way of bringing stories/authors to the top for attention by "turning the pile." This is already done by the "latest" posted, latest "commented" upon, "latest read," and "Lucky Dip." The first and last favor the most prolific ( the first specifically favoring the most recently prolific), and the middle two are somewhat a function of the others. Since many readers seem to to need "suggestions" in the form of a list, AB's suggestion for an "author of the day" feature would help bring attention to the other authors and their stories, which will often contain some gems. I like that it would treat all authors equally, not matter how much they've written, or how previously popular their work has been. I would suggest that, in addition to the author's name, the feature (presumably shown on the main page) also show3 or 5 or ten of that author's works, also selected at random (with perhaps on the first installment of any series being considered for that random selection.

I have no idea how much work this would be for Februs, our esteemed site designer, but if it's not too complicated, it would be a worthwhile addition to the existing means of "suggesting" stories to reader/members. I would hope that, once programmed, the selection of the author and display of random stories could be automatic, so that it doesn't turn into a daily chore. Februs doesn't need a new daily chore.

I agree with AlanBarr. "Author of the day" is a great idea.

The problem is that no matter how many different ways of suggesting reading material are provided and if you include all the various lists and stats tables and plugboard and search forum and author list table and even the recent filter the vast majority of site users simply continue to use the Latest loaded list. The irony is it was originally intended for admin use only so we could see what had been loaded and needed validating.

I'm not sure I can see the benefit of an author of the day list, why don't those people who prefer that approach simply use the author table which lists all the authors in alphabetical order and go from one to the next on each visit?

Quite frankly the SHOULD. Just like they should use the "Lucky Dip." But people are lazy (well, MANY are). And they don't think to do it. But if it's handed to them, they might use it. I'm not suggesting that we do it for the READERS, but for the authors who might otherwise be overlooked. If stories from an "author of the day" are right there with those "latest loaded," you're going to get people reading.

Again,, though, it all depends on how much work there is in setting it up (and that there be little or NO work to service it on an ongoing basis). Just my two cents' worth,