Once upon a time the Fiction Archive was extremely active. There was a time when there were two or three new stories posted every day. There were frequent (though probably not frequent enough) reviews and comments posted here on the Forums about the new fiction. Discussions ensued here on the Forum about the contributions by the many authors.

The most recent posting of one month's worth of story submissions totaled NINE stories. In the over two weeks since they were posted there has been only a single very brief comment here on the Forums about any of them. (Thank you, Gellyfreggy.) The simple "star ratings" that take only a single click after you have read as story average only THIRTEEN per story. The brief comments posted right at the end of the stories (and which take only a minute or two for you to show your appreciation for an author) now total less than two per story (A total of 15 comments for 9 stories equals 1.667 each).

The Fiction Archive seems to be slowly dying. Those who want to keep it active need to do more to reward the authors who put so much effort into their contributions here.

I know three, formerly prolific, authors who have stopped submitting new stories to the Archive because of the lack of feedback on their work.

All I can say as a person who runs a website myself, you can't force the users to review content, clean-up their content submissions, etc. As much as I like my users on a personal level, they tend to be lazy on these points. It creates a lot of work as a moderator, but I'm happy to do it.

There are still a TON of stories I do not think have been restored to the archive, at least I can't find 'em. And now they seem to be gone until that process is complete with the disappearance of them from the Wayback Machine. While I won't push for it, I do hope we see a few of those added periodically. That would be wonderful, but I also understand it's a tremendous undertaking.

--LT

I suppose that one of the reasons is saturation. Perhaps there are too many stories or so many stories that there's not enough motivation to write. I know early on I wrote several stories, but I can't remember the last time I wrote a story or even felt motivated to write a story. For awhile it was an outlet for me to share my fantasies, but once shared, I guess I lost the desire. But again, not everyone can write stories or perhaps they don't feel confident enough to write or perhaps they just prefer to read. It is hard to come up with ideas and some people aren't as creative. Writing is a craft that takes time and you have to want to write and be somewhat driven. On the hand there seems to be more "websites" that cater to the eunuch community and these may be drawing away some of our writers. That's my two cents for today. Hash

P.S. I do think that Sandi L (C&T) is a prolific writer, but she writes a diary type blog called Penectomy Games. It may also have to do with our changing world. Everything is more visual today and maybe more have turned to viewing/making videos.

I've been around a while, and then not for long enough to lose my account. I miss the old archive, I agree that there are so many stories missing that I'd love to see come back. I've tried to leave star ratings on all the new stories I've read, but having said that, I've not read many as they just aren't my cup of tea. I couple I've clicked on and started reading only to close before getting a couple of paragraphs in. I don't think that is a reflection of the author but rather my taste

Agree w/ HASH.

Part of me has 'seen it all', part has lost interest. Just don't have the time since my business picked up.

As someone who has written a few stories, there isn't much motivation other than it just being an outlet for one's self, as it was for me.

Only a few members ever commented, or seemed to have interests in my 'outlet' either.

One member rewrote a story, without asking. That was a bummer.

I have received notes, comments, hate mail, and glowing accolades for "objectionable" stories in the past; so I know he could have tried.

It's OK to disagree; but re-writing to suit your own beliefs, or dysfunction, without so much as an attempt to contact the original author ain't Kosher.

What stung the most was the 'snub' still posted in his opening.

"Apologizing is always easier than getting permission" . . . I tried to 'go with it', but that pretty much ended it for me.

I have several stories in the hard drive that could be finished, but what's the point?

I've read everything that exists on the EA. All my unfinished 'work' has already "been done" in one way or other. I haven't had an original idea since Walker County High School Incident (https://eunuchworld.co/s12287).

I have offered to proof for others; no one ever responds, except for one guy who wanted a story converted to English. Turned out 'his' story was a re-write of one of Slammers stories. Delete . . .

I wouldn't mind helping restore the archive. I might need a 'refresher' on submissions . . . The Archive is important to keep. I don't mind fee-based support either. A few $ a year multiplied by the 'membership' would mean never having to wonder if the archive will be around when the next-gen populace wakes up . . .

