Posted:
This question has been plaguing my mind since a long time and I got time only today to ask it.
Many posts have been made discussing our favourite stories but off late I have seen around that people stop reading a particular story. I too do that for various reasons:-
a. Updating Regularity: If a story is not updated regularly, I tend to either not start it or leave it midway because I can't wait for a very long time. But if the author puts up regular notes for his/her absence, I will stick to that story because I feel the connect! And I understand everyone has a personal life and not everyone can update every other week but a constant link with the author always helps :)
b. Format: I find it a little difficult to read stories which are written in sms language. I don't mind that language and can read it very well but I find myself more engrossed in trying to decipher a short form than the story itself :(
Also, if the story is written in the dialogue form, without it being a play, I can't read it either :(
c. Hypocrisy: If I know a particular author asks for likes/comments/reviews/encourages the readers to speak up in each of his/her updates but silently reads other authors' works (by only pressing the 'Like' button) then I will not read anything by him/her.
d. Once bitten twice shy: If I know that a particular author has left one story incomplete, I will never pick up another story by that author because I know that that author only starts new stories without ever ending them!
e. Bias: I am a human and I tend to be biased. I can't be neutral always. So I have a tendency to not read a story by an author whom I do not like. I know it is not correct on my part but I cannot help it :(
f. A non-ArHi story: Sorry, I can't bring myself to read a story which is not on ArHi
g. Blogs: I am not comfortable commenting on blogs. So if a story is on the blog with no corresponding IF thread on it, I won't read it
h. Illogical: I have left a lot of stories (even completed ones) if they don't follow logic anymore. I know, no story is perfect but I cannot help but get focussed on that one particular big glaring mistake in the story :(
i. Rude: I can't read a story by an author who is rude to others/readers in general. I know his/her attitude has nothing to do with the story he/she is writing. But if I find rude notes above and below the updates, then no I won't read the story!
j. Plagiarism: If a member has plagiarised once, there is a tendency that he/she will do so again! So I won't read anything by that member. I know we should believe in second chances but I can't bring myself to do that.
k. Acknowledgement from the author: When I comment on a story, the least I expect from the author is to press the 'Like' button on my comment to let me know that the extra time I took out to comment (instead of being silent) was worth it. And if not that may be a scrap once in 5 comments! If I see my comments are not acknowledged, I will stop reading (because I would rather not read and not comment than read and not comment)
l: The Author's Bias: If I see the author having a gala party at his/her thread with his/her friends, ignoring the other readers, it is a total turn off for me. I feel bad!
m: Complicated sentence construction: I can't read a story which uses overly non-regular words so that every time I read a story I have to sit with a dictionary! And I don't like too much of metaphors!
These are some of the reasons I have stopped reading some stories/I don't start with a story. Share your reasons too and please refrain from mentioning any authors or stories (even in the form of a hint. We all are smart enough 😉)
Edited to add the note :)
Many posts have been made discussing our favourite stories but off late I have seen around that people stop reading a particular story. I too do that for various reasons:-
a. Updating Regularity: If a story is not updated regularly, I tend to either not start it or leave it midway because I can't wait for a very long time. But if the author puts up regular notes for his/her absence, I will stick to that story because I feel the connect! And I understand everyone has a personal life and not everyone can update every other week but a constant link with the author always helps :)
b. Format: I find it a little difficult to read stories which are written in sms language. I don't mind that language and can read it very well but I find myself more engrossed in trying to decipher a short form than the story itself :(
Also, if the story is written in the dialogue form, without it being a play, I can't read it either :(
c. Hypocrisy: If I know a particular author asks for likes/comments/reviews/encourages the readers to speak up in each of his/her updates but silently reads other authors' works (by only pressing the 'Like' button) then I will not read anything by him/her.
d. Once bitten twice shy: If I know that a particular author has left one story incomplete, I will never pick up another story by that author because I know that that author only starts new stories without ever ending them!
e. Bias: I am a human and I tend to be biased. I can't be neutral always. So I have a tendency to not read a story by an author whom I do not like. I know it is not correct on my part but I cannot help it :(
f. A non-ArHi story: Sorry, I can't bring myself to read a story which is not on ArHi
g. Blogs: I am not comfortable commenting on blogs. So if a story is on the blog with no corresponding IF thread on it, I won't read it
h. Illogical: I have left a lot of stories (even completed ones) if they don't follow logic anymore. I know, no story is perfect but I cannot help but get focussed on that one particular big glaring mistake in the story :(
i. Rude: I can't read a story by an author who is rude to others/readers in general. I know his/her attitude has nothing to do with the story he/she is writing. But if I find rude notes above and below the updates, then no I won't read the story!
j. Plagiarism: If a member has plagiarised once, there is a tendency that he/she will do so again! So I won't read anything by that member. I know we should believe in second chances but I can't bring myself to do that.
k. Acknowledgement from the author: When I comment on a story, the least I expect from the author is to press the 'Like' button on my comment to let me know that the extra time I took out to comment (instead of being silent) was worth it. And if not that may be a scrap once in 5 comments! If I see my comments are not acknowledged, I will stop reading (because I would rather not read and not comment than read and not comment)
l: The Author's Bias: If I see the author having a gala party at his/her thread with his/her friends, ignoring the other readers, it is a total turn off for me. I feel bad!
m: Complicated sentence construction: I can't read a story which uses overly non-regular words so that every time I read a story I have to sit with a dictionary! And I don't like too much of metaphors!
These are some of the reasons I have stopped reading some stories/I don't start with a story. Share your reasons too and please refrain from mentioning any authors or stories (even in the form of a hint. We all are smart enough 😉)
Edited to add the note :)
Shiv Shakti
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