A comment on comments

The year 2011 concluded with LSF readers having posted 37,380 story comments. Believe it or not, a few of these comments were NOT made by Sebastian, Guy or canadianspankee, or even tfs, the CrimsonKid, twisted8 or TheEnglishMaster. For those of you who haven't already done the arithmetic in your heads, that total of 37,380 translates into an average of just over 102 per day, or a comment every 14 minutes during the course of the year. Simply amazing, isn't it? As an author who benefits from the receipt of more comments than I have ever posted myself, I want to say thank you to all the readers/commenters who help make this such a vibrant community. And it looks like 2012 is starting on the same pace. (Whatever happened that once-feared "comments slide" anyway?)

If I may add a comment on 'A comment on comments':
I believe I may have been responsible for coining the phrase 'comments slide' during one of the periodic downturns in Reader Interactivity. Although panic seemed a rational response at the time, the Great Slide Scare was, in fact, a Situationist-inspired ploy to achieve just what you are celebrating here.

However, given that laurels have no thorns, there is no call for anyone here to be sitting on ours.

I also throw my hat in the ring on those who comment. I think if more of our readers (who do just that - read) frequented the forum we would probably have more comments. I'm happy with viewing the library and seeing my stories being read.

Thank you to the readers and thank you to those who read and comment.

B

As a lazy lurker and infrequent commenter I have to say that the mandatory comments system is a good thing, the limit could actually be set higher than it is. It has encouraged me to comment more than the minimum required at least and I can appreciate that feedback is valuable to the authors on here as their work deserves to be appreciated. The site is a fantastic and free resource after all.

I have a few story ideas myself and hope to submit one soon, once I get over the laziness and self criticism to get it down and do it justice :D

Speaking as an author who hasn't had much time to write since school resumed in August, I must admit to being very excited when I go to my author page and see a new comment to an old story. I am happy that someone liked something that I wrote and am appreciative of that person taking the time to comment on it. If you want to make an author's day (or at least this author's day) take time to write a brief comment when you finish a story. Although I greatly appreciate the time and considerable effort Crimson Kid makes in his lengthy comments, just a short, "I liked your story" will give me a warm fuzzy. So please don't feel you have to write a great deal or something insightful in order to leave a comment.

Just what kind of warm fuzzy are we talking about? If one has a stuffed furry animal and puts it in the microwave (please note I wroted "stuffed animal") does that mean one has a "warm fuzzy?"

Or does one have extremely short hair (on your head people, on your head), does that mean when the sun shines on it, that one has a "warm fuzzy?"

Also, can one have a fuzzy without it being warm? Can one have a cold fuzzy, or a hot fuzzy? (And no I am not thinking what 85% of you are thinking in regards to a hot fuzzy....geeesh!)

Is a "warm fuzzy" something I could use in a comment? For example, could I say, "Your story was a warm fuzzy?" I guess I could write "the story gave me a warm fuzzy," if I had any idea of what a "warm fuzzy" includes. If a spankee has a lot of hair on their butt, could one call that "a warm fuzzy?" Please clue a poor rural Canuck in on "What is a warm fuzzy."

This section fits into this forum on comments because I am always looking for new ways to express my thoughts about a story, just in case you think this is way off base. I like to stick to the subject, and there is nothing "fuzzy", warm or otherwise about that.

Whilst cleaning this evening, I found underneath the radiator an old piece of candy covered with cat hair. Since the heat was on, it was rather warm. Might this be what we're discussing?

Fuzzy Wuzzy wuz a bear
Fuzzy Wuzzy had no hair
Fuzzy Wuzzy wuz'nt fuzzy
wuz he?

I hope that clears up all the fuzziness about what a warm fuzzy is. Or not.

Speaking as an author I always appreciate it when someone takes the time to read one of my works and comment on it. I try to respond to all comments left for me and I do what I can to leave one on stories I enjoy.

I'm always extremely grateful for comments on my stories, and as a reader, it's always interesting to see what other readers made of a story. I'd say the comment system is a vital part of the KLSF experience.