I'd be happy to write more but I usually wait until a story is posted before submitting the next. So if the archive is only updated once a month I only post once a month. If it was updated every week I guess I'd submit something every week.

I think one of the issues is that as hard as the folks who run our beloved archive work on it, it is more Gen X than Millenial oriented. Working in media, I see this issue all the time. The moves in how people consume content has moved in the last 50-60 years from Magazine/Newspapers to Radio/TV and then from TV to Internet, and now a subset of Internet that is called social media and mobile devices (Read: Smartphones). If you're not up on the latest and greatest, the millenials will get missed, as will the next generation after them if it's not kept on top of.

Frankly, I kind of like our Gen X oriented website, I get to communicate with many my age, and not have to deal with ageist attitudes for the most part. But I can say the more mobile device friendly any website can get, the better.

--LT

I think Losethem has hit upon an essential part of it: the method of connecting to the Internet has undergone an epic change in the last few years, even for an old guy like me.

I might not turn on my computer for a week, connecting instead through my smart phone or a tablet. If there isn't an "App for it," I'm probably not going there, and whereas I used to communicate by email, I now use some messaging service. All I get on email is spam.

And, if you think it's changed too quickly for you, hold onto your hats, because the rate of change is speeding up. Who knows what it's going to look like 5 years from now.

But aside from that, posting and reading stories is just too complicated now. Waiting weeks to see the story one posted is too long, and having to register and login to read them is more than many care to do.

Slammr (imported) wrote: Wed Jun 10, 2015 9:03 pm I think Losethem has hit upon an essential part of it: the method of connecting to the Internet has undergone an epic change in the last few years, even for an old guy like me.

I might not turn on my computer for a week, connecting instead through my smart phone or a tablet. If there isn't an "App for it," I'm probably not going there, and whereas I used to communicate by email, I now use some messaging service. All I get on email is spam.

And, if you think it's changed too quickly for you, hold onto your hats, because the rate of change is speeding up. Who knows what it's going to look like 5 years from now.

But aside from that, posting and reading stories is just too complicated now. Waiting weeks to see the story one posted is too long, and having to register and login to read them is more than many care to do.

The more I see the "new and improved" ways of communication, the more I have an allergy for the web 2.0. Many of the new sites are unarchivable, and so if they go dead, they go dead. Older ones could have been at least archived by web archive.

The social media is good for the "at the moment" communication, but searching something that happened some time ago in this garbage pile of messages/posts/likes and all is futile.

I still have the same old email address, and jabber account. If one wants to message me - he/she can do it from any server or messaging client be it desktop or mobile. I am not installing one more damn app that wants all my address book, my location and all other damn data, sends it off to the network and shows me advertisements.

I am sick and tired of forums and sites saying "oh, we have an app" - damn, I go there once, may be twice to read it from mobile, can't I just mark that "leave me alone, I am not installing anything".

I do not have a facebook or any social network account, cause the last one I had banned me for not giving them my mobile phone number.

And I actually hate messages written from smart phones. (Ever seen how auto-complete and hurry turn relatively reasonable and intelligent people into idiots? For hells sake, next time I get some message like I described, I'll reply to it literally. Textspeak at least was legible.)

And no - I am not installing any vaporware messaging app - it would disappear in some time, and email and jabber would still work, cause they are open standards, and the "new and improved" messaging thingie is just a walled garden.

PS. Ok. End of rant. I have yet to see something useful written on a tablet or a phone without keyboard.

Tumblr...I blame it all on Tumblr, although I also love Tumblr. Some of the authors from here are over there now and don't submit to the Archive. And you can put pictures on Tumblr, too, which seems to be where the action is heading. Kids these days don't have any interest in reading a full story when they can just look at a Photoshop (or not) image of a eunuch.

Also, authors have no control over their work once submitted. On Tumblr the author retains a modicum of control.

The Snowden revelations have I'm sure caused people to think twice and self-censor for fear they will be exposed as a pervert.

However, I am incredibly grateful the Archive is still up and running. I hope it stays alive.